sultal's note: I wrote this during a lunch period between classes on Valentine's Day.

Love Knots

It was a tangled carnival of sorts that evening. A tangled carnival of Lost Boys running in their bare chests, outfits pulled down their shoulders and tied around painted bellies, outdoor voices and toy swords swinging to the tops of Hangman's tree.

Wendy sat in a chair in the middle of the raucous. Patiently, she observed as Slightly and John, and Nibbs, and Cubby practiced knotting her wrists and ankles together.

Wendy had conceded easily into her current situation – firmly bound to the wooden chair – but more for curiosity than generosity. She wanted to learn to tie a knot. A really good knot. And an afternoon of rope burn seemed a fair exchange. Smiling to herself, Wendy watched quietly as Slightly instructed John at her feet.

"And then," Slightly explained, the rope slipping expertly between his fingers, "You do it like this. Loop up, loop down – up, in, and around. Done! Got it?"

"No." John frowned, lowering his glasses as he inspected the knot, "I'm afraid not."

"Ha ha!" Slightly laughed, slapping a bewildered John on the back. The red tips of his fox costume perked happily as John lost his top hat and glasses.

Slightly laughed again, despite the death glare from John. "Afraid KNOT?! Afraid knot! Haha! I get it! Good one!"

"It wasn't really a joke, my good man." John huffed, replacing his glasses and straightening his hat. Frustrated, he lifted Wendy's heels and stared intently at the knot. Sweat beaded over his ears.

"John." Wendy tried to lean forward but Cubby and Nibs had just finished tightening her wrists around the back of the chair. Wincing, Wendy tried to smile comfortably at her brother.

"John, dear. Tigerlily does not care if you memorize the knot." She grinned as John went pink. "She just wants to spend time with you."

"You can't go hunting," Slightly lectured, "Without being able to string up game, Mother! Especially," he grumbled disgustingly, "if it's with a girl."

"Gross." agreed Cubby, holding his nose. "Girls can't tie knots."

"Tigerlily can. " Nibbs corrected, double knotting Wendy's wrists. "And she's not a girl. She's a princess. She can tie a wicked knot."

"In like two seconds." Slightly added, flipping John's hat off his head. "Without looking."

"I'm doomed!" John moaned snatching his hat. Miserably, he twisted the silk brim over his eyes. "Doomed!"

"Yup, I'd say so!" Slightly agreed cheerfully, fishing out another yard of rope from his pocket, "So just forget about it and let's go tie up the twins!"

"No you don't!"

"No you don't!"

"Not us you don't!"

As it usually did, a brawl quickly followed.

"Boys!" Wendy called as fist started to fly. She struggled against the neglected binding, "Boys! Oh Tootles look out! No Cubby not his teeth! Not his teeth! Curly! Oh my – Boys!"

"Let's tie up John!" Slightly yelled over the racous. Wrenching down his fox hood, the lost boy waved his rope like a lasso, "First hand experience for his afternoon with Tigerlily! Oooooooooooooooooooo!"

John blinked.

"Oh dear." He breathed. Then hiking up his umbrella, pushing up his glasses, and fastening his top hat, John sprinted out of Hangman's Tree.

"It's a hunt! It's a hunt!" yelled the Twins.

"Charrrrrrrrge!" shouted Slightly, blazing after John, a stampede of Lost Boys on his tail.

Tumbling over each other like a ton of falling bricks, the Lost Boys barreled past Wendy, up the steps, and in no time at all, Tootle's (the caboose) black and white tail whisked out of sight.

Wendy blinked.

She stared at the docile mess left amongst the vacant roots, mouth slightly agape.

Then she started to laugh.

"You forgot to untie me!" she called to the ceiling," Hello!"

Nothing. Wendy shook her head, imagining that John was halfway across the island by now.

Several moments passed as Wendy thought how to free herself. Straining her neck, Wendy searched the room. There were plenty of sharp objects – toy swords and wooden tomahawks – but all were tossed into bunk beds or wedged into the rafters.

She thought of her wolf. No: Dawn roamed the Indian camp with her sire Dusk and Wendy's friend, the brave Black Antler.

She heard the crackling fire. Immediately she shook her head. Certainly no! Too impractical.

Halfheartedly Wendy glanced again at the ceiling. There was no use calling out a second time; she was sure no one would hear her far underground.

Sighing, Wendy eased back in the chair. Humored, she closed her eyes. "Boys…oh dear…"

Creak.

Wendy looked up.

Peter Pan.

Peter stood in the entrance, balancing a bundle of broken cutlasses in one arm and a shock of flowers in the other. He paused at the doorway when he caught sight of Wendy. He lowered to the earth. He stared at Wendy.

Unable to do anything else, Wendy stared back.

Peter's dark eyes assessed the girl: her bound ankles and knotted wrists.

Slowly, a smile crept over his face. "Hullo, Wendy."

Wendy blushed. Peter spoke leisurely as if her ridiculous situation was a nonchalant circumstance. But his black eyes were sparkling like fireworks.

Unable to do anything but respond cordially, Wendy straightened herself and greeted him properly.

"Peter."

Still smiling, Peter dropped the weapons with a clang. Gently, he set the flowers on top of them.

Hands on his hips, the Peter sauntered over to the girl. The boy's pursed lips itched in and out, like he was trying very hard not to laugh.

His shadow rippled over Wendy. He grinned. "What are you doing?"

Wendy's response was reflexive. "Nothing…sitting…or…um…"

Peter's mouth twitched.

Wendy relaxed, allowing herself a small, embarrassed smile. "…Slightly was teaching John how to…"

"…tie a knot?"

"Yes."

"On you?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Huh…"

Wendy tried to turn as Peter walked behind the chair. At her wrists, she felt Peter jiggle the knot experimentally. The boy gave a satisfied grunt. "Good knot."

"That was Nibs."

"Figures."

Peter ducked quickly into Wendy's line of vision. Lifting her nightgown, the boy picked up her feet. Dropping her ankles on his knees, Peter tested the second knot. His complexion translated the knots inferiority to the first.

Wendy held her breath, waiting for Peter's fingers to stop brushing her skin. But when Peter stabilized a hand under her knee to give the knot a hard tug, Wendy turned quite red. Very uncomfortable, she tried to tuck her feet furtively away.

"…Peter?"

Almost too quickly, the boy's head snapped up. "Yes, Wendy?" he responded sweetly, holding her feet and rocking expectantly on his haunches.

Wendy regarded him warily. Still, despite his smirk, Wendy nodded at her ankles.

"Would you untie me? Please?" she added quickly as a mischievous glint illuminated Peter's eyes. "Peter?"

Peter smiled. His fingers drummed over her toes. Wendy waited. This meant Peter was thinking. Or scheming.

Then Peter rose. Authoritatively, the boy placed one hand behind his back. "Untie you, huh?"

"Please." She clarified.

Contemplatively, Peter rubbed his jaw. "Uh huh….untie Wendy….interesting situation. Very interesting."

Back straight as a totem pole, Peter started to pace. "There's a Wendy…a Princess Wendy held prisoner in my castle…"

"…Peter…"

"…and she wants me to set her free."

"Peter," Wendy tried to twist in her seat as Peter paced around her, a big fat smile on his face, "Peter Pan!"

"That's Pirate Pan, I believe you mean, Princess."

"Peter –"

" – Pirate –"

"—Peter!"

"Pirate." Peter corrected lightly, twirling her ponytail as he passed. "Pirate Pan – or I'll keep you prisoner forever! All to myself!"

Pausing the make-believe game for a second, Peter cocked his head, asking her to pretend along.

Wendy melted into their friendship, letting Peter's imagination embrace her as Princess Wendy. And he as Pirate Pan.

"Oh dreadful, sly, fierce and…" Wendy smiled as Peter circled his hands, encouraging the praise, "…and frightfully clever Pirate Pan!"

Peter swelled, pleased with her endorsement.

Wendy laughed, despite her role as the damsel in distress. "How clever you seem to be. But –" Wendy tried to sound heroic, "But you can never win! I will discover how to untie these magical knots."

"I think not, Princess." Peter struck a daunting pose. "Only I can set you free!"

"Won't you then?" Wendy beseeched, a bit coquettishly. "Won't you set me free?"

"Haha! Not until—"

Wendy jumped. Peter had pounced at her. Forcefully he landed, hands on the armrests and his nose almost touching hers. Role playing, he leered until Wendy could not tilt her head further back, "— not until you give me what I want!"

"What…what do you want?"

Peter touched her nose. "Your laughter."

Wendy blinked, genuinely surprised. "My what?"

"The Princess Wendy's laughter!" Peter's eyes flickered to her mouth. "The most magical sound in all Neverland! I must have it! I…I must…"

Wendy could hardly breath. "…never…" she whispered, softer than the heartbeat between them.

Peter paused. His black eyes mixed with her blue eyes.

Wendy was mesmerized. So mesmerized, she didn't see Peter's hand creeping over her shoulder. Suddenly, his fingers wiggled into her neck.

"Peter!" Wendy giggled, pressing her ear to her shoulder. Peter smiled, pulling his hand from beneath Wendy's head.

"No!" Wendy giggled again when Peter's hand sprang back to life, and attacked the other side of her neck like a spider, "No! Peter!"

Again, Peter drew back. Shaking away her laughter, Wendy smiled at the boy.

Evilly, Peter smiled back. His eyes flickered to her stomach.

"Peter…don't…"

Laughing, Peter attacked. Gasping for breath, Wendy giggled uncontrollably as Peter tickled her thin body.

"Stop!" Wendy laughed, straining helplessly against the rope, "Stop! Peter!"

"Surrender!" Peter laughed, tickling harder. Impulsively, he dropped his head and nuzzled the girl's neck.

"Never!" Wendy laughed as Peter dove into her neck, "I'll never—oh!"

With Peter's weight the chair tipped over.

As the children tumbled, the chair broke, cracking against the floor. Still laughing and still bound, Wendy landed with Peter on top of her.

Peter stopped laughing. Fast as lightning, Peter cupped Wendy's head in his hands.

"Are you all right?" he asked. His fingers probed her caramel curls.

"Yes!" Wendy smiled, wheezing under his weight, "Are you?"

Relieved, Peter grinned. Crouching, he rolled his forehead over Wendy's. "Now that I have my laughter!" he growled in a playful pirate voice.

Giggling, Wendy rolled.

"Oh no you don't!" Wendy stopped, blocked by Peter's arms. Kneeling over her, Peter tilted his head until his red bangs hung over Wendy's gaze. "I havn't set you free!"

Wendy smiled and sighed. "Oh Peter."

Peter accepted her surrender. Taking his turn to melt like butter, Peter also conceded. "All right, Wendy. But I have something to show you first."

"How to untie a knot?"

Peter laughed appreciatively. Without bothering to untie her, the boy scooped Wendy up in his arms and took her to the pile of rubbish he'd brought from some adventure or another.

Sitting crossed legged, Peter settled Wendy in his lap. Careful to hold her balanced, Peter fished through the broken swords. They clanged and clattered as he discarded the rusty, water logged ones.

"This…" Peter finally said, holding up a crooked cutlass, "Is for you."

"Oh!" Wendy exclaimed. She smiled at her reflection in the cutlass. It wasn't shinny or smart like Peter's dirk. Seaweed hung off the hilt. There was a nick in the blade.

And she loved it.

"Oh Peter! It's …beautiful. Thank you!"

"I'll fix it tomorrow," Peter said, turning the blade in the light, "Then I'll teach you how to use it." His eyes twinkled, "And how to cut knots with it."

Wendy laughed, "You could show me now."

"Nah," Peter said, reaching forward. "Besides…." Looking into her eyes, he held up the bouquet of flowers, "I think you'll like these better."

Wendy smiled. Leaning forward she closed her eyes. Feeling the petals against her nose, Wendy inhaled dreamily.

"Thank you, Peter."

Peter grinned and tickled her with the flower. He waited for Wendy to giggle into his shoulder one last time before weaving the flower into her hair.

"You're welcome Wendy."

FYI: Dusk is a black colored wolf - the "pet" of Black Antler. Black Antler is a character from my 40 chapter story 'Envy is Green & Ocean is Blue." I have started writing another short story called "Wendy's Wolf" and decided to name her wolf Dawn (he he get it?). In the book Peter Pan, Wendy did have a pet wolf. That is why I originally gave Black Antler a wolf - Dawn (Wendy's wolf) is going to be Dusk's daughter pup. So, I decided to mention Dawn in this story jus cause it worked...sorry for the confusion.

And I also want to say SO SORRY that I have not been posting. Life got complicated and taxing for my family after christmas, then I went back to school and clinic and you know...BUT, I have (and never will) give up on my stories. I just need a solid block of time. So keep writing and take heart mates! And thank you for all the support.