𝙴𝚛𝚒𝚌 𝙲𝚊𝚛𝚛 𝚡 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛 ★ 𝙾𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚝 𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 ★

𝐼𝓃𝓈𝑒𝒸𝓊𝓇𝑒 𝑅𝑒𝒶𝒹𝑒𝓇

It was late at night, the house quiet except for the soft hum of the heater kicking in against the chilly air. The dim glow of the TV flickered in the corner of the room, casting shadows across the walls, but you barely noticed. You were curled up on the couch, knees tucked tightly to your chest, wrapped in one of Eric's oversized sweaters. Despite the warmth of the fabric, you couldn't shake the cold, heavy feeling that had settled in your chest.

Eric had come home hours ago, full of his usual energy after a long day at rehearsal. He had been eager to tell you all about it, recounting stories with his usual enthusiasm, his eyes lighting up with excitement. Normally, his passion was contagious—you loved hearing him talk about the band, about his music—but tonight, the words barely registered.

You nodded at the right times, offered small smiles, but inside, the feeling you had been trying to suppress for days was threatening to overwhelm you.

Eric, always so attuned to your moods, eventually noticed your quietness. He slowed down mid-sentence, his smile faltering as he studied your face.

"Hey, you okay?" His voice was soft, gentle, but filled with concern.

You swallowed hard, unable to meet his gaze, and nodded quickly. "Yeah, I'm fine," you lied, your voice shaky and unconvincing.

Eric frowned, moving closer on the couch, his hand finding yours and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You don't seem fine. What's going on? Talk to me, babe."

You inhaled deeply, trying to gather your thoughts, but the lump in your throat only grew. You didn't want to burden him with your insecurities, especially not when he had so much going on. But no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't shake the nagging feeling that had been eating at you for weeks.

"It's nothing, really," you mumbled, forcing a tight smile that didn't reach your eyes. "Just tired."

Eric's expression softened further. He wasn't the type to push, but he wasn't going to let this go either. "Hey," he said again, this time more firmly, tilting your chin up so you had to meet his eyes. "I know when something's bothering you. Please, talk to me."

You blinked, feeling your resolve crumbling. He always had this way of making you feel safe, like nothing you said would ever scare him away. But that's exactly what scared you. You were terrified that if you opened up, if you let him see how insecure you were, he might realize he could do better.

"I just..." you started, your voice barely above a whisper, "...I don't feel like I'm enough for you."

The confession hung in the air between you, the weight of it settling heavily on your chest. You bit your lip, looking down at the floor, afraid of how he might respond.

Eric's expression softened, and after a moment of silence, he reached out and gently pulled you closer, wrapping his arms around you. You could feel the steady beat of his heart as you rested your head against his chest, his warmth surrounding you, but even that comfort couldn't drown out the voice in your head.

"Is that really what you think?" he murmured into your hair, his voice thick with emotion. "That you're not good enough for me?"

You shrugged, your throat tightening again. "I just... I don't know. You're amazing, Eric. You're talented, kind, so... so good to me. And I'm just... I'm just me. I feel like I'm not good enough for you, like you deserve someone better, someone who can keep up with you."

Tears welled up in your eyes, and you quickly wiped them away, embarrassed by your own words. You didn't want to cry, not in front of him, but the weight of your insecurities was too much to hold back.

"I don't know how you put up with me. I feel like I'm holding you back."

Eric pulled back slightly, cupping your face in his hands. His eyes were soft but serious, his gaze never leaving yours. "You listen to me, and listen carefully," he said gently, wiping away the tears with his thumbs. "I don't want anyone else. You are everything to me. I wake up every day grateful that I get to be with you."

You started to protest, but he shushed you softly, pressing a kiss to your lips. "You are more than enough. You're kind, thoughtful, loving. You support me in ways no one else ever has. You make this crazy life worth it. And if I've ever made you feel like you're not enough, then I've failed as your boyfriend."

"No, it's not you," you said quickly, shaking your head. "It's me. I just... I get in my own head sometimes."

"And that's okay," Eric said softly. "We all have moments like that. But I need you to know that you're not a burden. You're not holding me back. You make me better, baby. You make me want to be better."

His words washed over you, soothing the doubts that had been eating at you. You blinked through the tears, letting his tenderness sink in. How did he always know exactly what to say to make you feel better?

"I don't know what I'd do without you," Eric continued, his voice breaking slightly. "You've been my rock. You're the one I come home to, the one who keeps me grounded. Don't ever think you're not enough, because you're more than I ever dreamed of."

His sincerity made your heart ache in the best way possible. You wrapped your arms around him, pulling him close as you buried your face in his chest. His embrace was warm, safe, and full of love, just like it always was.

"I'm sorry," you whispered, your voice muffled against his shirt.

"Don't apologize," he murmured back, kissing the top of your head. "You don't ever have to apologize for how you feel. Just promise me you'll talk to me when you're feeling like this. I don't want you to ever doubt how much you mean to me."

"I promise," you said, feeling a little lighter, a little more secure in his love.

He pulled back just enough to tilt your chin up again, his lips brushing against yours in a soft, lingering kiss. When he pulled away, he smiled, that warm, boyish smile that always melted your heart.

"Good," he said, his voice full of affection. "Because you're stuck with me, whether you like it or not."

A small laugh escaped your lips, the heaviness in your chest lifting. "I think I can live with that."

Eric grinned, wrapping his arms around you once more, pulling you onto his lap as he kissed you again, this time deeper, more passionately.

"You're my everything," he whispered against your lips. "Don't ever forget that."

As you sat there, wrapped in his arms, you couldn't help but feel that maybe—just maybe—you were enough after all.