Background: Four was going to be an absolute asshole to Tris between Harrison coming down on them and her passing the loyalty test. Why? Because he's still angry and hurt, and he has daily reminders due to the lack of functionality in his hand. It's a little bit of misplaced anger combined with the fact that they can't have a real relationship to sort it out. This would be somewhat but not entirely relieved by her passing the loyalty test and getting one step closer to back into Dauntless.
Why unused: I wanted to soften Four a little to stay true to the 'moth and the light' analogy Amar used, that he gets sucked in quick and almost to a fault. So being a complete prick about it didn't make sense if he's going to let her slide without requiring explanation.
Unedited and no beta on these unused scenes.
Training with Tobias was harder than being trained by Four. Tris' instinct was to lock step, keep pace, carry on and keep up. In initiation, her comparison was to other transfers that were as ill suited to the exercises as herself. Tobias had to slow himself up, trot next to her, try to prod her on before he'd eventually give up and sprint ahead.
Watching him in his routines was almost as exhausting as following his directions. She understood why he was ranked first in his initiation. He was precise, fast, driven, and stubborn. She also understood better why he was given a wide birth in the hallways. His temper bubbled just below the repetitions. And he definitely lied about being nicer.
The frustration of not being the best — not being as capable as he use to be — made him quick to burst. When his hand ached from push ups or stung like a fresh wound on the punching bag, he immediately cursed her. It made him punch harder, run longer, push more but it never made him feel any less irritated at what had happened to him because of her. Any day but landscape days, he could hold it in check. He only did his sim practice on days she wasn't training.
On landscape days, it was more than just the punching bags that got in his way. He tongue lash kids for lazing around the drinking fountain. He threw hits harder when sparring than he should have. He was running out of people willing to take his abuse.
When he was sweat slicked and shaking, avoiding Amar's glance as he exited, the last face he though he'd see was Tris'. But she was waiting for him at the entrance to the training room.
"Hey, I finished work early. Thought I'd get in extra reps." She tried a smile. In reality, she was desperate to gain some approval from him. He'd been less and less satisfied with her, more degrading, more demanding, and she thought a little extra effort might turn him back in her favor.
He looked at her, wide-eyed and a little crazed. "Sync up with Amar and the wipes." He stated, heading into the locker room without a second glance.
She did as she was told, joining in with Amar's training group for combat exercises. She kept a side eye on Tobias as he moved through the facility griping, critiquing, and scolding. Despite being with Amar, even Tris wasn't immune, getting harsh-barked orders and chastising encouragement for her failing effort against a much larger man.
For Tris seeing the rigid and absolute standard Tobias pushed himself toward could actually make a shock of apprehension course through her. She'd cringe when he lost traction or his grip failed him, each slip never warranted his reaction. His face would dart away from the onlooking gaze of the other members. While each person seemed to think nothing of his mistakes, he treated their disinterested looks like judgments.
She hadn't yet gotten in his way during one of his many stomping sessions, and she didn't plan on intervening. She'd seen him angry in Christina's apartment, like a caged animal on his way out; seeing him frustrated with himself was like watching an animal in a trap tear its own arm off.
Only when he was showered and tattered did it seem to leave him. Only when they were in the quiet mumbles of just him and her, was he even happy to see her, but never offering a smile. They'd stood outside, waiting for the train, his arms clutched around his center. Like usual, he said nothing at first, but mumbled an apology for how he snapped just before the train arrived.
The first week, he would casually direct her around with his hand on the small of her back or a tap on her harm. The small little ways she knew he only used to touch her. But the second, he met her at the entrance and silently walked her through the halls, always in front of her. The little touches gone, the small smiles replaced by focused eyes. She assumed he was keeping his distance to save himself any pain if she quit.
But when she showed up on the third Monday, again, to train, he was just as distant as he was on the following Friday and four weeks in, when they stood silently by the train tracks, he didn't even tell her he passed his landscape and regained his membership. She heard it from Zeke earlier.
"So, congratulations." She tried, smiling and holding out her hand for a Dauntless handshake. A handshake seemed innocuous, but he just stared at her palm and thanked her quietly.
"I do the loyalty check this week." She informed him.
"I know." He said simply.
"Okay." She gave up, stepping away to get on the train feeling defeated. With some distance between them, she turned her focus to Christina who would be waiting in the city center.