A/N: I'm not sure why/how I wrote this. It's something I can ALMOST see happening and the weather/promos just inspired me. Review? While this is a one-shot, I may do something with the next Eclare-centric episodes as a side story to this.
Rain rain, go away
Come again another day
All the world is waiting for the sun
Eli
It never ceased to amaze Eli how easily Clare affected his moods. He could be completely tranquil-stoic, even. Then she'd smile and ignite one on his face. When he was mildly stressed (like, oh, say over a "Gothic Tales" deadline admission…) and she did something incredibly STUPID (such as forgive his fucking NEMESIS), he'd lose his damn mind.
A part of him knew how unhealthy her influence over him was.
Most of him didn't care.
Clare
Clare had long ago accepted the fact that there were many layers to Eli. Her boyfriend contained a myriad of emotions and a plethora of baggage. A sane person (something she now knew she was not) would have run away long ago.
She almost had on several occasions. For example: Vegas night and Eli's meltdown following her cleanse of his locker.
But then he would grin at her. A real smile graced his lips just for her, not the cocky smirk his face contorted so well. She would then look into his eyes and lose herself. Between his smile and eyes he had total power over her.
The majority of her soul knew she was in too deep.
What had the biggest influence on her, however, happened to be her heart. And somehow, without Clare's knowledge or consent, it had become one hundred percent Eli's.
Eli
Morty contained Eli's sobs. The depressed teen absolutely hated to cry; he could count the times tears he allowed others to see tears leave his eyes on one hand. He toughened up after the shit Mike put him through.
But walking in on Fitz embracing his girlfriend had been too fucking much. After all they had been through; Clare was going to throw their entire relationship away for an actual delinquent.
Because of her FUCKING faith.
Eli respected religious philosophy. Really, he did. It's PEOPLE he had a hard time respecting. Gandhi once said: "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians, for they are so unlike your Christ." With the exception of Clare, Eli had yet to meet a Christian who defied this statement.
Knock. Knock.
Eli raised his raven head and peered through the passenger window. Clare stood on the opposite side and signaled for him to unlock the door. He reluctantly complied. He didn't want her to get wet, after all.
"Eli…" Clare whispered. He forced himself to look at her. His concerns were valid; she sat before him completely soaked. Her usual bouncy curls matted to her pale face; if Eli didn't know any better, he'd think tears had fallen from her eyes too. It must have just been the rain though. She didn't care about him anymore. And why should she? Why should anyone?
Clare
Clare shivered, anxiously wiping tears from her face. Eli couldn't see her like this. She had to be strong for him.
She took in his broken expression and felt her heart rip in two. "Oh, Eli…" she opened her arms for him and his sobbing form fell into her embrace. She stroked his jawline lovingly and whispered soothing platitudes that she knew wouldn't really help.
"Clare…just…say it," Eli choked out after five minutes of sobbing.
"Say what?" Clare asked, utterly confused. She pulled away to take a look at Eli's face. It held a mixture of fear and despair.
"Say we're over," he whispered. "Say you're only holding me right now out of pity. Say you want to be…want to be with…" He couldn't finish the sentence.
"Eli, what the HELL are you talking about?" Clare fumed. Both members of the couple were taken aback at Clare's language; she rarely swore. "Eli," she spoke in a calmer tone, "the only one I want to be with is you." She took his face in her hands. "Do you understand me?" He averted his gaze. "No, Eli, LOOK AT ME."
"I just…I feel like you're slipping away." Eli's eyes bore into Clare's very soul and she felt lost. "And there's nothing I can do about it."
"But, I'm NOT," she argued. "I HAD to forgive Fitz. It's who I am. That doesn't mean I want to be best buddies with him!" She threw her hands up in exasperation.
"Then why did I find him HOLDING you in your living room five minutes ago?" Eli's voice was alarmingly soft, yet still held a bitter edge.
"Because he RANDOMLY showed up and asked me to pray with him," answered Clare. "I'm not entirely sure how he found out where I live, but…if someone asks me to pray with them, I'm not going to refuse them Eli." She took a deep breath. "Look, after we prayed, I told Fitz I couldn't be around him. He started ranting about us having a 'spiritual connection' and a bunch of other bull. I gave him a quick hug and explained…" Clare noticed Eli's trembling hands and took them in her own. "I explained to him that the only connection I feel with ANYONE is YOU, Eli."
Eli
Eli's shuddering form took in his girlfriend's words. "Do you…do you really feel that way, Clare?"
"Yes." No hesitation filled her voice. Her blue eyes held his gaze and he swore he saw a fire beneath them.
"I love you." He closed the distance between them and kissed her softly. She returned his advances just as gently then hesitantly pulled away.
"I love you too."
Later…
Clare
"Well, we're here." Clare parked Morty. She decided driving Eli home would be the safest option since his hands had yet to stop shaking.
"We are," agreed Eli. "Do you…" he blushed. "Do you want to come in?"
Clare smiled softly. "Sure."
The two made their way into Eli's room; while it was by no means a "four star hotel" yet, it wasn't even close to being the dump it had been months ago.
"You know," mused Clare as she kicked off her shoes, "Every time I see how much progress you've made in here, I feel a little swell of pride." She grinned at Eli.
"Is that so?" Eli kicked his own shoes off and pounced on Clare. He pulled her giggling body onto his bed and proceeded to tickle her with fervor.
"Eli…stop it!" Clare laughed. "Please!"
Eli groaned and rolled off of her. "Fine," he pouted.
"Hey now…none of that." Clare crawled on top of him and rested her head on his chest. The two relaxed and enjoyed the cadences made on the roof by the falling rain.
"Clare?" Eli asked, running his fingers through her still-damp hair.
"Mmm?" Clare didn't look up, so he rolled them over and smiled down at her.
"Stay with me tonight."
Eli
Eli searched his girlfriend's face for signs of fear or mistrust. She surprised him by smiling up at him and batting her eyelashes. "Okay," she agreed.
Eli kissed her softly. He trailed a single finger from her jawline to her collarbone, keeping their lips intact all the while. She broke the kiss to shrug off her soaked cardigan and Eli took the opportunity to remove his dark jacket. His lips attacked her neck in an instant, nibbling over every nerve.
"Eli…we're soaked…" panted Clare as Eli's mouth worked its magic.
"Mmm…" acknowledged Eli. He pulled away and ripped his shirt off.
Clare
Clare stared at Eli's naked torso; she has seen it before, of course. The two engaged in many heated make out sessions. This time, though…something foreign stirred deep inside her at the sight, something that frightened and thrilled her all at once.
Eli hesitantly tugged on the bottom of Clare's t-shirt. "May I?" He asked nervously. Clare's abdominals tightened as she nodded her consent. She blushed under Eli's stare and attempted to cover her bra before Eli stopped her.
"Don't hide, Clare…" Eli whispered before kissing the tops of her breasts. "You're beautiful." Clare flushed from head to toe at his words. Feeling brave, she reached for his belt buckle. Eli didn't stop her as she undid it with trembling fingers; he just kept kissing her. In the midst of his warm lips all over her body, Clare didn't even notice the removal of her skirt and his pants.
Eli
Eli couldn't breathe. Clare was practically naked underneath him; he began to tremble.
"Eli?" Clare asked, looking up at him innocently.
"Clare…did you know what I meant when I asked you to stay the night with me?"
Clare hesitated a moment before tugging on Eli's boxers. "Yes," she responded.
Eli removed her panties and reached for his nightstand. After taking the necessary precautions, he leaned over her and placed himself at her entrance. He noticed her shaking slightly and gazed at her lovingly. Overcome with the need to claim her as his and no one else's, he pushed into her gently, engulfing her mouth with his as he broke her barrier.
He never asked if she was sure, but the way she held onto him for dear life assured him that she was.
Clare
It hurt. She always knew it would. But it also was nothing like she ever expected or dreamed of (and dreamed of it, she had). Eli moved in and out of her at the slowest of paces, and she took comfort in the fact that he shook as violently as she.
"I love you," he croaked out from above her. She reached up to brush his hair away from his eyes and frowned to see tears in them. Wiping them away, she whispered the four words he needed to hear.
"I love you too."
It no longer hurt, but by no means felt good. Eli's motions sped up; he buried his head in the crook of her neck upon his release.
They remained intertwined for a while; a complicated mess of love, jealousy, rain and sweat.
Clare contemplated the loss of her virginity. Was it for the wrong reason?
Probably.
She had to prove to Eli how much she loved him; this seemed the only way. Nevertheless, she knew she did love him; she loved him more than she ever thought she could love another human being. For that reason, she couldn't bring herself to regret her actions.
Yet.
Eli
Eli rolled off of Clare and disposed of the used condom. When he turned back to her, she was playing with her purity ring.
"Here," she whispered as she held it out to him.
"Clare-"
"No, Eli," she interrupted. "It's yours. I'm yours." Clare's eyes held no resentment or regret as she spoke the words. Eli took his necklace off and replaced his guitar pick with Clare's ring.
"I'll never take it off," he whispered, pulling her close. He placed a kiss upon her forehead and tightened his grip.
"We…made love, right?" questioned Clare quietly. "That wasn't just sex to you?"
Eli pulled away, horrified. He took her face in his hands just as she had done to him merely an hour ago. "Of course it wasn't. We made love just now and I hope we will many times again. And it WILL get better." He blushed, thinking of how only he reached any sort of physical peak. He'd have to make up for that soon. "Okay?"
Clare smiled softly at him. "Okay." She nuzzled herself into the crook of his arm.
After a few moments went by, Eli whispered: "Don't leave me, okay? Please."
He thought Clare had fallen asleep until he heard her response. "I never will. I promise."
If Eli believed in God, this would be the part where he prayed Clare spoke the truth.
To lie here under you,
Is all that I could ever do
All the world is waiting for the sun
End.
A/N: Yeah, I don't even know. Review?