Foreverland

Chapter XIV

Chapter XIV

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Peter all but collapsed into one of the chairs at the table, dropping the dagger and pouch and bringing his hands up to his face. 

Iris stood there for a second, silent. 

She watched as his shoulders rose and fell with each shaky breath he took, his eyes covered by his dirt-covered hands. Iris didn't breath when she realized what he must've thought. He thought that she was dead. 

What else would he have thought after finding a blood covered dagger and her pouch? If the reapers hadn't gotten her, it could have been easily assumed by anyone that the fairies had. 

Iris couldn't bare to watch it anymore. Peter was sitting there in front of her, thinking that she'd been brutally killed. She stepped out from behind the wall and quietly walked towards him, the pain from her injuries seeming to have disappeared. When she was standing next to him, she reached her hand out, touching the back of his hand. 

Peter flinched, his hands dropping as he looked up. She could've sworn his eyes were the slightest bit watery before he blinked, staring at her. His eyes widened, and a look of relief flooded his face. "Iris," he mumbled, astounded. Then, he looked away, cringing. Iris wondered why he looked so pained. She didn't say anything, afraid she would say the wrong thing. Instead, she reached her hand out again and lightly touched his cheek. 

Peter stood abruptly, looking at her with an angry expression. She looked back up at him, meeting his hard stare. It seemed like ages as they stood there, Iris's expression soft and confused as Peter's was hard and pained. It had been almost four days since she'd seen him, and the whole time they'd both thought the other was dead.

Iris was overwhelmed by the feeling of relief. It had been eating away at her, the worry she felt about Peter. She really thought that if he would have went after the reapers, that would mean sure death. It would've meant that the nightmare that had been plaguing her sleep would have come true. 

Peter's angry expression seemed to falter for a second, and in a very uncharacteristic way, he gently pulled Iris towards him. Her breathing hitched as he wrapped his arms around her, one hand on the back of her head, cradling her to him. 

In that moment, there were too many emotions swarming in her head for her to focus on just one. She didn't dare move, afraid that the second she did, Peter would retreat back into himself as he so often did. Iris let Peter hold her, both for her own sake, and for his. She took in his scent- it was familiar and comforting, and her breath hitched in her throat. She realized something, and felt like the world around her paused. 

Iris knew Peter. 

She'd known him much longer than she'd been on this island. She wasn't sure how, and she wasn't sure why, but Iris knew, deep in her gut, that he was much more important to her, and she was much more important to him than either of them were letting on. Her dreams could've been memories telling her that she'd known him since she was a child. That he'd given her the locket she wore around her neck. 

Iris pulled back, and looked into Peter's sunken eyes. The anger that had been present in him not moments before had completely faded away, and it seemed that Peter had let his relief wash over him. This was the best opportunity she was going to get to ask some questions.

She didn't know how to start. All of a sudden, she was completely aware of the fact that Peter's arms were still around her, and his face was just inches away from hers. She could feel his breath tickle her cheeks, and she'd lost all confidence to demand answers. 

Too soon, Peter pulled himself away, closing his eyes. When he opened them again, they were intently looking at her.

"I thought it was all over," Peter said, shakily.