This story is based off of a request by the livejournal user chippyofyonder.
A/N this story is AU; it's what might have happened had the Pevensie's stayed back in Narnia instead of going back.
"You shouldn't look at him that way," Caspian's biting words caused Peter to turn around and face the prince standing behind him.
"I-I didn't know you were there," Peter stammered, caught off of guard.
"I got that, but still, it's not right for you to gaze at him in such a manner." Caspian's eyes narrowed and Peter backed up slightly, colliding with the stone railing of the balcony that he and Caspian were standing on.
"I don't know what you're talking about…" Peter's eyes darted around nervously.
"Don't lie to me, Peter. I saw that look and I know who it's meant for, I can see him down there, wrestling with Lucy just the same as you and I know that you care for him more than a brother should."
"I really don't know what you're on about," Peter lied, gulping as Caspian called him out on his secret. "I'm protective of him, he's my brother…"
"Oh don't play so innocent, Pevensie, I know how you feel, it's written all over your face."
"Fine!" Peter snapped. "Perhaps it is, but you can only detect it because you lust after him just as I do, don't even try to deny it!"
"Ah, that is the difference between you and me Peter, I did not try to deny it, and that is why I will win his heart, because I have no desire to hide how I feel for him, you do." Caspian smirked at Peter, who narrowed his eyes in frustration.
"If you so much as touch him I'll-"
"What, kill me in the middle of the night? Throw Narnia back into the chaos that it just exited? Would you really do that out of selfishness? Out of your feelings for your brother? We may not agree much, but even I can see that you are not that stupid."
"That's what you think," Peter hissed. He tried to hide his inner defeat, Caspian was right, he would never force Narnia back into a place of panic and fighting where no one could be trusted around another, that just wouldn't be right, not after all that had happened with the Telmarines.
"No, it's what I know." Caspian turned and walked off, leaving Peter alone on the balcony to watch his younger brother, longing coursing through his body as Edmund lifted Lucy off of the ground, swinging her high above his head. She giggled and he set her down, tickling her stomach. He released a laugh himself that made both Peter and Caspian want him all the more. Seeing him smile made both older boys wish that Edmund was less oblivious, that he saw the lust, the love in their eyes each time they looked at him.
Two Days Later
"Edmund," Caspian approached the young king just after breakfast, placing a hand gently on Edmund's shoulder.
"Oh, hey Caspian." Edmund nodded amiably at the older boy. "What do you want?"
"I was wondering if you'd like to go for a walk, it's a nice day and I'm having a bit of an urge to check the forest over, I just thought that you might want to-" Caspian was cut short as Peter grabbed him from behind, forcing him up against the wall, his hand tightly circled around Caspian's throat.
"Don't. You. Dare." Peter's eyes narrowed as he glared at the prince. "You stay away from him, you hear?"
"That is not for you to say, your highness." Caspian grabbed Peter's arm and swiftly twisted around, wrenching it behind Peter's back painfully. Peter retaliated by elbowing Caspian in the gut with his free arm, knocking the wind from his body. He then turned and tackled him to the ground. Soon both boys were rolling around on the ground, hitting each other every chance that got while Edmund watched, confused and completely unknowing of why they were fighting. He didn't understand that it was a mutual love for him that drove them to their quarrel.
"Will you two stop your power hungry bickering?" Edmund asked, pulling Peter off of Caspian. "You rule together, neither of you is better than the other, just get over yourselves long enough to govern Narnia, will you?" With that, Edmund walked off, leaving the two older boys slightly ashamed of how they had acted.
"This isn't over," Peter growled at Caspian.
"Far from it," the prince agreed. Both boys stalked off in opposite directions, neither following Edmund, both wondering if there was any way they would be willing to win the boy's affections.
ONE WEEK LATER
"We're losing him," Peter whispered quietly as heard footsteps behind him. Caspian entered the same balcony that Peter had watched Edmund from with Lucy several days ago.
"I know." Caspian nodded as he joined Peter in watching the boy, who was below on the field, laughing again, this time with a gorgeous girl, one of the Telmarine's who's families had decided to stay behind.
"It's official now, she wants to court him…" Peter pulled his gaze away from his brother and looked at Caspian. "I can't help but think that maybe if we hadn't been so stupid he would have seen that one of us, if not both, cared for him far more than she ever could…"
"Maybe it's not too late."
"What do you mean?" Peter's expression changed to portray confusion.
"I mean that if we harnessed our feelings for him and put them to better use…" Caspian reached out and rested his hand on Peter's cheek. "There's no denying you're beauty, Peter. It's not the same dark, mysterious, lively beauty as him, it's a more regal, golden perfection, but it's there…"
"Caspian, what are you saying?"
"We could both love him, you know, together…and not lose him." Caspian whispered, moving closer to Peter as he spoke, his voice getting quieter and quieter as the space between them grew smaller and smaller. "We could love each other." Caspian drew Peter in to a soft kiss.
"Caspian…" Peter pulled back. "I don't know…"
"If we keep fighting we'll just drive him away just as we have been, if we unite…we could make him ours Peter, I know you want him as much as I do…"
"Why do I hate it so much when you're right?" Peter let out a deep sigh. "Let's just get this done before it's too late." Caspian nodded and took Peter's hand. The two boys walked quickly from the balcony, Caspian's hand loosely holding Peter's as they made their way down the stairs and out into the grassy courtyard. "Edmund, can I speak with you for a moment."
"I'm a bit busy Pete," Edmund jerked his head towards the girl. "Can it wait?"
"I'm afraid it can't." Peter shook his head and Edmund rolled his eyes, approaching the two boys.
"What is it?"
"We need to speak to you in private," Caspian explained, leading Peter and Edmund inside the building and down an empty corridor.
"Look, Ed…" Peter let out a deep sigh. "The other day when Caspian and I were fighting…it was because…because…" Peter bit his bottom lip, unable to get the words out.
"It was because we're both in love with you, Edmund, and we didn't want the other to have you…" Caspian trailed off as a look of utmost shock spread across Edmund's face.
"You mean…you two…you…" He gulped as his brother and Caspian nodded.
"We don't want you with her, Ed…" Peter sighed. "Seeing you two together made us realize that no matter how much we didn't want you with the other, we wanted you with that girl less…now if you love her, we want you to be happy above all else, but if you think that there's a chance that you could love both of us or even one of us back, don't accept her courtship…please…"
"I…" Edmund gulped, confusion playing through his body. "This is really…I had no idea…"
"It's been there, Ed, right in front of you," Peter sighed. "We both watch you, I believe everyone's noticed it except for you…"
"Oh…" Edmund looked down at his feet.
"We did not mean to pressure you, Edmund, I do apologize…" Caspian sighed, looking towards Peter. "I believe that I may have been mistaken, Peter…this may not be enough, even I know that I can't make someone love me just by loving them." Peter nodded.
"I'm sorry Ed, we didn't mean to do this to you…" Peter sighed and turned, walking away, Caspian following behind him.
"Wait…" Edmund jogged after them, grabbing Caspian's upper arm and pulling him back, into a rough kiss. "You didn't give me time to process the information you idiots." Peter sighed, slightly dejected as Edmund kissed Caspian again.
"I'm not in this unless Peter is as well," Caspian stated, pulling away.
"I was getting there," Edmund smiled and walked over to Peter. He put his arms around his brother's neck and looked up at him. "You know that this is unacceptable in England, right?" Peter nodded and Edmund blushed slightly, placing a soft kiss on Peter's lips.
The next morning Peter awoke, blinking twice before he realized where he was. The canopy above the bed belonged not to him, but to Caspian, and the arms wrapped around his waist were dark and strong. He looked over to see Caspian, asleep beside him, holding him gently. On his other side, Edmund's head rested in the crook of Peter's shoulder. Peter's right arm was draped around Edmund's shoulder and diagonally across his chest, his hand resting gently on Edmund's hip. His left was around Caspian, and both boys stirred as Peter drew them in closer, closing his eyes again, not wanting the moment to end.