IThat's right! Two chapters in one afternoon! I was revising a lot this week so in my breaks I just wrote and wrote and wrote, so I decided to gift everyone with a second chapter since I missed last week's update. Unfortunately, I'm on holiday with my family for the next ten days so I'm unsure as to how much time I'll have for writing, especially since this isn't really a public thing for me, but I will try to nonetheless! Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

ShadowDragon03 Wow I'm surprised you read the last chapter so punctually, I didn't expect to be writing replies on this chapter! But I'm glad you enjoyed it as well, keeping Eric all mean and strict last chapter was a must for me, it wouldn't suit his characterisation at all if he was partial (well he kinda is but not in that way ) So glad you enjoyed it!

"That gave me chills! I almost wish he hadn't left for all that time, just so I never have the shock of forgetting what it's like!" Lily complains as we sit down to eat. Despite getting highest score, Eric was ruthless with her, since she made a lot of
injuring hits and barely any fatals. She got the highest score by a long way, but Eric said she was too fast, didn't take into account that in real life, she would've been shot dead by the first opponent she injured, before she could even shoot the
second. True, and I completely agree with him.

"I mean Four told us to kill OR injure, I don't see anything wrong." Lily continues.

"He's right though. In a real battle, you would've been dead in seconds," As I start I can see almost all of their eyes shift to me weirdly. I should probably head this in a different direction, putting forward an issue I'd been wondering about. "… because
we haven't learnt to move when we shoot, we're sitting ducks."

"Aren't we supposed to take cover? And if we're on the offensive, surely, we have to move, what about all the tactics we've been learning?" Jay agrees with me, and I let the conversation carry on.

"That's true… I guess." Lily admits.

"I'm surprised we haven't done anything like that yet. It's been three months out of the five, and we haven't touched on what really goes on with patrols." Ben agrees

"Could you ask Four about it? I'm sure he'll tell you." Lily speaks to me, and I raise my eyebrow at her questioningly.

"Ask Four? You really think he'd tell me anything?" I say, though I know I could ask Eric about it.

"You were talking to him this morning before training, you looked like you were… conversing." Lily continues, and I can see Ben side-glance me oddly.

"Yeah, only because he was the one in charge of clearing up the fight with Kasper, he just asked about my ankle." I brush it off. "Anyway, you've seen how they work here, it'll be a surprise, they'll spring it on us, as usual."

"She's right, we're just waiting. It's fights tomorrow anyway, I wouldn't get too comfortable." Beth speaks up. "But do you know what I noticed?"

"What?" Jay asks, and she grins. That's good, she's been looking down recently. "Eric had a hickey."

"What?!" Jay exclaims.

"Really?" Lily questions, blushing.

"Yep, it's right up behind his ear!" Beth tells us, and I can't help but smirk. I wonder how many people would've noticed…

"It was really dark as well, though then again Leon did say he was a bit… frisky…" Beth says, smirking.

"Gross, Beth did you have to?!" Lily complains, and I stifle a laugh. Maybe I did go a little strong with the teeth.

12321

"Hit harder, I know you can hit harder!" I instruct Lily as we spar, and I'm easily pushing her away without even moving my feet. She hits harder than me, this should be easy. She's hitting the right places, I guess, but none of the hurt enough! She could
even go for the solar plexus, she's more than strong enough for it.

"Okay, let's take a break. Go lift some weights to get your arms working after guns." I say, and walk over to Jay who's been watching.

"You have a lot more patience than I've accounted you for." Jay says as soon as I walk up to him.

"Good, you've seen it too."

"She's not even fighting, she's better than half of the others, probably better than Beth, but she's losing every time, I just don't get it! She's not going to make it at this rate." Jay whisper shouts to me, obviously distressed.

"Don't-" I start, but he interrupts.

"-get attached I know, when it's so unlikely she'll be here in a couple of months, I know-" And now I cut him off.

"Don't even start to say that, arsehole." I growl, gripping his arm. "I was going to say, don't fret, but I see you're well past it. I've got an idea."

Eric's idea, but he is our trainer.

"I'm going to have to get her mad at me again. She'll be struggling for a while, and won't have any nice words to say about me, but we have two months, and it'll work." I mutter to Jay urgently, and he looks at me confused, but listening.

"You know she hasn't see me go full out, I haven't needed to so far. My idea, is that I… show off a little. And then hold back, obviously against her. She'll get annoyed, you know her, then hopefully when we face each other, she'll really fight. It's
the only way I can think of that she'll get mad enough to fight her full strength." I explain to him as Lily's on the other side of the room.

"I guess… yeah it'll totally work, but she's going to be so mad at you. Even afterwards, Avery you're basically throwing away your friendship-" Jay starts protesting.

"I don't need our friendship. Neither does she, we both have the rest of you as friends. She needs the anger to stay in Dauntless, to keep her life. It's worth it." I finish shortly. Jay just looks around at the floor, obviously bothered, but I can tell
he's seeing my logic. He's already started caring too much about her.

"So will you help me? Cos I was thinking of getting the showing off part started right now." I ask him, and he meets my eyes, before nodding slowly.

"I've got your back." He tells me, as we move onto the mats.

"Let's do this then!" I say louder, gaining Lily's attention. Jay beckons me forward, and we start our spar.

I don't go full out, because I definitely don't want to injure him, but I pull out some manoeuvres that are more flashy than anything, kicking him lightly in sides, using a twisting jump to block some of his punches. I can tell he isn't going full out
on me either, though this is still just a spar. After we've been going a while, since our motions never cease as neither of us pursue a knockout move. So, I give Jay an apologetic look, before dropping down into a fluid spinning kick, knocking his
feet out from under him. It then takes seconds to pin him on the floor, holding the back of his neck down onto the floor.

"Yield." I say, before releasing him. "That was fun, I hope we don't get matched up tomorrow!"

"You betcha, it would be far too much work, the whole blocking the kicks thing is so confusing." Jay laughs as he pats me on the back, making our way off the mats.

"Sorry Lily, we got a little carried away, you carry on with the exercises?" I speak, to her, and her eyes are wide.

"Er… I was, but then I decided to watch you two for pointers… you were so good Avery." She finishes, doubtful, and I merely nod.

"Good? I barely got a hit in, that's more than good. I'd spar you now but I'm exhausted." Jay carries on, and I can tell by now he's completely on board with me.

"I'd stay but I have to go finish a check up on my ankle, so run your usual drills on the punching bags. Think about tomorrow, where you need to hit, elbows, wrists, and such." I say, walking backwards towards the door, leaving the two in there.

12321

I'm walking to the training block after the long day, not really sure whether I'm ready for a training session with Eric. However, as soon as I step in, Eric's grabbing my arm.

"Let's go." Is all he utters before moving me back down the stairs. I don't question where he's taking me, just leaning back ever so slightly into the hand on my shoulder.

"We're getting you contacts." He tells me as we reach the infirmary, and moves me towards Jen as usual.

"Eric! And Avery, I'm so glad you're here, you didn't even come in after the fight, and you could have a concussion! Here, let me-" Jen starts babbling as soon as we get there, but Eric steps in front of me.

"She's been checked Jen, no concussion, it's all in her file." Eric says, irritated.

"Well, she hasn't been here which means she hasn't been seen by a proper doctor, so I'm taking a look anyway. Besides, what are you doing here if not for that?" Jen carries on, taking my arm gently, leading me to one of the rooms nearby.

"She needs contacts, leadership has granted permission." Eric says simply, and my eyes flick up. Leadership? I didn't deem it an important enough problem to be dealt with like this. It must be for something more important.

"Oh, so she's what the email was about. Fourth stage huh? Is it your gun work?" She asks me, and I just blink up to Eric, knowing she's asking me about things he hasn't told me.

"Jen, you know they don't know about it." Eric glares at her, and she backs off slightly.

"Alright, alright, let's get this going then."

She gets me to read letters on the wall, with one eye then the other, then goes through various procedures I didn't bother to pay attention to. Then she checks over my head and ankle, which she deems fine.

"Now, you got kicked, didn't you-" She lifts up my shirt, revealing the dark bruising scattering my abdomen, and I can see Eric's jaw shift.

"It's fine, they don't hurt that much, it's just bruising." I shrug, but she's frowning anyway.

"Alright then… your contacts will be in the processing room, just wait here a little while." Jen says, leaving the room with a quick glance at Eric.

"Is she the head doctor here or something? She always seems to be the one treating me…" I mutter mostly to myself, but Eric answers.

"She's my doctor. She tends to get involved with initiates because of that." He tells me, and I nod. "How was your extra training?"

"Good. I sparred with Jay for a while, it was pretty fun." I tell him. "Got him on board for what I'm about to do to Lily as well."

"Take my advice?" He questions, smirking.

"Of course." I answer with a small smile. "She's going to hate me from around tomorrow though, luckily she moved bunks already."

Eric just smiles.

"What is it?" I ask cautiously.

"The less time you spend with her means the more time I get you to myself, isn't it obvious?" He drawls, taking a step closer to me as a smile creeps onto my face.

"I'm flattered you're eager for my time, and glad to give it." I reply as my cheeks warm slightly.

"Sniping." I realise it all of a sudden, and my eyes snap to him. Damn it, I said it out loud.

He sighs. "You're too observant for your own good, I can't hide anything." He murmurs, raising an eyebrow, as I wait to see if he'll elaborate.

"It's done by selection; a lot of the time no new snipers are needed so initiates don't learn it. But there are a few disciplines opening up this year that require it, plus one is retiring the end of this year, so three are being taught the skill." He
explains. "Though I'm pretty sure because of the distance your eyesight won't affect it as much, and I have a feeling you'll be good at it anyway, it gave a good enough excuse for you to get them."

I nod in understanding, just as Jen comes back with some boxes. She gives me instructions I store somewhere at the back of my head, and then Eric and I leave.

"How are you feeling, need any more painkillers?" Eric asks as we walk, and I shake my head.

"It's just a dull ache. My ankle's been fine, not much I can do about the bruising." I shrug, but I can feel my shoulders drooping.

"Go get some rest." Eric says, and I turn to him confused.

"I thought we were going to train?" Though in reality, my headache has steadily been becoming more noticeable throughout the day, and my arms are aching from the knife-work and gun-work. It's been a full day.

"You're tired, and I don't want you at a disadvantage for fights." He tells me, and when I meet his eyes I can see something, ever so small, a warning. I've not matched up with an easy opponent.

"I won't be able to sleep anyway Eric." I say softly, looking around to make sure no one's near. "It was never Kasper keeping me awake."

He puts his hand on my shoulder, bring me close.

"Then just rest. I don't want you overexerting yourself with sleep deprivation again, don't make me remind you I expect results from training you." His voice is hard, ordering, and I find myself nodding obediently.

"Of course." I finish, turning away in the direction of the dorms. I get there quickly, before finding my bunk in the corner, just like before.

"Avery, you're sleeping back here again, thank God I won't have you walking around like a zombie again." Ben comes up behind me, patting my back, and I nod, despite how I'd get much more rest if I were back where I was sleeping last night.

However, I do catch in my peripherals, the scathing look from Beth, who's lying up on her bunk. I can't be bothered to deal with another friendship problem, I've already started my plan on Lily. Beth will just have to wait it out, whatever she's angry
at me for can wait.

The lights go off and I slide up into my bunk, stretching my muscles out.

I'm not going to sleep. The last two nights I've been sleeping, in Eric's arms, something I'd never thought was possible. Tonight's paling in comparison. I'll have to make do, I always have.

12321

The hours of lying in bed had passed, and my watch read 5:57. Lights went out at 10, so almost 8 hours of rest. Good enough.

I slide down the poles of the ladder silently, as I had done before I'd ever seen Eric's apartment, and go off on a run. I needed to move, unlike the lazy want to stay in bed I'd had the couple of days before.

As I'm running down the far side of the compound, I hear running footsteps coming round the corner. I ready myself to move out of the way, but in the second I step round, I'm roughly caught in strong arms.

"You're up early." I murmur up to the blonde leader, who's arms glowing from the run.

"So are you it seems, no protests to stay in bed this time?" Eric taunts, and I hold back my blush as both are chests are moving lightly from the exertion. "Ready for fights?"

"Of course, it's the least of my worries." I murmur, uttering the truth. I'm confident at present that none of the other transfer initiates are at my standard in fights.

"Come on." Eric mutters, pulling me round the corner into one of the compounds many hidden alcoves. He pulls me into his arms, trapping my own against my body.

"You need to be in bed by 11 tonight as well, no sneaking out for training. I've got meetings till late." He tells me, leaning close to my face letting his lips brush against my forehead.

"Something important?" I question, managing to lift one arm up to rest on his warm shoulder.

"Something I won't have you missing." He replies, pausing to study my face, before asking, "Go on then, what's your guess?"

I blush lightly, wondering if he can merely look at me to see what I'm thinking, before answering what we were wondering after training yesterday. "Tactical exercise?"

Eric lets out a deep sigh, before pushing me backwards in his arms as he backs me up against a wall.

"I can't let anything by you… nothing at all." He mutters with a dangerous glint in his eye, and I bite my lip. I shouldn't find that attractive.

"You gave it away yelling at Lily. We've only been doing stationary shooting." I say softly, and he brings a hand up to tilt my face up to him.

"You're gonna do really well, you won't fail me at this, you're must do the best out of everyone." He tells me firmly, light threat in his tone.

I nod silently, keeping my teeth down on my lip, not having anything to say that won't embarrass myself.

He sighs once more, tilting my head with more force so I can't look away from his eyes.

"Stop biting your lip."

I can't even register his lips on mine, it's so quick.

His mouth is unyielding and firm on mine, his own teeth pulling at my lip before sucking on it harshly, swallowing the resultant noise spewing from my mouth. I push my body against his with more fervour, lips moving unrelentlessly, and one of my leg moves
up around his hip to close the distance between us. I manage to tuck my hands up to his shoulders, but before I can lace them through his hair, his own hands come up to grasp my wrists, slamming them above my head against the wall.

And then with one last movement of his lips, sucking firmly on my tongue, he pulls away, despite my body instinctually leaning forward.

"Now now, we've talked about this, we're in public." Eric drawls sarcastically, glancing at the empty entryway to the alcove.

I narrow my eyes at him as he stretches my arms up higher on the wall lifting my heels of the floor, as he leans ever closer, lips less than an inch away from mine. It takes one movement to push my foot up off the ground, and swing it effortlessly over
his shoulder into his neck, his whole body moving back in reflex as his airway is blocked. His hands loosen on my wrists and I break free, using my other foot to swiftly pull his ankle out from underneath him to make him topple onto the floor.

He recovers faster than I'd anticipated, and he grabs onto my own outstretched arm as he falls, pulling me with him. But before he's even hit the ground, my arm is ready at his neck, and when we fall, it presses down on his neck pushing his jaw up, while
I move myself to kneel on his thighs.

"Public implies there are other people near other than you and me, which I'm sure big, bad Eric wouldn't have been so careless as to allow." I say with an innocent tone as I lean down closer, biting my lip once more, just for his benefit.

"Don't think you're in control here." Eric growls, but there's a smirk on his lips as I let my lips trail lightly up his neck, reaching just behind his ear to the mark I left.

"I know I'm never in control when you're around Eric, only you could possess me to do such… outrageous things." I murmur, pressing my lips against the mark whilst keeping him restricted at his throat, grinding my hips painfully hard against his crotch.

"I should have been more prepared." I say, in between wet kisses against his neck. "I was thoughtless, forgot how you usually are, not that I mind it."

I drag my teeth against his ear, and I can feel him shiver.

"But they noticed this, I kind of enjoyed it." I murmur, drawing circles with my tongue over his mark.

"-Avery, Aver-" His voice catches, breaking ever so slightly as I let my free arm trail up under his shirt. I move my kisses across to his cheek, inching closer and closer to his mouth. I pause above his lips for a second, to look up into his dark, hazy,
hungry eyes. I read him in an instance as his mouth lurches forward to grab for mine, and I lean back.

I lean back too far, as now his whole body pushes forward, and I scramble to get onto my feet before him, moving towards the entryway, but I was foolish, he catches me, enclosing me in his arms, pinning me against the wall once more as our breaths fill
the air.

Voices.

Footsteps.

They pass.

Eric gazes down at me as the sound finally passes away, letting my arms around his waist as his clamp around me. He leans down for a firm, yet sweet kiss before reluctantly moving away.

"You won't disappoint me." He says briefly, before stalking away as my breath still labours.

That man will be the death of me at this rate.

My goodness the sexual tension! I'm really trying to use… sensible vocabulary so I can put of actually changing the rating, I know I'm cutting it pretty close, but this chapter was so much fun to write… mainly the end obviously. I ended up introducing the new problem with Lily that will escalate, along with sniping WHICH I AM SO EXCITED FOR, and also the paintballing which I think might make it to next chapter? It depends who long the fights take to write. I'm not so sure about whether there will be an update next week (as mentioned at the top), but I'm sure I won't be able to keep myself from it anyhow! I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Read and review as always!