Lost (Peter Pan x Male Mermaid Reader)

1 - Lost

Neverland. A world of endless clear, starry nights and warm summer days. Sure, it rained. Very rarely did it ever storm, and when it did... Well something always came of it.

Peter sat on the highest limb of the tree, eyes narrowed, watching the clouds. Overcast skies were nothing new, but the look of these clouds... They rolled and rumbled, signaling a coming torrential downpour of rain that threatened to release its wrath upon the inhabitants of Neverland. Ozone hung heavily in the air, and down below the lost boys scrambled to prepare for the hurricane-like winds and pounding droplets. Even the ocean waves, as unpredictable and rowdy as they were, seemed restless. In a matter of moments, the heavens broke open and down came the predicted rainstorm. Peter glanced down at the boys, eyebrow arched as they all ducked for cover in tents, treehouses, lean-tos, and small caverns created by the roots of trees. Lightning crackled across the sky, and one of the youngest boys screamed. Timothy, Pan thought. He'd been terrified of thunderstorms since before he'd come to Neverland. Deciding that the leaves were not sheltering him from the rain enough, Peter teleported easily down to the ground and ducked into the nearest lean-to where Felix was warming his hands over a small fire.

Neither boy said a word as Peter ducked under the low ceiling, and they didn't need to. Felix had been around long enough to sense Pan's moods, and if his latest bouts of anger, constant need to move, and brooding behavior (well, more so than usual at any rate,) was any indication, then Felix's suspicions were correct.

"Restless?" Felix added some grey beard moss to the fire.

The flickering flames sent shadows across Pan's face as he nodded, studying the embers.

"A new boy, maybe?" Felix asked. Whenever Peter got especially bored, he would often send his shadow in search of a new lost boy.

"No..." Peter leaned back leisurely. "I needn't bother with that. This storm will bring something new, I'm sure of it." He listened to the rain drum on the roof. "But I'm becoming impatient with waiting for it..." He murmured beneath his breath.

Unbeknownst to him, the churning sea would bring quite a lot of change indeed.

—

The waves tossed him easily around, despite all his strength. The young boy swam against the swirling current, but the effort exhausted him immensely. He struggled towards the nearest land, a small island with a strange rock formation where torches burned despite the howling, wet winds. His muscles ached under the stress of having been swimming for so long, and he feared what lived in these waters.

At long last he reached the land. He pulled himself up onto the rock outcropping, exhausted. With heavy breaths, he stumbled on the land after so many weeks in the sea. Shaking hands brushed his soaking hair from his eyes, and he gazed around. Too tired to bother with climbing the stone steps leading up into the cavernous rock, the boy curled up in a ball, fatigued beyond belief. Despite the raging storm, he fell fast asleep.

—

Peter glared out at Skull Rock, sulking. It had been nearly a day after the storm, and no sign of anything extraordinary. The sun was setting, and it was nearly dark. Suddenly, he caught a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. There! Out on Skull Rock, he watched as someone dived off an outcropping high above the water into the glistening waves. Then, as that someone came up from the water, he swore he saw a glimpse of sapphire. A tail? No, it wasn't possible. But who was on Skull Rock? Without hesitation, he hurried to find a rowboat.

—

Pan docked the boat and trudged up to the mouth of the skull. It was dark by now, and stars were starting to appear in the sky. There, in the maw of the skull, lay a boy. Hardly ever was he caught off guard, but he was utterly confused as he stared at the body. He lay curled in a ball, wearing nothing but a long man's linen shirt, his H/C hair frizzy from the saltwater. Hesitantly, he bent down and reached out to touch his shoulder.

He was fast asleep.

Muttering a spell to make sure he stayed asleep, he picked the boy up. He couldn't have been more than fourteen or fifteen. He carried him back to the beach and gently laid him in the shallow water, the waves lapping over his legs. Peter watched in fascination as his bare legs melded together and became coated in rows of glittering, sapphire scales. A mermaid?

"What the-"

In an instant he was awake, and he scrambled back from him, pulling on the hem of his shirt. "W-who are you?" His E/C eyes were wide with fear and his blue tail slapped the water.

"Why, I'm Peter." He smiled, slowly approaching him. "Peter Pan."

"I-I'm Y/N." He stared up at him, wary.

Peter could clearly see that he was ready to swim away. He was downright terrified. He could see it in his eyes. "Hey, I'm not going to hurt you."

"Right." The boy shuddered in the cool water as the moon came out from behind some clouds. "And how am I supposed to trust you?"

It was only then that Peter could truly see how tired he was. His cheeks were beginning to hollow- a sure sign that he was starving- and there were dark circles beneath his dull eyes. He was shaking with fear and exhaustion. "Look, I'll make a deal with you." He sighed. "You need food, shelter, and clothes. I'll give you those if you come back to the island with me." He studied his face. He had heard myths before, but... Was it possible?

"Alright." Y/N's voice scattered Pan's thoughts. "I'll go with you." He pulled himself from the water, and his glistening tail morphed back into a pair of legs.

—

"It appears as though I have gotten more than I bargained for." Peter murmured to Felix, casting a glance back to where the boy slept beneath a lean-to. He had nearly collapsed on the boat ride back to the island, and he had been generous enough to let him sleep.

Felix poked the fire, sending sparks into the night air. Everyone else was asleep.

"Peter?" A quiet voice came from behind them, and Pan turned to see Y/N sitting up in his makeshift bed.

"Awake now, are we?"

"Sort of." The boy brushed hair from his eyes.

"Do you know where you are?" Felix asked.

"No." He glanced down at his lap. "I'm afraid I'm... lost."

"Then you'll fit right in." He smirked.