Creature Comforts
pairing: eric x reader genre: fluff... protective best friend eric who is fake boyfriend for 1 night... college au... friends secretly in love summary: best friend Eric protects you at a party then makes you feel better warnings: harassment, alcohol word count: 1.3k
“I don’t want to go,” you whine. “What’s so good about being stuck in a confined space with like a hundred sweaty strangers who you don't know if they're good people?”
Eric is currently drinking alcohol out of a red cup because he claims you have to already be tipsy before you get to the club, which you don’t understand. “Because it’s fun.”
You sigh, glaring at your own cup he filled for you. “You know what’s more fun?”
He gives you a look, as if telling you not to start, but you start anyway.
“Reading textbook glossaries. Watching snails. Buying food from a convenience store and eating it by the curb in front of an empty parking lot at midnight.”
“That’s awfully specific,” he remarks absent-mindedly.
“It is,” you nod. “Awfully specific things such as these are much more entertaining.”
“Come onnn don’t be a wuss. Now drink up and let’s go.” he taps your cup. You grumble, following his orders.
Once you’re there, it takes you all but five minutes to start feeling tired and uncomfortable. Too many bodies, mostly scantily clad, pressed together. The stink of alcohol on everyone’s breath. And the music, by god, the music is loud, way too loud. Do they know they’ll suffer from hearing damage after just five minutes of listening to anything this loud? You figure your entire generation will suffer an epidemic of hearing loss by middle age.
To make things better, Eric runs into an old friend and they decide to catch up. Alone for now, you decide that the bar is the least exciting thing in the entire place and of course, it becomes your doom.
A man, much much older than you, finds you there. His smile is creepy, his eyes leering. You’re nice to him at first, but he takes it as interest. He slides into the seat beside you, grinning, leaning too close and now you’re looking for Eric, who is still speaking to his friend while talking animatedly and laughing.
You text him help several times so that he can feel the buzzing of his phone. You watch as he slides the phone out from his pocket to check it, before looking over at you in confusion. Then, his face is twisting in slight shock, processing the scene before him as you plead with your eyes.
The stranger leans in too close, his breath fanning your face. You lean away in disgust. “What are you looking for?”
“I think I’ll spend the rest of the night with my friend if you don’t mind.”
The man frowns. “Why?”
You shrug. “I just don’t know you that well.”
“Well, you can get to know me.” He comes closer. You stand up from the seat.
“It’s alright, have a good night,” you wave at him.
He grabs your wrist in a vice grip. Sheer anxiety and dread well up inside you. Eric’s voice suddenly erupts from behind you.
“What’s going on?” His voice is sharp, sharper than you’ve ever heard before. His eyes are hard. The man immediately frowns and he deflates, having lost his chance to prey on another young woman.
“Nothing. We were just talking.”
Eric eyes the man’s hand clamped around your wrist. “Then let her go.” He drags your wrist towards him, forcing the man to release.
Eric tucks you in towards him and a little protectively away from the stranger, his hands on your shoulders.
Unbelievably, the man still persists. “I just wanted to-”
“The lady said no.” Eric bites out, cold and devoid of empathy. It nearly makes you shiver. You barely recognize him.
The man stands to approach and Eric steps in front of you, shielding with his body. His entire frame is tense, arms taut, fists clenched.
“Who do you think you are? She said you’re just her friend.”
“I’m her boyfriend, now get the fuck away from her.” Eric leans in a bit in the man’s space. With a final glare, he backs off, mumbling some misogynistic curse words.
Eric doesn’t relax or stop glaring until the man retreats completely from view. Then, he’s turning around to face you.
You sigh shakily, tears in your eyes. “Thank-”
He pulls you into his chest without a word. You melt against his soft hoodie, grateful for the comfort. His arms hug you tightly to him, hand pressing your head to his chest, his chin resting on top. You sigh, all the stress and tension draining out of you. It’s a few moments before he lets go, but you don’t. Your arms hold onto him, face buried in his chest, relishing in the rare feeling of safety.
“Are you okay?” He asks, arms coming back around to hug you. You sigh again, the feelings of relief and safety giving way to frustration.
“I’m tired. I can’t go anywhere without this happening.”
He makes a soft noise in sympathy, stroking your hair gently. It’s a few moments of silence filled with the party’s noise, the music, the talking, everything around you before you hear his comforting voice again.
“Come on, let’s get out of here.”
You glance up at him. He’s smiling softly. Then, he presses a single, soft kiss to your forehead that has your stomach doing flips. He takes your hand and guides you through the crowded bodies to the sweet, cool air outside.
“Where are we going?”
He only gives you a smile and tugs your hand towards the convenience store across the street.
At the store, he rummages through the aisles before picking up some hot dogs from the food stands nearby. His hand never leaves yours. He can tell you’re still jittery and makes sure you’re always pressed to his side in some way. It calms you. It’s only at the cash register when he lets go and steps away that you panic.
You clutch onto him, tugging him back towards you a little. His eyes widen in surprise. He observes you for a moment, but you don’t say anything, the jitteriness still evident.
“I’m just going to pay, okay? It will only take a second.” His eyes roam your face with concern, his hand squeezing yours that’s still clutching his hoodie.
You release a breath. “Okay.”
He gazes at you with knit eyebrows before taking your hand in his and approaching the cash register. He makes sure you’re close to him when he lets go of your hand to pay. Then, he takes your hand again and steps out the door.
“Come on,” he brings you to the curb in front of the nearly empty parking lot and sits down.
You blink down at him. “What are you doing?”
“Exactly what you said,” he unwraps the hot dog from the wrapper while imitating a high voice. “ ‘You know what’s more fun? Buying food from a convenience store and eating it by the curb in front of an empty parking lot at midnight.’ ”
You stare at him, slightly stunned that he remembered, and slightly annoyed that he mocked you. “I don’t sound like that.”
You plop down next to him and he hands you your food.
“You do a little,” he chuckles fondly. You shake your head, unwrapping the aluminum. It's a few moments of silence before he's speaking again.
“Are you okay?” His voice is gentle, shoulder brushing yours.
“I.. don’t know,” you mumble.
He grits his teeth. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left you alone like that. Especially since you didn’t want to come.”
“It’s alright," you wave him off.
He gazes at you. “You know I'll always be here for you, right?”
You glance at him and note the endearing sincerity in his eyes. Something warm swells in your chest. “Yes, I know. Thank you, Eric,” you smile. “And thank you for being my boyfriend tonight.”
He smiles a little, eyes alight as if he’s about to say something. If you were to guess, it's probably along the lines of I could be your boyfriend every night, teasingly. But he seems to decide against it.
Taking another bite, you both watch over the empty parking lot, quiet, spacious, safe, under the stars.
He chuckles. “You were right. This is way more fun.”
