【Eagle Red】Lifetime

"...Why don't you fight seriously?" Shanks asked softly as he lay exhausted on the grass, looking at the fading sun.

"I've tried my best." Mihawk, who was sitting beside him, replied calmly.

Shanks turned his head in surprise, Mihawk was facing him, he could only see the black windbreaker, but couldn't observe the other's expression.

The red-haired pirate took a deep breath, frowned extremely rarely, and stared at the swordsman's back sitting upright - since the first strike in the fight, he has noticed the anxiety in the eagle-eyed swordsmanship and stagnation.Although in terms of destructive power, Mihawk's knives were much stronger than before, and even the ground under their feet was split into several wide gaps due to the power of the swords.

But Shanks didn't see this as an improvement for Mihawk, even though it took all his strength to parry the opponent's hard attack, until they both stopped in a tight draw.

"Powerful swordsmanship is not blindly domineering." Mihawk once said this a year ago.

But now it seems... Shanks tugged on Mihawk's clothes with a little worry, "In the past, although your sword skills were a little out of control, you were still calm... What happened?"

Mihawk turned around, and Shanks vaguely read a little hesitation and...pain from the swordsman's golden eyes?

"Before the fight, I knew that the current me would not be able to beat you. I just want to ask you a few questions this time, Shanks."

Shanks was stunned for a moment, he couldn't help straightening up, sat cross-legged with Mihawk face to face, restrained his smile and said, "I will answer properly."

"I remember you once said, 'Maybe there are some reasons why I didn't lose the will to become stronger'." Mihawk repeated verbatim what Shanks said casually a long time ago, " At this point, I wonder what the 'some reason' is?"

Shanks was very surprised. He held the straw hat in his arms and turned his head to look at the direction he came from: "Because I still have someone I want to protect. My partners and friends have given me a lot of help. If I don't Everyone, I definitely can't survive. I don't have any specialties, so I can only hold the sword in my hand tightly, thinking in my heart that I can't let them get hurt, and I will gradually improve."

Mihawk was silent for a long time, and finally whispered: "Such a reason does not suit me."

Shanks took it for granted that this sentence was meaningless, "It is enough not to lose the will to move forward, don't you also have your own foothold?"

However, Mihawk didn't respond to this question, he tilted his head slightly, and blocked Shanks from looking at him with the brim of his hat.

Footholds... that's really the sticking point.Perhaps that answer has long been in his heart, but for a long time in the past, the swordsman has been subconsciously avoiding to face it.Mihawk feels in a daze that he has always been a lone traveler who has been stepping up the stairs. Whenever he climbs a new step, the road he has walked will collapse silently behind him without leaving any traces.

From the moment he decided on his goal and worked hard for it, he had lost the chance to look back.The strongest requirement in his dream is that he must walk on this road that can only go forward without hesitation. Any not firm stop will make him fall into the unknown with the suddenly broken foothold before reaching the next step. dark abyss.He doesn't have the energy to be distracted by anyone or anything, and he shouldn't let his eyes look away from the front to look at others, let alone hesitation and hesitation.

He has long known how stupid it is to be stuck in a strange self for a whole year, but he is still so stupid that he has to wait until he sees Shanks again before he is willing to face and admit his mistakes.

How is this...

The swordsman raised his head, and looked at the person who had brought him such confusion that he had never felt before, and made him stand still for so long.He once defeated himself because of his easy words and overcame the biggest difficulty in pursuing swordsmanship, but he never thought that this person would become a bigger difficulty in his life.

"Shanks, I..." Mihawk wanted to say something to Shanks at the end, but all of this was just his own problem, and it was originally a matter that had nothing to do with the other party.

Shanks approached worriedly. Hawkeye a year ago was still a firm and straightforward person. Shanks didn't know what made his friend so hesitant.

"I really don't like the way you look, are you really the Hawkeye I know?"

Mihawk looked at the person who was still sincerely caring about him, and understood that he had to let go-even though Shanks never belonged to him.However, this idea suddenly awakened in his heart like a volcano that had been sleeping for a long time. The anxiety and depression that had been suppressed for a long time all erupted violently in an instant, filling his entire chest like scorching lava, and Fiery volcanic ash spewed out, heavy on his heart.

As if severely burned by the pain, Mihawk involuntarily bent down and took a deep breath.

Shanks immediately put his hands on Mihawk's shoulders. He caressed his friend's back and cried out worriedly, "Hey! Hawkeye, are you injured?! What's wrong?"

Mihawk trembled because of the light touch through the fabric, as if he was obsessed. He told himself that everything was over, but at the same time he watched his hand gently stretched out through the white shirt. , from under Shanks' ribs to his waist, and then stopped.

As if another self occupied this body, and everything was no longer controlled by his will, Mihawk clearly felt his frowning brows, his stiff body, touching the slightly trembling fingertips on the other side, His Adam's apple was trembling up and down, and he made a dry sound, and he heard himself whispering to the other party: "...is it okay?"

After saying a word, Mihawk quickly woke up, he withdrew his hand suddenly, and looked at Shanks who was just a few feet away in embarrassment and pain.He really wanted to explain the weird situation just now, but there was no need to clarify it - Mihawk knew better than anyone what kind of desire he had for Shanks at this moment.

He expected Shanks, who stayed where he was because of surprise, to be furious, walk away or slash people with his sword, he deserved what he deserved.

However, he saw the other party's eyes gradually widening. Shanks stretched out a hand, and gently buckled the straw hat in his arms on the rock beside him, while raising his eyebrows, showing an arrogant and joyful smile.

"Okay!"

That was the red-haired pirate's straightforward answer with a smile.

The time in Mihawk's eyes was suddenly slowed down. He watched Shanks stretch his arms around his immobile arm, and leaned over with a smile.

Facing the sunset, Mihawk couldn't see the expression on the other person's face clearly. The evening sunlight pushed Shanks' shadow on Mihawk's body for a long time.

The hesitant Mihawk was finally slowly pinned down on the grass, his hat rolled aside, and Shanks' warm left hand caressed his arm and moved quietly to the nape of his neck.The bridges of their noses were touching slightly, and Mihawk felt Shanks' teeth prying his tight lips lightly.

It's too messy...

While he blamed the other party for adding fuel to the fire in his heart, he couldn't help responding.

Their kiss went from forbearance and temptation to intense and lingering, bitter and sweet, pouring out their experiences over the past year and their longing for each other. By the end of this most direct communication, their breaths were already disordered.

Mihawk let Shanks put his whole body on his body, he raised his head, avoiding the other party's dazzling red hair, and locked his eyes on the blue sky full of sunset.

"...That's it, redhead." He tried his best to stop the next thing calmly.

However, there was a burst of hearty laughter in his ears, and Shanks suddenly exerted force, switching the positions of the two people.Mihawk was forced to support his body with his arms, trying not to make further contact with the opponent.He had to admit that in front of this vile and insightful Shanks, all his forbearance was vulnerable.

"Are you sure you can bear it?" Shanks raised his legs intentionally or unintentionally, and rubbed against a certain part of the swordsman. He looked directly at Mihawk's struggling eyes directly above him, and relaxed He put his arms behind his head, and there was a bit of inexplicable inquiry and teasing in his tone.

"Mr. my future world's number one swordsman?"

Mihawk couldn't tell what it was that made his last bit of sanity disappear. Is it the "No. [-] in the world" that made him palpitate and sad, or just the simple "I"?

"... Shanks!"

The swordsman finally tore open the few buttons on the white shirt below him, and at the same time called out the opponent's name in a complicated way.Yet the called one did not respond, nor did he resist.The red-haired pirate still quietly stared at the swordsman's golden eyes full of emotion, and put away the smile that had been hanging on his face.He stretched out his hand silently, and supported the other party who was bending over.

That's right... Mihawk.

Mihawk was lying on the grass, turned his head to see the sunset that had been covered by the peak of the mountain, he was silent for a long time, Shanks was lying beside him, leaning on his arm, humming That "Binks' Wine."

Shanks sang so briskly and happily, but Mihawk recognized that this was the ending song of the farewell he had sung.He has already guessed his situation and thoughts, right?Mihawk thought at last.

So is this the last gift, or tolerance?

"...Why?" Mihawk finally turned his head, he looked at Shanks, gathered up all his courage, and asked the question that he had been thinking about for a whole year, "Why would you do such a thing with me? ?”

Shanks's not-so-tuned singing stopped abruptly. He moved a little farther away, resting on his arm instead, and looked at the evening sky again. Mihawk could see half of the red-haired pirate's profile face still With a big smile.

"What's wrong with this kind of thing?" Shanks pulled a grass leaf and put it in the corner of his mouth, Mihawk saw the vibrant green leaf swaying lively with the words of the red hair, "Everyone is not young, It’s normal when you want to do it, right? — Besides, I’m a pirate, so why are there so many of them!”

"...But you don't have to choose me, and you don't need to...so you can ask for anything?" Mihawk tried to express his confusion with subtle words, "I can see that you are not enthusiastic, so, why is it? I?"

"Anything you want?" Shanks turned his head unexpectedly, looking at Mihawk who was frowning and staring at him with complicated eyes.

He suddenly sat up with a smile, spat out the blade of grass in his mouth, turned over, and sat on the swordsman's leg unceremoniously, and Mihawk's heart beat half a beat slower.Shanks stretched out his hand condescendingly, and lightly pressed Mihawk's chest. While moving his palm down, he said with a relaxed tone, "Then would you like me to do it again, Mihawk?"

Mihawk breathed a sigh of relief subconsciously, he clenched his fists silently, closed his eyes, and waited for Shanks' further action.

"Is this considered connivance? Acquiescence?" Shanks suddenly stopped the movement of his hands, and Mihawk felt the opponent's hands resting on his lower abdomen, moved back a little, and directly straddled him on the thigh.

"Sure enough..." Shanks murmured to himself, then bent down jokingly, reached out and pressed on Mihawk's frowning brows, "Don't you also want what you want, but your reaction, It's meaningless."

Mihawk opened his eyes in bewilderment, looked at Shanks who was still sitting on him in puzzlement, and asked silently with his eyes.

The red-haired pirate didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with his sitting posture.He took off the straw hat hanging on the side, put it back on his head, and looked up at the sun with only one corner still hanging on the top of the mountain.

"Nine years ago, I was a trainee pirate," the red-haired man suddenly said something that had nothing to do with their current situation, "I was only 14 years old at that time, and my home was a ship called 'Ocean'. Ro Jackson's ship."

Mihawk's heart moved, and Shanks was still looking at the sunset, "I think you must have heard of its name... After all, it is the only ship that has reached the end of the great voyage."

"...Are you a trainee under One Piece?" Mihawk unexpectedly remembered a gossip news article on SBS that he had once sneered at.

"That's right..." Shanks took a deep breath, "I have also been to Ralph Drew. Although I was still a child at that time, I survived so many difficulties thanks to the protection of my friends."

This news is indeed shocking, but Mihawk couldn't figure out why Shanks would suddenly bring up such an old thing.The next moment, he saw the red hair facing the setting sun, showing an extremely clean smile.

"At that time, everyone was very happy, we reached the legendary ultimate, and all our dreams came true at this moment!" Shanks' tone was full of cheerful memories, "At a certain moment, I turned around When I turned my head, I just saw the last light of the sun, and it just fell into the horizon in the distance, I don't know how to describe it..."

"Although it's just a little bit of light, I think it's the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen." Shanks' voice suddenly dropped, "Then the Roger Pirates disbanded, and then the captain said With that sentence, the era of great pirates begins."

Mihawk frowned, and held Shanks' left hand that had been pressing on him, trying to give him some comfort.

"Don't worry, it's all in the past." Shanks smiled and hooked the fingers held in the palm of the other party, "Later I also had my own boat. There was a time when no matter where Red went, I I insist on going to the side of the boat to watch the sunset every night. Beckman always asks me what I am looking at, but I can't tell..."

The red-haired pirate sighed a long time, "When I grow up, I will know that there is only one sun, no matter where you look at it, it is the same. But in my memory, the light of Ralph Drew is the same as the other sun. All sunsets are different. Of course, that may just be an illusion I had when I was a child—the terrible environment of the New World, have I really seen a sunset in Ralph Drew..."

"It's not an illusion," Mihawk interrupted suddenly, "Anyway, at least you remember a certain mood."

Shanks lowered his head unexpectedly, and glanced at Mihawk, "I thought a guy like you couldn't understand the joy of conquering a big adventure!"

"It probably has something to do with the swordsman's feeling of realizing a new realm." Mihawk replied with raised eyebrows.

Shanks suddenly felt that he saw Hawkeye from a year ago. He took his hand out of Mihawk's palm, bent down, covered the other's forehead, and stared at Mihawk's golden color from a very close distance. "At this time last year, I met you and saw your eyes."

Mihawk saw the incomparably arrogant red-haired smile again, and Shanks' pleasant voice came from his ear: "Hawkeye, I suddenly felt that the sun of Ralph Drew came to me that year... No, I have met a more beautiful light!"

Shanks turned his head slightly and grabbed Mihawk's collar, "How can there be a pirate like you in the world? Without a flag or a partner, you are strong, confident, knowledgeable, and invulnerable."

"I'm not that amazing." Mihawk clarified seriously.

"You don't look like a pirate at all!" Shanks ignored Mihawk's words, he smiled happily and provocatively, "This is really a big adventure worth conquering-I just want to see, you Such a tall guy, if he falls, it must be very interesting, right?"

"I don't understand." Mihawk calmly faced Shanks's flying smile, "No matter what others think, I am already a pirate, and there is nothing degenerate at all."

Shanks reached out and grabbed Mihawk's right wrist, and gently pulled it between their eyes, "So, can you say it again to the hand holding the sword?"

Mihawk was startled, and was immediately at a loss for words.

"You don't know how beautiful your eyes were at that time." Shanks looked fascinated at the cold golden color in the other's eyes, "It's completely different from usual, the kind of shaken and struggling look, Bilav Drew's sunshine is more beautiful."

"..." Mihawk closed his eyes in bewilderment.

"I just wanted to see how you jumped down, but I never intended to force or possess you." Shanks paused with a smile, "Anything you want? I don't want to miss your look. Once you are like this If you close your eyes shyly, it means nothing."

For the first time in his life, Mihawk felt that his eyes were unnaturally open or closed, and finally he turned his head away from the aggressive redhead.

"You have nothing to blame, Mr. the world's greatest swordsman in the future." Shanks stepped away from Mihawk, stood up, pressed the straw hat on his head hard, and began to straighten his messy coat. Finally ended this strong and brutal speech with a calm statement, "In fact, it's not that I let you, but I want you."

Mihawk keenly noticed that the address of the other party lacked an "I" compared to before, he sat up, "Why did you tell me this?"

"Adventures that have been conquered are not fun, and I promised to answer your questions well." Shanks paused, then smiled, "Besides... you are ready to end this, right? "

Mihawk lowered his eyes and silently acquiesced to this sentence.

"Everyone gets what they need, and then each goes his own way. I'm the same as you, and I'm just doing what makes me comfortable. This is a pirate, right?" Shanks fastened his red waist tie, and turned to The way when I came here took the first step, "I have seen eyes that are more beautiful than the most beautiful sunset. I have seen them twice... enough."

He wasn't in the mood to explain any further, and he didn't think he had lied about anything.Shanks pulled himself together and tried his best to ignore the pain in his body, as well as the fiery gaze on his back, trying to make his steps as easy as possible.

This beautiful trail is a one-off again... he thought with some regret.

"Red hair," but before he walked away, Mihawk's calm voice came over, "I'm afraid one year is not enough, so today, two years later, I will wait for you here."

Shanks stopped suddenly, he turned his head hesitantly, and saw his friend raised the huge black knife with one hand expressionlessly, and pointed it steadily at himself, "If you can't beat you, what are you talking about?" World number one?"

"Okay! I will be on time for the appointment!" Shanks laughed heartily.He turned back with confidence, waved his hands casually with his back to Mihawk, and concentrated all his energy on the road leading to the Reid.

Ahead is the long-lost new world, and Shanks puffed up his chest, using things he was more interested in to suppress those futile thoughts.

It's time for a new adventure.