⊹ ۪ 𖥔 ˑ ִ ֗ ִ ۫ ˑ ⊹ ۪ 𖥔 ˑ ִ ֗ ִ ۫ ˑ ⊹ ۪ 𖥔 ˑ ִ ֗ ִ ۫ ˑ
( Six - War of hearts )

ANOTHER RESTLESS NIGHT commenced. Balancing on top of logs that circled the unlit campfire, she tried to parkour across. She'd been doing so for several hours, after they boys slept.

"Hey, may I join you? I can't sleep, not with Pan crying next door." Wrapped within his duvet, River groggily made his way over and laid his head on a rocky log.

"Sure, you can stay as long as you want, I'm not going any where." Autumn shrugged and rested next to him, his minty scent was stronger, she caught whiffs of it in her nose.

Silence stretched between them, before she started again, "Does anybody question why he cries?" Autumn hugged her knees close to her chest, her heart yearned to aid Pan. With her long tresses tickling River's nose, he grabbed a strand and began braiding it.

"No not really, he started crying during the night for as long as I can remember."

She got up gingerly, making River sit up alarm, "Poor Pan . . ." and had her visions fixated on the candle lit tent with a finger tracing her bottom lip.

Slowly walking, River pulled her back, his fingers laced around her wrist, "What are you doing? You're not allowed to enter his tent!"

Autumn believed that was true, and so she debated whether or not to proceed with her decision. Until she decided it was right to go on. "Helping him, he's just a boy, like the rest of you. Too much pressure on the heart does no good." Autumn spoke quietly.

All that River could see under the star lit field was her, hurrying along the pathway to put an end in Pan's weepings. Silently, he prayed she wouldn't get into trouble. Looking downwards, he beamed to himself and played with a flower that fell from her hair and pocketed it.

Entering the tent, she let in fresh air, and left the the door a few centimetres open. Her heart strings pulled at all corners at the sight of him being drenched in his own tears.

River soldiered outside, despite the freezing weather. He awaited there, just in case Pan did something bad to her.

"Hey Pan it's me, there's no need to cry now. Whatever nightmare you're having, know that you'll be alright. Forgive me for intruding." Autumn tried, and placed the plushie that fell from his hands, back into his arms. She didn't question why he had a plushie in shape of a fairy, perhaps it was a gift from them.

Feeling the soft material within his fingers again, his crying slowed. Progress, she thought. Autumn drew in a breath, thinking hard for what she could do to ease the boy.

The best she could do was to hum a tune, the first song that came into mind was 'You are my sunshine'. Her cheeks tinted pink, almost as harsh as the blossom trees that began to grow outside. Autumn didn't know the song before, until right then. Feeling an extreme familiarity with the song she quietly sang.

Just like a miracle, he stopped crying and was lulled into sleep.

Nearing Pan's left ear, she could count every eyelash upon his eyelids if possible. "Stop pushing away the people who care the most. And, stop letting in the people don't even try." The few words she had yearned to say for a while left her lips.

Pan stirred, and for a moment her pulse hastened. "Don't leave me." He mumbled. Meaningfully, he entangled his fingers into hers, they were smooth to the touch.

Her heart beat settled once he stopped murmuring in his sleep. With her fingers brushing against his jawline, he shivered under her touch. Softly smiling to herself, Autumn swore she felt his face heat up. Lightly covering his body with her thick fleece duvet, he nuzzled his cheek into it.

His fingers still clung onto her palm for dear life. Autumn squeezed it slightly, in return, she could feel his thumb caress the back of her hand just a little bit.

A nap could be useful at that moment- she settled into a large timber chair and began to nod off. With the fire flies prancing outside, they whispered to each other about their new findings, they teetered away.

Due to having a great range of hearing, Pan sat up instantaneously. Scowling at his pixelated vision from sitting up too quickly, he padded over to the entrance and shooed the bugs away. He could hear them saying awful and ridiculous things:

"She'll end up like Wendy."

"Wendy was prettier."

"Pan could never be loved."

Trying his best to ignore the remarks, he paced around his room. "Ghastly creatures." Pan scorned as the fireflies giggled out of his tent. Running some fingers through his tangled sun-streaked hair, he was too tired to focus and decided to leave the tent.

Blocking the entrance was Autumn. Accidentally stubbing his toe on the rough surface of the chair, he stepped back and grunted. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he recalled the situation before. Even though he was sleeping, Pan could hear everything.

He didn't want her to stay in such an uncomfortable chair, but he also didn't want to disturb her sleep. Flipping between two possible decisions, he decided to carry her over to his bed. Just like how Autumn treated him, Pan gently set the blanket over her sprawled body.

There were a thousand constellations that night, but his favourite ones were the freckles that dotted on her cheeks.