rosa_cotton | Peter Pan fanfiction

Title: Snowball Fight, Snowball Flight
Rating: G (K)
Disclaimer: Peter Pan, all characters, places, and related terms belong to J.M. Barrie.
Summary: The Darlings introduce Peter and the Lost Boys to the sport and “art” of snowball fights.

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Chapter Two

As Wendy takes a moment to catch her breath in her rushing about to prepare the meal, she realizes she is still wearing Peter’s coat. Blushing furiously, she quickly removes it, hangs it over the back of a chair, and moves the chair closer to the fire to let the coat dry. The girl hugs herself and shivers, missing the warmth of the coat which had kept her toasty in the airy, still warming-up, house.

The kettle is hanging over the fire, the stew in it bubbling; and Wendy is pouring hot cocoa into cups when finally Peter and the boys return, chilled to the bone, their cheeks a rosy pink, and excitement dancing in their eyes.

Exclamations of “Hello, Mother!” fill the air.

“Hello, boys,” she greets them cheerfully. Having finished pouring the cocoa, Wendy returns the teapot to the tiny table against the wall in the “kitchen” and comes to the boys who are speaking over each other, telling about the rest of their day.

“Is that cocoa?” Michael asks, the familiar smell tickling his nose. Then he notices the steaming cups on the tree stump table.

Wendy puts herself between the advancing boys and steaming drink. “First, give me your coats; then go change your clothes and wash up. After that, you may have your cocoa,” she instructs.

In a moment she is laden down with eight damp, heavy bearskin coats. She hardly notices the boys rush off to do her bidding; instead, her eyes search for places to hang the coats so that they may dry. She attempts to hold them with one arm and hand and pick up the top one with the other hand, but discovers it is impossible to do so, as the coats threaten to fall to the dirt floor.

Peter materializes at her elbow. “Do you need help?” he asks quietly, unsure.

Wendy jumps, having forgotten about him. She meets his eyes and trembles slightly under his gaze. There is that light in his eyes again, that look he gave her before. She is aware of the sudden heaviness settling over them. For the moment she tries to shake it off.

“Yes, I’m afraid I do,” she admits.

Peter stands in front of her and easily takes the coats from her. In a short time the coats are hanging on various roots and nooks; and Peter’s coat, now dry, is put away.

“Thank you,” Wendy says, unable to meet his eyes.

Peter nods solemnly, his face troubled.

“You should change out of your wet things; you might catch a chill,” Wendy adds, noticing his soaked pants before she hurries to check on the stew. Why can’t she bring herself to face him?

“Don’t worry; I’ll be fine,” Peter answers, peering over her shoulder as she stirs the soup.

Wendy gasps, unaware he had sneaked up on her and was so close. She glances up to discover his face turned toward her, his piercing eyes watching her. Her hands begin to shake. She turns away and stares intently into the steaming stew.

The boys return, and Wendy moves away from Peter, warning the boys to be careful not to spill their drinks as they sit down at the table. There are sighs of contentment as the boys enjoy their hot drinks. The girl smiles at them before realizing something is amiss.

Her smile disappears, and she fetches another cup which she fills with the last of the cocoa. Wendy shyly offers it to Peter.

The boy hesitates before accepting it. “Thank you, Wendy,” he says graciously.

The two gaze at each other for a moment before Wendy turns away to check the stew one last time and announces supper is ready.

~~~

Wendy rests the pair of pants she is working on over one of the arms of her rocker, unable to concentrate. She watches Peter out of the corner of her eye. He sits on the ground, a foot or so away. His chin rests on his knees, and his arms are wrapped around his legs. He stares at the dancing flames of the fire, still silent as he has been since the meal. The girl sighs; she cannot let the day end with them on such terms.

Suddenly Peter turns his head and looks at Wendy, catching her staring at him. She blushes but does not turn away. Her gaze slips to his golden curls. Slowly she reaches out a hand and gently brushes them with her fingers, a soft smile lighting her face as she does so.

Peter’s eyes widen, and his breath catches in his throat at the feel of her gentle combing of his hair with her fingers; he watches her for a moment before moving, causing her hand to fall away.

Wendy bites her lip and drops her gaze down to her lap, fearing her gesture has been rejected. Before she is allowed to wonder further, Peter settles himself before her feet and lays his head in her lap. A little uncertain, she resumes brushing his hair and sighs in relief as she feels him relax.

A companionable silence circles them as Wendy gathers her courage.

“The boys missed you,” Peters speaks softly.

“And I missed playing with them,” Wendy replies. “They seemed to have enjoyed themselves all the same,” she adds after a pause, remembering the scene when they had returned.

“I didn’t.”

Wendy’s hand grows still; Peter lifts his head and slightly turns his body to look at her.

“You didn’t?” she asks in a near whisper.

The boy shakes his head. Wordlessly, he brushes some hair away from her face, his eyes soft. His other hand comes to rest over hers. Unconsciously, Wendy lowers her head, mesmerized by the silvery pools of Peter’s eyes.

“Wendy…”

The word floats in the air between them before their lips meet for the first time. When Peter withdraws, the disappointment is gone from his face, his eyes shining, and Wendy smiles.

The boy returns his head to the girl’s lap, their fingers laced together still. The unspoken trouble is resolved and forgotten. As they gaze once more into the fire, the flames leap about joyfully for the two reconciled children.

THE END

Chapter One