Eddie Munson

The thick, damp air of the forest finally loosened, opening onto a valley that seemed ablaze with sunlight. Eddie sighed, letting his backpack fall heavily onto the grass. His military boots, still stained with black mud from the thicket, looked out of place among the daisies and dandelions. "We survived," he said, falling back. You sat down next to him, crossing your legs with a grace that Eddie had always secretly envied. You'd huffed; it was just a walk in the woods after all, and it wasn't a big deal to you, but for Eddie, that day, it was.

There was a comfortable silence between them. Until Eddie felt your touch, opened one eye, but didn't move. You were wrapping a flower stem around one of his curly locks. "What are you doing?" he growled, though he made no move to move away. You said it lacked color, letting out a laugh as you added a small flower near his ear. Eddie remained motionless, gazing at the sky, feeling your fingers move delicately over his head. At that moment, surrounded by fragility and under the care of the only person who didn't look at him like a freak, the village rebel allowed himself to close his eyes and simply breathe.