Scorpius doesn't look up. He stays put on his knees with the blanket pressed hard to the wound, his eyes stinging more than anything else.

"I'm fine, you dolt," he says stiffly. "I bleed a lot. It's fine. Look, I only took a little off. It'll heal." He removes the blanket long enough to show James that it's not as bad as he thought, despite all the blood, and then sulks. "Tell me something straight, James: are you planning to break up with me?"