Checkmate

49. Choose Your Battles

"You are playing with fire, my girl."

I scoffed a single laugh at the man who stood before me with his arms once again crossed, a single bead of sweat resting upon his brow. "I'm not your girl."

Neal was quick to retort, the answer surprising me. "Yeah, you ain't Felix's girl either."

I licked my lips and turned to the man with a bewildered gaze. "Excuse me?" I breathed, my brows raising and my jaw remaining open in a strange mixture of a shocked smile.

Neal sighed and relaxed his arms, seeming to realise his words had come across in some way other than intended. "All I mean is that-"

"Pan left me," I said matter-of-factly. "He told me to have a relationship with anyone I wanted. And I have mourned that loss."

Neal seemed to smirk. "And did he specifically say Felix?"

"Yes, actually."

The man before me did a visible recoil, his eyes blinking a few times before he composed himself once more. "Right then."

"Neal, I know you are scared of Pan." Neal opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off as I had done with Thomas a few minutes prior. "I am scared of Pan too, but Felix and I are free now. Free to choose."

"Two months ago he-"

"Tried to kill me?" Neal nodded. "Your father seemed to keep that bit of information to himself. Felix has only ever tried to save me. He thought there could be another way. We all did. He thought your father could-"

"Help him?" I nodded. "So, Pan and my dad wanted the star. Pan wanted to keep you alive, but my dad wanted you dead." I nodded. "Felix only ever wanted to save you?" I looked up at the man before me and slowly nodded once more. Wordlessly, Neal pulled me into a tight embrace, which I reciprocated willingly. "Sorry, Annie."

"Is 'mkay," came my muffled response from his shoulder before we pulled apart. "But I was serious about that dinner question." This earned me a grin from the man as he guided me back inside to see Felix and Thomas sat together on the couch, their eyes glued to an episode of one of Thomas' favourite shows.

Neal scoffed a quiet laugh before turning towards the kitchen portion of the room. "Boys," he muttered under his breath.

After a rather quiet dinner, the limited discussion topics revolving around work and school, Thomas and Neal moved to the couch where they intended to finish a rather tumultuous Mario kart race where the duo were equally matched. Each match ending with one or the other shooting over the finish line first.

As Felix and I spectated from our spots at the dining table, I glanced over to the blond to see a mixture of confusion and amusement on his face. I leaned closer to him and took his hand gently; the contact pulling him from his stupor. "Weird, isn't it?" He could only nod in response before watching them once again. "He's almost normal."

Felix turned back to me, his head tilting. "Almost?" He repeated, before a loud cheer came from the couch.

"That's how it's done," Neal said loudly as he pumped his fist in the air. On his side of the screen was a winning screen as Thomas' character followed behind in a close second.

Felix and I couldn't help but release laughter and the display as Thomas gestured vaguely to the screen. "You came out of nowhere with a red shell! When did you get a red shell?"

It didn't take long for Neal to set up two more controllers for Felix and me to join, and after a short crash course in how to play, we were away. Felix stayed last, and I was third, leaving Neal and Thomas fighting for first before I shot through one of the boxes and ended up with a red shell trio. Neal and Thomas instantly started begging me not to use them, but after releasing one for each of them the moment they came into view, I rose to first place.