He was really getting tired of people telling him that he couldn't do something because of 'his condition.' Partly because he hated being told that he was incapable of doing anything, and partly because saying it that way made it sound like he was pregnant. Eric scowled briefly before looking over at Aaron, who was leaning against the cushions on the other side of the couch and dozing, with his feet still in Eric's lap. He couldn't help but feel that they should be going out of Alexandria together, but every time he brought it up the idea was dismissed out of hand before they even talked it out.
He trusted Daryl, as much as he could under the circumstances, but not being out there and seeing or experiencing what Aaron was doing made him imagine the worst. The two recruiters had gotten home this evening, exhausted and dirty, after having another run-in with what Daryl thought of as a trap. The close calls were too frequent now and even Rick was suggesting that they hold off on trips outside unless they were necessary. Both Aaron and Daryl grumbled at the restriction, but Eric was relieved. He had fed them both before sending Daryl home and Aaron upstairs for a shower, and then relaxed for the first time in three days.
He had already been sitting on the couch and reading when Aaron came back downstairs, talking about outlook stands and guard posts around the perimeter of Alexandria. He was too tired to last long on the subject and when he curled up on the other side of the couch Eric began rubbing his feet to distract him. Aaron had let the subject drift, after refusing to talk about Eric going out beyond the walls again, and then fell asleep. If they weren't both so tried and stressed it would have been the first argument they had in months, which wasn't about something silly like towels left on the floor or who had bargained for the last batch of homebrew they had gotten from another resident.
Eric sighed. He didn't want to have an argument, but he was tired of having his movement limited and tired of being treated as though he were incapable, and just tired of being scared most of the time. He looked at Aaron again and resisted the temptation to run fingers along the arches of his feet, light enough to tickle. It was a strong temptation, but instead he picked up his book again and tried to get back into the story.