Counting Scars - OUAT

Doleful Sickness

"Lay him down," I calmly demanded to Hunter.

He nods his head and carefully lays Peter on the bed. Hunter sighs, then he slips off Peter's shirt revealing plum colored bruises.

"It's pretty bad," Hunter remarked in his deep voice as I inspected the bruises. "Blade is one of the strongest."

I sit on the edge of the bed, contemplating at the boy. His pale face covered in trickling sweat, his hair matted to his forehead, his stomach covered in purple and black spots, his lips drooping to a little frown. I could have mistaken him for being dead if it was not for his chest rising and falling with slight difficulty.

Tame runs in with all of the implements I had asked for earlier and drops them next to the bed. He glances at me with a grin, nodding his head before walking out.

Hunter claps his hands together after a pause of silence. "So... I'll just go make that tea now." He points to the flap of the tent and walks out. Leaving Peter and I alone.

I dunk a piece of cloth into the bucket of water. Then I twisted it to get the built up water out of the cloth before placing it on Peter's forehead. He groaned in response, his eyes fluttering open.

He glances around at his surroundings before darting his forest green eyes at me.

"W-what happened?" He questions as he attempts to sit up.

However, I place my hands on his shoulders and push him down. "Lay down, you're sick."

He furrows his brows and shakes his head. "No darling, I don't get sick. I haven't been sick in centuries."

I pull back the damp cloth and feel his forehead. "Your fever says otherwise." I pull my hand away and put the cloth back on his head. "It's gotten worse, actually."

He scoffs, "it's not worse. It will go away by tonight."

Peter tries to sit up, only this time his arms collapsed and come right back down. He grunts, clenching his teeth and his hands clutching his stomach. "I''m going to murder Blade," he uttered.

I place my hands on his chest. "No you're not. Please just rest."

His brows furrow as his eyes slowly close. Darkness pulling his mind into a peaceful trance. I sigh and gently place my lips on his forehead.

"Get better, Peter," I whispered. "Even though demons tend to build up their pain deep within themselves. Oh Peter, I wonder what you're like without that alluring mask."

***

I woke up with my head resting on the edge of my bed. I quickly check outside, the sun had went into its slumber as the moon and stars were twinkling awake. I sigh, I had fallen asleep throughout the afternoon. I glance back at the bed where Peter laid, his eyes wide open, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.

"Look who finally woke up," Peter said as he sat up. "You know, I thought you were going to kill me in my sleep or something."

I scrunch my nose. "Kill you? I may not think your the most pleasant boy on the island, but I do not kill people."

He chuckles, "ah, so now I finally get your opinions and judgement on me. Tell me, what do you think of me?"

I stammered, his voice was like poison dripping off his plump lips. His green eyes testing me, taking me in all at once. And his smirk weakening me as he hears my uneven breaths.

I close my eyes and take deep breath. "Peter, I think you are a prepossessing, devoting, yet perplexing and appalling."

He furrows his brows. "Perplexing and appalling? How come?"

"Don't ask me. It's as if you have two sides. One moment your an angel, and then a demon."

He gets out of the bed, standing tall, making me feel minuscule. However, his eyes were not a taunting green, they were dull and mournful.

"And, what am I now?" He solicited softly.

"I am not the one to say who you are, Peter."

He snatches my wrist, his nails digging into my skin. "Please tell me. I don't know what I am."

I smile, "Peter, you are a human."

He shakes his head, "I'm afraid I'm beyond human."

I sigh and take his hand and place it on his chest. "What do you feel?"

"My heartbeat, why?"

I grin, "close your eyes."

He closes them. "Now what?"

"I know you have a special gift. Listen. Hear the things beyond the camp."

He nods his head. "I hear birds chirping in the meadow."

"Okay, focus on the meadow. What do you see?"

He furrows his brows, his forehead creasing with concentration. "I see blue and white roses just like the sky above. Green grass and sun rays peeking through puffy clouds."

"What do you feel?"

He shakes his head. "I can't feel anything."

"Yes you can. You've been there, remember how it feels," I calmly demanded.

"Um, I feel the blades of grass at my finger tips, the warmth of the sun, and the dirt beneath my feet."

He smiles, "the sunshine is so warm...."

"And how does it make you feel?"

His smile grows wider, "it makes me feel rapturous and jubilant and everything pleasant."

"Open your eyes."

He opens them, his green eyes scintillating with pleasure. "What was that all for?"

I smile. "Peter, the things you said, they were all positive things. Demons would turn that around and say that it disgusts them."

His face fell, then quickly hides it with a scoff. "That doesn't prove anything." He trudges out of the tent. "Come, Winter," he snapped from outside. "I may be a demon, but I do not let my prisoners starve."

I sigh and grab his shirt and run to him. "Here," I said as I handed him his green shirt. I glance at his stomach, my eyes widen. "Peter, your bruises are gone."

He looks down with a grin. "Well, would you look at that? My magic must have healed me."

I stutter, "m-magic?"

He slips on his shirt, his taunting smirk forming on his lips. "Yes, darling. Ever heard of it?"

***

A/N: yayyyyy I updateddddd. Anyway, next week I am going to be at Disney! (Orlando, Florida) from the 3rd-9th. So I will not be very active :( but enjoy this chapter lovelies! :) And please consider voting if you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you

Word Count: 1,085