"Too chicken?" she teases, tugging him towards the zip-line. Perched high away from ground, you can see just about all of Chicago—Erudite and Candor buildings, rising to the sky. Amity fields, wind turbines whirring softly. Grey square structures, the homes of the Abnegation.
The city pulses quietly with life, despite being cloaked by the night.
"Yes," he laughs nervously, but takes a step forward. He is terrified; absolutely about to run screaming. But he looks at the sparkle in her eyes; the face of all he's ever loved about to blur, and takes another step. They stand motionlessly at the ledge, hands woven tightly together.
"It's beautiful," he says, although he's looking at her. She laughs her pretty laugh, the only detail he can truly remember, and leans into his shoulder.
"I know you don't see it that way," she says. "That's okay. But for me, when I close my eyes it sometimes feels like I can feel the city breathing." Her voice is soothing, calming the palpitations in his heart.
"Those little dots—can you see?—they are about to go to bed. Somewhere, my mother combs her hair while my father lays out their nightclothes. Below, crazy Dauntless teens shoot at each other for fun."
"Nothing crazy about what we're doing then?" he raises his eyebrows. The grin she returns is priceless.
"Nothing crazy at all," she promises. And he knows that he will do it. There is nothing in the world he would not do for her.
Tilting his forehead into hers, he kisses her for an eternity. Then he straps them into the zip-line, and rests his hands at her waist. "Here goes nothing," he sighs, and they let go.
What happens is magic. Her laughter streams behind him and in that moment—arms around her—he feels himself flying. The tiny little dots, his fears—all below him. There is no one else in the world, and this is all he knows.
He closes his eyes and waits for the aching, pounding, crashing to stop in his heart. Waits for the memories of kisses after midnight, want and grief to take over. And then he takes off.
There is nothing in the world he would not do for her, even learning to let her go.
In that moment, he feels himself flying—the tiny dots, his fears—all below him. There is no one else in the world, and this is all he knows.