Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for moderate violence, language, and sexual themes. Please review; I'd love to read your feedback.

Chapter 6: Flare

Nina sat beside the entrance to the tattoo shop, her back against the cool cavern wall. In her lap was a sketch pad, already half-filled with doodles and tattoo ideas, that Sonya had given her the night before. Children in Amity had always been encouraged to pursue creative talents, and Nina had taken after her father's artistic abilities; she was particularly gifted at drawing. She hadn't yet given much thought to what career she might be selected for in Dauntless, because she'd been so consumed by training, but she knew there were a limited amount of options. She briefly wondered if she might be given the role of tattoo artist, a career she'd much prefer over being a guard on the fence, which was the most common job. She jumped up to greet Sonya when she heard her familiar footsteps approaching.

"Eager, aren't you?" Sonya teased as she unlocked the shop. Nina followed her to her workbench, where Sonya cleared off some junk and began to line up different tools and devices that Nina didn't recognize.

Sonya began by going over the names for all the tools commonly used and explained how each device worked. She explained how the different needle tips and inks could produce varying results, and how it was important to safely use the devices to achieve the client's desired outcome. The brief lecture was interspersed with Nina's frequent questions and comments.

Sonya patted the client chair and motioned for Nina to sit. "Now, my first rule is that you're not allowed to tattoo anyone until you've been tattooed yourself. You can't dish out the pain if you can't take it," she winked. "I'm going to demonstrate a few different strategies by occasionally changing out my needle heads and inks. Try to follow along."

Nina nodded excitedly. "What are you going to tattoo?"

Sonya smirked and used a damp wipe to clean the surface of Nina's upper thigh. "You'll see, kitty cat." She showed her how to properly secure a needle inside a tattoo machine, then disassembled it so that Nina could practice. Then she dipped the end of the needle into a well of jet black ink and brought the needle to Nina's leg.

Nina exhaled sharply as the needle hit her skin but found that the stinging pain was bearable. Sonya traced the needle skillfully, using a cloth to periodically wipe away blood. Nina watched carefully at the way Sonya held her hand steady and confidently drew out soft lines with the ink. The smooth curves began to shape the outline of a roaring wildcat. When the basic outline was complete, Sonya made Nina change the needle head for a fresh one as she filled new wells with colored inks. Sonya expertly filled in the outline of the cat with a golden hue and colored its eyes using a deep brown and a piercing emerald color. "Just like yours," Sonya winked, briefly looking up into Nina's hazel eyes.

The skin on Nina's thigh was raw and tender when the tattoo was complete, but she was pleased. The wildcat was fierce and deadly. "I love it, Sonya." She went to trace the tattoo with her finger, but Sonya slapped her hand away and wrapped Nina's leg with gauze. "You need to leave this on for a couple of hours then wash regularly with soap and water." She dug through her messy cabinet and pulled out a bottle of cream that would help expedite the healing process.

"Your turn now," said Sonya. "And don't even think about practicing on me. I'll see about that when I see how well you can tattoo yourself."

Nina stuck her tongue out at Sonya and prepared the tattoo machine with a new needle. She kicked off her left shoe and disinfected the top of her foot with a cleansing wipe. Nerves fluttered in her stomach as she slowly brought the black ink to her skin. 'Be confident. You can do this.' She bit her bottom lip and concentrated on tracing the soft, rounded lines of a fat apple.

"You're doing really well," commented Sonya as she handed Nina a small cloth. "Remember to regularly wipe away blood and runny ink."

Nina did as she was told and smiled when she finished the outline of the apple. She dipped a new needle into a ruby ink and began to fill in the apple with color. She used white color to add shine to the apple and the same emerald ink as before for the leaf on the stem. The device trembled slightly due to Nina's nerves, but she focused on keeping her hand steady. When she was finished, she wiped away the excess ink and trickles of blood, then admired her work.

The apple looked firm, full, and bright. She could almost taste the crispy sweetness of a freshly picked apple, and her mouth watered. "What do you think?" she asked Sonya shyly.

Sonya smiled and patted Nina's arm. "I think you're a natural talent."

Nina spent most of the day in the tattoo shop, watching Sonya tattoo and pierce her clients. One client was even brave enough to let Nina pierce his ear. In the early afternoon, Eric came in and requested a new tattoo on his left hand. He didn't speak with Nina but she often felt his gaze on her face, on her body, on her new tattoo. It made her feel warm and she tried to concentrate on watching Sonya's needle move back and forth on his skin. When he left, she visibly relaxed and let out a sigh of relief. Sonya gave her a knowing look, "You know, kitty cat, Initiate-Trainer relationships are not allowed."

Nina blushed. "Um, ok…?"

Sonya quirked up her eyebrow and nodded at Eric's retreating form. "Don't act dumb, you know exactly who I'm talking about."

"There's nothing going on between me and Eric," snapped Nina, a blush coloring her cheeks.

"Meow," smirked Sonya. "You sure are getting defensive." Nina huffed, which only made Sonya laugh.

Nina wasn't allowed to tattoo paying clients yet but Maddie and Amir insisted on receiving tattoos from her anyways. She noticed that Maddie and Amir were holding hands when they entered the shop, and a mixture of happiness and misplaced jealousy washed over her.

Maddie sat down and grinned widely up at Nina. "You choose."

Nina looked thoughtfully at her best friend, trying to think of a tattoo that would suit her. It was her first tattoo, her first real tattoo, and she wanted it to be meaningful. She thought of their childhood days, spent scampering up tree branches and munching on tart apples until their tummies were distended with the fruit. She thought of the heart they'd carved into the tree bark together, the smell of a delicious apple, the sound of leaves being rustled by a cool breeze.

She gently pulled off Maddie's shoe and brought the needle to the top of her left foot. She used hues of green and yellow to tattoo the foliage, and deep, warm brown for the bark. She chose the same ruby red to color in plump apples and occasionally used a cloth to wipe away the bright blend of blood and ink. In the bark, she etched in a tiny heart using a fine needle and dark ink.

When she was done, Maddie shot her a warm smile. "It's beautiful, thank you." Nina squeezed her best friend's hand. "Friends for life, remember?"

Amir plopped down on the stool next and rolled up his black sleeve. "Do your worst."

Nina playfully punched his arm. "Don't you trust me?"

He winked. "Not in the slightest."

Nina scowled and contemplated giving him a butterfly tattoo out of spite, but instead chose one that would commemorate the first time they'd met.

"Hold on, can you go over the last two again?" asked Amir.

Sonya reached out and lightly smacked his arm. "Pay attention this time!"

Nina was sitting on the floor in the Pit. She was part of a circle consisting of Maddie, Amir, Q, Sonya and two of her friends: twins that were named Tommy and Timmy. Nina, in an intoxicated haze, kept confusing the one with the other, but found that they often ended each other's sentences anyways.

Sonya went over the rules to the card game for a third time as Amir attempted to listen. Nina watched as Maddie lightly ran her fingers up and down the boy's back. She chuckled, knowing the reason why the boy found it so difficult to concentrate. The skin on his right arm, where she earlier had tattooed train tracks, was covered in a light gauze.

Sonya finished repeating the rules and began to distribute cards. "Hold on," stated Nina. "I didn't catch any of that."

Sonya glared playfully. "That's because you're piss-ass drunk."

Nina winked and took a swig from her bottle. "I think I'll just watch you suckers play tonight."

"Oh, come on!" pouted Maddie. "Play with us, Nina!"

She pointed her finger accusingly at the girl. "You only want me to play because I'm terrible at games!"

Maddie laughed and nodded, clinking her bottle against Nina's. She took another sip of the rich liquid and drank in her surroundings. The chilly, damp air of the cave. The shadows that danced beneath lit torches. The sounds of laughter and banter from her friends. This was home.

Content, Nina lay down on the cool cavern floor, her head strewn in Maddie's lap. She threw her arms around her middle and hugged her tightly.

"Oh, goodness," teased Maddie. "I forgot how touchy-feely you get when you drink." She rearranged her cards in one hand and used her other to lightly play with Nina's long hair. She purred and listened as her friends taunted one another. The game involved drinking, so the group progressively became more and more intoxicated.

Someone's hand brushed the top of her new tattoo of the growling wildcat. She looked up to see that it was Tommy. 'Or Timmy? Same difference.' His eyes were heavy with intoxicated lust. "Sweet tat. What does it mean?" He ran his finger over the sharp canines of the cat, leaving Nina's skin scalding. She shot him a weak, flirtatious smile, and wondered why she wasn't enjoying his attention as much as she normally would have. But then she thought of Eric, imagining him touching her tattoo, which made her mentally kick herself for thinking of him at all.

Sonya cut in. "It means she will rip your fucking head off, so you better leave her the fuck alone." The group roared with laughter, and Tommy/Timmy pulled his hand away, with a fake pout. He shot Nina a mischievous wink.

Q won the first round and grinned slyly. Nina sat up and high-fived him. "Nice work, Q!" Nina wondered if he would ever bestow her with his voice. She leaned her heavy head against his shoulder and opened a new bottle, taking a thick swig. Sonya shuffled the cards and the group started a new round. She tried to pay attention but soon gave up, her mind too clouded to understand the intricate rules and the fast pace of the game.

Her eyes skirted the pit, subconsciously looking for him. He was standing in a far corner with his friends, his posture more relaxed than she'd ever seen. His strong jaw was softened by the genuine smile on his face. The glow in the cavern bounced off the metallic ring on his lips. She admired the way his black shirt clung to tightly his skin and drank in the hard lines of his muscles.

She forced herself to look away. 'Goddamnit, I am horny,' she thought.

Maddie clapped her hand over Nina's mouth and the group laughed. "Nina has no filter when she's drunk."

"Oops. Did I really say that out loud?" She blushed fiercely.

"Yes, unfortunately for you, though I can't deny being amused. Time to go, my dear!" Maddie pulled her up and held her steady as she wobbled. "Say bye, Nina."

Nina grinned sheepishly and waved goodbye to her friends. They woof-whistled her and Sonya jokingly slapped her in the ass. Amir tucked his arm around her to help keep her upright.

Tommy/Timmy jumped to his feet. "Need my help?"

Nina snapped at him. "No thanks, lover boy." Her tongue felt heavy and her limbs felt like jello. Sonya laughed and punched him lightly in the arm, "I told you to leave her alone!"

Nina walked slowly across the Pit with the help of her two friends. As they passed closely by Eric and his friends, she noticed that he glared at Amir, who had an arm wrapped around her for balance. Then his gaze moved to her, his eyes dark and indecipherable. 'Is that passion? Indifference? Hatred?' The possibilities made Nina's head swirl, and she grabbed tightly to Amir for stability. He and Maddie guided her to the dormitory bathroom, where she knelt beside a toilet and tried to ignore the putrid stench.

She put her head in her hands. "God, I am so embarrassed." Her words came out heavy and slurred.

"Aw, don't worry about it, Nina. We all say stupid things when we're drunk." Amir rubbed her back soothingly and Maddie handed her a bottle of water.

She pouted. "I'm never gonna drink again."

Maddie snorted. "Yea, like I haven't heard that one before." Nina shot her the finger but giggled. Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit her, and she retched into the toilet, her body forcefully expelling the toxic liquid. She moaned, leaning her cheek against the cool porcelain, and waited a few moments to see if she would be sick again. When her stomach had calmed down, she uncapped the water bottle, rinsed her mouth, and took satisfying sips of the cool liquid. 'Ah, water. Water is my friend.'

Maddie shooed Amir away and handed Nina a towel and her toiletry bag. Nina stood under the warm water for several minutes, letting the heat relax her tense shoulders. She was starting to feel much better, though she was sure she'd have a terrible headache in the morning. "So, Maddie," she asked, peeking her head around the corner to make sure they were alone, "you and Amir?"

A genuine smile warmed her face. "Yeah, I really like him. We just click, you know what I mean?"

"Well, I don't really know what you mean, but it's obvious he's crazy about you." Nina hesitated and took a minute to sort her thoughts as she brushed her teeth. She spit out her toothpaste, letting it run down the shower drain, before continuing. "Is it scary? You know, falling for someone?"

"Oh, Nina," sighed her friend. "I don't know how you manage to be simultaneously the bravest and silliest person I know. No, it's not scary at all. It just feels right. You'll see what I mean someday."

"We'll see about that. I can't allow romance or desire to cloud my judgement... I can't risk losing control of myself, especially during training."

"Wow, thanks for the confidence. I didn't realize that having a boyfriend 'clouded my judgement' or made me 'lose control.'" Maddie huffed and glared at Nina.

Nina quickly turned the water off and wrapped herself in a towel. 'I need to learn to think before I speak,' she cursed herself. "Maddie, I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean it that way."

Maddie rolled her eyes. "I know. It's just really frustrating to hear you say something like that because you really don't know what you're talking about. You don't have any experience with-"

Nina turned red and cut her off. "I do too have experience-"

"I don't mean sexual experience, Nina, I mean romantic experience. You've always been too scared to-"

"I'm not scared of anything!" she snapped, trying to keep her voice down so it wouldn't echo so loudly in the quiet shower room.

"Stop cutting me off! You always do this, Nina," Maddie retorted. "You get so defensive and you refuse to listen to what anyone has to say to you because god forbid you be wrong about anything."

Nina shifted uncomfortably and looked away. Maddie continued, "I'm your best friend. Stop acting like I'm attacking you. I love you, and I just want to the best for you. I'm not saying you need to throw yourself at any man that gives you his attention, I'm just saying that you shouldn't be scared of falling in love. What are you so scared of, anyways? You're in Dauntless."

Nina shrugged. "I don't know… I guess you're right…" Maddie glared. "Fine, I know you're right. I don't know why I'm scared. It just seems so, so… pointless to me."

Maddie threw her hands up, exasperated. "It's not pointless. It's amazing. To have someone who loves you and respects you and appreciates you for who you are…"

Nina shot her a lopsided grin. "Now you're getting all mushy."

Maddie jabbed her in the side. "Anyways, just think about it sometime."

Nina laughed. "Oh, I will. In fact, I'll ask Tommy or Timmy or whoever-the-fuck on a date tomorrow, just for you." She followed her friend out of the showers into the dormitory.

Maddie lowered her voice as they walked by some of the sleeping initiates. "Ew, not him."

Nina also whispered. "What!? What's wrong with him? You just told me to be more open to all this lovey-dovey crap. Plus he's pretty cute, you gotta admit."

"I meant with someone who likes you for your personality, not someone who just wants to jump in bed with you." Maddie rolled her eyes. "Anyways, I had someone else in mind," she winked. When she saw Nina's look of confusion she giggled. "Girl, you are so clueless."

When they reached their bunk, Maddie abruptly stopped, causing Nina to collide with her back. "Oh, hell."

Nina's jaw dropped when she saw what had shocked her friend. The mattress that Nina slept on nightly was missing, replaced by a single note with writing identical to the one left by the shoe-thief.

"Your mattress is at the bottom of the chasm. Where you belong."

I genuinely take your reviews to heart and use your feedback to improve my writing. So if there's something you loved or hated about this chapter, please don't hesitate to let me know!