𝙴𝚛𝚒𝚌 𝙲𝚊𝚛𝚛 𝚡 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛 ★ 𝙾𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚝 𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 ★

𝐼𝓃𝓈𝑜𝓂𝓃𝒾𝒶𝒸 𝑅𝑒𝒶𝒹𝑒𝓇

The night was unusually quiet, save for the occasional rustle of sheets as you shifted in bed. Sleep had eluded you for hours, and no matter how much you adjusted or tried to relax, your mind refused to slow down. The room, dimly lit by the moon outside, offered no comfort. You sighed softly, frustration bubbling up inside.

Beside you, Eric slept soundly—at least, he had been. As you shifted again, his warm, familiar presence stirred. He mumbled something, then turned towards you, blinking sleepily in the dark.

"Hey," his voice was soft, raspy with sleep, "You alright?"

"I didn't mean to wake you." You whispered back, guilt immediately washing over you.

He sat up, rubbing his eyes. "It's okay, I was already halfway there anyway." He gave a sleepy smile, clearly trying to lighten the mood. "Can't sleep?"

You sighed again, this time louder. "No. My mind just won't shut off."

Eric stretched, then glanced at the clock on the nightstand. "Come on," he said, voice still low, "Let's get up for a bit."

You frowned. "You really shouldn't be awake. You have an early band rehearsal tomorrow."

"I don't care about that," he said without hesitation. "What I care about is you not being able to sleep."

Your heart swelled with affection for him, but you knew how exhausting his days could be, especially when it came to band rehearsals. Still, he was already slipping out of bed, holding out his hand for you to take. You couldn't help but smile softly as you took it, letting him pull you out of bed and lead you to the kitchen.

The house was quiet, still dark except for the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the windows. Eric flicked on a small lamp on the counter as he moved about, grabbing the kettle and filling it with water.

"You sit," he instructed gently, his voice tender. "I'll make the tea."

You sat down at the table, watching him in the soft light. There was something calming about his presence, the way he moved with quiet purpose despite the early hour. He was always so considerate, so thoughtful, even when half-asleep.

As the water heated, he joined you at the table, resting his hand over yours. "Anything on your mind?" he asked quietly.

You shrugged. "Just... everything, I guess. It's one of those nights where my brain won't stop thinking about all the little things." You glanced down at your intertwined hands. "I don't want you to be tired tomorrow because of me."

Eric gave a small chuckle, squeezing your hand. "I've survived on less sleep before. Besides, this is more important. I'll be fine." His tone was reassuring, full of warmth.

The kettle whistled, breaking the momentary silence, and Eric stood to pour the tea. The soothing aroma filled the room as he placed a cup in front of you and sat back down with his own. The two of you sat there quietly for a few minutes, sipping the tea and letting the calm settle between you. The warmth of the cup in your hands and the peacefulness of the moment helped ease the tension in your body.

Eric finished his tea first and stood, grabbing your empty cup too. "I'll get these," he said, heading over to the sink. You watched him as he washed the glasses, his movements slow and steady, as if to prolong the moment of simple togetherness. There was something so endearing about the way he did even the smallest things with such care.

When he finished, he turned back to you with a small smile. "Come on, let's try again." He held out his hand, and you took it once more, letting him guide you back to the bedroom.

The bed felt more inviting this time, and as you lay down, Eric slipped in beside you. He wrapped his arms around you, pulling you close, your head resting against his chest. His heart beat steady and comforting beneath your ear, the rhythm grounding you. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of your head.

"Close your eyes," he murmured. "I'm right here."

You took a deep breath, feeling his warmth surround you. His hand gently traced small circles on your back, the repetitive motion lulling you into a state of calm. The constant whirl of thoughts in your head slowly began to quiet.

"Thank you," you whispered into the quiet, your voice barely audible.

"Anything for you," Eric whispered back, his voice tender and full of love.

You smiled against him, your body finally beginning to relax completely. With Eric's arms wrapped around you and his steady breathing in your ear, the last bits of tension melted away. It wasn't long before sleep, gentle and kind this time, finally came.