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The neon hotel sign flickered outside the window as Sophie and Eliot stepped into the dingy hotel room. The rest of the team was scattered around the city in different hotels because this con had spread them quite thin. This hotel was the best he and Sophie could do on such short notice.
Eliot's eyes scanned the room as Sophie dumped her stuff on the floor. Paint was peeling off the walls in various places, the air smelled musty, and the floor was slightly damp and stained underneath the glass door that led to the small balcony. It must have a leak somewhere that let the rain seep in.
Sophie started taking off her jacket and shoes, letting out a soft groan as the high heels came loose. Eliot didn't know how Sophie could stand wearing those things every day.
She turned to Eliot, an irritated look on her face. She rolls her eyes and says, "I don't see why you couldn't just get your own room. I'll be fine by myself."
Eliot's expression tightened as he scanned the room a second time. He pointed out, "I can't protect you if I'm in another room. I'm pretty sure I saw some guy smoking pot down the hall. I ain't leaving you alone."
Sophie's tired look softened as she realized how on edge Eliot was. He was always running himself into the ground with his protective instincts in overdrive. Eliot looked around the room a third time, finally satisfied there were no any hidden cameras or anything worse.
Eliot's eyes landed on a rough looking chair in the corner. It didn't look especially comfortable, but he had slept on desert sand during combat in Afghanistan. An old hotel chair was nothing he couldn't handle.
He gruffly gestured to the one bed in the middle of the room. "You take the bed, Soph. I'll take the chair."
Sophie put her hands on her hips and gave him a look that looked eerily like the one his momma used to give him when he skipped class in high school. "You shall do no such thing. Your back must be killing you after today."
Sophie was not wrong. Eliot's back was killing him. Nothing like getting hit by the mark's car, albeit a slow moving car, to make your body scream at you every time you move.
Eliot growled, "Darlin', I ain't lettin' a lady sleep on a chair."
Sophie rolled her eyes. Eliot's southern twang came out more when he was frustrated, but Sophie would leave that teaseing material to Hardison. "Then sleep on the bed with me. There's enough room."
Eliot's eyes widen comically and Sophie make a kind of exasperated gesture at him with her hands. "Not like that! I won't let you sleep in the chair because your back is hurting, you won't let me sleep in the chair because I'm a lady, so obviously the one course of action left is shareing the bed."
Eliot rubbed his face and mumbles, "Nate's gonna kill me."
Sophie shook her head. "He won't. Two friends can share a mattress platonically, Eliot. I can't believe I'm having this conversation with you. Get in that bed right now before I make you."
Eliot raised his hands in surrender and kicked off his combat boots as Sophie glared at him. Eliot slowly climbed into the bed, keeping as close to the edge as he could. His soft grunt of pain did not escape Sophie's notice, and she makes a mental note to make sure he gets painkillers in the morning. Sophie was a bit annoyed that he was trying to keep as much of a distance from her as the mattress size allowed, but she figured this one victory was enough for tonight and it wasn't worth an argument.
She flicked off the light and climbed into the bed next to Eliot, cuddling close under the covers. She could feel Eliot tense up as she settled against his side. She said, "Look, I'm cold, and this is no different than when we all cuddle on the couch when Hardison makes us watch Star Trek movies."
Eliot seemed to loosen up at that, and he gingerly wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Sophie gave him a glare that he surely couldn't see in the dark but could definitely feel. "You better not stay awake all night watching the door for intruders. You better sleep."
Eliot sighed audibly. "Yes ma'am."
Sophie gave his chest a slap. "And don't call me ma'am! I'm not that much older than you!"
"Yes sir," he replied cheekily.
"I hate you," Sophie grumbled into his shoulder.
Eliot chuckled, "G'night, Soph,"
Sophie softly said, "Good night, Eliot," and closed her eyes.