Like Reindeer in the Sky..( Peter/open )

[Eric]

Eric clutched his cloak closer to him while he strode down the streets of London. He had just gotten back from a visit with the Queen, and wanted to explore the city. He'd been here once before with Grimsby, who was a born and bred Englishman, but he loved seeing the sights of the city.

The young king had rediscovered the huge difference between the climate of his native Italy and that of England. Luckily, old Grim had warned him, and he brought a whole trunkload of capes. But he'd brought the capes for a different reason as well.

Exactly four and a half years ago, Eric had come to London with Grimsby and his crew. He'd been roaming the streets when he saw a man beating a dog in an alley. Eric rushed to the furry creature's defense, and the man told him it was none of his business. Eric protested, and the man was getting ready to put him in his place, but the sheepdog bit him in the rear. Eric was able to escape, and the sheepdog followed him aboard the ship. He'd begged Grimsby to keep him, and the older man caved in.

Eric stood mentally reminiscing these events when he suddenly saw a movement on a rooftop above him..

[Peter Pan]

He was being somewhat cat-like, trying to act like the shadow that had escaped him some time ago. But of course, being able to keep his body up in the air, Peter Pan was able to float over the rooftop of an usual visiting spot like a phantom. Night had came to England, which meant that Peter would come to England as well. What had brought him to this particular spot was a certain girl and her stories. These stories were typically about him, so it would be very rude of him to miss out. Actually, he just enjoyed someone speaking of him in such detail, capturing his wonderful profile. It should have cost someone to be entertained so much, but he was already paying every night without being able to take the storyteller with him.

Peter rested up against an edge of the window, a content expression hiding behind the shadow which was cast by the dim moon. This story was the best by far, that being the pattern of the stories-- they always gotten better, especially after he met the girl storyteller. He folded his legs under him, keeping afloat, and placed his hands on his knees. His head would turn slightly to the window, pointed ears trying to catch every word of his fight against a particular pirate captain. The story did eventually come to an end, leaving Peter to grin from ear to ear. He straightened out his legs and gave his arms a stretch, yawning without covering his mouth.

Absently, Peter looked downward, only to pause for a moment to realise that someone was looking at him. Or was it that whoever it was, was gazing up at the sky? The boy looked up, being able to see the stars and believing that this was what was getting the stranger's attention. Though when he looked back down, Peter was under the impression the male down below was looking at him. It was hard to say, Peter being obnoxious enough not to take a look at the man. Not like there was anything chipped off his shoulder, the boy yawning again. He lightly bumped into the roof before making an action to take off. Instead, the ginger was caught by surprise, clothes having snagged on a sharp point of the roof.

The boy blinked, struggling against whatever was keeping him captive. Being a boy, of course he was not going to try to be reasonable and lightly figure out how to get his shirt free. And also with being a boy, he wacked his head against the roof which caught him off balance. The edge of Peter's green shirt ripped and he ended up slipping and falling off the roof. It was, to say the least, shocking. Peter Pan was not the sort of boy to be ungraceful, so the hit of the head made him wonder what was happening and why he was so off.

[Eric]

At first, Eric paid little attention to what he had seen. It was probably just a cat or something. He turned around and continued walking down the street, playing his fife softly. He'd been playing the fife since age six. It calmed his nerves, and he just found it downright fun.

After a few minutes the prince-turned-king looked up at the stars and leaned against the wall of a building. It was a beautiful night. Sometimes he'd just go out on the balcony in his room and stare up at the stars as he listened to the waves crash against the shore. The thought of this made him somewhat homesick.

Eric sighed and was about to get up when he heard this ripping sound. He instinctively whirled around to face the rooftop he'd been staring at just a few moments ago. He saw a silhouette of a figure hanging from the roof and a few seconds later it fell.

Eric ran toward the figure and examined him. He looked like a boy no older than fourteen. Wonder what he's doing roaming the streets this late.. he thought to himself. Instead, he said, "Hey are you okay?"

[Peter Pan]

Peter was now on his back, feeling as though he was seeing stars right in front of his brown eyes-- and were those flying crocodiles? He was unable to truly detect the figure hovering over him, the boy trying to get his thoughts together and try to make an escape. Surely there was a chance that Wendy Darling's 'mother' could catch him out here, whatever that would mean. Too bad that he was not able to get up and grab common sense; now the boy was too concentrated on answering the...whoever-- whatever it was.

"Y-Yes Tink, I want you to get Cubby out of the hole..."

It was all completely nonsense, no true thoughts behind the whole thing. Peter Pan just needed to get away and now was a rather good option. This was unlike him, so Peter was not completely aware how to act in response. He made an effort to push himself up, hands grasping at the ground. His mind was starting to respond somewhat, trying to focus on getting away. Whoever this person was, it was not anyone he knew-- Wendy did not have such a horribly deep voice. A hand left the ground to touch the crown of his sore head, Peter blinking rapidly.

Okay, he had sight in both of his eyes now. Time to dash. The boy pulled himself of the ground, tripping over his feet and falling to his knees. Ha, this game was now over. Where the heck was Tinkerbell?

[Eric]

"Y-Yes Tink, I want you to get Cubby out of the hole..."

Eric raised an eyebrow as the boy spoke. He had no idea what he was talking about. All he heard was something about 'thinking', a 'tub', and a hole. Or at least that's what he thought he'd heard."Uh..are you sure you're alright?" he repeated, holding out a hand to help the kid up.

He supposed that it made sense for the boy to be uttering gibberish. He had taken quite a fall, after all. He watched as he stood to his feet, and withdrew his hand. A few seconds later he was down again. "Whoa..whoa..take it easy. Maybe you should rest a bit." Eric suggested as he knelt down beside the boy.

Eric looked back up at the rooftop the boy had apparently been standing on not that long ago. That was a pretty bad fall. "Anything broken?" the king asked. Eric didn't see anything out of the ordinary, but it was dark, and there always was the possibility that he'd gotten hurt.

[Peter Pan]

Peter instantly pulled at his hat, trying to conceal his ears. Senses starting to become a bit more sharper, he was able to see the whoever it was--thing-- person was. Frankly, this did not seem to be the sort of person who believed-- and he was grown up. There was no reason why Peter would try to enforce some sort of explanation, either. This could result in some sort of destruction of him or something. It was really time to go, he had lingered long enough; he had been thinking too much on his location and what was right in front of him.

He tried to get himself to his feet again, hands continuing to cling to his hat, eyes slightly narrowed in the direction of the stranger. Well, the person couldn't be all that bad if he was not trying to kill Peter or fling him to the third star to the far left. With no doubt, he was perplexed and under the odd impression that he was not able to float up into the sky. An effort was made to ignore the man further, but Peter did like to act a bit pompous...even if he did not really know he was acting in such a manner.

It was kind of useless at this point, he would eventually actually have to take some sort of action?

"Tink--?!" Peter began to call out, falling again with a bit of a scowl and finally turning his attention to the stranger, "Broken? What? What's there to break?"

[Eric]

Instead of answering him, the boy merely pulled his hat over his ears. Eric watched as he examined him silently. He wondered why he wasn't talking. Maybe he was mute like Ariel had been at one time? Or perhaps he was just afraid. Eric smiled in a friendly manner before saying, "I'm not going to hurt you, I'd like to help."

"Tink--?!"

"Tink? Who's Tink?" Eric asked, utterly perplexed. He could talk all right. And he seemed to be paying no attention to the king now, and he was more than a little annoyed. He decided not to be too judgemental, as he may very well have given the poor kid a fright.

"Broken? What? What's there to break?"

The question took Eric off guard."Well..your bones. You took quite a tumble back there..you could have broken an arm or a leg. Though I doubt it, since you seem fine, after all." The man looked the boy over again. He sure was dressed strangely. "Where are your parents? Wouldn't they be worried about you?"

[Peter Pan]

"I'm not going to hurt you, I'd like to help."

"Help? That's what a lot of people say and then they just decide they wanna go home," mumbled Peter, remembering the short time he had spent with Wendy Darling.

He would have used a hand to rub his hand, but he wasn't sure it was such a good idea to let go of the hat. Though it did appear dark enough, so maybe a short moment of having his guard down would not be too bad. From what he was able to see, Peter felt this man was not much of a threat. He would only take it to heart if he shoved a hook up his face and started screaming at the top of his lungs for vengence.

"Tink? Who's Tink?"

"Tink...?" he repeated, slowly, "uh...she's my friend. It's funny, she's always with me. I don't see where she would have gone off to. I don't think you would know her if you've seen her. She's...different."

And now Peter would have to do more talking. It did remind him more of the Darling girl; too much talking and no possible chance of 'escaping.' Though he probably had to keep this person somewhat busy with his small talk, then he would surely would have to leave Peter alone.

"Well..your bones. You took quite a tumble back there..you could have broken an arm or a leg. Though I doubt it, since you seem fine, after all."

"Where are your parents? Wouldn't they be worried about you?"

"Arm or leg? Hah, I don't think that will happen to me. Ever. Hasn't managed in the past. But how do you know if you did break something--? Parents? Ha! I hardly know the meaning of parents."

[Eric]

"Help? That's what a lot of people say and then they just decide they wanna go home,"

Eric frowned and studied the young boy carefully. He seemed to be upset about something, but he decided not to pry. Though he still did want to know one thing. "What are you doing out here, anyway? Isn't it a little late?" Of course, Eric was walking around as well, but he'd never seen someone this young skipping on rooftops or whatever he was doing at this hour.

"uh...she's my friend. It's funny, she's always with me. I don't see where she would have gone off to. I don't think you would know her if you've seen her. She's...different."

"Oh I see." Eric replied pensively. "Well..I could help you look for her if you'd like." he suggested, trying to be helpful. Besides, he wasn't about to let the boy wander the streets of London alone. It was dangerous.

"Arm or leg? Hah, I don't think that will happen to me. Ever. Hasn't managed in the past. But how do you know if you did break something--? Parents? Ha! I hardly know the meaning of parents."

"That's what I said until I had a sailing accident a few years back." Eric grimaced as he remembered the painful ordeal. They'd been trying to escape from a rather nasty group of pirates, and Eric had gotten tangled up in the rigging. He fell, broke his arm, and had been confined to quarters for a week. But that wasn't nearly as bad as the fight with Ursula. That had him in bed for three weeks. The boy's mention of parents snapped Eric out of his thoughts. "You mean..you're an orphan?"

[Peter Pan]

"What are you doing out here, anyway? Isn't it a little late?"

Peter let out a laugh, letting go of his hat and allowing it to simply rest on his head. With no doubt, adults seemed to have asked plenty of questions. He was starting to believe that grown ups and girls were related despite the fact the idea disgusted him slightly. Adults typically acted all high and mighty, but they did not know too much. Heck, they didn't know anything.

"Not where I live, no. It's morning there, you know?" the red head paused for a second, taking the man's offer into consideration of finding his little friend, quickly refusing and beginning to insist, "Tink knows her way home, she doesn't need to be looked for. She is quite a smart one. She's been here before-- she'll pop up soon enough."

"That's what I said until I had a sailing accident a few years back....You mean...you're an orphan?"

The boy huffed, appearing to be annoyed like not too long ago. He made more effort to get up, but simply failed. He didn't know what was wrong, so why should this stranger?

"I can easily avoid accidents, just 'cause. Aww, you wouldn't get it. You're a grown up." Peter remarked, crossing his arms over his chest. "An orphan? Guess I couldn't argue with that, could I? But not really, Tink took care of me and that is enough."

[Eric]

"Not where I live, no. It's morning there, you know?"

"Oh I see. You're not a London native, I see."He supposed he should have assumed that. He didn't have an accent like Grimsby or most of the citizens did. "I'm not either. I'm from Italy, actually."The king declared.

"Tink knows her way home, she doesn't need to be looked for. She is quite a smart one. She's been here before-- she'll pop up soon enough."

"Well, at least allow me to accompany you until you find her. It's dangerous out here this late. Believe me, I know." He did know. He'd had his fair share of encounters with the less-than-savory types in many towns he'd visited at night.

"I can easily avoid accidents, just 'cause. Aww, you wouldn't get it. You're a grown up."

Eric laughed a little. "Believe me, I got into my fair share of accidents at your age. Still do, I guess."

"An orphan? Guess I couldn't argue with that, could I? But not really, Tink took care of me and that is enough."

"Oh..I'm sorry. My parents died when I was a kid, too. But Grimsby..well, he's my caretaker, raised me. Is Tink your guardian?"

[Peter Pan]

"I'm not either. I'm from Italy, actually."

Peter blinked in question and then went on, slowly, "I think I went there once-- Italy. This is my favourite place now. There's this girl who tells stories , so I go to her house everytime they have their night. I brought her with me once, so she could tell my men stories but she insisted on coming back home."

Now he looked frustrated, rubbing his head. He kept his gaze down for a moment, only to roll his eyes somewhat in response to what the man had to say about those little dangers of the night. Grown ups really had no clue about anything and this fact was showing itself so brightly that it was greatly annoying.

"No, she will be fine," Peter argued, looking up to glare at the stranger, "she doesn't need any of your help--what?" He broke off in surprise to the final thing the man had to say, beginning to glare, "Die? Die? What? No. My mother simply didn't want me. And she isn't. I told you she is my friend."

[Eric]

"I think I went there once-- Italy. This is my favourite place now. There's this girl who tells stories , so I go to her house everytime they have their night. I brought her with me once, so she could tell my men stories but she insisted on coming back home."

"Did you enjoy your stay? There are so many great things about Italy--the ocean, the sky, the people.."Suddenly he started to feel homesick. "So where are you from, then?"


"No, she will be fine,"

Eric shrugged. The kid was stubborn, that was clear. "If you say so." He wasn't going to twist his arm. But he did want to help him. He seemed nice enough in his own way.

"Die? Die? What? No. My mother simply didn't want me. And she isn't. I told you she is my friend."

"Didn't want you?"Eric asked quietly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."the young man apologized. "I'm Eric by the way."he extended a hand for the boy to shake.

[Peter Pan]

"Did you enjoy your stay? There are so many great things about Italy--the ocean, the sky, the people...So where are you from, then?"

It was official and it would never be brought up again-- this man asked too many questions. Almost like a little girl who was trying to harass Santa Clause for his address and wouldn't go home until she could recite it backwards. But whatever kept the man happy; goodness, maybe if Peter gave a bit more information, the man may start to get the picture and realise who he was. Though he did not know who Tink was...

"Eh, I don't remember it too much now. All I really like down here is where Wendy is," the ginger said, "there was no girl in Italy who was able to tell stories...or believed too much. Where am I from?"

Peter instantly jumped to his feet, pointing out at the sky, "Second star to the right, straight on 'til morning. Doubt you ev--"

He fell on his face, slowly beginning to believe that this whole breaking of the bone thing turned out to be real. Oh please, why did the adult have to turn out to be right for this encounter. Peter coughed, pushing himself back onto his backside, hat having fallen off and revealing the bright hair and pointy ears (this failed to catch his attention).

"Didn't want you? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

A ginger eyebrow was cocked as he scoffed, "I don't need her, where ever she may be. Really, don't pity me because I didn't have something that I didn't and still don't miss."

"I'm Eric by the way."

There was a sense of surprise, Peter staring right at Eric's hand. He only continued to stare at it, not quite sure what to do with it.

"...Peter Pan."

[Eric]

"Eh, I don't remember it too much now. All I really like down here is where Wendy is,"

"Wendy? Another friend of yours?" The young man asked. Yes, he knew he was asking a lot of questions, but the boy was rather peculiar. And it wasn't simply how he was dressed. No parents, no family, jumping rooftops at ten o'clock at night..it was all too...unusual.

"there was no girl in Italy who was able to tell stories...or believed too much. Where am I from?"

"Well there are lots of stories..not all of them are told by girls..but the sailors--they tell excellent stories about the merpeople and King Triton.." Except they weren't exactly stories--they were the truth for the most part. He'd heard the stories about the legendary King of the Sea since he was a boy. Little did he know that Triton would one day be his father-in-law.

"Second star to the right, straight on 'til morning. Doubt you ev--"

Eric raised an eyebrow at this. "As in..in the sky?"

"I don't need her, where ever she may be. Really, don't pity me because I didn't have something that I didn't and still don't miss."

It wasn't so much that he pitied the boy, it was just that Eric could somewhat relate. He'd had to grow up without his mother as well. And eventually his father. But he had two wonderful surrogate parents--Grimsby and Carlotta--who had looked after him. "Well..if there is anything I can do for you..please, don't hesitate to let me know." As a king, he did have resources. He could ensure the boy received an education, and went into whatever profession he wished to go to.

"...Peter Pan."

Eric smiled a little when he saw the confused look on Peter's face. "You shake it."