Hello! Long time no see. I am doing this because I had the muse for it! I don't own the Divergent series in any way- all credit goes to Veronica Roth. This actually doesn't have any characters from the series- cause I am soo smort and decided I would make up some OC in the world of Divergent. Please enjoy! And review if you want more. It could just be horrible and I need to go back to the drawing board.
Chapter One
Soren glanced at the grinning faces of his fearless peers. Their faces didn't express an ounce of care as the train rattled on the tracks. The fresh-faced newcomers had some nerves etched on their brows, but ultimately there was no worry of the future. We all got into the faction of our desires; the hard part was past us. Or so they believed. Not Soren. Life had never been as easy as a drop of blood among the smooth, obsidian rocks of the Dauntless faction. He always worked hard to achieve the simplest task and he didn't doubt for a second that this would be no different. As the scenery outside the train began to melt together, his eyes began to take in more of the people around him. A few people caused his gaze to linger. There were the seasoned veterans of the dauntless faction who were also sizing up the newbies. Their exuberant expressions promised some hardships shortly. Some of the kids have been in dauntless since their childhood, but those weren't the ones who captured his attention the most. The few who left their families behind to join the rambunctious crew intrigued him to no end. Of course, he too stood out like a sore thumb. He was able to sneak into the faction Abnegation with ease. It wasn't his first choice, but it was the easiest to obtain a uniform for. However, his plain gray outfit made him feel as much of an outcast as he was as a factionless. It wasn't often that people changed faction, but even odder for Abnegation- people of selfless behaviors- joined Dauntless- people without much concern.
But there were others who didn't blend so nicely. His eyes locked onto a girl with pale skin stretched over high cheekbones. The dark, thick lashes that framed her warm, brown eyes fluttered softly as their gaze found one another for a brief moment. Her dark eyes didn't assess him as he did her. From her uniform, he could tell she was Candor, which should have completely turned him away. People who are concerned with truth weren't people he would choose to hang out with. Yet, he continued to openly stare and wonder what a truthful girl like herself was doing trapped among these hellions. Unable to help himself, he pictured unknotting the bun of hay colored hair pinned at the nape of her neck and running his long fingers through it. The life he lived prior to picking out his faction was one that lacked a lot of physical affection. His parents loved him the best they could but being born at the bottom meant he needed to get hardened to life's truths as soon as he could. Maybe that is why he was drawn to the black blazer of the Candor woman standing a mere few feet away. She looked at the truth in black and white much like he saw the world too. And yet they stood among the brave and possibly moronic people of the Dauntless faction.
Soren decided the girl wouldn't bite, though he wasn't sure if he minded if she did a little at this point. He pushed his way from his spot on the train and began his long-legged stride to her location. His shoulders brushed by many people, causing more to turn their gaze in his direction. He paid little attention as he made his way to the girl. This is very stupid of you, Soren, he condemned himself as he made it to the front of her. She was a truth seeker whether it was in her past wasn't the issue. It was how she was raised. His deceitful actions are what carried him to that exact spot. A smile formed against his lips despite the realization and he figured it was his lust for adventure that urged him on. He tilted his head while his calloused fingers found their way to the comfort of his shallow pockets. It wasn't that he was bad at icebreakers, but he was bad at conversation, period. Still, if he wanted to be accepted in this fearless faction, he had to master his confidence. "
"Be honest," his tone took on a friendly, almost joking edge to it. "Does this gray make me look fat? It's been at least 2 months since I have seen my reflection."
He decided to put emphasis on the fact she was honest while cracking a joke about both factions. Some may consider this flirting, but not him. He was toying with his fate by conversing with a Candor, at least in his eyes. Though, if he was going to be honest with himself, which didn't happen often, he would have to admit the gentle curves of her hips and soft, touchable skin along her jawline was very tempting. He focused his mind on keeping a friendly expression and forced his eyes to not stray from her own. He didn't want his eyes or mind to continue wandering around this girl. It would be healthier for him to keep his distance from this one, but he was never good at taking his own advice.
"I can't say it gives your beauty justice, but it's not too bad. What is too bad, is that you're forever stuck with the nickname 'Stiff' because you were caught in it." She replied, exhaling out of her nose. "What I'm wondering now, is how many Abnegation-born have looked in a mirror once they changed, and now unable to look anywhere else but their reflection."
What were the details that caught his attention? They seemed minuscule but were the keys for him back when he was fighting to survive. It was what made the difference between a good hit and a dangerous one. His eyes caught the motion of her neck as she craned it slightly up to look at him. He enjoyed, for some reason, the way she was forced to look up at him when he was so close. Like somehow, he had gained the upper hand, but ultimately knowing this girl was completely in control. He watched as his pathetic excuse for an ice breaker transformed the neutral, almost static expression she wore when he first walked up, to a friendly grin that crinkled the skin around her heavily lashed eyes. The upturn of her plump lips caused him to follow suit in a much larger fashion. Her voice rang out and he didn't know if he expected the gentle soprano in her voice, but it was somewhat soothing.
"No need to compliment me, I am not very vain you know," he joked.
Stiff, not the best nickname, but certainly not the worst thing he has been called. Somehow, coming from her soprano voice and past her plump lips, it sounded almost... caring. He scratched the back of his neck feeling stupid at the rush of heat that seemed to burst through him. It's just a girl, Soren. Just another person that will help me blend into this new place. He was trying to convince himself, though he didn't know how well it was working. How many people were staring at their reflection? Who was this girl? Soren was somewhat amazed by the way the girl thought. It was deep, complex, and he suddenly realized he never had a conversation with a person from a faction, outside Abnegation. He had no idea what kind of thoughts about him, supposedly being from Abnegation, she was having. Was she psychoanalyzing him? Could she tell that he wasn't who he said he was?
Soren wasn't someone who looked inside himself and tried to think about who he was and why. Now, he was overthinking every step he made since learning to walk because of one harmless question from a beautiful stranger. If he messed things up now, what would happen to him? Would he be sent away for judgment or sent back to the streets as a factionless again? It was lucky for him that her attentive stare moved away from his face to something on the other side of the moving vehicle. It wasn't long before he realized why.
"Well, I guess that it's now or never!" Her voice hung in the air with a rush of color and a twinkle in her dark eyes.
"Now or-?" he started to question but was caught off as her slender hand gripped his own in a firm grasp.
His eyes took in the situation from a nearby window as the girl moved with the crowd. The scenery continued to pass, but the reflection showed black dots jumping from the train. He had seen these people do this often and didn't surprise him as much as how quickly as it was happening. He followed the girl quietly as his eyes assessed the current situation. If living on the streets taught him anything, it was that fearing death was pointless. The jump hardly frightened him, nor did it excite him. He sighed softly to himself as the girl beside him began to vibe with the kind of energy that just screamed Dauntless. She was meant to be there- and so was he. Before he could make a joke about their possible imminent doom, she pulled him from the train. Play it smooth, Romeo, he thought to himself. He allowed himself to squeeze the small, soft hand in his hand. Maybe she would think he was frightened. Maybe she would think he was the weakest link. Maybe that was his strategy all along. Gain friends become someone who doesn't pose a threat and prevail. Sounded good on paper at least.
Soren soared. The air tickled his face and he almost felt weightless. His eyes didn't wander from his target, the ground ahead. Well, not the whole time. He couldn't help but watch the girl's face come to life because of the dangerous situation. Great, he picked the thrill-seeker. Not that he believed for a second anyone else would have reacted differently. The landing was the fun part. Part of him believed he could stick the landing despite the fact he had never jumped out of a moving train before. He watched it a hundred times, it seemed. But seeing something and doing it was completely different. As a person in grey, he wouldn't be very graceful, right? He let the girl's hand go, almost reluctantly, before he hit the roof. He probably should have held on to make it seem more believable, but he couldn't seem to bring himself to drag her down with him. Once he hit the roof, his body skidded a bit. That hurt nicely, he groaned softly. Then he heard the snickers. Oh yeah, laugh it up now Chuckles, he would be more than happy to lay them all out. Harmless, Soren, harmless. He took a ragged breath between his clenched teeth.
One of the dauntless, born into the faction, called out, "Come on, Stiffy, you seriously need to work on your landing." Oh great, the nickname was not only heard by others but also it was sticking. Soren's head snapped to the direction of the voice but didn't stand up. He was afraid if he did, he would make the jerk choke on his own tongue. Patience, he breathed.
Fighting was something he was good at. He used to fight with people of the factionless when they would steal from him or bad mouth his family. He has little control over his temper at times- especially when it came to his family. So, the threat of beating the boy seemed legit. Graceful landings from moving vehicles would have to be next on his list of things to master. The girl seemed to have a much easier time sticking the landing. She beamed at the accomplishment and for a moment, he saw a different side to the girl who was provoking a near mental crisis about his identity moments ago. Loose strands of hair frame her face and the light in her eyes caused the tension of anger to leak from him. The real tragedy was the expression didn't last long.
Chuckles, he was now going to call the dark-skinned dauntless who called him Stiffy, threw a heavy arm over her shoulders and congratulated her on the task. There was a clear attraction in his hazel eyes and for a moment, the predatory instinct to push him away from her in a protective, cave-man display filled his mind. He just met the woman, but he wanted her all to himself. He wanted to solve her like a puzzle among other things. He needed to get out more. He moved his eyes to the grey of his pants until a hand obscured his vision. He looked up to the owner of the hand and met the cool gaze of dark blue eyes that nearly mirrored his own. He blinked for a second before taking his hand to pull him up to his feet. He was taller than the other man by a few inches but there was real strength in his grasp. He was broader than the leaner Soren and the muscular frame of the boy was a bit intimidating. But the large grin on his face certainly gave him a more boy-next-door sort of energy around him. Not to mention, his dark hair was curly and in disarray around his angular face. He wanted to stick his hand in the curls and mess it up more.
"Hey, for someone nicknamed Stiff, you were pretty fluid when you hit the ground." The other man's voice was a crisp tenor and the inflection was playful and light. Despite the insulting nickname he mentioned, Soren had a hard time taking offense to the guy's words.
"What can I say? We all couldn't look good jumping from the train."
"Not everyone was able to jump," the boy commented while his head nodded to where they jumped from. He was able to see some of the solemn faces still on the train before it disappeared from his sight. Why did they pick Dauntless if they weren't brave/dumb enough to jump?
Soren shrugged his shoulders trying to appear disinterested, "some people have more common sense, I guess. My name is Soren, nice to meet you."
"I am Riley- Riley Bright. So, what is an Abnegation like you doing in a place like this?"
His blunt question threw the taller man off so much, he stuttered slightly. "Wh-hat do you mean? Oh, well. I think I just grew apart from my family. I found taking care of myself was easier than taking care of others." The truth in his statement settled between the men like a brick wall.
Riley smiled and slapped Soren on the shoulder with enough force to push him forward a bit. "Nothing wrong with that, dude. And you aren't the only one going AWOL." He nodded towards the girl he spoke with on the train- the one who had not introduced herself, he realized. Her blazer didn't stick out like his gray clothing. No, she was fitting in just fine in a group of dauntless complimenting each other on their landing.
He felt jealousy constrict his throat as he rolled his eyes back to the boy next to him. "They don't have girls like that in Abnegation, that's for sure. She is very beautiful."
"Sure, I guess, if you are into that." The words from the other boy caused Soren's eyebrow to notch upward. What exactly was he into? He wondered but didn't say anything. Instead, their conversation was cut short by a man speaking up and leading them away.
They moved quickly to the compound he would call home. Really, this would be his home and that was a strange thing to think. They tested their "bravery" once more with a drop into the place but much like before, Soren had little fear of anything they threw at him. On the way to the place, his eyes moved from Riley, who was becoming somewhat of a friend in an odd sort of way, to the girl. At one point, she looked back at him- or at least he thought she did. He needed space to think. Was he really interested in this girl or was he desperate for connection? He glanced at the curly-haired boy beside him. When he spoke, he was very animated. He gestured with his hands and his voice seemed to follow the ups and downs of whatever he was talking about. His words were loud enough to catch others' attention, who chimed in with their input and jests as well. He felt himself fade into the background- not interjecting at all in the conversation.
Inside the compound, the scent of body odor and some home cooking clung to the walls like bad wallpaper. It caused Soren to wrinkle his nose and even make a sly comment to Riley about the smell. It caused the two to snicker as a man stepped in front of the group to gain their attention.
"My name is Curtis and I oversee training the initiates of Dauntless. There are some among you who believe that because you choose to be in this faction, you will be here permanently. That is not how this works. Bravery, strength, and courage, these are the traits each of us must have to overcome fear. Allowing people who cannot overcome their fears into our faction weakens us as a whole and tarnishes the name of our faction. Testing is not over- you will be initiated in stages conducted by myself with the help of elders here in the faction. If you fail any of them, you will be cast out as factionless and never be able to return here or back to your family. This is a heavyweight that I hope you take absolutely seriously."
The quiet that hung in the air was palpable. The knowledge landed hard on Soren's shoulders with the realization that he wasn't in the clear. Of course, he wasn't. He could be cast back out into the streets because he couldn't pass a dumb test. Tension bloomed in his body so noticeably that Riley peered at his from the corner of his eyes curiously. He ground his teeth as Curtis eyed the crowd slowly to gauge their reaction. His eyes lingered on his own briefly before moving on. With a breath, he continued his speech.
"I take this very seriously, but I am not trying to kick people on purpose. It will be hard, each challenge harder than the last, but you can lean on us and your fellow faction members for support. Take advantage of this group while you can because the final test will be overcome by your own strength. Now, I will show you to your beds. Enjoy the next few days before we start."
As they moved to the sleeping quarters, Riley leaned over and spoke to Soren quietly. "This is Curtis? I have heard some things about this man. They say he is ruthless and cruel… maybe he softened with age?" There was an edge of hope in his tone.
The other man could only shrug his shoulders. He got himself in a mess here. He didn't know anything about the etiquette of the factions or the very real possibility of him being factionless- again. He was too caught up in his own mind to worry about the trainer. He glanced at the Candor woman as she shrugged off her blazer boldly. Her thin shoulders had the same creamy, pale skin as her face but with a sprinkle of freckles. He turned away before she caught him staring. Riley pushed against him with a smile. "Lighten up, dude. We got each other, right?"
Right. This was going to be an interesting few months, that was for sure.