Liam slowly pushed himself back up to his feet, one hand instinctively rubbing the center of his forehead where Kelly’s earth projectile had struck him. He honestly did not know how to explain it anymore. There were times he could be thrown through buildings, buried beneath rubble, smashed through concrete walls, and get back up moments later like it was just another Tuesday. Then there were moments like this, where something relatively harmless hit him and the pain somehow felt ridiculously real.

It made absolutely no sense.

According to the System, it was intentional.

Its way of reminding him that no matter how powerful he became, no matter how many evolutions his body went through, he was still human.

Liam sighed quietly.

"Still hurts like hell," he muttered under his breath.

Kelly had already rushed toward him the moment he hit the floor earlier. Now that he had managed to sit down on the edge of the bed, she followed him without hesitation, the guilt on her beautiful face refusing to disappear.

The oversized nightgown shifted softly around her figure as she stepped between his knees.

"Let me see," she said softly.

Before Liam could protest, Kelly gently removed his hand from his forehead.

Her fingers were warm against his skin.

She carefully examined the spot where the earth ball had landed, her brows furrowing as if expecting to find a horrible injury.

Instead, there was nothing.

No bruise.

No swelling.

No visible mark.

Only Liam’s offended expression.

Kelly’s fingertips brushed lightly over the area anyway.

"I’m sorry," she said quietly. "I really didn’t know it was you."

There was genuine remorse in her voice.

Liam looked up at her and smiled.

"You did good."

Kelly blinked.

"What?"

"You protected yourself," Liam said. "Someone suddenly flew into your room through an open balcony in the middle of the night. You reacted immediately."

He shrugged.

"If anyone’s at fault, it’s me."

Kelly continued staring at him.

"I flew into your room unannounced trying to surprise you," Liam continued. "I kinda got what I deserved."

Despite still feeling bad, Kelly couldn’t stop the small laugh that escaped her.

"You make it sound like getting hit in the head was your own fault."

"It absolutely was."

"You are impossible."

Liam chuckled.

"And you’re terrifying."

That earned him another laugh.

The tension lingering in Kelly’s shoulders finally eased.

Then suddenly...

Her breath caught.

Without warning, Liam’s arm wrapped around her waist.

Kelly froze.

The laughter disappeared from her lips instantly.

Liam pulled her gently closer until she stood directly between his legs, his forehead resting lightly against her stomach through the soft fabric of her nightgown.

For a moment, Kelly completely forgot how to breathe.

"L-Liam..."

Even through the material, she radiated warmth.

Outside, cold air drifted into the room through the open balcony doors, causing the curtains to dance softly with the night breeze.

But Kelly herself remained warm.

Comfortably warm.

Liam closed his eyes briefly.

He could smell the faint traces of the perfume she’d used earlier. It wasn’t overpowering or overly sweet. It mixed naturally with the clean scent lingering from her recent shower and something softer that was uniquely Kelly.

Something familiar.

Something comforting.

It smelled like home.

"You smell really good," Liam said quietly as he lifted his head to look up at her.

Kelly’s cheeks immediately flushed.

Her beautiful skin carried the faintest warmth beneath it as embarrassment spread across her face.

"You can’t just say things like that out of nowhere," she mumbled.

"But it’s true."

Kelly looked down at him.

He was sitting on the edge of the bed with one arm around her waist, looking up at her with complete sincerity.

There wasn’t even a hint of teasing in his expression.

That somehow made it worse.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, Kelly’s fingers slipped into his hair.

Her touch was gentle.

Careful.

Like she was reassuring herself that he was really here.

"You disappeared for days too," she said softly, her earlier playfulness fading. "Do you know how worried I was?"

Liam leaned slightly into her hand without thinking.

"I know."

"You don’t."

Kelly’s fingers paused briefly before continuing to comb through his hair.

"I know you can handle yourself. I know you’re strong." Her voice grew quieter. "But every time you leave... I still worry."

Liam’s eyes softened.

Outside, music from Kelly’s abandoned phone continued playing quietly in the background.

The breeze still carried the cool night air into the room.

Neither of them spoke for several seconds.

Kelly remained standing in front of him, one hand buried in his hair while his arm rested comfortably around her waist.

Finally, Liam smiled.

"I have good news."

Kelly looked down at him suspiciously.

"What?"

Liam’s grin widened.

"For the next thirty days..."

He squeezed her waist lightly.

"I’m all yours."

Kelly stared at him.

Then her eyes widened slightly.

"...Thirty days?"

Something about the way he said it made her heart skip.

The smile on Liam’s face never faded.

"Yeah," he said.

"Thirty good days."

Kelly’s words lingered in the air for a moment, soft but heavy in meaning.

"You made it sound like you’ll be leaving after a month," she said again, quieter this time, like she was trying to process it properly instead of reacting emotionally.

Liam exhaled slowly as he looked up at her.

"Unfortunately," he said, voice calmer now, "I will be gone for a while."

There was no drama in the way he said it. No attempt to soften it. Just the truth, plain and direct.

Kelly nodded slowly.

"Hmm."

She accepted it faster than most people would. Maybe because she already understood the kind of life he lived. Or maybe because she trusted him enough not to question every dangerous decision he made.

"I understand," she said after a brief silence. "If it’s something important... I trust you."

That alone made something settle in Liam’s chest, though he didn’t show it.

Then Kelly shifted slightly where she stood between his legs, her hands still resting lightly on his shoulders.

"How about you don’t leave this night?" she asked suddenly.

Liam didn’t even hesitate.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

One of his hands slid from her waist down along her hip, resting a bit more firmly than before, his fingers settling naturally along the curve of her backside like it belonged there.

He paused for a second, genuinely observing her like he was seeing something new.

"Damn," he muttered with a small amused breath. "Did you get thicker?"

Kelly immediately rolled her eyes, though there was no real annoyance behind it. Instead, she shifted herself comfortably and, without warning, lowered herself onto his lap fully, straddling him like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"You’re impossible," she said, but her voice had already softened again.

Now they were face to face, close enough that neither of them needed to raise their voices.

Liam tilted his head slightly, still holding her waist in place.

"I’m not leaving your room tonight," he said simply.

Kelly’s expression softened instantly at that.

A small satisfied smile formed on her lips.

"Good."

Then she leaned in.

Slowly at first, almost teasing him with the distance between them, before finally closing it completely.

Her lips met his.

The kiss was soft but hungry in its own quiet way, like she had been holding it in since the moment he walked into the room. Liam didn’t resist. His hand tightened slightly at her waist as he allowed her to take control of it, her body pressing closer as she tested him, learning him all over again in that moment.

Kelly liked how soft his lips were.

How easily he responded.

How grounded he felt even while she was the one pulling him in.

The kiss deepened naturally, no rush, just instinct and familiarity. Her hands moved up to his face, holding his cheeks as if she needed him steady while she got lost in it, her fingers gently guiding him closer as her breathing slowly shifted.

When she finally pulled away, it wasn’t immediately.

It was gradual, reluctant.

A thin strand of saliva still connected them for a brief second before breaking apart.

Kelly’s face was flushed, her breathing slightly uneven, eyes darker now than before.

She looked at him like she was trying not to lose herself completely.

And she still failed.

"I want you," she said quietly.

Not loud.

Not dramatic.

Just honest.

Liam didn’t respond right away.

He could feel it though. The edge in her voice. The way her hands didn’t leave his face even after she spoke. The way her body was still pressed against him like she didn’t want any space between them at all.

His hand moved slowly up her back, tracing the line of her spine under the soft fabric of her nightgown. His touch was unhurried, controlled, like he was reading her reaction rather than rushing anything.

It reached the back of her neck.

Paused there for a moment.

Then shifted up toward her shoulder, fingers brushing along the edge of the gown strap as if testing the boundary of restraint itself.

Kelly’s breath caught slightly, her eyes still locked on his.

The room felt quieter now, the outside world almost nonexistent, only the faint sound of wind slipping through the balcony curtains breaking the silence.

Liam leaned in slightly, his voice lower now.

"...You sure?"

Kelly didn’t answer immediately.

She just looked at him.

And that silence said everything she needed it to.