A night in the past

Eric groaned. He had been having a strange dream. People he didn’t know floated about. They said his name, acted like they knew him but he had no idea who they were, what they meant to him.

He awoke with a gasp and looked around. He was inside a very small room, barren, with just a bed, some fur pelts and books. How strange. It was him, but it wasn’t him. He looked around, then up. There was a small ladder that led up to a door. He remembered the past few nights. With a girl called Sookie. She had taken him in, claiming she knew him. He didn’t know if that was true, but something about her called out to him.

It must be past sundown if he was awake and the house above was quiet. Sookie had mentioned something about working nights, but that there was true blood in her kitchen if he got hungry. Moving out of the bed and wearing only shorts he climbed up and peeked out of the door from his hidden cubby. No one was home, he could hear no heart beat, smell no one. He crept out, his stomach clamoring for food.

“Remember, don’t go outside, don’t eat anyone” he could hear Sookie remind him before his slumber in the morning. He didn’t want to upset his caregiver so he went to the kitchen, found some true blood and warmed it up. Having nothing to do he sat on the couch and turned on the tv. The images confused him, but he watched, wanting to know more of where and what had happened.

Sam, I really need to go home. <she said for billionth time> I... I'm not feeling that great. My feet hurt. I started my period. Take your pick, I just really, really need to go! <Sam sighed, rolled his eyes and just stared at her. She could hear what he was thinking, and it took all that she had not to stomp off>

"Sookie, if I let you go because you are having 'problems', you know I'll have to let Arlene go because Lisa gave Coby cat food again or something." <She sighed at him, pleading with her eyes> Sam. Please. I'll work extra all next week. Okay? <She didn't even wait for an answer, just walked to him and hugged him tight before grabbing her purse and rushing out the door>

<Eric was home alone and she couldn't help but worry that something might happen> Hurry, Sookie. Hurry! <all but threw herself into her car and took off towards her house>

Eric was stuck watching some sappy home on the prairie reruns. Already 3 bottles of true blood were on the coffee counter. He didn't like that stuff, it tasted strange, but oddly, it calmed his hunger. He looked around. The house was dark except for the tv. He wondered how humans lived in such places.

He jumped up when he heard the sound of a car. That meant Sookie was home. A part of him was elated she was back, life was boring being alone. He snatched the empty true blood bottles and put them in the trash, not wanting to have left a mess since Sookie seemed to obsessed over a clean house.

<The car sputtered to a stop and she jumped out after she pulled the key out of the ignition and ran up the steps> Eric? You awake?

<She slipped off her shoes and went to put her purse up on the peg in the laundry room> Eric? I'm home!! <Tonight had been crazy; her feet ached and her back hurt. All she wanted was a cold drink, her favorite pajamas and to curl up on the couch to watch a cheesy movie.>

<Stretched and headed into the living room, smiling when she saw him standing in the living room; an unexpected smile came to her face and she walked closer to him.> Hey.
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Eric smiled "hi..." he said sheepishly. She smelled strange, of beer, food, sweat and desperation, but not from her... from other humans.

"Are you ok?" he asked, walking up to her, his bare feet barely making a sound on her floor. With his shorts he looked too boyish to be dangerous, but his height alone is what made the whole look awkward.

<She nodded and smiled up at him> Oh, yeah. I'm okay. I'm just really, really tired. <She sighed and headed to the couch, sitting down and propping her feet up in front of her; another sigh slipped from her lips as she leaned her head back against the couch and just tried to relax>

Are you hungry? Is there anything I can get you? <Gran was probably rolling in her grave knowing she was just laying there and not taking care of her guests>

Eric shook his head, walking over and sitting beside her "I had true blood" he said calmly. He looked at the tv, then at her.

"Do you really like those shows?" he asked, just putting his hands on his lap for now.

<She nodded and stifled a yawn> Not really to watch, but when I'm home alone it's something nice to have going in the background if I'm reading or something. <Shrugged her shoulders and stood> You stay here, okay? I'll be back in a minute; I just need to change real quick. Do... Do you need something else to wear? You've been wearing those clothes for a bit now. I can wash them and give you something else to wear until then.

<It was so weird seeing him so innocent and quiet; normally he would be jumping at the opportunity to say something about her showering or coming with or did she need an extra hand>

He lowered his head "ok..." he said. He didn't know if what he wore was ok to begin with, but he wasn't about to argue with her over it, so calm as could be he got up and took off the shorts, standing naked in her den and handed them over to her.

<Her mouth dropped open and she blushed before averting her eyes and putting a hand to her face> Um. Yeah, I'll be right back. You just.... stay there.

<Good googly moogly, did he really just strip down in front of her? Obviously part of the old Eric was still there; she laughed softly and jogged up the steps and headed straight to the guest room where Jason kept his extra clothes. She grabbed another pair of jogging pants (that were way too big for Jason; in fact, they may have been Hoyt's) and a black tank (she couldn't help it; he may have amnesia, but he was still good looking. So shouldn't she take advantage of that fact?).>

<Ran back downstairs and just shook her head at the fact that he was still standing there, stone still> Here ya go. There's a shower back there if you want to clean up. <she pointed to the downstairs bathroom> I'll shower upstairs and then we'll watch a movie? Or something? Sound good?

He nodded, taking the clothes. He looked to where she pointed and just silently went to the shower. Naked or not he was a sight for sore eyes, and his sort of humble puppy demeanor made him adorable.

He did shower, actually having fun playing with the hot and cold water and how even in the shower he seemed to dwarf everything with his height before he stepped out. Looking around, and unsure if he should use a towel, he just put on the clothes on his wet body, the fabric clinging almost obscenely to every bit of him.

<She sat on the couch, flipping randomly through channels and chiding herself for doing nothing more than thinking of him in the shower; she could almost guarantee he looked magnificent with water dripping down his back, over his chest> STOP IT, SOOKIE!

<Shook her head and looked up to see him standing there, hair still dripping and his clothes clinging to his body. She stood and walked over to him, laughing softly and shaking her head> Did you decide you didn't need to dry off? Come on. <Grabbed his hand and pulled him back to the bathroom then grabbed a towel> Sit.

"Sorry..." he said, thinking he'd done wrong. He followed her and sat down on a tiny bench, his long legs looked too big to fit anywhere. He kept his head down, hands down his side.

"should I have dried off?" he asked, feeling as she towel dried his hair.

<She nodded> Yes. So you don't get..... <Vampires didn't get sick, did they?> Um, well. Yeah, you need to dry off. <She gently rubbed the towel over his hair. Such a simple task; it reminded her of the nights that Bill brushed her hair after their baths together.> And stop apologizing. There's nothing to be sorry for. <Moved the towel from his head, and down to pat off his neck, her body responding to the shirt that was clinging to his back>

There... <she said, her voice low and husky>

He blinked. He could hear the change in voice, smell a bit of desire and it made him smile like the cat who got the cream.

He stood, now dry, the clothing not clinging to him too much. "You're excited" he said, still giving her a boyish grin.

<She blushed, lowered her head> No. I..... <Peeked back up at him, gave an exasperated sigh and shrugged> So sue me. You're a good looking man that was just soaking wet and naked in my shower. Not to mention I haven't had sex in..... <Shook her head again> Too long. Just....

<She looked up at him and couldn't help but laugh at the smile on his face; before you knew it he'd be bouncing on the balls of his feet and giggling, poking and prodding at her with his over-sized (and more than experienced) hands.> Come on. Let's..... I need to cool off.

He grinned and picked her up, dashing them to her bedroom suddenly as he laid her down "You don't want to cool off" he said, as if he could glamour her. "You want me Sookie" he whispered as he leaned over her.

"Say it... say it and I'm yours" he whispered, pressing his forehead to her shoulder, breathing in her unique scent.