Prompt: Tris/Eric- accidental matching tattoo and now everyone thinks we're a thing

From Athenrys / Symbioticdeath

Part of the Holiday Fic Prompt Contest

This one was a lot of fun to conceptualize and work on! I spent about an hour just sitting at my computer trying to figure out what the accidental matching tattoos were going to be. You may also see my affection for the art of tattooing as gleamed by binge watching all of Ink Master in a few short weeks.

Setting-wise, this is set post-initiation, assuming that after the attack on Abnegation things worked out more smoothly. Those involved in Erudite and Dauntless's planning of the attack were brought to trial and punished accordingly to their guilt. A little hand-wavy, but that's where we're at *shrugs*.

Enjoy! Please Read and Review! Con-crit is welcomed.

I'm not even sure what motivated me to get a new tattoo this week. Maybe it was something someone said at lunch. Maybe it was a mental reward for doing well in my post-initiation training. Or maybe I had just felt like doing something for myself.

Whatever the reason, I found myself sitting comfortably in Tori's tattoo chair, flipping through her concept books. She was cleaning up her tools and we were chatting about nothing in particular. It felt nice to be able to talk about casual topics after all the hell that had reigned after the attacks on Abnegation.

"So you're not having too much trouble with the leadership training?" Tori asked curiously, wiping off her tattoo machine with a cloth. "I was worried that it would be pretty tough with half the old guard in the cells."

I shrugged one shoulder, flipping another page in the book. "That's not so bad. Honestly the worst part is just how people outside of training are acting," I explained. "Half the faction still is pretty faithful to Max and his cronies, so they keep giving me the worst looks. And then the other half treats me like a goddamn hero."

She met my eyes with sympathy. "I can see that being pretty frustrating. At least you've got Four to share the burden with," Tori replied quietly. When I didn't respond, she paused in her cleaning. "You guys are still together, right?"

I exhaled slowly. Things between Tobias and I had been rocky since the trials in Candor. He wanted to push for more cooperation between the factionless and the factions. I couldn't believe he wanted to focus on that when there was practically a civil war brewing between the surviving Abnegation and Jeanine's remaining supporters over the division of power and the "Divergent threat." We were only a few months in and tensions were still high.

He kept insisting that supporting the factionless more would bring stability to the city. I was fairly certain that he just wanted to help his mother's cause, especially at the expense of Marcus' power in the Council.

"We're on a break," I explained quietly. "So I'm kind of on my own."

Tori made a sound between her teeth. "Four's an idiot. At least you've still got your buddies from initiation," she assured me with a small smile. "And me, of course." She squeezed my shoulder quickly before going back to her cleaning.

I murmured a word of thanks. Then I went back to the concept book, looking more carefully at the stark designs. Nothing was really catching my eye, though, and I soon reached the end of the album.

"I'm going to grab another book from the front, Tori," I chirped, hopping off the chair smoothly. They wouldn't be her designs, but it was fairly common practice that any up front were good anyone's use. She nodded silently as I walked out from her section.

The few others milling around the parlor thankfully ignored me as I snagged the topmost design book. A few loose pages threatened to fall out from the binding. I juggled the book to get most of the pages back in place, but one fluttered out to the floor. I picked it up, peering more closely at the image drawn on the page.

Walking smoothly back to Tori's little alcove, I put the found page on the desk with a smack. "Found my next tattoo!" I exclaimed.

She looked over the design, a small frown creasing her brow. "I feel like I've seen this recently, but I can't remember why," Tori murmured. After a second she shrugged, unconcerned. "Where do you want to place it? And is the size okay?" she sat down on her stool and rolled over to her printer, setting it up to print out the stencil.

Four hours later and Tori was applying the finishing touches. "This is looking really sweet, Tris. You're going to be so happy with this long term," she remarked cheerfully. I was gritting my teeth, trying to keep my muscles relaxed for the last few strokes of the needle. My other tattoos had been fairly straightforward, so the sitting time had been shorter. Now I was realizing the benefit of smaller tattoos.

"A-a-and you're finished!" she said another minute later, putting down her now-still tattoo machine. A few more wipes to remove the excess black ink and I was about ready to see the finished product. Tori took me over to the full length mirror on the back wall of her station and hovered eagerly behind me. "Well?"

I twisted carefully, looking at my arm. The design started at the top by my left shoulder, continuing down before tapering out at my elbow. It was a series of perfect triangles, outlined in the sharpest linework that I'd ever seen Tori do. A few were filled in completely in stark black and others had just a light wash of dotwork. It was stunning.

Turning my head, I met Tori's eyes. "Absolutely perfect!" I cheered, unable to stop the huge grin on my face. "Even better than the sketch." I bumped knuckles with her gloved hand.

"Excellent," she replied. I sat back on the chair, and Tori applied some healing cream. It would speed up the process so that I didn't have to keep my new tat wrapped up. Tori had told me one time that before the war it was a lot trickier caring for new tattoos and even worse pain-wise. Now, they were fairly ease to heal up in a matter of one or two days. It was one of the odd side effects of having an excess of military-grade medicine just lying around.

Once I was declared good to leave, I stood up and stretched carefully. My arm was still tender, but I could move easily enough. "You want to get something to eat? I skipped dinner when I came down," I asked.

Tori laughed, shaking her head. "I'm all set," she insisted. "If I go down there I'll just use it as an excuse to eat dessert. Some other time, maybe." I nodded in understanding and said goodbye to her. I walked out of the parlor and rolled my stiff shoulders. The motion made my new tattoo ripple and I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face.

Making my way down the spiraling walkways of the Pit, I headed to the dining hall. A few people murmured greetings to me, which I returned in equally quiet tones. Once I got inside the usually-crowded hall, my heart sank. Most of the night's food had already been put away and the remaining chafing dishes were picked clean, save for the occasional scrawny chicken wing. I scavenged for some remaining bits and pieces, but ultimately I ended up with a plate of cold, unappetizing food.

The lack of anything decent to eat, coupled with sitting entirely alone, made for dinner to be a quick affair. I picked at the last little bits of meat clinging to the bone before throwing down my last chicken wing. I was still hungry though, even as I brought my tray back to the kitchen window and left the hall.

I walked up the ramps and walkways to the upper edges of the pit. Up by all the clothing and surplus shops was my favorite place to stop at - a pastry shop that always had the most enticing cupcakes. Their coffee was far superior to the dining hall's, but it also cost actual points. I allowed myself to indulge in getting one just about once a week because dammit I deserved the treat. I stepped through the doors and was greeted by Patty, one of members of the bakery's very small staff.

"Hey Tris! You're just in time. Half off choco-mint just started," she greeted cheerfully. Her frizzy, unruly hair was tied up in a ponytail, though strands were escaping and dangling across the back of her neck.

The price cut was just the temptation I needed, so I ordered a pair of the chocolate mint cupcakes along with my customary latte. I settled into a booth and peeled the wrapper off my first cupcake. The soft, delicious cake was absolutely perfect, the minty frosting countering the overwhelming dark chocolate taste. Patty dropped off my latte when it was ready, siding into the booth across from me.

"So the word around the compound is someone got some new ink," she started casually. "Some flashy geometric design."

I blinked. Word had travelled fast. Who knew that anyone would really care what I'd gotten inked? "Is that so?" I replied, mimicking her casual tone. "Something geometric like, oh I don't know, triangles?"

Patty sat forward eagerly, tapping the table frantically in front of her. "So you've seen it? I knew you would have!" she squeaked out. "Tell me, does it go all the way down his back?" Her eyes were bright with excitement.

I froze completely, my latte halfway from the table to my mouth. "I'm sorry, what?" What the hell was Patty talking about? "Who are you talking about?"

She waved a hand dismissively. "Eric, same as you," Patty replied breathlessly. "You know, the blonde oh-so-terrifying Leader? Your boyfriend's nemesis?"

"Eric didn't get a new tattoo," I stuttered. "And if he did, there's no way that's what it was." It couldn't be. "And Four's not my boyfriend!"

"Cindy said that Bud did the design up custom this morning. Only a couple people saw it, but word is that it's geometric, has triangles, and is just so badass," Patty gushed. Something clicked visibly and her focus completely changed. "Wait, you and Four broke up? Why?"

I put my latte down, feeling lightheaded. There was no way. This could not be my life right now. Chicago was going to hell in a handbasket, and I had the same tattoo as my least-favorite trainer. I laid my head down on my hands, counting to ten slowly.

"Tris what is on your arm?" Patty almost shrieked, her voice going painfully high. "Oh. My god. The rumors are true."

Please no. Please don't say it.

"You dumped Four and got matching tattoos with Eric freaking Coulter?!"

As far as the actual tattoo design, I wanted to pick something that matched the style of previous Dauntless tattoos. Most shown in the films (and those described in the books) are simple black designs with skin breaks. The designs are usually geometric, tribal, or graphic-like (eg. Four's backpiece). I think that the most "mainstream" of tattoos would be Christina's vines, but even then those could be done in a more flat style to match the rest of the faction's. I think another style that could almost would would be trash polka - though that technically requires red ink for it to be legit.

Please ignore my quantity of tattoo lore. Dan and I watch too, too much Ink Master (It's the best! Join me in my IM hell!)

The actual design, in case it was unclear, is a pretty typical geometric pattern of a series of equilateral triangles pointing down Tris's arm / Eric's back.