Peter Pan: Back to Never-land (A queer re imagining)

Ace:

I wake up in a mess of limbs and blankets with Peter. It's got to be mid morning by now.
I carefully study the wound on Peter's neck, Tinker Bell and Artemis have it bandaged. I go to look underneath but all of a sudden there's Tinker pushing my hand back. I glare at her.
"More trouble than he's worth." She had said.

"Best not to touch devil child. Leave it up to those who know what we are doing." She whispers nastily at me.
"Fine." I whisper back as she checks it herself. I have to tell myself it's not personal, she's jealous of anyone that gets close to Peter. She even doesn't like Addy very much. Addy.
I gently roll out of Peter's way. He stirs. Tinker Bell glares.
"I'm going to check on little Addy." I say. She roles her eyes.
"He is not to be in here by him.." She starts but I cut her off.
"Ease up drama Queen, Addy is harmless." I snap. Peter stirs again and slowly those dark blue eyes come to life. He yawns and observes Tinker Bell patching him up, then glances over at me with a smile.
"Ditching me?" Peter asks with a cheeky glint in his eye. I take the opportunity to kiss him right in front of Tinker Bell, she huffs and flys off.
"I was going to go see if Addy was awake." I tell him. He smiles fondly at me. But Tinker Bell has gotten under my skin and Peter of course picks up on that straight away.
"Tink?" He asks simply. I nod. He frowns and takes my face in his warm hands and I feel myself relax if just a little bit.
"As before, She can have a problem with you that's on her but you will never be a problem to me, and you'll always come first." He says.
Any worries I had dissipate with his words. "Okay?" He says softly.
"Okay." I say the butterflies in my stomach are having a field day, still after all this time. "I'll go get Addy." I tell him.
"Thanks Ace." Peter says.

I head out into the chaos of the lost boys living area. Curly and Jordan have somewhat taken back their leadership role which has helped but it's still a bit more frantic than when Peter's up and about. But then again this is what it was like the entire time he was gone.
Luckily I'm switched on this morning and am able to pull Addy out of the way before he gets punched in the face by another boy, Leon. That kid has always been quite troubled and closed off, been here a few years now but warmed to no one.
"What the hell is going on here?" I use a firm voice and of course it's Addy that bursts into tears. I pick him up and he buries his face in my shirt. Leon avoids my eyes. His dark mess of hair hanging over his eyes now, that he doesn't let anyone touch.
"Leon?" That's when I realise this has caught the eye of most of the boys around us. Pip, one of the younger ones who came in a similar time as Addy pipes up. His long ringlets moving around as he turns to face me. Leon mutters at Pip to stay quiet but he's undeterred.
"Leon said Adam's brother wasn't a real boy, sir. An' Adam was defending 'is brother sir. Leon was causing trouble. I told him to leave Adam alone." Pip blurts out with barely a breath in between his sentences. "It's going to be okay little Adam, Ace 'as got you now." Pip gives Addy's boot a tap.
"Thanks Pip." I tell him. He gives me a smile revealing two missing teeth, his front ones.
"No sweat Ace, I won't just sit 'ere and let an older boy pick in a little one." Pip says and pretends to lunge towards Leon who actually startles, uncharacteristically. I put my hand on Pip's shoulder.
"I'll take it from here." I say. Pip shrugs and turns back to his breakfast.

Leon squirms away from me just slightly.
"I was just saying that if you were born a girl, that's what you are." He says with a glare at Addy who pulls himself closer to me.
"Trans people are who they say they are, Leon. It's not up to you to tell them who they are." I say raising my voice while reminding myself I'm dealing with an ignorant ten year old and shouldn't get too mad. The little menace isn't deterred though.
"They can say they are unicorn and it wouldn't be any less true. Born female.. you're a girl."

Don't hit him Ace, he's ten. But god is it tempting to wipe the smirk off his face. And I would have if not for the fact that Addy was getting more distressed. So I close the conversation in the best way I can think.

"You can think what ever you want.. just don't go spreading it, especially around here. The other boys won't take kindly to it, especially when you're upsetting a five year old and especially! When one of our very own his a trans man. So keep your words to yourself or I will not hesitate to get you banished."

Leon shrinks into himself and goes back to eating and Addy settles. Jordan, who I didn't realise was listening gives me a warm smile.
Pip turns and smiles at me too. Then when he turns back to the other boys he's sitting with I hear him mutter,
"I told you Ace was a badass. And Jordan, he would kick Leon's ass if given the chance."
Jordan laughs.

"Pip, language." I warn. And his eyes widen.
"Sorry Ace, sorry Adam." He says and then turns to talk in a whisper.

"Come on, Ads. Let's go see Peter." I tell him and pat his head. He almost jumps out of my arms and races down the hall. I can't help but smile.

Addy barely takes a breath before he's hugging Peter and telling him he's so glad he's okay. It's absolutely beautiful to watch both of their faces light up as they chatter.

***

"And Ace he stood up and told Leon how things where here! Him and Pip were like a super heroes! I was so scared but they weren't! Especially Ace." Peter pats Addy's head and says how proud he is of Ace, Pip and Addy too for standing up for Avery and Jordan.

"I hope I'm find someone like Ace one day, whose brave but also takes care of you too, I get why you love him so much, Peter. I don't know what I would have done without him the last few days." Addy beams.

I'm sitting in the alcove between Peter and Tinker Bell's rooms. As she insisted I keep an eye on them. She's watching me as I pretty much cry my eyes out at Addy's words. Her expression though is unreadable.

"I'm so glad to hear that Ace has been taking care of you. He's really one of a kind isn't he? I love him so much. So if you do find someone like Ace, never let them go. Because people like that don't come around often."
I can hear the smile in Peter's voice before I see it. There's a chance I shouldn't be listening to their conversation but I can't stop now. And Tinker bell might smite me if I leave, she's now busily flying around in her room, cleaning, I think?

"Hey Addy, can you keep a secret?" I hear Peter ask. I turn to let them have their moment but I run into Tinker bell and she glares at me till I stay. Addy must nod.
"I'm going to ask Ace to marry me, what do you think?"
I almost squeal out loud, for once I'm thankful for tinker bell's presence. She knocks a few things over on a destructive path back to her room. I retreat out her door before they realise I'm still here.. I'm feel like I'm floating as I make my way out into the living area. I'm getting engaged.. to Peter! I couldn't be happier.