Now the girl had wondered where the boy went, for he no longer accompanied her on an evening walk or run or climb. Not since the day he had offered her the dying shell of a magical entity. It was only when she climbed the Peak that fateful night, and saw the lights blinking out one by one that she realised what had happened. The pained screeching that was rending the night air dogged her footsteps and she jumped up and fled.
Based on this gorgeous story by yazerbaijan: let us step into the night.
For the Raddies! British secondary school AU! I was struck with inspiration.
(Parts: 1, 2)
“Pan get that tie off your head!”
“Make me.”
“What did you say?”
The coach falls into a hush of fear and titillated excitement. Pan and Mr Jones are always guaranteed to entertain and today is no exception. The teacher’s blue eyes flash from the front of the coach, directing a look of such ire that any student under it would shrivel up and die on the spot. Any student but Pan. He seems to thrive on it. In fact there does not go a day where he forgoes an opportunity to egg on some unfortunate for his own twisted amusement. The fact that he does not draw a line at adults is just another tick confirming that the boy is just not right.
Wendy Darling likes Mr Jones, he shares her extreme distaste for the delinquent and is not afraid to show it. He is also gorgeous but that is beside the point. For as long as she can remember Peter Pan has been a constant, grinning whirlwind of discord and mayhem, as if someone had engineered the naughtiest qualities found in the young male species and condensed them into one tall, impish boy.
Said boy is now watching the teacher approach with a slight smirk on his mouth, sitting comfortably at the back of the coach with the rest of his friends. Well friends is being generous, gang is more applicable. Last week John had told her that the boys had set fire to a tree and danced around it. She could believe it, they are just as antisocial as he is, though Peter is the king. He collects ASBOS like stamps.
“Here we go,” Wendy whispers to Lily who rolls her eyes but turns in her seat as Mr Jones passes them. He comes to a stand in the gangway and stares Pan down. The man, she knows, is an ex-soldier and could probably kill someone with a blunt pencil. Not someone to rile up. The tie still sits upon Pan’s head, like a crown, and the ends swing against his cheek as he tilts his face up.
“Can I help you sir?”
“Do you want me to pull the coach over and kick you out?” Mr Jones asks in a low voice and Pan’s eyebrows rise.
“I’m pretty sure that’s illegal. Safeguarding responsibilities and all that…”
Jones narrows his eyes and leans down. “Oh you think I’d let you go home alone? No I’d escort you personally back to whatever madhouse you live in.”
At this something flickers in the boy’s eyes and Wendy holds her breath. His home life is a thing of myth and legend, Wendy has never heard talk of any family but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have any. However she suspects he comes from a….troubled arrangement. The lightening quick gleam of hurt is quickly replaced with cold calculation.
“Yes taking me home alone will look good for you sir. Let’s do that,” Pan smiles sweetly and Mr Jones swallows, blinking in surprise and conflict, before he suddenly pulls the tie down Pan’s face where it sits limply around his neck.
“Talk back to me again and I’ll ban you from the field for the next month,” Jones says and straightens, the ball very much in his court again as Pan’s face blanches. He plays on the school’s rugby team, the only team of which he is part. Wendy muses that it is probably a way for him to vent, which is good for the local populous. He is talented, she has seen him as she supports her brother, a natural leader but he does like to hog the limelight.
“But sir!”
“Don’t sir me. You’re in for a week of detention so don’t press your luck,” he warns and moves away, his face thunderous. Pan glares at his retreating back and kicks the seat in front of him, making poor Bae jerk forward with a look of weary resignation.
“One day I’m gonna take his prosthetic hand and hang it from the posts,” he mutters darkly and the boys around him chortle. Wendy turns in her seat and glares at him.
“Don’t be so vile,” she snaps, her stomach whizzing and fizzing like champagne. She usually ignores him, not wanting the strain of his attention on her, but his dark promise angers her. He can go too far sometimes and is only surrounded by enablers.
“She speaks!” he gasps and hold a hand to his chest. “I thought you only chirped and twittered bird.”
Bird. Oh how she half detested, half adored the name. He has been calling her that for as long as she has known him and has no idea why. Her mouth purses as he whistles at her, a trilling noise that is actually quite impressive but she hardens her resolve. He has been insufferable for the last two hours and getting on her last nerve.
“You shouldn’t say things like that, it’s really offensive.”
“To who? You? Maybe you shouldn’t eavesdrop Wendy-bird, it’s rude.”
“Maybe you should watch your mouth next time.”
The boys around him oh softly and Lily nudges her side in support. Her blood is up and she feels like she can volley back whatever he gives her. His eyes crackle like green fire, surprised and deeply amused, as he leans forward. He really is good looking but he knows it, the worst sort of boy.
“Will you make me? I’d like to see you try.”
“You’re ridiculous. He’s a teacher, you should show him respect,” she might as well ask him to fly her to the moon. Pan scoffs and sits back.
“I will when it’s returned. He’s a bitter, dried up arsehole and I will take his hand before I leave and throw it in the lake.”
“How have you not been expelled yet?” another mystery.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Actually no I don’t,” she says haughtily and turns in her seat. She glances at Lily who gives her the thumbs up before passing the other earbud that faintly pumps out music. As she slots it into place she feels his cool breath on her ear and smells the strong spearmint of his gum. Her stomach flutters. To kiss him would be like kissing a glacier, a blasting shock and once started you’re stuck.
“Maybe I’ll slip it into your bag when you least expect it. A gift, what do you think?”
Wendy glares ahead, inhaling his scent and feels her stomach twist in irritation and just a hint of arousal. He would do such a thing and leave her to return the hand to Mr Jones. Well he will find her no easy meat.
“You know what I think? I think there’s a special school missing a student and has done so for years. Get out of my face.”
The entire bus snorts, even his loyal gang, but for Felix. Wendy spots Miss Swan press her lips together before smoothing her face into an impassive mask. Lily giggles next to her, wiggling in her seat in rapture as Wendy tries not to grin.
Pan sits back and stares intensely at the back of her seat for the remainder of the journey. It is the most well behaved he has ever been…well, until they reach their destination and Wendy wishes she had kept her mouth shut.
