Dauntless 14

I stared at him for a full minute, I'm sure. He had solidly situated himself in the middle of the back wall. He was taller than me, heavier than me and stronger. Not to mention I had already been beaten up once today. It wasn't possible. It just wasn't. I thought back through everything I had learnt. Even if it didn't seem possible we were taught to keep trying. To figure something out. To think. I smiled with an idea. Still harnessing my earlier confidence from the win I walked towards Eric. When I was right in front of him I put one leg on one side and sat down in his lap, forcing his legs down straight. As soon as his body was being re situated against his intention he jumped into action despite his confusion. He twisted, knocked me off to the side and stood up. Anticipating his reaction I was already ramming him towards the door before he had fully turned back to face me. He was quick though and while I got a stumble out of my efforts he was balanced and facing me before I could throw myself at him again.

His lips upturned in a smirk, I'm not sure if he was impressed or thinking of ways to crush me. I didn't want to give him any time to think about what to do so I attacked. I was probably pitiful, no strength, no speed, even my balance was off which I never had a problem with. I had amazing balance.

After a minute he stopped and stepped back. "Pathetic." He said in mild disgust.

I hung my head slightly, "My head hurts." I said weakly.

He crossed his arms and tilted hid head a bit. "So?" He asked in the same tone.

I kicked my foot against the ground and didn't meet his eyes. "I just want to say again that this isn't fair."

He rolled his eyes. The train whistled lightly up ahead and his eyes flicked towards the door just a bit. In that instant I moved forward into him again, like I had the first time. This time he was much closer the exit door and it worked. We tumbled out of the train car together. We hit the grassy ground and rolled painfully tangled. Finally we stopped moving down the slight embankment and I laid still with my arms slung over my eyes trying to push back the pain. My headache did not like that landing.

I felt Eric shift a bit and lifted my arm enough to look at him. He was sitting against my side, one legged bent and the other thrown over across my legs, the way we had landed. He put his hands behind him and leaned back eyes trained in the distance. From this angle and light his eyes looked very pale, but I knew they were a light blue tinged very slightly green. I surprised myself by knowing that I knew exactly what his eyes looked like. It's not like I stared at him that often. Right? We've had a few conversation I guess. I closed my own green eyes again and let my arm closest to him swing down and my hand landed lightly on his bent knee. He shifted a bit more and I wasn't sure if it was a flinch from me touching him or not but my head was aching just slightly less so I focused on it ebbing away thanks to the cool grass.

"That was your plan," He said.

I smiled a bit. "Obviously." I moved my arm again to find him already looking down at me. "I was hoping it would be just you falling but you're much harder to push then should be, so I sacrificed myself." I said somewhat sarcastically.

He let out a laugh before speaking. "Are you calling me fat?" I'm sure he meant it as an insult back to me from the earlier days but the amusement in his face ruined it. I closed my eyes again and pressed my face into the grass some more. It smelled strongly from what must have been rain early in the day. It was cold out tonight but for once I actually enjoyed it. It was nice and helping with the pain.

"Why are you helping me at night?" I asked after hesitating over the question for awhile. I wasn't sure if he was helping or punishing or what. But I went with helping. He didn't reply so I opened my eyes again. He was still staring into the distance frowning slightly. After another minute or so he tilted his head to look back at me.

"Why not?" He asked evasively. I almost groaned in frustration.

"Well," I thought trying to phrase this not horribly. "You're not helping anyone else."

"You sure?" He asked back again.

This time I did groan in frustration. I did have one way of proving my point so I lifted myself up on one shoulder and used my other hand to wrap around his neck and pull him down for a kiss to which he easily complied. A second later I pulled back and smiled pleased with his reaction, "I'm sure."

He copied my position and put a hand in the back of my neck before kissing me again, more firmly then I just had. It was nice. It shouldn't have been but it just felt so easy. I couldn't help the sigh that escaped as I leaned back onto the ground again. He let go of me easily as soon as I pulled away but then he put one hand on either side of my head and twisted so that he was hovering over me.

"You don't know, I could do this in the morning with some other girl."

I peered up at him, "Someone once pointed out that I tended to get tunnel vision so I have been practicing on focusing. I have seen you in the training room each morning. And each day during training. And each meal time we go to the cafeteria. And-" He interrupted me with a grunt and a kiss. I giggled which made him stop and pull back again.

"Someone must be a genius then." He said playing on my last sentence. He meant himself of course, narcissistic ass.

I rolled my eyes. "I doubt it." And before he could respond I leaned up to kiss him again. I couldn't get over how easy it was for me to be here with him, and act like this. It felt natural, which was new for me. I was courted by a boy in school before, which I had thought was sweet because he had been Erudite and followed Abnegation rules to court me. Every time we kissed it had been awkward and forced and I felt bad the whole time. Then it was not so sweet and he showed his true colors and I found out the 'courting' had been a joke among his friends to see how easy it was to get with a stiff. No wonder I felt weird around him.

With Eric it felt way different. He wasn't doing anything because someone else wanted him to, he was there of his own will. I doubt he ever did anything just because anyone wanted him to.

My hand slid up his side and I was not surprised at the solid muscle I felt. It felt good as I kept moving up and down. My headache even went away for a moment. Then he suddenly stopped and pulled back and stood up in one swift motion. Reality came flooding back to me as I lay there dazed staring up at him. He was tall and the shadows only made him seem more so. Despite what I thought had been an enjoyable moment his features were stern. The only thing that made me not entirely regret my actions this night was the slight turn of his mouth and amusement in his eyes when he offered me his hand to pull me up. He didn't look angry, or impatient, or anything that I usually saw. He looked almost relaxed as he easily hauled me to my feet, and I sure didn't put much effort in to help. I didn't sway at all once I stood but my headache came back instantly. He was still holding my one hand and his other rested on my hip. It was exceedingly warm after lying on the cool grass, and my stomached tingled a bit as well when his hand moved up and down just slightly, before resting on my back pulling me a little closer.

"We need to go," But I couldn't focus on the words because his hand slipped just under the hem of my shirt and I was completely distracted. "The train will be behind those building and we only have about 20 minutes to catch it back." I still wasn't really listening so he let go of my hand and pushed against my back with the hand still resting there which finally prompted me to take a step. I went in the direction he was guiding me in. "We have to run now." He said after we had walked about 5 meters.

I looked up at him but knew that protesting would just annoy him, and if I didn't do as he said I'd get left behind and of course that meant factionless. He may have been slightly less of a jerk then usual when we were alone but he was not a soft person. I took a breath and swayed forward letting my own weight propel me into a soft jog.

I had good lungs and despite my pain my legs were strong enough to carry me. It was my head that hurt. Every step and bounce sent pain through both sides of my head. Eric was ahead of me so I focused on his shoulders as I followed him through some abandoned alleyway. I wasn't falling behind so he was keeping a nice easy pace for me. That was nice, he was just full of surprises.

After a bit I felt sick so I slowed to a walk, "Eric," I called out pressing my hand to my head again.

He looked over his shoulder and stopped running without saying anything. Once I was walking beside him he kept going in his original direction. We walked into silence for a couple minutes before I heard the faint sound of the train. I couldn't see the tracks up ahead yet but Eric didn't seem concerned. There was another faint whistle and this time he looked over at me.

I sighed heavily. "We have to run again."

I think there was a ghost of a smile on his lips but I couldn't be sure because he started jogging again and was now ahead of me. I followed and soon enough I saw the tracks. We headed diagonally towards them and soon enough I saw the train. I pushed through the last little bit and made myself keep up alongside the train as it reached us. Eric jumped up and opened the first train car pulling himself inside.

I followed him into the car and with a grunt was able to do it. I landed on the floor on my side and was less then graceful but I did it. I rolled over and pulled myself to sit against the wall next to the door, much like I had the day I transferred. Except this time instead of Christina sitting beside me it was Eric's heavy body that fell into place against my side. I felt my breath catch and I ignored it deciding it was because of the run. I let myself lean just slightly into him so my arm was pressing into his lightly.

"You have a lot of endurance." He said.

My lips twisted into a grim smile. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"If you were stupid it wouldn't be, but you are intelligent enough to use it to your advantage."

This time I did smile. "Another compliment."

"Two too many." He said. Then, "Don't worry about tomorrow night. After training your evening is free."

Surprised I asked, "why?" Was that a twinge of regret that I wouldn't have to spend tomorrow night doing some insane task. No, no, I should definitly be happy. But I didn't feel happy. I wanted to spend my free time with him?

I didn't have much time to dwell on it because he answered, "I'm busy, I have a job aside from training initiates." Back to impatient and angry Eric.

I frowned, what? He was fine a second ago, he sat next to me, but he was mad again and didn't want to see me tomorrow night? I was being silly, it wasn't like he and I would ever date. I knew that the second I kissed him, he didn't date. I had heard a bit of a reputation around the compound, he wasn't exactly a player but he wasn't emotional either and like most Dauntless that lead to fleeting encounters. Even knowing that I had still found myelf wanting to spend time with him. Maybe I was more dauntless then I thought and one night stands was what I wanted.

I was still pondering my situation when he stood up. I took that as my cue and stood as well and soon saw familier buildings passing. We were ground level so thankfully no jumping off a building into a net. I knew when the right time to jump was and made it off the train before Eric. I hit the ground and fell to one knee but picked myself up when Eric landed beside me, on his feet of course. Without looking in my direction he strode towards the entrance and stepped into the dark hallway. I followed fully intending to take a shower before bed. Istepped into the dark hallway and didn't see Eric at all but seconds later ran smack into him. I let my eyes adjust for a second before the low lights inside the compound let me barely see his face. He was holding something out to me.

"Take it."

A pill. Reaching forward I took it out of his palm and stared at at. Well, if he was going to hurt me he would have long before now, right? I swallowed it easily even without water to wash it down. I was used to taking pain pills.

"It's not as strong as what Stella could give you."

"Thanks," I replied. And with that he turned and walked away. He started walking as well once he had turned the corner and was out of my sight. By the time I had reached the dorm whatever he had given me had started to work. My body felt heavy, and I was so tired. My Tris and Christina were sitting on the the bed by the door so when I walked in I sat down right away.

They gave me what must have been sympathetic smiles. "How was it?" Christina asked.

"I need to shower," Was my oh so helpful reply.

"That bad?" Tris asked. They were both looking at me, I guess my evenings were more interesting then theirs, in their eyes at least.

I just sighed in response. It wasn't really that bad at all, but I could not admit that to them. Right now they thought I was getting punished. If they knew it was training, and more so that I was enjoying it, they wouldn't think it was fair. It's not like I was cheating or anything, I was truly just trying to improve and for some reason Eric took an interest in training me. Maybe not a interest in me, but defintely an interest in my training.

In my sleepy state I was pleased with the thought process my brain came up with to explain my situation.

"Well, while you were out..." Christina started before jumping into a story about dinner and something that happened in the pit. I only half listened, but I was happy to sit with them. When she was done it was close to lights out so we said goodnight. Tris was wearing a tank top and shorts to bed, much better then before, and while she changed I stared into my locker. Finally I decided I was too tired to shower tonight, one day would be fine. I loved being clean, but for my sanity, and sleep, I would forgo it tonight and just crawl into bed. I changed into an over large t-shirt and pulled myself up to my bunk. Stratching out my legs as I layed down I almost purred at how nice it felt to get under the covers. Yes this was the right choice. I snuggled down into my blankets happily and was asleep before the lights were out.

A/N: I did it! I got the chapter out! I'm having trouble putting things into words, I know what my scenes need to look like but the filler kills me! Sorry about the wait.