This might seem a hair rushed but for some reason I just had to have all of this happen this chapter. Hope you enjoy, let me know if you do (or don't) at the end!

Tris was momentarily disoriented when she awoke the next morning, thrown off by the unfamiliar feel of the mattress and smell of the room. What came as most shocking, however, was the strong arm wound tightly around her waist holding her firmly against the muscular body behind her. When it dawned on Tris that Eric had somehow ended up cuddling her in the night, she couldn't help but giggle. Eric's light snores in her ear told her he was still fast asleep, and Tris could feel her hair moving with each of his breaths.

Tris looked down at the arm encircling her waist and realized she wasn't going anywhere any time soon, not unless she was going to wake him up anyway. Tris giggled again at the mental image of the way Eric would surely blush when he woke to find himself holding her this way.

She grinned as she remembered the night before, when Eric had realized for the first time that though his bed was plenty big enough for him, sharing it would put them rather close to each other. He had laid down awkwardly, scooting to the edge of the bed and apologizing for how close it would put them.

"If you want," he began awkwardly, not quite meeting her eyes, "I really can take the couch."

"Don't be ridiculous Eric," she had assured him, trying to hide that she felt as awkward about it as he did. "It doesn't bother me, I promise." At least that was the truth. It was awkward, but it didn't bother her exactly.

Tris stretched languidly, or tried to, straining against the arm wrapped around her to do it. Her resistance against him only made him tighten his grip, shifting unconsciously until she was pressed against him from ankle to shoulder and burying his face deeper in her hair. She almost felt bad for him, knowing how mortified he would be when he woke up, unless she managed to free herself.

Tris considered the possibility, wondering if there was a way to sneak out of his iron grip without waking him. She knew she couldn't pry his arm from around her, but maybe she could slide out of it...

The way his legs were crooked prevented her from sliding downward, so Tris began to slowly work her way up, wiggling gently in an attempt to loosen his grip. Every time she shifted, though, his grasp only grew tighter.

Just as she was about to give up Tris heard him take in a deeper breath, grunting slightly as he woke up. Eric flexed as he came to, and she felt him freeze when the motion brought her, if possible, even closer to him. Tris couldn't help but giggle as she felt him pull sharply away from her, and when she rolled over she discovered her assumption had been right. Eric's face was glowing like the setting sun.

"Shit Tris, I'm so sorry, I- I didn't..." He stuttered awkwardly, and Tris couldn't help but giggle at the mortified expression on his face. She stifled it, however, not wanting to make him feel even worse.

"It's okay, it's obvious you didn't mean to." Tris smiled reassuringly, stroking his arm gently. He gave her a skeptical look, cheeks still pink. "Really," she said softly, "Don't worry so much."

"Okay," He agreed softly. Though he tried to hide it, she could still see the insecurity in his eyes.

Now that he had pulled away from her, Tris noticed the chill in the room and shivered slightly. Tris realized belatedly that if she hadn't woken to Eric holding her the way he had been she would have been cold. Tris shivered again, and an idea struck her.

"If you hadn't I'd have been freezing when I woke up," she told him honestly. "Like I am now." Blushing slightly, she wiggled across the bed toward him and drew his arm back around her.

Eric chuckled slightly, and she felt his body relax as he tugged her against his chest again. Tris smiled in triumph, glad she had found a way to get him to quit kicking himself over it. Tris tried to ignore how comfortable and warm she was, curled up into his broad, muscular chest. Eric had slept in only his boxers, and the heat of his bare skin seeped quickly through the thin cotton of her short sleeved top. She shivered again as his body heat warmed her, and she couldn't quite stop herself from pressing her cheek into the hollow of his shoulder.

"Better?" He asked, and she could hear the amusement in his voice. Tris felt herself turn pink again, but the feel of his arms around her made it somehow worth it.

"Much," she said lightly. "You're really warm."

"Good to know I'm hot enough for you," he teased.

Tris freed a hand and swatted at him lightly, making him laugh again.

"We should get up and going," he reminded her. Tris groaned in response, but didn't disagree with him. She pulled away and sat up slowly, goosebumps rising on her arms at the loss of his body heat. She felt the bed shift as he got up, and her eyes followed him across the room. Her eyes slid slowly down his body, following the contours of his broad shoulders and wide chest, down the narrow path of his abs to his hips and muscular legs. Her eyes went slowly back up, and she blushed a deep red when her eyes met his and she realized she was caught.

"Like what you see?" He asked with a wink.

"Would I be looking if I didn't?" She countered.

"Touché."

...

Tris and Christina were alone in the tattoo parlor, Tris having decided to get out of the apartment while Kat was napping. The girl would be out cold for at least two hours, if not three, and there wasn't much to do there.

"So how'd it go?" Christina asked as she sketched absently. "Are you sharing a room with Kat?"

"No, she's been wanting her space lately so I, um... Eric and I are sharing," she admitted, turning pink.

"Wait, are you saying you shared a bed with Eric?" Christina asked in shock.

"Yep," Tris said, going for an offhand tone and failing miserably.

"How did that go?"

"Awkward at first," she admitted. "I think he was even more embarrassed than me honestly."

Christina gave her a look of disbelief. "Wait seriously?"

"Yeah," Tris admitted, then grinned. "He's a teddy bear at night,"

This time Christina stopped her sketching altogether, freezing to stare at Tris in shock. "Explain," she demanded.

"It's pretty simple actually," Tris admitted with a giggle. "I woke up and he was cuddled up behind me with his arm around me, totally out. He was so embarrassed when he woke up though, I felt bad."

"What did he do?"

"He pulled away right away. He was stuttering and trying to apologize, I felt terrible because it honestly didn't bother me," Tris confessed quietly.

"What did you do?"

"I noticed how cold I was," she said honestly. Christina grinned.

"And then?"

Tris grinned. "You know me too well. I moved back over and put his arm back where it was."

Christina made a squealing noise. "What did he do?"

Tris shrugged. "He relaxed and went with it. We stayed there for a few minutes and then got up."

"How is he like that with you? Almost everyone else he's-" Christina cut off sharply, and her eyes widened. Tris looked around in alarm for the cause of Christina's reaction, but didn't see anything.

"Chris, what is it?"

"He likes you," she said.

Tris gave her a confused look. "Well after being around each other so much, even if it is mostly business I'd hope we could at least get along, yeah."

Christina shook her head, smiling. "No, I mean he likes you," she emphasized.

"No he doesn't," she scoffed. "He tolerates me because of Kat and our jobs Chris. Nothing more."

"If you say so..." Christina said in a singsong tone.

...

"He must be a closet cuddler," Tris giggled to Christina almost a week later. "Every morning I've woken up to him curled behind me."

"What does he do when he wakes up?"

"Same as the first morning, gets all flustered and tries to apologize. He's warm though and it's freezing so I follow him when he pulls away," Tris smirked.

"And you're sure it's an accident?" Christina asked slyly.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean tonight you should fake being asleep and stay awake until he falls asleep."

"What, you think he's doing it on purpose?"

"The first time probably not," Christina admitted. "But every single night since? Come on."

Tris chewed her lip, unwilling to admit she had been thinking along the same lines. "What do I do if he is?"

"That's up to you. Would it bother you if he was?"

Tris considered for several long moments. "Probably not," she admitted. After a pause, she continued. "And I'm not sure I want to think about what that means," she admitted.

Christina giggled. "We'll analyze that later. For now, try to stay awake tonight until he falls asleep. I bet he does it once he thinks you're sleeping.

...

"Night Tris," Eric said softly before rolling over.

"Night," Tris returned, feigning a yawn and closing her eyes. Normally she would be tired, but Tris had downed a cup of coffee in the pit a few hours ago, ensuring she would be awake for a while.

Tris followed Christina's instructions and let her breathing even out, deliberately breathing more slowly than she normally would. After perhaps ten minutes she felt Eric roll quietly back over, breathing slowly but still awake. Tris kept her breaths carefully slow and even, relaxing her body completely and fighting the urge to twitch or fidget.

Another fifteen minutes and Tris felt Eric's fingers slide slowly along her upper arm, up from her elbow to her shoulder and across to her neck where he gently pulled her hair aside. Tris fought the urge to shudder or otherwise react to his touch, and kept herself still. Eric's fingers traced back down to her elbow and farther down to her hand before tracing the same path back up again, lingering on her shoulder.

When she felt his lips press softly against the bare skin of her shoulder, right next to the strap of her tank top it was all Tris could do not to shudder.

Eric's hand traced it's way down her arm again, before falling away to caress her waist gently. When she still didn't move, Eric slipped his arm completely around her and pulled her gently against his chest. She felt his breath move her hair as he settled himself behind her, and Tris couldn't help the shiver that raced down her spine when it brushed against the sensitive skin of her neck. She felt Eric freeze behind her, and knew that he knew he was caught.

"Are you awake?" He asked, in a whisper as quiet as a breath.

The coffee was finally leaving her system, and Tris was incredibly comfortable in the circle of his arm, being cradled against his chest so securely.

"Mhmm," she hummed tiredly. "Was wondering how that kept happenin'," she said, slurring a little.

Tris grabbed Eric's wrist as he went to withdraw his arm, having known that he would pull away as soon as he was caught.

"Don't go," she said.

"Are you sure?" Eric asked her, and she could hear the uncertainty - and the embarrassment - in his voice.

"Nice 'n warm," she whispered. "Feels safe." If she had been more awake, Tris would have blushed as the words slipped out without her permission, but she was simply too exhausted now the caffeine had worn off.

She felt Eric's arm slide more securely around her, tightening as he pulled her fully against his chest. "Sleep now Tris," he whispered in her ear. "I'm not going anywhere."

As if his words were a cue, Tris slept.