These chapters are just drabbles I'm weaving together to create a romance. I would classify it as a slow burn, as much as the expected (short) length of the fic will allow. I'm a sucker for hate to love relationships.

Thanks for the praise on Eric's point of view, it was actually way more fun to write than Tris because his emotions are so complex.

ooo

They had been training on the mats again, and Eric had been trying to prove his point.

His strength was superior and he would easily beat her given the opportunity. He told her not to give him that opportunity, and then he attacked.

She dodged the first set of blows, but, expecting her move, his leg came up and caught her in the ribs, making all the air forcefully evacuate her lungs.

She jumped back a few paces to put some distance between them and he allowed her the short reprieve, but only for a moment before he came at her again.

Tris dodged to the left, watching for him to strike out again and was unsurprised when his left fist swung out to catch her in the abdomen. Rolling with his punch, Tris took her chance and, gritting her teeth through the pain, she swung out with a right to hit him. Her fist connected under his jaw, shockingly jarring the young leader for a few blessed seconds where Tris took the opportunity to hit him twice more on his face.

She hadn't done much damage, but the look on his face was completely worth it as he stepped back to re-evaluate his stance. He was irritated, but surprised and Tris took it as a good sign. It wasn't often that she got the drop on him.

"You might be catching on," he said, slightly out of breath. Tris smiled back in response, practically glowing in his praise, waiting for him to come at her again.

To her surprise, Eric curled his fingers, summoning her to approach him.

She chewed her lip for a moment, trying to decide on the best approach. He was so fast and so strong that she knew better than to try and rush him. He'd probably end up throwing her across the mat as he was prone to do when she got within range.

Making a split second decision, Tris took those few steps forward and fell deliberately to the ground, swiping her legs across the floor.

The combined effort of both legs was enough to take him off his feet, sending the man falling the floor with a look of shock on his face.

Tris clambered over him, legs around his waist and holding his wrists captive as he did to her, with a triumphant grin on her face.

A look passed between them as Eric sat on his back beneath her. It was as if his eyes had suddenly come to life with an intense flame that Tris had never seen. His competitiveness, perhaps, for the look he gave her was dark and full of anger.

The moment lasted only a second before he easily rolled them both over and flipped their positions. The difference was, he had the strength to restrain her properly.

"Don't ever take the fight to the ground unless you can win," he hissed into her ear.

"What makes you think I can't?" She asked through gritted teeth, struggling to free her arms.

"You're weak," he said simply, still not pulling his lips away from her ear. Trapped beneath him, it was when she shuddered from his breath on her skin that Tris got an idea, a final chance.

She brought her head up quickly, smashing into Eric's face with her forehead and skull.

He cursed, letting go of Tris' wrists to hold his injury.

In the heat of the moment, she had thought it would be a good idea, but she thoroughly regretted her actions as the world around her spun and left her unable to detangle herself from Eric even when he released her.

"Stiff, you okay?" She heard him ask, though his voice was an echo, as if her head were underwater.

"Mmm," she managed, bringing a hand up to her forehead. She was surprised to feel the warm stickiness that was her own blood, coming from twin holes above her eyebrow.

Meanwhile, her vision cleared and Tris caught sight of Eric, still sitting over her. His eyebrow piercing was bleeding profusely, leaving a thin line of red to trail down his temple to his chin. The pointed edges of the piercing caught Tris in the forehead as she had headbutted him, though the wound was superficial. The headache that was coming on was much more pressing.

"Come on. I'll take you to the nurse," Eric said, his voice still sounding far away.

She tried to argue that she didn't need a nurse but a wave of vertigo washed over her and she pressed her lips tightly together, wishing that Eric wasn't sitting on her stomach.

He stood up moments later, looking horrified.

"If you throw up on me, I'll have you running laps until you collapse," he warned, holding his hand out in offering.

She placed her hand in his and felt his fingers curl around her wrist for the leverage to pull her to her feet.

"Noted," she spoke dully, putting her hand to her aching head, which was pounding even worse now that she was standing.

"You should also know- that was very stupid, Tris. But it was a brave move," he offered her the highest form of praise he'd ever given while putting his arm around her waist to steady her as she swayed on her feet.

"Your thick skull probably gave me a concussion," she admitted, closing her eyes against the nauseating lights, suddenly too bright.

"You'll live," he offered, steering her towards the door of the training room. The nurse was across the compound and Tris wasn't looking forward to traversing the long distance by herself, so she did not fight Eric or his tight grip around her waist.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, not nearly at the pace Tris would have preferred. Her head was pounding painfully and she was looking forward to the relief of some medication.

She looked to Eric out of the corner of a bleary eye, grinning lightly as she saw the blood dried on his face, mixed with fresh blood still weeping from his ripped piercing.

He noticed her attention almost at once, responding to her dopey look with one of irritation.

"What?" he snapped, though it was half hearted.

"Red looks good on you," she giggled, remembering his words from earlier in the week.

"Did you really have to hit me in the dermals?" he asked gruffly, running his free hand over the wound. It came back wet with blood and Eric shot her a dark look.

"You'll live," she smiled, then winced in surprise as he squeezed her waist with his fingers.

"You like to use my words against me? Remember this moment when I repay the favor," he shot her a smirk, looking less intimidating with blood covering half his face than Tris would have thought.

She laughed again, welcoming the challenge, for she knew she had surprised Eric and that was almost as good as winning.