⊹ ۪ 𖥔 ˑ ִ ֗ ִ ۫ ˑ ⊹ ۪ 𖥔 ˑ ִ ֗ ִ ۫ ˑ ⊹ ۪ 𖥔 ˑ ִ ֗ ִ ۫ ˑ
( Seven - War of hearts )
CW : the ocean

THE TIDES CHANGED, rolling in and kissed Pan's toes before flowing freely and further away. Foam spits crashed against the rocks under the cliff. The dim reflections of clouds loomed over the horizon, it was soon to be dawn.

Lustrous stars were still visible, its fire being painted by an array of: coral pinks and purples and gold.

"Still can't sleep Pan?" It was her again, always grasping onto a chance to talk to him.

He brought a palm to his forehead, acting as a miniature shelter from the harsh early morning sun. "Still seem to find a way to torment me?" Pan joked, an unsweetened laugh left his lips.

Autumn flinched, and he seemed to notice this for it made his features soften. Pan turned back towards the perpetual light of the sun and skidded a pebble across the sea. It flew far, much farther than the sea itself.

Awkwardly, Autumn bit her bottom lip and fidgeted with grains of sand. He was always testing her patience, she's shown nothing but kindness towards her, yet Pan continues to push her away.

"Do forgive me, I didn't mean to be so rude." Leaning over her, just a few centimetres away, Pan said in an undertone. The pulpy sand squished between his toes, it squelched as he sat beside her.

Autumn hummed in approval, letting in and accepted his apology. For, she had a heart far too big for own body. With so much love within it, Autumn easily caved in. "Hm," she changed the subject, "what was disturbing you in your sleep? Do you want to talk about it?"

Pan shook his head and lowered it.

"Are you sure? I'm open to listen."

Feeling ever so troubled at that moment, his mind swarmed with all possible outcomes that could happen. Inhaling sharply, if he wanted peace in Neverland, he had to listen to the shadow.

"Why must you be so kind to me. Everyone tells you I'm a monster, why do you even bother to try?" Voice wavering, his walls began to shake, the façade of being almighty was beginning to crack.

The amount of commiseration Autumn felt was unbelievable. "Pan look at me." When he didn't, she lifted the tired boy's chin up. Just like she did when she was training with him for the first time. Though, this time it was less aggressive, and without a sword, and more tender.

What tugged at her heart strings more, was how Pan recoiled at her touch. She wasn't going to hurt him, what made him believe that? Autumn's warm eyes searched for his. They flickered over, brimmed with tears. Seeing him like this tore at her heart.

The ashen cotton clouds clashed and showered rain upon Neverland, drumming down rhythmically along to Pan's silent weeping.

"You would like to know?" His voice croaked, it strained him to talk.

"I do, Pan."

"Okay- okay, goodness, I've never spoken to anyone about this matter but myself. It's not like any one seemed to care. To everyone I'm a monster, like Blythe claims."

Pan grimaced and sunk further into Autumn's fingertips, her hand was comforting.

He continued, "It's true. Today was meant to be her birthday. Belle's, well, we called her Tink because she was so full of mischief. But she's not here anymore."

"She was my sister-" Pan finalised.

Thunder struck some fallen trees down. He carried on, "and, and that bastard Hook took her away from me. Why did it have to be her? Why couldn't it have been me? . . . The very same thing happened to Wendy too, Blythe blames me every day for it. If we were on the Jolly Rodger for just a second before we could have saved her."

Pan paused and yanked at his hair, "But we were too late."

Never once did Autumn take her hand away, her eyes stayed trained on his. With her forefinger, she stroked his cheek, he leant into it. Her pulse hastened, tears cascaded down her own cheeks too.

He edged closer, lips quivering, there was merely a gap between them. She felt her nose tickle by the contact of his own nose brushing against hers by accident.

"So let me ask you one last time Autumn . . . why do you even bother trying? Don't you understand, I'm not lovable, and I will never be."

Knives penetrated her heart, it was as if she was experiencing his trauma herself. "There's one thing you don't realise, Pan-"

"You don't have to call me Pan, do call me Peter."

"Peter . . there's one thing you don't realise. None of this is your fault. None of it. There will come a time where everyone realises you are innocent. But, with everyone fighting their individual battles they are too blind to see that you are. So what you must do . . . is give them a reason to forgive you."

"They would never forgive me." He was quick to say.

Everyone labelled him as a monster all the time . . . sadly he was starting to believe it too.

"They will Peter. I promise you, for everything should be given a chance, or else the beauty of moving on cannot happen. All good people would be scarce as bad people are not given the chance to be good."

Peter's expression crinkled in realisation. Biting down hard on his bottom lip, the storm began to lessen in its harsh winds. "You, you promise?"

"I promise Peter. I promise that you're no monster either."