It's been eight months since the takedown of Maleficent and everything was supposed to be smooth sailing from there...
...but was it?
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"I'm sorry, Mama."
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Back on the Isle, Pan is walking back home after her shift at the restaurant finally ended. Her cut from Ursula is still left untreated, but she knows it's better for her if she doesn't stop in the middle of the dangerous streets of the Isle.
The walk isn't a long one, but when you have a bunch of little kids home alone and a mother's mentality, it does become a tedious one. Uma has been pretty good about giving Payton broken up shifts so she can go home and make sure the mock up is still standing. Especially with Baelfire not sleeping these past few weeks due to on and off sickness. The girl even had to bring him with her one day because the poor boy was not going to let go.
Pan rounds the corner when suddenly she is pulled back and slammed against the wall of a concrete alleyway. Seeing the red and black outfit, Pan immediately assumes it's Harry.
"Hook, get the hell off of me or I'll report you to Um..ma-my god.."
Pan finally stops and looks at who her captor is and she can't believe her eyes. Her heart stops and her breathing picks up.
"Miss me?"
Royal Hearts. One and only child of the queen of hearts. Unsurprisingly, he is dressed to the part. One thing that has always been undeniable about Royal is his fashion sense. He truly dresses like a prince, and he can thank his mother's surprising amount of riches for that.
His shirt is a nice, shiny pressed red button down that has almost a reflection. In certain lights, it almost looks like it has a black shine on it, making you stare at the material a little longer than you intended. It's one of those types that if you scratched it with your nails, it would make a loud, almost toy-like sound.
His shirt was tucked into a pair of black leather jeans that Pan could tell for certain that they were new. They looked much like the pants that she wore on her first day back into the chip shop, just more of a masculine build to them. And the person wearing them.
Layered on top of both articles of clothing, was a black leather jacket. If you didn't look hard enough, you would think that this piece of leather clothing was also new, but Pan knew better. She knew this was the same one he has been wearing for years, he just polishes it after every wear.
To top off the outfit, Royal paired it all with black combat boots and a red belt. The final piece of clothes was a staple you could see in any one of the prince's outfits and that would be his beanie that consoles his wavy black hair. He switches back and forth between a red and a black one, but they both have the same style. The rim of the soft fabric has been cut into the shape of a crown as a way for the prince to subtly show off his status to those around him. It's unknown who started this tradition, him or his crazy mother, but Mary Elizabeth hasn't cared about her son in many years, so he's obviously the one continuing it.
"Royal.."
The boy smirks and winks at the girl he has currently pinned to the wall. Royal and Pan grew up together and were best friends. When Peter forbade her mother from seeing her again, though, due to Royal's mother's connection to the woman, their friendship became a secret from half of the island. Her father didn't mind though.
About a year after Hook and Pan's little fling, the girl grew closer to her best friend, seeing as though he was the only person outside of the lost boys she was allowed to interact with. Soon enough, they grew closer and closer, until one day Royal kissed her. The next day though, the boy mysteriously disappeared, breaking Pan's heart.
"In the flesh."
Pan's face changes from one of shock to one of anger as she pushes the boy off of her, making him stumble slightly. As she starts storming away, the Heart prince looks at her confused.
"W-What's going on? I thought you liked me? I thought I was your best friend?"
Pan scoffs, "Yeah, maybe, like, a year and a half ago."
"Why not now?"
"Are you serious?" Pan stops for a moment before scoffing and continuing on her way. "You know what, never mind."
"Come on, please, talk to me."
The lost girl ignores the boy and continues on in the direction of the Neverland mock up and her boys. She sighs when she thinks about how Royal used to have that title as well, now she tries to tell herself he means nothing. Anyone who looks at the two can obviously see that's a lie.
Royal continues to shout for the girl, hoping she'll stop, but she doesn't. His heart cracks when he thinks back to the day that he's almost positive is causing this reaction from her.
Royal got home from a secret meeting with Payton. He finally did it. He kissed her. He kissed the girl he's had a crush on since they were little. Their moms were friends, and on the days that Payton's mom had to watch her daughter, she took her over to the queen's house so that she could run around with the woman's son and she didn't have to watch her.
All of that changed when Payton's father saw the bruises Payton was coming home with. Bruises from her mother. He wasn't going to have it anymore. He added to their agreement that the woman was not allowed to speak to their daughter again until she was 18. She didn't really care because she never cared about her daughter, but someone else did care. Royal. Without her mother having custody, Royal could no longer see the girl. That was the first night he snuck out to meet her.
Fast forward 10 years and the two secret best friends are now 16 and head over heels for each other, but neither of them would ever admit that. Almost any villain will tell you that love is weak, and they pass that sentiment onto their child. But Royal was finally coming to terms with his feelings, so he kissed the girl.
That night when he tried to sneak back into his room, his mother was sitting on his makeshift throne and he knew it would not end well for him. She demanded that he never see the girl again and he was not allowed to leave the grounds of the castle. Ever. He tried so many times, but everytime he was caught and beaten by his mother's guards. Eventually he gave up.
Royal thinks back to that night almost 2 years ago and his heart skips a beat as he does the one thing that will guarantee to grab her attention.
