I threw my dress back on feeling embarrassed and very unsure of what I was doing with my life and the choices I was making. Despite what had been said I really didn't want to leave I wanted to go back to having fun with Eric and being silly and teasing him but I wasn't sure if that was possible or if he wanted me to stay. I didn't even know if I could get past my own embarrassment. I slowly walked towards Eric's door not sure of what to do or what I was even capable of doing.

"Tris…" Eric was right behind me when I turned; still only wearing his compression shorts.

"What?" I asked, rather rashly. I could see he was struggling, the look on his face made it very clear he was debating inside his own head. A second later his face was stone, a look I had seen before, he was shutting down and I knew it was about to be over.

"What did you expect coming here? Flowers and cuddling on the couch, do you really think I am capable of something like that?" he snapped, his walls clearly back in place.

"What did you expect?" I countered. "I would just be your new little play initiate while Four was away? You make it sound like I wouldn't be here if I could be next door," I replied, sick of all his bullshit, like I had done something wrong. I could tell I rattled him with that comment.

"Don't act like that isn't the case, you just like to fight against me, get some kind of satisfaction out of it, a stiff like you isn't going to pick someone like me when you can have the mighty Four."

"A stiff like me?! ARE YOU JOKING," I screamed. "You are so DUMB," I punched him as hard as I could in the chest and I saw it surprised him. "You barely talk to me, and when you do you are usually embarrassing me if not trying to hurt me."

"You are an initiate, I talk to you like all the other initiates when we are in training, the only other time I see you, you are with Four or banging on his door drunk! Says a whole lot about where you really want to be and who you want to be around," he huffed.

"I thought you hated me! I didn't even know this," I motioned to the space between us, "was an option.

"An option?!" he asked as though I had said the most insulting thing he had ever heard. "just admit it should be Four, I'm something you like because it makes you feel alive, wakes you up, because you were scared of me before " he said, throwing his hands up in the air exhausted.

"What did you say?" I asked, calming down instantly. I recognized even in my outrage and mixed up emotions that his last statement sounded almost exact to what Four had told me when I was drunk in his apartment, weeks ago. He seemed frustrated as he thought back on his last response to me.

"Fear wakes you up Tris, everyone can see it plain as day, most people they shut down or freeze but not you, you fight harder burn brighter weather you can conquer the fear or not." I didn't know what to say, his wording was too close to Fours to not have talked to him, but with everything Eric had told me I wondered who had said it first. "Nothing to say now?" he asked.

"Four said the exact same thing to me, when I was drunk in his apartment," I whispered, knowing it would make his anger grow hotter. I thought Eric was going to hit me for a moment but instead he punched the wall behind me, I heard something snap in his hand besides the sound of wall caving it, when he pulled back his hand was bleeding and I could only imagine it hurt.

"Of course he did," he mumbled. He turned to walk away from me and I couldn't help what I said next.

"Be aggressive."

"What?" Clearly he was thrown off guard as he was only being aggressive, but I knew telling him what Four has said had hurt him much more than he had hurt the wall, and I believed he had been the one who said it to Four, I didn't know when or in what context but I knew Eric had seen it in me and said something to Four about it. This to me meant he had noticed me and noticed me enough to comment on it to someone.

"Be aggressive with me… like last night," this time my voice was not a whisper, it was more demanding. I saw Eric's understanding click, and then I was forced against the door. His body was crushing me and it hurt but I didn't care, his lips found mine and I didn't really care about anything except being with him. I pulled back to speak but as soon as there was the smallest gap between us Eric moved down and started kissing my neck, the feeling was almost too much, I couldn't help the slight moan that escaped my lips, but the pain was present in my ribs from his body pressure. "Pick me up," I wanted to sound forceful but I barely had enough breath to speak at all. Eric understood though. He put his hands on my ass, and lifted me off the ground so I could wrap my legs around him as I had done before.

I clawed my nails down his back as he kissed down my neck and to the top of my chest, before he was stopped by my dress; I was suddenly annoyed with myself that I had decided to put it back on. His back arched and he pulled away from me slightly.

"You got quite the claws there," he said, I imagined it hurt, but I didn't really care.

"It's supposed to hurt a little," I said, leaning in and kissing his neck before biting him a little harder than I needed to. "Right?" I asked, grinning at him.

"Right," he agreed, smirking.

"Where are we going?" I asked, knowing the answer.

"The bedroom," he replied, leaning in to kiss me again.

I leaned back nervous about what he was thinking. "Eric I just…"

"You told me to be aggressive, so that is what I am doing." He put pressure on my back so he could kiss me. It was hard to argue with his logic, truth be told I didn't want him to stop I was just nervous and didn't want to embarrass myself. He leaned back on the bed, I was able to get my legs unwrapped so I was lying on top of him. He found the zipper to my dress this time in the back, pulling it down but once it reached the end of the zipper rather than pull the fabric off of me he continued to pull, I heard the fabric tear until the dress was no longer a dress.

"Why did you wear all black?" he asked, breathing heavily. I took the chance to catch my breath as well. I realized he was asking why my matching underwear was all black.

"I knew you would like it," I replied.

"So you wanted me to see it?" he asked.

"Well yeah…"

"I am going to be aggressive with you, I am not going to hold your hand and go slow so you are comfortable, I will make you feel the best you have ever felt but it I am going to be aggressive, it is just how I am," he explained.

"I know," I agreed.

"You can say no, but no means stop."

I understood what he meant, that he wasn't going to slow things down for me, he wasn't going to treat me like a little flower, that if I wanted him to slow down that meant he was going to stop, that he didn't want me to feel forced but that he also wasn't going to change who he was, he was aggressive and he was forceful, big and strong and he was never going to be anything less.

"What about me?" I asked. I could tell he was confused. "I am gentle and soft," I explained. "Do I get to be gentle and soft?"

"When it is your turn," he agreed a smirk crossing over his face.

I wasn't so sure I liked this all or nothing situation, I was sure I wanted Eric to keep his hands on me and I was sure there was a fire burning inside me for Eric's touch, but I knew if I hesitated he would stop completely and I thought that was unfair, but that was Eric. He was looking at me expectedly.

"Game on," I agreed.

A/N Short and sweet teaser chapter before the drama really starts with Four's return. So much positive feedback as well as really helpful evaluations that help me make tweaks to enhance the story, I appreciate all the feedback. THANKS!