#featuring: peter

[shadowedbyrd]

 “ look at me. “ /could be peter or the shadow ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

"Look at me', she repeated with a hiss, hand tightening around Peter's jawline in a feeble mockery of romance. She hoped it was hard enough to bruise. She hoped it would be hard enough to break the foolish boy, stop him from running his mouth, stop him from dripping the impossible, idiotic things he said. But his loss is her loss, and worse, its the loss of it. She shook him slightly, pulling back to wipe her hands on her dress lest she catch whatever idiocy had infected him long ago.

"This island isn't just yours. How much happens without your say-so, without your knowledge? How long have you known that shaded part of yourself thinks you need better? Better than a stupid golden girl with clouds between her ears, better than foolish boys that pant after your approval? You deserve better. You'd get better if only you listened to it and looked at me."

Helen held her hands out, a display and a challenge in one. "I am what is better, Pan. Not someone to follow you, but to push you higher, make you stronger, and follow the darkest parts into the places where you and it cannot be told apart."

[charliehearted]

Could you ever see Charlie being able to be manipulated by Peter, against the pirates?

These questions weren't fair. Charlie squirmed where he sat, unwilling to look anywhere but down. The guilt of the truth pushed his eyes and shoulders down.

"It's not manipulation if you know it's happening," Charlie whispered. "I just... I want a brother. I've always wanted a brother and they always try to kill me. Nod has Hook and Alana, Hook has the entire damn crew and they all have him, Cecco has Anna too..." Charlie trailed off, chewing on his lip with nerves until he found the nerve to continue. "I just want a brother," Charlie repeated, softer.

"If Peter promised, really promised to be my brother, to let me stay and not send me away again, like brothers always do, I'd stay and I'd do so gladly, do what it took to keep that. So... I don't know if that counts as manipulation. I don't want a father figure. I want a gods damned brother, and I'll keep my eyes fully open for one."

[charliehearted]

What do you recall of Wendy’s last time here? Surely you were among the pirates then - and Peter surely would have provoked Captain Hook.

He wouldn't be able to put the name Wendy to what he remembered, especially not after that ill-advised visit to the bonfire. The person he met didn't match the stories, but Charlie had heard calls of a bird, larger than anything seen on the island. He'd considered it interesting, before his oldest and most constant companion of fear had taken over and Charlie had promised himself he'd not go looking for the thing, lest it turn out to have a taste for him as so many other things seemed to.

When the... Less than savory business with Wendy had occurred, Charlie had made himself scarce, keeping below deck for days at a time, especially once the inevitability of Peter's arrival had made itself clear to the young man. He wasn't much use in combat, after all, and by the time he'd emerged back into the light of day with the belly of the ship cleaner than it had been in years, Wendy had gone, and he'd never met her.

"Not much," Charlie finally said. "We weren't exactly in a similar situation and I don't imagine I would have helped with anything if I had been out." He shrugged with one shoulder. "I don't know if that's a surprise, though. I'm me after all, and I rather think I'm a bit more of a liability than anything else."