Life in Fae Valley

Chapter 6:Part 2

Together, they laid side by side for nearly an hour before finally getting up again... Wordless smiles on their faces. That moment of silent peace was something they had both needed... A moment just for each other, away from everything else.

A moment for themselves.

"Any idea where that music could be coming from?" Natalie eventually said and Brandy shrugged, picking a flower and carefully placing it behind her ear before he ran his thumb gently across her tanned olive skin, tracing soft patterns on her skin before he carefully ran his hand over her short hair.

Natalie chuckled a bit after all this, raising an eyebrow as she gazed up at the tall man beside her. "Having fun big man? Or what's up? You're never usually so touchy unless you just woke up" she giggled, smiling more when she noticed a soft, rosy blush spread across his freckled face.

"I'm just... Admirin' my lady. I-Is that so bad?... Plus... Your new look suits you... D-Dont get me wrong! I loved you with your long hair, but this short look... It suits you better" he murmured, glancing away some as he tilted his head down slightly to allow the brim of his hat to hide his face slightly. She blinked some as she heard and chuckled, gently taking hold of his hand and lacing their fingers together, tracing her thumb across his hand in circular patterns.

She knew he struggled to admit things he liked... That being more physically affectionate was something he was working on, and she didn't mind one bit. He was brave, and to her, that was all that mattered. He was trying, and thats what counter. As long as there was reciprocation of love, she'd stay by his side.

50/50, 10/90, 40/60. She didn't care. As long as that love was there, she'd help him, and stay by him. He was her man, and she was his lady. Life might not have been the nicest to either of them, but they were making it work. He made her heart soar, made her feel as careless and free as a bird on the wind...

She could only hope she made him feel the same.

With some searching, they had found the music source. In the car park that sat infront of a forest trail, stood a cosy caravan, Lizzy sitting on the steps of it while Ziggy and Elliot danced around a campfire, laughing away as carelessly as children... They looked like wild children, spirits of nature, having their careless fun... Yet at the end of the day, that's what Ziggy still was. He might have the age of an adult, and look like one, but his mind... His mind was no grown up.

That was the mind of the same teenage boy trapped in that cave 10 years ago.

He did not understand many things, as Natalie later learned from Lizzy. He still believed babies came from the stork, that if you swallow watermelon seeds it'd grow in your stomach. He denied any other reasoning behind many childlike myths, and would simply cover his ears to deny it. Despite this nature of his, he was so sweet... Loving... Kind.

He was not made for a relationship with that mind of his. He cringed still at the sight of couples kissing, yet would still eagerly hold hands with his brother and Lizzy. Allowing him to be in a romantic relationship would be cruel. To him, and to his partner...

It was depressing to think about.

Someone so loving, so gentle, stuck in his own world. He had so much love to give, yet could not give it to anyone... Hopefully, he'd learn how to use that love for himself. Learn how to love the person he was.

Natalie gazed at him now, her heart aching with sympathy. She could have easily ended up like him. Stuck in a world of childish imagination... Brandy as well... Yet, trauma effects everyone differently. Creates different ways to cope... If his coping mechanism was acting like a kid, then thats what it was, and nothing could be done about that.