Peter Pan Imagines (Once Upon a Time)

Watching Over

Peter Pan is staring again. Staring at her.

He's tried not to be so obvious about it these past few days, even managed to convince himself through a fair amount of black magic that he's not staring at all, but no, the evidence is right there before him. Of all the paths to take through the forest, Peter has managed to select the one that will ferry him to Y/N, and of course he can't possibly leave.

She's noticed him by now, turning to Peter with a smile. They've been talking more as of late, and Peter feels oddly pleased to report that he was the first of all the Lost Boys to break through her shy demeanor. Now, they have long conversations on just about everything, and Peter certainly has no problems with any of it.

This isn't like him. At one point in his distant past, Peter would have scoffed at the thought of caring so much about someone else, but he's way beyond that now. No, he's been lost for quite some time now, there's no stopping that.

As he watches, Y/N tilts her head up to admire the waving boughs of the trees overhead. The sunlight comes through the foliage in dense rays, painting her in thick swathes of gold. Peter stares in earnest now, utterly helpless to put up any sort of fight regarding his feelings.

Unlike the other times, Y/N catches him staring, and chastises him self-consciously. "What are you looking at?"

"You," Peter answers before he can stop himself. It's true, anyway, he doesn't want to look at anyone but her.

Y/N considers this. "Why?"

Peter swallows hard. He's reached a crossroads now, two clearly definable paths stretching out in front of him. He can deny any sort of feelings, pretend that he's just out walking and happened to see her. Or, Peter could come clean, take the gamble that Y/N might like him just as much as he likes her. One choice is safe, the other risky. It's a high wire, and Peter is swinging in the middle.

Then again, how could he take anything but the second choice? What is it that his boys always say again, 'Peter Pan never fails?' Maybe it's time that Peter tests that luck for himself.

"Well," he manages at last, "You'd be surprised."

Here's to the choices we make, and the consequences that follow them. Sometimes, everything turns out alright. It looks like today might be one of those happy days.