𝙴𝚛𝚒𝚌 𝙲𝚊𝚛𝚛 𝚡 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛 ★ 𝙾𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚝 𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 ★

𝒪𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓀𝑒𝒹 𝑅𝑒𝒶𝒹𝑒𝓇

It had been a long day for both of you. Eric had just finished a long rehearsal, and you had been working through some projects, balancing stress and fatigue. By the time the evening rolled around, you were both completely drained. Eric had mentioned running a quick errand and promised he'd be back soon, leaving you with just enough time to finish up your work before settling down for the night.

When Eric returned, the apartment was dark, save for the soft, warm glow of a single lamp. He had expected to find you lounging on the couch or curled up in bed, but as he stepped inside and set his keys down, something caught his eye. You were on the floor, surrounded by papers, your arms tucked under your head like a makeshift pillow, fast asleep.

A small smile played on his lips as he approached, careful not to wake you just yet. His heart softened at the sight of you lying there, peaceful and unaware, clearly exhausted from the day. You must've been working right up until the last minute, pushing yourself until your body simply gave in.

Eric crouched down beside you, brushing a few stray strands of hair away from your face. He noticed how your breathing was slow and even, your lips slightly parted, and a soft sigh escaped him. He hated seeing you overwork yourself like this, but he also admired how dedicated you were to everything you did.

"Babe..." he whispered softly, his voice gentle but enough to stir you.

You mumbled something incoherent in your sleep, barely stirring at first. But then, as his fingers traced lightly down your cheek, your eyes fluttered open. It took a moment for your vision to focus, and when you saw Eric kneeling beside you, a sleepy smile tugged at the corners of your mouth.

"Eric..." you murmured, voice thick with exhaustion.

"Hey," he whispered back, his tone warm and tender. "What are you doing sleeping down here? Did you forget we have a bed?"

You let out a soft, breathy laugh, closing your eyes again for just a second as the weight of fatigue pulled at you. "I was working... guess I just... passed out."

Eric shook his head fondly. "You must've been really tired, huh?"

"Yeah..." You stretched a little, wincing as you realized how stiff your body had become from lying on the hard floor. "I didn't mean to fall asleep here."

Eric's hands were already on your shoulders, helping you sit up carefully. "I'm not surprised. You've been working way too hard lately."

"I know," you admitted, rubbing your eyes. "But there was just so much to do, and I wanted to get it done."

He sighed, wrapping an arm around your shoulders and pulling you close. "You can't do everything all at once. You need to take care of yourself too, you know?"

You leaned into him, the warmth of his body comforting. "I know. I just... didn't realize how tired I was."

Eric kissed the top of your head, his lips lingering there as if he could somehow protect you from the exhaustion and stress you carried. "Come on, let's get you into bed. The floor's no place for my girl."

You smiled, loving how protective and caring he was. "I'm okay," you said, though your body protested with every move. "But maybe the bed does sound better."

He stood up, offering you his hand to help you to your feet. Once you were standing, he wrapped his arms around you fully, holding you for a long moment as if grounding you in his warmth. "I'll take care of everything else," he promised. "You just need to rest."

"Thank you," you whispered against his chest, your arms slipping around his waist. "For always looking out for me."

"Of course. I'm always here for you," Eric replied, his voice soft yet full of sincerity.

Together, you made your way to the bedroom, where he gently helped you under the covers. He pulled the blankets up around you, tucking you in like you were the most precious thing in his world. Then, instead of heading to his own side of the bed, he leaned down and kissed your forehead.

"I'll be right back," he whispered.

You watched through half-closed eyes as he disappeared from the room, only to return moments later with a glass of water and a couple of pain relievers, just in case your muscles ached from sleeping on the floor. He set them down on the nightstand, then climbed into bed beside you.

Eric slid an arm around you, pulling you into his chest, and you nuzzled into him, the feeling of his steady heartbeat soothing. His fingers stroked gently through your hair, lulling you into a state of comfort you hadn't felt all day.

"Get some sleep," he murmured, his lips brushing against your temple.

"Mm... I love you," you mumbled sleepily, feeling the last bits of tension melting away in his arms.

"I love you too," he replied softly, his voice full of affection. "Now rest. I've got you."

And with that, you finally allowed yourself to drift off again, safe and sound in Eric's embrace, knowing that everything was going to be okay as long as he was by your side.