Hey everybody! I just got back from a week-long mission trip in Tennessee, where I had no computer and no internet, so I'm giving you guys this super-long chapter to make up for lost time! It's not my best, but it's got some cute FourTris, and who doesn't love that? Anyway, be sure to let me know what you think! Thanks :) - Loopy

"I hope this is okay," Tobias told Tris, a bit nervous she wouldn't like the underrated restaurant he'd found. It was a combination of casual and formal, so their outfits were fine here, and they had excellent burgers, but he wanted everything to go perfectly.

Tris smiled as she looked around, taking the seat Tobias had pulled out for her. This place was dimly lit, and each table had its own little candle atop a navy blue cloth. "It's beautiful. Thank you, Tobias." And she meant it. This was wonderful.

Although, she was a bit confused by the venue. It was by the lake, and the view through their window was gorgeous, but this place seemed to be a seafood restaurant. She'd had crab before, long ago, and she'd loved it, but she hadn't indulged herself since she first moved to Chicago. And she'd specifically asked for a burger. But Tobias was with her, and it was obvious he was trying to make this special for her, so she was happy.

"Thank you, Tris. For saying yes." He grinned. The moment was interrupted by the waitress, who filled the glasses sitting on their table and took their drink order.

"Fancy," Tris commented, eyeing the wine glass in front of her that was now filled with water. Tobias chuckled at the way her nose scrunched. She picked up the cup and took a sip, nodding slightly. "Even tastes like it's rich." Tobias laughed fully at that, shaking his head slightly.

"Now, I'm sure you're wondering why I took you to a seafood place when you asked for a burger," he started, opening the menu in front of him. Tris smiled curiously.

"The thought had crossed my mind," she played along. He seemed to find what he'd been looking for, and he slid the menu in front of her, his finger on top of what seemed to be the only burger in the place.

Tris grinned. Half-pound. Kaiser roll. Covered in cheesy crab dip. "Oh my god. I love you." She said it lightly in the excitement of having this wonderful food. It took her a moment to realize what she'd just told him, since she'd only had Tori as a friend, and they always told each other they loved each other whenever one of them did something nice.

Tobias shook off the words, understanding they were simply spoken in the moment. He grinned, too, and eased over the slight awkwardness. "I thought you might enjoy it. My buddy, Zeke, took me here a couple years ago, and when you asked for a burger, this was what my mind instantly went to." He'd been looking at his hands, sure that if he looked in her eyes he wouldn't be able to focus on his words, but he gave in and lifted his head now, to find her staring at him with an incredulous expression. "What?"

"You have friends?" Her voice was so surprised, so disbelieving, Tobias couldn't hold back his laugh.

"Is that so hard to believe? I have a job, you know, and it would be boring as hell if I didn't talk to anyone there," he explained.

She still seemed thoroughly confused. He had the urge to plant a kiss on the crease between her eyebrows. "But…" she whispered, "You're an ass."

Tobias's grin widened. "So are my friends. It works nicely."

Tris had been joking, but she was also starting to realize how much about this man she didn't know. She'd been under the impression that she was his only friend, that she understood him more than anyone else - she wasn't sure why she'd thought that. It was so ridiculously naive, she suddenly felt very idiotic.

Tobias could see the shift in her demeanor, and she looked at if she'd been lied to. He didn't know why, but he thought it might have something to do with the idea of him having other friends, of acting toward them as he did toward her, and he wanted, needed her to know that she was special to him, that she knew him better than them.

Them, he thought, that's my first problem. "Well, my friend," he said, chuckling slightly. "Zeke. He works in the office with me." His eyes searched hers, and he could see she was returning to normal. He relaxed. "I'm not a very social person."

Tris smiled at that. It was clear to her when she met him that he had about as much experience with people as she did. "I know what you mean," she teased, and just like that their conversation fell back into its usual rhythm.

The waitress came back not too much longer, baring their drinks and writing down their food order. Tobias got the same burger Tris did.

"Oh my god," Tris repeated, staring wide-eyed at the delicacy in front of her. She'd never had a fancy burger before. It was a burger, for fuck's sake. Those weren't fancy.

But this one was, and she didn't realize until after she tried to pick it up and got crab dip all over her that she'd have to use the fork and knife she'd been given. Tobias laughed at her expression, handing her a napkin. "I know, it's kind of messy. Sorry about that."

Tris scowled at him. "You sound it," she grumbled, wiping at the cheesy on her shirt. If she'd been wearing her camisole, she could go to the bathroom and possibly salvage this top, but no. Poe had to be an asshole today.

Tobias grinned as she shot blue daggers at him. "So," he changed subjects, "why do you work every single day? I mean, even if you own the place, usually owners take a day off. You could even close the whole shop for a day." He waited for her response. He wanted to know everything about her.

Tris sighed. Tori had given her this lecture multiple times since they'd opened the place, and she didn't really like talking about the flaws in her nature, but this was Tobias. "My father didn't think I'd make it on my own. So I'm working my ass off to prove him wrong." Long story short. That would spare both of them.

Tobias stared. And stared. And stared, until Tris was ready to punch the look off his face, and then he started laughing. Hard. "You're so… fucking… spiteful," he gasped between laughs, clutching at his abdomen and grinning at Tris through crinkled eyes. She glared at him. Shrugged. He shook his head. "It's awesome." He'd never met someone so determined to make her own path, to go against what everyone else expected. It was astonishing to him, especially since he'd always followed what he was told to do. By Marcus, by Zeke. Hell, he was more than happy to be working under a boss, and here Tris was, opening up her own business so she wouldn't have to answer to anyone.

Tris felt her face flare. She didn't understand his reaction, but she didn't like having this much attention on her. She cleared her throat and took another bite of her burger. It was fucking delicious. "What about you? What made you want to work in an office?" she countered, knowing that the idea made her feel claustrophobic. But she was curious what he found appealing about it.

He shrugged a bit. "I, for one, have no problem taking orders. I do what I enjoy doing, and that's good enough for me." And it was true. He couldn't have been happier with where he was at in life. Zeke was a good friend to him, Will was an excellent boss, and now he was sitting on a date with the most fascinating girl he'd ever met.

Tris smiled at his explanation. She was glad he'd found his passion as she'd found hers, even if they were completely different in nature. "Oh. I thought it was because computer analysts are rich as shit," she teased. Tobias raised an eyebrow at her.

"Is that why you like me? For the money? I see how it is," he played along. He loved how natural it felt to talk to her, how he could be himself around her and not feel like he was being judged.

Tris's laugh was music to his ears. "I'm an artist, Tobias. Obviously, money is not a priority." Tobias laughed, too.

They spent the next two hours enjoying their burgers, their drinks, and most of all, each other's company. Tobias learned that Tris had a borderline-unhealthy obsession with Robert Downey Junior, and Tris learned Tobias had begun taking shooting lessons on a dare with Zeke. She begged him to take her along for one, and it didn't take much for him to agree. It was nice to think about the future again. He hadn't for a while.

"You guys ready for the check?" the waitress asked politely. This had been her third time around the table since they'd finished eating their meals, and they were starting to get the hint that they were annoying her with their lack of consideration for possible other customers.

Tris was about to nod, but Tobias surprised her by speaking to the woman. "Could we actually get two slices of the raspberry rum cake to go, first? And then you can bring me the check," he grinned at Tris at the last line, holding back a laugh at the murderous expression on her face. They'd already had the whose-check-it-is discussion, and Tris had thought her win on that was pretty obvious.

Obviously not.

"What the fuck, Tobias?" she said once the waitress left their table. Tobias shrugged, a look of feigned innocence on his face.

"I'm sorry. I'll eat yours if you don't want it." Tris scowled. He knew this wasn't about the cake, but she couldn't hold back her smirk at his expression. He was adorable.

"Like hell you will," she grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. Tobias's eyes followed her bare shoulders with the movement, and then headed back to her face. Focus. They got caught on her collarbone, on the three ravens there, and with the urge to press his lips against them came a memory, of when he first saw her at her house today.

"Hey," he shifted topics, as if remembering something. Tris watched him expectantly. He looked lost in thought, his brows low over his dark irises. "You have a back tattoo, right? I saw it when I came to pick you up." Tris felt her face heat up. She nodded, hesitantly. There was actually more than one on her back, but she knew which one was visible with this shirt. "What does it mean?" His smile was contagious.

His eyes were glued to her skin as she turned in her chair, exposing her right shoulder and back to him. He now noticed the start of the floral tattoo, wrapped around the same bravery symbol he had on him. She spoke, still facing away from him, and his gaze traced the vines trailing beneath her shirt, the roses entwined within them. "It represents who I've become. Growing into a better person, a respectable person, using the bravery I've been working hard to have." She shrugged and turned back around.

Tris loved the rose work Tori had done on her, but it was nothing compared to how she felt about the one around her right wrist. She held it out for him to see. There was something surreal about sharing this with him, sharing herself with him.

But he didn't get a chance to look at it, as the waitress returned with two boxes and the check. Tobias shot Tris an apologetic look as he handed the woman his card inside the folder, but he put up his index finger, as if postponing their conversation. She couldn't help but smile.

Tobias's Buick was a lot like him. It was warm, with welcoming fabric seats and a smell that resembled his with a touch of pine. She had to admit she liked it. A lot. The radio played softly between them as he drove silently to her house. It wasn't that far of a drive, only about twenty minutes. Tris wondered what he was thinking. She didn't know if he'd come in when they got back to her place, but she had a feeling he would, considering he'd silenced her at the restaurant.

Tobias glanced over at Tris. He'd been feeling her gaze boring into the side of his head for a few moments now, and he wanted to know what she was thinking. He smiled at her briefly before turning back to the road. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Tris didn't even hesitate. "Make it a twenty, and you've got yourself a deal." He laughed. She really was something else.

"I bought you food," he retorted, sticking his chin up a bit as if that gave him some sort of power. Now it was Tris's turn to chuckle.

"True," she relented, "I wasn't thinking much. Just wondering if you were going to be coming in when we get there."

Tobias looked at her again, a bit surprised. He'd spent too much time with Zeke to stop his mind from thinking what it wanted right now, but his friend hadn't completely ruined him, so he spoke what he thought would be a good response. "Yeah. That's why I got the cake to go," he explained. "If that's okay with you, I mean."

Tris nodded with a smile, and they fell back into a comfortable silence.

Poe was awaiting their arrival. He was lying on the couch when they stumbled in, his head perking up a bit at the sight of them holding hands and laughing. He liked seeing her happy, and he liked even more the fact that Tobias was making her happy.

"Hey, Poe," Tobias said easily, crouching down and greeting the dog, rubbing his ears and even kissing his snout. Poe grunted in return. His tail was wagging.

Tris stared, incredulous. Poe's affection toward Tobias was obvious, but she wouldn't say anything about him liking Tobias more. She knew how much her dog cared about her. But she couldn't help herself from shaking her head at them on her way to the kitchen. "Fucking traitor," she mumbled, slipping off her shoes.

Tobias followed, stepping out of his own in the process. He laughed at her words. "Jealous much?" His grin widened when she turned around and raised an incredulous eyebrow at him, reaching into a cabinet and pulling out two plates. "It's not my fault your dog has impeccable taste."

Tris scowled at him, but she wasn't really upset. To be honest, this was the happiest she'd felt since she'd brought Poe home for the first time. Everything with Tobias was easy, light. It felt right. "I didn't have to let you back in my house," she deadpanned. She was walking toward the table, but once the plates were set, Tobias put the boxes on the table and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Oh, come on. You're having a good time," he teased, though a part of him couldn't help but be nervous. Tris was the most important person to him, the most important anything. He didn't want to mess this up, to scare her away. To his tremendous relief, she rolled her eyes and smirked.

"I suppose I am." And with that, she pressed her lips to his. Their mouths moved together slowly, languidly, passionately, both of them pouring out the emotions they'd been swimming in all night. There was an electricity buzzing through them, shocking between their bodies, and Tobias couldn't help his arms from tightening around her. She felt so good pressed against him.

He pulled back first, gently untangling himself from her and brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. His breath caught at the brightness of her blue eyes. Challenging. Beautiful. His hands were gripping her hips, and hers were wrapped around his neck.

"Thank you, Tobias," she whispered, and she could see the surprise in his ocean eyes. Surely he hadn't been thinking this was going poorly… right? Of course she'd be grateful; she hadn't been shown this kind of care in a long time. People didn't usually get to know her, listen to her problems. Even Tori only knew part of her story. But something about Tobias made her want to spill her every secret, to break down her walls for him.

"You're certainly welcome," he replied, and his grin was so genuine, his eyes so loving, that Tris leaned in again. This kiss was stronger, more hungry, and she found herself quickly consumed and overwhelmed by him in the most intense of ways. It threatened to tear her apart and pull her together all at once, and she wasn't ready for losing too much control right now, but she had to admit it felt good. She caught his bottom lip between her teeth as she pulled away only far enough to speak.

"I believe there is cake to be had," she grinned, and Tobias knew this is what he wanted. He'd been falling hard and fast, and there was no denying his feelings for her. Beatrice Prior was the most amazing woman he'd ever met, and the rest of that night, spent watching movies and talking and laughing and kissing, only solidified that fact for him.