The Tree Remembers

See You in the Hall

"This is nice," Eddie hummed happily. I grinned and kissed the top of his head.

Eddie had stayed with me in my office for a while, calming me down and making me laugh with his stupid compliments and jokes. Grant had come back to check on us – I hated the face he made at me, pitying me when he found me – and told Eddie to take me home. I wasn't allowed to protest, and Eddie had me swept up in his van in minutes.

We got back to my apartment, and had changed into comfy clothes, laying around on my bed and trading kisses until I jokingly asked to braid his hair. He smiled and kissed me softly.

"Will it make you feel better?" he asked coyly.

I grinned and nodded. He shrugged and got up, sitting on the ground with his long hair over the bed in front of me. I got to work, brushing his knots out and braiding his curls together. Sometimes he would catch my hand and kiss it quickly, making me smile.

As much as I said I hated it, I was sometimes happy with how soft he made me.

I tied two braids together in a crown around his head, and Eddie looked up me, his gaze kind and sweet. I kissed his forehead.

"You look so pretty," I teased. His smile grew and he stood before crawling back into bed with me. He wrapped me up in his arms and kissed me softly.

"Got to work hard to look half as good as you," he flirted. I felt my face flush and threw my arms around his neck.

"You've got a long way to go," I retorted, making him laugh. He started to kiss my neck.

"My mean, surly girl," he sighed into my neck. I felt my hair stand on edge and tried to focus through his touch. He came back to my lips, just out of reach. "We have too many clothes on."

I laughed and made him smile. I tucked one of the braids behind his ear.

"You're a sex-crazed pervert," I joked. He winked.

"Can't blame me when I have a girl like you around," he replied. I felt my stomach flip and I crinkled my eyes.

"You always do that," I said. He furrowed his brows, and I kissed him quickly. "Make me all gooey inside."

His smile grew and he brushed his nose against mine.

"I just want to make you feel half of what you make me feel," he answered. I blushed and buried my face in the crook of his neck.

"God, I miss being able to be mean to you!" I whined. He laughed and kissed my forehead. I settled into his chest, closing my eyes as I listened to his breathing.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked quietly as he rubbed my back. I winced and nuzzled closer to him.

"I don't want to talk about it," I answered. He sighed.

"I hate that he makes you feel like this," he said.

"He doesn't make me feel like anything," I lied, trying to shut out the terror I felt when Eric had showed up at the bar.

I had almost forgotten about him – the moment when he had tried to trap me in my office had felt like a lifetime ago. Eddie had saved me; it was a moment that the first crack in the concrete girl appeared. Eddie had proved that he was reliable and my protector. If it hadn't happened, I wouldn't have grabbed a drink with Eddie, and I wouldn't have invited him over that first night, and I wouldn't be here, in Eddie's arms.

I nuzzled further into his chest, and he kissed my forehead sweetly.

"It's okay if he still scares you," he assured me. I felt a wave of shame. I hated that I had become so needy. Eddie started stroking my hair. "He's a piece of shit."