As he watched her get up from the ground, Crow had to bite back a smirk. Despite the guilt he felt for drugging her food, he couldn’t help but find her weary face cute. It made him want to gather her in his arms and lay down to sleep beside her. Unfortunately, he knew he couldn’t. At least, not until he finished what he needed to do that night.

He followed her lead as she got dressed again, picking up his clothes from the ground and sliding them back on. The small action helped to clear his mind a little more, and he began to feel more confident that he would be well awake for the remaining tasks to come. The surge of adrenaline he was beginning to feel in anticipation for everything certainly helped too.

When Penelope caved and admitted that she was too tired to finish her guard shift, he turned to her with a soft smile. “It’s no trouble at all,” he said with conviction, walking over to wrap his arms around her in an embrace. “I’ve learned to value willpower a little more since we first met, so I can handle staying up.” He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. However, when he pulled back again, there was a playful glint in his eyes. “Plus, I’ve actually got quite a bit of energy right now.”

Suddenly, he shifted his hold on her, bracing one arm against her back and sweeping the other behind her legs as he lifted her off her feet. Taking a moment to check his balance, he shot her a wry wink and began to carry her back to the camp, “See?”