Hello Readers, thank you to everyone who continues to read and comment on this story, your support means the world to me. I don't own Divergent and all military-related mistakes are mine. Happy Reading!
Chapter 34 Save Me A Spark
"You ready to paint down our memories?" Tobias murmurs, as we drive down an unrecognizable road in a state I'm not sure about, the red sandy desert started to blend together miles ago. "What?" I ask, confusion lacing my voice, as I peek over the rims of my sunglasses at him, as we drive over the Arizona state line. The sunrise this morning is breathtaking: oranges and pinks fill the sky, breaking the darkness, lighting it with wondrous color. I hum, unsure where he is going with this as he continues, "It's like that song you like. Do you want to paint down your memories so we don't forget? Although, in this case, tattoo our memories?"
"You were serious? You want to get a couple's tattoo?" I ask. I thought he was joking when he talked about getting a tattoo with me in Vegas.
"Yes, Tris." His eyes meet mine for a quick second as he drums his fingers against the steering wheel as he continues, grinning at me, "I am always very serious, at least where you are concerned. Although our marriage in Vegas wasn't legal, much to my disappointment, in my mind, we still got married, and I am one hundred percent committed to you. I am not taking that commitment lightly, and I want the whole world to know."
"Well, maybe not the whole world." I grin back at him, nervously, my mind snaps to Christina, Will, my brother, all who would freak if they found out that I tried to drunkenly marry Tobias. "Especially not Christina, Will, or Caleb because all of them would kill me, and probably you too for not inviting them to the wedding. Oh, probably not Zeke either, unless you want to be made the punch line of every joke for the rest of your life."
"Okay, fine not Christina, Will, Caleb, and definitely not Zeke. Anyone else you don't want to tell?" He asks, glancing at me, his expression serious, the most serious I have ever seen it, as I answer, "Maybe we shouldn't tell anyone at your new base either about how the great Captain Eaton got drunk and illegally married in Vegas. I'm pretty sure that would make you the laughing stock of the new base."
His face falls as he asks, "Are you ashamed of our fake wedding?"
"No, I'm worried about what everyone will think . . . of you, of me." I whisper, as he says smirking at me, "I don't care what anyone has to say about me. We both know what really happened that night in Vegas."
"And what was that?" I ask, laughing, "Because some of the details are still a little hazy to me."
"Me too, but we made a commitment to each other. I don't need a stupid piece of paper to be married to you." He replies, smiling at me, laughing, "One day, Tris, you will be in a white dress walking down the aisle to me, and you will really be Mrs. Eaton, that much I know for sure." He says kissing each of my knuckles. I raise an eyebrow at him, as he starts to say something else. I hold up my hand, and say, "Tobias, let what happened in Vegas stay in Vegas. I will happily wear my ring, but you have a career to protect."
He stays silent, not saying a word, not agreeing or disagreeing with me. He pulls into a tattoo parlor's parking lot in Arizona, and he looks at me, quipping an eyebrow, as he says, "You ready?" I grab his hand, squeezing tightly, panicking inside slightly at the idea of getting a tattoo. Tobias rubs the back of my hand with his thumb as we walk across the parking lot, and my nerves disappear.
The tattoo parlor is modern looking with sharp lines of black and white. As we look at the walls and all the different designs, a man whose arms are covered in ink comes out drying off his hands, and asks, "Can I help you?"
"Yes, we have an appointment," Tobias says.
"Oh yes, your last name is Easton, right?" I burst out giggling at Tobias's facial expression, as Tobias says, "Actually, it's Eaton." Tobias smirks correcting him, as he glances toward me, I smirk at him, as the man says, "Right sorry, I'll be right with you. Give me a minute and let me just set up. Do you both know what you want?"
"Yes." Tobias says as I answer, "No." I turn to him with a surprised expression on my face, and ask, "What are you getting?"
"On the underside of my left-hand ring finger, I was going to get the date of our nonwedding, but I ultimately decided against it. I wasn't sure when, or if we got married again, what the new date of our wedding would be. I decided on getting the word that I was so scared to tell you. What felt like forever, to finally admit to you and to myself. The word that I like to tell you all the time because it makes me feel so good to say." He whispers in my ear, holding me close to his chest. I smile as I look into his eyes. "Love." My heart hammers in my chest, as we both say the word, at the exact same time.
"I like that idea. I think I may just steal that one, and get a matching one with you. But instead of on my left-hand ring finger, I'm going to get it on my right-hand ring finger." His eyes light up at the idea of my tattoo matching his.
The tattoo hurts to get done, but it is over quickly. Tobias holds my hand as I am getting the tattoo done. I bite my lip, as he whispers sweet nothings into my ear, each time, he whispers into my ear, his lips brush my ear sending a shiver up my spine, his words send heat into my cheeks as he repeats dirty song lyrics into my ear. At the end, as the tattoo artist is washing his hands, he kisses me sweetly on the lips, then whispers seductively against them, praising me for how well I did with the tattoo, sending another round of heat into my cheeks. When the tattoo artist finishes with my tattoo, he wraps my finger, giving me instructions on how to care for my new tattoo.
When it is Tobias's turn for his tattoo, he doesn't even bat an eye. He talks to me the whole time, my eyes on the tattoo gun, wondering how I survived the process of ever getting a tattoo. Tobias gently holds my hand, never squeezing once, even when the tattoo artist hits a sensitive spot on his ring finger. Tobias and I hold hands as we leave the shop together, and he opens my door to the truck, then he drives us to our next stop: The Grand Canyon.
The landscape is vast and open. I feel like an ant standing at the edge as Tobias stands behind me holding me. I have never seen anything like it. At night, a few locals, light off fireworks that go off over the canyon. "I love you." He says, playing with my wedding band.
"I love you, Tobias," I whisper, leaning on my tiptoes, kissing him. He pulls away, looking at me with all the love and devotion in the world. "Tobias?" I ask. "Yes?" He asks sweetly. "How do you know that I am the one you want to spend the rest of your life with?" I ask.
"I just do Tris. I can't explain it. You make me feel like I can be the best person that I can be. You make me want to get up in the morning. Because with you, I don't feel like I am drowning in everyday life, and you make me want to live life with no regrets." He says, pulling me down next to the campfire. "You wanna roast some marshmallows?" He asks, sticking some onto a branch.
"Sure!" I laugh as he catches his marshmallows on fire, then we feed them to each other from off the charred branch. The marshmallow goo goes everywhere as it explodes all over my lips, as I wipe it off with my fingers, I turn my sticky lips towards Tobias, and I ask, "Did I get it all?" Tobias whispers "You missed a spot," just before his lips meet mine, licking off the goo from them, pulling me on top of him for another long passionate kiss. We both pull away from the sticky kiss breathless, his breath fanning over my lips, as our foreheads rest against one another, as I stare into his eyes, I whisper, "Tobias, I love you."
"And I love you." He says as he rolls us onto our backs, and we stargaze out in the open desert. My mind drifts to the first time I stargazed with Tobias in the back of his truck as we lay there, and how much my life has changed since then."Did you see that?" I ask excitedly, seeing a shooting star for the first time. "Yeah, legend has it that you are supposed to make a wish when you see one and it might come true." He whispers into my ear, his breath sending another round of chills up my spine. I close my eyes and wish with all my might for Tobias and me to always be together in this life: that our relationship will always be strong enough to overcome whatever life throws at us.
Thoughts and Opinions? Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter. What do you think of Tris and Tobias's tattoo choice? Can't wait to hear your opinions. Next chapter update will be on the weekend of September 28.