Hullo! This is a fun little piece I worked on because the plot bunnies in my head were hopping around and they just wouldn't quit! They demanded some fluff, since I'm still not over the way things ended with Pan. Anyway, think of this as an AU where Felix and Peter have an apartment in Storybrooke and have an alternate agenda~
WARNING: Fluffiness ahoy!
If these characters belonged to me, OUAT would have gone very differently.
"Women make next to no sense." Peter said as he gracelessly flopped onto the couch next to Felix, who for all intents and purposes was completely consumed in a book and ignoring him. When he didn't look up after the announcement Peter frowned and elbowed him, and then kept elbowing him until the other boy gave in and looked up at him. His eyebrows rose expectantly, as if it were Felix's responsibility to explain what was wrong with women.
Felix stared back blank faced. "You're just figuring this out now?"
Peter's frown returned.
They sat in silence for exactly fifteen seconds before Peter shattered it with a verbal mallet. "What's the point of buying them a ring? I don't see what difference a little band of metal will make. If you get bored you can still leave. How is the ring going to stop you?"
After recovering from a moment of shock at the randomness of Peter's outburst, Felix decided that the only way to deal with the problem was to ignore it. So he opened his book again in favor of waiting out the issue. Not one to be ignored, the other boy snatched the novel from his hands and tossed it over his shoulder. Felix watched the hardcover go sailing with the same forlorn look most people had at a funeral. And he didn't even let me bookmark my page.
He was making that expectant, "explain-the-absurdity-of-society-to-me-Felix" face, so Felix tried to forget about the fact that he'd just lost his place in a really good book. Thinking up a suitable answer for Pan was like pulling teeth, always unpleasant and an experience most tried to avoid. He thought back to the series of books he'd read with mentions of rings in them. The first thing he thought of was the one ring, but somehow informing Peter that there was a sadistic piece of jewelry that killed a bunch of people didn't seem like the best idea. Next, he thought of the few books Belle gave him to read, an attempt to enlighten his young mind and introduce him to the finer points of love. (Somehow she was under the impression that if he knew what he was doing, he could make Peter less…Peter-like.) He got nothing from that, so his mind immediately went to the things he'd seen on television and in movies.
"It's…not really about the ring itself."
Peter crossed his arms as if preparing to rebuff this statement. When he didn't, Felix continued. "It's more about…" How could he explain this to the kid who found fault with literally every argument in existence? He'd have to think of a good example. "It's more about representation."
They stared at each other for a moment, with Felix watching the other boy's face slowly melt into laughter. Peter crinkled his nose as if the idea repulsed him, which is what he always did when he didn't understand something. "What's it supposed to represent?"
"Uh. A promise to love…the person you're talking to?"
"You don't sound so sure, Felix." Pan snickered at him before his expression softened into a look that said he wasn't impressed. "What? So they just say 'I promise I love you' and stick a ring on the other person's finger? Seems kind of unreliable."
"Well, there's a little more to it than that I think."
"Oh yeah?" There was a challenge sparkling in Peter's eyes.
"Yeah."
"Okay. Fine. Propose to me Felix."
All forms of thought came to a screeching halt. Felix stared at the other boy stupidly, with his mouth hanging open. "…what?"
"Propose to me." He said it so easily.
Felix kind of wanted to punch him in the face. "Why would I do that?"
Peter shrugged nonchalantly, moving to face Felix with his legs criss crossed in front of him. "Because I still don't get it."
Is this kid a terrorist?
"So how is me proposing to you going to help?"
Peter scoffed. "Well obviously I'll learn by example."
Yep. Definitely a terrorist.
Another silence settled between them. With Felix watching as the amusement rolled off the other boy in waves. After two full minutes Peter shrugged again, sighing rather dramatically. "If you can't do it that's fine. I won't love you any less."
Maybe it was the sarcasm in his voice, or the fact that Peter was (pretend) disappointed with him, but in the next instant Felix knocked the other boy over and had his wrists pinned above his head. Peter looked more playful than surprised, but Felix didn't let that stop him. "When we were in Neverland and you made me one of your lost boys, you said we'd never grow up. You said we would always be boys and have fun. Did you mean that?"
All the play drained from Peter's expression as the words set in. Felix was surprised by how quickly he responded. "Of course I meant it, Felix. I don't say things I don't mean."
The taller boy smiled and gave a small laugh, recalling all the instances where the other boy had done exactly that. "We both know that isn't true."
The look this confession created made Felix's heart clench painfully. Seeing this expression wasn't a common spectacle. Part of him felt wrong for thinking the sad twinkle among the starry blue in the other boy's eyes was beautiful. He didn't get to appreciate the sight for long, as Peter turned his head to glower at some unfixed point in the room. "But I've always been the most truthful with you."
Felix's squeezed the wrists in his grip apologetically. He waited for Peter to look at him again, which he did after a short stretch of silence. "I wanted to stay with you. So I did. I've always been loyal to you. And I will be there. Even when you don't want me to be."
"You're coming off as more of a stalker than a love interest, you know." At Felix's "done" look Peter pressed his lips together in a silent promise to let him finish.
"Well, I don't know if we have forever anymore. But whatever time we have left I want to spend it with you."
"…"
"…"
"Is this the part where you kiss me while I cry out of happiness?"
A pillow to the face was all he got for the snarky comment. Peter made a show of flailing underneath the pillow as if it were a boulder crushing him, but stopped the moment he sensed Felix getting up. His laughter was muffled, but free of malicious intent. It didn't stop the taller boy from glowering as he stomped across the room to retrieve his book. By the time he had scooped it up Peter was peering at him from over the back of the couch, holding the pillow to the top of his head as if it were a shield.
When he continued receiving the silent treatment as Felix flipped to find the page he'd been on, Peter gave up the pillow as a shield in favor of launching it at the back of the other boy's head. "Don't be mad, Felix. I'm sure if I were a girl I'd be in tears and telling all my friends right away."
The taller boy rolled his eyes and silently seethed all the way back to his room. When he was gone Peter was left with his thoughts, which wasn't something he enjoyed.
oOo
The next morning Peter was greeted by Felix's stony faced expression and his patented move: the cold shoulder. He had encountered these adversaries before, but this time the usual antics didn't have the desired effect. When he pretended like the whole pseudo proposal didn't happen, the Felix only stared at him with icy silence. The boy was colder than Regina in her foulest mood.
Unfortunately for Peter, the rain of cold continued on for the next few days.
oOo
By the third day, Peter was really and truly beyond done with snow. By luck or some ironic twist of fate, the weather had seemingly made a contract to reflect Felix's mood.
"This is exactly why Neverland was tropical. Snow is such a pain in the ass." He muttered to himself as he kicked a pile of snow off the front door of the small apartment complex. After nearly slipping and falling down the stairs as a result of all the slush he had trudged through on the way up the stairs, Peter was ready to incinerate the next person that he saw.
This decree quickly fizzled when the next person turned out to be Felix.
Felix was frostily serving himself pancakes in the kitchen. Peter watched him gather silverware, shaking his head silently when no syrup was added, and followed the taller boy into the living room.
The grueling curse of radio silence continued.
"I almost fell down the stairs today if that makes you feel better."
Felix didn't look up as he brutally cut into the fluffy brown pancakes on his plate.
"You're still angry? Jesus, Felix. Why weren't you this determined when you proposed to me?"
That got him the fiercest glare to date. Peter held up both hands in a show of surrender. "Too soon?"
Felix shoved an entire face sized pancake in his mouth in response.
"I'll take that as a yes."
It was some of the most angry and slightly disgusting chewing Peter had ever seen. By the fifth pancake he couldn't take the silence anymore. "All right! Fine. I'm sorry. There. Happy?"
Half of the fifth cake was hanging out of Felix's mouth. He regarded Peter for a moment, eyes narrowing. "You don't mean it."
Peter looked vaguely offended. He didn't mean it, but Felix wasn't supposed to know that. "Sure I do. I deeply and humbly apologize. You can stop giving me the silent treatment now."
"…"
Peter titled his head back and groaned at the ceiling. They sat in silence again for a few moments, something he was becoming uncomfortably familiar with.
"You remember how we gave all the lost boys those wrist bands?"
"…You mean the ones you made me make and then claimed to have made yourself?"
Peter chuckled at the sarcastic bite in the taller boy's tone. "Those would be the ones yeah."
"I remember."
"Good. Give me your hand."
Felix looked like a wet cat, but reluctantly set his dish aside and held out his hand as requested, palm up. Peter straightened and stuck a hand in his pocket to pull free a woven leather bracelet (braided with a mix of exotic feathers and small metal engraved beads) to tie around Felix's bare wrist. "It's not a ring, because I still think those things are dumb and over rated but. I got your point. But leave the proposing to me, will you?"
The other boy gawked at his wrist stupidly.
"That's what you wanted right? Something meaningful from me? Or a proposal or something?"
"Is that what that was?"
"…is that not what you wanted?"
"Uh. Well. I was kind of just expecting a heartfelt apology but…This works too."
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I SPENT LIKE. TWO WHOLE DAYS WORKING ON THAT THING." Peter threw his hands skyward in a show of great exasperation.
"It took you two entire days?"
This was the first time Felix had seen the other boy look vaguely embarrassed. "You know how hard it is to get those stupid beads on leather and then you have to braid them all together—it was stupid. And now I feel dumb for making it. Give it back." And it was downright adorable.
"No."
"Fine. Whatever. Do you forgive me now?"
When Felix pretended to deliberate over the answer Peter abruptly stood to stomp away, but was halted by the larger boy's arms wrapping around his waist, all the way around the thick winter coat he wore. He allowed Felix to pull him back until he was against his chest. His body practically engulfed his, what with Felix being the size of a bear and all, but Peter had to admit it was nice to be back in the gangly boy's good graces.
He nearly purred when Felix's lips pressed to the back of his ear to murmur, "I made enough pancakes for you."
"Really? You haven't devoured them all in anger yet?"
"Almost."
"Alright, well let me up."
"No."
"No?"
"You just proposed to me. I'm entitled to hug you for as long as I like."
"Wait. I propose and you're the one who gets to do whatever you want now?"
"Yep."
"How the hell does that make sense?"
"That's the way it works."
"Well the way it works is stupid. Let go."
"No."
"Let me go, Felix."
"Nope. Never. We're practically engaged now."
"I take it back. I don't want to spend forever with you. You're far too clingy."
"It's too late. You'll have to take responsibility and marry me now."
And they spent the rest of the evening arguing over the rules of who got to do what now that they were practically engaged, over plates of fluffy and warm pancakes.
Share with me your glorious thoughts! I'd love to hear them! I'm thinking that this may be the start of a series of one-shots or drabbles where I just write OUAT characters having mundane moments like this. Anyway, let me know if you're interested in reading that! Have a wonderful day my beauties!