A/N: Some good sister bonding time and a little bit more about why they are strained. Here is the last chapter for the night ladies and gents! (or is it...)
Chapter 10 - Sister, I See You
Kat
Tris was turning red as we walked to the training room. I had just told her about why I thought Peter looked like he was constantly sucking on lemons since last night. It was leaving her speechless and red.
"Guys do that? I mean….get piercings there?" She gasped out when she finally got her breath back.
I bit my lip to keep from laughing but I had to admit I was turning pretty damn red myself. "Apparently they do but not just guys. Girls get piercings in….you know...their princess parts."
I could tell Tris was torn between mortification and laughter, until the laughter won out. "Princess Parts?" She gasped out, bending over to hold her stomach, laughing and walking at the same time.
We had also been walking through the Pit at the same time so her not so quiet exclamation had a few heads turning our way and my blush deepening.
"Well, what else do you want me to call it?" I smiled as I started to try and come up with other names. "Nether regions? Cave of wonders? The Abyss? Oh! I know!" I get a wicked grin as I look at her and she groans. "How about…." She slaps a hand over my mouth and shakes her head, eyes wide and red as a beet.
"Princess parts works. No need to go any further down that train of thought you just boarded." She is almost begging me to let it go.
I laugh into her hand and nod, my eyes glittering with amusement. It was strange to be able to act like this with my sister. Once we hadn't hesitated to joke or show affection. Then after the incident everything changed. I hadn't realized how much I missed this and her.
She pulls her hand away and smiled widely at me. "Come on, let's get to the training room." She grabs my hand then is the one pulling me along as we race towards the training room.
When we burst into the training room, still laughing, we find Chase leaning against a wall with his tablet phone out and the others in various states across the training room.
Uri perks up at the sound of laughter and smiles on our faces. He has never been one to handle being left out of fun or jokes well. "What's so funny? What did I miss?"
"Nothing!" Tris and I yell at the same time then look at each other before bursting into laughter again, turning red.
"Awww come on! That isn't the look of nothing." Uri pouts as he walks over.
"Nothing we want to or can relay, Uri. Drop it." I command him, still red from laughter and embarrassment.
"Two former stiffs red as hell. Has to be something to do with s.e.x." Lynn smirks over at us as she walks closer, spinning a knife in her hand.
"You would be wrong. It had nothing to do with the act of sex." I reply truthfully before moving to change the subject. "So what do we want to do first?"
Chase had looked up from his phone and was holding in laughter apparently. I shot him a pleading look for him to intervene causing him to chuckle and push away from the wall.
"You can start by running laps." His grin is wicked at all of our groans. "Hey, I don't have to be here. Do what I say or this ends now."
Knowing he is spending his off time here helping my sister when he could be out partying or hanging out with his friends, straightens me up. I grab Tris' hand and pull her along. Tonight is going to be hell but it will be worth it come the morning. At least, that is what I try and tell myself.
*****Page Break*****
Tris and I lay panting, dripping in sweat next to Uri, Mar and Lynn on the floor of the training room. She might not be able to breathe at the moment and looks ready to pass out, but Tris is also wearing a smile. She did really good during the training. Having Chase there helped but I think Lynn helped the most. Lynn could not and would not show Tris slack. So when Chase paired her to spar against Tris, she didn't pull punches much.
At first it hurt, seeing my sister take so many hits. Seeing her blood when Lynn made a punch connect to her lip, causing it to split open. I barely restrained myself from dashing into the middle of them and tossing Lynn off her then going at my friend myself. I didn't realize I was showing that so much until I felt Chase's hand connect with my shoulder as he held me in place and to stop my agitated bouncing.
His look was of understanding but also hard. He was telling me without words that I needed to let her do this. I could only nod and watch the two again. Tris was much tougher than she looked. It made me think that maybe Four did help her out as much as he could or was willing to before she choose Dauntless despite his attempts to talk her out of coming here. It also reminded me that I had been doubting my sister belonging in Dauntless for the past couple of years because of my feelings about Four and all of that. I resolved not to let my past with him taint my relationship with my sister again.
I would need to find a way to tell her about that at some point. But not now, that would wait until we were both members. I don't want her to lose focus right now.
When we had all caught our breath Tris looked over to me, still smiling. "Kat, would you do me a favor?"
I licked my lips and thought that a big bottle of water sounded fantastic about now. "If it involves getting water in my system, then count me in."
She chuckled and shook her head. "That does sound wonderful but not what I had in mind."
"Well, you guys getting water sounds like something you all need. We are done for the night. Go grab some water before you need to head to the dorms." Chase ordered. He was on his phone again and threw a wave at us as he walked out of the training room.
Tris groaned a little as Lynn had popped up to put a hand down to help her up.
"What's the favor?" I ask, wincing a little at how disgusting and sweaty I am at the moment.
"I want to get a tattoo….together." Tris said shyly to me.
Her request surprised me a little. I guess it showed on my face and she shrugged. "I wanted to get something. I just didn't know what. But I was looking the other day and I found something. You don't have to get the same thing but...I would like it if you did."
I could tell by her tone and look that the feelings I had earlier, of missing this ease with each other and closeness, she was feeling it too.
I smiled and linked my arm with hers. "I would love to Tris. I am sure Tori or Bud wouldn't mind working on us at the same time either if you wanted."
She beamed as we walked along to the Pit. My friends all shared excited smiles but Mar started chattering about dragging Tris to the shops too. I could tell that they were making it a point to welcome her into the group. By her smile, even through the mention of shopping, I could tell this made Tris happy as well.
*****Page Break*****
Bud was just cleaning where I had gotten the tattoo Tris and I had both agreed on when Tris finished with hers. I smiled at her when she looked over, a little pale from the process, and smiled back at me.
"Do you like it?" Tris asked uncertainly.
"I was waiting for you to finish before we go look at them together." I reply with a soft chuckle.
She impatiently waits for Tori to finish cleaning hers up then leaps up from the chair and drags me to the mirror with her. We stand side by side, looking at our reflections and the new ink along our collar bones.
The tattoo is a simple design really. It is all done in delicate black lines and is a simple feather with a long stem. The stem is broken up by the phrase 'alis volat propriis'; which means 'she flies with her own wings' in a flowing script. The feather part ends when parts of it look to be breaking off in the shape of four ravens. Two are smaller and flying higher while two are larger and flying towards the heart. They represent our family. Our parents are the larger birds flying to where we will always hold them, our hearts, while the birds representing us are flying away on our own.
She looks at me questioningly. Wondering now that we are looking at the tattoos side by side if I like what she picked out. I had added the words to summarize the feeling we were going for with the tattoo but otherwise the design had been all Tris.
"I love it, Tris. It is perfect." I say with a smile.
Mar and Lynn throw their arms around us, smiling and laughing as they drag us out of the parlor and to the shops. We only have an hour or so before lights out and they are determined to get Tris all new stuff before tomorrow.
I can only laugh at her pleading looks at times because I was just in her shoes. It seems like months ago not only a matter of just less then two weeks. I realize how fast things move here and how quickly things can change. I wonder if that is because this is Dauntless? I wonder if that is because of the air of danger and menace that lies under all the raucous laughter, parties and acts of daring?
When we pass people in the Pit going back to the dorms I see a look in their eyes. Like a warning that all those grizzled men and women are wearing.
Live it up now rookies, you might not be here tomorrow.
I squeeze Tris' hand as that thought runs through my head and resolve that we will prove them wrong. I will prove them all wrong but mostly I will make sure no one ever looks at me with the disgust that he looked at me with. Never again.