Take Me to Neverland || OUAT

27: Only Human

We flew back moments later in silence. I couldn't bare to speak to Peter in fear that an unnecessary confession would ring out.

Through the airy night sky and the twinkling stars, the treehouse finally came into view from behind all the dense forestry. We dipped down below and skimmed over the treetops like swans on water.

The feeling was magical, but my balance kept me struggling for flight. If I kept at it, flying would have been the death of me.

After a couple more brief seconds, our footsteps landed gingerly onto the wooden beams of the treehouse. The crickets chirped through the night while fireflies blinked in warm arrays of color. Everything around us seemed to be having their own special social hour, but me? I tried my best to avoid conversation.

But without luck, Peter noticed my silence distinctly. He leaned over, brushing strands of hair out of my face. His sudden actions made my eyes flicker up to him, timidly yet with a cross of curiosity.

"Why aren't you speaking to me?" Peter mumbled, cocking his head to the side.

I bit my lip, holding in my rapid thoughts. When I didn't answer back, he grinned smugly and shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, I get it," he raised his arms in defeat. "You were jealous of my flying."

I shot a glare in his direction, but he brushed off my expression with a dumbfounded grin. He threw his head back in laughter, "the trick is to think lovely thoughts. The loveliest of thoughts imaginable."

"But you're a villain," I blurted out before quickly covering my mouth. "I mean...," my voice paused in midair, thinking of an explanation. "What happened to the 'evil'? You're acting strangely positive."

"I'm not the most... well-behaved boy on the island, but ever since you came, it's all changed," Peter whispered. He blinked, like as if I was completely oblivious to the situation. "That's what you do to me."

I felt his warm hands trail from my cheek to underneath my chin. My breath hitched as his movements advanced closer and closer into me.

I wanted so badly to enclose the space between us with a quick kiss on the cheek, but I knew that doing so would break down my walls. My forces and stronghold would fall back and disappear forever, and it was beyond my reach to let that happen.

"Peter I-, I can't... do this," I stated, pushing him away. A glimmer of hurt shielded his eyes before he recovered it, nearly too professionally.

"I'm sorry...," Peter murmured, clearly hiding behind a mask of confidence. His voice didn't quiver or shake, but it was still enough for me to know that he really did have feelings for me. "We should be going to bed," he continued, "it's late."

I knew better than to stay up past midnight, but for this I couldn't resist. I needed time alone.

"You go ahead," I offered a weak smile, "I'll be in, just give me a minute."

Peter hesitated, but nodded understandingly. "Okay, but one more thing." I watched as he turned his back and climbed through the window to our treehouse. "It's never too late to open it."

When he disappeared and was gone, I waited. I wasn't sure for what, but I waited.

Why did my heart feel this way? Heavy and yearning for something I didn't even know existed. I imagined the softness of his lips and how it just felt so... right. When the world came crashing down around me, why was it that his touch saved me every time?

I heaved out a long, tiresome sigh. My fingers fled up to my lips, the lips that he had kissed moments before.

The feeling was still vivid, but it wasn't the same. I stood up, brushing myself off. If only I told him how I felt. If only it didn't hurt me more than it hurt him.