Away we go!

"I knew you’d be here." Peter sighed, walking towards her table as she sat with a huge pizza in front of her. He came to their favorite pizza joint, the only place he knew she couldn’t resist dropping by some time. Tiara had been hiding, and quite rightly so, after their last conversation. Peter casually slid in on the couch beside her so she wouldn’t have anywhere else to go. He took a piece of the pizza and casually ate it, as if it were just a normal day. "Thank you for this, I was starving." He lifted the pizza, grinning at her while he continued to chew. Peter didn’t even ask for her permission, and to be honest, he knew what she’d say. "I’ll pay our next one, I promise." He added, still enjoying his dinner right in front of him.

Peter wasn’t stupid, and he knew he’d have to address the elephant in the room. However, running to it head first wasn’t going to be the best route. For now, Peter has settled in as her companion, as he always does. Perhaps this sense of normalcy might remind her, that this was all they were, and that in itself, was the joy of it all. "It was never the same without you, y'know?" He spoke to break the silence. "Well, for starters, I couldn’t fly. It’s not as fun." He chuckled, teasing her lightly. "But for the most part, you’re a big part of my life that will never be replaced. I hope someday you will forgive me, but until then, I guess…" Peter took another bite, this time drinking from her soda. "I’ll be stealing your food."

Peter was walking along New Salem, a place he seemed to be particularly fond of. New places were always his favorite. The mystery and sense of adventure were calling him, enticing him to know more. He was whistling, hands in his pocket, while traversing a different road when he saw the familiar redhead walking in the opposite direction. "What are you doing here?" He asked, remembering quite fondly the girl who beat him to running. "Blake, right? Hi." He said with a cheeky smile, until he heard gunshots to his left. Peter had a gut feeling that danger was in their midst, and before Blake could answer him, he pulled her to hide behind the bushes. Peter placed a hand on her mouth as she wanted to argue against their situation. "Shhh." He shushed her out, as a car immediately stopped at the destination where they were just standing awhile ago.

Men came out with guns, seemingly pulling another person into the car whose hands were tied behind his back. He held his breath, hiding in the dark while they waited for the car to leave again. Blake was inches away from his face, and he could tell that he was sweating cold sweat. "Let’s stay here for another minute." He added, letting out an exhale.

Despite all the male bravado he had mustered the past few days, seeing Wendy and Cubby the last time hit him more than he had expected. The pain was indescribable; to see the same joy in her eyes that he had shared with her was now something that no longer belonged to him. Peter was always the one to know what to do, consumed by happy thoughts with little regard for the future. However, for the first time, he finally understood what true pain was like. Peter finally understood how grueling the invisible stabs in his chest were as he experienced his first heartbreak.

He ran, quick to hide and cower in the trouble of his own feelings. Peter didn’t know what to do with the flow of energy within him; it was as if he were glitching and losing the true light that was within him. He looked up, surprised to see the concerned look on her face. Peter had a lot to say, questions in his head that begged for an answer. His hands wanted to reach out for her, to keep her close and never let go. "I’m fine, Wendy." He lied through his teeth, forcing himself to smile at her with every fiber of his being. "Don’t worry.” @wendymadarlings

Peter looked at Cubby, raising an eyebrow, before standing up from his elevated chair with crossed arms in front of him. "And the first rule." He commanded, assuming the most authoritative voice she could muster. "Let the last one to eat be the one to wash the dishes." He snickered, knowing how chaotic that rule would be. They would be chomping on their food, with little to no regard for whether they had the time to accurately chew it. Peter laughed, thinking it was a clever and funny idea. He looked back at Cubby, almost remembering something else. "And the second one." He spoke out, avoiding his friend’s gaze as Peter looked at the other boys. "No girlfriends or potential girlfriends allowed at this tree house." Despite being ultimately kind to his friends, Pan wielded considerable power over their decisions. "Understood?!" He shouted, eyeing the boys below him. @colincubby

✿

Blake felt like she was always on the verge of something. Maybe it was a crime in progress or finally cracking and telling her dad that she enrolled into classes at the college. Life moved faster now that these other cities had opened up, turns out bad truly was universal. As she sat on a bench, flipping through a novel she had to read for her literature class it caught up to her again. Hearing someone call out the action she was quick to look over her shoulder while simultaneously shoving her book into her bag before throwing it over her shoulder and taking off. She was surprised to see anyone else taking off after him but not wanting to risk him missing, reaching out to grab the thief by his arm and pull him back around. “Wallet,” Blake said holding out her hand before the police stepped in. “I had it handled.” The girl looked at them with furrowed brows as they pulled her from him and had the audacity to refer to her as ‘little lady’. She knew she couldn’t make a scene but was quick to pull from them and start back towards her bench, not before at least acknowledging the person who was running at her side. 

Blake gave them a small laugh, an eyebrow arching with the slow nod of her head. “Yeah, of course,” she said giving them a smile now. As for the running she didn’t even want to know what he’d think if he saw her fly. Not everyone appreciated being a super, sometimes even she didn’t. Blake shrugged as she tried to think up an excuse for why she was so fast. She really should start pre-planning these sorts of things if she wanted to keep her abilities on the low. “Wow, uh, thank you,” she said with a shyness coming over her, flattered by someone acknowledging her like that. “Just like running. I did cross country in high school, maybe that’s it.” It wasn’t a lie but it wasn’t exactly the entire truth. 

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"You like running?" Peter crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow while he looked at her. He wasn’t buying it one bit. A high school track star wasn’t enough to beat him; he had magic in his veins. "You’re kidding me, right?" He chuckled slightly, shaking his head, knowing for sure that there was something more to her than what meets the eye. Peter took a step toward her, eyeing her for an anomaly, a hint that perhaps she had been a fairy of some sort, like Tink. They can be pretty common, if only people truly believed in them. "Admit it, what are you?" Peter squinted his eyes, anticipating, this time, an acceptable answer.

"You don’t have to lie to me." He assured her, taking a step back when he realized that he was awfully close to the stranger. "I'm not like what you think either." He was dancing around the idea of magic. Peter wanted to tell her because he trusted his gut so much. However, admitting first may give her justification to accuse him of being insane. Instead, he simply stood in front of her, waiting for the redhead to spill out the truth. “Peter Pan, by the way. You are?”

♕

It shocked Pacifica to hear Peter was actually wanting of her company. She wasn’t one that usually dealt with anyone doing that for her, most of those she sought to interact with usually came with some sort of advantage that she could use, whether that was on purpose or not. It was a cruel way to look at the world but that’s just how her parents taught her to assess everything, if there was anyone that could give her leverage in some way they were meant to take priority over those that were little to no help to her family. His question was one Pacifica couldn’t even think of a quick and snarky remark to, for once he actually left her without any words to say but much to think about. She shook her head, the walk to a restaurant was not the time or place to have deep thoughts on. It came as another shock that he could get her to laugh and joke a bit, “No, if you’re going to go for a new name, it’s gotta be something less boring than Peter. Try Percy or Phineas.”

Losing her main source of gossip was not an easy task, hearing the other blow off something she’d obsessed over left her annoyed on the anonymous writer’s behalf, “To be fair, gossip girl hasn’t exactly been wrong before.” It could be that she didn’t want to admit she was wrong but what was for certain was that the last thing she wanted was to be agreeing with Peter, “They know more than anyone, people say they can know more about a person than themselves. They seemed to figure your lie out faster than Wendy could.” Blaise was someone Pacifica hadn’t had seen in person before but she was able to recall every single scandal he’d been in. “He looks so…” Maybe she caught him in a bad moment but she wasn’t super impressed and didn’t quite see why he was constantly being talked about. “Well, I doubt someone who’s always on those gossip posts sleeps well at night.” 

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"Phineas? I surely do not look like a Phineas." He objected, quite offended that she even considered putting a white boy’s name on him. Peter thought Percy was acceptable, but it lacked the "rizz", or so he thought. "I still have my bets on Pablo. Sounds powerful, sounds…criminal." He chuckled, amusing himself with his own joke. He looked at Pacifica and realized how her name matched her personality so well. She was headstrong and sharp enough to bleed those around her. There was a certain cutthroat appeal to her name that somehow matched her energy. "Pacifica is a nice name. It suits you. Though you’d also make an excellent Penelope, just with less sharp eyeliner." Peter commented, crossing his arms as he moved in front of her, squinting his eyes at his specimen.

"I don’t think so." Peter was always quick to speak his mind, not even considering its repercussions. "I’ve heard about the false rumors. And even if it’s the truth, it doesn’t change the fact that people are required to at least be given the chance to speak their truth." He wishes he could, though having it exposed before him wasn’t that bad either. Perhaps, he could agree with Pacifica on that note. With the gossip blog exposing all of their secrets, which they hold so dear to their hearts, they finally had a chance to heal for themselves, to face tomorrow with a clearer perspective on life. "There you go again. The eyes you use against others are the same eyes you subject to yourself. Be kinder to yourself, will you Pacifica?" She could attempt to hide her sense of self under a façade of self-confidence, but Peter knew how words reflect much of someone’s inner turmoil. 

.

Cubby nodded in agreement. There was a reason that Peter was considered their leader, taking charge whenever things started to fall astray. Lately, their group of friends seemed more astray than ever before. He watched as Peter stood up, wondering what his best friend’s next plan was. His eyebrows raised curiously as Peter expressed what his plan was. “Just like that? D’you know what you’re gonna say?” If he were Peter, he surely wouldn’t have a clue what to say, but Peter somehow always figured it out.

Colin couldn’t help but smile, Peter’s words only boosting his confidence. He’d been so anxious to make a move on Wendy before, to step on Peter’s toes, but his friend confirmed that he was happy for him and Wendy. There wasn’t any reason to worry anymore, at least that’s what it seemed like. “Thanks, Peter,” he replied, tone genuine. He felt bad for his friend, of course. It wasn’t fair that Peter had the two girls so close to him, and suddenly they’d been pulled away from him. Maybe it was a lesson he needed to learn though, Cubby realized. Maybe all of this would really help Peter grow up and appreciate what he has while he can. He made a mental note to stay on Peter’s good side now, for his friend just made a huge sacrifice for his feelings for Wendy. “We’re here for you too, you know. We’re not going anywhere.”

.

"Just like that." He nodded to the other boy, his eyes full of vigor and enthusiasm. "I’ll figure it out, don’t worry." Peter tapped Cubby’s shoulders as if to reassure him. Oh, what a worrier Cubby was, but Peter had full hope that everything would eventually turn out for the better. It’s odd how Wendy and Tiara were able to pull apart emotions within him that never seemed to exist before they came. In his head, what truly mattered was the lost boys having a sense of kinship with his company, and now that things have changed, Peter feels like he is tugging on an invisible string he no longer has the power to maintain. "For one, I know Wendy. She’ll understand." And he knows Tiara. If Peter fully gave his chance away, she’d also hopefully understand. In the end, Pan had chosen his peace, his home.

"I’ll hold your horses on thanking me." He chuckled, this time walking a few steps ahead. Peter placed his hand on his waist, inhaling the fresh afternoon air as if it were a new day to conquer. He was relieved to have finally made the decision, though Peter knew that the pain would eventually strike him. Losing Wendy, the woman he thought would have been with him forever, had now finally chosen her own place in this world as well. He had to outrun the pain and find magic before it hit him in the chest. "You’re right, but I’ll be going somewhere, Colin. I’ll be everywhere. Wendy’s stories don’t have to end, and it’s up to me to make one." Peter exclaimed, his bright eyes filled with gusto. He turned his back, placing his finger on his lips while he walked, pacing around Cubby. "But I just need some pixie dust…."

Peter was one to make big speeches, or so Wendy had learned early in their friendship. There really was no way to stop him once he began to ramble: all she could do was stare at the stars and listen, that was, until he took her hand and she turned her head to him. There it was: the spark that would never extinguish, no matter how hard she tried and willed for it to go away. Even after kissing Cubby at midnight, with how something had shifted in her heart away from the person who she thought had held it forever, there still remained something. In all of his speeches to her, Wendy could usually tell the direction where it was going from the way he spoke, which was always in the direction of disappointment. Peter spoke about how much he loved her, needed her, but he couldn’t love her in the way she loved him. It was something she had to accept, but couldn’t seem to no matter how hard she tried.

For a long time, Wendy was convinced that there was nothing that Peter could say or do to change how much she loved him. There was only one thing that could accomplish that feat, and somehow, he managed to hit it on the head. Wendy sat up straight, pulling her hand away from his as she wrapped her arms around her knees. Time stopped for a moment, and she wasn’t even sure she was hearing things correctly with how his voice began to blur. He had kissed Tiara at midnight, and what had been one of the best moments of her time with the Lost Boys simultaneously, unbeknownst to her, had been the worst. Wendy knew he thought he was doing the noble thing, what he always tried to do, but this time, he had gone too far. “Oh, Peter, what have you done?” she asked quietly, finally looking to him. 

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"What needs to be done. At long last, I'm letting you go." Peter nodded slightly, feeling the distance between them widen more as the minute went by. He had thought about it more than anything else he had ever considered in his life. Peter was always one to jump head-first into decisions with little to no regard for the future consequences. However, this time, he could actually tell that he had planned this out according to what was best for the group. He could admit he liked Wendy, but he also needed to choose what was best for anyone else involved. "I’ll see you, Wendy, in time." The boy finally felt like a boulder had been lifted off his shoulders. People stared at him, waiting for what would happen next, which had been looming over him like a dark cloud for the past few days. This time, Peter Pan finally felt free. Oh, how he would have loved to be with Wendy, but with Phil, Tommy, and Colin all coming after her at some point, all of whom he considered his dear friends, the heart had grown satisfied to know that it was simply going to be better off this way.

Peter jumped to his feet, forcing himself to smile and act like the typical Peter he was. "Tiara and I will be okay. It’s a rough patch, but I have full confidence we’ll get through it. She’s sensitive, and I haven’t been doing my due diligence. As for Cubby, he’s the smartest lost boy. If you were to take him…." He paused momentarily. Peter didn’t know why he used the word ‘take him’ but he felt like he was somehow moving away too, earning himself a rightful position away from the world they built at the orphanage. "Take care of him," was all he could say. With one final exhale, Peter Pan was back. "Well then, Wendybird. This has been truly the most difficult conversation I've ever had. I have other worlds to explore. I’ll see you when we cross paths again." It was difficult to admit that this time, she wasn’t going to come. Peter took his traditional bow, smiling at her once more. "See you, I won't ever forget you. Wendy."

Peter focused on his work, a thrilling job where he always met new people. As a tourist guide, he was always in the moment, making sure each and every ticket was worth the ride. It was the last show, and for a moment, he was able to forget. Peter spoke, laughed, and enjoyed the adventure with the new faces that looked at him with admiration. He certainly was good at his job, which he could give to himself. He made friends along the way, and by the end of the tour, Peter had a huge smile plastered on his face while he waved the group goodbye.

It didn’t even take him a couple minutes before the loneliness set in. He was once doing all of this with Tiara, or one of the Lost Boys. He was, however, completely alone this time. The sudden silence in his surroundings had now become apparent, and he remembered how solitude had never truly sat well with him this time. Peter stood alone, heads down, trying to cope with the recurring pain, until he heard a female voice approach him. She was blonde, alone, and had bright blue eyes that looked at him with concern. It seemed like she was fashionably late, and there were no more tours on his list. "I-, that was the last one." He politely explained, scratching his head while he looked at his list. She seemed to have been saddened by his news, and Peter didn’t want to disappoint more people at this point. "You know what? Let’s do it. I usually tour myself alone anyway." It was true, though this time he was planning on exploring New Salem alone. "Here, take a bike. This is all we've got for now." He chuckled. Peter would have loved to drive the bus, but his license had been revoked far too many times that it was no longer an option for him. "Let’s go!" He said with a smile, paddling his way in a certain direction.

♕

Pacifica wasn’t sure why he was laughing so much, she wasn’t making a joke and it didn’t sound like he was either. The last thing she needed was someone like Peter laughing at her, not that he was but she wasn’t secure enough in herself to know the difference. “Is it that absurd to believe you’re a spy? Why else would endure a conversation with me when you know I couldn’t possible be of any use to you?” It was good that he was saying sorry, in Pacifica’s mind, he was at fault for these kinds of rumors being talked about. Before he had approached her in the first place, her social circle was top-notch and now she was seen conversing with someone who probably couldn’t afford the high-end socks she had on. “Thanks to you, I have to do something drastic just to make sure my name isn’t associated with yours.” 

In a frustrated breath, she continued, “If I had any clue to who it could be, do you think that rumor about us would’ve been out there in the first place? Sadly, even my money couldn’t save that from happening.” It wasn’t far-fetched to believe she’d have some knowledge on who was behind the account, Paz herself was one who liked to gossip often and shit talk whoever even to their face but, unfortunately, she was in the dark along with everyone else. “I did like them before this post, thought they were credible too but now I guess they’ll write whatever they feel like.”

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Peter looked at her, furrowing his brows while he tried to make sense of what she said. "Why else? Well…because you’re here with me right now, I might as well enjoy the moment with you." He felt like it was a stupid question to ask. "People are people, they’re not objects. Why do I need to use you for?" He chuckled, shrugging his shoulders at her funny little theory. In Peter’s head, the key was only to be good and kind; the rest of life unfolds itself one way or another. Sure, she can be snappy and difficult, but even Peter wasn’t at all perfect. He still felt guilty after pranking Hook, but he wasn’t going to let that mistake hang over him for too long. "You’re welco—" He was about to feel better when Pacifica finally said thanks to him, only to be followed by an insult afterwards. Peter bit his lip, trying to suppress a laugh, before releasing a sigh. It did sting a bit, but at this point, he was finally getting amused by her retort. She was simply a spoiled little princess, and he could get on with that. "Once again, so sorry. I’ll try to change my name next time. What do you think of Patrick? Or better yet, Pablo?” He added, teasing her even more.

The second round of insults came, and Peter, once again, suppressed his laughter. She hated him so much for simply existing, but he was actually finding it so amusing. This was the first time a person actually came up to him who wholeheartedly hated him for who he is, and it was humbling, to say the least, that Peter Pan finally couldn’t charm nor influence someone in his favor. Pacifica was cool, despite his attacks on him. It was a challenge, and he’d love himself a challenge all the time. "I’m glad you changed your mind. I think it’s finally time that we get more information from something else." He continued, walking alongside her to the restaurant of his choice. He was hoping she had patience to walk a bit further, since Peter was certain that this was the only place cheap enough that was good enough for her liking. "You see that man over there? Smoking his cigarette? That’s the chef. We’ll be eating there." He said, pointing out to the restaurant.

Peter was humming, casually walking around town when he saw a man steal a wallet from an older guy’s pocket. He immediately pointed it out, though he was stupid enough to make a noise so that the man saw him. They locked eyes, and the thief’s eyes widened after being found out until he ran away in the other direction. Peter, of course, ran to catch up with the thief. He didn’t exactly know what he was doing, but the adrenaline kept him going. He could feel that someone else was running beside him, but he was too focused on his goal to mind the people that were coming after him. Once the thief was almost within arm's reach, a redheaded woman jumped, and to Peter’s surprise, she caught him. "I-uh, are you okay?" It was all a blur, and he was too confused to even speak. The police suddenly came, and this time, Peter was too overwhelmed to stay around.

Backing up a few steps, he noticed she doesn't seem to get along well with the cops, but that was none of his business, and he just wanted to fade away from the scene until she approached him. "Oh, I really just wanted the old man to have his wallet back, but whoa, you were fast!" Peter knew he was good at running, faster even than most people. Nonetheless, knowing that she was faster than him was something that actually piqued his interest. This was a rare occurrence, though he wasn’t really bragging at all. He just simply knew he was fast. "Are you… uhm.. an Olympian or something?" He had to ask, tilting his head. "I’m just curious, to be honest. I’m actually pretty amazed. "You were good—great even." 

"Wendy." He spoke softly, looking at the stars above. This was Peter's favorite view, the home of his own imagination. "You once told me that you liked me. Your feelings…. I didn’t know how love worked. How odd this feeling must be! The day before you came, I thought I knew everything." Peter looked at her, smiling warmly as his hand finally touched hers. "You were a wildfire. You gave me another world in the form of words. Your voice captivated me, and I thought maybe we needed you. The Lost Boys needed someone like you." He bit his lip, watching her face lean in. "Though I’m starting to think it was only I who decided that. It was I who needed you. I held a hand I knew I never wanted to let go." He squeezed her hand gently, closing his eyes before letting out a sigh. "But I’m a lost boy, and you're a city girl with big dreams and a life to chase. I’ve got a family to prioritize, and you’re in college, with the likes of Pacifica, reaching a world much farther than mine." He cupped her hands, pursing his lips. "I like you a lot. I wish I could have done something about this, but let’s face it, I’m Peter Pan." He chuckled, this time finally letting her hand go.

He sat staring at her momentarily, memorizing the face he so loved to stare at. Peter had always assumed that life was quite easy and that she would always be there. And yet, he'd been aware of how quickly tables could turn since the last gossip post about them. He was about to say something that would finally put a nail in the coffin of their what-might-have-been, and even though he wouldn't be ready, he allowed the pain to press deep in his chest. This was necessary, and just the right thing to do. "On New Year's Eve, I kissed Tiara. I don't intend to date her, but you don't want someone who goes off to kiss someone else." Peter confessed with a straight face. "Cubby likes you, he’s a good man. One of my best friends, and I love him to death. If you decide to give him a chance, know that I’ll fully support it…. and will be happy for the both of you." The latter part was still a work in progress, but he had to make sure that she had nothing to worry about. This time, Peter had decided that his priority would be to let go of any selfishness on his part and allow them to be truly themselves. The blog post can no longer weaponize a known truth, and Peter was glad for it. "Just know that I’ll never forget us, and you’ll always have me. Wherever adventure is, that’s where I am."