AN: Happy Wednesday! Welcome to the timing of the original one-shot, hope you're enjoying their journey.
Her best friend is beautiful. She notices it every time they spend time together, and it's not just an outer beauty, it's inside as well. Christina's Candor upbringing rubbed Tris the wrong way at first, but somehow, she became a lifeline for the former Abnegation when they were in their initiation class. Where Christina's bluntness used to bother her, she proved time and time again that she loved Tris unconditionally and that their friendship meant something to her.
Tris is lost in her thoughts as Christina's soft makeup brushes turn her girl next door looks into something noticeable. She rarely wears much makeup, but every time Christina's talented hands are done with her face, she transforms into a beautiful woman.
Her muddled thoughts are always on Eric. She had been trying to have the sober conversation about their relationship for weeks now, and he still refused. His stress level was high, and his schedule unpredictable, and he blamed both for his inability to talk.
She had finally learned through Austyn why Eric had been upset when he'd overheard them talking after the night they'd been together. He automatically thought the worst, feeling that he was being ridiculed for how he acted around Tris, and as a result he'd become withdrawn. Austyn had to basically force a conversation so their working relationship could be mended.
After the night with Austyn, the confusing conversation with a drunk Eric at the net, and his refusal to talk to her about their relationship, she'd tried to take a break from him. He predictably blew up about it, still refusing to have a mature conversation, instead he stubbornly refused to let her go.
So they kept fucking.
She calls it that because it's all it's been since Eric had done a complete one eighty, and it bordered on anger sex. They'd stopped talking during, instead just getting each other off then disappearing.
She'd once asked him to treat her like one of his hookups during a role play, who knew he'd actually start doing it in real life too?
She hated it. She hated that she was so willing to take even the most basic of affection from him because she was unwilling to lose him completely. Her feelings for him overwrote any rational thoughts, and she just let everything go so she could feel his warm skin against hers, and his hot mouth trailing kisses wherever she would allow.
Tris was officially going to this leadership party as Austyn's date. Eric hadn't bothered asking her since his drunken confessions on the net, and she had stopped waiting for him. Austyn was convinced that Eric was about to break, but Tris had all but given up on whatever this was between them, because thinking he may have been capable of loving her the way she knows that she loves him was eating her alive.
She needs to let him go, she'd almost made her mind up to do so, and he'd sent her several texts this morning that she'd yet to respond to.
E: The way I've treated you these past several weeks absolutely doesn't deserve forgivenesses, but I'm going to ask you for it anyway. I miss you, I hate that we've lost who we are and I've started to treat you like the other people in my life that didn't mean shit to me. You mean everything to me.
E: Please say something.
E: I fucked up. I know I did, I hate myself for it. You have every reason to be angry at me, and to end things on the spot, but please give me one more chance to make this right. I'm begging you, please let me make things right with you.
T: Please Tris, give me one more chance. I need you.
"How in the world did you manage to fall asleep with Eric Coulter on the net? Like, how does that even happen?" Christina asks her, for at least the twentieth time since it had happened. It breaks Tris from her thoughts of Eric and she smiles and shakes her head.
When Tris didn't come home that night, Christina had panicked. She first checked with Austyn, who had said she'd left his apartment hours before, and had told her not to worry about it. He thought it was likely she was with Eric, and he continued to protect Tris by not exposing her relationship with Eric to Christina until Tris was ready to talk about it.
Christina had gone to the control room where Shauna was working and asked her to look for Tris. That in itself was huge, ever since Shauna and Will had started dating, the friendship the two women once had was strained. Christina had no feelings left for Will, their puppy love had run its course, but she was hurt when her friend felt the need to sneak around with her ex instead of just having a conversation. They'd been friends for years, and Christina felt slighted by Shauna choosing to ignore her and not giving her a chance for a simple conversation. However, that evening they put their differences aside, and checked every camera until they'd found Tris snuggled against Eric sleeping in the net.
No one could believe what they saw, but the immediate assumption was they were just drunk and had passed out. Christina could tell when they'd woken the two up that Eric was pretty tipsy, but she didn't buy that Tris was for a second. She's let Tris avoid the conversation for as long as she was willing, but tonight she was going to press her a bit, because Christina was worried that Tris was about to throw away what could be a real relationship with Austyn to have a fling with Eric.
Little did she know that at that point Tris had been with Eric for seven months, and that her pseudo relationship with Austyn was mostly just to help him hide his sexuality until he was ready to truly be out and open with who he really was.
"We were drinking. I was just as surprised as you when I woke up next to him." Tris shrugs.
"Is Austyn okay with you falling asleep against another guy?" Christina asks and Tris just laughs.
"He's definitely okay, especially since I'm only friends with both of them."
"Okay... but you've been away from home more than ever, sneaking away for secret dates-"
"They're not dates." Tris rolls her eyes.
"You come home all giddy every fucking night and in a great mood. Bitch, please." Christina says and Tris laughs at her friend.
"Chris, Austyn and I are only friends. I know it sometimes looks like more, but there's no secret love affair going on there. Sorry to disappoint you." Tris admits and Christina sighs.
"I just want you to be happy. I know you don't need to be with someone to truly be happy, but I also spent so much time denying how I felt about Peter that looking back on it now it feels stupid." She shrugs.
"Are you two officially together?" Tris asks and Christina shrugs again.
"I think so. He's a good guy, I guess it's just me that's having an issue with the title."
"Why?" Tris asks.
"Because of who he is. It sounds horrible saying it out loud, but he's literally slept with so many people. He's got this crazy reputation for loving them and leaving them, how on earth am I ever going to be enough to keep him just with me?" She asks as she picks at her cuticles.
"Christina, where is this insecurity coming from? You are one of the most beautiful people I've ever known, inside and out, and he would be foolish not to see that." Tris replies.
"You have to say that, you're my best friend." Christina says with a shy smile.
"I also learned from my best friend that honesty is the best policy." Tris smiles at her.
"Then why won't you tell me who it is that's stolen your heart?" She asks.
"It's complicated." Tris replies.
"How so?"
Tris twirls a lock of her long light brown hair around her finger, and she debates on how much she can tell Christina. Ultimately, she decides not to tell her anything about her dalliance with Eric until they have a chance to talk themselves, if that ever happens.
"Because right now, it's infatuation. I don't know how they feel about me, and until I can figure it out I want to keep this one to myself. It feels like saying it out loud will somehow make it all too real, and right now, I'm not sure if I'm ready for it all to just fizzle away."
"What do you want from this mystery person?" Christina asks.
"A commitment, and for them to tell me how they truly feel about me."
"Fair enough. You deserve the best, so if this person can't get their shit together and treat you with respect it's going to be completely their loss. You're wonderful, and you deserve the love I know you give." Christina replies.
"Thank you." Tris smiles at her friend.
"Whatever this is, whoever it's with, I am here for however it turns out. Good or bad, I've got your back, always." Christina says and Tris pulls her in for a tight hug.
"You're supposed to be doing my makeup to make me look pretty, not grilling me about a relationship." Tris says when they break apart and Christina's smile threatens to split her face.
"Okay, fine how about you give me a chance to completely style you? I know you usually hate dressing up, but I have a dress in my closet that is perfect for you." Christina says as she puts the finishing touches on Tris's makeup.
"Will it show the entire club my ass or boobs?" Tris sighs.
"Only if you wanted it to." Christina chuckles., "No seriously, it's both elegant and flirty. It's you. The dress you planned on wearing is pretty, and if you try this one on and don't feel comfortable I'll let it be, but please at least try."
"Fine, let me see it." Tris relents, and Christina's smile almost splits her face.
She watches as Christina pulls out a dress that's different than the tight-fitting body huggers she usually tries to get Tris to wear. This one is black, with tiny spaghetti straps, a tight bodice but a flowy skirt that ended several inches above her knees. When she tried it on, the soft and airy fabric felt incredible, and the length was long enough not to flash the entire world if she bent over.
She still told Christina it was way too short, and playfully protested. She actually loved it, but she couldn't tell her best friend that or else she'd be playing dress up every night. Tris even accepted the strappy heels that Christina offered, and when she looked in the mirror she saw a sexy woman, not the former Abnegation who once tried to hide herself any chance she got.
"Whoever has your eye is going to think you're perfect. You look so beautiful. They will be the fool if they let you get away, Tris Prior." Christina says and Tris smiles at her.
"I do feel good tonight, but honestly he always makes me feel beautiful." Tris replies without thinking. She's talking about Eric, but at least Christina hadn't put the pieces together yet. She felt awful for keeping this from Christina, especially when she'd asked her specifically if something was going on between her and Eric, but she's not ready to admit to Chris, or to anyone really that she's fallen in love with the factions most notoriously commitment phobic bachelor.
"You deserve to be happy." Christina hugs her and Tris returns it with ease.
Austyn comes to pick her up, and when she links her arm with his he leans towards her ear and whispers, "He's going to love it. You look amazing."
"You do realize that he's barely spoken to me since the night we fell asleep on the net, right?" Tris asks.
"Just because he's had a hard time talking to you doesn't mean he hasn't talked to someone about you." Austyn whispers.
"What?" Tris asks loudly and Christina glances back at them.
"You two okay?" She asks and Tris nods before dragging Austyn up to them so they can all walk together.
They make their way to the exclusive club and she has to admit she's very impressed. It's decorated tastefully, still dark and mysterious like most clubs in Dauntless, but also with a sense of elegance.
They head towards the bartender, ordering their first round of drinks and delighted to find that it's an open bar. It's after two drinks that she finally replies to Eric.
T: One more chance, and whatever happens tonight needs to lead to a full conversation. I can't keep doing this, and I can assure you that if you blow off another conversation with me I am done.
His reply is immediate.
E: I promise you, this time will be different. I want this with you, and I'm willing to both show you and tell you how I feel. I'm on my way back to the faction. I'll find you as soon as I clean up, did you go to the club with Austyn?
T: I did.
E: Wait there for me, please?
T: I will.
E: I'm going to make this right baby, I'm not going to risk losing you again.
T: Prove it.
E: I absolutely will. We're on the way back. Wait for me.
She looks at her phone, wondering where this sudden change of heart is coming from. She shakes her head, deciding she's going to stop overthinking it, and let Eric set the tone whenever he gets back.
As much as she loves him, she won't beg for his attention anymore.
The drinks easily flow, and Christina and Peter are both heavily buzzed by the time Tris notices Four and Lauren together. She chuckles and pokes Austyn in his side and gestures toward them.
"God what on earth is he doing?" Austyn asks.
"That's his way of dancing."
"Please tell me he had more rhythm when he fucked." He replies and Tris laughs and shakes her head, "No wonder you left him. You need someone who could keep up with you."
"That I do." She agrees, "How are they here if it's only the leaders, apprentices and their plus ones?"
"Oh you didn't know? Four finally said yes. He officially starts the apprenticeship program on Monday, so Max told him to go ahead and plan on being here tonight."
"Interesting." Tris says, "Eric didn't tell me."
"Eric doesn't know. Max doesn't plan on telling him until he's back in the faction. I'm sure you've talked to him all day, that man is always glued to his phone texting you." He says with a smirk.
"Austyn..."
"Tris..." He mimics her whiny tone.
"Anyway, Four kind of waited to the last minute to answer Max, so Max is waiting until the last minute to tell Eric. Maybe those two meat heads will let their shit go. He's got Lauren and even though he can't dance worth a damn, they seem happy."
"They do seem happy. He and I had some rough patches over our breakup, but we finally seem to have found peace." She replies.
"It definitely took you two awhile to get there. Are you keeping this thing with Eric quiet because of Four?" Austyn asks.
"No, and he already suspects there's something going on with Eric and me. He does work in the control room, you know."
"Oh wow, he's actually seen you two?" Austyn asks.
She shrugs, "I guess. Eric and I have a habit of getting a little frisky in public." She laughs, "You may not believe me, but this thing with Eric literally just started as sex, and we can't seem to figure out what it has evolved to from there."
"Oh, I believe you, but you've got to tell me how that even happened. I knew you were sick of the boring life with Four, but you went from prim and proper to sexy and fierce in seconds it feels." He replies.
"You're taking advantage of the fact that whisky makes me entirely too honest. I was actually giving him a tattoo, Tori was out sick so he relented and let me do a touch up. We talked, we smoked a joint, and he got me to open up about why Four and I had split. I mean, he's Eric, he's hot as hell so of course I at least flirted." She shrugs.
"It must have worked."
"Yeah, it did. He bent me over my chair in the shop and I'll let you figure out the rest." She shakes her head.
"Damn girl, so how long did you wait before inviting him back?" Austyn asks as he orders them another round of drinks.
"I didn't invite him back. I didn't even talk to him after he left that night. He showed back up at the shop two days later asking me if we could continue what we had started."
"Shut. Up!!" Austyn says and she quirks an eyebrow, "Eric Coulter never chases tail. He's a fuck them and leave them kind of guy. You're telling me that he came back for you?"
"He did."
"And not only did he come back, but he was the one asking you to continue things?" He asks.
"Yes, he's the one who told me he wanted to continue seeing me. He's actually been the one to want to keep things going even when I've had my doubts." She replies.
"You put the voodoo on him." He laughs and she smiles at him.
"So, you two really never hooked up before that night?" Tris asks and Austyn shakes his head.
"It wasn't for lack of trying. Eric has a rule that he doesn't get involved with his coworkers." Austyn replies.
"But he's slept with Roni before." Tris argues.
"True, but she was different because he'd slept with her when they were initiates. I'm telling you that for as long as he's been a leader he's never shit where he eats. I've gotten drunk with him on more than one occasion, we've flirted, made out a little, felt each other up, but he's been a tough one. I'd even tried coming onto him recently and he told me he was involved with someone. Color me shocked to find out it was you." He grins at her and she chuckles.
"I didn't expect it to be me either, trust me. I'm still not sure that he's into me as anything more than just the sexual connection we have. He just speaks in riddles, always answering my questions with questions. He's only open when he's drunk, or when we're having sex." She shrugs.
"Did you forget I've been with the two of you? I saw him with you, and while I agree that the two of you have amazing chemistry and a hot sexual connection, you two are so much more. I've talked with you both, believe me when I say you're both in." He replies.
"I've tried to have this conversation with him for weeks and he's refused."
"Look, I can't excuse him for being an idiot, but I can tell you with certainty that he's in." He replies.
"But Austyn-"
"None of that, Eric Coulter can have sex with almost anyone in this faction that he wanted to. This thing with you isn't for him to satisfy an itch."
Tris shakes her head, "I don't know what to do. I can't talk about this anymore."
Austyn wraps his arm around her and pulls her to his side, "Okay sweets, tell me what you do want to talk about."
"That blonde bartender keeps checking you out." Tris says and gestures to an attractive man at the bar.
"Indeed he does." Austyn grins at her, "What do you think?"
"He's a little skinny for me, you know I like them able to bench press me." She smirks at him and he laughs.
"Yeah, you do, that works out fine with me because I'll definitely be getting me some of sexy blonde bartender before this night is over." He replies.
"You have a good life."
"I have a fun life. I'd give it all up to find one person who looks at me the way Eric looks at you. Finding your other half is what makes life good." He replies.
"Why don't you find someone to settle down with?" She asks.
"I think we both know when I do it'll be a man. Being with men isn't just a sexual release for me, it's so much more." He explains, "I'm not ready to come out yet, and I'm definitely not like Eric."
"What do you mean you're not like Eric?" She asks.
"Eric likes to have sex with guys just to get off, but he's going to commit to a woman. He's not gay, he's open and fluid, and it's obvious he wants a future with you." Austyn replies.
"I don't know that we're there. He's yet to flat out tell me what he wants, other than he doesn't want to end things." She shakes her head.
"That man wants nothing but you. Be happy." He kisses her forehead and she smiles at him, "Let's go dance."
She's having fun, twirling around the dance floor with her friends, and even though she wishes Eric was here she is enjoying her time with Austyn. There's no awkwardness at all from their previous encounter, and if nothing else she feels like it's made them closer.
She can feel Eric watching her well before she actually sees him. She's not sure where he is, or how long he's been there, but she can somehow sense his presence.
"He's watching you." Austyn whispers in her ear, "You should go talk to him, tell him how you're feeling."
"He promised me a full conversation tonight." Tris replies.
"I truly think tonight is the night it all changes for you two. Are you ready for it?" He asks.
"I am." She admits for the first time, "But I'm terrified that this conversation isn't going to go well Austyn."
"Don't be. I think he's finally got it figured out." He grins at her, and with that, he heads to the bar, and to the blonde who's been checking him out for most of the evening.
She looks up at Eric, he looks tense, and she knows that whatever Max has him working on must be really be getting to him. He also looks different with his hair only slicked back with water, failing to tame the curls that his normal disciplined hairstyle masks. She watches as he heads straight to the bar and orders a whisky, and downs it quickly before signaling for another.
"Why are you checking Eric out?" Christina asks and Tris looks over at her.
"He's hot." Tris shrugs.
"I'll give you that." She chuckles, "Peter says that he thinks Eric has found someone he wants to settle down with. Can you believe it?"
"He's capable of committing, just like Peter has been with you." Tris replies and Eric's silver eyes meet hers from across the room.
"Yeah, maybe." Christina replies with a smile.
"A definite maybe." Tris agrees.
"Who do you think it is though? I mean, we've seen him hook up randomly around the faction, but lately he's been pretty chill. The only person I can even remember seeing Eric with recently that isn't one of his coworkers or any type of forced interaction is you. There must be something about Beatrice." She pushes her shoulder against her friends and they both giggle.
"Maybe it's because I'm his secret girlfriend." Tris says lightly and Christina giggles harder.
"Oh, for sure, it's totally you, and all of those times you've just happened to run into him in the diner, and sat down there having a meal with him. Those have been dates, haven't they?" Christina smirks at her and thankfully the dark room and strobing multicolor lights cover Tris's blush, "I bet all of his tattoo appointments are just a cover for you two to be fucking like bunnies all over your tattoo room." She giggles and Tris shakes her head.
"You've definitely got us figured out." Tris laughs, but inside she wonders if Christina knows just how close she is to the truth.
Christina gives her a sloppy kiss on her cheek before she makes her way to the dance floor, where she immediately starts making out with Peter, and Tris knows her best friend is feeling no pain. She chuckles again when she sees the two of them together, she may not understand their relationship but she knows they're both happy. She looks for Eric, but she no longer sees him, so she makes her way over to a lone booth in a dark and secluded part of the club, where she can see but not be seen. She kicks her shoes off, letting her feet finally rest from the confines of the heels she's not used to wearing.
She likes her vantage point from the spot she chose. She can still see Peter and Christina, and she can see Austyn flirting with the blonde who was at the bar. She looks around, but doesn't see the senior level of leadership, and she finds it strange that this event was planned as a party for the leaders but Max, Charissa and Harrison are nowhere to be found.
She sees Roni across the room, and the other woman smiles at her before turning her attention back to her date. She and Roni had finally had a decent conversation, in which Roni sincerely apologized for not realizing she was uncomfortable that night, and for the first time she offered her apologies for pursuing Eric so aggressively while the two of them were together. It was an awkward exchange, but Tris knew it came from a sincere place, and she accepted the apology without any hesitation.
Eric had told her he wasn't quite as ready to make nice, but he admitted it was a start.
Tris catches Four and Lauren dancing again, and Lauren looks entirely too enthusiastic to be there with Four, but she can't help but be happy for them. She and Four had their differences, but they finally found a way to be friends. Even though he's awkward as hell.
When Eric finally slides into the booth next to her she's more than aware of his presence. He doesn't waste much time before he starts flirting with her, but when he's open with his affection she's caught off guard. He's kissing her neck and shoulders, teasing her by inching his hand closer to where she wants him, and he's driving her absolutely wild. When he finally slips his finger inside of her, she is surprised at just how bold he's being with not only other people around, but his coworkers in leadership.
He's waited long enough.
She's also surprised at her willingness to have sex with him right at the table, even though he'd promised her a real conversation. She pursues him, even when he protests that he doesn't have a condom with him. She knows she's been faithful to him, and when he admits that he has been with her as well she slides down his length, taking him deep inside of her bare for the first time.
The feeling of being so intimately connected isn't lost on either of them. This isn't the no strings attached fucking their relationship had turned into these past few weeks, nor was it the confusing arrangement they'd made so many months ago. This was different, and they both knew it.
She definitely hadn't expected Christina to interrupt them, and she was even more taken aback when her drunk best friend dropped into the booth with them, completely oblivious to what was actually happening. Christina had been dancing around the truth about Eric and Tris for months now, especially since the net incident, but now that she was actually witnessing it she was too drunk to put the pieces together.
Eric's playful banter, even while Tris continued to tease him took away some of the last lingering doubts she had, and when she moved towards him she still wasn't sure he'd actually let her kiss him with as many times as she had denied him.
She was wrong.
He kissed her like he'd been waiting his entire lifetime for it, and in a way, he felt that he had. He'd been confused by his draw to her for the longest time, unsure of his true feelings but still building an amount of trust he'd never had before with a partner. Austyn and Peter had been the only ones to call him on his changed demeanor and general attitude towards hookups and one-night stands. Both men had somehow figured out that he was involved with Tris, and both knew him well enough to give him some time to figure out his feelings for her on his own.
He's vaguely aware of Christina leaving the table, but all he can truly focus on is the woman in his lap. This is so much more than just sex for him, and he's fully engaged in the moment where her guard is completely down. He knows he won't last with how she feels, and how taking things to another level of intimacy is making him feel, and he's spilling inside of her with no warning or way to hold it off.
They don't stop kissing.
When they started this, he'd been unsure where this would even go when he agreed to a causal sexual relationship. He thought it would have ended after the first night, or maybe she'd be the one who was a clinger. This entire time, he's chased her, and he's never admitted to himself why.
This entire time he's been falling for her.
He knows that he's in love with her, completely and unwavering, and he wants nothing more than to finally tell her now that he was comfortable enough to admit it. He'd had to stop himself from blurting it out for weeks now, instead being cold towards her and keeping her at arms length because having a conversation would have exposed everything.
He's been a fucking fool.
They can't wait to get out of the club and back to her apartment. He'd love for her to come home with him, but he doesn't dare argue when she asks him to come home with her and for the first time he feels like it's something more than sex in his life.
Even though he roughly fucks her against a wall in an empty hallway, just for old times sake.
They end up in her shower, and when they're not kissing they're exploring each other's bodies. There is definitely a shift in their relationship that's happening and neither want it to end. The first time they ended up in a shower together, he was comforting her after her experience with Veronica, and unknown to him also providing much needed stability when she was reeling from her mothers health. This time it's different because they want to be as close to each other as they possibly can be.
"I finally get it." He'd said to her when she was gently washing his body as he came down from the high of their lovemaking. He was sitting on the bench, and she was taking care of him.
"What?" She asked as she massaged his soapy shoulders while his head was resting against her stomach.
"Your kissing rules. It changed everything today. Every part of what we've done tonight, it's been so much different."
"Intimate." She said as her hands rubbed up and down his back.
"Yes." He looked up at her and she dropped her lips to his again.
"Is it too much, Eric?" She asks and he shakes his head.
"No, and it never will be for me again, not with you."
Going home with her, showering and even their much more intimate sex is different and when she fell asleep he watched her, in awe of how relaxed she could be when he was a mess. He wanted to hold her, he wanted to tell her that he loves her, but he's afraid of scaring her off when he's finally gotten her to crack open a door for a more permanent life for them. Instead, he accepts her offer to stay, knowing that after tonight there's no way they'll ever be apart again.
He wraps his arms around her, kissing her for as long as they can keep their eyes open, and when they are almost asleep he thinks about how truly happy he is.
She can hear his soft snores, and as much as she wishes they'd had their conversation, she's content with exactly where they are right now. With that, she finally succumbs to her own exhaustion.
He wakes up, not sure if it's been just minutes or hours since he fell asleep. Tris is curled up against him with her head on his chest, "Baby, I owe you a conversation." He says quietly as he tries to get her attention, "Tris?"
He realizes that she's fallen asleep, and he made a mental note to have that conversation as soon as they woke up. Maybe telling her he was in love with her would seem sudden, but he's tired of hiding this and he wanted to shout from the fucking rooftop that he loves her and she's his. At least, he hopes she is after they finally do put it all on the table. He knows they have a strong foundation, and he owes her that open vulnerability that she's asked him for. He will make things right in the morning, for now he is content to have her warm skin pressed to his, her lavender scented hair ticking his nose, and her soft breath fanning across his chest.
And with one unexpected phone call, it all came tumbling down.
