Disclaimer/ AN: Hmm Tattoos and creepy Paul. Let me know what you think by leaving a review. They are greatly appreciated. I love criticism, as odd as that may be. Anyways back to the story, most of this will probably be filler, but I can't just skip to the good bits. I wish I could!
I woke up the next morning stiff and sore but relatively pain free. I opted to shower later after training was over. I was pulling on my shorts when Nadia offered to join me in breakfast. I had my last fight today and needed the protein so I decided to join her for a light meal. I gathered my hair off my face into a high ponytail and skipped after her. We walked in relative silence until we got to the hall and found a table in the middle of all the noise.
"So what's up with Paul," Nadia cut right to the chase, reminding me eerily of the Candor I'd left behind.
"Ugh, so you've noticed it too," I rolled my eyes and took a bite of the eggs on my plate.
"Of course I have, I'm not stupid and I'm not blind," Nadia practically scolded.
"So is there anything there,"
"No! Ew no! There is definitely nothing there. Nothing,"
"Oh come on, Paul is sweet,"
"Paul is as nasty as Eric. He's just better at hiding it,"
"I don't know. He's sweet on you at least," Nadia smirked, "besides no one is as cold as Eric,"
Paul is, I thought darkly.
Speak of the devil. The blonde, sparkling, wholesome devil. Paul slid into the seat next to me, his arm wrapped around my shoulders. I swear it was as if he'd imagined up a little relationship and expected me to play along. It was infuriating but I just didn't have the energy to deal with it right now. After training was over I'd tell Paul to fuck off but for now it could be nice having someone to watch my back and take a fall for me without expecting something in return. Well he might expect something, but I could cross that bridge when I came to it.
So with Paul's arm rested uncomfortably on my shoulders I rolled my eyes and continued to eat my breakfast to the inquisitive stare of Nadia and eventually Dhani and Forner. When I'd finally finished up the others and I walked to the training room making it with seconds to spare. The names were already posted on the chalkboard and I was set to face a girl I'd never met before. She must've been Amity or perhaps Erudite because her face, though I'd seen it in training, was not familiar and I had never spoken with her. She had a slim figure and not much visible muscle. I noticed her eyes were vacant yet calculating, and with her sharp features it looked almost menacing.
I felt the butterflies in my stomach flutter awake as I pulled my hair into a high ponytail. Hopefully I would have the moves to win this, I definitely had the muscle mass on her, but she could be fast or agile. I cursed myself for not taking better notice of her. I should've known she'd be competition but I just disregarded her. That was a mistake.
Eric stalked to the front of the room and I watched him. I still refused to look at him, or get caught looking at him at least. He made me sick to my stomach and I had no idea why. Well I suppose it had to do with the fading bruises around my ribs and eye. I subconsciously kneaded my tense shoulders. I would have to win today to secure my above average placing. I needed to make the cut at the end of this training round. My match was second so I got to watch Dhani and Nadia knock some sense into each other and then Forner get knocked around by Paul. Paul finished the round and helped Forner to his feet which I suppose was nice enough, but when I took the ring after them and felt Forner's blood beneath my feet I was absolutely disgusted with Paul, for causing the harm, Eric for demanding it be done, Dauntless for tolerating this training, and me for choosing dauntless and forgiving the blood in favour of fighting with a clear mind.
Eric called for the fight to start and my opponent, her name was Allera, wasted no time in snapping the palm of her hand into my nose. My head whipped back with force and my nose was definitely broken. The blood started gushing while my brain was still receiving the pain.
I opened my mouth to curse, "Shit," and my blood poured into my mouth. Why did noses bleed so much. I gobbed my blood and spat it into the bitches face. This was going to be brutal, I could tell. There would be no conceding and Eric would finally get to see the bloody, dauntless battle he'd been craving. While her vision was still impaired I punched her square in the jaw. My knuckles split but my effort was not done in vain. She screamed. Not a yell or a cry but a full on scream. I guess the was a bit more force behind the blow than intended. I paused, my first mistake, and checked to see if she was okay. She was, and she met my concern with a knee to my recovering ribs. I hunched over and she pushed me down from there. I was seething and in pain. She got two kicks before I grabbed her foot and yanked her down to my level, but not before getting some satisfaction by pushing her toes back with as much force as I could muster.
She was next to me and I quickly got to my feet. I regained my stance and gave her three hard kicks. She clawed at my thigh until she finally got some flesh. The pain went unnoticed with the amount of adrenaline in my veins. She swept my feet from under me while I was busy with my torn thigh. I rolled to the side to avoid her topping me, but I felt her grab my ponytail and rip me back to where she was. My head was in excruciating pain, and I felt blackness sweeping in. I rolled my head to the side and saw my friends watching the massacre from the sidelines. They held concern, fear, and disbelief on their faces and I didn't want to see them look at me like that.
I rolled my head away, fading in and out of the blackness. I saw the trainers, Four looked upset. Like a parent who'd been disappointed by their child, but Eric looked genuinely furious, like full on mama-bear anger. His gaze was burning holes through the air and onto Allera's head. I looked up at my opponent and saw she was getting ready to slam her fis into my face and send me into the darkness of unconsciousness for good.
My head fell back to the side and I felt her fist come down where I'd just been. Erics icy blue eyes met mine and I felt something melt. His guard was down and i could see him pleading me to end this. He couldn't watch. I didn't understand; he'd wanted this. This fight was everything a "Dauntless" was in his eyes. Yet now I was just as disappointing to him because I wouldn't concede. What did he want from me? Whatever it was I needed to give it to him. My eyes shut tight and I bit down on the wrist that was next to me. I heard another sickening scream and kicked her dead weight off me. I sat harshly down on her chest and knocked her out with a solid punch that was placed just beside the temple. I crashed down beside her and heaved out, gasping for air I didn't know I'd needed.
"Get her up," I hear eric yell, whether it was me or the deadweight bitch beside me, I didn't know. I felt someone haul Allera up and drag her off the mat, oh it was her then. I winced feeling all my injuries spark with pain now that the adrenaline was draining out off my system. I felt where my thigh was torn and bloodied, my nose was thick with dried blood and most likely broken, I had whiplash from where my neck had snapped back not once but twice, my ribs were hurt but I think they managed to escape serious injury this time, but my hair stung where it still clung to my head, and where it didn't felt on fire with pain. I probably looked like an abused animal, for the second time since Initiation. I'd been beaten bloody but at least I'd won.
Eric got down to my level. I wished I could smell his citrus spice, but I could only smell that rusty, metallic bloody smell. He looked so good, but I'd felt this bad before and couldn't afford to forget that he was the one that'd made me that way. Although, right now I really wanted to forget that he'd ever hurt me and sink into his arms. I'll blame that on the near blackouts.
"Why didn't you concede," He asked, sounding almost pained to hear my response.
"Dauntless don't give up," I croaked, managing a smirk in my battered state.
"There's a fine line between idiocy and bravery Candor,"
"I'm not a Candor. I haven't been for a while," I saw the blackness creep back into my vision and take over but the last thing I heard before I fully checked out was Eric.
"I've noticed,"
I woke the next morning like I had the last time, bruised, achy, and just tired. This time however I knew that I'd be better with time and hardcore painkillers. I was in the medical centre again and this time no one was with me as I woke up. Well, no one other than the nurses, they were miracles. When I was little I thought miracles were big, extravagant, commanding events that changed lives in spectacular ways, but now I know that miracles are performed by hard working, warm-hearted people who do the littlest thing that makes the biggest difference because they do it when it's really, truly, needed. I was in debt to these men and women, and I could probably say that every other Dauntless Member is in debt to them for fixing something that they'd broken.
I had a meal and then knocked myself out with a potion of sleepers aid and pain medication. The sleep was needed and when I woke at five the next day I felt nearly alright. My leg was bandaged but no longer raw, my nose had been set and the blood had been cleaned away. My neck was fine, just sore, and my scalp was "Healing nicely." I was free to go by six and headed straight for the showers.
The hot water felt amazing on my stiff body and I was finally relaxed. The steam seemed to envelop my lungs and I felt fully awake since I'd woken up nearly 48 hours previous. I relished in the feeling for five more minutes, but time caught up with me, and so did Nadia.
"It's time to go," She came in yelling at me in the shower. It was nice to see her too.
"Go where, I'm not up for dancing Nad," I answered her not one bit hurried.
"We're all going to play capture the flag," She urged, "The train leaves in ten minutes,"
"Oh shit," The shower was off and I was headed for my towel before Nadia could reply.
"Could you bring me some scissors or a knife," I asked motioning to my wrapped thigh.
I grabbed the knife, carefully as to not injure myself further, and slit the bandage off my thigh. It was red and puffy but you could tell it was healing where the stitches were in place. The nurses garunteed that my stitches wouldn't rip, but they also said I would be left with distinct scars. I honestly could say that I couldn't care less about scarring, in fact I loved the way scars told stories, they were experiences that left a mark on your body so that your mind could never forget them. Dauntless training was a memory I would never forget; even if I'd wanted to. I quickly wrapped my thigh again, Nadia had given me privacy to do so, her Amity was showing because a Dauntless or Candor would never think to make a moment like this private. I caught my eye in the mirror. I couldn't help but notice every time I saw my reflection now the slight skew to my nose where the bridge connected. It wasn't stare-you-down obvious but it felt that way to me, especially since my face (and body) had slimmed during Initiation. I ran my hands through my hair, it was tangled and stung from where my scalp still needed to heal. My hands fell to my sides and my hair fell to my lower back. The motion was fluid, I brought the knife up to my collar bone and ran the sharp blade through my hair. It felt lighter instantly and I loved the way I could feel a breeze on my neck. It felt right, like this was just another round of training and I'd aced it.
"What the fuck are you doing!," Nadia called into the bathroom, hastiness dripping off her tone.
"We have to go now, or we'll miss the train," I pulled on my pants and a hooded jacket and ran out of the bathroom grabbing Nadia and pulling her with me down the hall. We sprinted the whole way there, and thank the sweet Amity goodness that we did because we got to the train with only seconds to spare. I flung my arm around and let go of Nadia who used the momentum of the swing to jump to the train and grab the handle. I sprinted full out to get ahead of the compartment entrance and then flung myself sideways and felt someone catch me from inside. It worked, We'd made it.
I caught my breath, which was easier said than done. The arms around me, my ticket onto the train, were thick and distinctly masculine. I felt my heart speed up as my nose was filled with the familiar spicy citrus that connected my mind to Eric. It instantly made the connection now; Oranges-Eric, Eric-Oranges. I looked up, like a child who was told "no peeking," to see if the arms wrapped around me were his, but I felt my heart fall, actually I think everyone in the traincar felt my heart fall as I found myself in the arms of Paul. Actually I doubt Paul felt my heart, which was still sinking, fall because he was beaming down at me. I backed up, but his arms held tight and I found myself not only in Pauls arms, but stuck in Pauls arms.
"Nice jump princess," Paul smirked "But, you cut it kinda close. Be careful next time," He looked into my eyes, with concern. Concern I could do without, especially the fake sort that Paul was sporting.
"In what world am I a princess," I scoffed, making another attempt to wiggle free, my hands bracing myself from his hard chest. This was so not ideal, especially when it was paired with the questioning glances from the rest of the group. No, make that the rest of the compartment. All eyes were on us, due to my spectacular leap, and our sudden closeness. I shuddered.
"You are in my world," Ugh. So fake. "You cold," He asked, his tone dripping with fake concern again. Oh fuck it, if he didn't get the hint now he never would.
"No. I'm okay," I grimaced, though Paul must've mistaken it for a grin because I soon felt his hot lips brush my across my forehead. He took it one step further, which was two steps too far, and ran his hand up my back and through my hair.
"You cut your hair," He noticed, his voice thick with something I didn't want to hear there.
"Yes, you're very observant Loverboy. Now cut the cuddling short, we have shit to do," My heart sped up and it was definitely not because of Paul. Paul dropped his arms and I turned to see Eric.
His velvet voice contrasted darkly with his murderous expression. I'd been hospitalized due to a lesson from this man, but I'd never faced that glare before. Or ever, because the glare was directed behind me; just over my shoulder. At Paul. Whose arm had encircled me again in a one armed hug. I stepped to the side and wedged myself between Nadia and Halen. Needing my space from the tentacles of love. Paul was going to get it if he didn't back off, but I really didn't want to know what this guy was capable of. At least until after training.
"Welcome to Dauntless tradition number two," Eric called, commanding the crowd effortlessly.
"Paintball is a Dauntless tradition," Paul scoffed. Some Dauntless born who were on the train with us let out a few groans.
"Yes it is. Four and I will be captains and choose our teams. Each team hides a flag and the first team to capture the other flag wins. Any questions," Eric looked around the train, his eyes landing on Paul, whose hand was raised high.
"No, alright then I'll go first," Eric scanned the crowd and selected a tough looking Dauntless born. Four followed by picking a agile Dauntless girl, she went to the front of the compartment brushing past me rather harshly. I thought the Erudite were supposed to be the assholes. Three turns later Eric chose the first transfer, Geoff. Then Four chose Forner. I wanted to be on Four's team; he was choosing a team, Eric was choosing individuals.
"Candor," I raised my head. There were other Candor transfers, but I was "Candor," to him.
"My team. Let's go," He motioned for me to join the towering group of Dauntless Initiates and Geoff. They didn't look impressed and I guess I mirrored them because Eric got irritated.
"Got a problem Candor," He raised his voice, and his eyebrows. Was that a new piercing?
"No," I muttered, making my way to Geoff, who was the only friendly face.
The rest of the choosing went fairly well, we got Halen and, unfortunately, Paul. Where Four got Dhani and Nadia. The guns were distributed and ammo as well. Soon it was time to hop off the train and get started.
AN: Sorry this took so long. Jesus, just when I get into a rhythm. Anyway I wanted to thank you all so much for reading so far, and your reviews, the mean a lot. Keep up the good work I know the waiting can be really annoying. Have a good day/night/week/year. I'll post when I can.