Returning the arrow is exactly what both Raju and Francis have read it as: a show of bravado, a declaration that he's not afraid, that the whole incident has not fazed him and he's entirely unimpressed with it all. But it's also just as much a reassurance to himself, not only that everything is fine--which, ultimately, it is--but that he's regained some control of the situation. That his brief lapse in judgement, the sudden loss of patience, and the foolish escalation of an already tense moment are nothing to feel a slowly creeping sense of shame over.

James takes a deep breath, ignores the familiar jolt of pain it sends through his side, and both draws himself up to his full height and relaxes his posture all at once. Calm, self-assured, but no longer challenging; he'll accept the attempt at a peace offering, at least for now, and moves to follow Francis as indicated.

"Is that possible?" He aims the quip at Francis' remark about mulch, tone light and perhaps a little clearly forced, but it'll take a moment before he can do better than that. "I've almost forgotten what tea tastes like, if not half-decayed grass clippings."