After parking the car downstairs, Arthur carried the tipsy Lily upstairs in his arms.
Once he laid her gently on the bed, he rested his chin on one hand and simply watched her.
Her face was flushed from the alcohol, yet it still carried a smile. From time to time she mumbled something incoherent, then let out a soft, inexplicable giggle.
Suddenly, her hands began groping around as if searching for something.
The moment she touched Arthur, she immediately burrowed into his arms. After finding a comfortable position against him, she grew completely quiet and drifted off to sleep.
The peace of that moment nearly tempted Arthur to sink into it forever, never wanting to leave.
"So obedient… like a little animal," he murmured. Looking at the girl in his arms, he gently poked her cheek with a finger. It was soft and springy.
He smiled, then wrapped his arms around her. Staring up at the ceiling, he felt neither sleepy nor restless. He only wanted to remain like this—quietly feeling, quietly waiting, quietly guarding…
Before he knew it, dawn was approaching.
Just as Lily turned over in her sleep, giving him a little space, Arthur slipped out of bed and headed to the kitchen.
He cooked a pot of porridge and boiled two eggs.
"If someone's hungover, what should they eat to feel better?" he wondered. But the advice online always seemed to vary from person to person.
What worked for some might not work for everyone.
In the end, he decided that if she felt too uncomfortable, he would simply use the Eye of Horus to ease her condition.
After all, that would be much simpler for him.
He set the food on the dining table, stood there in a daze for a moment, then returned to the kitchen. From the cupboard, he found some pickled vegetables Lily had prepared and took a small portion out.
He also reheated two steamed buns.
Once everything seemed ready, he went back into the bedroom.
Sure enough, Lily was awake—but clearly not in good shape.
She sat on the bed, looking dazed, rubbing her head with a pained expression.
Since growing stronger, Arthur hadn't experienced a hangover in a long time. He chuckled softly and tapped the back of her head. "Serves you right, drinking so much."
She looked at him groggily, wrapped her arms around his waist, and leaned her head against him. "I feel awful… I want to throw up."
Arthur traced a pattern with his fingers. In the air, a golden eye quickly took shape, radiating soft golden light that bathed Lily's entire body.
Her pained expression gradually eased, replaced by a comfortable little smile.
She nestled contentedly in his arms, savoring the tranquility. After a while, she muttered, "That's so unfair."
"Hm?" Arthur asked curiously. "What is?"
"With abilities like that, you must always bully people when you drink with them," she said, rubbing her cheek against him. "If I had powers like yours, I'd never get drunk."
"…This can only relieve you, it doesn't increase your alcohol tolerance," Arthur replied, half amused and half exasperated. Then he added with a smile, "Though becoming stronger can indeed change your tolerance."
"Stronger?" Lily lifted her head and looked at him.
"You know Steve, right?" Arthur said with a smile. "Before all that, he was just a weakling."
"…If anyone heard you describing Captain like that, they'd fight you on the spot. Even knowing you're his instructor wouldn't save you," Lily snickered.
Arthur shrugged. "That's because all they know is him at his peak. When I met him, he was skinny and frail—so weak he couldn't even enlist in the army."
"I've heard about that," Lily nodded. "And then?"
"Later, Dr. Erskine's Super Soldier serum completely changed him," Arthur said with a smile. "After that, he never got drunk again."
"How convenient." Lily climbed out of Arthur's arms and began looking for her clothes. As she dressed, she asked, "What exactly is the Super Soldier serum? It feels like all the information about it has been classified by the government."
"That's because they can't replicate it anymore," Arthur replied, leisurely admiring her figure as he spoke. "Dr. Erskine was a genius beyond imagination. The fact that no scientist has successfully recreated his Super Soldier serum all these years proves just how extraordinary he was."
"It's rare to hear you speak so highly of someone," Lily said. She turned around and immediately noticed Arthur staring at her. Her face flushed red, and she raised both hands to block his eyes. "Stop looking! It's not like you haven't seen it before."
But with both arms lifted, she only ended up exposing even more.
Arthur smiled as he dodged her "attack." "Someone worthy of respect deserves praise at any time. It's just a pity that when he died, I wasn't by his side."
Lily paused, tilting her head as she looked at him. "That was a long time ago."
Arthur nodded. "A very long time ago."
"It's a pity I wasn't part of that chapter of your life," Lily said softly, taking his hand. "Otherwise… I would've fallen in love with you even earlier."
Arthur's eyes flickered briefly with a trace of emotion. After a moment, he smiled gently. "Yeah."
After getting up and seeing the breakfast Arthur had prepared, Lily looked even more pleased.
Then she said, "I have the whole day off today."
She didn't say anything more, but the meaning was obvious—especially in the hopeful look in her eyes.
Arthur thought for a moment. "Give me a second."
He stepped aside and made a phone call.
"There's no breakfast for you. Even if you called specifically to ask, that wouldn't change," Scott's cheeky voice came through the receiver.
Arthur's expression remained calm. "I'm spending the day with my girlfriend, so I don't have time to play games with you. Continue training with Hope today. I'll come over tomorrow."
"…I'm really curious what kind of person your girlfriend is," Scott said, his voice brimming with gossip.
The only response he got was:
Beep… beep… beep.
…
…
Arthur turned back and placed the phone on the table. "So, where do you want to go today?"
"Your choice!" Lily beamed. Then she hesitated slightly. "There's no problem, right? I'm not delaying anything important for you?"
"It's just a minor interruption. Nothing important," Arthur said seriously, thinking for a moment. "How about we go look at houses?"
(End of Chapter)
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