AN: Of course I wouldn't leave you all hanging like that, here's the conclusion of our little story. Thanks for all of the love! I'd been contemplating taking a leave from posting, but I do have at least one more unfinished story I'm working on, so stay tuned. I hope you enjoy.
When she showed up at his apartment, she had to let herself in after he never answered her repeated knocks. He was sleeping on his couch, and she could smell the alcohol on him. She pulled his boots off, covered him a blanket and set out to clean up his messy apartment, he had empty liquor bottles and old take-out food boxes scattered everywhere.
Tris checked on Eric repeatedly, and he remained sound asleep through it all. She started a pot of coffee and checked his refrigerator to find something to make for dinner. After finding a bare refrigerator, she settles for some pasta and jarred sauce he has in his pantry, and sits down at his kitchen island while it's simmering to place a grocery order.
"It smells good in here." His gravelly voice startles her. He shuffles down the hall to his bathroom, where he brushes his teeth and splashes some water on his face before heading back to the kitchen. "Thank you for cooking."
"I ordered groceries too." Tris replies.
"I'm sorry, for being drunk, for your job, for everything. I fucked everything up." He says.
Tris slides a cup of coffee across the counter to him, and stands across from him. He takes a sip of the hot liquid, and tries to get a read on her. Her face is expressionless.
"I think we need to get you sobered up before we have that conversation." She turns towards the stove and busies herself with making two bowls of pasta.
The two eat in silence, and Eric helps her to clean the kitchen before they take their coffee to the couch.
"Thank you for dinner, and for ordering groceries. It's been a shitty few weeks." Eric says, "I'm so fucking sorry baby."
"I owe you an apology as well, I shouldn't have been ignoring you, it was a very immature reaction on my part. We are in a committed relationship, and while the circumstances haven't been ideal it wasn't right for me to ignore you." Tris says.
"I shouldn't have gone to Max without talking it over with you first. That was so selfish on my part." Eric replies. "I should have discussed how I was feeling with you and not ran straight to him. Had I kept my mouth shut, we would both have our leadership positions."
"No, you were right, we couldn't have kept going like that." Tris argues.
"Hiding was taking such a toll on both of us. I'm in love and I didn't want to hide it." Eric replies.
"Why did you quit your job?" Tris asks quietly.
"The surface answer is because it wasn't fair that you lost your job when it was both of us who broke the rules." Eric explains. "The more complicated answer is because I was not going to let Max cheapen what you and I have. He called it a fling, and said we should just basically get over it and find other people. I told him there's no way in hell I was finding anyone else, I love you and want a future with you."
Tris is caught slightly off guard by his mention of their future, but she continues, "I was wrong for being angry at you. We both broke the rules, and even if we both believe the rules are ridiculous. Please just serve out your suspension and return to leadership. You love your job, and you don't want to do this." Tris explains.
"I'm not doing it knowing I ruined your chances…"
"I ruined my own chances, Eric, and I'm ok with that. I chose to break the rules. I was angry at first, but I thought it through, and of course talked it out with Chris, and I'm actually ok. I am working, and I honestly love being part of security in the control room. I like technology, and I feel like I'm appreciated. I joined leadership to compete with Peter, and that's done. You mean more to me than any job, and I don't want you to throw away your dreams for me."
"You mean more to me than this job." Eric argues.
"I believe you, and I still want you to go back." Tris replies.
"You're sure?" He asks.
"Yes. You and Weston share a vision for changing this faction. You have a whole team of hungry apprentices waiting to come help you make those changes once Max, Roni, Harrison and Delilah finally hang it up." She replies.
"I never expected us to be here, Tris. I love you." He says.
"You'd better love me. I cooked, I cleaned, I shopped for groceries, I even started a load of laundry. I'm a catch." She quips.
"Will you move in with me?" Eric asks quickly.
Tris stares back at him with wide eyes. She quickly recovers, "Are you serious?"
"Yes. We've spent our entire relationship hiding. I don't want to hide anymore. Tris, I'd marry you right this second if you wouldn't think I was insane." Eric replies.
"I like that option better." Tris replies seriously.
"What? You want to get married?" Eric stammers.
"Oh wow, sorry you weren't being serious, oh my gosh now I'm being awkward." Tris says.
Eric grabs her hand and pulls her up from her seat and out of the apartment. He doesn't loosen his grip at all, walking briskly with her hand clasped tightly in his own. He drags her to the elevator bank to the leadership offices, and while he waits for an elevator he fires off texts on his phone.
"Eric, what are we doing?" Tris asks.
"We're getting married. Christina and Will are on the way, she's had the rings I picked out for weeks now. They'll be our witnesses." He replies.
"Oh my…" Tris allows him to lead her into the elevator.
When the doors close, he presses the stop button, "Talk to me. Did I go crazy here?"
"You're sure you want forever? With the Stiff?" Tris asks.
"Tris, if you aren't ready its ok…"
"I've been in love with you before I even knew it was you. Let's get married." Tris replies.
Eric presses his lips to hers and they lose themselves for several minutes.
"Let's go make Max marry us." Eric says with a wide smile.
When the young couple knocked on the head leader's office door, to say he was shocked would be an understatement. He expected to hear that they had ended their involvement, and were asking for a chance to return to their previous roles in leadership. Instead, they asked to be married, and brought their witnesses and rings with them.
Eric stood in front of him, wearing dark grey sweats and a black muscle tshirt, looking like he had just slept off a bender. Tris had the same casual look, the black leggings and loose grey tank she wore to her shift in the control room earlier. Max regarded them both with a skeptical eye.
"Was this planned?" He finally asks.
"I asked her to marry me and she said yes." Eric replied.
"I wanted to do it tonight. We've been together for over two years, I can assure you we are ready." Tris replies confidently.
"Very well then," Max replies with the slightest of smiles, "far be it for me to delay this union any longer."
He had Tris, Eric, Will and Christina sign the license in the appropriate areas, and he read off the simple lines for a Dauntless ceremony. Eric slipped a beautiful, pure pink diamond solitaire on her finger, along with a shiny black band, and she slipped the matching black band on his finger as Max pronounced them married.
Max watches in awe as his young protégé kisses his new bride, never in a million years did he believe that Eric was serious enough about this relationship to jeopardize his career. He hangs back as the couple receives congratulations from their friends.
"Tris, Eric, I would like to congratulate you on your marriage, and also offer you my sincerest apologies. When I first learned of your involvement, I dismissed it as being nothing more than a distraction during quarantine. I was wrong, and I am finally ready to stop being stubborn and just admit that. I want to formally apologize to you both for my insensitivity and unnecessary judgment. I am abolishing the fraternization policy, effective immediately. The two of you were involved for quite some time right under my nose and it never once impeded your ability to lead the faction. I think those of us who have held our leadership positions for a long time feel like we've abided by the rules, and therefore they shouldn't change, again we are wrong for that way of thinking. That being said, Tris if you would consider coming back there will be a spot opening in four weeks, Harrison is retiring."
"You can just abolish the rule?" Tris asks, astonished.
"He can as head leader, which is why I went to him last month to plead our case." Eric replies.
"He's right, and I do want you to come back. Full leadership, with no restrictions on working with your husband. As a matter of fact, Eric your suspension is null and void. It never happened, and after you both take some time off to honeymoon you can return to full duty. Take the time you need to think it over, and again please accept my sincerest apology for my mistakes. Congratulations to you both." Max says as he shakes hands with each of them before excusing himself.
After exchanging goodbyes with Will and Christina, Tris and Eric made their way down from the leadership offices back to the leadership residence wing. Right before keying in the code for Eric's apartment, Tris feels herself being picked up.
"I must carry my bride across the threshold. That's still a thing, right?"
"I'll take it." Tris says before snuggling against him.
Later, when it's just the two of them, slowly undressing each other in Eric's large bed, his heart feels full for the first time in his life. The slivers of moonlight coming in through the curtains illuminates the shiny rings they exchanged earlier, and he presses kisses on every inch of her body until all she can do is sigh his name over and over. She holds his eyes as he pushes into her, and again when she switches their positions and takes control, taking their passion to new heights neither thought possible.
She's spent and boneless, laying on top of Eric as he traces his fingertips up and down her spine. She whispers her love for him right before sleep overcomes her, and he slowly adjusts them until she is back on the bed, wrapped in his arms.
He thinks about how different things were before he took the time to actually know the woman beside him, and he is once again thankful for the dating app that broke the ice between them, and for her best friend who's sound advice and constant support pushed them both past their comfort zones to be together.
Forever.
