Hello, guys!
I just wanted to say thank you for the amazing reviews. Seriously, those made my day.
Instrumental song for the chapter: Han Solo and Leia Organa's Theme Song from Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (youtubedotcomslash + watch?v=S3GNiAwUjUU)
Andrew Prior worked with Marcus Eaton. Natalie and Evelyn worked together, until the second said passed away during birth. Andrew and Natalie had two kids, Caleb and Beatrice, respectably five and four years old. Caleb was eleven months older than his sister. Marcus and Evelyn had a son, Tobias, who was six years old.
The parents thought it would be nice if their sons, Caleb Prior and Tobias Eaton, were friends. Tobias had just lost his mother, so he was going through a tough phase. Only the Eaton's knew though that Tobias would constantly get beaten by his father. The parents thought the friendship might help both of the boys.
On Beatrice's birthday, Marcus and Tobias came. It wasn't a celebration, because that was self-indulgent. The six of them just sat on the table, eating standard Abnegation-prepared food. After lunch, the adults moved the conversation to the living room, while Tobias and Caleb sat to play.
There was only one problem: Caleb never wanted to play with Tobias and vice-versa. In fact, Tobias wanted to play with little Beatrice. She seemed quite calm while sitting on the stairs, holding a cotton doll. But he knew she had an internal fire, a hidden desire to not be calm.
That's why, when Caleb fell asleep on the ground, supported by the back of the couch, Tobias walked towards Beatrice. From that day on, they were inseparable.
Two years later, Beatrice Prior sat on the ground, side by side with her best friend, Tobias Eaton.
"Bea, will you marry me?" Tobias held her Beatrice's hand.
"Yes, Toby." She smiled.
"Then I promise to love you forever." And he felt his own lips curling into a huge smile.
Tobias had his back against a tree, while Beatrice was laying on the soft, green grass, with her head on his lap. He ran his fingers through her hair slowly, his free hand intertwined with hers. The only sound they could hear was the leaves against the wind in that afternoon. The sun was partly covered by the clouds and the leaves of the near trees, making only some points of sunlight touch Tobias and Tris. Not a single soul was near them in that moment, they were completely alone. Their eyes roamed over each other, memorizing each and every single characteristics.
Tomorrow was his Choosing Ceremony, they were enjoining their last minutes together. After all, they would be apart for two years.
"Bea, you know I will transfer tomorrow," Tobias whispers, afraid to break the comfortable silence.
"Don't remind me, Toby," she moves to sit on his lap, something a 14-year-old Abnegation girl shouldn't be doing. None of them care though. They had been secretly dating since he was 15 and she was 13. Beatrice threw her legs to his side and laid her head on his broad shoulder, hiding her face on the crook of his neck, her hands around his waist. He rest one hand on her legs and rubbed the girl's back with his other hand.
"I don't want to be without you. Actually, I don't think I can," he whispered the last part, closing his eyes.
"You have to leave. Two years is nothing," Beatrice said, trying to believe her own words. She knew those would be hard years for the both of them.
"I can't go to Dauntless. They believe in bravery and I'd join them to run away from my father," Tobias argued. He opened his eyes and stared at his girlfriend, to prove he was serious.
"Why does Marcus beat you, Tobias?" she asked, harshly.
Tobias didn't know why she asked that. She knew the answer. And he felt like a knife went through his chest, making it difficult for him to breathe.
"You know-"
"I know the answer. But tell me, please." Her voice was softer this time. She had a confuse logic in her hand, and, in order to explain, she needed him to concentrate.
"Marcus beats me when I do something wrong. It's a punishment," he sighs, closing his eyes. Recent memories flooded his mind and he shivered.
She hated the sight. She wanted – no, needed – to make him feel better.
"Exactly. You are the best person I know, Tobias, and I can't let you suffer because of me. I can't be reason you stay. I'm not worth it," her voice became unsteady and she began to shake. Her hands clanged to his grey clothes to keep him close and she buried her head on his chest. All she needed was him, and vice-versa.
"You are worth it. You are worth it to me," Tobias whispered and kissed Tris' hair.
She took a deep breath. "I need you to understand something, Toby," she raised her head and looked him straight in the eyes. "As you said, the Dauntless value bravery. Marcus doesn't want you to transfer, right?" she waited for him to nod to continue, "If you go to Dauntless, you will disobey his most absolute law. You'll be free from him. If you transfer, you'll perform the greatest act of bravery I have ever seen. You'll prove you belong there," she softly caressed his cheek.
His eyes welled up and a smile began to form on his lips.
"And when you do that, initiation shouldn't be hard to someone so brave," she kissed his chest, blushing. Tobias closed his eyes and sighed. "So courageous," a kiss to his neck, "So selfless," his jaw, "So intelligent," his ear lobe, "So kind," his cheek, lingering there for an extra moment, "So true," his forehead, " So perfect."
Then, finally, she kissed his lips.
It was slow, calm, reassuring. They were pronouncing their love for each other to the wind, to themselves, to each other, promising to never let that love die.
They departed only half and inch and touched their foreheads. Both of his eyes were still closed, they were heaving, sharing the air that concentrated between them.
"I'll miss you so much," he confessed.
"It will all be worth it. You said I'm worth it, remember?" she felt tears in her eyes once again. She laid her head on his chest, her tears wetting his shirt. "It sounds so long."
His embrace tightened around her, placing a kiss to the side of her head.
"We are two years apart. Yes, that whopping two-year gap really is insurmountable, isn't it?" he laughed. Beatrice rolled her eyes and enjoys the grave sound that is her boyfriend laughing.
"I'll miss you, too." She said.
It was his time wanting – no, needing – to make her feel better. He placed his hand on her cheek and pulled her face gently towards his. "I love you, Beatrice," and then he smashed his lips on hers.
He pulled away a few minutes later, resting his forehead on hers. They were both breathing heavily.
"Promise me to marry me when we meet again in Dauntless?" he entreated, still out of breath.
"Aren't we a little too young to get engaged?" she laughed shortly, still catching her breath.
"Age doesn't matter in Dauntless," he smirked against her mouth. And, somehow, she knew he had done that. "Plus, if we are going to keep our promises and get married, we have to start somewhere."
She laughed and pulled apart. They locked their eyes in each other's. "Right. I will marry you whenever you want, if," she pointed her index finger at him, "You promise to keep your part of the deal."
He smiled broadly.
Tobias placed one arm behind her knees and the other in her back, lifting her and settling her on the grass. He went down in one knee. He grabbed her small hand gently with his calloused ones.
"Beatrice Prior, I promise to love you forever. Not someone nor death shall destroy this love. Will you marry me, once we are settled in our next faction?"
A small tear falls from her eyes down her cheek. He caught it with his lips.
"Yes," she choked. "I will marry you." And their lips collided again.
Tobias, who was dressed in a black button up had his attention half on Zeke's words and half on Tris. Zeke was marrying Tobias and Tris, acting like a child on Christmas. Sweat collected in Tobias' warm, calloused hands.
His fiancé was looking stunning in her short, black, off shoulder, skater dress. Her blond hair was falling freely in loose curls around her head. Her mesmerizing, insistent eyes were painted with light black make up. Her soft lips were painted a pinkish gloss. And the raven necklace he got her during her first night at the new compound hanged around her neck. Her small, pale hands held the black roses, trembling slightly.
Their eyes scammed each other, memorizing every single detail about them. But when their gazes met, the rest of the world disappeared.
He couldn't stop looking to her eyes, stunned by her beauty.
She couldn't stop looking to his eyes, drowning in their warm sea.
"I present you: Four and Six!" Zeke announced, beaming. The roar of the Chasm loud, but Zeke spoke louder. It was Dauntless, after all. "You may now kiss the bride."
Tobias and Tris leaned at the very end of those words. Their lips touched lightly at first, their hands and fingers interlaced between them. Soon though, Tobias' hands moved to her waist, pulling his wife closer. And Tris' hands moved to his neck, pulling her husband closer.
"You may continue kissing the bride!" Zeke and the crowed laughed, but nor Tobias or Tris heard him. Or the crowed.
When they departed, they turned to the crowed of friends and family, all clothed in black.
"I kept my promise," Tris whispered in her husband's ear.
He smiled, "Now I will keep mine and love you forever."
"Sounds good to me," she smiled, "'Cause I'll do the same."
One more kiss before they go talk to their friends and family, all clothed in black as well.
Yes? No?
