After training that day, we head to dinner as usual, but I'm already on edge. My eyes are sweeping the pit calmly and I don't think anyone else notices. Eric said this evening, that ranges from around now till everyone goes to sleep.
"Avery?" I slowly move my eyes to Ben in attempt to hide being caught unaware, and stare at him in question.
"What are you going to do after dinner? We didn't see you at all yesterday." He says, and as I think of an answer I catch Axel walking towards us.
"Sorry, I have a feeling Lily and I will be unavailable today as well." I say turning back to them, and while Jay nods in understanding and Lily looks slightly anxious, Ben and Beth aren't in the know as Axel reaches us.
"He's just got in. Relatively calm, and hopefully it'll stay that way." He pronounces rather lazily, and I try to give him a meaningful look to get him to go with my lie.
"I guess Lily and I will come with you after dinner?" He just stares at me for a second, before replying.
"Yeah, sure." He says with a lazy smile towards the others, but I catch a quirk of his eyebrow and hide a smirk. "You guys all doing well enough in training?"
"Yeah, pretty good." Ben says simply, but Lily's anxiety just seems to grow.
"We got number one and two don't we… and you two?" He looks towards Beth and Lily standing together, and though it's easily passed off as an ordinary question, I can see his gaze falling on Lily.
"6th." Beth answers reasonably.
"…Yeah, I'm tenth." Lily says with her eyes to the ground.
"Well, looks like we've got a slow starter. I'll let you in on a secret…" He leans in, beckoning the others closer as he quietens his voice. "…you should've seen Four when he first came in!"
He bursts out laughing and Jay, Ben and Beth laugh whilst Lily looks completely surprised, and I chuckle.
"What do you mean?" She asks, completely bewildered.
"I mean he was the scrawniest stick on earth! Couldn't run a lap or throw a punch for his life, I tell ya…" Axel continues pretending to wipe his tears of laughter as we move to sit down.
"Wait so he wasn't from Dauntless?" Beth asks Axel.
"No, no definitely not. Though I'm afraid I won't be able to say any more about him, he'd have my head. There are only a select few who knows about his life before Dauntless." Axel quickly averts the conversation, but Ben carries on, oh so Candor-like.
"What about Eric, what was he like in initiation?" Ben asks and Axel chuckles.
"Oh, Eric was strong throughout, well prepared." Axel replies simply.
"How long ago even was this, they look so young!" Beth exclaims.
"Three years ago. That was an extremely strong year." Axel says.
"Eric must be Dauntless-born right?" Ben remarks, and Axel looks up at us.
"Actually, what would you guess?" Axel asks us.
"Dauntless-born." Jay says, nodding with Ben.
"Dauntless-born, he must've been if he was prepared and got leadership!" Beth says reasonably.
"Oh yeah of course." Lily agrees.
"Transfer." I say quietly, and the other's look at me in surprise.
"How did you know?" Axel says looking at me, and I can see the mirth in his eyes, he must think it's something I picked up from when Eric and I were in private. It was. Well, kind of, it's really hard not to miss the expansive bookcase hidden behind the
bedroom door once you've seen it. Anyway, Erudite-raised goes with his character. But obviously I can't say that.
"I didn't know, just thought if he were Dauntless born he'd spend more time teaching the dauntless-born." I say.
"Well, you're right." Axel says with a quick wink.
"What, you've got to be kidding me!" Jay moans elbowing me.
"Come on you two, let's get going." Axel says standing, and I take an extra muffin from Jay's plate as we leave.
"Here, eat." I say bluntly, handing it to Lily and she frowns.
"But I already had one-"
"What did we talk about?" I asks dryly, and she takes it grudgingly.
"Four's taking the night shift." Axel's words are brief and barely audible as Lily doesn't even notice, but I take in the information.
"I guess you're going off to training right, all secretive from the others?" Axel questions and I nod.
"I may call in one of your favours sometime, I'm not omniscient." I say as he heads in a different direction waving a hand up. Hang on…
"Hey you bastard! Don't think you got away with it!" I yell and he starts running in the other direction. "That son of a bitch." Can't believe he roped me into getting Eric to the infirmary…
Lily and I go to the training room regardless, and begin training as usual. When I look at the time seeing it's 9pm, I realise we should probably head back early… at least get Lily to the others.
"Let's stop. We should find the others, then go back to the dorm." I tell her and she nods before packing up.
"The others said something about tattoos, let's head there first." I say, and lead the way with a fast stride to the shopping district. If it's 9, he must be here by now. And we'd best avoid him. I'm still easily confident of my victory over him, but
I'd like to avoid any fights, it wouldn't look good on my part if I sent him to Erudite again…
"Hey! Jay!" I catch sight of his brown hair leaving the tattoo parlour, and sure enough Beth and Ben come into sight just after.
"Hey guys, all good?" Ben asks, and I carry on the fabrication.
"Yeah, supposedly." I answer easily.
"We were going to head back to the dorms, are you finished?" Lily asks, and Jay grins pulling up the sleeve of his t-shirt to show a sword and shield on his shoulder.
"Yep, all done. Let's go." Jay says, and we partake in small talk as we head down the stairs to the pit.
As soon as we get to the bottom I move ahead of Beth, Ben and Lily, a step ahead of Jay as I stare right across the large room to Kasper, facing me on a table with Zander, Mickey and Thomas with him. His stare is cold, chilling even, but as I see the
still dark bruises on his neck I let my smirk rise. Even healed, the mark of his defeat is still on him. That's what he gets for what he did.
Second thoughts, maybe I shouldn't have smirked. Kasper starts talking urgently to his group of friends, and I turn my head back to my friends.
"Go back to the dorms, Lily, move bunks straight away. In fact, Bethmove into a bunk over Ben, you'll be safer." I say quickly as we continue a supposedly leisurely pace into the Pit.
"We can look after oursel-" Lily starts but I cut her off.
"Yes, but when your asleep he's going to want to go after the ones he gets off too, correct?" I say sharply.
"You're coming with us." Jay says firmly, and I look back to him.
"I've been given instructions as to what to do if he acts aggressively, and that's to avoid him. Hopefully it won't come to that and I'll go back to the dorm." I won't.
"But when everyone's asleep-" He protests again and I pull him closer by his shirt.
"Four's on watch the whole night, nothing will happen." I whisper to him, before we reach the tables. "Go, I should see you later."
I start walking at my usual fast pace round the tables as the others split to go round the room in the opposite direction, keeping an eye on Kasper in my peripherals. As I start to get closer, I wonder if he'll go after the others by which Four would
intervene, but no such luck.
They all head in my direction.
I take the next turning out of the Pit, and as soon as I'm out of sight I go straight into a sprint. I'm faster than all of them, I can get to the infirmary, they won't expect me to go there I-
Someone slams right into me from a different exit from the Pit, and nails claw down my arm as I roll away. Suddenly his eyes are in my face, full of rage and vengeance, and he's crushing his body over me.
"You bitch, I'll kill you-"
I aim a sharp knee to his torso to shift his weight off me, and put all my weight into stepping on his ankle to push off back into a sprint.
His scream echoes behind me, and I'm sure it won't even sprain, just a bad twist. It's just a fact- ankles hurt like hell.
I don't stop my sprint, because the footsteps following me don't stop either. I take the faster route to the infirmary, which unfortunately happens to be the more secluded, but I'm confident in my sprinting. I take three steps at a time up the stairs,
and can already see the white of the infirmary coming into view. As I thought, whoever's following me haven't figured out it's my destination, and I take an awfully sharp turn- too sharp as I feel my own ankle burn under the strain, but slow into
a jog with an easy smile to the Doctors.
I hear the other's enter after me, somehow they don't know this is the infirmary, how can they not know that?! There's even a hand on my shoulder before I turn with an innocent smile, to see Mickey glaring at me.
"Is there a problem here? Ah Avery, you're here." I mentally thank Jen for her timing, as Mickey seems to realise the situation, and backs out as Jen continues. "Come this way…"
She beckons me down the hallway, and I gladly follow her, trying to calm my breathing.
"Was he bothering you?" She asks with an eyebrow quirked, and as soon as I know Mickey's gone I scowl and bring a hand up to the scratches on my shoulder. How does a guy like him have such long nails?!
"It's fine, I need to find- find Axel." I answer, covering up an almost slip.
"Oh, let me get you a wipe. Axel's here, he's in Eric's room. We moved him to room 11, it's furthest away from all the others since he whines so much." Jen says with an eyeroll, swiping over the scratches with an antibacterial wipe.
"Hold down for a little, if it carries on bleeding put something on it." Jen says, before I thank her with a nod and a smile, moving to Eric's room.
"-Don't make me pull the leader card here Axel! You don't have the authority to keep me here!" I hear Eric's voice, angry.
"That may be true Eric, but I made the order whilst still on patrol, where I have superiority." Axel's voice that would usually have a lilt of mirth to it is serious, and I almost don't want to go in, but Jen is still watching me.
I knock thrice clearly, before opening the door.
"Avery! Thank God you're here to calm him down!" Axel says with a grin, but I narrow my eyes.
"Well excuse me I believe you owe me thrice now!" I say, annoyance clear in my tone.
"What? You said it yourself, Eric needed to go to the infirmary-"
"To get stitches, not stay cooped up for 2 weeks. An infirmary isn't necessary in healing stages, just for procedures." I say bluntly.
"Of course you're exactly the same." Axel whines. "Whatever happened to-"
"What's happened, what's happened to your arm?" Eric's words are strict, but there's a lace of urgency to them.
"Just scratches. It seems Kasper's taken the dark side of the moon." I say with a sigh, and as soon as I get close enough Eric's yanked my leg towards him and is examining my arms.
"They're deep." He murmurs.
"It's fine." I say to him, applying pressure with the wipe.
"Four's watching the dorms right? I got Beth and Lily to sleep on top bunks above the boys, they should be fine. Though I guess the other two girls are a little open." I say to Axel, knowing Eric won't answer if it has anything to do with Four.
"Yeah, and there'll be someone on night shift from now on, you'll be fine." Axel smiles and I avoid his gaze.
"Do as I said yesterday." Eric says simply, and I nod, whist Axel sighs.
"You're not staying in the dorms are you… Eric I thought we talked about this-"
"It's not like she'll be anywhere near me…" Eric grumbles to Axel, who just raises an eyebrow.
"I'll be back in a few hours, I just got to sort out some stuff with Paul…" Axel mutters before leaving.
There's a brief moment of silence between us, before I notice the drips.
"How are you feeling? These are more pain meds, right?" I ask, indicating the clear tubes linked up to him.
"Yeah, but they're not very strong, the pain's barely there." Eric replies. "Training alright?"
I nod with a sigh. "Yeah, just knives and guns today really…"
"You sound like you're bored." He comments and I look up to him.
"Not bored, just my patience is wearing down in terms of holding back." I admit, and before he can retort about not holding back I continue. "Which I have to otherwise your involvement will be obvious, at least to Four." I add pointedly.
"What about fights, how did the one you had while I was away go?" He asks once more.
"Fine, a weak opponent so I focussed on punches and upper body manoeuvres. I think my upper body strength is improving, but I'm not really sure…" I trail off.
"What about in terms of strength?"
"I've gotten to a maximum of fourteen pull ups now… but I've been stuck at fourteen for the last three-four days." I tell him and he nods.
"Fourteen isn't bad for your size." He says, pulling me closer once again to examine my arm. He sighs as he pulls back the wipe, where the surprisingly deep scratch marks are still leaking blood. He leans over me and I try not to let my breathing rate
change as he reaches to a little pouch with seemingly medical supplies, and moves back to my arm.
"Are you suggesting there's something inconvenient about my size?" I murmur sarcastically, though knowing his implications.
"Not at all, I find your size just right, anydifferent and it would be wrong." He murmurs back, amused. "Besides, you're the right amount of top and bottom."
His words are as always suggestive, and I meet his eyes slyly as his usual smirk lifts his lips.
"And you'd know that because…?" I question, and his grin widens.
"Why I've seen all the way to the canvas, remember?"
My face lights up on fire, as I remember the drunken night, and waking up in a large t-shirt instead of my dress. I'd tried not to linger on it at the time, but I really have no idea what he did while I was unconscious… but I feel like I should mind far
more than the little I do.
"…you won't go back to the dorms will you." Eric says firmly, and I shake my head.
"No, it's not like I slept there anyway." I reply softly. I'm curious about something though, since he knows what everyone else doesn't. "…Why? Why is it so important that I don't stay there, when you know I don't sleep?"
He stays silent, and I wonder once again if he's just decided not to give an answer, but he opens his mouth.
"I've seen the tapes, I was assisting the investigation when it first happened." He says quietly. That means he saw Lily…
"He's not laying a finger on you. I can't believe he even got this far." He grunts smoothing over the skin of my arms after covering the scratches up.
My cheeks flush, and my heart warms. Before he left I was angry at him for over-protectiveness, and now I'm blushing at the endearment. He reaches over and drags a chair closer to me and I sit down opposite him at the side of his bed. I don't have anything
to say, but it seems he doesn't mind as he places my upper body down onto the bed, and starts stroking my hair.
Something must be wrong with both of us. The only times he's been this personal and touchy is when he was high as a kite; before he went on patrol it had just been an insufferable tension between us. I didn't want to think of it as acts of endearment,
of care, because I know I'm still waiting, but I can't stop myself from relishing the comfort.
"Just stay here for a bit…" He murmurs, and I close my eyes lightly letting my mind go blank as I rest. I notice the vague fingers in my hair and stroking my arms which are supporting my head, and can't find it within myself to even question them.
Unusually, I don't keep track of the time as circles and swirls are drawn over my scalp, and it surprises me when Axel returns.
"You're still here?" He questions and I open my eyes only to look at the clock reading 35 past eleven. "Eric, you've got strategic reports to check over tomorrow, it'll give you something to do."
Eric grunts, though obviously irritated, and cups my head with a hand.
"I just saw Four… it's best if you don't go back to the dorms Avery." Axel admits, and my eyes snap up to him, my hair tangled in Eric's fingers.
"What's happened?"
"Nothing, he hasn't done anything, just very openly expressed his feelings for you." Axel says tight-lipped.
"Will you take her to the dorms to get her stuff, and then back to mine?" Eric asks to Axel and I roll my eyes mentally, but not physically since I know he'll get pissed off.
"Yeah. What did you tell your friends Avery?" Axel asks and I stare at him blankly.
"That I would be carrying on what I usually do." I say vaguely, and he just raises an eyebrow. "That I'd wander the deserted back hallways, sleep in the alcoves."
"You did that?!" Axel asks and I shrug.
"Irregular sleeper. Walking and moving tends to help." I lie quickly, and I meet Eric's gaze.
"Oh well, let's get going, I believe all the initiates were asleep when I checked with Four, it should be clear." Axel says, and I follow him out, casting a reassuring look behind me.
As soon as we leave the infirmary, I breach the topic.
"What exactly did Eric talk to you about me?" I ask softly, and Axel does his usual raised eyebrow.
"Can't wait for him to tell you himself?"
"I know that he won't, but the fact he told you, knowing you know me, means the possibility of you telling me was in his mind." I say logically and Axel laughs, shaking his head.
"You have nothing to worry about Avery, I even gave him the big brother threats." Axel jests, winking as I roll my eyes. "Seriously though, he means well. He's working out logistics, because there's no way your two's involvement would ever be seen as
good until you're a member… Dauntless take cheating very seriously- and though you're not cheating, really, kind of, Dauntless will see it as sleeping your way in, which is not what your about. Eric knows that, and is trying to get around it. Plus
there's some things he has to work out."
"So I've heard… he keeps telling me to wait." I mumble dejectedly. I'm usually a patient person, but this is grating my nerves to pieces.
"Yeah… all I can say is that he did have a life, before you got here. A shitty one, but I'll give it to him he's doing an almost honourable thing, if you forget like half of it." Axel admits, and I bite my lip. If Axel thinks so then I can trust him on
this… my mind's been piecing together what he's been saying, and I get the jist of it, Eric had a relationship of sorts before I got here… and he's trying to clear it up? I don't want to assume, in case I hope too far and end up crushed, but I can't
help it.
"Go on in, get some stuff, quick." Axel mutters and I hurry silently to my corner, picking up most of my training gear and essentials, and stuffing them in a bag before going back to Axel.
The walk to Eric's starts in silence, but this time Axel breaks it.
"I have to ask you though… I don't have doubts with you like Eric, but what are you looking for? I've got the jist that you two just match well and all, but…" He trails off. "… this isn't like you."
I'm stunned for a moment, and look to the floor.
"… I don't know what I'm looking for. It's hard to explain, I just feel… comfort from him. Or at least that's the general idea." I mumble uncomfortably. Axel chuckles.
"That's definitely general, from what I got from him it ain't just comfort-"I elbow him sharply, fighting the smile on my face.
"Hey! Just, you know," Axel stops as we reach Eric's door. "I'm trusting you to look after him, but be careful." I nod to him and he turns away, and I turn to the passcode.
Hang on, why isn't it… he changed it? Damn it of course he has… he said I knew the passcode so he must have told me somehow…
Avery. You know the passcode.
…he couldn't have… he wouldn't… I type in the five letter passcode, and let out a strong sigh, shaking my head as the light goes green, a blush spreading across my cheeks despite being alone.
I open the door to the stone grey apartment, and my eyes fly to the hallway to the bedroom I remember. I see it go further down, and follow it, to find a similar guest bedroom I'd assume. Regardless of how appetizing sleeping in Eric's bed sounds, it
would be impolite, and I'm unsure how he'd react. I get the feeling he doesn't like people touching his things.
I drop my clothes onto a desk, and suddenly scowl. My stupid brain, picking up all my training gear but no sleeping wear, honestly.
I always sleep in loose, baggy clothing, and it seems being in Eric's apartment only makes my mind go crazier as I remember his t-shirt I woke up wearing. It's not like he's here anyway, and if he's put me in one before I'm sure he won't mind.
I know I'm alone in the apartment, but I still tip-toe lightly over to Eric's room, taking in the sight of his well made bed, before scurrying over to the wardrobe. Right, to find a t-shirt… nope that's the underwear drawer…
Just as I find a neat drawer of almost identical t-shirts in different greys and blacks, I notice the identifiable scent. It's the clean, wooden scent that I always get whenever I'm close to him, and it's all around this room.
I shake my head, berating myself, and head to shower. As I step out of the shower I dry myself with a towel before putting on his charcoal t-shirt, and my brain wonders to his reaction of knowing his t-shirt encloses my bare body. Something dirty no doubt,
not that I'm any better at the moment, it's like I'm high from being in his apartment alone.
The days that pass that week are similar, training, in which Four clearly sets Lily and I away from Kasper, even giving us a different route to run. Kasper, surprisingly is easily subdued by Four, whenever Kasper starts to curse my existence. Then I go
to dinner with my friends, Axel also regularly stays with us, then Lily and I go off secretly to train, though I have a feeling our excuses are running out the other's seem to have accepted it's a secret. Then I leave Lily with the others, and take
a different route each day to the infirmary, where I talk to Eric after successfully getting past the busy nurses without being noticed too much. We tend to talk till late, at least past eleven, before he tells me to get some rest, and not to get
up early, and I head back to the apartment.
Then the day before the next fights which took a longer break than usual, I get to the infirmary slightly earlier than usual. I slip past the various doctors to the door hidden away, but stop as I hear Axel's voice.
"You know you can get out of here at any time now, why the hell do you stay? After putting up such a nasty fight…" Axel grumbles. I'm confused, did Eric get the order cleared?
"I'm sure you can figure out why I stay."
"What? No, oh you bastard!"
"Having her look after me is extremely pleasing." Eric's drawl is unmistakable and I blink. Huh?
"Of course, she doesn't even realise it, folding your cover over, shifting your pillow, leaning over to check your vitals…" Wait…
"And giving me a goddamned nice view while she's at it." I can hear the smirk in his voice.
"Oh god stop it! She's my little baby not a goddamned- nope, I am not going there, just!" I hear his exclamation and fold myself behind the door in the oldest trick in the book as Axel storms straight past me, and the door flutters closed again.
…He was staying in hospital all day because he enjoys me coming to see him? My limbs tingle and I bite my lip, surely he'd realise just a word and I'd…I'd…
With a deep breath, I open the door once again, but don't move further into the room looking at him hopefully with all my anxiety gone.
"I thought we both agreed hospital containment was unnecessary?" I question, and he looks up caught slightly off guard as it takes him time to answer.
"…how long were you standing outside?" He replies with the question, and shamelessly smirks at me letting his eyes trail up and down my body, setting me on fire.
"If you wanted me to come and see you, you have all those evenings to book in from our agreement, correct?" I reply once again.
"True, but this way I can maximise the time I get from you." He answers. I scoff slightly, and strengthen my mental state ready for my answer.
"You know you don't have to win time from me, I thought it was clear any time you wanted I would give."
His lips open and his smile reaches his eyes and the sight sends my stomach in circles.
"Then why am I still lying in bed?"
My God the teasing in this chapter! If anyone thinks I'm glossing over Kasper's return, I probably am, just because I want it to subdue a little because otherwise it'll end up with Kasper being back in hospital and that's just a repeat. I'm so having fun with Avery being alone in Eric's apartment, and in terms of Eric's scent it's just how I imagine him to smell, though I guess with some sweat when he's exercising. Anyway, please review, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter!