A canvas wall wasn't the only thing that separated us as we sat in the dining room, the conversation never ceasing between Chase and the other boys, and Peter sat alone with his thoughts in his own half of the tent. That was when he was most dangerous. Perhaps our greatest thoughts were born in silence, but so were our deadliest.
James sat across from me, expression very much unamused with Chase and his conversation, rolling a coconut across the slightly off balanced table and watching it roll back to him, again and again. He was no longer the center of attention and this was his way of throwing a fit.
"So explain to me where this kid came from?" James spoke, acting as if he didn't care, though you could tell he did. "He pretended to be dead for like a month because he was scared of Mr. pity-party in there, and now he suddenly decides to show up again?"
"You know," I started, standing up from the table. "You don't have to be such an asshole all the time, James."
I stepped out of the tent, leaving James dumbfounded and confused.
A sigh escaped my lips as I kicked the fallen leaves around my feet. The air grew colder the later it got into the evening. Never had I seen such a beautiful autumn. All I can remember about where I lived before was the pandemonium of a large city. Surely, it would've been impossible to be alone outside in the quiet of a falling late afternoon.
Birds flew overhead, the sky erupting with loud calls. "Where are you off to?" I wondered aloud. Where was there to go? Perhaps, Peter had pity on birds and only they could leave Neverland. The thought made me chuckle. Maybe Peter would have pity on this bird, a meadow lark as Owen would have called me. But as the birds disappeared, I couldn't help but want to call out to them, 'Take me, please. Wherever you go.'
I didn't know how to feel about leaving now. I didn't know if it was even possible, but now in this moment, I was so overwhelmed with my own thoughts and ideas that I wanted to do nothing but sit and cry. I wanted to be strong. I wanted to be brave, but even heroes have their breaking points.
I found myself sitting on one of the logs in beside the fire pit, eyes closed as frigid wind brushed across my face and flicked over my red nose and cheeks; knees pulled up to my chest and arms wrapped tightly around my shins. No one had followed me and I was glad for it.
Peter's pipe song echoed through my head above all over thoughts and I found myself humming it as I rest my cold cheeks against my knees. I had determined that Peter only played his pipe on nights he felt alone. Recently, I had heard it less often, but tonight would be a different story. How was I supposed to tell him about Chase? I tried to, when I had first seen him, but he refused to believe me like everyone else.
There was no way I could gain his trust again and that was what scared me the most.
•••
Peter did not dare to glance at me during the whole meal. He had put on his lion mask once more and not a trace of a smile emanated from his face.
He excused himself from dinner and slipped back behind the curtain that separated us. Nolan and I gathered the dishes and Roux filled the large sink with water so that we could wash them, while the others gathered outside for target practice.
"He's not handling Chase being here very well, is he?" Nolan finally spoke, noticing that I had not said a single word since we cleared the table.
"He'll come around." I stated, though I was unsure I believed it myself.
"But that's not it, is it." Nolan said, stopping for a moment and taking my hand to squeeze it gently. "There's something bothering you. Something between you two. And if there's anything I can do that would help, you know I'd do it." he offered, words laced with sincerity.
I said nothing, instead I leant over and kissed his head, just above his ear and we continued to wash the plates and cups.
"He trusted me, Nolan. I was starting to see him differently." I said finally.
"What do you mean? Why doesn't he trust you?" he asked, drying the wooden plates and setting them on the table.
"I knew. I knew about Chase and I didn't tell him, though I should have. I was afraid that if he knew about him, it'd bring back who he was before he thought Chase drowned." I said, sitting down at the table and laying my head on my folded arms.
"But had anything really changed since Chase disappeared? Just a few days ago, you were sleeping in a cage." Nolan stated, truthfully. Peter was only at his best when he was alone with me. There were glimmers of who he truly was when he was with the others, but I was the only one that noticed them. To them, he was still the prideful leader they had grown accustomed to.
"Maybe you should talk to him." Nolan said when I didn't respond.
"How do you talk to someone that's practically in the same room yet, seemingly in another world, all at the same time?"
•••
"You almost shot that arrow through my head, jackass! Watch where you're aiming." James shouted at Chase.
"That's why you don't stand in front of the target, big guy. Who did you say the jackass was?" Chase chuckled, unaffected by James' remarks.
"I will mess you up so bad, your own balls will be up stuck to the inside of your skull. " James threatened through gritted teeth.
"Oh, so I'll look like you? Now wouldn't that just be grand, princess. We could be twins!" Chase said mockingly excited, just before James snapped, throwing Chase to the ground.
"Hey! Knock it off!" Caspar said, crossing his arms. He was the largest of the boys and a few inches taller than James.
"Play nice, boys, there's only one bed for you to share tonight." Owen smirked. He was right. There was only enough room for six of the boys and one bed in my tent. Putting Chase and James in the same room would be like putting two alpha wolves in one cage and watching to see who's survive until morning.
"You can have my bed, Chase. I'll bunk in with Liam or Nolan." I offered.
"No. You'll be in my tent tonight."
All heads shot behind me and to everyone's disbelief, stood Peter; his
eyes, quite evidently green in the vast darkness, glared harshly into my own..
•••
A/n
UM SO YEAH I DID A THING
SO IDK WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN BUT WE'LL SEE OOPSIES
so double update you're welcome!
I added a fan made edit by me4maid.wh0re on Instagram so go love on her, okay? #pandow4lyfe
What do you guys think of Chase/James banter because I friggin' love it with all my heart
Okay bye
LOVE LOVE LOVE
YOU ARE READING
Caged • Robbie Kay/Peter Pan •
Fanfiction"Because you've forgotten what it's like to actually feel something." I whispered. Peter's expression softened and the only sounds between us were the steady unsynchronized breaths falling from our lips. He swallowed, the closeness of our bodies m...
