𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 ♡ ᴏᴜᴀᴛ ᴘᴇᴛᴇʀ ᴘᴀɴ

ꜱɪx | ᴘᴇᴛᴇʀ ᴘᴀɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴀʟʟʏᴍᴏɢɢᴇʀ

"Well, I've had enough nonsense. I'm going home!"

—♢♡♧♤—

Mirana swallowed hard, her voice catching in her throat. "Um..." she started, but the words trailed off.

Why was the so-called "demon boy" — the one everyone feared — hugging her? She didn't know him. She had never met this British boy before today. Did he know something she didn't? Or was everyone afraid of him because they just didn't like hugs? So far, Peter Pan seemed like the kindest boy she had encountered in Storybrooke.

"I'm . . . home?" Mirana repeated, her brows knitting together as she stared at the desk he had been seated at just moments ago.

"Leave." Peter's voice suddenly rose, sharp and commanding. At first, Mirana thought he was speaking to her, but then she heard the shuffle of footsteps outside. The boys who had kidnapped her must have been eavesdropping. The sounds faded, and once silence settled, Peter slowly lifted his head from her shoulder. His green eyes locked onto Mirana's dark ones, his tone softening. "I knew you'd come. I had to come back. I had to bring everyone back."

"Everyone?" Mirana echoed, tilting her head. She wanted to press him further—his behavior made no sense—but then she remembered why she was there. I have to convince him to leave.

"You have to leave Storybrooke," she told him gently. "It isn't the right place for you."

Peter scoffed, shaking his head. "Isn't the right place? Don't be ridiculous, Mirana. It's perfect. And now I have you. We'll stay here forever."

Forever? Mirana took a step back, her heart hammering. It isn't supposed to happen like this. I need to return to Underland, she thought, avoiding his gaze. "I don't even know you," she whispered. "I want to go home. You have to leave—then they'll send me back."

Peter's gaze darkened. "You don't need to go back," he murmured, as though reading her thoughts. "You need to stay here. With me. I won't let you go again."

Mirana froze. "Again?" she breathed, her stomach twisting. "I don't know who you are. I've never met you before today."

"Oh, but you have." Peter's expression hardened. "I guess I have Iracebeth to thank for you not remembering. Or maybe it was you." His eyes gleamed. "You always had a knack for magic."

Mirana frowned. "Why would I try to forget you? Who are you?" A thought struck her, and her eyes widened. "Why are you trapping everyone here? Why won't you let them return to their world?"

Peter smirked at her questions, but didn't answer.

Mirana huffed. "How do you know me? And Iracebeth? You speak her name so casually."

Peter simply chuckled at her frazzled state. "Cute."

Mirana's face burned, and she turned away, flustered. "I beg you not to speak like that," she said stiffly, knowing full well her pale complexion betrayed every ounce of her embarrassment.

His smirk deepened, a tease in his voice. "How can I, when your expression draws me in so much?"

More blood rushed to her cheeks. Peter laughed. "I see it'll take you a while to stop blushing at the sight of me again."

"I am not blushing," Mirana muttered, refusing to meet his gaze. "You haven't answered my questions, sir."

Peter reached out, lightly brushing his fingers along her cheek. The touch sent an unfamiliar shiver through her, yet her body leaned into it instinctively. Peter's smile softened, as though recognizing something unspoken between them. He said nothing, perhaps fearing that the wrong words might make her pull away.