#imgines

"Peter, please don't get into any more fights today. Let's just get home." Susan ushered her brother away from the groups of boys that were also getting out of school and were loitering around the train station.

Since coming back to the city, Peter seemed to be going through some anger issues. His siblings were well aware of him picking many fights with any boys that either accidentally bumped into him or found amusement in how easily he got agitated.

Peter was always the one with a good head on his shoulders, but nothing felt right anymore. Not since leaving Narnia and losing their entire adult identities and then Aslan seeming to be truly gone. Right when they needed him most.

While his sibling understood, they also couldn't handle seeing the usual voice of reason fall easily into a dark hole of his own anger. It hurt them, too.

Peter scoffed, wanting to argue back. 

But they were right, they should try to just get home without any more bruises on Peter’s face (or Ed’s, who had to get him out of those situations often and suffered the consequences). He let his siblings sit at the train station's bench in peace, leaving any possible school boys from facing his wrath to go by unscathed.

The train approached with its loud sound, blowing their scarves and people's newspapers away. As they stood up and entered the carriage, Peter took a second to glance around.

That's when he saw you.

It was like ocean waves had poured over him and refreshed him. Where his heart did not clench with anger or loss. He felt something different, something new.

Edmund was saying something about his new torch, but he didn't know what because his eyes were locked on you.

Like a beam had stricken him, you turned to him in slow motion and locked your eyes onto his. You smiled softly, before turning back out the small window.

Susan was now mentioning something about a boy that had been trying to talk to her since last week. But again, Peter didn't register anything she was saying. Because you turned to look at him yet again. Smiling with that smile of yours that seemed to beam a light only a setting Narnian sun could.

You didn't seem like anyone he's ever met, but you were wearing the all girls uniform that Susan and Lucy wore. You seemed to be around Susan's age, too. 

Your hair was beautiful, your eyes were too, your lips the perfect shape and-

"Peter....Peter!" Edmund's voice rang out, his finger snapping in front of his face. That finally got him out of his daze and he turned to look at the concerned faces of his brother and sisters. 

"Are you okay? You completely blanked out there." 

Edmund knew his brother was going through some things, but this is the first time he'd ever seen Peter this unfocused.

"It's nothing, Ed. Just leave it. What were you guys on about?" He attempted to listen to what they were saying again. He realized Susan was asking him and Edmund to get more information about the guy who kept trying to flirt with her.

While he was listening, his eyes found themselves caught in yours again. 

It was like a dance of eyes, a gentle waltz Peter might have found himself dancing during a gala at Cair Paravel. Yours looked to his and his to yours, before looking away again. Then the dance began again.

A few train stops passed before you began getting up from your seat. His heart almost sank at the idea of never seeing you again but was distracted when you walked towards him, smiling.

You barely brushed past him as you stepped off the train. His eyes followed you as much as they could before you got lost in the crowd of people entering the train. He finally seemed to hear the voices of his siblings fully.

"She’s in one of my classes you know?" Susan's voice rang out.

Susan was always observant. 

No matter what, she'd notice a change in things. And when she noticed all she was seeing of her brother was the side of his face, she knew he was looking at something else. Well, someone.

While you had only ever spoken as acquaintances, she knew you to be a kind and quiet girl.

Totally not what she expected to catch her brother's attention, but she wasn't against it.

Peter didn't say anything in response, and Susan decided not to pry. The last thing she wanted was for Peter to back out from liking this girl, it was the first time in a while the wrinkle between his eyebrows had softened.

The next day, Peter decided he'd wait for Susan and Lucy outside their school. Totally not as a means to catch a glance at you...their school was just across the street from Edmund and his.

Very conveniently.

"Why do we have to wait here? We could just wait outside the train station. Isn't it a bit weird to wait outside an all girls school?" Edmund sighed, whining softly.

"Because..." Peter began, trying to think of a good excuse. Somehow, he managed to make a believable one, "Maybe Susan won't get flirted with by the boy she doesn't like." 

‘Good lie’, he had to admit to himself.

And Edmund seemed to take it without question as he scoffed, fiddling with his school bag, for once he didn't choose to object.

Girls were leaving the school, but all he was looking for was a glimpse of your hair, your eyes, anything.

Finally, from atop the school's steps you descended. Like yesterday your eyes seemed to magnetize together, even from the distance you kept watch of one another.

You couldn't help but smile again as the handsome blonde stood in front of your school. You didn't want to flatter yourself by believing he was waiting for you, but it seemed that way.

As you slowly approached, he found himself frozen. And as you reached him, you remained frozen in front of him too.

"Hi." You mustered, continuing to smile at him.

"Hi...." Peter felt like he wasn't breathing at all when he heard your voice. It was as lovely as he imagined. "I saw you on the train yesterday…"

His tense sounding voice made you chuckle, you nodded in affirmation, "I saw you too...you were standing with Susan, she's in my class."

Your voice seemed to make an implication about Susan. You had to admit that Susan was very beautiful, and wouldn't be surprised if she'd had a handsome boyfriend from the all boys school across the street.

"And my other brother and sister." Peter quickly corrected you, making sure you understood that Susan was his sister, and nothing more. The idea of the appearance of something more made him want to yack.

"So they are all your siblings?" You said, peeking over his shoulder to the dark headed boy you had also seen with him. Edmund was also curiously peeking between you and Peter as you spoke. He made a small gesture in acknowledgement, but didn't want to come between his brother's flirting.

"They are." He confirmed, chuckling. Tucking his hands in his pants, he wanted to seem collected, totally not nervous at the way you looked up at him. 

"Maybe…do you want to walk with us to the train station?" He suggested, licking his lips out of nerves.

You seemed to beam, surprised he was brave enough to ask you to walk together after seeming so nervous to even stand in front of you.

"I would love that- um..." You seemed to pause, realizing you hadn't even introduced each other.

"-Peter." He finished, smiling.

"I would love that, Peter. Thank you." Introducing yourself, you waited for Susan and Lucy, who quickly joined you not long after.

After each sibling had introduced themselves (minus Susan, who you already knew), you began the short walk to the train station.

You could see them all exchanging glances before speeding up, seeming to purposefully give you and Peter some space to talk. And Peter, who stood beside you, seemed to slow down as to have the time to talk with you.

“Where are you from?” Peter couldn't help but be curious about you. Since when were you around, and why did it take him so long to have you in his sight.

“I'm from here, I moved back from the countryside at the start of the school year. The war and all.”

Peter definitely understood that, and he found himself nodding along.

“What about you?” 

“From here too…Finchley.”

You nodded too, it seemed you had something in common already. Two teens affected by war.

You glanced at him, and he somehow appeared more mature than anyone you'd seen before. Something seemed to lie beneath the surface of him, you got the feeling he had a heart of gold.

“Your scarf is all messed up, are you not cold?” 

Peter had to feel a little taken aback, but at the same time, he found it adorable that it was the first thing you pointed out about him.

“No, I'm not cold…are you cold?”

You giggled at his response, shaking your head. To which he smiled.

“But maybe your scarf would look better when it's fixed up.” You abruptly stopped in front of the train station, and instead turned to fix his scarf. You straightened it out before gently tucking one end over his shoulder.

As you finished, your hands laid at his shoulders, looking him right in the eyes, as if you were truly trying to see his soul. Your eyes reflected the light like waves that crashed slowly into the shores around Cair Paravel’s. The setting sun seemed to be in them, even if you were actually just in front of an average London train station.

Again, Peter felt that wave over him, calm. His heart skipped a beat at the mere presence of you being near him.

“You have beautiful eyes.” 

Your compliment struck him, and he could've damn well gone to Aslan's Country right then and there.

“Yeah well, so are yours.”

His compliment also seemed to strike you, as you smiled and shook your head.

“We're going to miss the train, Peter!” Edmund's voice rang from within the train station. This snapped both of you out of your puppy love induced haze, before trying to catch up. Your hands seemed to naturally find themselves tangled together.

At the train station you passed many boys and girls with the same school uniform as you and the Pevensies. For once, Peter actually, genuinely, hoped no one would try and start something with him.

For once, he didn’t feel angry or sad enough to think recklessly.

As you stood by him and the other Pevensie siblings, he felt the tug of your hand…you were getting pulled back.

“Why are you hanging out with him?”

A male voice, strangely familiar, rang out as the train pulled up and as he turned to look at you, he saw a boy in the same uniform as him holding onto your arm. He didn’t look too happy to see Peter at all.

“He’s a friend…he offered me a walk to the train with his siblings. I didn’t think you’d show.” You looked at the boy with a curious look, then glanced at Peter. “Do you know him?”

Peter was utterly confused, and so were the other Pevensies, who were hoping they wouldn’t miss their train for another possible fight Peter could get into. But Peter couldn’t help but feel his heart clenching, his chest felt strange seeing the other boy holding you.

“Who are you?” Peter’s tone was laced with annoyance, mostly because the boy had grabbed you abruptly. He wasn’t even sure if you were familiar with him either.

“This is my sister, Pevensie…and you.” He looked at you, and then right into Peter’s eyes. “He’s the boy that gave me the black eye a few weeks ago, you shouldn’t hang out with the likes of him.”

The words clicked in Peter’s head.

The boy, your brother. He’d had a rage a few weeks prior, and ended up accidentally punching the poor bloke in the eye when he was getting held back from punching another bloke who he’d gotten in an argument with. He hadn’t gotten the chance to apologize.

“Peter…wouldn’t.” You looked at Peter, but the look in your eyes wasn’t the same as before. You had to remind yourself that you didn’t actually know him, not really.

“Would you?”

Peter’s heart fell to the bottom of his stomach.

“No, you don’t understand it was a-”

“-Peter. The train.” Susan was now grabbing his arm. She already knew the situation would not end well at all. And their mother had already told them not to come home late like the other times Peter had gotten into fights. The conductor was already calling for the doors.

“No! It was a misunderstanding!” Peter pushed himself towards you, but your brother held you back. 

He didn’t have the time. It seemed he never had time anymore, it always slipped away.

With a sigh, he let himself get pulled into the train by Susan. Lucy and Edmund seemed quite wordless. Susan, like she normally did when Peter got into any altercations, had a concerned face.

“I told you those fights wouldn’t get you anywhere good.” Susan began, sighing as she looked out the window. She saw and your brother speaking as the train began to move.

Peter couldn’t object. It was quite a silent ride back home.

. *. ⋆·˚ ༘ *༄  

The next day, Peter was determined to make it right with you, and your brother.

He found himself waiting outside your school with Edmund again. Ed had thankfully agreed to play mediator, seeing as he was known for being the just one. He also wanted his brother to look as happy as he had holding your hand the day before.

You again, appeared before Susan and Lucy did. You seemed more reluctant to spot him than you had previously.

Still, you had the urge to approached him and you followed those instincts.

“Hello Peter.” Your greeting was still polite, and still, his heart softened at the sound of your voice.

“I wanted to apologize. Truly.” He sighed, looking down at his feet. Your eyes seemed too sincere to look into at this moment. “I’ve been very angry lately. I lost a lot of things. I took it out on people and your brother was accidentally someone who was unfairly affected by that. I swear I didn’t mean to hurt him. I’ll try and gain his trust if that’s what it takes, but I’d really like to be your friend.” Peter had to take a deep inhale before finishing. “When I first saw you…it was the first time I didn’t feel angry anymore.”

As he finally looked up at you, your lips were turning up the slightest bit. It was clear that you weren’t one to hold a grudge too easily. Especially when it was such an honest apology.

“I knew you had a heart of gold, Peter Pevensie.”

You smiled up at him for a moment before looking around for a moment- maybe seeing if your brother would come in and stop you from speaking to him again anytime like he had the day before.

“Honestly, I was worried you wouldn’t show up today. But I think you’ve proved to have a lot of courage to show up and apologize. I want to really be your friend too.”

With that, you lightly tugged at his sleeve, forcing his hand out of his pocket and into yours.

“You can further apologize by walking me to the train…we can talk to my brother tomorrow. How’s that?”

Peter found himself smiling a smile unlike any other before.

“I don’t mind waiting a bit to get into your brother’s good graces.” He joked, clutching your hand out of pure joy. 

Like perfect timing, Susan and Lucy joined you all- exchanging smiles of relief with Edmund, who had beared witness to the entire exchange and quickly caught them up as they once again walked a good few feet ahead from you and Peter. 

WWII had ended May, 1945. This brought a time of joy for all of the UK and the world. In more intimate settings, your entire neighborhood was content at being back at home and safe. No one was more content than your mother, who was happy to have her husband home and safe. 

A few doors down, the Pevenises had also moved back in. You hadn’t seen them in a long while. 

Not since getting evacuated to the countryside after the Blitz had dropped in ‘40. 

Your mother had also moved you around throughout the last 5 years, trying to feel the safety she had felt before the war while also waiting for your father to return from the war. Nevertheless, the last time you’d seen any of the Pevensies for a prolonged period of time was Edmund, since you went to the same primary school.

You remembered him as a mean boy, usually picking on girls with other mean boys. As a neighbor, though. You couldn’t but have a bit of a crush on him as a girl. 

It was easy to like the cute bad boys. 

He also tended to not listen to teachers, even though he was smart without trying. He clearly had good memory, and seemed to naturally be good at anything that required strategy and logic. But you understood his choice to be rebellious from him being the younger middle child. Someone had to be the black sheep of the family, afterall.

He’d always complained about his siblings too.

When your families joined for special events, he’d end up hanging out with you and Lucy, forced to because Peter and Susan were stuck speaking to adults about how secondary school was going and how big they’d gotten. You, Lucy and Edmund became somewhat of a trio, forced to sit at the children’s table. By a certain point, Edmund had simply given into the games and you’d gotten quite friendly, especially when it came to competition (he liked playing chess, only because he knew how to play and you didn’t).

Needless to say, the reunion was pending as the neighborhood was back up and running. Your mother was already preparing for the dinner party, finding her best loop holes to make a rationed meal extra tasty.

It was good fortune that you’d joined your mother in grocery shopping, because you found someone you didn’t expect to find.

You were helping your mother get ingredients, consisting of national bread and vegetables for a soup. It was like a scene from a film when you rounded a corner, only to bump into someone’s chest. 

“Oh!- I’m so sorry, I didn’t notice you were there!.” You immediately apologized before picking up the item you had dropped, his hand touched yours as he helped you.

“It was my fault, I’m sorry miss…!” 

As you locked eyes you recognized him, those normally cold eyes held a new warmth in them that you had never seen in them before.

“Edmund?”

The boy was shocked as his name fell from your lips. The ring of it felt almost like a distant memory. You’d definitely gotten taller, but he’d gotten even taller than that. He couldn’t help but smile as he saw your more grown-up features.

“It’s you…it’s good to see you. Been a while hasn’t it?” He put the item in his hand in the basket you held. There was a silence that filled the air, mostly because you couldn’t seem to stop looking at him. Like, really looking at him.

When did he get so tall?

“It has been, five years is a long time.” You said, looking him over. You noticed how his shoulders had gotten broader, his hair longer, face more chiseled. Overall more handsome. (You weren’t going to tell him that).  

You muster a small comment in awe, “Goodness, Edmund. You’re so…tall, now.” 

He laughed softly as you said that, but there was an air of smugness in it, seeing as you had both been the same height at 10 years old and he’d always felt funny for that being the case.

“And you’re just as tall as you were five years ago.” 

The teasing tone in his voice didn’t escape past you as you blew a raspberry, “I’ll have you know I have grown sufficiently. I am average height for my age- thank you very much Ed.” 

You half-expected he’d say something mean in return as the version you’d remembered in your head would have. Instead, he laughed and reached over to ruffle your hair lightly.

You immediately tried to fix your hair up after the mess. You too, reached over to flip his cap over his eyes, an action he didn’t take too seriously.

“It is good to see you again, though.” He adjusted his cap again, a soft smirk playing at his lips.

“I missed having someone else entertain Lucy for me. It sure got tiring to play kid games by myself without someone else to suffer with me.”

He had a different air to him after years. He used to be mean, sometimes even cruel for a kid. Even with this new attitude you still somewhat expected him to have that same mean tone laced in his voice that only used to disappear when you would agree to play the games he wanted.

As he stood in front of you now, he seemed sweet. Even his teasing and smirks had no hint of real malice in them. He was treating you like an old friend, which back then you didn’t even fully realize you were. 

With the kindness he presented to you now, you realized you were truly friends back then.

“So you still played games with her, hm? That’s sweet for you to do, as her brother.” You nudged him slightly as you rounded him to get to the aisle you were trying to get to. “Too bad I wasn’t there to be the better one at hide and seek.”

“-You were not, It’s not my fault your mother came into the bathroom while I was hiding in the bathtub.” 

Edmund followed behind as you laughed at him for an incident you had almost forgotten about completely. It’s funny how you were reminiscing with him already.

Despite him being mean, those were good memories.

“Seriously, why would you even think of hiding in there! Because of you, we were banned from playing hide and seek inside the house.” 

He watched you shake your head in mock disapproval as you picked something from the shelves. He took your basket from your hands. You had to look at him questioningly as you didn’t expect him to be this sweet.

“Since when were you this gentleman-like Pevensie?”

“For banning us from hide and seek.” He shrugged, seemingly playful about the ordeal.

You simply laughed as you walked down the aisle together.

“I’m guessing your mother is also shopping for the dinner party tonight?”

He nodded his head in confirmation, “She is, but she’s more stressed out about the rations still being in place. God knows you can only handle national bread so much.”

You had to hum in agreement, before placing your hand on his forearm in reassurance.

“What matters is being together again. It’s been too long, it’ll be nice to see Peter, Susan, and Lucy again too.” You smile dearly at him, and once again find yourself captivated by the warmth in his eyes. The little boy whose heart seemed to become stone as the conditions in London became worse, with his father leaving home and having problems with his siblings, seemed to be a distant memory. 

You got snapped out of it as your mother called out for you. 

“I must leave, but it was nice to see you before the get together.” Your hand finally left his arm, and while you didn’t know it, he completely missed it being there.

“It was. I’ll see you later.”

He handed you your basket with a warm smile, and you waved at each other as you left. You felt a lingering feeling in your heart that you couldn’t quite put your finger on…and little did you know he also felt it too..

. *. ⋆·˚ ༘ *༄

At the dinner party, you finally caught up with all the Pevensies. If Edmund had gotten tall, Peter had gotten even taller. So had Susan, who Lucy had almost caught up with in height. In the last five years, everyone had grown so much.

You’d also noticed the different relationship the siblings had, they seemed a lot closer. The last time you remembered them all together, Edmund would get annoyed over Peter’s teasing or Susan’s lecturing, or Lucy’s imagination. Now, they seem to have grown into their personalities while also seeming to care much more for one another. Edmund had insisted on helping Lucy carry the dishes she’d helped her mother make, and later patted Peter on the back as he talked about wanting to study medicine. 

It was an overall shocking sight to see them getting along. 

Around you, Edmund almost seemed… unsure.He was rather dear, really. It just took a while for him to seem the way he had at the grocery store. It seemed he wasn’t used to being sweet to you around other people, like his siblings, who used to have to scold him for making you upset over kid games. Eventually he got comfortable with openly teasing comments and smirks, which you actually enjoyed as you both joked around with him and his siblings.

After much catching up with the four and Mr. and Mrs. Pevensie. Lucy had insisted you show her your room (which had barely changed in the last 5 years) and play a game together again. You didn’t deny her a chance at re-living old memories.

“But not hide and seek!” said your mother at this suggestion, to which everyone laughed (Edmund didn’t).

Up in your room, Lucy was amazed to find a few figurines you had that your father had carved from wood. She exclaimed that she had been jealous of them when she used to come to your house. She was particularly drawn to one of a lion- which she held in her palm as if it was a good luck charm.

Edmund too, was surprised by how familiar your room was, and teased you about still having a stuffed bunny on your bed.

“I think I remember you holding onto that quite tightly after I turned all the lights off in the room once, Ed.” you mused back, to which he put the bunny right back on your bed.

“I think you imagined that.” He said, putting his hand in his trouser pockets and looking around casually, though what seemed like a light flush appeared on his cheeks.

“Sure, Ed.” Even Lucy giggled as she’d remembered. He had teased her of being scared of the dark that time and you’d taken revenge for her.

“Do you still have your old chess set?” Edmund tried to steer the conversation away from the embarrassing moments he’d lived in your house.

In chess, he was a winner, there was nothing for you or Lucy to bring up about it besides his wins. 

“I do. My mother almost sold it for extra money during the war, but I was hoping we’d get a chance to play again some day and convinced her into letting me keep it.” Rummaging through your small closet, you pulled out the old thing. It was your fathers, and he’d given it to you.

“Have you practised much? Or should I expect to win forever?” His lips formed a smile as you let the chess pieces fall onto the carpet. 

You seemed to think before chuckling and shaking your head, “You should expect to win.”

Knowing that meant you had indeed not practised, both laughed. Lucy ended up getting called a moment after by her mother. She left rather enthusiastically, an energy she seemed to naturally exude. Though she had absent mindedly forgotten about the game she wanted to play, she seemed to just be happy to have seen the lion figure and relive her memories of playing together in your room.

Now alone with Edmund, you sat in silence for a few moments.

“Soo…” you started, putting the chess pieces onto the board the way Edmund had taught you long ago, if you could remember.

“So?” He repeated, smiling as he sat down on the carpet with you.

“You’ve changed a lot since I last saw you…what brought on the change?”

He seemed to think, taking the opportunity to reach over to correct the mistakes you’d made with certain pieces on the board.

“Honestly...” You let him fix the pieces of the board, his hand brushed against yours as you let him take the final piece from your hand. He did it so gently, in the past he might have even snatched it from your hand.

“When we went off to the countryside I did something really bad towards my siblings. That’s what really changed me. I couldn’t keep acting the way I had, especially towards the only people I could rely on during those times.”

You nodded in understanding, seeing the change in his eyes as he seemed to reminisce.

“I see…well, I know you used to be well- coarse and unrefined.” you chuckled softly, and Edmund couldn’t really bring himself to disagree. “So I can say that those bad things happened for a good reason…you’re much sweeter from what I can tell. Kinder than I remember, though you’re also still the same. In a good way. I didn’t quite see it there before, but now it’s more apparent.”

Edmund couldn’t help but feel a little flustered by your kind words. No one had pointed out his change to this extent, complementing him on his kindness and sweetness of all things.

“I…appreciate that.” he motioned for you to go first, long ago he decided to compromise by letting you be white. Though that still never really gave you the upper hand.

Moving one of your pawns forwards a step, you began the game.

“I’m...sorry if I was cruel to you back then.” 

He, too, moved one of his pawns forwards. Edmund felt strangely comfortable with you even after so long, he just naturally felt the urge to apologize. You were always so sweet to him even when he was mean. And now, you both seemed to easily meld together even after how he acted in the past.

Something glimmered in your eyes as you saw him fully become himself in a way that made his heart almost flutter.

“Well, you're no prince charming yet Pevensie. But your lack of mean and sarcastic comments is certainly something I can easily get used to.”

He snorted at the prince charming part, finding it amusing in many ways. You were playing while you had been talking, and he already found himself in possession of one of your pieces.

“Don't get too used to it, I am still capable of welding my skills of sarcasm against you, even if they aren’t mean..” 

“You wouldn't though, would you?” 

Your tone sounded almost challenging in a way that questioned just how seemingly kind he'd become. Would he dare try and say something mean towards you? 

He had to feel flustered yet again. Your smile, and overall presence reminded him of a feeling he'd strike down long ago. A small, tinsey winsey crush on you. He couldn't possibly revert back to being mean towards you.

“No. No, I wouldn't.” He quickly moved one of his knights, snatching 2 of your pieces from the board.

“But not letting your old friend win just once isn’t mean?”

“Your lack of skill isn’t my fault, silly.” 

You had to roll your eyes as he smirked smugly. He appeared just like his 10 year old self did, smug about winning.

‘Old habits die hard, I guess.’

“I hope dinner gets called soon.” you pouted, finally getting the chance to take a black pawn from him.

“So you can quit? We just started!” He laughed softly as he made another move on the board.

If you could understand chess, you'd know what moves he was planning…but you didn’t know at all.

“We both know you will win, Ed. You always did."

He shook his head over you saying this, then swiftly moved around the board to sit next to you. His arm brushed against yours as he pointed to your pieces on the board.

“Okay, see here- you aren’t using your rook or bishop enough. Do you remember what I taught you before about how they move?”

“Rooks move…vertically and horizontally…? And the bishop moves diagonally?” You answered, sounding unsure though since you were distracted by his side profile. You were forced to stare in the way you did at the grocery store. When did he get so handsome?

“Exactly. You’re very focused on using just the knight and the regular pawns. Even if it’s risky, since you’re still a beginner, you should still use all the pieces.” He seemed very focused on strategizing against himself, pointing to the board. You had to raise your eyebrow at the ‘still a beginner’ comment, though.

“See you could move this here, or this here and take more of my pieces. See? Easy.” He smiled at you in a way that made your heart jump.

Though your mother had taught you well that staring was wrong, you couldn’t help it in the moment. His presence wasn’t icy cold like before. Instead, the way his delicate finger pointed at the board and handled the chess pieces to show you the moves you could make to have a better chance at winning was warm.

His cinnamon colored eyes looked at you as if the five years you’d gone without each other didn't exist. He felt gentle.

“Hm…yeah, seems simple enough.” you muttered, unable to take your eyes off him just yet. He seemed to notice as the familiar flush rose to his cheeks just slightly.

Who had ever thought Edmund Pevensie, cold little Edmund would now be sitting beside you and helping you win against him?

“Guys! Dinner’s all set up-”

Susan walked in to you staring at Edmund with a certain passion in your eyes, and her brother looking flustered in a way she'd never seen before.

“Well. You guys were quick in warming up to each other.” She teased, her red lips were set in a cheshire grin as you both looked up at her with wide eyes, “Stop your flirting, the table is set and our parents want everyone down there.” 

Without another word, she turned around and left, making sure the door stayed open.

Edmund cleared his throat as he got up.

“Ignore her…she's grown to be quite a, uh- romantic.” He held his hand towards you as you giggled.

“Well, I guess she's at least right about us warming up to each other." 

You took his hand firmly, allowing him to help pull you up from the floor. The hold your hands had lingered for quite a bit as you stared at each other again.

“There's just something in you that makes it easy.” Edmund mumbled, before remembering the fact you had to go down for dinner. “We should go down for dinner.” 

You nodded in agreement, then realized Edmund had already begun leading you out the door by your hand.

As your eyes lingered on the back of his head, you had to think that those feelings were coming back.

Being found by a rabbit hole in the middle of the forest by a few talking forest creatures meant you were forced into an adventure all the way to the grandiose Cair Paravel, where you'd finally met the four rulers you'd heard so much about.

Narnia was not a place where you could be human and not be presented to the Kings and Queens as a fellow Daughter of Eve.

They were quite surprised when they saw you standing before them along with a satyr and rabbit, who had taken you across the terrains of Narnia to get you to the Kings and Queens. You had a look in your eyes that was fierce, and the sword you'd acquired on your journey seemed comfortable on your hip.

“It had been prophesied that a protector of Narnia would come after the rise of the new leadership, one that would prove themselves to be worthy of being at their left hand, willing to protect to the death.”

That's what the rabbit had said when you'd first met them, and this was something the Pevensies were aware of.

To the Pevensies, it was clear that it was you who would somehow step up to the plate in an impending battle against another force of evil of which they had yet to know.

You had some gripes about being anyone's left hand man, especially because they appeared capable of taking care of themselves well enough.

When you were appointed to train to become royal guard, you were also under direct sight of High King Peter and King Edmund.

Edmund became your trainer (Peter has much more important duties as High King), and you had great difficulty as the student being mentored.

King Edmund seemed to doubt the need of a “backup protector” and used training as a chance to prove that.

“I told you to watch your feet.”

The tip of his sword was pointing at your chin as he looked down at you with a smirk. With his hair all tousled, maybe he'd even look a bit handsome. But that smirk made him appear like an ass.

“Hmph. I would've been better if you didn't keep moving around like sword fighting is a dance routine. Your movements are dizzying.” 

Rolling your eyes, you got up from the floor. Dusting your bottom from the dust on the ground as you did.

“Sword fighting is somewhat like dancing. Maybe you should memorize your steps.” His voice had a teasing tone, you didn't have to look at his face to know he was amused.

You, on the other hand, made a sound of disapproval. Of course he'd want to find a way to be right.

“Enough of this, you've dragged on this practice way longer than it needed to be anyways. Don't you have a meeting with your siblings anyways?”

“Yes, but I thought our future Captain of the Royal Guard should be well trained before leading any battles.” 

“We can avoid battles if you do your duty, your Highness.”

You finally turned away, and began putting your gear back on the racks. The training armor was beginning to feel heavy after all the duels that Edmund forced you to do as practice. 

You knew you were good enough, you just didn't understand why Edmund kept pushing you. The more he pushed, the worse you seemed to get as he tired you out.

“Fine. But we will be doing this again tomorrow morning.”

He too, began putting things away beside you.

His presence annoyed you, especially when he was acting cheeky over forcing you to train. You merely grunted, as you were getting more annoyed reaching to put up a wooden shield that you couldn't quite latch.

“Need some help?” He chucked.

He was chuckling at you.

“I don't.” You grumbled, still struggling with latching the shield (you had to stand on your tip toes, which he noticed, and couldn't help but chuckle, again.)

He reached over from behind you, his hands grazing yours as he took the shield and gently lifted to latch it to the wall.

Your cheeks suddenly felt warm as his body stood behind you.

You were used to being near him. Your bodies were constantly near each other while training. But why was his presence felt so strongly now? And when did he become so kind?

You cleared your throat, trying to take away the sudden shy feelings you got around the king.

“Time to head off to your meeting. Avoid riling that King up before you start a battle I'll have to finish, will you?” 

Your tone turned sarcastic again, pretending he hadn't caused you to be flustered. 

“Don't worry about that. I have to make sure you keep up with your practice, remember?” He knew he'd caused you to grow flustered, and he was rather enjoying the sight of you acting nonchalant. Pink cheeks suited you.

“Of course.” You mumbled, before bowing and turning away.

What Edmund didn't know was that practice would certainly not be happening the following morning, but rather, preparations to fight.

___

The King they'd met with hadn't been pleased with negotiations of land. 

For some reason, he wanted the Narnian throne. After some disputes, attempts at compromise, it seemed he had turned towards darkness to gain what he wanted.

As you waited for Edmund in the training room, a darkness seemed to fill the sky, like a cloud of grey smoke.

Your eyes widened at the sight, you never imagined the skies of Narnia to look so terrifying. Your hand clutched the sword at your side.

“This was it…the darkness I have to protect the Pevensies from.” 

Grabbing the armor necessary, you grew more panicked. You had to find the kings and queens and find out what was happening.

‘Edmund’ His face suddenly popped up in your mind as you grabbed the shield he’d helped you put up the day before. Why was Edmund suddenly in your mind like this? You’d never thought of him in such a way before. You were actually worried about him.

You shook it off, he was supposed to meet you there, afterall.

Turning around, you saw Edmund, who had a similarly panicked look, but relief was felt knowing he was alright.

“What's going on?” You went up to him, handing him some gear to put on. 

“He unleashed something, we don't know what it is. But it's growing.” He took the gear, immediately putting it on. “We have to go to the others, Peter might already be making plans with Oreius.”

At the name you grew silent. Oreius was experienced, he'd led the Pevensives since before you arrived. Since the White Witch. Were you worthy of stepping up to the plate now?

Edmund seemed to notice the worry on your face and stepped over to reach his hand on your shoulder.

“Hey, hey, we've been training for this…and honestly you have always been good. You came all this way…you will do what you need to do when the time comes.” His words were comforting, and caused your worry to melt. 

“He may be our primary general, but you're the future leader of the royal guard.” He grinned softly, giving your shoulder a good squeeze.

“You…” you mumbled, sniffling as your eyes welled up a bit. “You made me practise for no reason knowing I was good already.”

Your joking tone mixed with your sniffles made his chuckle. It certainly lightened the situation you were both in.

“Practice is always good, you've only gotten better.” His hand grabbed yours, and he gave it a light kiss before he began tugging you. “Now let's see how good your skills have gotten.”

You didn't have time to process his light kiss, as you both began running to find the other Pevensives. As you passed a balcony, you saw thick black thorny vines crawling up the side of the castle, which caused you and Edmund to run faster.

. *. ⋆·˚ ༘ *༄   

You didn’t even get to process much of anything. Before even meeting the other Pevensives, you and Edmund had gotten stuck fighting a giant beast at Cair Paravel’s grand hall, the throne room. 

A jabberwocky, you wanted to call it.

With its jaws that bite and claws that catch. Its eyes of flame gleaming at you as it continued to lunge. The beast was ugly, uglier than you would ever imagine. Wisps of black smoke seemed to be emulating off it, showing the dark magic within it.

Its desire was to kill. 

And knowing you were the sole person destined to protect the Pevensives in a matter of life and death, it made sense why it was targeting you more than even Edmund. 

You and Ed were already lunging at the jabberwocky, its eyes of flame gleaming at you as it lunged back. 

Thankfully, your sword felt familiar in your hand and you were able to slice its tongue clean off. As you continued fighting it, you got ready to stab it in the eye, but Edmund distracted it by stabbing its wing.

The beast did a full rotation, and his tail knocked you over.

You felt the wind leave your lungs as you were thrown to the hard floor. It seems the practice you’d been having was useful, since even with the pain you felt from the impact, you jumped back to your feet swiftly.

Edmund was going head to head with the beast, and you could only worry. 

Worry, and strategize. For some reason your heart dropped just at the thought of anything happening to Edmund. And yes, he was technically your king, but it felt like more. Something hidden in the feelings of frustration and annoyance you’d felt when training or bickering with him. 

You needed him to be okay.

The beast was relentless, and you watched as it knocked Edmund’s sword right out of his hand before you could think.

“Edmund!” you yelled, rushing towards him, pushing him out of the way as the beast’s claw reached to try and get him.

As you knocked him over, the claws nicked your leg. 

You and Edmund rolled across the tiled floors of Cair Paravel’s grand hall in a tangled mess. The lovely tile that would normally look clean and polished, now looked like they were almost demolished from the beast’s sudden attack, breaking through a window stone to enter the castle. A mix of rubble covered the floor from some pillars that had fallen.

And when you finally looked up to realize, covered in the blood gushing from your leg.

“Edmund! Are you okay?”

“Why are you asking me that!? I told you to watch your feet. Didn’t I?” You could hear the tone of anger on his tongue. In any other scenario, his call back to yesterday’s training might have been teasing, but this time it wasn’t. It was serious, and full of worry. 

He instantly tore the end of his billowy shirt, the type he’d normally train in to wrap your leg before the beast could come closer. You had to ignore the fact he’d raised your skirts to access it. It truly wasn’t the time to focus on your lack of distance or contact, even if you knew you were thinking about it in the back of your mind.

“I saved you! I need to slay this beast.”

Before you could try and get up again, Edmund pushed you to stay down behind one of the pillars.

“No I will fight it. I can’t put you in even more danger.”

You looked at Edmund with wide eyes, what happened to what he said at the training room?

What happened to “you have always been good.” “you will do what you need to when the time comes”?

“No. I have to do this-”

“I can’t let you risk your life-”

“You said I was good enough Ed, I can do this please-”

“Stay here.” A final interruption. The final say. A King’s order.

Taking your sword, which you somehow had held onto, he lunged again at the jabberwocky.

Even with your head spinning from the blood loss, you couldn’t stop the adrenaline. 

The need to save him. 

You checked your surroundings, you saw his sword across the other side. You needed to get it, there was no other weapon around.

As you stood up, the pain shot through your leg and you held back a scream of pain that bubbled at your throat. The cut was definitely deep in your leg. But you pulled through, limping as you wove through the pillars that still stood to get to the other side, Edmund too busy to see you.

Taking the sword, you kept looking around to see what you could do. You spotted your life line…

The balcony.

Continuing to limp your way up the steps you heard Edmund making sounds of exhaustion. He was getting tired, and the beast seemed to not be getting tired at all. 

Finally, the beast had Edmund pinned down, the beast had his jaw open like he was ready to bite his head clean off. Edmund’s only protection was your sword, which he used between the beast’s teeth, using his last strengths to push against its mouth.

“Edmund!” You felt light headed from the mix of blood loss and adrenaline, but you knew what you needed to do.

“NO! Don’t!” Edmund watched as you jumped off the balcony, landing on the beast’s neck. The jabberwocky, now distracted by you hanging from his neck, flailed around trying desperately to knock you off. As it finally flung you up in the air you used it to your advantage.

In what felt like slow motion, you sliced the head off the jabberwocky. It’s deep purple blood splattering on your face.

As you crashed down into the floor, the pain felt even worse than the first time. You heard your name called out by Edmund in the distance, but your vision grew spotted and black.

“No, nonono.” 

“Ed…” You muttered as the darkness overtook you. Not without feeling a pair of soft lips against yours.

. *. ⋆·˚ ༘ *༄   

“She’s waking up” The voice of a one Lucy Pevensie rang out like a soft bell.

“Finally. I almost had to blame Father Christmas for that healing cordial not working.” Undeniably Edmund.

“This wouldn’t be his fault, Ed.” The eldest, of course.

“Yeah, then it’d be all of yours for not coming for backup sooner.”

“Edmund!” As sisterly as ever, Susan.

“Okay, okay. Sorry…”

Hearing the Pevensie’s voices as you awoke from your deep slumber caused confusion as your memory was still jogging to catch up. Why were the Pevensies in your room?

The light that shone through the stained glass illuminated your room beautifully, but most importantly, allowed the Pevensies to see you staring back at them, a confirmation that you had truly gained consciousness.

“What happened?” you muttered, your voice coming out quieter than you thought. As you slowly sat up, the memories slowly came back.

“Jabberwocky!” You suddenly exclaimed looking at Edmund as if expecting him to know exactly what you meant by that. Of course, the name was what you’d only called the beast in your head.

The Pevensies turned to look at each other with a look of confusion and yet knowing smiles, a combination you’d truly never seen.

“You’ve been muttering that all through your coma, that and-”

“Shhhhh.” Edmund immediately stopped Lucy from finishing her sentence, which left you even more confused. “How about you all leave, I think it’d be better for me to discuss what’s happened since the battle in private.”

“Sure, private,” muttered Lucy, who gave Susan a knowing look. 

“I think it’s best you take it slow, don’t wanna rush when she’s just awoken.” 

You could sense a hidden meaning under Susan’s words, but decided to look past it as the trio walked out.

“We are glad you seem well, we hope to see you up and training again soon.” Peter, gave you a small salute as they all left, which you smiled at.

Now alone with Edmund, you patiently awaited an explanation.

“You were in…a coma, for the last four days…” He explained slowly, taking a deep breath in, “You saved me. I thought you were dead when you wouldn’t respond…the others came just in time. Lucy gave you a drop from her cordial.”

You took time to process what he said. You were out for days and it barely felt like you were in battle, like you’d just cut off the head of a beast to save him.

“Wow.” was all that came out of your mouth, even after many silent moments.

“Wow? That’s all you have to say after you jumped off a balcony to save me? Wow…”

You immediately giggled at his words, and so did he after a moment or two. It was the most light hearted laughter you’d heard from him, especially since all the other conversations before were about training and battles, or him teasing you.

“I don’t know, I just…I wanted to make sure you were safe.”

“Well I wanted you to be safe, but you ended up with a bloody leg and a few broken bones.” His sarcasm finally returned, natural to him. But just as quickly as he’d gone sarcastic again, he went right back to soft. 

“I want to thank you for saving me. I guess I should’ve believed in you more. I always did but I should’ve believed in you no matter what happened.”

Right, the prophecy. Willing to protect to the death. Brink of it, at least.

“Thank you. For believing in me.” You responded.

As silence befell upon you two, he finally piped up again.

“So…jabberwocky? Is that what you named the beast? Lewis Carrol right?” 

You gave a soft laugh, “Yes, I knew at least one of you would understand the reference once you heard it.”

“It was tricky to remember, since I’ve grown used to Narnian literature. Of course, you remember the things back home more easily.”

You gave a nod, it made sense. You’d noticed the Pevensies seemed to forget tidbits of what home actually was. 

Then you remembered. The softness on your lips before the darkness came. You spoke without thinking, curious about the feeling that was fresh in your mind.

“Did- did you kiss me?”

Edmund grew flustered, face getting warm as he remembered it himself. 

“I-” He cleared his throat, “Yes, I did.”

You had to grow flustered too at the idea of him kissing you, maybe at the thought it’d be the last time he got the chance before you, well…died.

“Why?” you muttered, suddenly replaying all the times he’d been close to you while training. Everytime you thought he’d caught a glance at your lips and you’d just shrug it off. Every lingering touch when you fell and he’d offer his hand. The kiss he’d given your hand before it all. Everything.

“Because…I love you. And I thought I’d never get to say it to you.”

Your heart melted in your chest, you decided not to hold back and lunged over at him from your bed. Kissing him deeply. He placed his hands around you gently, holding you safely from completely falling from the edge of your bed.

As you separated your breath was still held in your throat. You’d kissed him. Edmund Pevensie who you were sure you deeply disliked a mere 4 days ago, who you’d almost died for. Who kissed you when he thought you were going to die.

“I love you too, Edmund.”

Staring at each other for what seemed like ages, he finally broke the gaze by gently kissing your forehead.

“Please, never sacrifice yourself for me again…even as newly appointed Captain of the Royal Guard.” He muttered, lips gently buzzing on your skin.

“Captain of the Royal Guard?!”

“It seems all my hard work paid off…practice does make perfect.”

“Your hard work, Edmund Pevensie? I slayed a jabberwocky for you!” With more giggles and bickers, you realized all those practices were worth it.