Forever In Neverland
Chapter Four
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Naked bonding...
--
Upon realizing that I'd been about to bump my nose on the ceiling, the memories of the dream had vanished and I dropped like a stone back onto the cot.
“It just never quits with you, does it?!” Tinker Bell scolded as she hovered over the bed. “You've been here less then a day and you're already breaking rules left and right!”
“Well I'm not doing this stuff on purpose!” I shot back irritably as I rubbed my now sore backside. Tinker Bell paused and chewed on her lip for a moment before hovering down to land on my chest.
“What were you thinking about when you were flying?”
“What the hell does that matter?”
“Just answer the question, dummy!” she shouted, tapping her foot impatiently. I quirked an eyebrow at the fairy girl for a moment before sighing and leaning my head back.
“I dunno... I was just remembering a dream I had is all.”
“What kind of dream?” I started to protest again but paused at the sound of her cracking her knuckles. Remembering how hard she could kick I decided not to press my luck.
“A dream about Wendy, we were flying through the clouds together.”
“So it was a happy dream then?”
“Happiest I can ever recall having.” Tinker Bell tucked her chin in her hand and began to pace around my chest. After a while she paused and turned to me.
“Do you think you could remember it again?”
“I don't think I'll ever forget a dream like that, it felt so real...” I said, smiling at the memory of it. She let out a deep sigh and stomped up to lean on my chin.
“Guess there's no way around it then... I swear you'll be the death of me!” she shouted, flying down to tug a finger. She managed to pull me off the bed and proceeded to drag me towards the door I hadn't opened.
“No way around what? Where are you taking me?”
“Outside. I'm going to teach you how to fly...”
--
Three days of crashing into trees and falling on my ass passed by in a miserable haze. I quickly learned that aimlessly drifting while relaxed and conscious, controlled, flight were completely different things. To make matters worse even my dreams seemed to be working against me. It was becoming harder and harder to pick out my happy thought from the dreams of Wendy miserable and alone... or worse, being haunted by some shadowy figure...
--
“Hey, Tink, why are you even teaching me how to do this?” I managed to groan, glancing at her basket from the cot.
“Would you rather I left you to float randomly without any control over it?” she muttered.
“That's not an answer.” I heard her sigh before her head peaked over the rim.
“A couple different reasons.”
“Like?” She sighed again and flew down to land on my chest.
“Convenience for one. We're going to be covering a lot of ground once you start to get involved with things around here, being able to fly will make you a lot more useful.”
“What else?” I asked, putting my hands behind my head and scooting back a bit to get more comfortable.
“Well the next one's kind of a surprise I'm saving for tomorrow so you'll just have to wait on that one,” she said, smiling mischievously. I rolled my eyes as she lay down on my chest in much the same position I was in. “Then there's curiosity of course. I've never even heard of a human that could fly, not even in the old stories. You're a mystery, Petra... but a welcome one,” she murmured quietly with a hint of embarrassment in her voice.
“I'm happy then... you know, that I'm not such a bother. You sounded so frustrated before.”
“It's not every day a girl who can talk to you, see Fairy Dust, and fly drops into your lap!”
“I'd hope not, girl your size would be smashed flat if I fell in your lap.” She uncrossed her legs and dug one of her heels into my chest.
“Oh shut up you, you know what I meant!” I grinned and tickled her side with the tip of my finger, giggling at the sound of faraway bells in my head. She managed to break away and hover out of reach, glaring down at me with rosy cheeks from her unwilling laughter.
“Easy now, Tink. I'm grateful, I swear!” I said, scooting backwards in mock fear. Her glare gradually broke into a smile and she floated back down to my chest.
“You're horrible!” she huffed, crossing her arms and turning away from me. The memory of Wendy doing the exact same thing brought on a mixture of joy and sadness.
“Didn't even have to steal a kiss from you...” I said quietly
“W-What?!” she stammered, her blush deepening several shades.
“Nothing, just something I remembered.” Tinker Bell looked at me curiously for a moment before laying down fully on my chest.
“Did you love her?” she asked after a while. I smiled.
“Well I only knew her for about an hour but... maybe. I can't get her out of my head even when I'm asleep, it's like we're connected or something.” I let out a long, slow, sigh. “I wish I could see her again... even if just for a little bit to tell her what's happened...”
“That's one rule you shouldn't break even if you could... it's dangerous to cross to the other world, even for a fairy. For you it would probably be suicide.” I noticed a sort of dreamy quality had entered into her voice and realized she was falling asleep.
“I really am grateful, Tink. I'd be lost without you.”
“I'm grateful too, Petra... it's been so long...” she let out a long, sleepy, yawn, “so long since I've been able... to... laugh...” she murmured, just before drifting off. I frowned as my mind pieced together all that I knew about the fairy girl.
“You must have been so lonely...” I whispered, tugging the neckline of my shirt out from under her body to bring it up over her as a makeshift blanket. “Goodnight, Tinker Bell...”
--
I woke to find a cool ocean breeze tickling my face and, upon cracking open one sleepy eye, a veritable feast of fruits and vegetables on a plater atop the desk. Curious, I felt my chest for the fairy girl and found her missing.
“Tink?” I questioned to the empty apartment, receiving no response. Shrugging it off, I rose to a sitting position and crossed my legs. Focusing to rid myself of the butterflies that began to flutter, I focused my thoughts on Wendy's smiling face and gently lifted free of the bed. I couldn't help but smile at the sheer liberation that weightlessness offered.
“You're getting better.” My eyes snapped opened in surprise and I dropped from the air, thankfully landing on the bed rather than the stone floor. The sound of Tinker Bell's laughter filled my ears. “But you still have a ways to go,” she giggled.
“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up while you can. Once I can fly like you I can tickle you as much as I please!” I shouted, shaking my fist at her. She smiled at me for a moment before turning her face away and lowering her eyes. “Something wrong?”
“I... I wanted to say I'm sorry for last night. It was wrong of me to fall asleep on you like that,” she murmured.
“Is that why you brought me this?” I asked, nodding toward the tray of food. She nodded shyly. “You didn't have to do that, Tink, it didn't bother me at all. You don't exactly weigh a whole lot, ya know?” She chewed her lip a little before turning to face me.
“You... you're really not upset?”
“Not in the least,” I said, grinning broadly when she offered me a small smile. I took a seat at the desk and sifted through the pile, finding a few familiar looking pieces amid the new and sometimes obscure looking vegetation. “A girl could definitely get used to this though, I haven't eaten this good since before mom left!” She fluttered down to the table and picked up a berry the size of her head.
“Really? What kind of stuff did you eat?” she asked before taking a large bite and chewing slowly.
“Cabbage soup mostly, but sometimes they gave us bread.” Tinker Bell wrinkled her nose and swallowed.
“Sounds gross, did nobody else in your family like to cook or...” she paused upon seeing the look on my face.
“I didn't have a family, I'd been living on the streets for a couple years.”
“I'm sorry... I didn't know.” I gave her a small smile.
“Don't be, I chose it because it was the better option. Besides, if I hadn't I never would have met Wendy... and maybe I wouldn't have met you either!” The grape fell from her hands and she nervously picked it back up.
“No... you probably wouldn't have,” she said sadly.
“But I am here, Tink, and unless you plan on making me leave or something I'm here to stay.” The fairy girl gave me a shy smile and nodded.
“I'd like that, Petra, I really would...” she said as the two of us settled in to enjoy our breakfast.
--
Finding myself in the depths of the forest was more frightening than I had imagined. I'd been surprised when we hadn't stopped at the rim to practice flying as usual and to make matters worse, Tinker Bell was being unusually secretive about where we were going. The interior of the forest was dark and creepy with an ever present moaning sound from the trees swaying in the wind. Then there were the little bits of movement I'd catch out of the corner of my eye from time to time. From what little I'd seen of the varied animals that inhabited Neverland, I really wasn't looking forward to happening upon the ones that hunted them...
--
“This is murder!” I gasped, leaning on my knees and gasping for air. Tinker Bell came to hover in front of my face and stuck her tongue out at me.
“Guess you should learn to fly a little faster then, now shouldn't you?” she teased before flitting off through the trees.
“If only to wipe the smug look from your face you little...”
“And here we are!” she shouted from up ahead. I lifted off my knees and wiped my brow. I'd always prided myself on keeping fit but the hike through the forest had taken a brutal toll on my already battered body. The sight of a few waning cracks of light from ahead just barely brought enough relief from the gloomy forest to motivate me to push through the remaining distance. The beads of sweat running down my body seemed to double instantly as I stepped from the forest and into a thick cloud of steam.
“The hell is this?” I called out through the mist, frowning as my clothes sucked onto my body from the moisture.
“It's a hot spring, silly!” she shouted happily as she flew into view and landed on my shoulder.
“This was your big secret? I don't see what this has to do with flying...”
“We're just stopping here on our way to where we're going, dummy!”
“Uh huh... and why exactly are we stopping here?” I asked suspiciously. She lifted off my shoulder and hovered in front of my face.
“Take a wild guess,” she giggled before flitting off through the haze.
“Hey! What's that supposed to...” I paused for a second before leaning down to sniff at my shoulder. “Oh... I see... hey wait a second! You saying I stink that bad!” I shouted and started after her, the sound of bells greeted me from the mist. “I'll get you, you little...”
“Careful not to fall!” she called out an instant before I stumbled and flailed head first into a pool of steaming water.
“Hot! Hot! Shit that's hot!” I shouted after bursting to the surface, hopping around like a mad woman. The sound of her laughter brought me back to my senses, my eyes narrowing when I discovered her rolling around on the edge of the pool holding her sides. I peeled off my wet clothes and tossed the trousers onto the rocks but paused a moment with my shirt before grinning and lobbing it at her, the material fanning out to land on her like a giant wet blanket. I threw my head back and crowed with laughter as she struggled to free herself, a long series of her choice curses filling my mind. Finally throwing off the soaked material she locked me with foul glare.
“You dummy! You could have killed me with... with your... your...” I paused in my mirth to see her staring at me with a vacant look on her face.
“Something wrong?” I asked, just as a cool breeze wafted through the area and reminded me of my nudity. With a yelp I covered myself and sank down into the water. “Enjoying the view, were we?” I asked, cocking one eyebrow at the still stunned fairy girl, she shook her head to clear it.
“I'm sorry! It's just... I've never seen a naked human before...”
“And?” I asked, somewhat self consciously.
“You really do look just like a fairy... only bigger and without the wings of course,” she said, blushing brightly. I offered a shy smile and motioned with my head.
“Aren't you gonna join me?” She shook her head nervously.
“Fairy's don't swim so well, our wings get water logged and we sink. It's... I'm kind of afraid of the water.”
“Well I'm not going to just stand here and let you drown or something! Come on in, the water actually feels really good!”
“I've always wanted to go in the hot spring... you promise you'll save me?” I thought about making a sarcastic remark but decided against it, this was obviously something that really bothered her so I simply smiled and nodded. Chewing on her lip, she reached for the bust of her dress but paused and looked at me.
“Go on, turn around!” I put my hands on my hips and looked at her skeptically.
“Oh, so you're the only one allowed to be curious?” She simply glared at me for a moment so I shook my head and turned around. After a moment I heard the quiet drip sound that signaled she'd entered the water and turned to witness the adorable sight of her wading towards me.
“Wow, this really is nice!” she squeaked excitedly. “Up until now I've only sat on the edge and...” her eyes went wide as she started to tilt backwards in the water as her wings weighed her down. I quickly reached out to scoop the thrashing fairy out of the water. “Help! Help me I'm...” she paused upon realizing she was free from the pool and lowered her eyes ashamedly. I thought for a moment on how to remedy the situation and grinned before breaking into a fit of giggles. “I know it must seem stupid to you but it really...” she paused upon seeing me pointing at her with my free hand. “What's so funny?”
“Naked fairy,” I said, breaking into outright laughter as she looked down, shrieked, and quickly crossed her arms and legs to cover herself. She tried her best to glare at me through her blush before losing out and turning away.
“Did Wendy know how big of a pervert you are!” she shouted ruefully as I lowered her enough to allow her to wade in the pool while still supporting her.
“She would have if I was lucky enough,” I said, still chuckling to myself as I settled into the water. Looking around, I realized the breeze from before had cleared away a good amount of steam to reveal that the hot springs sat near the edge of a plateau overlooking the ocean. “Absolutely stunning!” I exclaimed as my eyes drank in the sheer majesty that Neverland had to offer.
“You really think so?” Tinker Bell asked shyly.
“Of course I think...” I paused, realizing she thought I'd been talking about her. Grinning mischievously, I lowered myself in the water so we were eye to eye. “Oh yes, even prettier than the dolls the really rich girls used to tease me with. Looks like I showed them, eh? So much prettier and she can talk and fly and do all kinds of adorable things!” I'd never in my life seen anyone look as pleased with their self as Tinker Bell did just then.
“No wonder that Wendy girl took to you so quickly... you're quite the charmer, aren't you?”
“I guess I am!” I said with a laugh, only to stop as a distant sound caught my attention. “Is that... drums?” I asked, catching the steady, thumping rhythm and following it out over the ocean to a small brown dot.
“D-Drums?” Tink asked, her voice quavering in my mind.
“Yeah, I think there's a ship out there!” I exclaimed, squinting to take in the approaching vessel. Sure enough the sails and bulk of what must have been a gargantuan ship came slowly into view.
“Lift me up, I need to see!” Tinker Bell shouted, flailing at the water to try and break free of the surface. I quickly scooped the fairy girl up and pointed to where the ship had been... only to find my finger tracing upwards as the ship lifted from the water to drift into the sky in a slow, lazy circle. “Oh no! What are they doing here?!” Her panic quickly became my own and I found my heart thumping in my chest in rhythm with the drum beats.
“What is it Tink? Who...” the question died on my lips as the drums suddenly ceased, the world around us falling silent for several seconds before an unbearably loud wailing sound tore through the air as a massive, swirling black hole punctured the sky. Clapping my hands over my ears, I watched the ship sail heedlessly into the opening which quickly closed behind it, leaving the sky as clear and empty as it had been moments before. I sank into the water on weak knees, forgetting the need to keep Tinker Bell afloat. The fairy girl sputtered and thrashed her way over to latch onto my arm. I looked down in a daze to find her staring up at me with terrified eyes, lower lip trembling. “What... What just happened? W-Who was that?” She closed her eyes and hugged tightly to my arm.
“Pirates...”