A/N: Sorry for the absence! Enjoy another story from Eric's POV
Fuck me, today is the day. I stand here in my Dauntless dress uniform, waiting for my bride, waiting for Fox. I never thought I'd be here. I never expected to get married, not for love anyway. My parents didn't love each other; fuck, their marriage was one of power and genetic advantage, two intelligent people coming together to procreate more intelligent people to advance up through the ranks. Emotions, especially irrational ones like love, were never associated with marriage, were scorned as common and vulgar. My mate was already chosen, had I stayed; Amelia, smart, pretty and fucking boring, and being Erudite she'd have been too fucking logical and proper to use that boring-ass mouth of hers for anything useful, like a decent blowjob. My parents had already mapped out the mostly likely hair and eye colour variations to expect from 'the offspring our union'. Love was not an option. Not in Erudite. I defected to Dauntless, became Dauntless; and found my soul mate. And today we will be joined. Fuckin' finally.
Fuck, I thought I'd left that Erudite rhetoric behind.
Fox is my soul mate, my everything. I would slaughter and kill for her, die a thousand deaths, anything for her; will wake up every morning with a smile on my face, as long as I wake up with her in my arms, that fucking gorgeous face pressed to my chest.
Our ceremony is simple. Fox chose one small and civil, conducted by Max in his office; with only our witnesses, Four and Tris here with us. I would have gone along with anything for Fox, anything to keep her happy; fuck, I would've put up with the same circus Christina's planning for poor Will. All her planning and time instead went into the faction-wide party that waits for us out in the Pit, just another reason why I fucking love this woman, she knows what's important.
Fuck, I love this woman, I can't fucking say it enough.
She walks towards me, beautiful in her own Dauntless uniform. Her hair is loose and long down her back, wild as a lion's mane, red as a fox; she is easily the most fucking beautiful woman in the faction; fuck, in the city. She is mine, and I am hers, forever. A dumb-ass grin pulls at my lips, I can't help it. I see Four smile when he sees my expression, and I don't care if I look like a happy-ass moron; Four loves Tris the same way; I finally got the Stiff drunk enough at my bachelor party to confess how much he really loves her; that and dance with a lampshade on his head; it was fuckin' awesome. His singing voice ain't half bad either.
Fox reaches me, her whole face lights up with that amazing smile of hers, the one that not everyone gets to see, the one she saves for me. I hold out my hand to her, feel her soft skin touch my calloused palm and my heart skips, it always does around her. I smile down at her, let all my love for her show in my eyes and relish the small sharp inhale she gives me. I lick my bottom lip and lean down, pulling her close for a kiss. Her lips are fuckin' heaven, like coming home from a long time away; I could kiss her all day. Shit, Max is clearing his throat, ready to start the ceremony and I stand back upright, put my face back in that serious mask everyone is used to seeing on me. Max starts talking, and I look back over at Fox, I can't help it. She's listening to Max, but when she realizes I'm looking at her, she turns her head just a bit, a small smile pulling at her lips.
I love you. I mouth.
I love you. She answers silently.
Max babbles a bit longer, I'm not really listening. I'm thinking ahead; to the party coming up and after, when I take Fox back home and make love to my wife for the first time.
"The couple has decided to write their own vows. Eric?"
Shit, already? What I planned on saying sounded really simple and sweet before, but now I'm not so sure. I clear my throat and turn to Fox.
"Fox, you know I'm not good with words, I'm not good at expressing my feelings...but that's because before I met you, I never had any feelings, I had no reason for words. Life was cold and dark, without meaning. You came to Dauntless and shone a light on me, you've become my world, my everything. I promise to protect you, to support you, to love and care for you...until my dying breath, and more. I will love you forever, I am yours...forever." As I said 'forever', a tear streaked down my cheek and Fox reached up to brush it away. Without waiting for Max, she began to speak.
"Eric, I promise you my life and my love, everything I have until the end. Before I came to Dauntless, I trusted no one, loved no one and had no reason to, but you became my reason. You showed me how to love and how to live again, gave me back my heart and soul; made me feel things I never thought I'd feel again, like trust and belonging. I will never be able to express the depth of my love and trust for you, not if I live for a thousand years. You have my heart, my love, my soul, and my life... I will love you forever." Fox closed her eyes, twin trails of tears streaking her cheeks and I cupped her face, gently kissed them away.
We gazed at each other, lost in each other's eyes until muffled sobs broke the silence. I snapped my head to the side, and damned if all three of the others; Four, Tris and Max weren't all wiping tears away, bawling like babies.
Max scowled and shook his head, embarrassed. Clearing his throat, he jumped right into the vows.
"Eric Alexander Dominic Coulter, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"You know I fuckin' do." I rumbled and Fox smiled, eyes still shiny as she watched me slide the ring onto her finger.
Max smirked and continued. Fox had legally changed her name a few weeks ago, and once she took my last name she would be leaving fucking Amity fully behind her. I'd helped her pick out her middle name, it suited her rebirth into Dauntless.
"Fox Phoenix LaRue, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"Fuck Max, of course I do." Fox whispered, eyes locked with mine. I grinned down at her, there's my girl. Her touch was gentle as she fit the wide band on my fourth finger.
"Well, enough of that ritual bullshit, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!" Max laughed.
I reached down and cupped Fox's cheek, I wanted to give her the perfect first kiss as husband and wife. Lowering my head, I pressed my lips to hers; gentle at first, then harder as that familiar jolt hit us both. Fuck, I'll never get tired of kissing this woman, her lips are like, fuck, heaven or something. Sweet as honey and soft as silk. Fox pressed back, her lips demanding and we broke away panting and gazing into each other's eyes as our three guests began to cheer.
Max slapped me hard on the back. Tris jumped to her feet and grabbed Fox in a tight hug, squealing and crying at the same time. Four smiled proudly and extended his hand. I opened my arms and hugged him like the brother he'd become to me, grinning widely at his pink cheeks as he stood back.
"Ya fuckin' Stiff." I laughed. Tris, still squealing, wrapped her arms around my neck next, giving me a quick, surprising hug before turning back to Fox, grabbing her again as Four released her from his own embrace.
Max gave me a push towards the door and I reached for Fox's hand. We stepped through as Four opened the door for us and walked to the railing overlooking the Pit. Zeke was there, and roared out as we reached him.
"Mr. and Mrs. Eric Coulter!" The Pit came alive with shouts and yells of congratulations, then fell silent again as Zeke stood beside me and held out a knife. I accepted it and turned to Fox. Holding up my left hand, I sliced decisively across my left palm and watched the blood well. Fox took the knife from me and sliced her right hand. Locking our eyes, we clasped our bleeding hands together as we stood side by side and Four wrapped a strip of black cloth around them, binding them together. This was an exclusive Dauntless wedding tradition, a hardcore Dauntless act that not every couple did, but Fox and I were committed, this was us. The waiting crowd roared again as I raised our connected hands, and someone turned the music up. The party had started. Fuck, I loved this place.
Fox and I stayed connected through most of the initial reception and through our first dance. We stayed tied together, our blood mingling until Four, Uriah and Zeke, every single one drunk as shit, dragged me onto the dance floor. A pre-war song, 'Wild Thing' had started and we made one hell of a dance team. I saw Fox and Tris holding each other up as they howled and I threw an extra wiggle into my moves, just to see that light in Fox's eyes get brighter as she laughed. Fuck, I love you, baby.
The party continued, would no doubt keep going for another day or two; we Dauntless love us a party; but I was ready to have Fox all to myself. I pulled at her hand, drawing her away from her gang of giggling friends, rolling my eyes good naturedly as they started hooting at us and left the Pit. We were all over each other before we even reached the front door, but I wanted to do this right. I unlocked the door and pulled away, reaching down and picking Fox up in my arms to carry her over the threshold. Fox laughed, her voice music to my fucking ears and she pulled my face to hers for a kiss.
"I love you Eric Coulter." She declared as I kicked the door shut.
"Fuck baby, I love you too." I rumbled as I carried her to the bedroom.