Disclaimer: The characters belong to C.S Lewis. The plot is mine.

Cheated Hearts

Summary: Occurs after 'Always'. Peter and Susan are playing cards, trying to put the past behind them. But they struggle to simply play the game. Italics are thoughts. Warning: Adult themes, incest and sexual references. PeterSusan.

Authors note: I'm back. I'm planning to finish my Narnia Peter and Susan series and then finish 'Brave Prince' my LOTR fic.

The four monarchs sat at the large table. Peter and Susan sat next to each other facing Edmund and Lucy on the other side. Lucy giggled as she held her cards in her hand.

"Stop it. You're flashing your cards to everyone," Edmund said. True to his title, he was often fair even when playing games. He rolled his eyes at the 'be-nice-to-your-sister' look Peter gave him.

"I don't feel like playing anymore. I want to get a cookie. I'm hungry," Lucy pouted. She put her cards face down on the polished wooden table and slid off her chair.

"But that's going to wreck our game! It's not fair! Anyway, I haven't had a cookie yet this week, you're always eating them all," Edmund protested. He put his cards down and had a devious look on his face. Then he said, "Race ya! Last one there is a rotten egg and first one gets the cookie!"

"Edmund!" Peter admonished but Edmund ran off with Lucy after him.

Susan rolled her eyes. "Just let them be. Sometimes I think Lucy quite enjoys the attention Edmund gives her."

"He's horrid to her!" Peter exclaimed.

"No, you just have a soft spot for her. She can take care of herself you know," Susan said matter of factly. "Two Aces." She slid two cards across the table into the centre pile.

"He needs to learn to treat her like a lady." Peter ignored Susan's roll of her eyes. "Um…um…three Kings."

Susan raised her eyebrow. "Cheat."

Peter groaned and lifted up the cards, revealing a diamond three, a jack of hearts and a king of clubs. He took the large centre stack and began to shuffle the cards back into his own pile.

"You're just terrible at this Peter," Susan said with an exaggerated sigh.

"How did you tell?" Peter said, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"Peter, Peter. You're so…" Susan laughed. Gullible. Handsome. Obvious…lovable?

He leant forward unconsciously. "I'm so what?" Peter asked, curious to know what Susan thought of him.

Susan looked up and stared into the depths of Peter's eyes. Blue eyes met identical blue. Suddenly, she looked away. "It's your turn, Peter."

Peter glances at the cards uselessly in his hand. He's stumbling, struggling to find where he was. He wanted to call her by her name. Talk to her. Ask her if she was suffering like he was. But instead he mumbled something like two fours and avoided her gaze.

"Two Jokers." Susan's voice was shaky. For the first time in the game, she sounded uncertain.

There was a long pause. The two eldest Pevensie siblings stare intently at the cards, boring holes into them. Desperately refraining from repeating that moment but not enough to withdraw. Peter knew. He knew Susan better than anyone else in all of Narnia. He knew that she must feel something for him – they had shared souls once not so long ago.

"Susan."

Susan dropped her gaze to the two cards on the table, pretending that she hadn't heard her brother call her in that tender tone.

"Susan!" Once more, more urgently but just as lovingly.

"It's your call," Susan said coldly. She did not want to see the look of hurt or disappointment on her brother's face. Sweet Peter.

Peter stared at her sister in disbelief. Her beautiful face betrayed nothing. It was a pale mask of indifference. "Cheat," he said.

Susan tried not to hear the hurt in her brother's voice. She couldn't really remember what cards she put down as distracted as she was. She went to flip them but Peter's hand closed over her.

"Su…please. Please don't do this to me. Don't shut me out. Please," Peter said. He could feel his eyes prickly with emotion.

"Stop it. This isn't a game Pete. You know we can't," Susan said dully. She felt like she was reciting a phrase in her head. She tried to distance herself from it, trying to keep from crying. "I don't want to play with you. You must let me leave you." Susan stood to leave but Peter held her hand, preventing her from leaving.

"Release me Peter Pevensie!" Susan commanded sharply.

Peter obeys, flinching at the tone. Susan hardened her heart so that she would not crumble at his pain. "What would Aslan say?" She leaves before his presence could become her undoing. He affected her so deeply. She wished she could comfort him but she could not – she could not tempt him. She already tainted his innocence. She could not take his goodness.

His face falls in his hands and he lets a bitter cry escape his lips. Peter sobs silently, the tears falling onto the table. He held the cards tightly crushing them in his hand. As he released his pain, a pair of crumpled cards fluttered to the ground.

It was the King and Queen of Hearts.

Two Jokers.

To be concluded.

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