Peter's Lily (Sequel to Pan's Tiger)

Chapter 46: Regret

Hey,
Thanks for reading. I genuinely cried when writing this chapter and you will definitely understand why when I reach the end- it's so sad!
Hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day! 😍♥️
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Enjoy,
Annabelle_the_reader
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My body had been trapped against Pan's thinking tree, all of my regrets holding me against myself. It was like everything I hated about myself had suddenly turned against me all at once. I didn't stop struggling for a moment as I watched Pan wait for someone so that I could hear but be just out of sight.

'What's wrong, Kitten. Too much regret?' Pan mused and I glared at him maliciously.

'I don't always feel like I have so much regret inside of me. I don't normally have so much regret. I'm just not myself right now,' I offered, guiltily. I softened around him, and when I did I was, for those rare moments, girlish.

Peter Pan smiled. 'You can never say that. You're just that small, insignificant piece of yourself right now that you don't like.'

'Peter...'

He interrupted with an order, 'Quiet for now.'

Then Peter waved his hand and, by magic, the branches of the tree jolted until one came across my mouth, not obscuring my nose so I could still breathe, but over me so that I was gagged and couldn't talk.

'Oliver.' Peter Pan said once and I froze, stopping struggling against the ropes for a brief moment.

'Where is she?' Oliver demanded angrily, glaring at Pan. 'Where is Lily? If you have harmed her in any way then be sure to know that I will kill you and then throw your body-'

'She is fine.' Peter seethed, interrupting him and Oliver narrowed his eyes, not trusted what Pan was saying. 'Why are you asking?'

'Because I love her, she's beautiful...' Oliver whispered in a dream, then his eyes averted to Peter Pan, smiling a malicious grin, like he knew something Oliver didn't, 'And you broke her all the same.'

'Beautiful? To me she seems incredibly plain.' Pan mocked.

Oliver's eyes didn't meet Peter Pan's, instead they wandered to me behind the tree, like he would almost sense me being there, where I was tied up with regretful, forceful ropes and unable to speak or move or mumble or scream or move a muscle. 'She has a sly smile, and eyes that seem to see my essence as they explore my soul, her eyes see more than is shown to her and her ears hear more than is said to her. I look at her and I see love. I want to tell her that someday...'

I already knew.

'If you were waiting for the opportune moment to kiss Lily and convince her that you are the right person for her... Then that moment has long passed,' Pan said delicately, but he was taunting him in the knowledge that he had won, smirking at him, laughing at him, sneering.

Oliver didn't reply, but Pan's secret weapon was talking, so long as he was the one asking the questions.

'So you love her?' Peter Pan asked and Oliver froze from where he was stood and Pan's eyes snapped towards me and I carried on struggling, pretending I wasn't listening and didn't care about his reply.

'Lily? Yes.'

'Interesting.' Peter Pan mused, scratching his chin and I glared at him in anger, because I knew he was using one of his clever mind games against Oliver. 'Well, if you find her, look at her again, Oliver. Then, when you do, tell me exactly what you see. Do think you'll see an invincible, strong girl? Or do you think you'll see Lily for who she really is, behind that so clever and confident facade she seems to always wear?'