Eric Coulter Oneshots

{Hold Me}

Hold me."

Eric Coulter was definitely not the 'cuddling' type. Heck if anyone else had asked him he would've laughed in their face and continued laughing while walking out the door and slamming it in his wake. Only it wasn't just anyone, it was you.

Y/N Y/L/N, his partner and crime and best friend since you were both first initiated into Dauntless. You from Candor, and he from Erudite. Both of you had gotten on like a house on fire, mostly because neither of you minded setting things on fire and causing a ruckus. And while you weren't the "affectionate" type either, something about today broke you when you had found out your parents had passed away back in Candor. Although you didn't have the greatest relationship to say the least, but still... their passing without being able to say goodbye or give them a proper burial hit you deep. And when Eric heard the news, he'd come to check on you that evening.

"Just for a little bit."

Eric winced when he heard the crack in your voice. In all the years he'd known you he'd never seen you cry or break like this. The only evidence of your retreated form was illuminated by the moonlight streaming through the window onto the stark grey bedcovers, bathing you in a calm/peace that you desperately wanted yourself.

Eric slowly moved from his seat at the edge of your bed, and while you were facing the other way you could feel the indents forming and fading as he maneuvered his way up the mattress. He was nothing if not loyal, and if he could do something to help his most invaluable and trustworthy friend in their time of need, be damned his preferences.

You tried to steady your breathing as you felt him sit up. You were too nervous to turn around and you tried to hide your sniffling nose, at which point your breathing hitched as you heard his vest hit the ground. Eric shuffled down under the covers and proceeded to pull his arm up and over you, before retreating, and then trying again, looking like a baby bird trying to fly.

You chuckled seeing his hand come in and out of your vision, before your breath caught as you felt his muscled arm slide around your waist above the covers.

In that moment, you decided to let another one of your walls down. "You can put your arm under the covers Eric, it is cold out tonight."

You felt him pause before retracting his arm under the covers to fit around your waist, almost like it was meant to be there. You then gasped as you felt him pull you towards his chest, aaand because you'd known him for ages and had shared the initiate quarters together, you could feel that the vest wasn't the only thing he took off.

"You know you don't have to be shirtless to cuddle someone, right?"

You could feel Eric tense before surprisingly shuffling his head forward past your dark curls, leaning on your sidebraids with his lips on your ear before nonchalantly saying, "Wouldn't know. Never done this before." Your eyes widened at this revelation before he continued. "Of course, you're an exception to the rule." He grunted as he moved back to re-position himself, careful not to pull your hair as he did so, not wanting to add insult to your emotional injury.

You smiled weakly. You were an exception to many rules, as he was to yours. You had both formed a trust that ran deep through years of loyalty and friendship, which is why at times like this neither of you felt nervous admitting things.

Eeeeven though Eric wouldn't admit just yet that he didn't actually hate this as much as he thought. You felt warm pressed up against him, like his own personal heating pad. And he took some small sense of pride knowing that as he was curled up behind you he felt your breathing slow, your sniffles becoming less frequent, and that his oldest Dauntless companion was feeling better. It was a win-win situation.

"Mind if I just sleep here?"

Eric surprised himself with his own words as he felt your torso freeze, and thinking it was due your imminent refusal he prepared to drag his arm away before you said, "Yeah sure," in a voice that was two tones higher than normal.

"Cool." With that he shrugged, letting himself relax beside his oldest friend here in Dauntless, taking care not to lie on your thick maine of hair that always left you noticed in the crowd. As he settled just above your head you let the emotional exhaustion of the day sweep your eyelids shut, whispering a thank you groggily to your staunch yet surprisingly comfortable companion. "Don't worry. Just get some sleep." His usually monotone voice laced with concern as he watched you in the reflection of the window. He never thought he would catch himself doing this with anyone, but as he watched your bodies perfectly molded together, some part of him hoped that this wouldn't be a one time thing, finally letting himself sleep after making sure you yourself were deep into a peaceful slumber.