Chapter 270: Blue Oasis
His heart fluttered, and he could only shake his head lightly at her before slipping off his shoes as well. Then he walked with her towards the dancing waves, as though they were welcoming them.
The smile never left her face, and when they paused at a certain spot, a wave came crashing in, cool seawater washing over their feet.
Eve let out a soft gasp of awe at the sensation. "This feels incredible!"
"Look! Another one is coming," she exclaimed excitedly. "Oh, this one is bigger!" She tightened her grip on Ivan’s hand.
Ivan had not stopped smiling, watching her enjoy it so wholeheartedly. He did not care that their clothes were soaked halfway through; he simply focused on keeping her steady as the waves threatened to knock her off balance, never once letting go of her hand.
He had never seen her this happy before, though he had caught glimpses of it whenever she visited a new place.
They stayed there for a while until Eve spotted a few colourful shells half-buried in the sand. Letting go of Ivan’s hand, she bent down to pick one up, bringing it to eye level and examining it carefully.
"Ivan, look!" she called out to him. "I think I have seen people selling necklaces in the market made out of these."
"It is pretty," he murmured, before moving to sit not too far away, on the drier part of the shore, his keen gaze never leaving her.
"Mm," Eve hummed in agreement before spotting something else that looked like a starfish. It moved ever so slightly, fascinating her, yet she made no effort to touch it. She simply watched as it was carried away once more by the wave.
Every now and then, she noticed tiny sea creatures around her like crabs scuttling across the sand, sea urchins nestled near the rocks, snails, oysters and Eve felt as though she had stepped into an entirely new side of the world.
She did not realise how much time had passed since they arrived. When she finally began to feel a little fatigued, she noticed Ivan sitting farther away and realised that she had gradually wandered off while he had remained where he first sat.
Her blue eyes followed the line of his gaze and saw how his molten red eyes were fixed on the vastness of the sea, as though lost in thought. With his hood pushed back by the wind, she could see his face clearly, strands of raven-black hair brushing softly against his forehead as sunlight kissed his features.
Eve’s eyes softened as she looked at him, thinking, ’Look at him, sitting there patiently and letting me experience all my firsts.’
A smile curved her lips as she began to walk towards him.
Ivan caught movement from the corner of his eye and turned, spotting the woman approaching him, half dusted with sand clinging to her wherever it could.
He kept his eyes on her until she reached him and sat quietly beside him, releasing a soft breath.
"Tired?" he asked.
She gave him a sheepish smile. "I think I got a little carried away."
"It is always good to let loose from time to time. How else will you enjoy yourself?" he said softly, taking in her features.
Eve nodded, then asked, "Do you not enjoy this place? I saw you sitting here for quite some time."
"I do. You are forgetting that I have been here a few times before," Ivan replied.
He turned his gaze back to the sea. "And I enjoy watching the sea, listening to the sound of the waves. It....helps me centre my thoughts."
"And what were you thinking about?" Eve asked quietly.
"Just....that I like the peace in my life right now. Watching the sea, and watching you play so contentedly here, brings me that same peace," he said, turning his gaze back to her, watching her intently.
A soft blush warmed her cheeks at his unfiltered words, and she murmured, "You really do have a way with words."
Ivan gave her a devastating smile, and her heart shuddered at the sight.
She quickly looked away and cleared her throat. "I am a little thirsty," she said, glancing at the water stretching out before her.
"Hm....you cannot drink that unless you want to be sick," he replied. With that, he rose from where he was sitting, making Eve crane her neck to look up at him.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"To find you something to drink," he said simply.
"Did you bring water with you?" She scanned him instinctively, as if expecting to spot a canteen.
"Unfortunately, no. But I think I can find something you might like," he added cryptically, instantly piquing her curiosity.
"Oh."
He turned back to her and extended his hand. "Do you think you still have enough energy for a short walk?"
"Yes," she replied without hesitation, placing her hand in his. He gently pulled her to her feet, steadying her as she stood.
Soon, he led her into the lush forest of the island, where tall tropical trees towered overhead. Rare, colourful flowers like purple, blue, pink, and countless other hues bloomed in different shapes and sizes, spreading across the forest floor and climbing up the trees.
She looked up at the clear blue sky peeking through the canopy, then noticed green creepers clinging to the branches and trunks. Once again, she found herself utterly fascinated by it all, the greenery, the insects, and the small animals such as rabbits, monkeys, and deer that occasionally darted away at the sight of them, as though playing a quiet game of hide and seek.
As she took in the surroundings, a thought occurred to her, one she had not considered until now. While Ivan continued guiding her deeper into the forest, so she spoke up.
"Ivan?"
"Yes?"
"Have you ever thought that, since this is an island, there might be other creatures around as well?"
Ivan kept his gaze forward, and Eve could tell his attention was attuned to every movement around them.
"By creatures, do you mean the shapeshifters from the sea you read about in that book?" he asked calmly.
"Yes," she replied. "I was wondering if they ever come up here....you know, for a sort of vacation?" She shrugged lightly.
His lips twitched at her words. "They do," he said, then turned to look at her. Her eyes widened in surprise as he added, "But they tend to run far away when they sense my presence."
"They can sense you?" Eve asked.
"Yes. Natural shifters have keen senses and are able to detect danger, which helps them survive in this not-so-forgiving world where the strong hunt the weak. So when they step into a habitat they are unfamiliar with, they usually choose to flee rather than confront, knowing they would be at a disadvantage since they do not belong on land."
"So they see you as a threat?" Eve asked curiously.
Ivan smirked. "They would see you as a threat as well, Eve. The power that radiates from me can very well be the same that radiates from you."
"Oh." She looked a little disheartened. "What a pity. I would have loved to speak to them if they were willing."
"What would you have spoken to them about?" Ivan asked, turning his focus back ahead.
"The usual things, like what they like to eat, maybe?" she blurted out randomly, and Ivan could not help but burst into laughter, startling the small wild animals nearby and sending them scurrying away.
She stared at him, lips pursed. "Why are you laughing?"
"Well....I think you would not want to ask that question anymore once you see them gobbling up a sailor," Ivan replied with a smirk.
Eve’s eyes widened in shock, and before she could steady herself, she lost her balance and nearly fell flat on her face. Ivan’s quick reflexes saved her just in time as he wrapped an arm around her waist.
"Careful. Are you alright?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.
Pulling her face away from his solid chest, she nodded. "Y-yes." She rubbed her nose, which had turned slightly red from the impact.
Looking up at him, she added, "Sorry. That caught me a little off guard."
"Hm," Ivan gave her a brief once-over, then glanced around their surroundings. "Wait here. I think I have found what I was looking for."
Eve watched as he swiftly leapt up onto a tall tree branch and skillfully plucked two blue fruits, each as large as a pumpkin. Then, with the grace of a panther, he landed lightly on the ground and walked back towards her. Eve stared at the large blue fruits in his hands and asked, "What are those?"
"Hold one," he said, extending one towards her. As soon as she took it, she was surprised by how deceptively light it felt for its size.
"It is called Blue Oasis. They are rare fruits found only in certain tropical regions," Ivan explained. With a swift motion, he twisted and removed the top of the fruit, revealing a pool of purple liquid inside.
Eve pressed her lips together and eyed it warily. "Well... purple, huh? Does not look poisonous at all," she joked lightly.
