A/N: I'm sorry I've been away so long! Please accept my offering of Eric and Fox and I promise I will start posting again soon! XOXO
"Okay, okay, okay, this is going to be awesome." Uriah chirped, downing the last of his beer. "I haven't played this game forever!"
"Well get on with it then!" Zeke barked, laughing. "How you dividing us up? Boys vs girls?"
"Yeah, I think so." Uriah's eyes danced, partially from booze, partially from excitement over convincing the group of friends he was currently drinking with down in the Pit to play a round of 'Dauntless, Candor or Cut'.
"I've never played, what do you do?" Fox asked, forehead furrowed.
"Never played, Jesus Banjo!" Uriah snorted.
"Oh fuck off, Pedrad!" Fox flicked a bottle cap at him and he roared with laughter.
Zeke did a quick head count. "You need one more guy, little bro. We're down a boy."
"Oh shit," Uriah mumbled, he glanced distractedly around. "Ok, next guy we see, I'm asking him."
Fox glanced around, the Pit was busy tonight, Uriah and the group had managed to snag some picnic tables near the tattoo shop where Fox worked, and she'd wandered right over after her shift. It was one year after initiation and Fox loved her job, loved her friends and loved life here at Dauntless. Amity had been boring and pedestrian, Fox had always wanted more, had dripped her blood on the Dauntless coals with a huge smile on her face. Life would almost be complete, but Fox sometimes found herself feeling lonely, late at night. She and Jason, a Dauntless born initiate in Fox's class, had connected right away, and burned hot; but had flared out four months ago and none of the guys her friends Tris and Christina had paired her up with since had sparked her interest. If Fox was going to be completely honest with herself, there was only one man in Dauntless that truly made her heart skip, but they'd missed their chance and Fox had never gotten up the courage since to remedy it.
"Eric! Hey!" Uriah whooped, stumbling as he jogged towards the towering, muscular leader who'd been walking by.
Eric stopped and looked down at Uriah, one eyebrow raised.
"We're playing 'Dauntless, Candor or Cut' and we're down a guy. You in?" Uriah hopped from one foot to the other in excitement. He was just like a little kid sometimes, not a Dauntless leader.
It was on the tip of Eric's tongue to say no, but he looked up at the group waiting for his answer. His gaze hitched over Fox and his heart stumbled. A day didn't go by that he didn't kick himself for not asking her out, for not taking that chance. Sure, while he'd been her trainer they would have had to lie low, but she'd graduated a year ago and he still was holding back. She gone pretty hot and heavy with Jason Wilkes for close to a year, but they'd broken up a few months ago, to Eric's perverse delight. Fucking coward, you're still dragging your ass.
"Yeah, whatever." Eric tried to sound bored, raising his brows as Uriah hooted. He grabbed Eric's elbow and Eric allowed himself to be dragged over to the table. The only empty spot was across from Fox and Eric slid gracefully onto the seat. He'd shed his jacket at his apartment earlier and was wearing only a tight black t-shirt with black jeans, and secretly he hoped that Fox was impressed. He was easily one of the most physically imposing men at Dauntless; it was usually his personality that drove the women away, not his body.
"Okay! Everyone listen up!" Uriah bellowed, he was taking his job as games coordinator seriously. "We're playing 'Dauntless, Candor or Cut', the rules are someone asks you "Dauntless or Candor' and if you pick 'Dauntless' it's a dare, and 'Candor' it's truth."
"Then what's 'Cut'?" Fox asked.
"If you don't want to do what you chose, then you have to cut yourself...or take off one piece of clothing."
Zeke shook his head, "you're making this shit up, little bro."
Uriah shook his head emphatically. "No! No, I'm not. Okay, my turn...Tris! Dauntless or Candor?"
Tris smirked. "Dauntless."
Uriah grinned wickedly. "Go in the tattoo shop and have Bud tattoo a smiley face on your ass!"
Tris snorted. Shaking her head, she pulled her shirt over her head and threw it in Uriah's face. He howled with laughter and almost fell backwards off his seat.
"My turn...Marlene."
"Dauntless." Marlene responded instantly.
"Go hang over the Chasm for two minutes."
Marlene leapt to her feet. "I need someone to time me."
Half the group stumbled to their feet, laughing and swaying, following Marlene up to the Chasm. Only Eric, Fox and Uriah stayed. Uriah hummed happily to himself, tapping out a drumbeat on the table. Eric cleared his throat and looked up at Fox. Say something, you fucking pussy!
"You like working in the tattoo shop?" Oh fuck, brilliant dumbass.
"Yeah, I love it there...you should come in sometime for one." Fox bit her lip. Too forward? He can't be interested in you, he would have done something by now. To cover her awkwardness she stood. "I'm going to grab another drink, you want one too?"
Eric was about to leap to his feet to join her but Uriah suddenly grabbed him around the neck.
"I love this song! Sing with me Eric!"
"Fuck off." Eric grumbled good-naturedly, pushing Uriah gently away, he looked back up, but Fox had already moved away. Dammit.
Fox returned with two beer just as the rest of the group did; Marlene was laughing, her clothes damp. Fox handed Eric the extra beer as she took her old seat, her eyes flicked to his but darted quickly away.
Marlene poked at Uriah. "Stay awake, Fucktard. This was your idea!"
Uriah snapped back up from the table where he'd fallen after Eric had pushed him away. His eyes were comically wide. "Who's next?" He peered blearily around. "Oh yeah, Marlene."
Marlene's lips twitched into a wicked smile. "Eric."
"Dauntless."
"Kiss Fox...with tongue."
Fox's heart hammered in her chest and her cheeks went hot. Her eyes snapped up to Eric's, he was watching her carefully. After a moment, he nodded almost imperceptibly and reached down, pulling his shirt off in one smooth motion.
"Ahh! Chicken!" Uriah hooted.
Fox let out a small gasp of relief. Fuck yes, she wanted to kiss Eric, with tongue, but not in front of a group of their drunken friends. Her eyes trailed down his muscular chest, lingered on his nipple piercings, didn't expect those, before locking on his abs. Holy shit. Her eyes snapped back up to his, and the look in them made her gasp again.
Eric looked away. "Christina."
"Candor." Her smile was confident.
"Best sex you've ever had."
Instantly Will went bright red beside her and the rest of table exploded. Tris punched Christina in the arm, "out with it Candor!"
Zeke grinned. "Let's hear it."
Christina took a drink, then grinned. "Last night, Will loves it when I lick-"
"Okay! Okay! Enough!" Will broke in desperately, reaching across the table to try and cover Christina's mouth. Uriah fell completely off his seat this time, howling like a hyena and Eric found himself wiping away tears of mirth.
Christina flashed Eric a so there look before turned to Fox. "Fox, Dauntless or Candor?"
Fox thought fast. Candor was out, Christina would no doubt ask about Fox's feelings for Eric. To hell with it. "Dauntless."
Christina grinned. "Seven minutes in heaven...with Eric."
The table exploded again, but Fox frowned in confusion. "What's 'seven minutes in heaven'?"
"Jesus, Amity." Christina snickered. She pointed. "Just past your shop is a storage room. You and Eric have to go in there for seven minutes and make out."
"And if we don't?"
"You know, you're a chicken!"
Fox weighed her options. A large part of her wanted to peel off her shirt, show Eric what she had; she was wearing her favourite pink bra with black lace trim; but an equally large part of her was already panting from the sight of shirtless Eric and was banging pots and pans together in her head screaming, 'seven minutes! seven minutes!' Fox stood and the table began to hoot and jeer. Fox reached out her hand to Eric and Uriah whooped.
His heart racing, Eric accepted Fox's hand and stood, following her on slightly unsteady legs. Christina and Tris walked with them, Tris fiddling with her watch to time them. Eric entered his master code and the door unlocked. Fox stepped in without looking back, and Eric followed.
"Remember, seven minutes!" Christina chirped before pulling the door closed.
Eric leaned back against the closest wall. "We don't have to do anything." He muttered.
Fox chewed her lip, fuck's sake, just say it. "What if I want to?" Her voice was quiet. Hesitantly, she watched Eric's reaction.
His eyes flew to hers, then dropped again quickly. His breathing got heavier.
"Do you want to?" Fox asked.
Eric exhaled hard and nodded. His gaze hit her again, for just a second, but in his eyes Fox saw the truth, the secret he'd been holding onto for a year and her heart skipped. Fox stepped towards him. Her skin was tingling, her nerves on fire. She stopped just a few inches from him, breathing in his masculine scent.
"Why didn't you say anything before?" She murmured, gently she reached out and trailed a finger across Eric's bare shoulder. He shuddered.
Tentatively, Eric touched a lock of Fox's hair, running his fingers over it. His touch was gentle for so large a man. Slowly he met her eyes again.
"Chicken, plain and simple." He muttered and Fox softly laughed. He may have been scary and intimidating to look at, but Fox could see past that now, to the sensitive man beneath, who'd held out for a year waiting for her, who wanted to be touched by her so bad, maybe as bad as she wanted him to touch her.
"Come here, chicken." She murmured, lifting her hand from Eric's shoulder to the back of his head. She pulled him down to meet her lips, a jolt running through her as they touched. The slight jump Eric gave told her he felt the same thing. His lips parted on a groan and Eric skimmed his tongue along Fox's bottom lip. Fuck, his lips were so soft and warm, Jason had never been one for kissing, was more of a 'wham, bam, thank you ma'am' type of guy, but Fox could already see that Eric was a master. She opened her mouth for him and was rewarded with another guttural groan. Eric started to wrap his arms around Fox but she pulled away. His eyes opened, confused, the pupils wide. Fox leaned over and turned the lock on the doorknob and Eric's confusion turned to a smile.
"Don't want to be interrupted." Fox murmured as Eric pulled her back against him, crushing his lips to hers again.
Heat pooled in Fox's belly. Fuck, being with Jason had never been like this! and she moulded herself to Eric's muscled body, feeling him rock hard pressing into her thigh.
"Fuck, baby." Eric mumbled, pulling away for a moment, resting his forehead against hers.
"Hey! Time's up!" Christina bellowed, the knob rattled but the lock held.
Fox looked over Eric's shoulder. "Fuck off Christina!"
"What?!"
"Fuck off!"
"Are you making out or what?!"
"Goddammit Christina, piss off!" Fox stormed to the door and yanked it open. Tris stood a few paces back and Christina jumped with shock from where she'd been leaning against the door trying to listen through it.
Fox reached back for Eric's hand and pulled him out behind her.
Fox grinned at the two shocked girls. "We're done playing tonight. Eric and I are busy now." Ignoring the shocked looks on their faces, Fox pushed past Christina and winked at Tris as she passed.
"Go get him, Foxy" Tris grinned as she passed.
Christina was still sputtering when Tris put an arm around her shoulder. They watched Fox and Eric disappear in the direction of the living quarters, their hands all over each other and Tris turned her head to look at Christina.
"Guess they win."