Falling on Dead Ears

Ellie fumbled with the small plant, dirt digging under her nails as she worked in the soil. She felt a little bad about it. Her eyes wandered her ever expanding garden. It wasn’t that she meant for it to take up so much room but plants grow and her plants were defiantly growing. The whole left side of the garage was slowly being consumed by her flourishing garden.

Sighing she sat back on her heels, hands on her thighs, as she looked at her growing garden. It was easy to grow in Maryland. She didn’t have to do a lot to get it to grow, back home she had to work with dry soil, lack of nutrients in the ground. Not here.

Slight movement in the green growing mess around her and the shadow casting its self over her caught her attention and she smiled gently. Turning she glanced up at Travis standing a few feet away. He waved before nervously stuffing his hands in his pockets. Smiling Ellie patted the spot next to her.

Sighing Travis walked over and sat next to her, his back to the garage, and held his knees loosely to his chest. His brown eyes focused on her celery green ones. A weak smile forming on his features.

Want to help? She asked gently. Travis turned looking at the flourishing garden he was sure he’d killed beyond recognition behind him.

Laughing gently he looked back Ellie, a wide smile on his face.

“I figured I’d killed it by now.” He teased gently. Ellie pushed him gently. “Atleast I know when I try to kill something or someone,” He pointed at himself. “Mainly myself,” He chuckled as she raised a brow at him. “You’ll be able to keep that something or someone alive.” Ellie nodded.

Is this leading to what you plan on doing today? Travis laughed at her small scowl.

“I plan on hanging out with you all day.” He smiled sheepishly. The night before still hung in his mind like a large poster on every wall he looked at. He was still afraid she’d slip away from him after what he’d said. Like this was all a dream. “Is that okay?” His tone weak and soft.

Ellie smiled, leaning over and kissing him gently. His cheeks flushed slightly.

“Do what? No! I’ll kill it!” Travis gasped over at her several hours later. Ellie placed a hand over her face as a small smile lingered on her lips. That was his saying of the day.

It’s chicken, it’s already dead. She pointed out. Travis eyed the pieces of meat laying on the clean kitchen counter and groaned.

“Well… yeah, but I’ll kill dinner.” He tried to reason. The thought of taking what she’d done and helping with it was nerve wracking. He couldn’t bake chicken, hell he didn’t even know chicken could be baked till twenty minutes ago. Chicken in his mind went on the grill, that he could do…this… this, just no.

Please? Ellie tried. She was trying to include him but Travis seemed more content on sitting back and watching her.

Tipping his head back Travis groaned. Stupid puppy dog eyes.

“Fine.” He grumbled as he crossed the kitchen to her. “So…what’d I do?” Ellie smiled up at him and gave his cheek and small peek. “Yeah, yeah,” He grumbled with a wave of his hand. His insides were excited, he’d gotten a kiss, yet the looming doom of dinner’s death scared the living help out of him.

Ellie helped him with it. Huffing Travis picked up at the foil wrapped glass bake dish and turned to the oven.

“I can back-flip a dirt bike twelve ways to Sunday, but chicken scares the piss outta me.” He whispered to himself as he tenderly pulled the oven door open. Groaning nervously he slid the glass dish in and closed the door. Sucking in a deep breath he turned to Ellie who simply stood behind him smiling gently. “Did I do it right?” He asked. Ellie simply nodded. There was so wrong way to put the dish in the oven. “Sweet.” He breathed a sigh of relief at the nod.

Travis fell face first into bed that night. A long day out in the garden, where on accident he played Godzilla to all the little plants, and a hard time making a dinner that was a bit too grainy and chewy, thanks to his fantastic cooking skills, and a fight with his trainer and not a playful good one either.

“Jerk.” His words muffled by the sheets.

Ellie peeked into their bedroom at him spread eagle on the bed. Rolling her eyes at him she wandered into the room, closing the door behind her gently. Travis didn’t even flinch as she climbed up on the high bed and placed her hands on his back, messaging the sore and tense muscles.

As his body relaxed Travis rolled over and smiled up at her weakly.

Why do blue? She questioned. He hadn’t been a bad gardener, in her opinion, and dinner just hadn’t cooked long enough in the oven, other than that he’d been a great help to her day and made her smile and laugh the whole time.

“Derek and I got into it after dinner.” Travis whispered. Ellie stared at him confused and worried. “I guess I should expect it now.” He shrugged at the thought. Derek, his trainer, and him fought all the time over the smallest things it seemed like.

It was getting ridiculous in Ellie’s opinion.

Why’d you fight this time? Travis simply shook his head, which to her meant something small and stupid. But in reality he didn’t want to tell her it was over him spending the day with her and not on his bike, like he was suppose to. You to either need to stop fighting, or you need a new trainer. All the stress from fighting can’t be good for you in the long run. She had a point.

“I know but who else is going to deal with me?” Travis sighed, teasing gently.

Ellie groaned and threw her head into his chest. For some ridiculous reason Travis thought that no one wanted to deal with him ever, that he was too much of this or that for someone to put up with when he really wasn’t.

Travis laughed at her actions. That was her silent way, Travis had figured out, of her calling him an idiot.

Wrapping his arms around her he sighed gently into the top of her head, before kissing it. Ellie looked up at him and smiled weakly.

“Let’s get some sleep. I think you’re plants need the relief to know I’m not going to go out and terrorize them.” She rolled her eyes and straddled his hip.

What if I’m not tired? Travis swallowed nervously as her hands moved to play with his shirt.

“Then I guess I have to find ways to entertain you…” he breathed. She smiled at him and pressed her lips to his as her hands slid up under his shirt. His arms tightened around her as he tried to pull her closer.