Tiger Lily (A Peter Pan Fanfic)

Chapter Fourteen

A/N: I know, Peter seems somewhat out of character. He's quite the difficult character to write, sometimes.

Happy Thanksgiving xx

Three days.

Only three days were left in the little bet Pan and I had begun. And to my surprise, it was going by rather fast. Too fast. As they say, time flies when you're having fun. No matter how much I wanted to trust Pan - I just...couldn't. Yes, it was the craving to get back on the Jolly Roger. The urge to see the world once more. Meet new people. Trade with countries. Fight heroic battles against scoundrels.

Pan was making it rather hard for me, though. To not trust him, I mean. Astonishingly, the green-eyed boy with the ever-present smirk had made, as far as I could tell, a real effort to a change. He stuck to his word - standing by my side at every moment, his face becoming like stone when he thought I might be in any danger.

When he wasn't gearing up to tear up any potential threat, he was thoroughly teaching me magic - giving me a good foundation, arming me with a great number of defensive and offensive spells. Of course, he urged me to try grasping a soul once more. I was still reluctant.

Ever since his rapid change, Peter had become someone I enjoyed being around...for the most part. He still carried an arrogant air about him, he still had that dry, blatant sense of humor. But there were times when his eyes showed the briefest bit of emotion. He became the type of villain you root for - the kind you sense has redeeming qualities, as if they can be rescued from the darkness that billows from somewhere deep inside them.

"Have you thought about our...agreement?" Pan suddenly asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

Currently, we were seated on boulders surrounding a small waterfall that flowed into a beautiful lagoon filled with lily pads and neat, colorful little fish.

Glancing at him, I tilted my head. "Not much. Why? Have you?"

He lifted his chin, his cockiness surrounding him. "Yes. I've thought about what's going to happen after you lose and have to stay here."

Rolling my eyes, I laughed. While I couldn't tell whether or not if he was joking, I decided it best not to pick a fight. "Have you? I'd say that's wishful thinking on your part, Pan."

Tilting his head back, he sighed, leaning back on his elbows. "How many times do I have to tell you, love? Peter Pan never fails."

"Mm. You know what I think? I think you're scared that you're actually going to lose. I think you think I'm an admirable adversary. I think you know that our bet could really go either way." I quipped, grinning wickedly at him.

Sitting back up, he laughed for a moment before flashing me a boyish smirk and raising an eyebrow. "It could go either way? That's quite interesting, love."

His voice dropped lower as he finished his last sentence, his stare intensifying. I knew what he was trying to do. But no, it would not happen. If he was trying to get me to...kiss him, it was not happening. Peter Pan cannot win everything.

Shaking his head at me, his smirk never faltering, he hopped off the rock. "There's something that needs to be done, I'll be back in a few moments. Are you alright being here alone?"

It was the first time he'd suggested me staying alone since the incident with his shadow. While that was only a few days ago, I suppose he thought I was making significant progress with magic. Of course, there was the protection spell he taught me. Still, I was somewhat uneasy.

"Of course I'm fine you bloke, " I lied flawlessly, chuckling, "Go and do whatever you need to do."

Pan seemed hesitant at first. "Alright. If you need me, just call for me. I won't let anything happen to you, love."