trigger warning for talks of abuse, both sexual and physical, and there's a non-con scene in this chapter.
***
Calum is a very reserved person. That's the first thing Arrow discovers about him.
He keeps up this shell, this hard barrier between his real self and the one he physically portrays, and it's very rare that that shell even cracks. She sees it in the way he talks, how he holds back his emotions when talking about certain topics, like how he got to Vancouver and where he was before. She sees it when he laughs, because though it is a rare event, his eyes light up like the stars in the sky. He's broken enough after these past two weeks for her to identify the chinks in his armor, find the cracks in the shield he's put up. What she's found so far has been beautiful.
Everything has been surprisingly casual and barely awkward at all. She guesses that's what happens when two people don't know or see anybody else other than each other. The only thing is, Calum absolutely hates being touched. It's really weird, because he doesn't care if it's him that touches her, such as to grab her hand to help her up steep rocks by a river, but the second she even brushes his side he flinches away. Arrow doesn't understand why, but she respects his privacy enough to refrain from asking.
When they woke up that first morning, the symbol was burned into every single tree that circled around them. Calum pretended not to notice, but she could sense his anxiety about it just standing next to him. The tall man hasn't made an appearance since.
They're currently walking through Woodburn, trying to find a place to stay for the night. The Oregon weather is actually pretty nice, not too hot and not too cold, humid for the most part but that's ok. They still have the woods to take cover when it rains.
"How much of that bread do we have left over from last night?" Calum asks, his feet splashing in the puddles on the deserted street. It's nearly midnight. Almost the entire town is asleep.
Arrow sighs. They had raided a dumpster behind a small cafe to get the stuff. "Like half a loaf. I ate some of it for breakfast, I'm sorry. You can have it."
Calum immediately shakes his head, turning the corner. "Don't worry about it. We can half it. You need to eat too." He pauses, eyes on the woodsline not far in front of them. "We wouldn't even have the bread if it wasn't for you, anyway."
She stares at him. He's not looking at her. Why are you always so nice to me? Is what she wants to say, but instead she just nods and gestures to one of the many signs in front of them. "There's a park up ahead. Do you want to stay there tonight or head into the woods?"
"Park." He replies, finally tearing his eyes away from the trees. "Let's hurry, it's getting late." He walks in front of her then, heading in the direction the directory says. She just follows him like a lost puppy.
Arrow watches Calum walk through the park gate, his muscles contracting as he adjusts the backpack on his shoulder. He's such a.. mysterious person. He's managed to hide a shit ton of details about himself despite being with her literally 24/7 for over fourteen days. She needs to find out more about him. There's got to be a way to ask him without disrespecting his privacy, or making him drop her completely.
Of course, she hasn't shared much about herself either. Just where she's from and how she ran away. Her last name and her favorite color. Simple little things that don't really matter. If she wants him to open up, she's got to do the same. It's only fair.

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Taken • cth
FanfictionEverything in her body is screaming at her to look up, to let her eyes frantically scan the area until she can identify him, but she knows that will not end well. She needs to look down, stare at her feet, and pray to God that he leaves. It's been w...