cat and pirate | j.hook

TWO

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BACK THEN

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Merlin Academy held an impressive cafeteria, and Cheshire always found herself with too many options from the spread. Sending the staff a grin full of teeth, the Wonderlandian relished in their unease as they served her. She sent them a twinkling wave and a wink before leaving to find a seat outside near the marble fountain.

The Cheshire Cat had been attending Merlin Academy for four weeks and was proud of the reputation she had built from the ground up. After years of staying in the shadows of Wonderland, Cheshire made her debut with the sole purpose of tearing the academy down from the inside, and she knew exactly how to do that. She had unfortunately missed out on teaming up with Ursula or Morgana, two former big villains of the academy, but Uliana seemed to be much easier to manipulate (and less dangerous).

Cheshire had made sure she was enticing to the baby Sea Witch in order to be recruited into her pathetic excuse of a gang; it was only a matter of time before Uliana realised how valuable the Wonderlandian would be.

Just as she had planned, Uliana Posiedon quickly became aware of the Cheshire Cat and her reputation, and needed it on her side if she were to ever surpass her eldest sister's memory at the academy. To succeed in her mission, the Sea Witch sent two of her favourite lackeys to retrieve the girl; James Hook and Morgan le Fay, just as the Cheshire Cat had planned.

The son of Morgana le Fay approached Cheshire that fateful day at the fountain, sliding next to her with a goofy smile and tense body that screamed how nervous he was. From all the eavesdropping and spying, Cheshire could easily tell that the young sorcerer admired the Sea Witch as much as he feared her. It was clear that Uliana herself knew this and took advantage of it, but Cheshire wondered if she would be able to replace her place in the young le Fay's star-lit eyes.

Cheshire put her food down to wear her signature grin, noticing the young sorcerer growing more nervous just from the sight of it. The Wonderlandian let her grin melt into a smile that would be convincing enough to ease the boy and tilted her head. "Hey, you're Morgan, right?"

The blonde boy's shoulders dropped as soon as her smile seemed real enough, his own showing his pointed canines, and scratched at the scales on his neck. "Yeah! Uh, Morgie le Fay."

Hook, line and sinker.

"It's so nice to finally meet you, Morgie," Cheshire let the words roll right off the tongue, smile curling as she looked into the boy's innocent eyes. "But I must ask," the purple-haired girl showed off a slight pout, "Was there something you needed?"

"Oh, yeah! I was sent here to ask-"

"'Ello, darling," a sultry British accent purred from behind into the girl's ear, strong yet clothed arms trapping her between the fountain and themself.

Cheshire internally scoffed at how predictable the pirate was; this was going boringly according to plan. But, oh well, time for the next step.

Cheshire looked over her shoulder at the pirate above her, letting her gaze teasingly look him up and down, and battered her eyelashes with a pretty smile. "Hello, pirate."

Cats always play with their food.

The pirate internally preened at the attention given by the girl, feeling his ears flush from under his dark hair from just her gaze on him. She was undoubtedly beautiful, and Hook felt himself magnetised to her. What was this?

James Hook was the flirt of the school, never without that stupid self-centered smirk that perfectly matched his surprisingly soft yet handsome face. He could have any girl or boy he wanted, whether it was from fear or lust, but this was... different.

The pirate gently brushed his hook on Cheshire's cheek, lips curling to a flirtatious smile as he cooed, "Katerina, isn't it?"

"Cheshire. James?"

"Hook. Pleasure."

The two didn't dare look away from each other.

The pirate fell into the girl's piercing blue eyes that reminded him of the seven seas, wondering if her sharp gaze could cut him in two. This was different to anything he had ever felt before, and despite how terrifying it felt, it was addicting. He couldn't look away.

The Wonderlandian lost her breath at the boy's gaze; the way his striking dark eyes searched her every being, how his smile softened at the edges. This, decidedly, was not part of the plan. But, oh, how she could use this to her advantage.

The le Fay boy quickly felt himself becoming a third wheel between the two. He shifted uncomfortably, coughing into his fist and wincing as the two snapped out of their trance, pointedly avoiding each other.

Hook cleared his throat, looking away from the two on the bench and crumbling the cage he had created around the Wonderlandian, backing away.

Cheshire mentally scolded herself and, trying to recover from the distraction, looked at the blonde boy with a tight grin. "So, what did you say you needed?"

The sorcerer looked up at his friend for support, only to be disappointed when the pirate avoided his gaze. With a frustrated frown, Morgie finally asked the girl the one thing he was told to do. "Uliana wanted to invite you to the Black Lagoon."

After putting on a thoughtful look, Cheshire plastered on a kind smile that fell into a disappointed frown as she finished talking, "I'd love to accept, but I haven't had the opportunity to meet her yet."

As if charmed by her seemingly innocent persona, Hook breathed into Cheshire's ear, "That's about to change, lass."

Cheshire turned slightly to be face-to-face with the pirate once again, now closer than ever. Her eyes melted from their innocent charade to their natural dangerous slits. Hook felt his breath stripped away, gazing into the eyes of this stranger.

Cheshire lost herself once again, before coming to her senses and falling back into her natural self.

The girl curled her lips into a syrupy sweet smile, her voice positively soothing as she replied, "I can't wait."

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