Chapter 51
After Ace calmed down by fetching water, you all decided to spend the night there before making any further plans. Firstly, the forest temperature was low at night, making it inconvenient to move around. Secondly, this island might separate you again at any time, so it would be safer to stay in a place with firelight and observe for the night.
After deciding to stay overnight, the first thing to consider is the order of the night watch. In reality, given their strength, they can sense danger even in their dreams; only those with little combat ability need to take precautions in advance.
Having a clear understanding of this, you volunteered to be the first to keep watch.
"I'll be the first one to keep watch. Don't let my appearance fool you, I can actually stay up quite late."
All four of them looked at you at the same time, and the expression on Ace's face, the youngest, was the most noticeable: "You're using your inability to sleep as an advantage?"
"In special times, even weaknesses can be strengths."
You don't deny Ace's吐槽 (tu cao, a Chinese internet slang term for sarcastic or critical remarks), and you follow up on his words, which earns you a faint laugh from Izo: "Perhaps, as you said, the problems that usually need to be addressed are actually advantages now. If that's the case, then I'll rank second."
Shanks: "Wow? You guys are all so enthusiastic, then I'll be third! Mihawk fourth?"
Mihawk responded with a monotone, devoid of emotion, and Ace naturally became the last runner in the watch relay. He had tried to switch places with her, but Ace, well-fed, slept too well and started yawning after only a few words. Meeting her silent, smiling eyes, Ace understood the meaning behind her smile and no longer insisted, obediently accepting the arrangement.
Perhaps the forest temperature was low at night, so before closing his eyes for a short rest, Yizang took off his coat and gave it to you. You wanted to refuse, but Yizang seemed easy to talk to, and wouldn't easily give in once he had made up his mind. So, before you could say anything, he draped the coat, which smelled faintly of rouge, over you.
"Marco and Yuka aren't here, don't get cold."
Izo's smile, coupled with those words, left you with no reason to refuse. Amidst the background sound of the firewood crackling in the fire, you could only express your gratitude for Izo's kindness. Meanwhile, Shanks, who had found a place to sleep nearby, teased you about your interaction with Izo, but his teasing was directed at Mihawk.
"Oh dear, Mihawk doesn't have a jacket, he's missed his chance to shine."
Everyone present knew that Shanks was the type to make harmless jokes, so naturally they wouldn't clash with him over a joke. However, Shanks's words stirred up your emotions again, which had been slightly agitated by the recent wait for Mihawk.
And the memory of having forgotten about Izo's pursuit of you resurfaces amidst Shanks' teasing. The interplay of these two emotions leaves you momentarily unsure whether the heat on your face is from the intense heat of the fire or from Shanks's banter.
In contrast, Izo, who had temporarily put aside his pursuit of you and focused on leaving the island, glanced at you out of the corner of his eye before speaking, as you tried to curl up into a ball. When his gaze fell on your familiar coat, a smile flashed in Izo's eyes: "Sorry, I didn't give you a chance to show off."
"Haha, what Izo said sounds more like bragging!"
You, who share Shanks' view, dare not look up, staring intently at the blazing fire in front of you, the result of Ace adding fuel after hearing Izo's words.
Mihawk, who was closest to Shanks in being teased, sighed and replied in the kind of banter only old friends would have: "If you're sleepy, just go to sleep."
"Hey, what you're saying—but you're right, let's go to sleep! You're in charge of the first leg!"
At the end, Shanks smiled at you, not taking his teasing about you and Izo to heart at all. After finishing, he leaned against the tree trunk and pretended to fall asleep instantly. You admired his swift and decisive manner, and the conversation ended with Shanks's act of falling asleep.
Perhaps they were genuinely tired, or perhaps they trusted you, but apart from you, the other four people all fell asleep in their chosen spots. At least, you could tell they were asleep, but you weren't sure if they were actually asleep.
But you can't deny that seeing them actually entrust you with the night watch, instead of just talking about it, filled the anxiety in your heart that you had been worried about being useless and a burden since you arrived on the island. This realization made you breathe a sigh of relief.
After a brief sigh, you turn your attention back to the matter of keeping watch as Ace, a sleeper with a poorer sleeping posture, turns over not far from you.
The biggest challenge for someone keeping watch alone is overcoming the drowsiness that creeps in as the night progresses. But for someone like you who already struggles to fall asleep in an unfamiliar environment, this isn't an issue. Whether it's the rustling of the night wind through the woods or the sound of leaves whispering, or the cracking of firewood that gives you a sense of security, it can send a shiver down your spine.
Fortunately, that was all the noise you made while on watch; there was no other disturbance.
Two hours don't go by quickly. When Izo looked at you, you knew it was now his turn to keep watch. You weren't sleepy yet and wanted Izo to sleep a little longer. But thinking about how they trusted you, and how you would do the opposite of what you agreed upon, you swallowed the words you were about to say and handed the watch over to Izo.
As you stood up to give your watch to Izou, the coat draped over you began to slip down with your movements, reminding you that you were still wearing Izou's coat. You immediately prepared to take it off and return it to him. However, just as you raised your hand, Izou, anticipating your movement, reached out and stopped you.
"Keep it on, I'm not cold."
"And seeing you wearing it makes me feel much better, and it gives me more energy for the night watch."
Looking at Yi Zang's smile, which was exceptionally clear in the firelight, you, whose thoughts were a little sluggish from staying up all night, felt your face heat up when you heard the second half of Yi Zang's sentence.
Feeling much better... So you've temporarily become a storage shelf?
Realizing belatedly that you were being teased by Izo, you stopped insisting on returning his coat, lest he say something you couldn't handle later. After all, in the forest at night, having an extra coat is always better than having none, especially since your physical condition is far worse than the other four people present; catching a cold or getting sick wouldn't make your situation any better.
After rationally analyzing the matter of Izo giving you the coat, the heat on your face subsided, and your gaze towards Izo became firm.
"I understand, thank you, Yizang. If you feel cold, you can wake me up anytime."
Meeting your eyes, which no longer dodge and now held a resolute look, Izo, who knew you to some extent, could guess what you were thinking. A hint of helplessness appeared in his eyes, reflecting your image, but more so, a smile tinged with admiration. He knew all too well your ability to transform all ambiguous behavior into something reasonable and logical.
This is certainly a point that troubles Izang, but it's also something he admires and is increasingly drawn to. If the timing weren't so inappropriate, Izang wouldn't mind chatting with you a little longer. But now it's time to rest, so Izang returns your gentle smile and proactively ends the conversation: "I will. Until then, I hope you can get a good night's sleep."
Thank you for your kind words.
After saying goodnight to Yizang, you returned to your dinner seat and leaned against the tree stump behind you, ready to fall asleep.
Logically, falling asleep when both body and mind are exhausted should be easy. However, in an unfamiliar environment with occasional noise, your sleep is shallow. You clearly feel yourself in a dream state, yet you don't miss any sounds around you. That deep-seated weariness, coupled with a heightened awareness of your surroundings and the tug-of-war between body and mind, ultimately overwhelms the physical drowsiness.
If you can't sleep, get up.
As you think this, you wake up from a light sleep. The moment you open your eyes, the Izo you saw before falling asleep has been replaced by Mihawk, meaning you've been sleeping lightly for four hours. And Mihawk, sitting in his watchman's position, meets your gaze amidst the crackling of the burning firewood.
Mihawk didn't speak, but his golden eyes, which revealed a hint of helplessness, seemed to say, "Can't sleep again." As for why it was "again," you can imagine it was Mihawk's helpless expression that gave you that illusion.
Logically, you should close your eyes and try to fall asleep again, or look away from Mihawk, who is making you feel even more confused. But the pain of light sleep is temporarily taking hold, and you want a change of mood. Moreover, you are somewhat interested in Mihawk's "lover" and his attitude so far.
Considering that your sleeping position made it inconvenient to talk, you walked to Mihawk's side under his watchful eye. He didn't seem surprised at all and even produced a wooden cup from somewhere you didn't know, placing it in your hand.
Why is there a cup? Perhaps your reaction was too obvious, because the tired male voice began to explain the origin of the cup.
"I just casually shaved it while keeping watch."
"Just casually shaved it?" You looked at the smooth, round cup in your hand, a finished product that could easily be sold in a store, and a hint of admiration appeared in your eyes as you looked at Mihawk again.
"Was it just casually carved out? I think it would be fine to sell this in a store."
Little did he know that in Mihawk's eyes, the eyes looking at him were clear and bright in the firelight, and the smile in them made it impossible for him to look away.
Your attention has shifted from Mihawk to the water glass in your hand. You were so focused on the glass that you only now notice the water inside is still steaming. Clearly, it's been heated.
Wait a minute, could this be something he cut for himself to drink water?
Realizing your arrival might have taken away the water Mihawk had boiled, you quickly shoved the glass back into Mihawk's hands. Seeing you put the glass back, Mihawk, worried you might get burned, instinctively took the glass from you.
It's common knowledge that people make a lot of funny mistakes when they're flustered, let alone you. While you were rushing to return the cup to Mihawk, and Mihawk was preoccupied with you, the scene changed from you refusing a cup of water to you holding the cup with both hands, and Mihawk holding the backs of your hands with both of his.
Feeling the warmth of the broad palm on the back of your hand, you shift your gaze from the cup to Mihawk's helpless expression. Before you can explain the awkward situation, Mihawk, guessing the meaning behind your actions, sighs softly.
"This is for you."
The unexpected answer widened your eyes, and a wave of shame and warmth, slow to a beat, surged into your mind as you listened to Mihawk's reply.
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