"Thanks for the clarification, dollface," he said, brows arched as he lifted his head from her shoulder. He leaned forward, then, to press a quick kiss to the corner of her mouth, lingering for a moment even though his mind was elsewhere. Eventually, he met her gaze again, eyes sliding back into focus as he considered her, only then noticing the state of her hair. He didn't comment on it, and instead tucked one errant curl behind her ear.

"For all the innumerable ways," he murmured, half to himself, "I'm guaranteed to mess up this thing between us, you have my word that that won't be one them."