Thanks to everyone for your patience waiting for the final installment of the 4th of July series and thanks to Damn you Kylie for her editing skills. Rate M for suggestive themes, language and scenes of a sexual nature. Just a note – I have nothing against Four but I just love Eris and I needed a 'bad' guy in the story so there is Four bashing. I will post a warning so you can skip it if you are a Four fan and don't want to read it. I've always thought there was another side of Eric than what was portrayed in the books and movies and that is the side of him I like to write about with Tris. As always, all rights to VR. Enjoy!
Eric's arm rested possessively around Tris' shoulders while hers wrapped in a similar fashion around his hips as they made their way back towards the fountain to find a spot to watch the fireworks. Too absorbed by each other, they were oblivious to the people around them until a familiar high-pitched squeal that could only belong to one person, broke them from their reverie. They cringed at the shrill sound. They conceded defeat once they realized they had no path of escape and walked towards the source, Christina.
As they walked towards her, Eric and Tris took note of the group of people with her. As expected, Will was there, as was Lynn, Zeke, Shauna, Uriah and Marlene. Tris, however, was surprised to see Four among the group since he was scheduled for a shift in the Control Room that night. She wondered how he managed to switch shifts without her knowledge since she was required to approve all scheduling changes. She made a mental note to review scheduling protocols with Control Room personnel tomorrow.
Tris also saw a woman, which she didn't recognize, straddling Four's lap. She quickly deduced, based upon the three, very small triangles of fabric she used as a 'bikini', the ostentatious jewelry and heinous amount of makeup, that she must be Four's 'flavor of the month'. Since the end of her relationship with number boy, Four had dived head first into the sea of women that flocked to the newly emancipated man. Because of his turnover of women every few weeks, Tris and her friends had adopted the moniker when they referred to his 'lady' friends.
Tris suppressed a snort after she shot Eric a quick glance to gauge his opinion of the woman dry humping Four. She could tell by the nauseated expression on his face that he was clearly unimpressed with Four's choice of girlfriend.
"I don't think Hayes would even touch that with his dick," he quietly murmured to Tris as an involuntary shudder surged through his body at the sight of the woman. Tris tried hard to suppress a giggle but couldn't. Peter Hayes, who had begun plowing his way through the faction's female population after initiation, did not discriminate against any woman. If she had breasts and two legs, he fucked it. However, Four's girlfriend was so atrocious that they both agreed that Peter would even refuse to touch that.
Talking amongst the group ceased and mouths hung open in shock at the sight of Tris and Eric wrapped around each other. Christina's eyes looked like she was watching a tennis match as she flicked her eyes between the couple's entwined bodies before shrieking, "What the fuck is going on?"
Tris winced at the ear-piercing sound and Eric rolled his eyes at her brazen question. Tris squeezed Eric's hip as a signal that she would deal with her friend's reaction. "Eric asked me to be his date for the fireworks," she calmly replied.
"Date!? What do you mean date?" Christina squawked at an even higher pitch, her eyebrows disappearing into her hairline.
Unwilling to let Tris bear the brunt of Christina's verbal assault alone, Eric stepped forward to address her. "Yes, a date. Would you like me to define it for you since the concept has apparently eluded you?"
Tris buried her face into Eric's shoulder, unable to contain her laugh at the dumbfounded look on Christina's face. Eric winked at Tris before he continued. "A date is where, in this instance, a man asks a woman to engage in a social or romantic rendezvous. Case in point, Tris accompanying me to watch fireworks."
Christina's face flamed red as a cherry in indignation. "I know what a date is Eric! What I want to know is why Tris would agree to a date with YOU!" she sneered at him, disgust apparent in her tone.
Sensing her insolence, Eric gently removed Tris from his embrace, stepped forward until he was toe to toe with Christina and menacingly towering over her petite frame. "Watch your attitude. Tris and I are still your leaders and you will not disrespect either of us. Do you understand?" He snarled.
Unfazed by Eric's daunting stature and implied threat, she turned to Tris and continued her bombardment. "I thought you were my friend! How can you even think of dating this asshole?"
Resentful of Christina using their friendship as a weapon to get her to concede so she could get her way, Tris was more than ready to defend Eric and stepped forward to put Christina in her place. "Back off, Chris. You are my friend, not my boss. As I have told you before, you do not dictate my life. I am free to date whomever I want and I want to date Eric. So, you better get your attitude in check. Don't make me choose between you and Eric because you won't win."
Eric beamed with pride at Tris' declaration that she wasn't going to let her friends' opinions sway her decision to date him however he felt bad that she was forced into such a position. He knew a relationship with him would not go over well with her friends but he did not expect the hostility they were receiving. Eric knew he did not deserve someone as kind and honorable as Tris but now that he finally had a chance at a future with her, he wasn't about to let her go without a fight.
Refusing to back down until Tris acquiesced to her wishes, Christina decided to play on Tris' inner Abnegation as she continued her tirade. "How can you stand there and defend your decision to date him? Did you forget what he did to me during initiation?"
Tris rolled her eyes at her friend as she once again rehashed the never-ending chasm argument with her friend. "How many time have I told you that you need to move past it? We were told the first day of training that Dauntless never give up and what did you do the first week? You conceded to Molly during sparring practice!"
Christina gasped in exasperation at Tris' gall in reminding her and everyone else of the embarrassing circumstances that led to Eric hanging her over the chasm.
"As a trainer, Eric had to prove a point, not only to you but everyone else in our class, that quitting was not an option. Do you think you are the only one he has hung over the chasm? I can assure you, that you are not. There has been at least one, if not more, in every class since we passed initiation. Besides, Eric wasn't even the first trainer to use that method. It was Max who hung the first initiate over the chasm when he was a trainer several years ago. Because it was so effective, it was added into the training curriculum. I've even used the method a few times myself when needed!"
Christina looked like a fish out of water. She opened and closed her mouth several times, unable to utter a word, flabbergasted by Tris' rebuke. The suffocating tension between the trio was suddenly broken when Uriah began rolling around on the ground, unable to contain his gut busting laughter any longer, pointing a finger at the mortified expression on Christina's face.
(Four bashing begins)
With everyone focused on Uriah, no one noticed when Four jumped to his feet, ungracefully dumping his 'date' on her ass, and attempted to yank Tris away from Eric. With split-second reflexes, Eric protectively placed himself in front of Tris. "Don't fucking touch her," he growled out in a dangerously low timbre.
Just before thrusting himself towards Eric, Zeke stepped between the two men, his back to Eric and his hand on Four's shoulder. "Stand down, Four. This is a fight you can't win. You made your choices Four and now Tris has made her choice and we need to respect it."
Mistaking Zeke's intent as a change in allegiance, Four slapped Zeke's hand off his shoulder and snarled, "Are you fucking kidding me? Whose side are you on? I thought you were my friend?"
Zeke sighed as he pinched the bridge of nose between his fingers. "I am your friend. That's why I'm stopping your stupid ass from making the biggest mistake of your life by assaulting one of our leaders. If you somehow managed to not get yourself thrown into the chasm, you would be factionless if you laid a finger on Eric."
"Since when did you become Eric fucking Coulter's biggest fan?" he sneered.
"I'm not. But he is our leader and deserves our respect despite our opinion of him. Besides that, you know I consider Tris like a little sister so I will always be on her side, first and foremost. That includes who she decides to date," Zeke continued as he pointed his thumb at Eric before turning back and pointing his finger at Four, "and not to date."
Four huffed in resentment. "It's only a matter of time until he hurts you, Tris. Once you spread your legs for him, you will be just another notch on his bedpost. He'll dump you before sunrise. Don't say I didn't warn you. You won't get any sympathy from me! " He screamed at her.
Tris could not contain her fury any longer and pulled Eric aside before he could lunge at Four, and addressed her former lover's delusions. "Fuck you, Four! He could never hurt me as deeply as you did. Eric has already been more open and honest with me in the last few hours than you ever were during our entire relationship. You're just pissed off because I'll never spread my legs for you ever again! And trust me, you would be the last person I would ever turn to for anything!"
Enraged by the words Tris spat at him, he stomped his way back to his date, who was seething at his treatment of her and started screeching her dissatisfaction at him.
(Four bashing ends)
In an attempt to deescalate the situation and salvage what was left of their day off, Zeke decided to take matters into his own hands. "Tris, I think I speak for everyone here," he paused to glare at each one of them, daring any one of them to contradict him, "When I say all we want for you is happiness. If Eric is the man that can give you that happiness, then we ALL," once again pausing to glare at everyone, "Are pleased for you and will support your relationship with him." Zeke then turned with a pointed look to the woman sending Eric an icy glare. "Isn't that right, Christina?"
Realizing that she was in a no win situation, Christina grudgingly nodded her head in agreement.
Tuning out his date's ranting for a moment, Four saluted Eric with his middle finger, refusal to agree with Zeke's proclamation. One by one, Will, Shauna, Uriah, Marlene and Lynn vocally agreed with Zeke's statement.
"Thank you," Eric said as he extended his hand to Zeke to shake to which Zeke happily accepted it. Will stood up and shook Eric's proffered hand as well. Uriah jumped up and crushed Tris into a hug before turning to Eric and doing the same. Only after Uriah heard Eric growl, did he finally release him. Each of the girls stood and took turns hugging Tris and offering Eric their acceptance with a wave, which was more than fine with him after Uriah's little display. It's not that Eric minded hugs, he just preferred them from the fierce woman who agreed to be his date.
Tris thanked her friends then whispered into Eric's ear that they should find a spot since it was about time for the fireworks show to begin. Tris didn't want to sit with her friends, believing that they weren't ready for what was going on between herself and Eric. She wanted time for just them, a first date to remember. Eric agreed and, hand in hand, they quickly departed.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Eric and Tris decided it was best to find a spot as far away as possible from her friends so they could enjoy the fireworks show, and each other, without being under the scrutiny of the group. They settled into a spot on the opposite side of the park and snuggled up together on one of blankets; Eric's back was against a concrete wall and Tris sat between his legs, nestled against his chest. As the sun continued to fall into the horizon, a chill set into the air so they covered themselves with a blanket that Tris brought.
On their trek to find a suitable viewpoint, they both attempted to let the tension in their bodies dissipate from the confrontation with Christina and Four. Eric was unable to let it go, so it continued to fester away in his mind. He worried how the backlash from Tris' friends would impact her feelings about him and her decision to pursue a future together. The last thing he ever wanted for the beautiful woman in his arms was to have to be constantly under fire because of him.
The previous events continued to whirl around inside Eric's head while his brilliant mind tried to form some kind of a resolution that would cause Tris the least difficulty being in a relationship with him. Unfortunately, every scenario he formed ended with the same answer; her life would be better off without him in it. Resigned that he was in a no win situation, he decided there was no need to prolong the agony of a lifetime of being alone. While he molded the words together in his head, he pulled Tris tighter against him, in anticipation of it being the last time he would hold her like this.
"Tris, I think I would be best for you if we don't continue to see each other after tonight."
Tris repositioned her head against his shoulder so she could look him in the eyes. "Why?" she asked, brows furrowed in confusion as to his sudden change of mind regarding his involvement with her. Her first thought was, he didn't think she was good enough for him. She couldn't compete with the scores of Dauntless women who were always vying for Eric's attention.
He leaned forward, pressing his lips against her forehead as he caressed his hand against her cheek with tenderness. "I knew your friends would not be the most receptive to the idea of us in a relationship but I didn't expect the hatred. I didn't realize they still held so much hostility towards me after all this time. I'm sorry you had to endure that tonight. I can't see any other way to make your life easier other than leaving you alone and letting you live your life in peace."
Relief washed over Tris when she realized it was her friends and not herself that had put these ideas into his head. However, the feeling quickly morphed into anger - like the proverb states, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned – as Tris processed his reasons for ending things with her. Refusing to let him wiggle out of their relationship so easily, Tris decided on a plan of action. She leaned up and pressed her lips to his in a soft kiss, deepening it when he didn't resist. Slowly she pulled away and smiled while repositioning herself to straddle his lap. Her eyes followed her hand as it moved to the waist of his pants then began an achingly slow path up Eric's steel-like abs then over the solid muscles of his pecks until it came to a stop just below his throat where her fingers lightly caressed the skin there. She slowly fisted his T-shirt in her hand and then jerked her arm forward with all her strength until he was sitting up ram rod straight. Startled by the sudden shift is his posture, Eric's eyes snapped up to meet Tris'. He flinched slightly at the unbridled fury within them.
"Eric Coulter," she whispered in the deadliest voice he had ever heard that implied she was not fucking around, "Don't you dare think you are to blame for what happened tonight. If my friends are so selfish that they unable to accept our relationship because their personal feelings overshadow their friendship with me, then that is on them, not you or me. If that turns out to be the case, then they were never really my friends. But don't you dare use them as an excuse to snake your way out of a relationship with me if you have changed your mind. Be a man and take your balls out of your purse, strap them on and tell me the truth to my face. What is the real reason you don't want to see me anymore?"
The lethal tone in her voice caused the fine hairs on the back of his neck to stand at attention not only in fear of the woman before him and the seriousness of the situation but in arousal, as well. There was nothing sexier to him then a domineering woman. He was fairly certain that his sudden boner was inappropriate but it refused to go away.
"I-I," he stammered while trying to suppress his excitement "I don't want you waking up one day and regret choosing me over them."
The puzzle pieces finally fell into place. Tris was overwhelmed with emotion at Eric's willingness to martyr himself for her. Knowing how stubborn Eric was, Tris knew she would have to handle the situation quickly before he reached the point of no return on his decision. She continued her wrathful façade and asked, "So you would rather be a coward and give up than fight for me?"
Tris was pleased to see Eric's reaction her question elicited. The surprise that appeared in his eyes quickly morphed into rage. If there was one thing that Eric was not, it was a coward. And having anyone, including herself, question that characteristic about him was absolutely unacceptable.
A volcano of epic proportions erupted within Eric and he fisted his hand into Tris' hair, forcing her forehead to press against his as he spat his rebuttal to her insinuation. "I am no fucking coward!" he snarled, "No one tells me what I can and can't do so your friends can just go to hell because I am not letting you go! Do you understand?"
The grin that swept across Tris' face caught Eric off-guard. She released her death grip on his shirt and flung both of her arms around his neck before crashing her lips to his, thrusting her tongue into his mouth when he gasped in surprise. It took Eric a moment to respond. Refusing to show any hint of retreat, he battled her for dominance of the kiss. He eased his grip on her hair, snaked his free arm around her waist and pressed her firmly against him. They only parted when the lack of oxygen made them dizzy.
"I'm glad you agree with me." Tris purred into his ear.
Realizing how the little minx in his arms had manipulated him to her will, he rolled Tris until her back was against the ground. He crawled on top of her, pinning her arms and legs down, his nose nuzzled into the crook of her neck a few moments before he traced it along her jaw up to her ear. His lips lightly brushed against the shell of it.
"You think you're so smart, don't you Prior?" he seductively whispered. "Questioning my character to get me to do what you want? I have obviously underestimated you. You are absolutely ruthless and I love it! See what you do to me?" He asked as he pressed his erection against her stomach.
Tris gave Eric a smirk that could rival one of his own. "I told you this morning that I wasn't going to let you go that easily now that I finally have your full attention. I just had to convince you that I meant it. I'm not about to let my friends get in the way of what I want. I will never regret choosing you. You just need to show them that you are dedicated to making this work between us and they will eventually come around. It's as simple as that."
Tris paused for a moment to put her thoughts in order. "As selfish as it sounds, I left Abnegation because I wanted to live my life the way I wanted. I couldn't continue to sacrifice it for the benefit of others. I was suffocating under their way of life."
Sensing Tris wasn't finished, Eric remained quiet and waited for her to continue when she was ready. "The selflessness ingrained in me for the first eighteen years of my life is a burden I will carry the rest of my life. I could have easily given into Chris when she preyed upon that weakness in me when she played the chasm card earlier. But then I think about how I fought tooth and nail through initiation to prove to everyone that I belonged in Dauntless. I couldn't live with myself if I went through all of that just to once again sacrifice my happiness to satisfy others. I dislike the thought of losing a friend because they don't approve of my life choices but it's something I can live with. I will never allow anyone to dictate my life to me ever again."
Eric cupped her face with his hand. "I'm sorry I tried to take that decision away from you. You told me that you felt suppressed in Abnegation but I didn't realize how deeply it affected you and that it continues to haunt you. Please forgive me for ever doubting your decision to be with me. I will never make that mistake again."
Tris leaned forward and pressed a languid kiss to his lips. "You are the first person to understand it, to understand me." She paused, debating if she should bring up her former relationship but decided it was important for Eric to understand why they are already so much more well-suited he was for her then she and Four ever were. "Four never could grasp the concept. He was comfortable with the Abnegation way of life. I truly believe that if it hadn't been for his father's abuse, he would have stayed in Abnegation. So he could never comprehend why I resisted his attempts to control me."
Eric push himself away from Tris and sat on his haunches. She propped herself up on her elbows and watched him. She grabbed his extended hand and pulled herself up so they were face to face. He lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck then wrapped his around her waist. "I do understand your need to be in control of your life and I promise you that I will never take your right away to do that ever again."
Tears pooled in Tris' eyes as she listened to Eric's pledge. It was ironic how the people she called friends and had known her the longest since she came to Dauntless were never able to understand how deeply her Abnegation life impacted her. However, the man holding her in his arms, that barely knew anything about her, was able to comprehend her need for control. She buried her face into his neck and tightened her arms around his neck. "Thank you, Eric. Can we just put all of this behind us and start again?"
"Absolutely." He replied. He pulled away just enough to extend his hand in greeting. "Hi, I'm Eric Coulter."
Catching on, Tris gripped his and shook it. "Hi Eric, I'm Tris Prior. Nice to meet you." They began laughing at their antics as they wrapped themselves around each other once again. The entangled couple jumped in surprise when the first firecracker exploded, illuminating the darken sky in a plethora of vibrant colors. The uninhibited smile it brought to Tris' face was priceless and forever seared into Eric's memory as the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. Tris squealed when he moved his hands lower to cup her ass to lift her up and reposition her back between his legs. Eric wrapped the blankets around them and Tris snuggled up against his chest before they turned their attention back to the highlight of the day and watched the fireworks light up Independence Park.
oOoOoOoOo
Feeling a sense of contentment and a renewed hope for a future together after their conversation, Tris and Eric slowly made their way towards the train station to return home to Dauntless. Because of the mass exodus of the faction members after the fireworks ended, the boxcars were full. They chose a car at the head of the train so they could jump off first and Eric could escort Tris' home without another ambush from her friends. Most Dauntless members opted to exit the train at the main entrance to the compound but Tris and Eric decided to jump out onto the rooftop with the entrance to the net. Normally, this way was only available during initiation. However, being leaders, both Tris and Eric knew the access codes to the net room so they could use it to enter the compound. This also conveniently put them into closest access to the leader's living wing. They would be able to avoid most of the public area cameras in case Four wanted to track their movements. The leader's offices and living wings had a separate surveillance system that Four didn't have clearance to access. Eric quietly smirked to himself as the thought of Four being even further pissed off delighted him.
Both Tris and Eric breathed a sigh of relief when they made to the elevator banks. Access to the elevators was only granted through biometrics so they knew there would be no further interruptions once they were inside. Once the elevator doors closed, the couple glanced shyly at one another until the elevator came to a stop at Tris' floor. They stepped out when the doors opened and slowly made their way to Tris' door as neither of them were ready for the evening to end yet. Tris unlocked her door then turned to face Eric. With their fingers still entwined, Tris gently tugged on Eric's hand as a silent gesture for him to come in. He hesitated for only a moment, remembering what he had said at the start of the day, 'A real date where the man will give the woman a goodnight kiss on the cheek just to let her know that he doesn't expect anything else when the date comes to an end.' He quickly shakes the thought from his mind before following her in and closing the door behind him.
"Tris," he said as he turned back towards her after shutting door. However, he was unable to utter another word because he suddenly found his back pressed up against the door and Tris' lips pressed against his. Taken aback by her actions, his mouth slightly parted in surprise. Tris refused to let the opportunity slip by and slipped her tongue between his lips, exploring his mouth. Eric moaned as Tris molded her body against his, her fingers lightly scratching the fine hairs at the base of his neck. Unable to hold back, his hands cupped her ass and lifted her from the ground. Taking the hint, she wrapped her legs around his waist. Eric carried Tris to the couch, laying down on top of her. He nestled himself between her thighs, feeling the mounting heat emanating from there and slowly ground his erection against her core. He growled in approval when Tris began to grind back against him.
Their tongues battled for dominance until the need for oxygen became too great and they parted to catch their breaths. Eric slipped his hand into her hair and gently pulled until her neck was exposed. He began to lightly nip his teeth along her jaw and down her throat, gently soothing each mark with his tongue, until he reached the junction between her neck and shoulder where he bit down harder and suckled away at the sensitive flesh. The ecstasy this brought to Tris caused her to release a soft mewl in appreciation. The sound went straight to his ball sac and Eric had to use all his willpower to keep from cumming in his pants right then and there. He wondered how he would ever be able to make love to the beautiful creature in his arms if just the sounds she made almost had him blowing his load before his cock had a chance to enter her warm, wet passage. He pushed himself away from her to regain his composure.
Noticing Eric's sudden change of mood, Tris asked, "Eric, is everything alright?"
Eric rubbed his hand over his face a few times before looking into her eyes. "I…I…we need to stop."
"Why?" she whimpered at the loss of feeling his body against hers.
Eric exhaled slowly before answering. "Because we've had a long and stressful day and we are both exhausted." Eric could see a look of disappointment spread across Tris' face. He gently grabbed her chin. "Hey, look at me."
Tris blinked back the tears threatening to fall from feeling rejected before getting the courage to look at him.
"Trust me, I want nothing more than to throw you down on your bed and fuck you until you lose your voice screaming my name from the pleasure I give you." Eric couldn't help but grin at the blush spreading over her. "But I want to savor every moment while I explore every inch of your magnificent body our first time together. I don't want anything, including exhaustion, to diminish a single moment of it. I hope you understand."
"I understand," she whispered, no longer feeling the sting of rejection.
Eric gave her one of his famous smirks. "Good, because after I make love to you the first time, I'm going to fuck you until we break the god damn bed." Tris moaned in anticipation of Eric making the fantasy he painted into a reality.
Eric jumped to his feet pulling Tris up with him. Before he could turn and head towards the door, Tris pulled on his wrist to stop him from leaving. "I understand wanting to wait to be physical, but would you be willing to spend the night with me? Just to sleep? I'm not ready to be apart from you just yet."
"Just to sleep?" Eric asked, quirking his eyebrow.
"I promise, just to sleep. I just want to lay in your arms tonight."
Eric pondered Tris' request. Not wanting to leave her either, he agreed. "Okay. I would like that too."
The smile that spread across Tris' face was infectious as Eric couldn't contain his smile either. He pulled her to him and gave her a chaste kiss then lightly patted her bottom. "Go on, get your sexy ass in the shower and wash off all that chlorine from the pool. I'll go grab some fresh clothes and take my shower when I get back. Is that okay?"
"Perfect! Hurry back." Tris squealed before she walked into the bathroom to start her shower.
Eric returned to her apartment quickly, as promised. When he finished his shower, he found Tris waiting for him to join her in bed. Once he had settled into a comfortable position, he opened his arms as an invitation for Tris to snuggle up. Once she had settled against him, he gently pulled her face to his and languidly kissed her. Forcing himself to pull away before he reached the point of no return, he tucked her head under his chin and sighed in contentment because for the first time in his life, he finally felt at home.
The End.
Thanks again for reading! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it.