Chapter 16: Staying Safe
PETER PAN'S POV
Peter Pan laughed in triumph as he got Robert on his back and held his knee against the boy's chest. The two just grinned at each other, before Peter stood and pulled Robert to his feet.
"Every time, Pan, why do any of us try?" Robert chuckled, shaking his head and dusting himself off. Then he rubbed his backside comically, "I can't use my lovely rump for a good whole day now!" The boys, in a surrounding circle, chuckled and cheered.
Peter flicked his wrist, keeping the large bonfire behind them high, and stretched out his arms. "Who's next, then?" he grinned. He loved when he won games, which was all the time, but still. Not that the boys even cared that he always won: he was their leader so of course he'd be the best, and it was all good fun. After dinner, the play fighting was a favorite of the boys when they weren't dancing to Peter's music.
"Let's give the new boy a chance," Felix drawled, smirking, as he grabbed a slightly chubby, scared-looking brunette by the collar and shoved him forward. The Lost Boys hollered their approval, yelling both encouragement for Peter to beat him and taunts for the boy. Peter smirked as the boy's blue eyes widened, so new, but all boys were initiated this way: they were tested and trained in fighting, hunting, and other sports the boys entertained themselves with for eternity.
"What's your name, boy?" Peter's tone imitated Felix's, teasing and just a bit threatening. He needed to be absolutely sure of who was boss.
"C-Colin," the boy stuttered, looking up at him from the ground with wide eyes. He was dressed in the tan pants and white shirt, dirty and scuffed already, he had come here in.
Peter smirked. "Up, then, Colin." The boy scrambled to his feet, tripping over his blue-grey cloak. Peter eyed the cloak while the boy got his bearings. Still fairly clean, it was a nice but unusual color. He tried to think of where he'd seen such a lovely color before, but couldn't.
Once Colin was in what Peter assumed was his version of a fighting stance, Peter gracefully dipped into his own. The boy charged first, straight at Peter, so Peter easily sidestepped and tugged on the corner of the pretty blue cloak. The boy tripped and face planted into the dirt. Peter chuckled, but did clap—albeit sarcastically—when the boy stood and turned to face him again. He came at Peter, but not with as much speed or force, so he was able to stop in front of Peter and have control over his own body.
Peter really couldn't be bothered to remember the entire fight, because it really was easy. Of course. He did congratulate Colin in front of the boys, since he was a fast learner and had already improved. He also did manage to land one or two blows on Peter.
Then he felt a twinge in the corner of his mind, like a cloth that was suddenly being pulled at. It was different than when the Shadow brought people, but it was a feeling he knew. He hadn't felt it in quite a while, and would be lying if he said he wasn't a bit excited.
He walked behind the circle of boys, tapping Felix on the shoulder, and the two walked out of the camp without the Lost Boys even noticing. Peter led him into the forest a bit until they reached a bunch of trees that left a patch of bare ground on the edge of a cliff. Perfect for them to see out, but no one could see them. Looking out at the horizon, they saw a ship with a black flag.
"The presence, there's an aura that feels a bit familiar. It's faint, though," Peter started as they both stared at it.
"The Shadow said he'd taken him from a pirate ship, didn't he?" Felix recalled.
"Who?" Peter turned to him, confused.
"Colin," Felix drawled, raising an eyebrow. "Same day, coincidence."
"Yes, but that's not unusual. A boy feeling abandoned and alone is the same, no matter where he may be plucked from," Peter brushed it off. Felix shrugged, agreeing.
"So, when do we attack?" Felix asked, baring his teeth and rubbing the handle of his club.
"We don't," Peter said abruptly. Felix cocked his head and raised an eyebrow.
"We don't?" he repeated, sounding quite disappointed. Peter smirked and glanced sideways at him, and Felix's grin was restored.
"We don't. Yet," Peter restated. "I want to know why he's back, I didn't exactly leave a warm, welcoming impression on him. And if he's gone pirate now, well," he chuckled, "that's quite a change. I want to know how, and why, what he wants, and what he thinks he's going to get," Peter explained.
"Who?" Felix asked. Peter just smirked.
"Someone who visited before you all came here. When it was just me," Peter chuckled to himself. Felix nodded and continued.
"I'll tell the boys not to attack, then," Felix said, slowly rising. Peter stayed sitting and grabbed his arm, signaling Felix to wait.
"Only keep them from coming ashore, nothing more and nothing less. Don't say anything else. And no matter what, no one is to speak to any of them. Only I will." Felix nodded and turned to leave. He got in three steps when Peter called.
"And don't let them find out about Elle's presence, or else we'll have a new set of problems," Peter raised his eyebrows, and Felix understood. The tall blonde disappeared through the bushes and back into the camp, right as someone else stepped in.
"Who can't find out about me?" she asked, voice thin. Peter shook his head, about to explain, when she cut him off. "Am I going with them?" She took a step back, and Peter could hear her breathing speeding up.
He jumped to his feet and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest without even thinking. "Hey, hey, shhh, princess, shhh," he murmured, stroking her hair. For hair that hasn't been brushed in too long to remember, it was really soft. And smelled good. Peter pressed his face into it, breathing it in and enjoying the feel.
"I don't want to leave, please don't make me leave," her voice was so tiny and muffled, she sounded so fragile. Peter wasn't used to it. The last time he had seen her as fragile had been when she first came here, and was starving. The last time she'd been scared was when the dark One had come, but she had been anything but fragile then.
"Make you leave?" Peter chuckled. "You're our little princess, with some very powerful magic we very much enjoy. I'm not going to make you leave, and I'm not going to let anyone take you." She stiffened a bit, but then exhaled and relaxed into him again.
"I know you'll still use me," she started. "But this is the freest I've ever been. I don't want that to end." She pulled away from him suddenly, so that the only parts of them touching were her hands splayed on his shoulders. He felt a bit colder, and the change made Peter realize how close they'd been before. He wasn't even thinking that this was another person—a girl—and not one of his or the boys' blankets.
"I want to be able to fight," she said bluntly, eyes narrowed slightly and jaw hard. He raised an eyebrow. "Felix trained me, but I've never fought anyone except him. The first book I ever read on mythology was Greek, so they talked only of Greek gods and myths. I thought this was the truth, that everyone believed that," she spoke quickly so that Peter couldn't interrupt her. "But then the mistress gave me a book from somewhere else, and it spoke of a whole religion that was completely different. It had only one god, and many stories of regular people who had saved others or taught them of this religion. My point is that one person doesn't really teach you everything. So Felix is a good trainer, but I've only fought him, others fight differently and what if I have to, to fight someone else," she took a breath to pause her rambling, but Peter cut in before she kept going. She was so determined, yet so anxious at the same time. And hell, could she talk. He didn't know how long they'd been away from the boys.
He grinned, suddenly having a very, very fun idea. "Come on then," he nodded, wrapping his fingers around her wrist and leading her back to camp.
"Boys, I have a new fight for you," he announced to the cheers and hollers of the boys. None of them even asked where he'd been, so it either wasn't long or they were focused on what Felix had said to them. Peter stepped into the ring, shooing Joshua and Colin out of it. So the kid had gotten up and kept fighting, Peter was pleased. He'd do well with the proper training.
Using his grip on her wrist, Peter tossed the girl forward into the center and sauntered in after her. She stumbled a bit but didn't fall, and turned to face him immediately, simultaneously dipping into a fighting stance. Peter smirked proudly, she'd caught on quickly. They both stood in the center, ignoring the boys' excitement, focused on only each other. Finally, Peter grew impatient and made the first move.
Their fight lasted so long, even the Lost Boys grew quiet, probably due to awe that she'd lasted this long. And against him, too. Peter both congratulated and cursed Felix mentally for raining her so well. He was much taller and stronger than she, but their little princess was incredibly fast.
At some point, they were both standing still and breathing heavily. She stared at him, blue-grey eyes wide and bright, most of her hair out of its braid and spread across her shoulders and flushed face. Peter winced internally when he saw a few bruises on her legs and arms already forming, as well as one on her cheek and her split lip. Although, he himself wasn't perfect either. She'd managed to make his shoulder sore and he was sure he had a few bruises on his legs and hips already forming as well.
Then, she grinned and disappeared. When she reappeared behind him, Peter felt her foot straight into his back and he fell forward onto all fours. She looked torn between laughing and apologizing, so Peter made the decision for her and chuckled. Felix could hold his own against Peter in a fight, but no one on this island matched Peter for magic. The fight turned into the two transporting around each other and using magic behind blows, but Peter was careful not to cause her any real damage. Couldn't have her hurt if they needed to use her magic, especially with the newcomers near.
Peter's thoughts started turning back towards the visitors, causing him to lose focus on the game. Normally, with any of the boys that would've been fine. But of course, he was fighting a girl. Who had just as much—actually more, but he purposefully hadn't taught her to use it—magic as he did. Peter was only a bit surprised to find himself on his back with her bare foot pressing lightly on his neck.
The little princess stepped back and bit her lip, looking at Peter with slightly wide eyes. He stood, grinned, and looked around at the shocked but loudly cheering boys. While she looked around quickly, as if not quite believing what had just happened, Peter caught himself just looking at her. Her lips were slightly parted as her breathing slowly returned to normal, blue-grey eyes wide and shiny from her energy, white strands of hair falling into her face and glowing brightly, thin little body in her dirty dress. Peter arched an eyebrow mentally, it was definitely shorter than it was before she and Felix and gone around the island. He felt his stomach clench. Peter himself had the body of an eighteen year old, and Felix had come when he was just a few weeks from turning eighteen. They loved their life, but they were boys and girls…well, girls are girls. And it has been a very long time since either of them had seen a girl.
"You'll definitely be okay, princess," he smirked as she faced him again. He brushed himself off, and she grinned.
The boys continued their fights for another hour or so until Peter called it quits. As much as he, along with the boys, would love to keep going all night, they needed to sleep, especially with the newcomers. He ordered shifts as he walked into his tent. He let out a breath and rubbed his chest, his little princess actually packed a punch. He sprawled on his back on his cot and closed his eyes.
He was just about to fall asleep when he shot up, more sensing someone enter his tent than hearing them. They were incredibly quiet, but Peter ruled this island, he knew everything that went on. And he was very good at feeling and recognizing magical auras. He relaxed and flopped back down, scooting to the outer edge of his cot and stretching his arm out over the other side
"Come here," he said, eyes closed. The little princess stepped shyly closer to him and crawled over him to get to the side he'd left open. He vaguely wondered why she wasn't with Felix, but dismissed it. Peter opened his eyes and held his breath when she was on top of him, and quietly released it once she was lying on the side and curled into him.
"Thank you," she whispered. He slung his arm loosely around her and squeezed her shoulders, trying to imitate how Felix acted around her. She obviously liked and trusted him, maybe she'd like and trust Peter a bit more then.
"Told you, you'll be safe," Peter murmured, half to himself and half to her. Her breathing was slow and steady, he didn't dare look at her to check if her eyes were closed. After a minute, he assumed she was asleep and closed his eyes again. Of course, now sleep was farther away.
"I know," her quiet response startled him, but he felt odd warmth as well. "I trust you." He smiled to himself.