Please mind the chapter title! This one is Challenge IV, a Fourtris story with some Eris. It is AU and more details are at the bottom.
Eric POV
"Let's just see how she takes it!"
I look at Max one more time before I leave his office and head over to Tris'. I don't bother knocking, we stopped that habit long ago, and when I see that she is alone I turn and lock the door.
"Eric?"
"We need to talk," I start and she nods, standing up and taking off her boots.
"Shoes off," Tris demands, and I kick mine off where I stand.
"The issue with people disappearing in the forest surrounding Amity is getting worse," I start.
Tris takes her shirt off and I follow suit.
"Now a whole settlement where loggers and a few others live year round is not responding. Johanna says it is as if they don't exist anymore…" I trail off when Tris' hands open my fly before she pushes the fabric down. "Trucks can't get through and I have no idea how they get the logs out," I admit while stepping out of my jeans.
"She wants us to come and investigate," Tris asks while I help her take her own pants off.
"She requested you," I state.
"Okay," she drawls, running her hands over my chest. "That's not a problem."
"She came prepared with a list of people or things she wants," I warn, hoping Tris will get that this is the real issue at hand and the reason we need to talk.
"She wants surveillance experts living up to certain criteria and there are only a few that fit the bill. Four is on the top of that list and by the looks of it you will be taking the whole lot of them with you."
Tris freezes, just as I expected. I pull her close and she snuggles into me while I rub her arms and back.
Tris POV
"We need to talk!"
I smile at Tobias when he rushes into my apartment. I was about to go and find him, leaving his bed this morning was not something I wanted to do and I would love nothing more than for him to move in with me…
"This is not what I expected. It seems we do have different expectations for the future and I don't see a way forward."
I stare at Tobias disbelievingly.
"We had sex," I blurt out the first thing that comes to my mind.
"And I was the only one enjoying myself," he states with conviction.
"It was my first time," I protest, feeling like I need to defend myself.
"And it sucked!"
I rear back upon hearing his blunt statement.
"We are over Tris. We are not compatible and it would be best to stay far away from each other."
With that said, Tobias turns around and leaves me standing alone in my now cold and empty leadership apartment. Little did I know this would be the last time I would see him in a private setting.
Eventually Eric's soothing embrace registers with me and I burrow my face into his chest. I hate these flashbacks and the feelings of inadequacy that come with them. Eric was the one who managed to drag me back out of the pit of darkness I suddenly found myself at the bottom of and has been my number one supporter ever since.
Kissing my way up his chest and throat, I stretch my arms and pull his head closer. His lips find mine and our bodies move in sync. Eric knows my body like the back of his hand but this time he is holding back, making sure I tell him what I want.
"I need you," I moan, and Eric hoist me up, moving us to the far side of the office, my favourite spot.
Pushing my back against the wall he rubs his erection against my cotton covered folds over and over again until I feel like I am going mad.
"Please," I beg.
Eric doesn't waste time pushing his boxers down and ripping my panties.
Seconds later he is buried deep inside and we both moan in pleasure.
"I need it hard and fast. I need to feel," I groan.
Eric wouldn't be Eric if he didn't deliver. He rams into me almost viciously, my back taking a beating by being slammed against the wall. The pain makes me feel alive and the pleasure I receive from Eric's pistoning hips makes me see stars.
"Ungh," I moan when I am pushed over the edge.
Eric grunts a few more times, pushing deeper and deeper into me with slightly slower strokes before he, too, finds release.
Both of us are breathing hard, sweat covering our bodies, but I finally feel at peace with myself again.
"I need a shower," Eric groans.
"My apartment," I ask.
Eric looks at me for the longest time.
"Sure!"
Eric POV
I wake up the next morning to Tris sliding down on my dick, bringing me to orgasm before I am fully awake.
After yet another shower, and while sitting down for breakfast, I breech the topic of Tris leading a group into Amity again.
"I know, Eric. Okay? I just needed a bit of time to come to terms with it. I will be okay taking him along," she promises.
"I will be here, picking up the pieces if you need me to," I promise. "But Tris," I warn, waiting patiently until she looks at me. "If things have changed, no regrets," I urge.
"Are you kidding me?! Hell will freeze over and pigs learn how to fly first," she screeches.
I'll leave her to her illusions. Having eyes and ears as well as a working brain I know about all the possibilities.
Tris POV
Twenty four hours after waking up in Eric's arms I find myself stomping through the woods feet away from my ex-boyfriend. At least I have my friends with me. Will is right beside me and Zeke is somewhere down the double line of Dauntless following me as I lead them into the danger zone, as Johanna called it.
She was more than blunt in her assessment of the situation, leaving no hope for this being a prank gone wrong or some Factionless messing around.
People don't vanish without a trace and an outpost doesn't cease all communication with not even one person coming back to the compound asking for help.
Those Johanna sent never returned either and I am worried that I should have taken more manpower.
For some reason my mind keeps going back to the sheer audacity of Four staring at me with a scowl on his face while Eric kissed me goodbye right before lifting me into the truck yesterday afternoon.
We decided to stay overnight in Amity and start with the first light, well rested and with keen eyes.
"Stop," Will calls, bringing me back to the present.
I look to where he is crouching down on the floor, inspecting a smashed flashlight.
"It looks trampled on, slightly embedded and smeared with dirt. Could be a footprint," he lists off quietly.
"Here." I grab a plastic bag from one of my many pockets and hand it to him. "Make sure you don't touch it directly," I order.
I examine the flashlight once Will stands. It does indeed look trampled on which either means it wasn't lost by the last person to walk this path or someone was panicked enough to run over his or her own flashlight. I am hoping for the former but something tells me it was most likely the latter.
"Keep an eye out for trouble. We have a trampled on flashlight here," I call out and move ahead.
Will is still storing the bag so the others pass him and to my annoyance it is Four who ends up walking beside me.
I decide to ignore him; I sure as hell won't initiate a conversation unless I absolutely have to.
After about twenty minutes the path narrows and we are forced to walk in a single line.
"Look out for anything that doesn't seem right. If someone is looking to ambush us, now it the perfect time to do so," I caution everyone. "Weapons out but keep the safety on," I order.
The trek is slow, we decreased our speed to enable heightened vigilance. I lose track of time but a quick look at my watch tells me we are holding the new formation for an hour already.
My momentary distraction causes me to miss the root on the ground but I am saved from an ungracious fall by a hand on my arm.
Looking over my shoulder I shouldn't have been surprised to find Four holding me upright. With my balance restored I start to march on when Four's hand grabs a hold of mine and I forcefully jerk it out if his grasp.
"Don't touch me," I hiss.
He retrieves his hand as if burned and stomps slightly ahead of me.
"Stay close," I order, running slightly to catch up. I am the leader, I should either be in the lead or bringing up the rear.
"It's getting foggy," Zeke calls from further back.
"I can see that! Everyone stay close, we don't want to start looking for you too. Put on your lights if your vision gets too impaired to walk safely," I order.
Immediately a few lights get turned on and I focus back on the path we need to take.
"The outpost is still two miles out. We might have to take a break," I tell Will who is right behind me.
"There shouldn't be any fog here, Tris. It has been dry for a week and it is past noon," Will warns, his Erudite upbringing coming back to the surface in situations like these.
"You think this might be connected to our missing people?"
"All I am saying is this fog should not be here," Will tells me quietly after walking close enough for him to not share what he has to say with everyone else.
"Keep your ears open. Listening will be better than looking at this point," I call out to everyone.
The fog thickens and suddenly we are surrounded.
I hear someone whimper and turn around but can see not further than Will and Zach.
"Everyone alright," I call and there are a sleuth of 'yes's'.
"Stay close," I remind Four who is still a few steps ahead of me and seemingly faster than the rest of us. He slows his steps and we all fall in line again.
Suddenly there is a loud scream, echoed by sounds of dismay.
"What happened," I call but don't receive an answer. "Will, ask the person behind you to pass on the question," I order.
It might not be the best solution but it will work.
"Nobody knows," Will relays a minute later.
"What do you mean, nobody knows? Is everyone accounted for," I growl in annoyance.
"Yes, they are. Zeke said that some of the guys in the back sounded more than scared."
"Geez, we are Dauntless! Okay, let's keep moving forward but stay alert. Whoever screamed was really close," I caution.
I have a bad feeling but there is not much we can do right now.
"Maybe we should huddle together for a while," Four suggests quietly.
"Will, pass on that we are looking for a spot to stay for a break," I order and turn around to see if I can see anything suitable.
"You won't be able to see something, Tris. Go with your gut feeling," Four interrupts my inner cataloguing of my surroundings.
"My gut tells me we should be halfway back to Amity, but just like with you I ignored it and pushed on," I quip, purposely turning my back on him.
Oh god, why did I say that? Now he will think that he got to me after all.
We walk a little further when there is suddenly something akin to an emergency bay, designed for a rest, judging by the two large benches in the middle of it.
"We will stop here for a bit, have a snack and decide if we wait for the fog to dissipate or not," I reiterate when everyone slowly trickles in.
I don't have to remind them how to take a break safely. While some sit on the benches, others lean against the backrest, protecting their backs and observing the eerily quiet forest.
I move to lean against the bench beside Zeke.
"How are you," he asks me so quietly, I am sure nobody else heard.
"I don't like it but we need to know what happened to the outpost."
"That's not what I meant. Four is up there, sticking close to you…"
"He is not an issue," I state with a calm I don't feel.
"Some of the guys are taking bets as to what will happen. Most think Four will make a pass and either you or Eric will send him to the infirmary," Zeke tattles.
"We both know he won't, Zeke."
"I don't know, Tris. Something has changed though. I can't put my finger on it but … just, be careful, okay?"
"Always," I promise.
"Good, now let me tell you about mom catching Uri and Mar in her bathroom…"
Fifteen minutes later the fog is as dense as before but my members got some rest and had a snack so I decide to push on.
"Let's keep going. We are getting close," I call and everyone lines up without a complaint.
"Will, walk with me," I demand when I see Four at the front of the line.
"Uh, Tris, I need to use the equipment Zach has in his pack. We'll walk right behind you," Will promises.
"What kind of equipment do you have to use now," I growl in frustration. "We are heading out now!"
"We both have parts of the new air analysis system Erudite gave us to try out a few weeks back. Max thought it might come in handy today."
I am refraining from commenting. Blasting another leader in front of subordinates is never a good idea and letting on that Max forgot to fill me in won't happen either. So I swallow my pride and step in front of Will, raising an eyebrow at Four when he doesn't make space.
"I thought you might prefer to stick closer to Will. I can take the front," he offers.
Zeke is right, something is up with him today but I just don't have time to waste on it
"The fog looks like it's creeping in again. Let's move," I call and turn to Four, waiting not so patiently for him to start walking.
Within a minute the fog is everywhere and we are moving forward at a snail's pace.
"Tris, there is something in the air," Will whispers and I slow down immediately.
"What," I ask quietly.
"Sulphur and an unknown substance," Will cautions, and I swallow hard.
"Four," I hiss. "Stop!"
To his credit, he does as requested and freezes in place.
"Why can we still breathe properly?"
"I don't know, Tris. The numbers are high, we should be unconscious on the ground by now if we go by these readings," Will exclaims in dismay.
"Is the machine working properly? Does it need recalibration?"
"No, Tris. We made sure of that before we left," Zach speaks up.
"Could this be what causes everyone to disappear?"
"Sulphur causes eye irritation and reduces lung function. Coughing and mucus secretion are on the top of the list of issues. People could have passed out and stopped breathing but that means we should be finding bodies when we get to the outpost."
"So it's safe to go on?"
"Not any less than before, I think," Will cautions.
"Look, why don't I go a few steps ahead of everyone. If I experience breathing difficulties then you guys run the other way," Four suggests.
"Why don't I go ahead and you fall in line behind me," I ask sweetly.
"Because the leader needs to lead the people to safety if needed," Four argues.
"Tris, just let him go first,' Will hisses.
"Take a rope," Zach suggests. "If you feel dizzy or pass out we will notice the slack before we get to the same point."
I mull everything over.
"Okay, Four, grab the rope from my pack and hold onto one end. Will," he smirks at me. "Go pass the message around. Anybody experiencing symptoms needs to shout out as soon as they realise," I order.
So, once more we trudge on with Four slightly ahead of us, the rope staying nice and tight after he adjusted to our speed.
"Tris, the readings are increasing for the sulphur and the unknown substance," Will whispers.
"The unknown worries me," I admit.
"Us too," he relates.
"Not much further. We are almost there," I state and he nods, barely visible to my eyes.
It's almost too quiet. Maybe I am hearing things when I think there are less feet pounding the ground.
"Did anyone report issues, Will?"
There is no reply.
"Will," I hiss.
Nothing.
I am about to turn around when I notice that I can't hear footsteps at all and the rope in my hands is having a bit of slack.
"Oh shit," I groan when I feel my heart rate spike. The fine hairs at the back of my neck feel like they standing up and my vision blurs.
I gasp when the fog envelopes me so tightly, all I can see is grey. It is as if I am blind. Leaves are rustling and I am immediately reminded of a scary movie I watched with Zeke and Uri not so long ago. Everyone else begged out and I think they were smarter when the visions of cannibals eating people stranded in the forest plants itself firmly at the forefront of my mind.
I can feel myself freeze in place, the rope falling lifelessly to the ground.
Beware of the cannibals. Don't let them catch you. Don't even bother looking for your friends, they are long gone. Chopped into little pieces and ready to be consumed.
This is not real! This is not real! This is not real!
Suddenly I find myself staring at the rope lying in the dirt and I slowly bend to pick it up. Four is supposed to be on the other end of this. Every step in this direction is getting me closer to him and the outpost.
I take a step and then another.
"He is there," I gasp before mentally shushing myself. The rope is tightening up which means someone is holding it.
The scary witch commanding the forest is holding the rope. Every step you take will bring you closer to certain death. Don't move, maybe she will think you are gone and leave. Let go of the rope!
This is not real! This is not real…
I breathe in slowly and take another step. I can't see where I am going but the rope is guiding me. Every step I take is taking me closer to Four.
Tobias, why are you doing this to me? To us? Was I nothing more than a fuck to you? The Abnegation that you could toy with because she did not know better?
This is not real!
This is not real, but whatever it is uses fear against me. I survived the fear simulations, I can survive this. Nothing that scares me is real.
I stare blindly at Tobias dead body. He is just lying there, on the ground, surrounded by leaves. His body is decomposing before my very eyes. The flesh turns to dust, the bones follow until there is a neat little pile…
This is not real!
"Fuck you! Tobias is not dead," I growl.
There is still no slack on the rope and I quickly walk ahead, almost stumbling about yet another root in my haste.
"Strip, Tris!"
I look wide eyed at Tobias who sits on his bed, buck naked.
"Come on, show me what you've got, Stiff!"
This is not real!
Tobias would never talk to me like that!
But he did, a small voice reminds me. That is the voice of the beaten person I turned into after he left me so cruelly. The person I swore to never be again. I am smart, confident, I am capable and worthy of love!
"He would never call me Stiff, not even at his worst," I hiss and run.
I almost run into Four and manage to stop just in time. He is just standing there, frozen in place but holding on to the rope for dear life.
Tobias raises his gun and holds it up to my head.
"I hate you! You were never good enough for me and now you ruined my life! Look at what you have done to me," Tobias shouts. "This ends now!" He stares me straight in the eye and pulls the trigger…
"This is not real," I declare and suddenly I feel myself able to move again. "This is not real," I repeat loudly.
Four's hand finds mine again and this time I don't jerk it away but squeeze his fingers to show I am here, we are real.
"This is not real," Four joins me in my chant, pulling me into his side.
My heart stutters for a moment before every cell in my body rejoices at being near him. It feels like I can see him more clearly and my heart breaks at seeing the forlorn look on his face.
"This is not real," Four says again and I feel compelled to take the sadness away.
"This is real," I state, pulling his hand up to my face, rubbing it against my cheek before nuzzling his palm with my lips.
"Tris," he sighs.
"I am right here. We are real," I state with conviction.
"I missed you," he gasps.
I scoff. "I was right here beside you," I admonish.
"No, not that…"
He doesn't elaborate and I don't ask. WE are a thing of the past but now we are stuck in a possibly deadly situation with all our friends and colleagues missing. That's not the time to rehash old grievances. He made it more than clear that I wasn't what he wanted.
"Tris…"
I look up into his face but all I see are those mesmerising eyes, standing out even with the fog swirling around us.
"Tris," he starts again but once more doesn't finish what he wants to say.
I can see his features change. Determination is showing its face and in this case it makes him confident enough to lower his mouth to mine.
I am too stunned to move at first and then I just don't want to. My soul rejoices when his lips move against mine, first softly, then with increasing urgency. His lips open to let his tongue trace mine before forcing it between my lips, breaching the last hold I have on my willpower.
My body has a mind of its own, my arms are sneaking up and around his neck while my hips rub against him.
He moans into the kiss and jerks against me. I can feel the effect I have on him. His erection is pressing firmly into my belly.
"Tris," he groans. "Please let this be real!"
"Tobias," I grunt when he basically throws us to the ground.
"Please let this be real," he repeats over and over while hastily pulling both of our pants down.
I don't want to take my boots off so I push my knees as far apart as I can, making space for him to settle right in between my thighs.
Tobias tries to get in between my legs but something seems to hinder his progress.
"Slide your legs beneath me,' I order, lifting my ass up.
His boots scrape me when he shoves his feet under my ass but the pain is gone before I can voice my discomfort. Tobias grabs my hands and pulls me up so I am sitting on his upper thighs with my feet tied together behind him by my pants and boots.
Settling his hands on my hips he lifts me up and sets me down right on top of him. I am soaking wet and he slides me down his length with ease.
"Please let this be real! God, please let this be real!"
"Fuck me," I exclaim when he bottoms out.
"Ungh," Tobias grunts and I moan when I feel him swell. "So tight, so hot! Please be real," he prays and I push my hands onto his shoulders.
"I am real," I declare and lift up and plunge down.
"Shit! Fuck! Ungh… ungh… UNGH!"
Tobias' dick swells, seemingly stretching my passage before streams of ejaculate shoot out, the tight squeeze I have on him allowing me to feel each and every single one of them.
He is panting and a light sheen of sweat coats his face.
"That was a bit disappointing," I grumble.
"Of course it was not real," Tobias groans.
I slap his chest, hard.
"It was real, alright. I don't think you could make this shit up in a nightmare," I growl
"Tris?" Tobias looks at me with wide but clear eyes. He looks down at where I am still sitting on his dick and then back at me before his hand moves over and he pinches my cheek.
"Ow," I screech, slapping his hand before rubbing my bruised flesh.
"Oh shit!"
"Oh shit," I screech. "You call this 'oh shit'?! Well, you better be referring to your stamina or I will push you into that fucking fog!"
His lips twitch and I glare at him.
"There is nothing remotely funny about this," I growl.
Fine, he is not laughing outright but his whole body is shaking, which seems to remind both of us about our position.
"This is real?"
I lift up but his hands grab a hold of my hips and still me.
"I have been dreaming about this just for you to turn around and fuck every other male right in front of me. No matter where I turned, you where always there, touching someone else intimately while I could never get close enough to even smell you. It went on and on until I heard your voice say it wasn't real!"
Tobias looks at me pleadingly, I don't know what to say.
"You gave me up," I whisper and he nods.
We are silent after that.
…
"Eric and Max came to see me early into our relationship," Four says out of the blue. "They wanted to talk to me about what it means to be in a relationship with a leader."
I stay silent, wondering why I never heard of this before but also, why does he bring it up now?
"They thought I should be aware that when it comes to faction business you are expected to bring your significant other on occasion. I thought I was ready and told both of them that I would be proud to go and celebrate your successes…" he trails off and I wait with bated breath for him to continue. "I watched you become more self assured. The more you trained with Eric, the less you needed my guidance. He helped you become the strong women, the amazing leader you are today. I did nothing to facilitate you coming out of your shell and becoming the shining star of Dauntless. I got envious and pushed you further than you were comfortable with on a personal level… and then I freaked when I received an invitation to the annual Grand Council hosted by none other than Marcus Eaton himself the morning after I pushed you too far. I freaked and had my first panic attack ever. I knew then I wasn't ready for the social life that comes with your position. Having your tears and discomfort … and the blood… still at the forefront of my mind, I took the coward's way out. I told you I misjudged my feelings for you and that we were better off apart. Then I made the next mistake, the one that probably cost me even more. I pretended you didn't exist!"
Tobias' voice quivers and his hands shake when he finally admits the whole extend of what he has done.
"Our friends were close to killing me. They all tried and I just secluded myself and ignored them all. In the end they all took your side and ignored me just like I did with them when I did not want to be convinced of the errors of my way."
He takes a deep breath while I am holdings mine.
"When I was finally ready to cave and emerged from my self imposed isolation you just started going out with Eric. That's when I knew I fucked up and our relationship wasn't salvageable. You were looking so happy and readily moving on while I was still fighting the same demons I fought before we even met. I wanted you to be happy with someone who could give it all to you, even if that someone was Eric, so I went back into the shadows…"
Oh fucking hell!
I feel like smacking him. No, I feel like kicking some sense into him and then slapping him over the head repeatedly, hoping his brain would finally start working.
What the fuck!?
It is now my turn to take deep, calming breaths. My heart is racing and my blood boiling! How can one man be this stupid? Did he honestly think I would expect him to change over night? That it would suddenly be okay for him to be in the same room as Marcus? That just because I was a leader he did not need to fear anymore?
God, why couldn't you save me from stupid men?
"Eric and I have a mutually beneficial agreement," I finally explain the truth he doesn't seem to see. "We are each other's plus one for any function we need to attend and if we end up in bed together we don't have to worry about safe sex and other things that come with one night stands. Being a leader is… stressful and we both know that, when it gets too much, we have someone to rely on to help us get through it." I pause, taking a few calming breaths while not daring to look at Tobias. "Eric was there for me when I hit rock bottom. You leaving me the way you did killed my self esteem. I questioned every choice I made and Eric took me aside and we talked. He understood me when my friends simply commiserated and bashed you. So he offered me a rebound with the option of making it a standing offer going both ways. He wanted to show me that sex can be fun, that I can orgasm and there won't be pain involved unless I ask for it."
Tobias gasps quietly at that but I ignore him in favour of getting it all out in the open. We might die here and I want to die without regrets if it comes to that.
"I didn't accept his offer right away. I was holding out for a miracle, it seems. He was still a good friend and my trainer, the one with an open door and a willing listener. He didn't even bring the topic of us having sex back up. We were in a relationship that allowed us to be this frank and still function without weirdness creeping in."
"What made you change your mind?"
"You did," I growl.
"I did?! I avoided you at all costs," Tobias exclaims in surprise.
"There were a few things of yours I had been holding on to. One morning I decided to return them before my morning run with Eric, knowing you had the early shift and would be heading out any minute …" I trail off, swallowing hard because I still can't believe it.
"But..?"
"Then I saw Lauren leave your apartment, obviously in the clothes from the previous night and I just left your things outside your door."
"The day you returned my sweater and wore Eric's," he concludes. "Lauren was too drunk to remember her code and her apartment is just a few doors down from mine. She slept on the bed and I slept on the floor," Tobias assures but I can't help the loud sobs escaping me.
"Just like with me?!"
"Yeah, but I was in love with you already back then. I never felt more than friendship for Lauren and I never will. Nothing happened! You are still the only one I ever slept with," Tobias swears. "That was also the day I realised how stupid I had been and wanted to make amends. When I saw my sweater and then you wearing Eric's … I just knew I had lost you forever. Eric is smart enough to not let you go and he hasn't since."
Oh my god, now I really want to smash something. It could be his face but I am saving my anger for the enemy for now.
"I realise how stupid I was, Tris. Had I been honest from the beginning, told you about the panic attack instead of hiding it, thanks to my stupid pride, you would still be mine. I have been beating myself up every single day since. I was miserable and only those who had to came close to me ever did. Watching you smile and shine on someone else's arm. I watched the tapes over and over, my own version of purgatory. I don't think it was punishment enough after what you just told me." He takes a deep breath. "For all its worth, I am sorry!"
"Are you telling me all these things because you think we might die out here?" I just have to ask, it can't be ignored.
"Maybe," he admits. "I think it gave me the courage to say what was long overdue.
"Which is," I prompt.
"I am sorry. I was cruel and selfish and I did nothing to release you from the burden I put onto you. You did not deserve anything I said after we made love for the first time. It seems I am no better than my father! I might not have used my fists but I am sure the blow felt like a death sentence at the time. I love you and I don't deserve you," he cries, and despite everything we have been through, it breaks my heart.
"You hurt me. Fuck, you killed my light and dragged me into the darkness with you. There was a time where I thought I hated you… but I realised quickly that love and hate are very closely related. When we hurt we might mistake love for hate and when we are happy we might think we have positive thoughts about things we used to hate. My feelings changed but they never went away," I finally admit what Eric has been telling me since the day he found me in the training room, bloodied hands and almost foaming at the mouth. He treated me like the rabid animal I was about to turn into but every single time he repeated that it will keep hurting because I am still feeling love.
Tobias just stares at me, apparently needing me to spell it out for him.
I decide to go a different route. After all, we still don't know if we will make it out alive.
I put my hands onto his chest and pull down the zipper of his jacket. Running my hands back up over the cotton of his shirt I spread them and push his jacket off his shoulders.
I don't wait for him to pull his hands out of the sleeves before I run my hands over his bare stomach, sliding his shirt up as I go.
It seems Tobias finally got the hint. His hands frantically move around and disperse my own clothes before kicking off his boots and pushing his pants and boxers off his feet.
He grins at me widely before attaching his lips to my tattoos. First he is sucking on each bird before running his lips over my leadership bars, nibbling and sucking as he goes.
"My turn," I demand and move up to my knees, twisting around him so I am facing his back.
God, how I missed watching the beautiful tattoo come alive with every muscle he moves.
"Brave," I state when I kiss the Dauntless flames close to his neck.
"Selfless," I tease when I gently kiss the helping hands a little further down his spine.
"Honest," I say with some humour before kissing the scale.
"Intelligent," I snort but still kiss the all seeing eye.
"Kind," I say, kissing the tree symbolising Amity at the very bottom before running my fingers over his lower back and up to his shoulders.
"I am aware I should have taken a closer look at all the values before…"
"It's in the past, this is the now and the future," I proclaim.
For some reason I keep staring at the tree symbolising Amity. It sounds like the worst kind of irony to be out here with something able to trap us in our fears. Why can't we be happy for a change?
"Do you think I broke out of the nightmare like fear because deep down I was still sure of my love for you," I gasp.
Tobias looks at me like he has no idea what I am talking about.
"I kept thinking that the words you used just weren't you. That despite everything you would never call me Stiff," I try to explain but Tobias cringes at hearing the word. "I felt that I needed to get to you and suddenly I saw your decomposing body. My love won out and when I reached you I was able to pull you out somehow."
"Maybe because I never stopped loving you," Tobias wagers. "But I was still stuck in the nightmare. Although … I knew I had to hold onto the rope. I came to once at the beginning thinking I had to hold onto you. I didn't want to let you go, have you running the other way. I needed you here, beside me, to give me strength."
"So we are safe now," I ask.
"Look around you," Tobias urges and I do, gasping at what I see.
The fog is thicker than before, but it looks as if we are in a protective bubble and it can't reach us. You can see is swirling around and as I focus my eyes it almost looks like…
"Is that fog trying to attack us," I gasp, pointing right to where I think I saw something like a miniature tornado trying to drill a hole into our protection.
"Fuck me," Tobias exclaims and I snort.
"Wouldn't you like that," I tease.
"As you can see, I would," he states, looking pointedly down to his crotch.
I peek over his shoulder and grin.
"Hello gorgeous, I missed you,' I croon and it is his turn to snort.
"From what you said you got plenty while I, as proven before, stuck to my hand," Tobias admonishes.
"Well, I might stroke your ego a bit more… you are still coming out the winner," I declare but it seems something was lost in translation. I only get a blank face. "You are bigger than Eric!" There, was that clear enough? Apparently so, his whole face lights up when she smiles at me and the beautiful thick cock I have been looking at before salutes and waves.
"Show me!"
"Uh, what?" It is my turn to look stupefied.
"You said I was bigger than Eric which means I will stretch you while you envelope me tightly. Show me that's true," Tobias begs and I love him enough to prove I am not telling lies.
"Lie down," I demand, grabbing our clothes and lying them out on the ground,
Tobias eyes the angry fog swirling around us wearily.
"If it gets us at least we will go out with a bang," I proclaim and he snorts.
"You have no idea how I missed your glass half full attitude!"
"Lie down, Tobias," I order and he follows through.
Deciding to tease him just a little bit, I move down to his feet and run my hands and lips ever so slowly upwards. I don't touch his groin when my fingers come close, instead I move them along his hips while my nose rubs against the skin beside his balls.
"Tris," Tobias begs, and I rub my nose along his straining flesh, kissing the tip and moving up.
I kiss his lips while I position my hips.
"I love you," I state and push down.
We both moan and groan in pleasure when my flesh parts and he slides in.
"So tight," Tobias moans.
"So big," I grunt, squeezing my pelvic muscles hard, making him groan deeply.
"No teasing,' he demands.
"No more teasing," I promise.
Tobias lies back while I push my hands onto his chest to help me move up and down.
"Help me," I whine, and his hands go to my hips, bouncing me up and down on his cock.
"Too soon," he cries and tries to stop my movements.
I slap his hands away and move one hand down my body to rub my clit.
"Fuck, that's hot," Tobias moans, rushing ahead of me over the edge.
Seeing his blissful face, something I did not think I would ever see again, helps bringing me over the edge.
"Oh… mmhh… ungh!"
"I love you so much," Tobias exclaims when I squeeze him hard while I orgasm myself.
I lie down on top of him, slowly calming my heart rate while he runs soothing circles over my back.
"Oh wow," Tobias exclaims and I follow his gaze.
"The bubble is bigger," I exclaim excitedly. "You don't think..?"
"That love and passion beat fear? Fuck yes, I do. That thing is not normal, Tris. I don't think even the Erudite are able to create something like this. It has a mind of it's own, look it's attacking us from different sides. I have no idea what the fuck it is and how it came to be here but I know it won't get us," Tobias exclaims with glee.
"But how do we get out of here? We still need to get to the outpost and our people are out there." I point to the dark swirling mass that attacks us from all sides like a swarm of angry bees.
"We could simply love each other and fuck it out of this forest," Tobias deadpans.
"But how do we destroy it?"
"No idea! Not our problem either. That's for Erudite to figure out. Think happy thoughts, Tris!"
And I do think and feel happy thoughts with Tobias joining me most of the times until a throat clears loudly.
"Why did you interrupt them, I could have made a fortune with the bets I placed," Zeke screeches at Will.
"Nice to see you," Tobias groans, clearly not meaning a word he said. "Now turn around and let Tris get dressed!"
We both look around us, not a trace of fog in sight, before scrambling to sort through our discarded clothes.
"I don't think I can wear those," I say, holding up my torn and muddy panties.
"Here." Tobias hands me a small cloth he pulled from one of his pant pockets.
"I don't think I can shape them into underwear." I tease.
"La la la la la… not listening to a word you guys say," Zeke sings just before Will's hand connects with the back of his head. "Ow, stop that shit! You are not my mom," Zeke screeches.
"Better me than her," Will quips.
"I thought you might want to wipe in between your legs," Tobias whispers into my ear while the other two keep bickering.
"In between … " I look down when Tobias takes charge and wipes up my inner thighs and then in all over my vagina.
"I did not even stop to ask for condoms."
"Did you have any,' I ask, curious as to what the answer is.
"Uh no, but that doesn't mean I can simply…"
"As long as you are clean it's all good," I whisper.
"I am but what goes in has to come out," he warns and I feel my face heat up thinking about how often we did it.
"How long were we in here," I ask cautiously but still loud enough for Will and Zeke to hear.
"Uh, if my watch didn't stop functioning it has been almost three days since we entered the forest!"
"Three days?!" Tobias, Zeke and I shout simultaneously.
"Man, did you fuck for seventy two hours straight," Zeke shouts. "You are a beast," he declares, throwing Tobias a fist pump which he does not return.
Finally we are dressed enough to call it adequate for rejoining society and the rest of the day is just one blur of activity.
We gather all our troops and march into the outpost. It seems the fog overran them first and then it spread out, seeking and finding everyone coming this way.
We radio Johanna and try to explain what happened. She promises to get Erudite out here as soon as possible while we return with everyone. This outpost will be abandoned until we know whatever this fog was will not return. If it does, we know how to beat it but I am definitely not going to volunteer as exorcist. Maybe Johanna can up the happy juice for everyone who ventures into the forest?
Tobias gives me looks all day long and when there is even the slightest beak, his hands are all over me. He never lets me out of his reach and that makes me think we are good.
…
"We need to talk," he whispers into my ear when we are getting close to the Amity compound.
"We do as soon as we are settled for the night," I promise.
"Sounds good," Tobias agrees. "I love you, Tris!"
"I love you too," I state and he takes my hand, holding it tight until we breach the tree line.
"Tris," Eric screams, running over from where he was standing with Max, Johanna and Jeanine.
Tobias drops my hand like he burned himself.
"Don't be stupid," I hiss and grab his hand again.
That's all I am getting out before Eric swoops me up and kisses me soundly on my lips.
"What the fuck were you doing," Eric growls at me.
"Not getting killed," I quip, wriggling out of his tight hold.
Tobias is still standing there, frozen on the spot.
"Give me your hand," I demand and it shoots out. "Good boy," I praise, taking it while Eric snorts. "Shut up, Eric!"
"No way, this is going to be good," he grins.
"Things have changed," I state.
"So I seems," Eric smirks.
"Fuck you!"
"Not anymore," Eric retorts.
"Oh for the love of… Four, I need a moment to talk to Eric. We'll be right over there." I point to the far side of the barn that he can see from where we are now. "Don't go anywhere," I order.
He nods mutely and I go, not bothering to check if Eric is actually following me. Knowing him, he is right on my heels.
"You knew," I accuse as soon as we reach the spot I indicated.
"I thought this might be the right occasion," Eric hedges.
"So you expected this to happen," I follow up.
"No, not really. Four is fucking stubborn and you were content with our arrangement. I think it was a forty – sixty odds against you getting your shit sorted."
"Yeah, that reminds me about the conversation you and Max had with Four that I never knew about," I growl.
Eric sighs deeply and looks actually upset.
"My greatest sin was not telling you what we did. We meddled in your life, thinking we knew best and when that backfired I just couldn't tell you. Instead I decided to be there for you, to pick up the pieces and make you happy. I knew he would come around. I just did not expect it to take years and a near death experience. I love you, Tris, I am just not in love with you and knew we would end the moment Tobias got his head out of his ass."
Geez, what is it with the stupidity of the men in my life?
"So I was a pity fuck?"
"Never! Being with you was amazing, and I wouldn't mind keeping you for myself, but you were never mine to keep!"
I mull this over for a moment. Eric did get more affectionate the longer our agreement was in place.
"What are you going to do without me?"
"I still have you, just not for sex. I will be fine, don't worry. I am more than familiar with my hand."
"Oh for gods sake! Don't you want someone to share your life with?"
"I like my life the way it is, Tris. Maybe some time down the road I will want more but I am not ready to settle down."
"Maybe you will be surprised if you opened your eyes and looked around you. You aren't getting any younger either," I tease.
"Let's just agree to disagree. You are happy and that makes me happy. Nothing else needed!"
"Why couldn't you be the asshole you pretend to be?"
""Because then I would have never gotten a chance to be with you!"
"Can you please not try to make me cry," I ask, tears slowly running down my cheeks while I can feel nose starting to run.
"Would you rather I annoy the shit out of you," Eric offers.
"No," I laugh. "I like you just the way you are. Now hand me a tissue," I demand, knowing he always keeps some on hand.
"Keep it! Go and talk to him, he looks ready to bolt!"
Eric kisses the crown of my head just before I turn around, looking straight to where I left Tobias.
Zeke and Will have joined him and he does indeed look ready to bolt.
"Thanks for keeping him company," I tell Zeke and Will when I reach them before grabbing Tobias hand.
"Johanna, I need a room with a large bed for tonight," I state when I come to a stop right in front of where Max, Johanna and Jeanine still stand.
"Tris," Max smirks at me.
"You are on my shit list," I growl.
"But Eric…"
"Eric more than made up for what you two did. He is officially off the hook," I state before turning my back on him.
"The rooms at the very end of the guest barn have bigger beds," Johanna grins.
"Thank you, Johanna. I will see you in the morning. There is a very important debriefing that can't wait any longer," I declare and drag Tobias behind me towards the long building that was dubbed the 'guest barn' decades ago.
Prompts:
AU; fantasy; humans and an otherworldly source of unspecified proportion; black; Fourtris; villain
Resulting plot suggestion:
Tris is a leader of the Dauntless and sent on a mission to investigate mysterious disappearances in the woods surrounding Amity. Included in the group she is required to take is Four, the instructor who pretended to be her friend and took her virginity before ghosting her.