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About Crocodiles and Other Strange Creatures	By : matyasadina Category: M through R > Peter Pan > Slash Views: 3770 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Peter Pan, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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- 1-About Crocodiles and Other Strange Creatures
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Title: About Crocodiles and Other Strange Creatures
Author: Dina
Pairing: None. A Hook and Pan story, Gen
Raiting: PG
Summary: Two enemies make an uneasy truce and maybe friendship.
Disclaimer: I do not own these charachters but I don’t make any profit from this, so don’t hurt me
AN: All my gratitude goes to LAurel, who was kind enough to beta this story, making it much better than it previously was. All the remaining mistakes are mine. This is my first fanfic ever, please be gentle with me.
I know the raiting it too low, but I plan to write a sequel where will be actual Hook/Pan slash with R or Nc-17 raiting

In the begining, the weather in Neverland was always shifting between cloudy and stormy, depending upon Peter’s mood. When it was close to what the adults in the Real World would call depression, it was rainy and grey, but when his rage was sparked by a new flame, it became positively thunderous. However, nowadays it was neither; nowadays Peter was simply bored.

Really, thought Peter as he floated lazily through the pink clouds, there must be something interesting on this island that I haven’t seen yet - or done yet or fought yet. But a sad state of affairs had existed since the Lost Boys and the Pirates had disappeared and there just wasn’t much interesting left for him to experience. Oh, Peter supposed that he could go to the Indians, as they always welcomed him, and he could have a nice long chat with one of the warriors. But since the Great and Final Fight –as he liked to refer to the day when they finally get rid of the scoundrels of Neverland- he spent a lot of time with them, and he supposed he had told all of his adventures to them already (and some of them probably more than once). He had also tried to invite some of the younger ones to play, to fight, to go and discover something, anything. He even offered to teach them how to fly, but they weren’t interested. They said they didn’t have the time for such childish things.

After he gave up on the Indians, Peter tried the mermaids. True, they had never been much fun, but he hoped that at least they could have a nice, longumegument over whether the sea around the island was their exclusive territory, or belonged to him as the Lord of Neverland and therefore he had the right to swim there as well.(Peter had an affinity for dramatic names too.) But as it turned out, the merpeople were so annoyed with him over something – probably his refusal to let them pull Wendy into the water - that they didn’t respond any more when he called them.

If Peter was honest with himself- and it happened from time to time- he had to confess that he missed the Lost Boys something awful. And it was not just that he didn’t have anybody to boss around. No, it was a deeper loneliness. They were his friends after all. But he no longer had them because they had all left him here ALONE , left him so they could grow up. The familiar anger flashed within him, but it soon died. There really wasn’t any point in it, as there weren’t even any pirates left to express it upon via an impromptu attack or battle.

Maybe, thought Peter, I should visit them. They were probably at Wendy’s house, and he had known the way there very well, as he had visited it a thousand times. But the prospect of seeing Weagaiagain was also painful to him. What if she had aged so much that Peter wouldn’t be able to recognise her? Or if she had forgotten him already? Or just wouldn’t be happy to see him? Peter sighed. These weren’t the real reasons why he didn’t want to go back out to the Real World any more, and he knew it. He just simply didn’t take rejection well. Additionally, his feelings towards Wendy were extremely confused. Once while he was flying over London, he had heard the phrase ’Women are nothing but trouble’ At the time, he didn’t really understand the words, but now he supposed it was a very truthfull statement. Wendy had awakened a variety of strange feelings in his body and heart. Peter, who had lived too long among fairies-who were so small they could hold only one emotion at one time- wasn’t used to so many peculiar feelings. He was a boy who loved adventures and the thrill of fighting with his enemies, and before this whole mess he didn’t even known much else. Previously, life had been very simple, but the introduction of Wendy had made it much more complex.

So maybe it wasn’t a surprise that when he spotted and recognised the lone figure sitting on a jagged, coastal rock staring melacholically at the sea, he hadn’t become furious. He also wasn’t outraged that the bastard was still alive, despite Peter’s efforts to send him after the clock into the crocodile’s stomach. Yes, he was suprised, but he also felt a pleasant thrill not unlike the one when Wendy had given him the thimble. (Or kissed him as he heard Wendy’s brothers refer to it- he was a little confused about what kissing really meant.) Whatever it could be called, it remained one of the most pleasant experiences in his life, so he found it really strange, that the sight of his arch-enemy made him feel similarly confused inside.

Hoping that Hook hadn’t noticed him, he quickly hid behind a cloud and then taken his binoculars from his belt to examine the pirate more closely.

Hook was now a peculiar sight, not the dandy he had always seen before. As Peter hadn’tt tt this happy in a long time, he supposed he could be generous and conclude that the Captain’s appearance was still pretty good for someone who had been eaten by a crocodile.

Hook’s clothing was so torn and dirty that it was impossible to determine what colour it had been originally. His hair was lank and only a tiny bit wavy, not at all the curly mane Peter was used to seeing adorn Hook’s head. His face was unshaven and dirty, his once luxurious mustache and beard now dishevelled. The boy king of Neverland didn’t think he ever seen a more heartening sight than this filthy human being.

Hoping that by some miracle Hook would be simililarly happy to see him, he left his hiding place, and landed directly in front of the rock’s occupant. Hook, who immediately snapped up his head, stared at Peter with disgust, fear and loathing simultaneously mixed in his blue eyes. Peter now found it hard to stay on the ground, and wasn’t that great? Since That Day he had needed Fairy Powder to fly, but it now seemed all his happy memories had returned once again to propel him above the earth.

So Peter had just stood there for a moment, hands on hips, grinning idiotically while Hook slowly straightened up. Peter tried to make his voice stern but hadn’t really succeeded at it as he asked, "So, how come you are still alive? Even the crocodile couldn’t stomach you?"

The pirate just lifted his right hand and displayed his hook, which was covered in blood---and an assortment of what resembled pieces of meat.

Peter grimaced, tried to find his voice, failed, and tried again, this time with more success.

"Poor old sod. Ummm…Did you find the watch by any chance? I would really like to keep it…as a souvenir you know…for the sake of good old times…"

"Idiot” The pirate’s voice was rather hoarse, as if he had been screaming a lot lately. Peter tried to repress his grin. "Give me a reason why I shouldn’t gut you, too?”

Peter had meant to say something like, ’How could a man as old as you catch me?’ but somehow what come out of his mouth was,"You would be terribly lonely here all alone. Believe me. I know.”

Hook was looking at him rather oddly, but he couldn’t really explain why he had made that particular statement. Peter went and sat on another nearby rock, and much to his surprise the Captain joined him after a moment. Together they watched the sea in silence. The pirate’s expression was grim, but Peter was still grinning. It was strange, Peter reflected, that before this unexpected encounter, the words ’peace’ and ’silence’ weren’t phrases he had considered really positive. Oddly enough, this strange truce with his old enemy was one of the best events of his life.

***

They had been sitting there for awhile, when Hook turned to him, and suddenly asked, as if he was merely continuing a conversation, "And what have you done with my ship?”

As Peter had the bad habit of forgetting aboutngs ngs which didn’t directly concern him, he had to think about it for a bit, and then said a little guiltily,

"Umm… I’m afraid I left it in London.”

"You left it…in London?”

"Yep”

"You had the nerve to take MY ship away? And then lose it?” Hook’s eyes flashed dangerously, so Peter began to slowly and carefully edge away from him. Suddenly Peter felt a need to become extremely cautious - and rightly so as it turned out, because the pirate abruptly moved towards him, his hook lifted in preparation to slash.

Peter jumped to his feet, ready to fight, though he uncharacterically tried to talk himself out of the unavoidable. After all, he had just gotten back his enemy, it wouldn’t do if he had to kill him - again.

But the Captain obviously wasn’t in the mood to talk or even listen to him. Hook immediately attackith ith his hook. He didn’t seem to have any more weapons on or with him- Peter easily dodged the vicious swipe Hook made towards him.

"Listen, Hook…” cried Peter, and was almost impaled with a savage cut aimed at his stomach. But the Captain’s movements lacked his usual gracefulness. He seemed to go mad in a split second, his eyes flashing red, his breath heaving, an explosion of temper preventing theesseesse needed to successfully complete the attack.

Though the fierceness of the attack surprised Peter at first, Hook was no match for him in this state. Peter didn’t even need to pull out his dagger. At the first opportunity Peter got under the pirate’s arm and shoved him hard on the chest. The older man fell with a shout from the rock and on to the sand of the coast. Hook landed so hard all the air left his lungs and he couldn’t move for a moment. This was enough time for Peter to jump onto him and hold down his arms.

"Kill me, Pan” Hook panted. "Finish your work” When Peter didn’t move he then shouted "What are you waiting for? I can’t possibly fight any more in this state!”

Peter shook his head, "I no longer want to kill you Hook” He debated if he should let go of the pirate’s wrist, but just to be on the safe side decided against it. "I’m actually sort of glad you’re here.”

Confusion was mirrored in the pirate’s eyes and on his face. This was understandable really, when one’s enemy of forever no longer seemed to be playing that role. Peter wasn’t sure he could make it any clearer, but he tried anyway.

"Look, we are both rather alike now. I mean we are both all alone, with no crew or friends, they just deserted us…”

"My crew” spat the Capatin, "did NOT leave me! YOU and your little friends killed them!”

Well, yes, but that was really beside the point, wasn’t it? Peter cautiously released the pirate and when Hook didn’t make any aggressive moves, Peter slowly backback on his heels. They regarded each other suspicously for a long time. Well, Hook regarded him suspiciously, and Peter tried to make his expression friendly and unthreatening. He also tried to look into the pirate’s blue eyes without blinking. It was rather like when he wanted to tame a wolf-cub. He had known during that experience that he must not show weakness or uncertainty, because then the wolf would try to bite through his throat. He suppressed a smile - right now it was easy to associate Hook with a wolf- he was just as hairy and smelly. And was that noise a snarl?

"So what will happen now?” growled the Captain and all of the boy’s sympathy towards him vanished. Why do people always ask such stupid questions? Surely, Peter thought, if he had known what to do, he wouldn’t need this scoundrel!

"Dunno” He shrugged and stood up. "You are an old man, you should have much more experience in these kinds of situations.”

"I am NOT an old man!” Hook’s outrage seemed unjustifed to Peter, as he needed the support of the rock to stand up unsteadily on his feet. "And my experiences are rather limited to directing a ship.”

"Then you should have done more useful things with your life.”

"Listen to yourself. It sounds to me like you have become a perfect little adult with all this newfound wisdom” Hook smirked at Peter’s outraged expression and started to move towards the direction of the forest. The boy quickly joined him, asking:

"So where are you going now?”

"That’s none of your business you idiotic little bastard.”

"Such a nice man you are Hook, no wonder you have such a big bunch of friends.”

"Well, you don’t seem to have any more than me at the moment.”

"Maybe I’m not a nice boy, either… Wanna live at my place?”

"What?” Hook stopped so abruptly that Peter almost ran into him

"It seems to me you have no place for you to live. As the Lord of Neverland, I feel it is my duty to assure that nobody is without shelter at night. You can stay as long as…well as long as something exciting or interesting happens.” Peter straightened up to his full height in order to look more like a Lord, which meant that the top of his head now almost came up to Hook’s shoulder.

Hook snorted. "As time is a strange thing in this damned place, that something might be very far away.”

"Well, then maybe we should see how long it takes us to kill each oth

The Captain looked at him for a long moment, and then said, "That sounds like a good plan to me.”

***

There were problems of course. A lot of them. Like finding a big enough tree-trunk to enable Hook to slide down into the shelter. Like Hook’s inexplicable wants (such as wanting to bathe and change clothes almost daily - he was worse than Wendy in that area). Like Hook wailing about EVERY little thing. (so what if Tinkerbell left some spiny plants in his bed? Peter was completly sure that was just some unfortunate accident. All right, he was almost completely sure.) And that they didn’t dare to fall asleep in each other’s presence for the first three nights. But the most inportant change (in Peter’s opinion) was that he was no longer bored. He was often angry and irritated with the Old Scoundrel and sometimes he even had a laugh at his expense (and which would always be avenged) but he was never bored. Life wood.ood.

The two even went on a Mission. It wasn’t a great thing as Missions go, as it was to get back Hook’s clothes. It was really funny to Peter that the pirate seemed much more concerned with getting back to his former fashionable state than with the loss of his crew, jewels and power. As it turned out, he had a spare cloakroom and parfumery at the Dark Castle. When he emerged once again dressed in his usual flamboyant robes, shaved and smelling strongly of cologne, for once Hook seemed to be in a very good mood. He didn’t even try to cut Peter’s ears off when Peter fell over laughing at Hook’s newly dandified appearance. Hook even offered some of his own clothing to the boy, as he said, ’It wouldn’t hurt you to have some decent clothes for once’, but Peter preferred not to look like some rich little girl in the Real World. He said so to the Captain, whose defense was that his wardrobe was ’elegant’ and certainly NOT ’feminine’, whatever that meant.

As they were going back to the Tree House, they met some of the Indians. The group looked like their eyes were bugging out of their heads, but they didn’t dare to question Peter, even though they had been avoiding him for so long. The boy thought they could only fault themselves; if they had been willing to entertain him when he needed them, he wouldn’t now need his enemy’s company.

The Indians weren’t the only ones who didn’t like Hook being there with him. Tinkerbell was positively outraged, but that happend so often that Peter didn’t pay any mind to her either.

The Captain was alternately rather interesting, very irritating, wicked sometimes without reason and even a little mad, but Peter was never bored with him.

***

They had been co-existing together for a week or so, when Hook came up with a strange and unpleasant request. He wanted Peter to join him to hunt down ALL the crocodiles living at Neverland. As he said, nobody knew the island as well as the boy, so he needed his help. Peter did know the reptiles very well - they were big and dangerous. Additionally, in Hook’s dictionary ’do something together’ meant that Hook was lording the job over the other. Thus it was no suprise that Peter’s answer was a simple and honest "You are out of your mind.”

"I am most certanly not” came the stiff reply, "I want those blasted monsters to disappear once and for all!"

"So? How is that my concern?

"This whole ’be on the same team’ idea was yours at the first place if I remember correctly.”

"We are not the same team if you want something this insane. If you want to get eaten again, then do it on your own.”

Peter felt the Captain move closer to him, so he abandoned what he was doing (namely watching two Nevebirds fighting for a third one on the branch of a nearby tree) and turned to face the pirate. He didn’t fancy getting pinned from behind on a metal hook after all.

Towering over him, the pirate said, "They won’t eat me, if I’m faster. The law is that only the strongest can survive. And I intend to prove that I am the strongest and you are going to help me, brat. If not, I will build a ship and be gone sooner than you can say ’I’m afraid to be alone.’”

Peter blinked.

"Are you seriously threatening me with leaving me?!”

After the pirate’s affirmative nod, Peter felt it neccessary to think this over. After all wasn’t one adventure just as good as another? Really, it had been a rather long time since he visited the boggy parts of the island. And surely nobody would miss those reptiles anyway.

"So, when do you want to go?”

Hook smirked, and though Peter knew that he lost some kind of battle, he couldn’t make himself be really concerned about it.

***

They had been crawling through this bloody bog for days, with no real evidence that crocodiles even still lived there. Peter know that it would be much easier and faster if he could give Hook some Fairy Powder, but Peter preferred to have some advantage over him. In exchange, the pirate made Peter vow that he wouldn’t fly away. So instead, both of them had to wade in the filthy swamp. It didn’t help that Tinkerbell was circling above them, making witty remarks, teasing them and having the time of her life watching them suffer.

Hook had already lost his head twice, made a move to grab the flying little pest, and then sunk waist deep as he stepped down from the more or less safe path they were following. His oh so pretty clothes (which weren’t really ideal for a bog tour to begin with) were now soaked with the smelly mud and water. His mood became more thunderous than ever. Then he discovered that Peter was floating behind his back instead of walking and ordered him to the front, and now Peter was soaking wet and smelly too. This whole hike wasn’t really much fun at all.

Then Tinkerbell reported back that she had seen some crocodiles. For the third time. Hoping this time the alarm was real and not just something to amuse the fairy, Peter drew out his sword and Hook took out hin. Tn. The boy eyed it critically.

"Do you think after all these baths it will still work?”

"Let’s try it out” said the pirate. Hook aimed it at him and fired – or tried to anyway as it didn’t work. Peter tried to breathe again.

"You bastard! It would have served you right if it took off your other hand!” Peter was ready to wipe off the smirk on that stubbled face with his sword, when he heard a noisy splash. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Hook drop the gun and take his blade in his hand as he turned quickly. He supposed this time they’d actually found the crocodiles.

Quietly, inch-by-inch they moved forward, trying to keep track of each other as well as possible dangers. Well, maybe they watched each other too closly (just in case, thought Peter, if the bastard tries to flee) because when the first reptile attacked, they were taken by surprise. It wasn’t as huge as the one that once ate Hook, but it was still frighteningly large.

Forgetting about his vow not to fly, Peter jumped on the crocodile’s back and tried - in vain -to find a flaw on it’s armour-like, scaly skin so he could stick in his sword. The animal opened his mouth wide in either outrage or his desire to swallow one of them, and Hook thrust his blade through the top of its mouth straight to its brain. The crocodile thrashed wildly for a minute or so then ceased all of its movements. It was dead.

Peter get off of its back , smiled a little shakily and said, "That was easy!”

Hook, who was busy trying to free his blade, looked up.

"How many of these are living here?”

"Noty. Ly. Last time I checked there were only three or four of them. They grow too big and don’t have enough food, so they eat each other.”

"Really pleasant animals, these crocodiles are” muttered the Captain.

"Is it true you sent some of your men who tried to rebel here as punishment ?” asked the boy with more curiosity than anything else. The short reply "Yes” came just before three other monsters turned up and there was no more immediate chance to get know his pirate better.

The reptiles weren’t very quick but they were huge. Peter didn’t see any other way to kill them other than what Hook did before. The cave-like mouths were full of big, sharp teeth and it wasn’t a simple task to get close enough to be able to stick the sword into the desired place. As Peter was a brilliant warrior, only one of the crocodiles dared to attack him (and Hook was a bigger and heavier morsel after all). He was able to kill the monster after some dancing around. What he wasn’t prepared for was the thrashing of the dying animal had torn his weapon from his hands. It took him minutes to retrieve it, all the while hoping the two others attacking the pirate wouldn’t look back and see what easy prey he was at the moment.

After a while, he was able to go help his companion. Not that the Capatain wasn’t holding the beasts off well, but he was actually dancing between the animals rather than fighting. His movements were graceful and although he wasn’t making much progress, it was beautiful to watch him move.

Peter picked up a stone and with precise aim threw it at one of the reptile’s head. It advanced towards him and the boy quickly finished it off. With only one opponent left, Hook did the same with his attacker.

Grinning with victory, Peter moved to congratulate the Captain, but didn’t look under his feet. Taking a mistep, he sank waist deep into the swamp. He tried to fly out of it but it pulled him down too strongly to get out of it on his own accord. He shouted for Hook, who was wiping the blood off his blade. The pirate carefully came to him, but he didn’t take the boy’s extended hand.

"Come on, Hook! Help me out of here” his voice was a little too alarmed for his own ears.

"And why should I do that?” came the sarcastic reply.

"Hey, I’ve alredy done that for you. We killed the beasts. We are partners now, or I dunno what. Just help me, damn it!” Peter was sinking deeper and deeper.

Hook sighed and muttered something like ’I’m going to regret this’ under his breath, but bent to pick up a thick branch and extended it to Peter. It took some work as he was then almost shoulder deep in the bog but after a while Peter was free. Both of them lay there on their backs panting for a while and then Peter turned to Hook with a grin on his face and asked,

"So, we really went through a lot together, didn’t we? I suppose this means we are friends. Isn’t it gre..?”

"I am most certanly NOT your friend you little idiot” Hook interrupted him angrily, "I do not have friends in general and certainly not you in particular!”

Peter’s good mood collapsed. He tried to make his voice sound neutral but failed: "But you aren’t going to umm…leave…or anything…are you?…”

The Captain only grunted as a reply and got to his feet.

"Are you, Hook?!”

"No, you irritating sod, of course not - I have nowhere to go!”

"That’s great!” Exclaimed Peter. At Hook’s glare, Peter then tried to soften his reaction. "I mean, it’s not that it’s great that you’ve got nowhere to go, as you have, with me I mean…” But thankfully Hook interrupted him again - which was just as well as Peter himself didn’t know what he was going to say. It wasn’t that he liked the pirate or anything, really, but he himself hadone one else. They were similar in that way he supposed.

"I think we killed all of the crocodiles” said the pirate.

"I think so too. Do you want to check to make sure?”

"No!”

"Oh, then let’s say we’re done. Let’s go home.”

"You are to understand Pan, that this arrangement between us isn’t forever, just for the time being.”

"Of course, Hook. I, myself, wouldn’t be able to tolerate you for that long a time.”

But despite their words Peter thought that they would be together for a long time. If they could resist the urge to kill each other, of course.

The End

Title: About Crocodiles and Other Strange Creatures
Author: Dina
Pairing: None. A Hook and Pan story, Gen
Raiting: PG
Summary: Two enemies make an uneasy truce and maybe friendship.
Disclaimer: I do not own these charachters but I don’t make any profit from this, so don’t hurt me
AN: All my gratitude goes to LAurel, who was kind enough to beta this strory, making it much better than it previously was. All the remaining mistakes are mine. This is my first fanfic ever, please be gentle with me

In the begining, the weather in Neverland was always shifting between cl and and stormy, depending upon Peter’s mood. When it was close to what the adults in the Real World would call depression, it was rainy and grey, but when his rage was sparked by a new flame, it became positively thunderous. However, nowadays it was neither; nowadays Peter was simply bored.

Really, thought Peter as he floated lazily through the pink clouds, there must be something interesting on this island that I haven’t seen yet - or done yet or fought yet. But a sad state of affairs had existed since the Lost Boys and the Pirates had disappeared and there just wasn’t much interesting left for him to experience. Oh, Peter supposed that he could go to the Indians, as they always welcomed him, and he could have a nice long chat with one of the warriors. But since the Great and Final Fight –as he liked to refer to the day when they finally get rid of the scoundrels of Neverland- he spent a lot of time with them, and he supposed he had told all of his adventures to them already (and some of them probably more than once). He had also tried to invite some of the younger ones to play, to fight, to go and discover something, anything. He even offered to teach them how to fly, but they weren’t interested. They said they didn’t have the time for such childish things.

After he gave up on the Indians, Peter tried the mermaids. True,y hay had never been much fun, but he hoped that at least they could have a nice, long argument over whether the sea around the island was their exclusive territory, or belonged to him as the Lord of Neverland and therefore he had the right to swim there as well.(Peter had an affinity for dramatic names too.) But as it turned out, the merpeople were so annoyed with him over something – probably his refusal to let them pull Wendy into the water - that they didn’t respond any more when he called them.

If Peter was honest with himself- and it happened from time to time- he had to confess that he missed the Lost Boys something awful. And it was not just that he didn’t have anybody to boss around. No, it was a deeper loneliness. They were his friends after all. But he no longer had them because they had all left him here ALONE , left him so they could grow up. The familiar anger flashed within him, but it soon died. There really wasn’t any point in it, as there weren’t even any pirates left to express it upon via an impromptu attack or battle.

Maybe, thought Peter, I should visit them. They were probably at Wendy’s house, and he had known the way there very well, as he had visited it a thousand times. But the prospect of seeing Wendy again was also painful to him. What if she had aged so much that Peter wouldn’t be able to recognise her? Or if she had forgotten him already? Or just wouldn’t be happy to see him? Peter sighed. These weren’t the real reasons why he didn’t want to go back out to the Real World any more, and he knew it. He just simply didn’t take rejection well. Additionally, his feelings towards Wendy were extremely confused. Once while he was flying over London, he had heard the phrase ’Women are nothing but trouble’ At the time, he didn’t really understand the words, but now he supposed it was a very truthfull statement. Wendy had awakened a variety of strange feelings in his body and heart. Peter, who had lived too long among fairies-who were so small they could hold only one emotion at one time- wasn’t used to so many peculiar feelings. He was a boy who loved adventures and the thrill of fighting with his enemies, and before this whole mess he didn’t even known much else. Previously, life had been very simple, but the introduction of Wendy had made it much more complex.

So maybe it wasn’t a surprise that when he spotted and recognised the lone figure sitting on a jagged, coastal rock staring melacholically at the sea, he hadn’t become furious. He also wasn’t outraged that the bastard was still alive, despite Peter’s efforts to send him after the clock into the crocodile’s stomach. Yes, he was suprised, but he also felt a pleasant thrill not unlike the one when Wendy had given him the thimble. (Or kissed him as he heard Wendy’s brothers refer to it- he was a little confused about what kissing really meant.) Whatever it could be called, it remained one of the most pleasant experiences in his life, so he found it really strange, that the sight of his arch-enemy made him feel similarly confused inside.

Hoping that Hook hadn’t noticed him, he quickly hid behind a cloud and then taken his binoculars from his belt to examine the pirate more closely.

Hook was now a peculiar sight, not the dandy he had always seen before. As Peter hadn’t felt this happy in a long time, he supposed he could be generous and conclude that the Captain’s appearance was still pretty good for someone who had been eaten by a crocodile.

Hooklothlothing was so torn and dirty that it was impossible to determine what colour it had been originally. His hair was lank and only a tiny bit wavy, not at all the curly mane Peter was used to seeing adorn Hook’s head. His face was unshaven and dirty, his once luxurious mustache and beard now dishevelled. The boy king of Neverland didn’t think he ever seen a more heartening sight than this filthy human being.

Hoping that by some miracle Hook would be simililarly happy to see him, he left his hiding placnd lnd landed directly in front of the rock’s occupant. Hook, who immediately snapped up his head, stared at Peter with disgust, fear and loathing simultaneously mixed in his blue eyes. Peter now found it hard to stay on the ground, and wasn’t that great? Since That Day he had needed Fairy Powder to fly, but it now seemed all his happy memories had returned once again to propel him above the earth.

So Peter had just stood there for a moment, hands on hips, grinning idiotically while Hook slowly straightened up. Peter tried to make his voice stern but hadn’t really succeeded at it as he asked, "So, how come you are still alive? Even the crocodile couldn’t stomach you?"

The pirate just lifted his right hand and displayed his hook, which was covered in blood---and an assortment of what resembled pieces of meat.

Peter grimaced, tried to find his voice, failed, and tried again, this time with more success.

"Poor old sod. Ummm…Did you find the watch by any chance? I would really like to keep it…as a souvenir you know…for the sake of good old times…"

"Idiot” The pirate’s voice was rather hoarse, as if he had been screaming a lot lately. Peter tried to repress his grin. "Give me a reason why I shouldn’t gut you, too?”

Peter had meant to say something like, ’How could a man as old as you catch me?’ but somehow what come out of his mouth was,"You would be terribly lonely here all alone. Believe me. I know.”

Hook was looking at him rather oddly, but he couldn’t really explain why he had made that particular statement. Peter went and sat on another nearby rock, and much to his surprise the Captain joined him after a moment. Together they watched the sea in silence. The pirate’s expression was grim, but Peter was still grinning. It was strange, Peter reflected, that before this unexpected encounter, the words ’peace’ and ’silence’ weren’t phrases he had considered really positive. Oddly enough, this strange truce with his old enemy was one of the best events of his life.

They had been sitting there for awhile, when Hook turned to him, and suddenly asked, as if he was merely continuing a conversation, "And what have you done with my ship?”

As Peter had the bad habit of forgetting about things which didn’t directly concern him, he had to think about it for a bit, and then said a little guiltily,

"Umm… I’m afraid I left it in London.”

"You left it…in London?”

"Yep”

"You had the nerve to take MY ship away? And then lose it?” Hook’s eyes flashed dangerously, so Peter began to slowly and carefully edge away from him. Suddenly Peter felt a need to become extremely cautious - and rightly so as it turned out, because the pirate abruptly moved towards him, his hook lifted in preparation to slash.

Peter jumped to his feet, ready to fight, though he uncharacterically tried to talk himself out of the unavoidable. After all, he had just gotten back his en it it wouldn’t do if he had to kill him - again.

But the Captain obviously wasn’t in the mood to talk or even listen to him. Hook immediately attacked with his hook. He didn’t seem to have any more weapons on or with him- Peter easily dodged the vicious swipe Hook made towards him.

"Listen, Hook…” cried Peter, and was almost impaled with a savage cut aimed at his stomach. But the Captain’s movements lacked his usual gracefulness. He seemed to go mad in a split second, his eyes flashing red, his breath heaving, an explosion of temper preventing the finesse needed to successfully complete the attack.

Though the fierceness of the attack surprised Peter at first, Hook was no match for him in this state. Peter didn’t even need to pull out his dagger. At the first opportunity Peter got under the pirate’s arm and shoved him hard on the chest. The older man fell with a shout from the rock and on to the sand of the coast. Hook landed so hard all the air left his lungs and he couldn’t move for a moment. This was enough time for Peter to jump onto him and hold down his arms.

"Kill me, Pan” Hook panted. "Finish your work” When Peter didn’t move he then shouted "What are you waiting for? I can’t possibly fight any more in this state!”

Peter shook his head, "I no longer want to kill you Hook” He debated if he should let go of the pirate’s wrist, but just to be on the safe side decided against it. "I’m actually sort of glad you’re here.”

Confusion was mirrored in the pirate’s eyes on on his face. This was understandable really, when one’s enemy of forever no longer seemed to be playing that role. Peter wasn’t sure he could make it any clearer, but he tried anyway.

"Look, we are both rather alike now. I mean we are both all alone, with no crew or friends, they just deserted us…”

"My crew” spat the Capatin, "did NOT leave me! YOU and your little friends killed them!”

Well, yes, but that was really beside the point, wasn’t it? Peter cautiously released the pirate and when Hook didn’t make any aggressive moves, Peter slowly sat back on his heels. They regarded each other suspicously for a long time. Well, Hook regarded him suspiciously, and Peter tried to make his expression friendly and unthreatening. He also tried to look into the pirate’s blue eyes without blinking. It was rather like when he wanted to tame a wolf-cub. He had known during that experience that he must not show weakness or uncertainty, because then the wolf would try to bite through his throat. He suppressed a smile - right now it was easy to associate Hook with a wolf- he was just as hairy and smelly. And was that noise a snarl?

"So what will happen now?” growled the Captain and all of the boy’s sympathy towards him vanished. Why do people always ask such stupid questions? Surely, Peter thought, if he had known what to do, he wouldn’t need this scoundrel!

"Dunno” He shrugged and stood up. "You are an old man, you should have much more experience in these kinds of situations.”

"I am NOT an old man!” Hook’s outrage seemed unjustifed to Peter, as he needed the support of the rock to stand up unsteadily on his feet. "And my experiences are rather limited to directing a ship.”

"Then you should have done more useful things with your life.”

"Listen to yourself. It sounds to me like you have become a perfect little adult with all this newfound wisdom” Hook smirked at Peter’s outraged expression and started to move towards the direction of the forest. The boy quickly joined him, asking:

"So where are you going now?”

"That’s none of your business you idiotic little bastard.”

"Such a nice man you are Hook, no wonder you have such a big bunch of friends.”

"Well, you don’t seem to have any more than me at the moment.”

"Maybe I’m not a nice boy, either… Wanna live at my place?”

"What?” Hook stopped so abruptly that Peter almost ran into him

"It seems to me you have no place for you to live. As the Lord of Neverland, I feel it is my duty to assure that nobody is without shelter at night. You can stay as long as…well as long as something exciting or interesting happens.” Peter strained ned up to his full height in order to look more like a Lord, which meant that the top of his head now almost came up to Hook’s shoulder.

Hook snorted. "As time is a strange thing in this damned place, that something might be very far away.”

"Well, then maybe we should see how long it takes us to kill each other.”

The Captain looked at him for a long moment, and then said, "That sounds like a good plan to me.”

There were problems of course. A lot of them. Like finding a big enough tree-trunk to enable Hook to slide down into the shelter. Like Hook’s inexplicable wants (such as wanting to bathe and change clothes almost daily - he was worse than Wendy in that area). Like Hook wailing about EVERY little thing. (so what if Tinkerbell left some spiny plants in his bed? Peter was completly sure that was just some unfortunate accident. All right, he was almost completely sure.) And that they didn’t dare to fall asleep in each other’s presence for the first three nights. But the most inportant change (in Peter’s opinion) was that he was no longer bored. He was often angry and irritated with the Old Scoundrel and sometimes he even had a laugh at his expense (and which would always be avenged) but he was never bored. Life was good.

The two even went on a Mission. It wasn’t a great thing as Missions go, as it was to get back Hook’s clothes. It was really funny to Peter that the pirate seemed much more concerned with getting back to his former fashionable state than with the loss of his crew, jewels and power. As it turned out, he had a spare cloakroom and parfumery at the Dark Castle. When he emerged once again dressed in his usual flamboyant robes, shaved and smelling strongly of cologne, for once Hook seemed to be in a very good mood. He didn’t even try to cut Peter’s ears off when Peter fell oveughiughing at Hook’s newly dandified appearance. Hook even offered some of his own clothing to the boy, as he said, ’It wouldn’t hurt you to have some decent clothes for once’, but Peter preferred not to look like some rich little girl in the Real World. He said so to the Captain, whose defense was that his wardrobe was ’elegant’ and certainly NOT ’feminine’, whatever that meant.

As they were going back to the Tree House, they met some of the Indians. The group looked like their eyes were bugging out of their heads, but they didn’t dare to question Peter, even though they had been avoiding him for so long. The boy thought they could only fault themselves; if they had been willing to entertain him when he needed them, he wouldn’t now need his enemy’s company.

The Indians werenhe ohe only ones who didn’t like Hook being there with him. Tinkerbell was positively outraged, but that happend so often that Peter didn’t pay any mind to her either.

The Captain was alternately rather interesting, very irritating, wicked sometimes without reason and even a little mad, but Peter was never bored with him.

They had been co-existing together for a week or so, when Hook came up with a strange and unpleasant request. He wanted Peter to join him to hunt down ALL the crocodiles living at Neverland. As he said, nobody knew the island as well as the boy, so he needed his help. Peter did know the reptiles very well - they were big and dangerous. Additionally, in Hook’s dictionary ’do something together’ meant that Hook was lording the job over the other. Thus it was no suprise that Peter’s answer was a simple and honest "You are out of your mind.”

"I am most certanly not” came the stiff reply, "I want those blasted monsters to disappear once and for all!"

"So? How is that my concern?

"This whole ’be on the same team’ idea was yours at the first place if I remember correctly.”

"We are not the same team if you want something this insane. If you want to get eaten again, then do it on your own.”

Peter felt the Captain move closer to him, so he abandoned what he was doing (namely watching two Nevebirds fighting for a third one on the branch of a nearby tree) and turned to face the pirate. He didn’t fancy getting pinned from behind on a metal hook after all.

Towering over him, the pirate said, "They won’t eat me, if I’mter.ter. The law is that only the strongest can survive. And I intend to prove that I am the strongest and you are going to help me, brat. If not, I will build a ship and be gone sooner than you can say ’I’m afraid to be alone.’”

Peter blinked.

"Are you seriously threatening me with leaving me?!”

After the pirate’s affirmative nod, Peter felt it neccessary to think this over. After all wasn’t one adventure just as good as another? Really, it had been a rather long time since he visited the boggy parts of the island. And surely nobody would miss those reptiles anyway.

"So, when do you want to go?”

Hook smirked, and though Peter knew that he lost some kind of battle, he couldn’t make himself be really concerned about it.

They had been crawling through this bloody bog for days, with no real evidence that crocodiles even still lived there. Peter know that it would be much easier and faster if he could give Hook some Fairy Powder, but Peter preferred to have some advantage over him. In exchange, the pirate made Peter vow that he wouldn’t fly away. So instead, both of them had to wade in the filthy swamp.didndidn’t help that Tinkerbell was circling above them, making witty remarks, teasing them and having the time of her life watching them suffer.

Hook had already lost his head twice, made a move to grab the flying little pest, and then sunk waist deep as he stepped down from the more or less safe path they were following. His oh so pretty clothes (which weren’t really ideal for a bog tour to begin with) were now soaked with the smelly mud and water. His mood became more thunderous than ever. Then he discovered that Peter was floating behind his back instead of walking and ordered him to the front, and now Peter was soaking wet and smelly too. This whole hike wasn’t really much fun at all.

Then Tinkerbell reported back that she had seen some crocodiles. For the third time. Hoping this time the alarm was real and not just something to amuse the fairy, Peter drew out his sword and Hook took out his gun. The boy eyed it critically.

"Do you think after all these baths it will still work?”

"Let’s try it out” said the pirate. Hook aimed it at him and fired – or tried to anyway as it didn’t work. Peter tried to breathe again.

"You bastard! It would have served you right if it took off your other hand!” Peter was ready to wipe off the smirk on that stubbled face with his sword, when he heard a noisy splash. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Hook drop the gun and take his blade in his hand as he turned quickly. He supposed this time they’d actually found the crocodiles.

Quietly, inch-by-inch they moved forward, trying to keep track of each other as well as possible dangers. Well, maybe they watched each other too closly (just in case, thought Peter, if the bastard tries to flee) because when the first reptile attacked, they were taken by surprise. It wasn’t as huge as the one that once ate Hook, but it was still frighteningly large.

Forgetting about his vow not to fly, Peter jumped on the crocodile’s back and tried - in vain -to find a flaw on it’s armour-like, scaly skin so he could stick in his sword. The animal opened his mouth wide in either outrage or his desire to swallow one of them, and Hook thrust his blade through the top of its mouth straight to its brain. The crocodile thrashed wildly for a minute or so then ceased all of its movements. It was dead.

Peter get off of its back , smiled a little shakily and said, "That was easy!”

Hook, who was busy trying to free his blade, looked up.

"How many of these are living here?”

"Not many. Last time I checked there were only three or four of them. They grow too big and don’t have enough food, so they eat each other.”

"Really pleasant animals, these crocodiles are” muttered the Captain.

"Is it true you sent some of your men who tried to rebel here as punishment ?” asked the boy with more curiosity than anything else. The short reply "Yes” came just before three other monsters turned up and there was no more immediate chance to get know his pirate better.

The reptiles weren’t very quick but they were huge. Peter didn’t see any other way to kill them other than what Hook did before. The cave-like mouths were full of big, sharp teeth and it wasn’t a simple task to get close enough to be able to stick the sword into the desired place. As Peter was a brilliant warrior, only one of the crocodiles dared to attack him (and Hook was a bigger and heavier morsel after all). He was able to kill the monster after some dancing around. What he wasn’t prepared for was the thrashing of the dying animal had torn his weapon from his hands. It took him minutes to retrieve it, all the while hoping the two others attacking the pirate wouldn’t look back and see what easy prey he was at the moment.

After a while, he was able to go help his companion. Not that the Capatain wasn’t holding the beasts off well, but he was actually dancing between the animals rather than fighting. His movements were graceful and although he wasn’t making much progress, it was beautiful to watch him move.

Peter picked up a stone and with precise aim threw it at one of the reptile’s head. It advanced towards him and the boy quickly finished it off. With only one opponent left, Hook did the same with his attacker.

Grinning with victory, Peter moved to congratulate the Captain, but didn’t look under his feet. Taking a mistep, he sank waist deep into the swamp. He tried to fly out of it but it pulled him down too strongly to get out of it on his own accord. He shouted for Hook, who was wiping the blood off his blade. The pirate carefully came to him, but he didn’t take the boy’s extended hand.

"Come on, Hook! Help me out of here” his voice was a little too alarmed for his own ears.

"And why should I do that?” came the sarcastic reply.

"Hey, I’ve alredy done that for you. We killed the beasts. We are partners now, or I dunno what. Just help me, damn it!” Peter was sinking deeper and deeper.

Hook sighed and muttered something like ’I’m going to regret this’ under his breath, but bent to pick up a thick branch and extended it to Peter. It took some work as he was then almost shoulder deep in the bog but after a while Peter was free. Both of them lay there on their backs panting for a while and then Peter turned to Hook with a grin on his face and asked,

"So, we really went through a lot together, didn’t we? I suppose this means we are friends. Isn’t it gre..?”

"I am most certanly NOT your friend you little idiot” Hook interrupted him angrily, "I do not have friends in general and certainly not you in particular!”

Peter’s good mood collapsed. He tried to make his voice sound neutral but failed: "But you aren’t going to umm…leave…or anything…are you?…”

The Captain only grunted as a reply and got to his feet.

"Are you, Hook?!”

"No, you irritating sod, of course not - I have nowhere to go!”

"That’s great!” Exclaimed Peter. At Hook’s glare, Peter then tried to soften his reaction. "I mean, it’s not that it’s great that you’ve got nowhere to go, as you have, with me I mean…” But thankfully Hook interrupted him again - which was just as well as Peter himself didn’t know what he was going to say. It wasn’t that he liked the pirate or anything, really, but he himself had no one else. They were similar in that way he supposed.

"I think we killed all of the crocodiles” said the pirate.

"I think so too. Do you want to check to make sure?”

"No!”

"Oh, then let’s say we’re done. Let’s go home.”

"You are to understand Pan, that this arrangement between us isn’t forever, just for the time being.”

"Of course, Hook. I, myself, wouldn’t be able to tolerate you for that long a time.”

But despite their words Peter thought that they would be together for a long time. If they could resist the urge to kill each other, of course.

***The End***
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About Crocodiles and Other Strange Creatures