Starlight

05

Like most times, Aoife laid her arms under her head and shut her eyes. There wasn't exactly a whole lot to do on Neverland. Loiter around her shambles of a home, or get into an irritating conversation with Felix. Aoife was grateful she rarely crossed paths with Peter. Conversations with that boy never went down well. Most times they ended in him disappearing and Aoife walking away.

Flinching when something nudged her leg she shot up. "Good evening, love." Aoife blinked and looked at the pirate who had taken to crouching down beside her.

"What are you doing?" She looked around, the rest of his crew seemed to be pottering around the beach. Some had laid down like she had, others took to looking up at the high trees before them.

"You see, by nature we are a curious bunch. Place land in front of us, and we want to explore. We'd be awful pirates if we didn't wish to explore."

"You have explored many places?" Aoife asked interestedly. "You must have. I bet you have seen many amazing things." Crossing her arms around her legs, she leaned her chin on her knees.

A slow smile appeared on Hook's face. Sitting down normally he stretched his legs out on the near white sand. Budging a little closer to Aoife, he looked up at the sky which was slowly turning dark. "Curious?"

"I have only ever known Neverland and wherever it was I came from. That doesn't amount to much though considering I can't remember it very well."

Hook looked at her interestedly and slowly nodded. "Do you remember anything from it?"

"Pfft," was Aoife's reply while she waved her hand at him. "I care not. What was it like where you came from?"

"Are you trying to get to know me better, love?" Hook smirked and budged closer to her again.

Aoife moved awkwardly away from him and frowned. Slowly she smiled and leaned forwards. Giving a small pout she reached up and placed her hand against his cheek. She moved her fingers up and brushed them loosely through his hair. "Well, you see, Mr Pirate Captain," Aoife said rather innocently. She trailed her fingers back down and pouted lightly when the attention she was giving was causing a rather wide smirk to appear on his face. "It's just been me on my own for so long. I don't know any other world, or realm or whatever. I would dearly love to know about the land you came from."

"What can I say? It's rather mundane in comparison to here. There's no dark jungles, mermaids, or intruding children." He paused. "How about instead of getting to know the land from where I came from, you and I get to know each other better?" His question resulted in Aoife flicking him and then ultimately lightly pushing him away.

"You're all right, love." Aoife said while mimicking him.

Smirking, he nodded. "I'll win you over. You'll see."

Aoife laughed. "Sorry," she quietened down when her laughter received a look to be shot at her. Standing up she brushed herself down. "Win me over, hm? What is everyone seemingly a fan of you?"

Standing up Hook shook his head and put his hand to his chest. "No, not everyone." Aoife looked at him sceptically. "In fact I am sure there are many who cannot stand me. It doesn't affect me. But, a pretty lady..." he trailed off and looked up at the sky. The first stars were slowly creeping out from behind the clouds. "A pretty lady always ends up being won over by me, eventually."

Aoife rolled her eyes and started to walk away. "What is the word to describe men like you? Oh! Womaniser." Clicking her fingers she looked rather chuffed with this, only her chuffed expression went when Hook merely nodded agreeing with her. Looking deadpanned her shoulders slackened. "You do not deny this? I thought this was a bad trait to have? You are a confusing man."

"Well I'm not that confusing, when you get to know me."

"I don't want to know you." Aoife waved over her shoulder.

"Your behaviour from earlier on could have fooled me!" Exclaiming he walked quickly after her.

"Please stop following me."

"You followed me around my ship. The way I see it I can follow you around the forests and jungles of Neverland." It was Hook's turn to look chuffed with this sentence, Aoife in turn frowned lightly and cast him a quick glance. "Or is there suddenly a law here which says I cannot happen to walk in the same direction as you?"

"There's not a law. But there's such a thing called personal space."

"Which you invaded moments ago."

"You invaded my personal space too." Aoife wagged a finger up at him.

"We're even then." Hook smiled and waved her wagging finger away.

Aoife jumped up and over a fallen tree. On its downward fall it had pulled down numerous small trees too. Vines and prickly thorns had slowly started to wrap around the trunk. "I invaded your space simply because I wanted to see if I could find an answer to why you like doing it so much."

Hook looked over the fallen tree thoughtfully before slowly climbing up. He avoided the thorns and twisted vines. Looking down at her, he crossed his arms while simply jumping down. "Get an answer?"

"No," Aoife seemed rather disheartened by this. Frowning when there was an impact against her head, she looked up. Her frown deepened when it became apparent that Hook was patting her on the head.

"I am doing this to find an answer as to why you did it the other day."

"Find an answer?"

"No, can't say I have."

"I'll give you an answer," pushing his hand away she continued on her way. Looking over her shoulder she watched as Hook followed after her. He cautiously looked around everything they passed. "Because it seemed fun."

"And that's your answer to why I don't believe in personal space." At this point he was walking by her side. Casually he placed an arm around her shoulders. "Because it's fun." She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I really feel like we've bonded over this little chat."

"Yes, we understand each other so well. You're a womanising pirate, who likes invading personal space for fun."

"And you're a woman in denial." Giving a nod he patted her on the arm and moved away from her. "Who deep down likes said womanising pirate, and...you live here?" He trailed off changing the subject.

Aoife nodded and shuffled over to the small stone circle. "This is my home. It isn't as glamorous as your ship. And I'm sure it isn't as stable as the buildings from your land. But this is my home." Aoife said with a small shrug and looked about. She tilted her head, Hook seemed to be glancing over everything with a lost expression. "It isn't as bad as you think." She held a hand up with an awkward laugh. He looked as if he didn't believe her, or believe she actually lived like this.

Looking around the makeshift camp, he walked over and sat down next to her. "It's certainly rough around the edges, yet very you."

"What's that meant to mean?!" Aoife questioned while crossing her arms tightly.

"I get the feeling I have offended you again."

"I don't come on board your ship and start insulting it! So don't insult my home, or me...or whatever that just was." Aoife said annoyed while jumping up to pluck up some branches and smaller twigs. Waving a twig at him she smiled. "I think your ship is too claustrophobic. And it needs cleaning below deck. Also, I lied when I first met you; I don't like your coat, I am also surprised you do not squeak when you walk considering you live leather." Looking triumphant, Aoife gave a nod, although she did childishly stick out her tongue before turning and disappearing into the foliage in search of fire wood. Hook just sat there with wide eyes blinking at the spot where she just was. What even was that just then?

——

(Edited: 20/August/2020)