Clea came to, coughing under the cool spray of Eric's shower. Her head was throbbing.
"Oh god. What happened...?"
Eric was standing over her. He reached in and turned the water off.
"Well let's see. I kiss you and you immediately passed out cold in my living room and whacked your head pretty good on the way down." His gaze was steely as ever.
"Graceful as ever. And how did I get here?" Clea asked raking a hand through her wet waves.
"I thought the water might bring you back around. It did."
"Good instinct, she said, absentmindedly touching the knot rising on her skull.
"Come on, lets get you out of there," said Eric extending his strong arm to her. He pulled her up easily and wrapped his other arm around her lower back gently guiding her to her feet.
"I am soaking wet. I should get going..."
"If that's what you want to do." He met her questioning eyes with his steely grey ones. "You can spend the night here if you'd like. I'd think someone should keep an eye on you. You hit your head pretty hard."
She stepped up to him, pressed her forehead against his chest and exhaled deeply. Honestly, the relief of not having to find her way back to the initiate dorm in wet clothes was overwhelming. She felt completely drained. She was also totally surprised by Eric. She didn't expect him to have any interest in developing this kind of intimacy.
He stroked his hands down her back. "I'll grab you some dry clothes," he said stepping back.
He opened a door in the bathroom leading to his bedroom and came back with basketball shorts and a soft black t-shirt. Clea got changed, slowing peeling off her soaked party clothes and hanging them over his shower curtain and joined him in the bedroom.
As Clea came through the doorway she could feel Eric's eyes rake down her body. For a brief second his mouth hung open, temporarily betraying his everpresent cool, while he organized his thoughts. She's seen behind the mask yet again, and thought he might like the sight of her in his clothes.
He quickly regained composure. "So you'll take the bed, and I'll sleep out there on the couch," he said gathering a set of pillows to busy his hands.
"That's silly. I'll take the couch. This is your place..."
"No.
"Ok, well then, let's share the bed."
It was her turn to answer his questioning look.
"As long as you can keep it PG until I'm feeling better."
"And not a moment longer," he replied eliciting a huge grin from her. She hopped he meant that one. He gave her a small, out of character smile.
Eric replaced the pillows and sat his strong body against the headboard. Clea sat on the other end of his bed facing him while she combed her fingers through her long waves and wrung them out with a towel. He watched her as she diligently worked out the knots and tangles.
The two talked about favorite books. His room was lined with stark black bookcases, loaded with books of all kinds. Clea returned her wet towel to the bathroom and took her place in bed next to Eric. With her head on his chest he asked "Ask a kid, what did you want to grow up to be?"
She thought for a few moments.
"Strong," she replied. "It's what I've always admired most in people. In Amity, there is physical strength, built from working in the fields, and emotional strength, the ability to see the good in everything. I was always more interested in the physical side, and using that strength to protect the people I loved." He breathed deep under her. "you?"
"I have always known I wanted to be a dauntless leader. Since I was a little kid."
"And is it everything you hoped it would be?" she asked.
"It's much more complicated than I ever thought. I understood that leaders make decisions for the greater good of dauntless, but now, now it's so political, and so complicated. We are working towards Jeanne's goals as well. I am sure you can guess where four stands on it and I don't love it either. But I didn't come this far and work this hard to lose it over some silly principal."
"You know what I think? I think there is much more to you than what you show the world."
"Strange as it sounds, I feel comfortable around you. More than I think I ever have with a woman. But being a Dauntless Leader will always mean keeping to a certain standard of behavior." he explained.
"I understand. Right now though, I am utterly exhausted." She rolled onto her side with her back against his ribs. He rolled to join her and slung an arm around her waist.
"Night initiate" he murmured into her hair before they fell asleep.
She awoke in the wee hours, his arm still heavy against her. She reveled in the warm weight of him, the sound of his soft breathing, and the comfort of his presence. It had been a long time since she's enjoyed sleeping close to someone else. While Eric clearly had a harsh side, he'd also shown her parts of himself she was eager to explore, and parts well worth her affection.