Hooked - James Hook. (Pan)

- Chapter Five: Neverbirds -

I remain silent as I walk alongside Peter, occasionally allowing my gaze to flicker to the map he holds in his hands whilst studying it. I pay no attention to James and Smee behind us, having not spoken a word to either man since my little speech earlier, if they were up to something then I would rather not know. It would hurt too much to know if they were going to betray us, instead I choose to keep trust and faith in them and our friendships until they offer me a reason not to. I sigh and lift a hand to swat away the bugs flying around my head, their continuous buzzing becoming somewhat of an annoyance.

Nightfall has not long fallen around us with the only lighting offered coming from small insects and birds on the island, mainly the ones that glowed in the dark. The cool night air is much more preferred to the blistering hot weather we had been faced with earlier when escaping, no longer did I have beads of sweat lining my forehead, thank God.

"Just remember, when we find those oh so sweet native locals, true or not you tell them that you are their saviour. Then we will go our separate ways, got it?"

"Got it." I mutter making James frown behind me as Peter speaks up with wonder and awe in his eyes once more, "why would you want to leave a place like this? Where would you go?"

James shrugs as he steps up beside me and places his hat on his head with the blue coat still hanging over his arm lazily, I ignore him as I continue to walk along, forcing myself to look straight ahead. "Oh, I don't know. Somewhere where I'm higher up on the food chain for starters." I roll my eyes and lean slightly to study the map as Peter comes to a stop, his eyes too studying the map closely. My brows furrow and my hair stand on end as a shadow passes over the map from the light the moonlight reflects upon it, I jump and look up at the sky as something moves above us. I turn to Peter with a startled and nervous expression, "please tell me you saw that." he nods in shock.

"What was that?" he asks.

"Something a little higher up on the Foodchain." James mumbles anxiously as he takes my hand and pulls me along whilst nudging Peter forward. I frown and pull my hand free of his grip, shaking my head silently at him before picking up two sticks. "Peter," I call making him turn to me, I smirk and throw a stick to him then I lift my own, "may the best man win." I wink playfully as I charge at him. He laughs lightly and takes a few steps back, I smirk and swing at him only for his own stick to swing down and meet with my own forcefully.

"Not today you filthy pirate." he says defiantly with an accomplished smirk.

"Ouch." I mutter with a grin just before he pretends to stab me with the stick, I groan out in fake agony and fall to the floor dramatically. I lift my hands up towards the sky as the three of them watch on in amusement, a smile on all their faces. "Tell my pickaxe I loved her..." I stutter out before pretending to fall dead, only to open my eyes a moment later and force a cough, "oh, and tell James I like Peter more..." I groan out before going limp in mock death. I peak out one eye and smirk as I catch James rolling his eyes as a smirk tugs at his lips, his eyes meeting mine briefly before he holds out his hand for me. I smile and take it, allowing him to pull me to a stand and feeling my breath suddenly leave my body at my close proximity to him, his startling blue eyes catching me off guard for some unknown reason.

"That was quite the show." he comments as we walk along once more, now side by side as Smee and Peter walk ahead of us. I shrug with a small smile whilst tucking a fallen strand of my hair behind my ear, "made him laugh so I'd say it was successful." James's brows furrow as he glances to Peter.

"You really care about the kid, don't you?"

"I do." I nod. "Just as I care about you too."

I chuckle and nudge him playfully causing him to lift his head to look over at me, "you should know that you have an edge though, it goes- Smee" I lift my hand to just above my waist, "Peter..." slowly I rise my hand to just above my chest before smiling wide, "James..." I lift my hand high in the air and look over at him, meeting his eyes and feeling the familiar warmth tug at my chest once more as he smiles at me, his eyes glinting in the moonlight.