Flight or Fight? An Eddie Munson Love Story

Chapter Three

"Holy shit, this is one hell of a collection you've got going here."

I was in awe of her loft; and these costumes were super impressive.

"You made these?!" I asked her, as she blushed.

"Erm, yeah." She said.

"You're seriously talented." I said, unable to believe it.

"Thank you..." she said, shifting nervously.

"Why does that make you nervous?" I asked her, curiosity getting the better of me.

A little too much, because she froze immediately and I watched her tense.

"I'm sorry, I made you uncomfortable.... I apologise." I said, hurriedly.

"It makes me nervous.... Yes, but only because I'm used to a person being so horrible and vile to me. This, this isn't you. It's me." She said, before taking a shaky breath.

"I'm not used to getting compliments, I'm not used to being admired, or spoken to nicely, I'm not used to someone not raising their hand to me, I'm not used to someone buying me dinner or even picking me up to take me to dinner." She said.

"What would make you comfortable right now, with me?" I asked her.

"Because I'm not prepared to put a hand on you or say anything nasty." I added.

"I don't know." She said, starting to shake.

"Torvi...... Torvi, it's okay." I said, raising my hands in defense.

"I know.... I know it's okay. But I'm in that place right now and I just need a minute." She whispered, sounding panicked.

"Describe it to me." I said, on a whim.

"It's not a nice place." She said, shaking her head.

I slowly approached her then, taking my time so as not to startle her and when I was close enough to feel her breath on my face, I slowly and gently enveloped her in my arms and hugged her.

"You don't have to go there, you can be here with me." I whispered in her ear, rubbing her back softly.

"You can stay here with me. I would never hurt you in that way. I promise you, I would never do anything like that." I continued, as her arms shakily embraced me back and we hugged each other tight.

"We can start off as friends, we can stay as friends if that's what you'd want. But this, whatever it becomes, is completely on your terms. I'll follow your lead." I said, reassuringly.

I released her, to look her in the eyes and she smiled weakly.

"I'm sorry..... it's a trauma response. One that I aren't sure will ever go, but I hope it will." She said.

"You tell me what you want, at any point you need to." I said.

"And you never need to apologise for this, especially not to me." I added.

"I Uhm, I've always wanted to make this a safe place, for when I feel like I need space..." she said, changing the subject.

She subtly sniffed back tears though, and wiped some from her cheeks delicately, as she led me to the patio doors.

"What were you thinking?" I asked, taking the hint.

"Well this is probably the most private, fenced off loft you'll ever get here. There's decking out there, and I wanted to perhaps eventually make a bed out there, for summer. Where I could sit or maybe even sleep out there. Just to relax, if you know what I mean?" She asked.