Hey guys! So, up to this point I've had lots of free time to write and stuff, so I've been trying to cram as many chapters as possible. That's to make up for the fact that updates from here on out may not come as often. I'm working at my church's VBS all week, and I'll have free time in the mornings, but next week I'm going on a mission trip, then the week after that I'm going to camp, and then my house will be chaotic as we all prepare for my sister's wedding. I'll probably spend the next couple of days writing as much as possible, and then saving those chapters to post when I don't have a chance to write. So just a warning, there probably won't be any more days filled with updates :( But I promise to keep writing this story, and to update at least twice a week unless I absolutely can't. Thank you so much for understanding!
This chapter is a bit short, since it's just finishing up this scene. Hope you enjoy it anyway! - Loopy
"Tris…" Tobias heard the man's voice, and though it sounded hatefully familiar, he couldn't quite put a face to it. He pushed away from the wall he was leaning against, opting to stand up tall, squaring his shoulders. Defensive by instinct.
Hearing her nickname come from this bastard's mouth made her stomach whirl. He had no right to come here this late and call her that, as if they were friends, as if they ever had been.
"Beatrice," she gritted out, automatically rejecting this man and all he stood for. Tobias had been able to distract her, but seeing Al here made her realize she wouldn't be able to forget any time soon, wouldn't be able to avoid how horrible a person she was…
She hated feeling like that, so out of control, and she detested that this lowlife was able to make her feel that way.
Tobias couldn't see Tris's expression, but he could hear the hatred in her voice, see the way her hand on the door was slowly starting to tremble, and he abruptly understood who was standing in front of her right now, and he felt his blood begin to boil.
"Beatrice," Al tried again, sighing now as if this was so troubling to him. He wouldn't meet her eyes. "I'm so sorry, I-"
But Tris wasn't in the doorway anymore. And the man in front of him was huge. Al's gaze traveled up his rippling biceps, which were flexed across his chest in a menacing way. He also noticed his lack of a shirt, which made him feel even worse about Tris.
Tobias fixed the hardest glare he could muster on this coward before him, this ignorant thing who obviously was too selfish to even consider the existence of other people. He remained silent, and he felt a wave of satisfaction about the evident fear in Al's eyes. There were no words spoken, until Al was dumb enough to break the tense silence.
"Look, I'm here to speak to Tris-" Tobias took a step toward him, squaring his shoulders even more and puffing his chest out. He leaned in close to Albert's face, using every ounce of self control he had to keep his hands gripping his own arms instead of wrapping around this guy's throat.
"I don't give a fuck why you're here." His words were quiet, slow. Intimidating.
Tris felt a shiver run down her spine. Not from fear, not at all. More surprise, more satisfaction. Something about seeing Tobias act like this on her behalf was…. Jesus.
But she could fight her own fights, and Tobias knew this, so he stepped aside without question when she came up next to him. Still, he couldn't keep his hand from pressing into the small of her back, claiming her, calming her. A jolt ran through his body at the contact, and it kept him level.
"Get out of here, Albert," she said flatly, back to her usual, brave self. Tobias was proud of her, acting confident and unaffected even though she was hurting on the inside. That was bravery.
He scowled at them both, his eyes gleaming with hurt, and when Poe came up beside them, huge and frowning, it convinced him to leave.
Tris slumped as his Mercedes left her driveway. That was more exhausting than anything else she'd ever gone through, and that was saying something. Tobias supported her weight, his expression softening despite the anger still coursing through him. Being alone with Tris again had an almost instant effect, though, and he felt himself returning to normal. He was supposed to be here for her, after all, and the cold, cruel Tobias was not going to help.
Poe sauntered back inside as soon as he could, heading straight for the couch. Once he was settled there, Tobias sighed. Tris was obviously tired, and he wanted her to be able to sleep as peacefully as she had earlier, as she had at the shop all those weeks ago. But now he didn't have anywhere to lay her down.
Tris forced herself away from Tobias to put away the burgers and wine. They had made her feel better, as his presence had, but she was too tired now to think much about it. Plus, she was starting to become aware of how often she stared at Tobias, how frequently she craved his touch. And she needed to get herself under control. The few seconds of alone time would be enough to clear her head.
But the lack of his presence, even if he was just in the other room, made her feel worse.
Tobias moved to lean against the opening that led to the kitchen. He watched Tris's precise movements, the way she easily moved around the room. She was clear, confident, beautiful. And she was distracted. He glanced at the watch around his wrist, and with the movement realized he was still shirtless. As he moved past her to grab his shirt, he hoped he hadn't been making her uncomfortable.
He finished checking the time. Shit… He'd been here for three and a half hours; it was nearly eight-thirty. Of course she was distracted.
Tris had finished putting everything away, and she simply watched Tobias. He slid his shirt over his head and checked his watch; she wondered vaguely what time it was. She hadn't looked at a clock all day.
Tobias lifted his sapphire eyes to meet hers. Her breath caught at their intensity. "I should probably get going," he said slowly, and she felt a sudden, harsh, completely irrational surge of fear pulse through her body. She stepped toward him and spoke, almost desperately.
"Stay here." She placed her hand on his forearm, and it flinched under her touch. He stared at her skin against his, eventually processed her words, and swallowed, his gaze slowly drifting back up to hers.
How could he say no to that?
He picked her up, scooped her into his arms, laughing as she squealed, startled. She watched the path ahead of them with wide eyes, pointing him in the direction of her bedroom as he asked her.
Her room was a light blue color, as the rest of the walls in the house seemed to be. But instead of the off-white carpet he'd been walking across, he was now standing on a dark blue checkered one. There weren't many things in the room. Bed in the back left corner, couch on the bottom right - he assumed that was Poe's - desk in back right, dresser to his left.
There was a panic flushing through Tris. When she'd asked him to stay, she hadn't meant to imply that, but he was carrying her to her bed, and she didn't know what to do, so she fearfully stayed quiet.
But Tobias laid her down gently on her pillows, pulling her purple covers over her. She should have known he wouldn't do anything she wasn't comfortable with. He'd been nothing but a gentleman this entire time, hadn't he? Cheering her up and feeding her and letting her rest and not minding that she'd bailed on his appointment, even though she knew he had to take off work for that. She wasn't entirely sure what he did for a living, since he didn't talk about it much, but she now guessed it had something to do with computers.
The moment her body was splayed out and relaxed, she felt the exhaustion come rushing back. It was an effort to keep her eyes open long enough to see him crawl into the other side of her bed.
Tobias could feel the heat radiating off of her body, even though he wasn't touching her. He simply lie there on his side, watching her eyes slowly drifting closed. "Tobias…" she whispered, almost a protest, but he quietly shushed her.
"Sleep, Tris. It's okay. I'll fight off the nightmares if they come."
Tris couldn't help her tired grin at that, even though her eyes were now closed. She never told him she'd been having nightmares. He just knew. "With what?" Her voice was scratchy, half-asleep.
Tobias grinned, too, even though Tris couldn't see him. "My bare hands, obviously."
And his smile stayed there, as Tris's arm moved to wrap around his waist, and she pulled herself into his side, her head resting in the crook of his shoulder, and he allowed sleep to consume him, too.
