A/N: This chapter is all the fault of B-Dauntless so blame her, she asked for it. This chapter explores how Tris and Tobias actually got back together before the events in Manchester United. Major thanks to enj412 for support and ideas. And supreme thanks to the most awesomest beta, BK2U who manages to actually put up with me.
Blind dates suck.
Tris glanced at the text message on her phone and chuckled, even as she felt a stab of panic in her chest. She knew Tobias had been resisting Amar's attempts to fix him up, but he'd finally relented and agreed to go out with someone. She looked up at the clock on the wall of her small living room. It was only 9 PM in Manchester, so apparently his date must not have gone very well. It might be petty of her, but she couldn't help but be glad. Even though he was no longer hers, she hated the idea of him with another woman.
Mean? Boring? Stupid? She texted back.
Any and all of the above. Add in self-centered for the perfect storm of horrible.
Aww, poor baby.
How was dinner with Pierre? It had to have been better than mine.
Tris hesitated before replying. She'd been seeing Pierre pretty regularly since she'd arrived in Paris, but for her it was strictly casual. They had some common interests and he had been great about helping her with her French. She knew Pierre was hoping for more, even though she'd told him she wasn't looking for a relationship. She was leery of relationships, not just because she would only be in France for the summer semester, but also because of the man on the other end of her text conversation.
She still loved him. The past year apart had only solidified that for her.
It was fine. She wrote.
She couldn't think of anything else to say. She was cautious when discussing other guys, unsure of how much she should say or how much he really wanted to know. He'd insisted that they stay friends, texting and emailing her regularly and occasionally even scheduling a Skype call. They didn't talk every day, but in the year since he'd left they hadn't gone more than a week without communicating. It wasn't always substantive; sometimes she'd wake to find a random text saying how much he missed deep dish pizza or Krispy Kreme donuts. Shaking her head, she added another text before he could.
So, you're still coming to visit next week, right?
Yeah. I'm looking for a hotel room near you. Know of anything?
Silly. Just stay here.
As soon as she typed it, she wondered if she'd made a mistake. Texting and emailing didn't really convey tone very well, so she wasn't too sure how he truly felt about everything. She couldn't tell if he still thought of her as anything more than just a friend. He loved her, she knew he did, but she didn't know how much or in what way. It had been a year since they'd last been together, and a lot could change in a year.
Tris had been ridiculously proud of Tobias when he was approached by a scout for the English National Football team during his senior year in college after he led Northwestern to the Big Ten championship. The scout had been impressed, both by Tobias's abilities and the fact that he was a British-American mix with dual citizenship. The scout had set up a meeting with the coach of Manchester United, and Tobias had received a formal offer to play before he'd even graduated. Tris would still have two more years to go at Northwestern before she would earn her degree, but she had encouraged and supported Tobias's leaving to pursue his athletic career. The closer they got to his departure, however, the more nervous they'd both become about their impending separation. Tris was worried about the groupies that would inevitably throw themselves at him. It had happened throughout college, so Tris could only imagine how much worse it would be at the professional level.
Tris sighed, remembering the concern in his blue eyes when he confessed that he was afraid of what the distance would do to them. She'd agreed that they would try dating other people simply because she couldn't think of a way to maintain their relationship while being so far apart. But over this last year, she'd come to see how wrong they'd been. She'd tried going out with a couple of guys at Northwestern but none of them held her interest for very long; they simply weren't Tobias. And everywhere she looked, she was haunted by memories of them together.
Won't Pierre mind? He texted back.
Not for the first time, Tris wished she could see his face, read his eyes as he asked her about Pierre. She thought, hoped really, he wasn't as okay with it as it seemed in his innocuous texts. Pierre was the closest she'd come to an actual relationship in the last year. He was also an art history student, so they had a lot of classes together. He was cute, eyes the color of chocolate and brown hair that seemed to perpetually fall across his forehead. He had found out her favorite artist was Monet and had arranged to take her to the Musée d'Orsay on their first formal date. They'd spent the day wandering around the museum and talking about the art exhibits, and she'd let him kiss her in front of Monet's Nymphéas bleus. It was nice, sweet and gentle, just like Pierre himself, but it didn't make her heart race.
I told you. It's casual. No big deal.
Tris bit her lip as she waited for his reply. She hadn't seen him since he'd moved to England and she really wanted to; she'd become convinced that this whole separation thing was a bad idea. No one measured up to him. No one challenged her like he did. No one laughed at her bad jokes like he did. No one looked deeply into her eyes like he did. No one kissed her like he did. Pierre had kissed her once and all it did was convince her she needed to see Tobias. It was the reason that she'd invited him to France on his first free weekend. She was determined to see if there was anything still between them.
Well, if you're sure.
Tris's lips curved into a smile.
Tobias slung his duffel bag over his shoulder as he exited the Customs gate at Charles de Gaulle airport. His eyes scanned the crowd, looking for that familiar honey blond hair. His stomach dropped when he didn't spot her. Maybe she'd changed her mind. Maybe she forgot he was coming. Maybe she was busy with Pierre. He sighed, wondering if this trip was really a good idea. He could handle being just friends from 3,000 miles away, but he wasn't sure if he could handle being near her without being able to touch her the way he wanted. He'd used his rookie year as an excuse to avoid dating anyone. Most of the women who crowded around the team were fawning groupies; most of them made him pretty uncomfortable. The truth was that he was not over Tris. When she'd invited him to Paris, he had decided he needed to see what was still between them.
He made his way through the crowd, heading towards the taxi stand. He was regretting not having booked a hotel room, but he was sure he could find something. She wasn't far from Notre Dame; there should be plenty of hotels.
As he made his way through the crowd, he noticed a few people looking at him, recognition in their expressions. It wasn't really surprising; he was getting pretty well known in the soccer world and the French were as rabid about soccer as the English. He'd nearly gotten to the door when he heard his name, and suddenly there she was. She came rushing in, her blond ponytail bouncing. They stopped and looked at each other for a beat, then she threw herself into his arms.
Tobias held Tris tightly, her feet lifted off the ground. He buried his face in her hair, breathing in the scent of strawberries, vanilla, and her. After several long moments, he set her back on her feet and pulled back.
"You look incredible," he said, drinking in the sight of her. Her hair had grown so that it now fell halfway down her back. Her gray eyes were sparkling with happiness; Tobias hoped it was because he was here with her.
She gave him a once-over as well. "You look pretty amazing, too," she said, meaning it. He was much more muscular than he'd been a year ago. His t-shirt clung tightly to his arms and across his broad shoulders and chest. Tris's mouth began to water. She'd always been ridiculously attracted to him and now, looking as good as he did, Tris wondered exactly how she was going to keep her hands off him during his visit.
She reached down and grabbed his hand. "A cab is the fastest way to get into town." They made their way to a taxi stand, and within minutes they were on their way into the heart of Paris.
"I figured we'd drop your stuff off at my place, then wander around. I'm staying near Notre Dame, so I can show you the Tuileries Garden. You haven't been to Paris before, right?"
"Surprisingly, no. It's crazy since I'm only a couple of hours away. The flight was pretty cheap, too."
Tris hadn't let go of Tobias's hand, so she gave it a squeeze. "I'm glad I'll be the one to show you." She said, leaning into him.
After dropping his bags off at her little one bedroom apartment, they immediately headed for the Louvre and the Tuileries Garden. They walked around the garden, Tris wishing they had time to go inside the Louvre. But the Tuileries Garden was in full, glorious bloom, and Tris delighted in showing him the Ferris wheel. They laughingly took a ride on it, Tobias clutching her hand as usual. Heights were not his thing, and he'd only ever gotten on a Ferris wheel with her. When they got off the ride, Tobias insisted on taking a picture of themselves in front of it. As she laughed at him, Tobias had to fight the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her as he had when they were teenagers. He'd kissed her for the very first time after they'd ridden the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier.
They walked over the Pont Neuf to the Île de la Cité, and headed down towards Notre Dame. After touring the church right before it closed, Tris pulled Tobias down a little side street to a small café. She ordered a platter of various cheeses, dried sausage, a baguette and a bottle of Bordeaux rosé. They talked about everything: Tris's classes, Tobias's practices and games, their favorite parts of Manchester and Paris — everything but their romantic lives. Tobias reached out and played with her fingers, marveling at how they could fall right back into their old, familiar rhythm, as though they had never been apart.
It was dark by the time they left the café. Tris led him across the Pont au Double, stopping about halfway to look at Notre Dame. It was fully dark now, so the cathedral's lights gave off a warm, gold, almost heavenly glow. Tris leaned on the iron railing. "This is one of my favorite sights so far," she murmured.
Tobias stood behind her, admiring the atmosphere created by the canal lights that illuminate the river Seine, making the surface shine almost like glass. As they watched the river lazily flowing beneath them, it seemed the city around them quieted, giving them a bubble of privacy. The balmy June night was clear, so the amber-colored streetlights gave the entire area a soft, romantic glow.
"I've really come to understand why they call Paris the City of Love," Tris said, letting her head fall back to rest against his shoulder. Tobias wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. Tris covered his hands with hers, loving the way his arms enveloped her. Tobias buried his face in her hair. He was sure he hadn't felt this content since the last time he'd held her in his arms.
"It's beautiful here," Tobias said quietly, savoring her small stature, her soft skin. He leaned forward and gently nuzzled her cheek with his.
Tris took a deep breath and decided to take a chance. "It makes you want to share it with someone special," she said, holding his hands tightly, hoping he wouldn't let her go.
"I've really missed you," he said.
Tris turned slightly to look at him. "I've missed you, too," she whispered back, angling her chin up, inviting him to kiss her. Tobias didn't disappoint her; he leaned down and brushed his lips across hers. Tris turned to him completely, not content with just a slight brush of their lips. Tobias was here, now, and she was determined to see if they still needed each other as much as they once did. Tris slid her arms around his waist, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him more fully. Tobias pulled her tightly against him and kissed her deeply, his tongue sweeping into her mouth to duel with hers. Tris clutched his back, kissing him with every ounce of desire she felt for him.
They finally had to break apart for air and Tobias stared into her eyes. In the low light, they seemed darker, more mysterious, suffused with feminine power. Tobias felt himself drawn back to her, unable to stay away. He kissed her again, hungrily, desperate for one more touch, one more taste.
This time when they pulled apart, Tris whispered, "We need to get back to my apartment."
Tobias drew circles with his fingers against the small of her back. "Are you sure?"
She leaned up to brush her lips against his again. "Positive." She grabbed his hand and led him the rest of the way across the bridge.
The walk back to her apartment took about fifteen more minutes but they didn't really rush. The walk allowed the anticipation to build. They both knew what would happen when they got there. If they were honest with themselves, it was something both had been anticipating, longing for, since they first touched in the airport. They talked idly, their fingers entwined, enjoying the sexual tension that seemed to spark between them.
Tris led him up the three flights of stairs and unlocked her door. She led him through the darkened apartment to her bedroom.
She flipped on the lamp and turned to face him. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and put it on the bedside table. He handed his to her and she put it next to hers. Her eyes on his, she lifted her shirt and pulled it over her head. He did the same, a small smile playing around his lips. She toed off her sneakers and socks then looked at him, challenging him with her eyes to mirror her movements, which he did. They continued to undress, Tris first, then Tobias, their smiles growing as he copied her. When she was naked, she put her hands on his abs, running her fingers slowly up his chest.
She marveled at how much he had changed, his golden skin stretched over strong muscles. He was much more defined than he'd been when he graduated. The year of playing soccer professionally had clearly left its mark on him. She ran her hands over his chest, down his abs, smiling as the muscles jumped beneath her caressing fingers. As his arms banded tightly around her, she moved to his sides, tracing the edges of the massive tattoo he'd gotten in college after his final confrontation with Marcus. She'd gone with him for every appointment, holding his hand, supporting his need to mark himself with the personality traits he yearned to embody, ones that seemed so lacking in his father. She traced the tattoo along his back, sliding her hands down to squeeze his firm ass. She glided along his hips, and with her eyes locked on his, took his erection firmly in her hand. Tobias sucked in a breath as she ran her hand up and down, squeezing lightly. His hips unconsciously began to move in time with her hand, then she abruptly let him go.
Tris pushed Tobias down on the bed, kneeling in front of him. She ran her hands along his thighs and met his eyes again. She kissed his lower abdomen, right above where he wanted her. Tobias stared at her, his eyes blazing with blue fire as she leaned forward and slowly took his cock in her mouth. His muscles tensed and he groaned. "Fuck, Tris!"
Tris ran her tongue over him, alternately flattening it against him and tickling him lightly with the tip. She closed her mouth fully around him again and bobbed her head up and down, worshipping him. When she peeked up through her lashes, she was pleased to see the intensity on his face. His hands were fisted tightly in the sheets, and he was breathing rapidly, his eyes glued to her. She kept it up until he gasped out, "Stop! Tris, please." He wanted to prolong this and wasn't sure how much more he could withstand.
Smirking, Tris crawled over him, licking and sucking a path from his abdomen up to his chest. She grabbed his hands and held them at his side as her tongue swirled around his nipples. Tobias half laughed, half moaned as Tris nibbled on his collarbone. With a low chuckle, Tris allowed her tongue to blaze a wet trail up his neck, across his chin, finally covering his mouth with hers.
Tobias pulled his hands from hers and tangled his fingers in her hair as they kissed. He trailed his hands down her back, grasped her hips in his hands and without warning, rolled them over so he was on top. Tris laughed breathlessly. "Not fair. You distracted me."
He grinned at her. "My turn," he said, trailing his lips across her cheek. He traced his tongue down her neck, mimicking her earlier movements. He captured one breast in his mouth, lifting it with his hand so he could suck her deeply. Tris tangled her fingers in his hair and hummed her approval. His tongue swirled around her, exactly the way she loved. Tobias retraced familiar territory with his mouth and then his hands. Licking, caressing, he concentrated on those spots he knew made her moan. Tris pushed her head back into the mattress, lifting her chest slightly. She'd missed this, missed how he always seemed to know how and where to touch her. His mouth trailed fire across her stomach, his tongue dipping teasingly into her belly button. She laughed a little and he looked up at her, his dark blue eyes twinkling. Tris hoped she wasn't imagining it, but he was looking at her just as he used to, with a heady combination of love and lust.
"Tobias, please. I need you."
He smirked, bent his head and buried his mouth in her slit. Tris clutched the sheets beneath her, lifting her hips to meet his questing tongue. She felt her head begin to swim as he grasped her hips, held her down and pressed his tongue deep inside her. Tris cried out, squeezing her eyes shut as pleasure engulfed her. Tobias's mouth worked her expertly until she couldn't wait one moment longer; she needed him inside her. Tris opened her eyes, grasped his upper arms and urged him on top of her.
Tobias draped himself across her, kissing her neck as he entered her. Tris ran her hands up and down his back, glorying in the feeling of him inside her once again. She couldn't possibly tell him how good he felt, how much she'd missed him, so she just clutched his back and moaned his name.
Tobias had every intention of going slowly, but once he felt Tris's warm wetness surrounding him, he couldn't stop himself. He pumped into her, her legs wrapped around his thighs, encouraging him to move faster. He sucked the soft skin of her neck into his mouth as he thrust inside her fiercely. Tris's nails dug into his back; for Tobias, it was the sweetest pain he'd ever felt. He heard her gasping in his ear, egging him on even more.
"God, don't stop," she cried. "Please, baby, don't stop."
There was no way in hell he possibly could. Tobias's heart was racing more than it did on the soccer field. Being with Tris was the most exciting thing he'd ever experienced, and over the past year, he'd seriously worried he'd never get the chance to feel that excitement again. But here he was, her hands at his back, her thighs squeezing his, her throaty moans echoing in his ears. He couldn't hold back much longer, and Tobias was desperate to feel her clench tightly around him. He swiveled his hips, grinding against that special spot inside her until she let out a breathy cry, every muscle frozen in ecstasy. Tobias felt his groin tighten as he reached the point of no return, electricity sparking throughout his body. Thrusting himself deep inside her, he groaned her name as he climaxed in a series of hard, rapid-fire muscle contractions. It felt like an eternity passed before he collapsed on top of her, his body shaking with the aftershocks of his intense orgasm. He could barely move, but he rolled to the side, not wanting to crush her.
Tris immediately moved so that her head was on his chest, draping her arm and leg over him as though to anchor him to the bed and to her. She loved hearing his heart race beneath her ear, matching the galloping rhythm of her own. She felt his arm curve around her shoulders and she took a deep breath, trying to slow its pace.
"I was scared I'd never feel like this again," he said.
Tris smiled and kissed his chest. "So was I." She snuggled into him and allowed sleep to pull her under.
The chime signaling an incoming message pulled Tobias from his luxurious half-slumber. He reached over and grabbed the blinking cell phone from the bedside table. He swiped his thumb across the screen and tapped the message icon. A picture of a white cathedral appeared, luminous in the soft sunlight. He frowned at the message. "Sacré-Cœur in the morning doesn't glow as much as you do. Call me when your friend leaves." He glanced at the top of the message. Pierre. Who the hell was Pierre? He didn't know any Pierre. Then it hit him. This was Tris's phone. And Pierre was her….boyfriend? He closed the message and stared at the phone. The phone in his hand was dark blue, not black. The background picture was similar to his, the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier, but from a different angle. Shit, he thought.
He glanced over at Tris who was still sleeping peacefully beside him. It seemed this thing with Pierre was more serious than she'd let him believe. How would she react to him reading the text? He carefully slid out of bed. He'd left his bag in the living room so he went there and pulled out a pair of pajama pants. Once he slid them on, he felt better; he couldn't think seriously about Tris when he was naked. She tended to short-circuit his brain.
Tobias searched the cabinets in Tris's kitchen until he found a glass and filled it with water from the tap. He drank it down, hoping it would calm his now churning stomach. Did Tris just cheat with him? The idea didn't sit well with him. Not to mention he'd just realized they didn't use protection. When they were together, they'd stopped using condoms because Tris was on the Pill, so it honestly hadn't even crossed his mind. It wasn't like he'd actually slept with anyone else since her, but now he wasn't so sure about her. Then again, she and this Pierre couldn't be that serious since she was here with him, but that text, at such an early hour, had him doubting everything.
He sighed. He never should have broken up with her. It had seemed like the right decision at the time, though. He'd decided to move back to England, and he'd been worried that she'd end up regretting it if she tried to maintain a long distance relationship with him. She deserved to be happy; Tobias had been deathly afraid that the separation would destroy their relationship, and he couldn't live with that. He'd figured they could just go back to being the friends they had been most of their lives, but now it was obvious how wrong he'd been.
Tobias wandered back out to the living room and stared out the window. He'd been deluding himself all these months. Tris was the woman for him. A year apart had done nothing to dim his feelings for her. Making love with her only confirmed what he already knew: he was hopelessly in love with Tris, but now she was seemingly involved with someone else.
"There you are." Tris's arms slid around his waist. "I was hoping you'd still be in bed with me." She whispered huskily. She rubbed her cheek on his back, then frowned. He was tense. "What's wrong?"
He shrugged. "Nothing."
Tris let him go and tugged on his arm so he would turn and face her. There were faint lines between his brows, which usually meant that something was bothering him and he was turning it over in his head.
"I know that face," she challenged. "Something's wrong." She crossed her arms under her breasts and matched his frown.
He sighed. "Was this a mistake?" he asked, staring down at his feet.
Tris felt her heart constrict painfully. She'd awakened so happy, knowing he was there with her. "Do you think it was a mistake?" she asked shakily.
He shuffled his feet a little, debating whether to tell her the truth. But then he looked at her, at the worry in those blue-gray eyes, and he just couldn't lie to her. "I wanted this more than anything," he confessed.
Tris let out a relieved breath. "Then what's the problem?"
Tobias took her hand and led her to the couch. She'd pulled on a sleep shirt and Tobias tried to ignore the creamy expanse of skin the shirt exposed as it rode up her thigh. They sat facing each other, and Tobias found he couldn't meet her eyes.
"I accidentally read a text on your phone," he said quietly.
Tris frowned, unsure why that would be a problem for him. "Okay."
"It was from Pierre."
Tris blew out a breath. "Oh." She regarded his bowed head and asked, "What did it say?"
He shrugged. "Something about how some church wasn't as beautiful as you." His voice was heavy with derision.
Tris stifled a laugh. "Are you jealous?"
Tobias started to protest, but he could see she already knew the answer. He wanted to deny it, wanted to be cool and suave about the whole thing, but he just couldn't. "Yeah."
She reached out and squeezed his hand. "You don't need to be."
"But his message…"
Tris shrugged. "He wants more, but I told him I just want to be friends." She took a breath. "I haven't been with him or anyone else." She played with his fingers slightly then looked up into his eyes. "I don't want anyone but you. I want us to be together."
"Tris, we still live 3,000 miles apart; you're only in Paris for the summer." His voice was faint but frustrated. As much as he wanted to be back with her, he just couldn't see how they could make it work. "I just made starter for one of the most famous soccer teams in the word. I can't leave England."
"Who's asking you to?" she asked sharply.
"We've been through this. It isn't fair for me to ask you to wait for me. Or for me to ask you to give up everything to come to England."
She squeezed his hand again, forcing him to look at her. "You aren't asking. The only question is: do you want us to be together?"
He started to say no, to be selfless and let her go, but he looked at her, seeing her beautiful blond hair falling softly around her shoulders, her blue-gray eyes fierce; she radiated calm. She was sure about her feelings, he could be no less. "Yeah, I do."
She smiled. "Then that's it." She scooted closer to him. "I love you. I have since I was sixteen. A little bit of distance isn't going to change that."
He leaned forward and kissed her lightly. "I love you. I have since I was eighteen." He started to pull back, but Tris laced her fingers behind his neck and pulled him back to her. She leaned back and he stretched on top of her.
Their tongues entwined and Tobias's hands slid down her sides to her hips. They slid under the sleep shirt and he groaned. "You aren't wearing panties," he growled.
She chuckled against his lips. "I didn't think there was a reason to." She lifted her hips slightly, grinding against his already impressive erection.
Her hands on top of his, she helped him slide them up her body, taking the shirt along with them. She sat up, allowing him to pull it over her head. She reached for his pajama pants, tugging them down. He kicked them off and she urged him into a sitting position, throwing one leg over his, straddling him. She kissed him as she lowered herself onto his rigid cock. Tris sighed, loving the feeling of fullness he gave her.
Tobias's head thudded against the back of the couch, giving Tris the opportunity to run her lips up his neck to his ear. "I love you." She murmured as she grasped his shoulders and began to move up and down.
Tobias grasped her hips firmly, rising to meet her. He kissed her, then pressed his forehead to hers. "I love you, too, Tris. I always will."
They moved together slowly, savoring each other's familiar movements. The night before had been all about speed and passion, but this time was much slower, more sensual. Tobias ran his hands up and down her back as she rode him. He knew it would be difficult to work out the distance issues, but he was surer than ever that she was what he wanted, what he needed. He found himself getting close and lifted his hips more forcefully, causing her to inhale sharply, her lips a hairsbreadth from his. She squeezed his shoulders and he felt her tighten around him. He tangled a hand in her hair, pulling her mouth to his. He kissed her deeply as they let themselves go.
Tris draped herself over him, hugging him tightly. After she caught her breath, she sat back and smiled brightly. She had a hard time remembering the last time she'd felt this hopeful, this energized. She leaned forward and gave him an enthusiastic kiss on the lips. "Okay, time for another of my favorite things," she said, standing up and stretching.
Tobias smiled dopily, staring at her naked body. "A shower together?"
She laughed as she picked up her discarded sleep shirt. "That can be arranged. But I was thinking more like pain au chocolat." She tossed him his pants.
"Chocolate croissants? I can get with that. Coffee, too, I hope?"
She laughed and headed for the bathroom. "Breakfast isn't breakfast without coffee!" She called. Tobias grabbed his bag and dropped it next to the bed. He heard the shower start and grinned. Tris was perfect for him. There were many details left for them to work out, but for the first time in a year, Tobias didn't feel like the distance was such an insurmountable issue. He opened the shower door, stepping into the tiny space, and pulled her into his arms.
"Who needs breakfast?" he murmured.
