Teasing is a Sign of Affection
[Edmund PevensieXF!Reader] [One-Shot]

Partaking in a whole new war sure as hell hadn't been how (y/n) had imagined her holidays to end. Sure, going back to Narnia had been amazing, but in all honesty, she was getting sick of wars. She was glad that this one was over now and even happier about the fact that her and her friends could stay in Narnia for some time; to escape the war in their own world just a little while longer. So here they were now, about two weeks after the Second Battle of Beruna, sitting out on a balcony; simply talking and trying to find some relaxation.

"U-Uhm, excuse me?"

Well, so much for that. (y/n) looked up to see a young Telmarine standing before them. His black hair reached his shoulders, his bangs hanging into his gray eyes slightly. He was dressed well, similar to the clothes she herself was wearing, so he probably was part of a wealthy family. Not to mention the guy looked incredibly nervous.

"Hey there!" Lucy greeted with a smile. "Can we help you?"

"W-Well, my name's Arlian a-and I..."

He trailed off, shortly locking eyes with (y/n) before quickly avoiding her gaze again. He took a deep breath, then looked directly at her.

"You're (y/n), right?"

She raised a confused brow at him.

"Yes, I am. Why?"

"Well, I saw you on the battlefield, you're an amazing soldier and I also think you're very pretty, s-so I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me?"

(y/n) was left entirely dumbfounded. She'd never been asked out before; she'd never had any real interest in dates and the like anyways. While she was still trying to figure out how to react, a laugh cut through the air.

"You sure about that? You can still take it back and make a run for it, you know?"

(y/n) glared at the person who spoke.

"And why would he do that?"

"Pretty on the outside, ugly in the inside; I'd hate for him to find out the hard way."

"Takes one to know one, don't you think?"

She turned her attention back to the Telmarine before her.

"Don't listen to him, he's just jealous because he's never been asked out by a girl before."

The young king scoffed and stood from his seat, walking back inside; purposely bumping his shoulder against Arlian's, making the poor boy stumble.

"Edmund!" Susan called after him, but he ignored her, vanishing behind a corner.

"Honestly, what's this guy's problem...?" (y/n) grumbled, while walking over to Arlian.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry, I'm fine."

"By the way, I uh... yes, I'd like to go out with you."

His eyes grew wide.

"R-Really?"

She smiled at him.

"Yeah, sure. I don't see why not."

A huge grin broke out on his face.

"T-That's great! I'll meet you here tonight at sundown, okay?"

"I'll be here."

He gave another charming smile before going back into the castle.

"Way to go, (y/n)!" Lucy cheered.

"I didn't do anything...?" (y/n) said confused.

"Exactly! You were just being yourself and he asked you out! Not that it's a surprise, everyone likes you!"

"Yeah, sure..." (y/n) mumbled, flitting her eyes over to the corner where Edmund had vanished earlier.

"Everyone..."

At sundown, (y/n) was standing back on the balcony. Lucy and Susan had insisted on doing her (h/c) hair and some make-up complimenting her (e/c) eyes and stuffing her into a (f/c) dress. She sighed and walked over to a nearby bird bath, looking at her own reflection. Sure she looked pretty, like a princess almost, but she wasn't exactly feeling comfortable. She wasn't feeling like herself. While she wasn't a fan of bloody wars, she'd always preferred her armor and a sword at her hip over fancy dresses and complex hairdos.

"You look beautiful."

(y/n) jumped at the voice interrupting her thoughts. She quickly turned around and came face to face with Arlian.

"T-Thanks..." she stuttered with a nervous smile.

"Shall we go then?" he asked.

She eased up and smiled, nodding in agreement.

"Where are we going anyways?"

"I take it you don't really know anything around here - at least not nowadays?"

"Uh, no. 1300 years ago I would've known my way around here blindfolded, but now..."

"Perfect." he said with a knowing smile.

(y/n) cocked her head in confusion.

"What are you up to?"

"You'll see soon, don't worry."

He led her down the steps of the balcony into the courtyard and even further down. At first sight, the landscape around the Telmarine castle was nothing but plain rocks. But Arlian knew where he was going. Between sky-high, looming rocks, there was a patch of green. Luscious grass, colorful flowers and a giant oak tree with a blanket spread beneath. (y/n) couldn't help but stare.

"Wow..."

"Pretty neat, huh? I came across it by accident, but I've frequented this place ever since." Arlian said, while walking them over to the blanket and helping her sit down; while she was grumbling about how much she hated dresses.

"The place hasn't changed much..." she sighed happily.

"What do you mean?"

"I used to come here all the time, back in the day."

"I've always wondered - what was it like here, all those years ago?"

"Well... Back then, the castle wasn't here of course. It was a simple mountain, difficult to climb, but with a breathtaking view once you reached the top, so it was worth it. And the entire area used to look just like this. No rock cutting through the landscape, but greens and reds and purples everywhere, blending in perfectly with the bright blue sky and creating an amazing scenery."

"Wow... That sounds wonderful."

"It was. But tell me: I thought you Telmarines weren't allowed to even have in interest in the Narnia of the past...?"

"Well, no, technically we're not supposed to, but... I don't know. I've always had an interest in any sort of history..."

He smirked.

"Not to mention, that's how I got to know about you."

She smirked right back at him.

"It would seem you already know an awful lot about me. But I know nothing about you - so spill."

He laughed.

"Well..."

Over the course of the next few hours, (y/n) learned that Arlian not only had an interest in history, but also in art, reading and riding. He didn't like wars nor sword fighting, but he learned it anyways, because a boy his age that didn't know how to handle a sword was completely unacceptable. They liked the same music, the same books, they had quite the similar sense of humor and she found that he was easy to talk and open up to in general.

"No way!"

"Yes way! And getting his head stuck in the trunk of a tree isn't even the most ridiculous thing my little brother has ever done."

"Wow, just wow..." (y/n) laughed, before stifling a little yawn.

Arlian gave her a look of concern.

"Are you tired?"

"A bit, but it's nothing."

He glanced at the moon for a moment.

"I suppose it has gotten rather late. Maybe we should head back."

(y/n) thought about it for a second.

"Yeah, you're right, we probably should."

She made a motion to stand up, but in a flash, Arlian was up, offering her a hand. She smiled at him, giving him a silent thank you, and let him pull her to her feet. He neatly folded the blanket they'd been sitting on, tucked it under his arm and offered his other one to her, which she gladly took. On the way back, he asked about her family, making her hesitate for a moment. Still, she decided to tell him: how she'd lost both her parents to the war in their world, how she'd been sent to live with her uncle out in the country, how she'd met the Pevensies and how they had become her family. While she was still talking, they reached the courtyard and stayed standing close to the majestic free residing there - completely unaware of the pair of brown eyes glaring at them.

"Really? You're still here? Jealous stalker doesn't suit you very well, you know."

Edmund almost jumped out of his skin before turning around and directing his harsh gaze towards his brother.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, you don't? Then let me jog your memory: You've been standing here, glaring out that window since they left."

"I was not."

"Ed."

"I was watching the stars."

"The stars? Oh for all it's worth, would you just admit that you're jealous?"

"Jealous? Of what exactly?"

Peter gestured out the window.

"Him."

Edmund looked out again, seeing Arlian gently taking (y/n)'s hand. He visibly tensed at the sight.

"And what exactly would I be jealous of?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe of the fact that he's going out with the girl you've had a crush on for years?"

"Me? A crush on (y/n)? You're insane." he simply stated, then walked off, not really sure where he was going.

Before he knew it, his feet had led him to the courtyard, yet he stayed away from the pair, hidden in the shadows. He watched as (y/n) laughed at something probably stupid the guy had said. He willed himself to look away and meant to just walk past, but the wind carried Arlian's next words over to him:

"May I kiss you?"

Edmund stopped dead in his tracks and clenched his fists so hard, his knuckles started to turn white.

In the meantime, (y/n) was left completely speechless. Seeing her shocked expression, Arlian panicked and quickly tried to defuse the situation.

"I-It's ok if you don't! This was only one date, after all! I'm sorry, I was being hasty! I shouldn't ha-"

"Yes." she interrupted him.

"Wh-What?"

"Yes, you may kiss me. We had a lot of fun tonight, didn't we? So I don't see why not." she said, but she wasn't entirely certain if she truly meant it.

He gave her a nervous smile.

"Are you sure?"

"Sure, I'm sure."

Before either of them could think about getting even one step closer to each other, Arlian was pulled back by something, landing him on the ground with a thud.

"What the-" her (e/c) eyes landed on the 'something' that had grabbed Arlian and she gave him a death glare.

"What the hell?! What do you think it is you're doing?!"

He returned her dirty look with a scowl of his own.

"None of your business."

"None of my - Come again?! I know you're an idiot, but it seems I've caught you on an especially stupid day! You basically bully the guy I'm going out with and tell me it's none of my business?! Honestly, what in the name of-"

Before she could continue, Arlian stepped between her and Edmund, cutting her off.

"I can handle this!" she protested immediately.

"I know, but he attacked me, not you." he retorted, effectively shutting her up, after all, he was right.

"Listen up, I don't know what you're problem with me is, I never did anything to you. So either you tell me why you've been a moron all day, or you back off."

Edmund hesitated. It seemed like he knew exactly what to say, but just couldn't bring himself to say it. After a long pause, he finally ground out:

"She deserves better."

'W-W-Wha- Huh?! D-Did I hear that right?!' (y/n) thought to herself. But before she could say something, Arlian beat her to it.

"Better, huh? Like who? Yourself? I know you, I know your story, Edmund the Just. And I do believe that she deserves better than treacherous scum."

(y/n)'s eyes widened. Oh dear Aslan, no.

She didn't have time to react. By the time she'd taken a single step toward the two boys, Arlian was already lying on the ground again, clutching a hand over his now bloody nose. Edmund was standing over him, and with the dark expression he wore on his face, (y/n) didn't dare to approach him.

"You don't know shit about me, pretty boy." he spat, then turned on his heel swiftly and vanished into the shadows.

(y/n) stared into the darkness, contemplating if she should go after him, but a pained groan from beside her made her think better of it. She knelt down beside Arlian, carefully taking his hands away from his face.

"Let me see that..."

She gently wiped away some of the blood and inspected his nose, making him wince in pain.

"I think it's probably broken... You should go see a healer. Come on."

She helped him to his feet and together they made their way to the infirmary. She left him in the capable hands of a faun and waited outside. About half an hour later, the faun emerged again.

"You were correct, his nose is, in fact, broken. It'll hurt a lot for a while, but he'll be alright. You may see him now, if you like."

"Thank you for your help." she answered politely before going inside. She found Arlian sitting on one of the beds, his nose patched up and himself just looking miserable.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Accordingly, I guess." he answered, his voice obviously nasal.

(y/n) hesitated before speaking again, having doubts about voicing her thoughts - she did so anyways.

"Listen, I know Edmund shouldn't have interrupted us, but you really shouldn't have said that, either. The whole traitor thing still is a very sensitive subject for him. Probably always will be..." she said, mumbling the last part more to herself than to him.

Arlian sighed.

"I know that, I just... I just got really mad. I know he's right, I don't know a single thing about him."

A long silence followed and (y/n) contemplated leaving, but Arlian's voice stopped her:

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Edmund doesn't seem to like you very much. Why do you put up with him?"

A sad smile tugged at (y/n)'s lips.

"Because he's family... Hey, will you be alright? I uh... I'd like to go look for Edmund; find out what his deal is."

"Yeah, don't worry about me. Go ahead."

She gave him a thankful smile, then she left. She didn't even know where she was supposed to look for Edmund. She highly doubted he'd be in his room, but that's where she'd start anyways.

'Why do you put up with him?'

'Because he's family...'

(y/n) heaved a heavy sigh. It was the truth, but in all honesty, she didn't even know why she considered him family. When they'd met at her uncle's house, they'd had what you would call... a bit of a rough start. Sure, back then he'd been a jealous, whiny little brat - not that she herself had been an angel, geez no - but while he'd matured and changed for the better, his attitude towards her... well, hadn't. She'd never truly done anything to him besides the occasional prank, but he always seemed to hate her no matter what she did. When they became adults, he at least developed some sort of respect for her; but when they'd been turned back into children he'd gone right back to his old habits. It had gotten particularly hard for her when they'd reached their teen years: She'd gotten over her childish phase of picking on the boy she liked, and had just accepted that she had a crush on him. Unfortunately, her feelings had stayed one-sided, seeing as Edmund had never shown any signs of even liking her in a platonic way. So instead of saying anything, she'd locked her feelings inside, hiding them behind rude remarks and sassy comebacks. Holding herself back from punching royal girls in the face, after having to watch him dance and have fun with them at a ball. Crying herself to sleep when he called her names and brushed her aside. Now they were both sixteen again and nothing had changed.

By the time her thoughts had caught up with the present, she'd already checked all of the spots she could think of - all except one. She made her way to the steps of the highest tower of the castle, looking up the winding staircase that eventually faded into a black abyss. If he wasn't up there she'd give up. But something told her that this time, she'd found the right place. Nonetheless, her way up seemed to go on forever, not to mention that her eyes still had to adjust to the dark. She was glad when she finally reached the top, the moon shining through the windows provided at least some light. And with that light, it wasn't hard to identify the person sitting on the windowsill of an opened window, although his back was to her.

"You're not going to jump, are you?"

He was so surprised, he almost really fell. He recovered from his shock rather quickly and glanced over his shoulder, giving her a once-over. That damn dress was driving him nuts. She looked... not like herself.

"You look absolutely ridiculous."

(y/n) rolled her eyes.

"Charming. As usual."

"What do you want?"

"I want to know what the hell your deal is...?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the fact that you beat up the guy I was going out with, without having any reason for it."

"Oh, I had plenty of reasons..." he grumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." he barked and swung his legs back inside, before standing and making a beeline for the stairs. However, (y/n) blocked his path, glaring at him defiantly.

"Get out of my way." he growled, trying to use their difference in height to intimidate her. It didn't work.

'Of course this wouldn't work, you idiot.' he thought, remembering the time he'd seen her take down two minotaurs all by herself. Of course she wouldn't be scared of him.

"Forget it. I've been all over this goddamn castle and now that I've finally found you I want a straight, honest answer."

He furrowed his brows at her.

"You... You were looking for me...?"

"That's what I just said, isn't it?"

"Why?"

"I already told you. I want to know what's up with you today. I mean, you're always an ass toward me, but today was especially bad."

Edmund's expression darkened. Of course. Of course she wouldn't be worried about him.

"Never mind. You wouldn't understand."

"Yes, yes; because I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, you're way smarter than me, blah blah blah; you've told me that plenty of times. But I'm not having it now. So would you maybe quit acting like a child and just tell me what's wrong with you?"

He scoffed.

"Careful there. You're making it sound like you're concerned about me."

She was completely astonished.

"Wha-Wha... Well of course I'm concerned about you, you dick!"

Edmund stared at her like she'd just turned into centaur.

"Come again...?"

"Oh for all it's worth, are you for real?! You might be an obnoxious, annoying pain in my ass, but you're still a part of my family! So when some random guy decides to call you 'treacherous scum', I'm going to come looking for you to see if you're alright!"

"Some random guy...?"

"Honestly?! That's all you heard?! What in the name of Narnia is your problem with him anyways?! He never did anything to you!"

Edmund stayed silent, his gaze cast down and his face hidden in the shadows. (y/n) threw her hands up in exasperation. This guy was hopeless.

"You know what? Never mind. It seems you're alright and you're not going to tell me what was wrong with you today no matter what I say, so I have no reason to be here."

She turned around and started to make her way back down the stairs, until some incoherent mumbling stopped her.

"What...?" she asked annoyed, staying on the stairs, not even bothering to turn around.

"I said, I don't like that guy, because he asked out and tried to kiss the girl I've had a crush on since I first saw her trying to sneak cookies past Mrs. Macready."

A young, small, (h/c) haired girl peeked into the kitchen to see if the coast was clear. She didn't expect anyone to be there, after all it was the middle of the night, but it was better to be safe. Once she was sure that no one was around, she tiptoed over to the counter. She was just able to see over it, and so she was able to see the green jar standing there. With a bit of effort and and maybe a bit of luck she was able to pull it towards the edge with her finger tips, grab it and set it on the floor before her. As silently as possible, she opened the lid and took out two cookies, then she returned the jar to it's original position and snuck back up the stairs. As she rounded the corner to the hallway that led to her room, she took a glance behind her to make sure no one had caught her - only to bump into someone in front of her. She looked up and came face to face with Mrs. Macready. She gulped.

"What do you think you're doing, young lady?" she asked in a hushed, yet stern tone.

"Well I... I had a bad dream. A-And my mom always used to bring me cookies when I would have nightmares, so I..." she tried to explain, her large (e/c) eyes starting to fill with tears.

The housekeeper panicked in fear of waking up the whole household with a wailing child, so she quickly tried to soothe her.

"Now, now, don't cry. If that's the case then... I suppose it's alright - just this once, of course. But you have to get back to bed this instant."

(y/n) gave her the brightest smile she could muster and nodded eagerly.

"I will! Thank you!"

Mrs. Macready gave a look of approval and then went on her way, back to her own room. (y/n) sighed in relief and quickly wiped away the few stray fears that had managed to escape, despite her best efforts. She meant to carry on, but when she turned into the direction of her room, she saw a face peeking around the corner. A boy around her own age, with dark brown hair, matching eyes, pale skin and freckles over his nose and cheeks. He was one of the four siblings who'd been sent here because of the war. If she remembered correctly his name was... Edmund?

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" she asked, trying to be polite.

He stepped out from behind the corner to face her properly, but instead of answering, he simply said:

"Using your parents as an excuse to steal sweets is really low, you know."

She immediately felt offended and puffed out her little cheeks in anger.

"It wasn't an excuse, nor was it a lie! It was the truth!" she whisper-shouted.

He snorted.

"Yeah, sure, whatever..."

Silence followed, none of them moved and none of them spoke, unsure of how to go on from there; at least until (y/n) remembered the two cookies in her hand. They might've started off on the wrong foot, but her parents had taught her that you should never give up too easily on a new friendship.

"Hey, uh... Do you want one?" she asked, holding out one of the cookies for him to take. He looked at her suspiciously, like the cookie could come alive at any moment and bite him. She looked earnest, though; like she really wanted to share, to try to be his friend. But Edmund knew better - generosity and friendship and the like didn't exist. Still... It had been a while since someone had actually bothered to talk to him for more than ten seconds and had shown him some sort of kindness. So he quickly pushed past her, shoving her out of the way in the process, trying to hide the bright red blush that was spreading across his face.

"Tch, why would I want that? So I'll get fat eventually, like you? No thanks."

"Jeez, alright, I was just trying to be nice!" she called after him, before mumbling "Jerk..." to herself.

(y/n) felt tears roll down her cheeks and she quickly wiped them away with the sleeve of her dress.

"I didn't try - I did it."

"Yeah, I know." Edmund said with a little laugh.

The young teen felt anger swelling up inside her and with just three long strides she was standing in front of him again, glaring daggers at his surprised features.

"Is this some sort of sick joke to you?"

"What...?"

"You finally figure out that I've had a crush on you for years, I don't know how and I don't care, so you think to yourself:

'Hey, with all my nasty remarks and insulting names and flirting with other girls right in front of her, I haven't hurt (y/n) enough yet, so how about I go ahead and tell her the amazing lie that I'm in love with her; like that, I'm sure I'll finally crush her heart for good!'

Is that it?! Do you get a kick out of that?! I always knew you were an asshole, but I never took you for a sadist! Honestly, I-"

A hand was clamped over her mouth to silence her and she was about ready to bite his fingers off - until she saw his face. He looked utterly shocked and heartbroken.

"(y-y/n) I had no idea, I... I'm so sorry... But, I promise, no, I swear I'm not lying to you right now!" he said in a desperate tone, his eyes pleading with her, while he removed his hand to let her speak.

"If... If that's the truth, then why didn't you tell me long ago?" she asked, her voice shaky and full of doubt.

"I wanted to! But I... When I first realized I had a crush on you, I was still a kid, believing the whole 'teasing is a sign of affection' thing was legit. By the time I realized that it's complete bullshit, it was too late! You... Well, I thought you hated me with every fiber of your being. I didn't see the point in trying to convince you that I'd liked from the moment I first saw you. So I just stuck with what I knew: teasing you, calling you names and just flat out ignoring you. I know it was idiotic and I know it probably doesn't matter anymore, but... Only because the person you're in love with doesn't reciprocate your feelings, doesn't mean they just go away... So, I know it's late, too late, and I know it's not much, but: I'm in love with you, (y/n) (l/n)."

(y/n) raised a hand, ready to slap him. Why? She wasn't sure herself. But Edmund didn't seem to care, he closed his eyes, ready to accept it. She was hesitating. How could she do this when she didn't even know why she wanted to do it? Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and threw both of her arms around his neck, making him stumble back slightly.

"You're a real idiot, you know that?" she mumbled into the crook of his neck.

He chuckled before wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his cheek on top of her head.

"But so am I. Don't put all of the blame on you, that's what you always do. I could've said something, too."

"True... But still... How can you forgive me for all of those things?"

"There's nothing to forgive, you didn't do anything wrong."

"Unknowingly or not, I still left you with a broken heart, so why-"

"Only because the person you're in love with doesn't reciprocate your feelings, doesn't mean they just go away... right?" she asked, a teasing tone in her voice.

He laughed.

"Hey, that's my line! Be creative and come up with one yourself!"

She smirked.

"Then how about: Actually, I was expecting my first kiss tonight."

Edmund froze before slowly pulling back to look at her. She seemed honest about it.

"Wait, so you want m-me to...?"

"To kiss me, yes."

"Uh... You really think that's a good idea?"

"Why not?" she asked, slightly confused and hurt.

"Well, it's not like I don't want to, but... We've only just realized that we don't actually hate each other, but instead might even like one another, so don't you think that's a bit... hasty?"

(y/n) blinked, trying to process his words before coming to the conclusion that he had a valid point. She smiled and buried her face in his chest. She felt safe like this. Happy. Complete.

"Never took you for the considerate type... But yeah, you're right; I'm sorry, I was thinking too far ahead."

He gently pecked her hair.

"How about I take you out on a date? Seems to be a sure method to get a kiss from you..."

She pinched his side, making him flinch.

"Kidding, kidding. But uh... you'll go out with me... right?"

She snorted.

"No of course not. I'd rather jump off this tower than having to go on a date with you." she said sarcastically.

"Then how about..." he started and carefully pulled away from her so he could look at her properly, taking her hands in his. "Will you allow me to court you?"

(y/n) felt a blush creep onto her face. Who knew he could be such a charmer?

"Th-That sounds acceptable." she stuttered out. "Jeez, when did you become all smooth and charming and sweet?"

He shrugged and smiled.

"Who knows. Maybe I always was. But you seem to be able to figure me out rather quickly."

His smile turned into a mischievous smirk and he leaned in close, so he could whisper into her ear.

"After all, you weren't so wrong with the sadist thing..."

Her face exploded in color and she punched his arm, before looking away to hide her face. In the meantime, Edmund was laughing his head off, but enough was enough. Still chuckling he pulled her into his arms again, gently stroking her hair.

"I was kidding..."

She scoffed, a bright smile on her features nonetheless.

"Jerk..." she mumbled.

"...Maybe."

"Edmund!"