And yet he's here. Though Scorpius can't see him, he can hear the hiss of the acid as he presses the needle to the collar, his soft breathing underneath. He has forgiven him for everything; the stupid, romantic naivety of assuming the Curse could only deepen their relationship; his childish defiance of sleeping with Avery because he had not heard from him; the defencelessness against the vile creature Æthelred had driven into Scorpius" body with his poking finger.