Falling on Dead Ears

‘Are you staying here tonight?’ Travis asked as he stood next to me, leaning against the counter and helping me with the dishes. I washed, he dried. That was the deal, but he was slacking, he kept talking and letting the dishes pile up.

Shrugging I turned off the faucet and picked up a dry rag helping him dry. He wasn’t very good at house duties, and it was cute to watch him struggle with them.

His foot moved towards mine, nudging me gently. Glancing up he smiled at me.

‘If you want, you can. I don’t mind. I mean I know your aunt’s mad at you…’ Travis’s head snapped up an angry glare set on his features. ‘Knock it off! I’m not kidding!’ I stumbled back at the sudden movement of his broad shoulders and the heavy vibrations hitting my face.

The plate in my hand tumbled to the ground shattering. Glancing up at Travis I quickly bent down to clean it up.

Rising up off the ground I blinked at Travis setting me on the counter. Smiling softly, he gave my arms a gentle squeeze as I let my fist roll over my collar bone quickly.

‘It’s okay, don’t be sorry. Accidents happen…’ He turned around, looking ready to kill. I knew he was angry as he gave my arms a tighter squeeze.

Reaching out I began rubbing his shoulders, trying to calm him. The tension instantly began to melt as he argued with his father. I didn’t bother to listen to his dad’s side of the conversation. I didn’t want to hear him. I was sure they were horrible, they had been all night.

My hands traveled from his shoulder up to the side of his neck and the back of it. Travis instantly turned back to me, with half open eyes as his mouth dropped open. His head lolled forward as he stared at me. His shoulders dropped completely as he leaned forward on the counter, hands on either side of my hips.

‘That feels so good.’ Smiling I laughed gently and let my hands fall back to his shoulders. His small smile turned into a frown. ‘Don’t stop.’ The way his eye brows went up and the corners of his mouth went down I knew he was whining and pouting at me.

Shaking my head I pushed him back and slid off the counter. Bending down I began picking up the shards of white ceramic. Travis’s large, calloused hands soon joined mine as he crouched down next to me.

Instantly I signed another sorry to him and frowned as well. I honestly did feel bad. I didn’t mean to break it.

Smiling he leaned over kissing my forehead making me stop in my tracks. The heat in my cheeks couldn’t be missed.

‘It’s okay, I break things all the time.’ He stated. Nodding I glanced down before the pile of dish in his hands went crashing to the ground again. Watching him I blinked startled. ‘Son of…damn it.’ he put the palm of his hand to his mouth instantly.

Dropping my pieces I took his hand from his mouth shaking my head. If he still had glass in his hand he’d breathe it in. Groaning his eyebrows began flexing out of pain as I rolled his hand over.

Blood was pooling in his palm quickly.

Standing I pulled on his hand and stuck it under the cold water and began gently running my thumbs over his palm, watching the muscles in his arms flex. Pulling the small shards still in his hand out I tucked his arm under mine to keep him from tugging it away from me.

For a man that, apparently, does death-defying tricks he couldn’t bother to have glass pulled from his hand. How ridiculous was that?

Sitting on his couch I watched him as he wiggled his fingers in the air, hunched over in front of the entertainment center. He’d been like that for atleast ten minutes after suggesting we watch a movie, just me and him.

Though I have to admit, I was the one to tell him to pick the movie. Apparently his very indecisive since he kept picking up a movie then putting it back while grabbing another.

He glanced over at me and smiled wickedly. Narrowing my brows at him I watched him confused as he tucked the case to his chest and moved to the DVD player and putting the movie in the player and hiding the case behind the device.

Snuggling into his side as he sat down with the remote I smiled as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. Giggling as he struggled with turning on the subtitles on the television I took the remote and simply turned them on for the movie. He nudged me in response as I tucked my knees to my chest and found my self fitting into his side flawlessly.

Travis scooted down and kicked his feet up onto the coffee table letting me marvel at how long they actually were. The coffee table was a foot from the couch and two feet wide, his feet stuck out another foot and a half from that and his head was still a foot or so over my head.

As the movie started I rolled my eyes at the title rolling over the screen. A scary movie, by the looks of it.

Smiling up at him he glanced down at me and smiled. Wrapping my arms around his torso I could feel the hard muscles below his shirt just under my arms and hands. His smile grew as he squeezed me closer to his well shaped body. My mind suddenly went dirty.

Shaking my head I looked back at the movie and I tried to focus on it, instead of him. Travis on the other hand seemed to have different plans for me.

His arm gave me a gentle squeeze as he pulled my legs over his lap and let his hand rest on my thigh, thumb gently rubbing the exposed skin of my outer left thigh. Glancing up at him he sank deeper into the couch and glanced at me, looking surprised that I was watching him.

‘What? Do you not like scary movies? I’ll change it…’ His lips moved quickly as his eyes seemed to dart all over my face, gauging my reaction. Shaking my head I turned back to the movie, resting my head on his now accessibly shoulder.

My face was stuffed into the crook of his neck most the movie, my lack of hearing made it hard to gauge when the movie wasn’t completely and utterly gruesome. I always seemed to look when someone had had something going through their head or their stomachs.

My hands squeezed the side of Travis’s neck and side as I put my head back into his neck. The heart beat in my chest was echoing through my neck all the way down to my toes, which were curled into the couch.

How could he sit there and watch this? It was horrible!

Glancing up at him, a small amused smile formed on my lips. His head was tipped back, eyes closed. How a horrible movie like this put him to sleep was beyond me. Sitting all the way up my body froze as he gripped my thigh, stopping me from getting up. His head rolled and his eyes opened to look at me. He didn’t even look tired.

‘Finally! I’ve been trying to get your attention for like ever!’ a smile formed on his lips. ‘Do you want me to turn the movie off?’ Biting my lip I nodded weakly and focused on my lap as he gently got up.

Watching his tall form cross the room he took the movie out and put it away. Turning back to me he forced a smile.

‘Sorry about that….I just… never mind.’ his head dropped as his hand found his way to the back of my neck. ‘Do you want to watch another one? You can pick.’ He looked up at me hopefully as he slowly made his way back to the couch. ‘I’m sorry that was a bad idea…that’ movie…’ He spun in a circle and flopped down on the couch.

Licking my lips I glanced at the now blank, expectant television before back at him and slowly moving my hands I watched him as he focused on my one hand movement of why?

‘Why’d I pick it?’ Nodding I licked my lips and watched as he lifted his hat with one hand and ran the other one over his messy hair. ‘I dunno.’ he glanced at me and sighed. ‘I’m just not use to dating girls who don’t like that kind of stuff. Every girl I’ve dated seems to dislike everything but violent horror movies or blubbery romance movies.’ His eyes seemed to roll absent mindedly at the idea as he shrugged his shoulders lightly. ‘and I’m not really a blubbery romance movie kind of person.’ He finished. His sweet breath hit my face in a soft rush as he watched me.

Glancing away I tried to figure out what he was telling me. A kind, gentle, caring, passionate, and slightly crazy man dated evil, angry, over emotional, and love seeking women? I couldn’t see it.

Turning to him I opened my mouth before closing it, letting him know I was at a loss for words.

‘One of my ex-girlfriends’ was a horror movie buff.’ My brows narrowed at him. Standing I held up a finger and quickly headed to the kitchen. Grabbing a pen and pad of paper I moved back to the couch, sitting down next to him as I began writing quickly.

‘For the way they’re put together, fake blood and body parts, or because they’re just gruesome?’

Watching him as he read the words he shrugged deeply.

‘I dunno. But she never watch the old movies so I don’t think its for the difference in movie making styles, yaknow?’ My head fell forward slightly as my mouth opened in confusion. ‘I know.’ He laughed with a shrug. Shaking my head I flipped the page and picked the pen up.

‘Was she crazy?’ I didn’t mean to sound rude, but I had to know.

Travis just laughed and nodded.

‘Actually she was. Towards the end she was completely nutty…I don’t know how I missed it in the begging either because looking back it was sooo fucking obvious.’ Patting his shoulder I sighed lightly and shook my head. ‘Just pick a movie.’ a smile fixed its self on his features as he pushed me gently. Sticking my tongue out in response I jumped off the couch and over the coffee table before he could get me. ‘You’re going to get it!’He pointed while standing.

Vaguely putting my hands over my mouth I faked surprise and terror getting a small glare from him. His tall form was over the coffee table before I could react. Grimacing I tucked under his arm and around his body. Glancing over my shoulder I darted into the kitchen.

Taking hold of the kitchen island I watched the door as he skidded into the room, nearly falling over as his socks slid over the polished wood floor.

Smiling I watched as he held onto the counter with wide eyes and a bright smile on his features, his chin hovering just above the polished counter. Laughing I covered my mouth only to watch him drop to the ground.

Rushing around the counter I kneeled down next to him, watching as he lay there with a grimace on his face. Slipping my fingers over his chest I pressed my palm to his chest and watched a small smile slide onto his face.

Gasping I shifted away only to slid across the wooden floor as Travis tugged me backwards. The cheater! Kicking my legs I whined up at him as he hugged me into his chest tightly, holding me down on the kitchen floor.

The smile on his face couldn’t be missed as I looked up at him. Glaring I kicked my legs again. If I had to I’d treat him like the kids I used to work with… though with his height and weight I’m not sure how well it’d work out…

‘I’m not letting go.’ Proudly smirking down at me he laughed, chest shaking wildly, as I pouted at him. ‘What’re you going to do about it?’ That was it. He was getting treated like six or seven five-year-olds.

Shifting my butt back I pushed my feet flat on the ground as his chest still shook. I was sure he was questioning what I was doing. I was questioning if I could do this or not. He wasn’t exactly the combined heights of a couple five-year-olds, he was a full grown man.

Pushing upwards I got a few feet up before falling back wards. Groaning my legs slid out my under me as my head fell back on his shoulder.

‘that was awesome…you almost got all the way up.’ Frowning I kicked my legs again. ‘What you don’t want to be pinned next to me?’ Wiggling my arms a deep, annoyed sigh passed out of my nose. The uselessness of my arms left me speechless.

“Chee-tar.” Travis began laughing harder as the vibrations left my lips and my breath caught in my throat. Moaning in distaste I leaned forward at the tightness in my throat.

Travis loosened his grip and leaned around me, watching as I rubbed my throat.

‘Are you okay?’ Nodding weakly I took in slow steady breaths. His hand began making gentle circles on my back as I tried to calm myself. ‘What’s wrong?’ Shrugging I glanced up at him before looking away. My throat never hurt, but I never really used it either.

Gently waving my hands I sighed, watching him. Frowning he just watched concerned and shrugged. Tapping his lips I shrugged as well, the pain fading away.

The cute cross-eyed, utterly baffled look he gave me made me smile and gently kiss him. His lips eagerly pressed back to mine, following them, as I tried to pull away from the – what was suppose to be- quick kiss.

We toppled over as his lips coaxed mine to work against his just as heatedly as his were. My insides were screaming and dancing.

What made me push him away was the heavy vibrations in the floor. Travis frowned as I placed one palm face down on hard wood floor.

‘What’s wrong?’ I thought everyone else was gone. Sitting up I turned towards the source of the vibrations. Peering around the island I pulled back in quickly. Pointing Travis sat up on his knees before ducking back down. ‘One sec.’ With that he stood up facing the person dressed in solid black.

Sitting on my knees I peered over the counter at Travis hugging the man. Standing I watched as they both smiled at each other.

‘Ellie! This is Ken Block…Ken this is Ellie.’ Travis smiled over at me as he spoke. Flushing I waved a hand at him, thankfully the man was heavy footed. I would have hated for him to find Travis and I the way we’d been.

‘Nice to meet you.” Ken smiled. Smiling back I nodded my head at him. ‘Is she shy? Ken asked glancing up at Travis.

‘She’s deaf.’ With that Travis crossed the room and wrapped me in his long arms. Flushing I put my head down nervously