The Cheshire Cat (A OUAT love story)

Chapter Five-Shadows

A/N: This describes Cheshire's relationship with Pan. The other song reflects their soledad (solitude).

Once a week, after the confrontation, Cheshire would go to Pan's hideout and wait there until he climbed up to join her. The two were courteous to each other, but the sarcastic remarks and twisted banter still remained; the assassin was still suspicious and reticent, while the boy king stayed a smug git. However, something had definitely changed. When the sorceress had told him that she knew how he felt, a bridge had fallen into place. Cheshire tolerated him a little and he was more relaxed around her now that she wasn't planning his death. After an hour or two, Pan would return to the Lost Boys so that they didn't get suspicious; no one questioned his behaviour if he left the camp a few times a week and came back an hour or so later. But if he spent the day somewhere on the island and never told anyone where he'd gone, his gang of unloved boys would wonder where he'd gone. After a while, when he was sure that no one suspected anything, he began to spend more time with the assassin. The two now had each other's undivided attention for one whole day per week. One of those days was spent on teaching Cheshire how to swim.

"You can swim right?" Pan asked one day, as they sat, side by side, at the edge of his treehouse. The assassin shrugged one shoulder.

"Onyx can, Bandit can't, I don't know how," she replied calmly, avoiding his incredulous gaze.

"You didn't have anyone to teach you?"

"I'm a bloody orphan, if that's what you're asking," she sassed. "And I believe we've already established that I don't have friends?" He nodded, then smirked wickedly.

"I can teach you," he suggested. Cheshire turned her head towards him, took one wary look at the expression on his face and gave her infamous grin in return.

"Let's do it," she agreed.

______

"I did not sign up for this!" Cheshire screeched some time later, as she emerged from the water in her cat form, paddling frantically. Pan rolled his eyes from where he stood on the bank of the lake.

"Technically you did," he pointed out. "And look, you're swimming. Just relax." The feline shot him a livid glare. The boy king only smirked in response, stepping closer to the edge, before sitting down and drawing his knees up to his chest.

"Easy for you to say," the assassin grumbled, looking at the crystal blue water as if it had offended her in some way. The two sorcerers were in a clearing right in the middle of the island. Sunlight created pretty patterns on the dewed grass and, all in all, it looked like a paradise. The only thing ruining it was the frightened cat in the middle of the lake.

"Do you want me to save you if you drown?" Pan drawled sarcastically. Cheshire was about to send him the most deadly glare she could manage, then stopped; there was actually something in those deep green eyes that suggested he genuinely was worried that she'd drown if she didn't stop panicking. Exhaling shakily, the assassin slowed her movements down, letting the water hold her weight. 

"Didn't I tell you?" The boy king called from the bank, smirking once more. The assassin grinned back in exhilaration. Having now mastered it as a cat, she shifted into a human and instantly felt the surface of the lake close over her head. Fear shot throw her like a lightning bolt, causing adrenaline to start pounding along her veins and arteries, keeping to the beat of her frantic heart. She clawed at the water to no avail, knowing that she'd drown before she switched form to the black jaguar in her. Then she felt herself being pushed away by a sudden rush of water, saw a familiar figure sink down beside her. Strong arms wrapped around her body, holding her tightly to her saviour. She broke the surface, gasping for air, and allowed her rescuer to drag her to the edge of the lake. Raising her head, she found that the person who had saved her life was the boy king himself.

"Thanks," she panted, still reluctant to let go of him. Pan obligingly let her catch her breath, his arms still wrapped around her. Then she realised that he'd taken his tunic off in order to swim better, revealing a muscly upper body, and turned her head away so he wouldn't see her blushing. For some reason, this didn't make him smirk. In fact, he found that he wanted her eyes on him, wanted her to stare at him. Lifting one hand, he turned her chin so that she was looking into his eyes and smiled softly.

"It's alright, Shire," he murmered soothingly, letting his hand fall to the floor though he never broke the eye contact. There were shadows dancing in her wise grey eyes, shadows he recognised, for they also danced in his. Cheshire was the first to break eye contact, instead staring at a spot just over his shoulder, apparently still embarrassed. Suddenly, she felt herself being brought into a hug and slowly let herself relax in Pan's arms. All too soon, he pulled away, but she still couldn't stop herself from admiring his wiry figure. The boy king smiled once more, glad that she was focused on him again. The setting sun cast a beautiful golden light on the two teenagers, turning a pair of villains into angels. It brought hope that gently caressed them like the mother neither of them had. The scarred warriors now became scarred lovers. Cheshire looked up into Pan's eyes and smiled, as if she liked what she saw there. The boy king felt like she was staring straight into his soul. Then they broke the spell, turning their heads away from each other and clearing their throats awkwardly.

"You'd better get back to the Lost Boys," the assassin stated, avoiding his gaze. He nodded, apparently deciding that the ground was more interesting than his companion.

"You'd better get back to your treehouse," he replied, getting to his feet and pulling his tunic back over his head. Then he started to leave the clearing.

"Goodbye Pan," her voice called, so quiet that any normal person would have mistaken it for leaves rustling in the trees. But he heard and paused, meeting her gaze.

"See you next week, Cheshire," he replied, before disappearing into the forest, leaving no trace of his ever being there except for a beautiful memory.

"So, do you want to talk about what just happened there?" Bandit asked slyly.

"Yeah, I think he likes you," Onyx agreed, and she could practically hear the smile in her voice.

"Who?" she questioned, before promptly disappearing in a cloud of blue and black smoke.