A very big time skip here, there'll be a few more time skips after this until Capture The Flag. A longer chapter as well, they're slowly getting longer ;)
Waving bye to Flare and Lilah, Bree and Issy head back to the dorms to sort out their shopping and get an early nights rest.
Over the course of a few weeks, each transfer has nearly fought each other in between their other weapons training and exercises they have to complete such as running around the city lead by Four and Eric or rock climbing that both Issy and Alec excelled at along with some of the Amity transfers like Kayden and Noah. The hand-to-hand combat mostly consisted of learning new punches, kicks and holds as they got stronger. The real fights were either held on Wednesdays or Fridays, leaving them to practice sparring until then.
Issy looked back over those weeks as she sat by the Chasm with her sketchbook in hand. She had won every fight so far and she was proud of that, making her the only undefeated female in the transfers. Alec along with a few other were undefeated until yesterday. Her older brothers were ecstatic, Hugo being the more reserved of the two simply smirked whenever it was brought up in conversation. Declan however, strutted around Dauntless like a very smug peacock.
She remembered her victories one by one; Charlie was the first and they all learnt that it would not end well if they taunted her. Next there was Tom who wasn't quite fast enough to dodge. The next two weeks she went up against Zara and then Jess, Issy pitied both girls who seemed reluctant to hurt anyone. Both ended quickly. The following week Issy fought Bree. They both understood that whatever friendships they had were not real in the ring and that one of them had to lose. After several minutes Bree went down with a hit to the temple. When she came to, Bree had laughed it off and congratulated her on her win. Korey was the next match, it reminded her a lot of her match with Tom; too weak in his punches and too slow. Cody gave as good as he got in the week after that. Each of them were evenly matched: both were quick with their calculated throws and strong in defence. It was the second longest match so far for Issy but luck was on her side as Cody miscalculated a punch and she gained the upper hand, winning the match. Yesterday, she was paired against Noah and despite his strong build and broad shoulders he was surprisingly fast. Many times they both got each other down only to get back up again. Noah caught her in a headlock that she couldn't get out of until an idea popped into her mind. She began to relax in his hold, faking unconsciousness before delivering a swift kick to his head as he let her go. When she had looked at the ranking board before her fight she was fifth and Alec was third.
Putting pencil to paper she wondered who she'd be fighting next week: Alec or Kayden. Both were undefeated until yesterday when Alec lost to Kayden. In some ways she'd bet it'd be Kayden so they could see who the better fighter is and in others she'd thought it would be Alec to settle a bet Declan and Hugo had with her instructors and a few of their friends but for that very same reason she thinks that Alec would be her last fight. The stakes were evenly weighed her and Alec, they just waited for the fight to see who the winning side is.
Water crashed onto the rocks as she sat in an alcove near the Chasm. During the nights where she couldn't sleep she had found herself wandering the halls of Dauntless, mentally mapping it out. She's never once woken up Alec like he asked her to. Now after a few nights worth of plotting, Issy had found several hidden alcoves and shortcuts throughout the compound. On some nights she would wander around and on others she'd head straight for this alcove with her sketchbook in hand and sit safely away from the edge, the sound of the water drowning out the memory of fire and smoke. It had become her safe haven. It soothed her like the buzz of a tattoo gun – despite the ironic fact that she doesn't like needles.
Issy looks back down to her pad to find another drawing of a wolf. It seems in her subconscious thoughts she's more likely to draw a wolf than anything else, maybe an odd dragon here and there for Alec. As she flicks through her book she notices she's nearly filled the whole book so a trip to see Josh at the Tattoo parlour is needed. 'And maybe another tattoo while I'm at it.' She thinks as she stops at a page where she had draw three constellations of stars clustered together. The first being Orion – The Hunter to represent the task that she gave herself to find freedom from her past. The second being Hercules – The Strong Man in hope that she's strong enough to get through Initiation. And the third simply being Lupus – The Wolf to feed her 'obsession' with wolves as Alec calls it. He can't exactly say much, he's just as bad with dragons as he is with wolves.
Checking her watch, Issy sees that she has another three hours before Four or Eric usually wakes them up. She groans in annoyance. 'What I'd do for one of my books right now.' That's the only other thing apart from her family that she misses from Erudite. Her books. She never read anything to do with education, Alec would read books like that then draw her into educational discussions. That's how she learnt most things, through discussions. No, she reads about adventures and dragons and about worlds that aren't what they seem. Issy doubts that Dauntless has a library, what would they need books for?
Her head perks up suddenly. Footsteps. But she can't tell which direction they're coming in. Her mind reels back to the first time she met anyone in her night time strolls. Zeke had been going to check a camera when she walked straight into him. After briefly explaining why she was up he let her go and from that moment on she would sometimes see Zeke. She also remembers when Four had seen her on the cameras in the control room and came to herd her back to the dorms, telling her that she couldn't be out at night but did she listen? Not in the slightest. But these footsteps don't seem as heavy as Zeke's nor as controlled as Four's. Issy crunches her eyebrows in confusion as to why someone is up at this time? The very same could be said for herself but she had a reason. As the footsteps drew closer she tried to pretend that she was too busy concentrating on her drawing and hadn't heard them approach. Easier said than done as her curiosity demanded to know who it was. With her eyes on the paper and a pencil moving swiftly in her hand , the footsteps stopped right in front of her.
"Initiate what are you doing?" A deep voice rumbled. 'Shit.' Her eyes moved up from the paper and met a pair of stormy blue. Eric. Mentally, she swore again.
"Drawing." She answered, then cringed at how defiant her tone sounded. He smirked and rolled his eyes.
"I meant what are you doing here? Why aren't you in the dorms?"
It was probably the lack of sleep that made her feel so fucking stupid under his questioning. 'What am I doing here? Here I am drawing. Why aren't I in the dorms? Now that's a good question.' Issy tilted her head to look up at him. "Haven't I already answered the first question?" Eric raises an eyebrow, his piercing glinting despite the lack of light. "Why am I not in the dorms? I have no idea, why not?"
"You have –" He tilts his watch into the light. " – more than two and a half hours 'til you need to be up so why are you?"
Issy breaks eye contact, suddenly feeling exposed. "I couldn't sleep."
"Hmm." She can feel Eric analysing her movements before he walks off a little bit. "Come on." He calls over his shoulder.
"Wait, what?" He stops and turns to face her, a small smile playing on his lips. "Come on. If you're up you might as well do something productive. And no, drawing doesn't count. C'mon." He waits for Issy to stand up and be within arms distance before walking again.
The halls are silent apart from their footsteps as they walk. Issy recognises the route they're taking as the longer way to the room with the net or the training room. She is proven right as Eric unlocks the door to the training room and motions for her to enter first. Walking into the room she twists her hair up and secures it with two of her pencils. As she turns around she notices Eric's eyes lingering on the back of her neck where her tattoo is.
"So what are we doing today?"
"We'll be doing an old exercise that comes from before the war that Dauntless and Erudite modified a little bit." He walks over to a door in the corner of the room that she's never noticed before and Issy follows.
"Do mean 'you'll' instead of 'we'll'?"
"No. This type of exercise Four and I join in and it'll be all of the initiates doing this, not just the transfers." He opens the door and once again gestures for Issy to enter first.
"So basically it's an exercise that the transfers are not only up against each other but our instructors and the Dauntless borns?" He nods his head while he presses something on the wall. Lights turn on and Issy is faced with a really long room with not much else in apart from some kind of monitors on the far wall to her left and right. A large, blank screen fills most of the wall in front of her. She places her book and the rest of the pencils on a small table to the side and looks around. What else could they be doing but running? There's not anything else that could possibly point to it being something else. Eric is still by the door, watching her as she tries to work out this puzzle she's been given. If it's anything Issy likes, it's puzzles. "Is it a running exercise?"
"What made you think that?" His smirk gives away the answer. Yes, it's a running exercise but he wants to how she got there.
"It's a long room with not much else in it unless you're going to go to the storage room at the other side off the training room to get more equipment just to put it back again afterwards but that takes up your time or the training sessions time. There's no other doors in this room other than the one we came from to suggest that it has its own storage." He nods his head in approval.
"Good." Eric walks further into the room. "But can you tell me exactly what we'll be doing?"
"You're not going to tell me?" A challenge. Oh how she loves challenges.
"Now where's the challenge in that? I thought you liked challenges?" Her mind is instantly thrown back to the third week where instead of climbing a fake rock wall Four and Eric had them climb the side of a ruined building with no safety wires. The challenge was to get the flag at the very top or run laps until they say so or collapse. The twins had been wearing the biggest grins possible and had asked if they could have a race. With eyebrows raises Four allowed it. Every now and then swears or laughs could be heard from the floor as Alec and Issy insulted each other the higher they got. Hisses sounded as Issy lost her grip and cut open her hand. Four had called up asking her if she was okay and she answered that she was fine. She wasn't fine, you could see bone for fucks sake! All Issy was concentrating on was the fact that the distance between her and her brother had widened. Not long after that Alec grabbed the flag. If there's anyone Issy's okay with losing to its Alec, anyone else can fuck off. Once Alec got to where Issy was he had sworn loudly, shouting that she's a liar. Shuffling below had told them that someone else had started to climb and Issy only hoped it would be Four. It wasn't Four. Eric had taken one look at her hand and cursed himself then shouted at her while fifty feet up. On the ground Eric had roughly bandaged it up and dragged her to the infirmary himself.
Issy looked around the room again, taking all her Erudite knowledge out of the small, locked box in her mind. On the floor of the room are markings, two lines on either side big enough to have one person walk up and down. Where the monitors are there's another set of lines but this time there's small, flat wires connecting the lines to the monitors. Issy searches her mind for exercises from before the war that needed technology to work. She can only think of one but that only needed a cd player to work but Eric did say Dauntless and Erudite modified so that could explain the screen and the monitors.
"Is it the Bleep Test?" Eric smiles her way as he heads to the small table and she knows she's got it right.
"It's a modified version of the Bleep Test. Instead of at first waiting for the bleep to go off you just keep on running until you hit the required amount of laps." He draws out a box that holds what looks like tracking devices and holds one up. "These are like tracking devices that are attached to your shoes. You put your thumb on the needle and it takes blood and uses Dauntless' data base to identify who you are and then it comes up on that screen. These devices react with the sensors in those lines and records how many laps you do. Your name, number of laps and lap time will appear on that board in the order of the most laps done. If you end up ten laps behind the person holding first then you're out. Any questions?"
"If all the Initiates get out are you and Four just gonna race it out or are you gonna stop?"
Eric huffs and rolls his eyes. "That's not what I meant."
"I know it's not. I'm curious." Amusement flashes through his eyes then he narrows them.
"What do you mean if?"
"An Initiate could win?" He snorts.
"Unlikely." Issy grins. 'Challenge fucking accepted.' "As Four and I, we'll see."
Noise comes from the training room and the door scrapes open. Four stands there looking directly at Issy.
"Do you ever get any sleep?" Issy takes in the bags below his eyes.
"Do you?"
He huffs but opens the door wider. "Come on, I've just woken the transfers and you need to eat." Issy brushes past Eric purposely to get her sketchbook and walks out of the door and back to dorms. When she enters there's no one in so she quickly removes the pencils from her hair and gets changed into leggings, a sports bra and a thin zip up hoodie. 'It's easier to get changed once you know what's going to happen.' She thinks as she puts on a pair of running shoes and ties her hair up into a messy bun.
Jogging quickly, she enters the hall and spots her friends with some of the Dauntless born.
"Hey." She says as she sits down next to Bree and Flare, taking a muffin and a bottle of water.
"Hey girlie," Bree throws an arm around Issy's shoulders. "Where were you?"
"I'd thought I'd train early and then Four came in and told me it's breakfast time." Half-lie.
"I heard that Dauntless borns and transfers are training together today." Luke grins is Issy's direction and she has to stop herself from rolling her eyes again.
"Initiates! Follow me!" Four shouts from the corner of the room and they scramble to keep up with him. Issy takes the bottle of untouched water with her. They go to the room that Eric showed her earlier that morning. In side the room Eric, Lauren and Lynn were setting out the small devices.
"Today we'll be doing an exercise from before the war – " Issy zoned out as Four gave a brief explanation compared to what Eric had told her. Eric's eyes found Issy amongst the rest of the initiates, the corner of his lips lifted up and he relaxed against the wall. Issy smirked back. " – Take a pair of these devices and prick your thumb with one of them only." Four picked up a pair and showed them how to do it. Immediately, his name came up on the screen. "You must place one on the outside of your shoes." He demonstrates as he talks, clipping them onto his shoes.
"Wait, why are you clipping them on?" Luke asks.
Eric walks from behind Four, his name already on the board. "Because initiate, you'll not only be racing each other but us as well." Four and Eric both smirk as the rest of the initiates open their mouths in surprise. "You'll be running until you're all out or one of you gets to the required amount of laps. " Issy hides her smile, she will do this! "Those who are ten laps behind the person holding first position will be out. Lauren and Lynn will take those that are out to do sparring in the training room."
"Grab a set and register yourself then line up against that wall." Every scurries to get a set. Issy grabs one her and her brother, exchanging them to place her water in their steed. They both prick themselves and their names appear on the board. The twins walk to the wall and Issy stands at the very end of the line. Once everyone is lined up Four goes to stand at the other end of the line and Eric goes to stand next to Issy at the end.
"Get ready to run!" Lynn shouts from the side. They all get into position. "And remember, if you get pushed outside the longer lines you're also out!"
"Ready to lose?" Eric whispers with a smirk.
Issy barks out a quiet, humourless laugh and side-glances at Eric. "Are you?" His smirk drops.
"Ready! Get set! Go!"
Having been running around Erudite with their brothers since they were small the twins have developed a great boost a the start of races, one that thankfully comes into play now. Alec and Issy gain a small head start before Eric and Four catch up with the rest of the transfers behind them. The twins reach the end first but instead of skidding to a stop and then start running again they slide against the floor, not stopping and not slowing down. With one of their shoes over the line and their lap recorded on the screen they shoot off again, gaining another head start. Those that stop lose the speed they gained and have to start all over again. As time goes on more and more initiates go out, both Dauntless born and transfer. Issy is pleased to see she has a half a lap more than Eric and going by the scowl on his face when she readies herself for a new lap he knows it too. Side by side Issy and Alec run for what feels like years but both are reluctant to give up. Dauntless never give up. Soon it comes down to the twins, Eric, Four and a Dauntless born called Ollie. Ollie is situated in between Four and Alec and he moves his leg so it's in Alec's way and Alec falls to the ground bringing Ollie with him. Ollie knocks into Four and pushes him out side of the line. Issy has to jump and roll to not trip over Alec but loses her lead. Four, Alec and Ollie are now out and it's just Issy and Eric now. Four shouts to keep running and then proceeds to shout at Ollie, sending him out. Alec and Four stay to watch as Eric and Issy still run lap by lap. At the start they didn't actually tell them what number of laps they had to do but as Four shouts ten more laps she realises that the targets two hundred laps. Honestly, she can't remember how many she's done but the screen says 192. 'Eight more laps.' She thinks and doesn't stop. From her right she can hear heavy breathing from Eric and he keeps up with her. Four and Alec are shouting encouragement from the side and pacing up and down. Five more laps and her muscles feel like jelly. Three more laps and she feels light-headed.
"Two more laps Iss!"
'Two more laps. I can do this. I can.' She repeats it in her head over and over again as she completes the second to last lap. Rather than running at her normal pace she had been keeping up throughout this exercise, she somehow finds some remaining energy to sprint forward, taking Eric by surprise. She's almost there when Eric begins to level with her, so close yet at the same time so far away. She pushes herself harder until they both cross the line.
Issy stumbles forward before she collapses to the ground and lays like a starfish, breathing heavily. From the corner of her eye she sees Eric on his knees with his head against the wall. Over the weeks of training she's gone through, she has never seen Eric remotely tired out from an exercise but there he kneels with his hair and top slick with sweat. Slowly, he changes position until his back is against the wall with one of his legs stretched out and the other slightly bent. She's closer to him than she originally thought, his shoe is just grazing her knee.
"Congratulations Issy," He rasps as he stares down at her. "You won."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Alec slides to a stop next to Issy and hands Eric a bottle of water before helping his sister into a sitting position against the wall next to Eric. The wall is cool against her back and she sighs in appreciation. Reopening her eyes she takes the second bottle of water from Alec and takes a large gulp. Quickly, she pulls up her knees and places her forehead on them, groaning quietly as her stomach lurches in protest. A hand rubs at her back soothingly as she almost begins to gag.
"Did she eat anything at breakfast?" Four's voice comes from somewhere to her left.
"She ate a muffin and some of Flare's toast." Alec's voice is closer. The hand starts to rub in circles on her back when she retches again.
"Try to breath Issy."
Gradually, she began to breath more evenly and the retching came to a stop. She raises her head slightly to see Alec with a small bucket and Four crouched down next to him with another bottle of water in his hand, both looking worried. Alec and Four back up a bit to give her more room. She glances to her right to see Eric leaning forward with his brows furrowed and his mouth parted, his hand doesn't stop.
"Are you okay?" His eyes search her and she nods her head. "Do you think you can get up?" She nods again. Alec backs off some more while Four hands him the water as he stands up. Eric helps Issy to her feet with Four at her side just in case. Black spots cloud her vision as she begins to sway and she grabs Eric's forearm to stop herself from falling. Eric's hand doesn't leave her back as he steadies her. Her head lowers and her eyes slam shut. She breathes deeply and when she reopens her eyes the darkness has gone. Slowly she lets go of Eric's arm, not realising how firm she was holding it until she let go. Eric keeps a hold of her until he knows she won't fall.
"We ran through lunch and dinners nearly finished so lets head there first and then we'll take you down to the infirmary." Four looks to Eric who nods. Four and Alec walk in front followed by Issy and Eric. On the journey there they had to stop several time for Issy to gather her bearings. Every time this happen Eric would hold his arms out around her like a cage.
The dinning hall was nearly empty when they entered. Some of the leaders, including Max and three others, and Max's assistant were sat at their usual table and watched as Four and Eric guided Issy to a table near them with Alec close behind. Eric helped her down as Four went to the cook to ask for something simple and light to eat. Alec sat down in front of her, idly eating the food left out while he stared at his sister. Four came back with a small bowl of chicken soup and a few pieces of bread.
"How did training go today lads?" A man, some years younger than Max asked.
"Good Harrison. We did the Bleep test today." Four answered.
"Oh? And how did that work out?"
Four nods his head to Issy whose gradually eating the soup. "She won." Every head on the Leader's table shot up in surprise.
"She did?" Max questioned. "And who came second?"
"I did." Eric looked up and turned to the other Leaders.
"What's wrong with her now?" Max cocks his head to the side, not quite believing an initiate came first.
"Issy nearly threw up not long after we finished and nearly fainted when she stood up." Eric glances back at Issy to make sure she's still eating. "We think it's because she didn't eat much last night or this morning."
"Have you taken Golden Eyes – " The assistant sneers the nickname. " – to the infirmary?" Eric's jaw clenches as do his fists when Four snaps back a reply. "Karlton I suggest you show some respect. Both of these initiates did better at the Bleep Test than you ever did back in initiation and now. Issy came first and Alec came forth, those combined alone is better than your final rank."
"How dare –"
"Karlton!" Max cuts across his reply. "Go sort out those file on my desk. Go!" With one final glare, Karlton leaves the room.
"Well, he seems like a nice guy." Alec watches the man leave and turns back to Issy who has finished eating. "You've regained some colour in your checks now."
"C'mon. Let's go to the infirmary." Four helps her get up as Eric takes the bowl back to the kitchens. He returns quickly and flanks Issy's other side.
"I'll have that paperwork on your desk for tomorrow."
Quickly and quietly, the four of them made their way to the infirmary. Marlene comes round a corner in nurse uniform and stops when she sees Issy in between Four and Eric.
"What happened?"
"We did the Bleep Test today and Issy nearly threw up." Alec answers as Issy sits on one of the cots.
"I suppose you're staying Alec?" Alec nods his head in confirmation. Four leaves the twins with Marlene soon after. Eric however seems almost reluctant to leave but he does when Marlene says that she'll keep him up-to-date with Issy's condition. After both men leave, Marlene draws a curtain around the cot to give them more privacy.
"I'm guessing you were up for most of the night?"
"Yep." Marlene tuts and checks her temperature. "I know, I know but you know why it's hard." Marlene purses her lips. She did in fact know why it's hard, Issy had told her why the first time Issy had came to the infirmary and refused to take the medicine. They meet half way when Marlene had asked if she'd consider using creams or salves made from herbs that are supplied from Amity. Now Issy only comes to the infirmary to restock her med kit or when she's visiting a friend.
"Well, you're temperature is higher than normal but that's could be from the exercise you've just done. Keep hydrated and come back if it gets worse."
"Thanks Marlene, you're the best."
Later Issy finds herself getting dressed after a well deserved shower. She had managed to convince Alec to go find their friends to tell them that everything was fine and that she'll join them later. Dressing in some ripped jeans and a tank top, she picked up her sketchbook and headed over to the tattoo parlour. Like always music is pouring out into the hallway. Going in she finds herself grinning and immediately she relaxes. Looking around the room she spots Josh to the side, standing lazily against a wall. When she's half way across the room Josh finds her in the crowd.
"Hey Golden Eyes, what can I do for ya?" Mutely, she hands him the book and his eyes widen in surprise.
"Already?" He motions her to follow him into the back room after telling another worker to watch the store. The back room was the same as she first saw it. Sofas and chairs placed here and there but this time Tori and a guy with loads of piercings and tattoos introduced as Bud sit on one of the sofas.
"Hey Issy, long time no see." Tori raises her glass. "Whatcha doing here?"
"I've filled they book already." Issy motions to Josh who's carefully flicking through each page.
"Oh let me see!"
"Wait your turn." Josh playfully snaps. When he closes the back cover he wordlessly hands it to Tori and then looks up at Issy. "That is – that is really good. I'm getting you a new book." Josh gets up and walks out of the room.
"Would mind if I put these drawings in their own folder for people to use?" Bud asks, eyes trained on the page.
"What, like people would actually get these tattoos if they want them?" Both Bud and Tori nod. "Can you do that? I mean I'm not a tattoo artist I'm just a drawer. Heck, I'm not even a member."
"Yeah. For every tattoo design of yours we sell we'll tally up the points then transfer them over into your account once you pass." Tori looks up from the book with a smile.
"That's if I pass."
"Oh no girlie." Bud laughs. "All of Dauntless has heard of your first fight, you'll pass." Josh comes back into the room with a bigger, square sketchbook. "Hey Josh, we were talking of selling Issy's designs then once she passes we transfer the points over."
"Yeah that's a good idea. And what, label the folder Golden Eyes or something?"
Tori laughs. "That'd be brilliant!"
"Can I mark the pages you can sell cause I drew a few of them just for family?"
"It's your work kid." Bud says, handing her a green pen and motions for her to sit in between him and Tori. Josh drags a small chair in front of them and watches Issy as she goes through the book, starring the designs they can sell. Tori, Bud and Josh make small comments on each design as they go through. Josh whines when Issy doesn't star a drawing of a lion that has flames for a mane instead of fur so she sighs and stars it, lifting her head she sees Josh grin like a toddler. In turn Tori whines when Issy leaves out a drawing of The Lonely Mountain from The Hobbit. Tori grins like Josh did when she goes back to star it. After that, they let her go through the book undisturbed. Issy flicks back through the pages until she comes to her constellations that she didn't mark.
"Can I have a tattoo of that?"
"For those designs, anything." Josh grins as he takes a picture of it then hands the book to Bud. "C'mon." Issy follows Josh to his station and sits down. "Where does Golden Eyes want her tattoo?"
"Here." She points with her thumb and forefinger to the bone behind her left ear and drags her fingers down, her thumb going to her collar bone and her finger following just under the edge of her jaw.
"A neck tattoo? Again?" She grins as she nods her head making him sigh. "Alright so any colours? And can I add smaller random stars in between and around?"
"Just black and yes to the second."
"Get comfy." Promptly after Josh started Issy found herself beginning to relax and she closed her eyes. Shaking made her reopen her eyes and she looked at Josh confused.
"Why have you stopped?"
"You're fucking insane. Issy you fell asleep for half an hour." Her eyes light up.
"It's done?" Josh shakes his head and laughs as he grabs a mirror and shows her her tattoo. Just like she wanted stars cover half of her neck. "I love it!" Issy begins to get her card out to pay but Josh stops her.
"While you were out like a light Tori, Bud and I agreed that when you get another tatt it'll be taken out of the amount of points you get when someone gets one of your designs inked into their skin."
"Thanks again Josh." Issy picks up her new sketchbook and prepares to leave.
"Wait a minute. My shifts over, I'll walk you to your friends." Issy waits for Josh as he goes to grab his jacket. She laughs when he trips over a chair near the door.
Outside they run into Max and Eric and Josh quickly gets Max's attention.
"Hey Max!" The two leaders walk over to them and Josh points to Issy. "Where the fuck are you getting these transfers from?"
"Well we got that one from Erudite." Max's eyes twinkle in amusement.
"Really?" Josh turns to Issy shocked. "Not her surely? You must have got this one from somewhere else. I mean, come on, look at this." Josh pushes her head to the side to show off her new tattoo. Hovering his finger over some of the stars that were tattooed on some of the more prominent bones of her neck. "Most people would cry out in pain if they got that done." With his free hand Josh gestures to Eric. "That bastard stood beside you gasped when he got his neck done – don't you fucking dare deny it Eric I did do the tattoo myself." Josh lets her jaw go and she finds Max smiling. "But do you know what she did? I literally shit you not, she fell asleep." Max laughs as Eric smirks at Issy and she blushes under the attention of both leaders. Max wipes his eyes with a finger.
"Are you okay from earlier Issy?" Max asked after he finished laughing.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She glances to Eric. "Thank you." Eric's smirk changes into a small smile.
"What happened earlier?" Eric fills Josh in about what happened after training. When he's finished Josh turns to Issy astonished. "After all that you go and get a tattoo on your neck?" Issy simply shrugs her shoulders and smiles. "How Dauntless of you." He mock sneers and she sticks her tongue out at him.
"Well we need to be going." Max smiles at them and motions for Eric to follow. "Congrats on coming first today Issy."
Josh and Issy walked towards the bar area of the Pit when she stopped walking.
"Why do you call me Golden Eyes instead of just Issy?"
"Well everyone calls you Issy, family call you Iss and I don't know, I guess I just rolled with it."
"You don't – ?" Issy slightly cringes.
"Like you more than friends?" She nods. "God no! I don't swing that way. I mean what the hell am I meant to do with those?" Josh gestures to her chest and she starts laughing. "You just remind me of my younger sister. She was wild and crazy just like you and I just have that big brother feeling to protect you."
"Was? Did something happen?"
"She would have been in the same initation class as Tris but there was a Factionless attack on the compound and she was killed in the crossfire."
"Oh Joshie, I'm sorry." Josh smiles sadly.
"Livi used to call me that."
"Well that's settled then. I'll be your new little sister Golden Eyes and you'll be my new big brother Joshie."
"I'd like that."
So why do you think Issy won't take the medicine and will only use herbal creams/salves?
Hoped you enjoyed it!