"Motherfucker!"

I curse at no one in particular as my hip bone makes painful contact with the edge of the table as I attempt to move past it. I clutch myself for a heartbeat longer before exhaling sharply through gritted teeth and continuing my way towards the bedroom where I hastily put on my outfit of the day; the anger forcing me to forget about the intended actions of wanting to take a bubble bath. My piercings catch on the fabric of my shirt and I vocally wince out in pain but that doesn't stop me from continuing on with my mission. I practically sprint towards the bathroom where I brush my teeth so violently I cut my gum and my mouth quickly begins to fill up with my own blood.

I am definitely beginning to believe that the mornings where I'm left to wake up alone in Eric's apartment are cursed ones.

After successfully getting ready without any more frustrating interruptions; I run to switch the kettle off- my morning cup of coffee long forgotten at this point. Instead of tying my boots; the confusion and irritation at the missing state of my work form causes me to tuck my laces inside my boots. I swing open the front door; only to collide with the larger form of the elder leader.

"Oh Tris, good morning!" He chirps in, putting a hand on my shoulder to steady me from falling. I return the greeting, my breathing ragged even though I haven't done much except open the door and run into Max. He furrows his brows at me before taking a peak into the apartment.

"Is Eric home? I'd like to tell him that the scheduled meeting has been cancelled. He didn't arrive on time and he hasn't responded to any of my messages and so I decided to pop by...but I don't think he's home, hm?" He raises a brow in question and I shake my head fervently.

"Uh, no he isn't home at the moment. We haven't seen each other this morning and all he did was leave me a note telling me that he's out for a meeting." I raise my shoulders slightly and watch intently at the way Max's face contorts into a thoughtful stare.

"He might be in the Control Room. Could you please check for me and let him know? I have to meet Jeanine back in Erudite in fifteen minutes, and those darn scientists always frown upon late arrivals!" He chuckles warmly, making me break into a small smile- even though I feel nowhere near being happy. "No worries. I'll tell him you passed by." He stares for a moment before nodding once before saying goodbye. I watch him walk away and further down the corridor before I find myself calling after him.

"Could I come by your office sometime later? I was thinking of asking you if there is any chance for me to be moving in on my own." He cocks his head to the side and sends me an amused glance.

"My dear, no offense but I would've thought that you two might move in together or something. Oh well, you know best. Of course you can come. I'll be back at around two. So pass by whenever." Max winks and with that I am once again left in the hallway in front of Eric's apartment.

The Control Room looks like nothing I would have imagined it to be.

It is on the eighth floor of the Glass Building. I walk into it and it takes a moment for my eyes to regulate to the different setting. The wall opposite me is entirely made up of huge screens, and each of them show a different part of the city, including areas of the Fence, the Hub, the streets in Abnegation's sector and of course, the ground level of the Dauntless headquarters. There are desks and chairs everywhere- with many familiar and unfamiliar forms and faces moving around and controlling whatever is going on in front of them. On the left side of the room- there is one screen with a running line of code- which all speaks nonsense to my eyes.

There is an office area on the other side- with desks and more computer screens highlighting more designated areas of our compound. I catch Four bent over one of the desks as he points at something on the computer screen in front of Zeke- who is talking rapidly and for once doesn't look amused. I sense tension in the room, but I am relieved that no one has noticed my entrance. Until Eric does.

"Tris." I avert my eyes back towards the wall with screens and desks, only to see him reclined in a chair that has been twisted to face my direction. I note how his hair looks shorter at the sides and more trimmed on top- which makes me believe that he must've gotten a haircut before heading to the cancelled meeting. He looks very handsome, especially in his dark, crisp uniform with his collar popping just enough for one to visibly catch a glance at his leadership tattoos. The corners of his lips curl up, giving away how pleased he is that I'm here. But I'm not here to have a casual chat with him. He gestures me to come over and I hesitate before stepping up. When I am close enough he palms my waist and sits me on his lap before turning us back towards the screens- potentially blocking any nosy and curious stares thrown into our direction.

"Hey." He drawls the word out lazily whilst tucking on the few strands of hair that have fallen out of my messy bun. I take a deep breath before smiling at him.

"Hi Eric. Your meeting was cancelled. Max has been looking for you, until ten minutes ago when he came to the apartment. He told me to check in here to tell you just in case you didn't receive his texts. He went to Erudite and said he won't be back until two." Eric frowns, staring at my collar-bone tattoo- nodding ever so slightly after every sentence I utter. He listens patiently until I finish.

"I know. Harrison told me after I got my haircut. And I did respond to his texts, he just hasn't noticed." He rolls his eyes before holding mine. I snake my arms around his neck, my fingers lightly grazing over the dark blocks of ink on his neck. He groans, moving forward until his lips touch mine. I make a soft noise of objection but that becomes quickly swallowed up by his passionate kiss. He then moves to rest his forehead against my cheek; his head slightly tilted to the side- the cold, metal feeling of his eyebrow studs sending a tiny shudder through me.

"I wanted to talk to you about something." He hums, not opening his eyes as he waits for me to continue- my hair still trapped in his grasp.

"I noticed that my Leadership application slip wasn't on the table today. And I haven't moved it since yesterday so I wanted to know where you put it," I whisper- knowing that here isn't the place for us to talk about something like this. But I do it anyway.

I watch as he locks his jaw tightly, pursing his lips into a thin line before slowly opening his eyes to stare up at me.

"I took it," he tells me earnestly; and I find myself seeping with irritation at the fact that he so honestly told me.

A moment later his clutch on my hair tightens just as I build up enough courage to ask him something else. "Why?" I press. He continues to stare at me, his grey eyes checking out every inch of my face.

When he finally opens his mouth to speak, someone clears their throat from behind us.

"Eric?" Four's deep voice slices through the silence between us and I look up at him, holding a stack of paperwork and document files. I hear Eric make a noise of utter displeasure before he glares up at him. Four chooses to ignore his rival's death-stares and just sends me a tight smile before training his eyes back to the leader. He waves the documents in hand.

"You have requested access to the...uh...Leadership records." It sounds more like a question, but Eric just reaches over and snatches them out of his hand before nodding at him in a formal manner. Four returns the gesture, narrowing his eyes as they wash over the paperwork now perched on Eric's right knee and me on his left.

"I'll see you around Tris." He walks off before I can reply and I brush off the way Eric's chest rumbles sullenly at Four's nice words. I turn to stare back at Eric who is busy writing up neat notes on a clean sheet of paper over the printed forms.

"Well?" I ask impatiently- although deep down I think we both know that I know the answer. He drops the pen on the desk before moving to cup the neglected side of my waist. Before he can respond we are interrupted by Melody's high-pitched squeal of my name.

"I didn't know you were here- oh." She bites back whatever she wanted to say as she rounds up around the desk, only to meet not only Eric's but my own irritated glower. I claim his lips as my own before brushing mine gently over his ear.

"We'll talk later." Eric doesn't look too happy as I get off of his lap, but sends me a lopsided smile nonetheless before returning back to whatever he was doing and my friend makes a face- tucking on my hand. I shed one last glance at Eric when Melody goes to kiss Four goodbye and he catches me staring- responding with his trademark smirk.

I roll my eyes at him and he claps a hand over his heart in a mocking manner. I blow him a kiss but I don't get a chance to see his reaction since Melody appears out of nowhere and leads me out of the Control Room.

"Ugh I need clothes!" Melody exclaims as she drags me through the hallway leading to the stores. I haven't really had time to explore this specific section of the compound. In fact, I think I've only been down here once and that was way back when Christina was still around. My stomach drops unpleasantly and I scrunch my nose at the thought of mere her.

Although I do wonder how her life is going.

"Basically I'm moving in with Four and he promised me that I can buy a thing or two for the apartment to make it cozier." She waves a pretty, black point card and I can only assume that it belongs to her lover- because Max told our initiation class that we would receive ours in the following week or so.

"I'm going through a dilemma." I mumble, ignoring how quickly she snaps her head back towards me. "I want to move into my own apartment, but then I sooo don't want that to happen. I'm so used to having Eric around me, but at the same time I want to have a place of my own. And the worst thing is also that Eric doesn't want me to move out whatsoever, and I'm having troubles talking to him about it. Because I think you can guess how stubborn he is." She snickers before interlinking her arm through mine.

"As much as I know that you're really eager about wanting an apartment of your own- it's gonna suck at night; because you'll want him to be around you. Like I get it- parties...I mean gatherings in your case," she corrects herself whilst grinning evilly and I laugh. "It's fun to an extent, but do you really want to sleep on your own? It's way more fun when you're with him. Mind you, my relationship with Four is going slow. It only ever increased in pace these weeks but we were basically what you were with Eric for months until we broke up. I'd linger around his apartment and he'd gotten so used to me being around him, he asked me to move in with him. Told him I would after Initiation and here I am now! So trust me when I tell you that in your current state now, you will want to move in...but deep down you won't." She sucks in a breath through her teeth before beaming at me youthfully.

"Thank you, Mel. If it wasn't for you and your advice I don't know what I would have done without you." She smirks, eyes glittering glossily as she tightens her grasp around me.

We go through every single store- spending forty-five minutes to an hour in each one. I either sulk around giving my opinion or I find myself thrown into a changing room with a dress or a top that is way too revealing for my liking. I did end up choosing a nice, wine-red sports bra. As we walk to the store's checkout area; Melody eyes the sport's bra approvingly before attempting to snatch it off me and hide it under the millions of things she's getting ready to buy.

"Tris, it's just a bra. Let me buy it for you," she pleads; her green eyes wide and bright.

I shake my head mulishly, pressing the material against my chest. "Nope. And besides, it's not you who's paying; it's Four. And I doubt neither he nor Eric would be too happy if they hear that Four's point card bought me a bra." Melody huffs in exasperation, but to my relief she doesn't dwell on it.

I hand over my bra to the Dauntless store lady and she checks me up and down.

"Initiate right?" I nod firmly and she scans the barcode. "If you don't have your point's card yet, just leave me your full name and I'm gonna make the transaction later." She smiles warily and I accept the piece of paper on which I nicely write down 'Tris Prior'. By the end, I am needed to carry some of Melody's hundreds of purchases.

"Thanks! Now let's go unpack and then maybe I can take you to the best place to eat here!" We laugh as we make our way to Four's apartment.

The apartment walls are plain white except for the words "Fear God Alone" painted on one of them. There is an attached bedroom and refrigerator in the corner of the room. We move across the wide space before placing the shopping bags onto the floor surrounding the bed. I run my fingers over the pretty blue patchwork quilt spread over the duvet and I look around- thinking about how the design and aura has nothing to do with anything found in Eric's apartment. Here it's airy and brightly lit- due to the large windows decorating one of the walls. Simplicity plays a huge role in here since Four wasted no points on any extra designs or even bookshelves. There is a desk and a chair and on the wall opposite the bed, there is a tiny mirror. My heart leaps in my throat as the simplicity begins reminding me of my own home back in Abnegation. My old life. As much as I miss my parents- I would never trade my life here in Dauntless for a day in Abnegation.

I glance at the wall clock in the living room and take note of how it's three-thirty.

"Shit," I mutter loudly as I make my way to the door.

"Hey! Where you goin'?" Melody's voice echoes through the bare walls until it reaches me.

I groan as my hand curls around the door handle. "I gotta go meet Max and talk to him about the...room assignment. He said I should meet him at two but I guess we lost track of time when we were shopping. Can I meet you later in the Pit and you can show me a nice place with good food?" My eyebrows shoot up as she finally appears in my sight- her own eyebrows slightly knitted together.

"Mhhh-mmm sure thing! Do what you know is right. See ya later." She waves me off and I make my way to Max's office, my mind exploding with dozens of different questions.

I bounce on my heels as I eyeball the gold plate with Max's full name decorating the top center of the door before knocking timidly.

There is an eerie silence responding to my knock until the elder leader's voice cracks it up. He beckons me to come inside and I take a deep breath before entering.

I move to close the door behind me before taking acknowledgement at the fact that he was- in fact- not alone.

"Sorry I was late, I was...-" The hairs on my neck jolt up in the same manner as my heart. I meet the cold and wondering eyes of the younger leader who is propped beside Max; who is leaning against his desk.

"Ah no worries no worries. We were just talking about you!" Max invites me to come closer and I hesitate, still caught up in mine and Eric's surprise stare-down competition. The corners of his lips twitch up in mock amusement and he nods stiffly. Only then I begin edging closer to them.

I stand in the middle of the office holding my wrist nervously- something I've realized I do often whenever I am nervous. As if following a script; Max excuses himself to take a phone call and I am left alone with Eric and the deadly silence. I make the mistake of glancing up at him and I immediately melt under his hungry stare. He eyes me up and down- as if checking me out for the first time in his life- before sending me a lopsided smile, one that makes my insides burn pleasantly.

I am just about to open my mouth and say something before Max barges back in, thrilled and more excited than ever. "Sorry about that. Now where were we? Ah yes! Tris, I'm so happy that you made up your mind so quickly!" He grins widely and Eric chuckles at my confused expression.

"I uh, I don't think I'm following what you're...-"

"Nonsense!" He waves my words off with the flick of his wrist before seizing a sheet of paper off of his messy desk and handing it back to me. I chew on my bottom lip as I accept it from his hold. My eyes skim over the information quickly and that's enough for my blood to run cold. I can't help how my lips part in utter surprise just as I can't stop my other palm from curling into a fist until my knuckles turn white.

That asshole.

"Are you okay, child? You look like you've just been told that you're becoming Factionless," Max's words bring me back and I try my best not to flinch when he lightly touches my shoulder in reassurance. I shake my head rapidly, avoiding any eye contact with the other individual.

"Yeah I'm fine. Perfectly fine." My words sound very forced out as I re-read all of the answers written out in Eric's neat, Erudite handwriting. My full name; my Faction of origin; my chosen Faction; my age; my date of birth; my school and a sentence where 'I' accept the position in the program. Everything is right in front of my eyes. I feel them widen when I see how he declined the slot where they asked me if I want to be assigned to my own personal quarters. "I'm a little shocked at how fast you have received it. That's it." He shrugs before turning back to walk towards the young leader, who looks smug and proud with his chin jutted out.

Oh how I wish I could punch that smirk off of his face.

"I would have gotten it later if it weren't for Eric who came by not long ago and offered to hand it over to me before you since he saw it set aside."

"Well I was sure that Tris would appreciate me helping out." The Devil finally speaks and I scowl marginally in his direction.

Plastering on the fakest of smiles, I say; "You're the sweetest. Thank you." He grins at my acting, his eyebrows arching upwards and I stomp my foot lightly to halt the itch of wanting to stalk up to him and head-butt him right in the piercings. "Although..." I trail off dramatically, taking slow and deliberate steps closer to Max. I smirk at the way Eric's face darkens because I know for a fact that he's read my mind.

"Max, I filled this in yesterday after all of the events...after the unexpected meeting...so I was clearly very tired. I must have accidentally ticked to wrong column over here." I throw the sheet under his nose and point at the residence row. Eric cranes his neck in an attempt to see but I move the sheet out of his sight. I hear him growl but he doesn't take a step or do anything. Max hums before sneaking a glance at his fellow leader.

"I see. Are you sure about this? Have you spoke...-"

"Everything has been settled and done with," I cut in gleefully, sending him a toothy grin. He rubs the back of his neck before walking around his desk.

"Well, I suppose that can be sorted. You can pass by the housing administration and talk to them. If they begin interrogating you in any sort of way just tell them that you are following my orders," he says in a very serious manner and if I wasn't being stared at by the most intimidating men in Dauntless, I would be jumping and skipping and bouncing victoriously.

My face must be screaming 'victory' because when I turn to stare at Eric- I watch a flash of fury and sadness hurry through his stormy eyes. He purses his lips and widens his stance by straightening his back and squaring his shoulders. I thank Max a couple of times before walking up towards my leader and tiptoeing up until I can give him a chaste kiss. He throws me a fake smile which only adds up to the happiness in my stomach, although I will admit that deep down this wasn't how I wanted things to end up.

"Tris Prior?" She scowls at me and hauls my name at me as if it were the biggest insult in the world. I want to confront her and slap her overdrawn, red lipstick off of her plumped up, plastic lips; but all I do is smirk at her as I tell her that I'm here under the orders of the strongest man in Dauntless.

"If you could just fill this in," she says through gritted teeth but the way her mouth quickly snaps shut after saying it tells me that there was more. I raise my brows as I impatiently wait for her to just ask me whatever the fuck she wants to say to my face. When nothing comes through, I roll my eyes and take the paper from her before filling in my basic information. My brain hurts with the amount of times I have been asked to write out my information these days.

Oh well, at least Eric helped me out with one form.

I scoff at my sarcastic thoughts and the woman behind the housing desk glares at me, the ends of her lips twitching downwards.

"Can I help you?" I ask her as my own eyes squint when she doesn't look away after a heartbeat longer. She mutters something under her breath but I don't hear it over the massive desk. She then leans over the surface, her straw blonde hair falling over her exposed cleavage until she brushes it off her shoulders. It is visible that she is debating over whether she should answer back or she should just take the written sheet back. Clearly, she chose the path the norm likes to follow.

"So are the rumors true?" Her honey-sweet voice puts me off horribly and I can't conceal my cringe.

"What rumors?" I snarl back, done with all the gossip going round the compound.

"Pfft." She snorts before continuing. "Eric picked you? I mean, don't get me wrong but you don't look special enough to have been able to catch his eye." She snickers and I grit my teeth painfully. When I don't answer, she scoffs and hands me a key-card.

"Leadership hallway, down the left. Apartment 106. If you choose to move out...heh...give back the key. I'd ask if you'd like assistance with finding the apartment, but I'm pretty sure you're very familiar with the Leadership apartments." She chortles again and I run out of patience. Without really putting much thought into my actions, I lean over the desk and grab her by her collar. She gasps in surprise and I pull her towards me, ignoring how she winces out in pain as her ribs slam against the metal surface.

"Whatever happens between me and Eric; stays between me and Eric. Got it bitch?" The curse word slips out accidentally but she is nodding rapidly nonetheless. I smile at her cruelly, my grip fastening more and more until she makes a chocking sound. "I mean, don't get me wrong but I doubt he'd go for someone who looks like they've washed their hair with bleach and has lips that seem like they're close to popping. Thank you for your assistance." I yank her backwards using her throat and she stumbles on her heels before landing back into her chair. There are faint red marks on throat and she lightly strokes them with her fingers whilst sending me a nasty glare. I grin and wink in her direction before marching out of the office- slamming the heavy door for extra dramatic effect.

Apartment 106 looks amazing.

It is large...a little too large for my own simplistic liking but I can work with it. The interior design is very similar to Eric's one (except there are more colors in here); a hallway which leads to a wide living room connected to the modern kitchen; a bathroom with pretty tiles and a bathtub; a guest hallway with an extra bathroom and a bedroom and the master bedroom with my bathroom. A knot loosens in my stomach when I take note of how it is completely furnished, give or take some bits and pieces here and there which I have no problem running down and buying the necessary things needed to complete its look.

But it still feels different.

Empty.

I brush the feeling off and switch the light off before heading towards the front door. I close it quietly and catch movement happening from my peripheral view. I glance sideways and my lips part as I see Eric closing his own door at the same time as I do. He isn't wearing his normal, dark uniform attire. Instead, he is wearing dark grey sweatpants and a black vest which hides none of his muscle curves and bulges.

He's probably going to train or something.

Eric doesn't acknowledge my existence until he begins moving down the hallway- then he stops short in his tracks. I stare as his bottom lip drops slightly and from the close distance between us, I see how he sucks in a breath quickly just as his posture relaxes. That's until he scowls at me.

"Hi neighbor." I smile, even though my insides churn unpleasantly. Eric continues staring at me and I begin feeling small under his gaze. I wrap my arms around myself and look down, only to jump up and grasp his bicep when he moves to brush past me.

"No, you aren't allowed to be mad at me." I state firmly and a little part of me wakes up when I catch his features relax after he begins fighting a smirk.

He clears his throat before looking down at me; his body still facing the corridor and his bicep still in my reach. "Oh really? You aren't allowed to be mad at me too," he counters, voice deep, rich and low. I widen my eyes before gritting my teeth and pressing his arm harder. He doesn't flinch or wince and that's probably because he probably can't even feel my 'painful grasp.'

"I am. You didn't even tell me that you filled out my form. I wouldn't have been mad at all if you told me," I point out and Eric finally shifts his frame towards me.

Next thing I know; he slams me against my front door, his hot breath against my jutted out jaw while his fingers toy with the ends of my top. "Ah, but the thing is; I did tell you." I shut my eyes and nearly miss his words because my body is too overwhelmed by his little touches...and the way his hand begins sliding inside and up my shirt. I try and swat him away, knowing very well that he knows I can't think straight when he's touching me. My mission is unsuccessful because my free hand gets caught by Eric's other hand and so now he's got my wrist trapped above my head in one hand, while his other one is grazing the fabric of my bra.

"When...oh...-" I groan and push my neck towards him, craving for his lips to touch my flesh. He reads my mind, licking his lips as he bends down lower and; pressing kisses on my neck painfully slowly, whilst continuing with our conversation. "Yesterday...in bed...I specifically told you...that...I'll fill in the Leadership form...for you." I moan and my body arches into his. It is a sinful little game he's playing; one that equally excites me just as much as it irritates me how I can't think straight. That's until he moves back to stare at me, steel eyes trained to my lips.

I take the pause for the time when I begin regulating my breaths while simultaneously thinking about what he means.

Fuck..he's talking about the time when I was about to crash and he murmured something against my hair. Something about the Leadership form and I blindly agreed. How would he have known that I wasn't listening.

"Oh." I slump downwards against the door until I am sat on the floor with my knees close to my chest. He looks down at me before crossing his arms against his chest and tapping his foot.

"Oh?" He parrots questioningly. I nod slowly, running a hand through my hair. "I remember now. Well not really...look." I pick myself up before continuing my explanation. "I vaguely remember you saying something about the Leadership position yesterday, and I only agreed to whatever you said because I was tired! I wasn't thinking! I'm sorry for being mad at you...although I wasn't really. I was planning on accepting the position anyway." I send him a smile and my heart skips a beat when his frown turns into a look of pride. One that he used to wear after an extremely bloody battle during Initiation.

But that disappears just as quickly as it appeared, and it is now replaced with a scowl. "Why would you get an apartment? I know you want to live on your own, but do you really?" I can see how hard it is for Eric to conceal his usual cockiness and smugness laced in his words, but I'll give him props for trying at least .

"Well, I was actually planning on surprising you and not getting an apartment, but then this whole misunderstanding with the Leadership program came to light...and when I saw you and your stupid smirk in Max's office, I just wanted to get back at you. And so now I'm stuck with this apartment." I tap the door with my knuckle and he frowns harder before shaking his head.

"What am I going to do with you Tris?" I chortle happily, my cheeks reddening slightly at the desperation and hunger laced in his words. "Kiss me?" I answer innocently and he looks up at me immediately. He lunges for my lips, like an animal deprived of water for days. His hand moves back inside my shirt while he rocks his hips against mine in a swaying manner. Even though we're both fully clothed, I can still feel the hardness of his growing erection. I moan in his mouth, giving his tongue a free entrance pass.

"Eric..." I bite my swollen lip when he moves to kiss my collarbone and downwards. He latches onto one specific spot at the top of my breast area and I jerk around in shock. I hiss after a few seconds but that stops when he trails his tongue over the area to soothe the pain. My fingers work through his hair, toying with the longer part on top. He groans against me and the rumble makes me sigh heavily.

I don't even know how I end up getting picked up and slammed against the door. I move my legs to curl up around his waist and he smashes my body against the door again. And again. And while that's happening, he is ferociously kissing me. One moment, he's capturing my bottom lip and biting down on it, hard enough for the coppery taste of my own blood to linger onto my taste buds. Another moment he's barely even touching my lips with his own. It's soft and sweet. Violent and hungry. Millions of combinations all thrown at me on the spot. I don't even realize that he's somehow managed to move his hand down my pants and is now sliding his fingers through my underwear.

I gasp at the shock but this time there is no pause for me to take a breath. He moves to claim my mouth just as his fingers works over my core in a fast pace. I growl and mewl, and it takes all of me to stop him from giving me pleasure. He frowns at my rejection but I shake my head, still panting like a wild dog.

"I wanna pleasure you this time. It's not fair if you always do everything." His eyes widen and I think this is one of the only times when I catch Eric lost of words, unable to add up calculations and explanations to the situation. I work over his zipper with trembling hands, but because I don't feel like today is a teasing day, my actions are quick and so I don't think he sees them. I shove his boxers partly downwards and he pulls up his vest up helpfully. I bite my lip with trepidation and look at him.

Eric's grey eyes are clouded with lust and his breaths are quick and short...and I haven't even touched him yet except for my hand gripping the side of his sweatpants.

"You're gonna have to help me out here." He lets out a quiet grunt and I can only assume that that's his way of agreeing with my statement.

"Start slow," he mumbles, hovering his hand over my head until his fingers are intertwined with my locks and his nails are scraping my scalp. I crouch downwards and rest on my knees for comfort- even though the mere idea that I'm gonna pleasure Eric in the Leadership hallway is nowhere near comforting.

My hand makes contact with his hard rock member and he stifles a moan as he begins pulling at my hair. Gradually, I become more confident with my movements and I think Eric definitely appreciates it; even more so as he assists with the friction when he begins rocking his hips in sync with my hand motions. Soon after, I take him in my mouth and I try to shove back my gag reflexes out of the way as I push him deeper than I would push food down my mouth. He curses loudly, one hand punching against my door and the other one gripping my hair tightly as he moves my head slowly. I mewl and the vibrations get him off quicker. Eric moans out my name, letting the one-syllable word rest against his tongue before it rolls off gracefully. I work back and forth over his member, until I reach his shaft.

At one point, he throws out- "Less teeth," before trying not to wince in my mouth. I try to apologize, completely forgetting that I'm in the middle of giving the young leader a blowjob in the center of a hallway. Anyone can walk into the corridor and I will probably die in shame in the very spot I am in right now. Eric, however, I believe will be smug and proud about it. It isn't really a surprise if you see a Dauntless couple get a little too cozy around the public places of the compound and sex is something people aren't ashamed of freely talking about here; but I certainly don't want to be caught.

As much as I find enjoyment in pleasuring Eric, I do wish this was all over faster; or at least I wish we could've started in the safety of the apartment. Nonetheless, I'm having fun listening to his moans and curses above me while he shoves my head until I nearly choke on his cock. Suddenly, I feel his thighs clench hard which is closely followed by another curse word, accompanied with his grip and movements becoming more slopping. He releases a liquid in my mouth that I have only read about secretly back in Abnegation. Scrunching my nose, I swallow it wordlessly; recalling how Marlene said that 'they find it hot.' It isn't bad but it isn't pleasant either and I believe it is fair that I would do it again for him. Although I did enjoy the experience too.

He rests his head against his forearm pinned over the door, his torso moving rapidly and in sync with his shallow breaths. I glide up, beaming at his glare-less features and slightly flushed cheeks. He shows me his rare, toothy grin which is followed by him bringing my chin up to kiss my lips sweetly. I smile into the kiss, feeling blissful, and very happy that I've finally found a way to 'talk' Eric out of arguments; because the apartment issue is long forgotten, probably dying somewhere down the hallway.

The following week or so, initiates begin getting called in for their scheduled job meetings.

The excitement is awake and oozing around us all, as each and every one of our friends all meet us for lunch with a new idea or a story about their unknown future. Melody decided that although being physically active and violent is always a must for her; she would rather spend her life working with her lover; for she chose to work in the Control Room. She also managed to convince Max to allow her to help out with the training of the new batch of Dauntless-born initiates and she prompted me to go ask about the transfers. I brushed the idea off, although I will definitely talk to Eric about it some day.

Uriah chose to become the Ambassador of Dauntless and he will be closely working under the Leaderships' wing. It shocked us all when the overly hyped beaming boy sat down in front of us and told us that he got offered one of the hardest jobs in Dauntless. Of coarse, we were all very supportive of his choice. I was also extremely excited because that meant that I would be training with him later on with time- because every leader should obviously be able to take over meetings and make speeches in the other Factions; if there is a certain change in a specific regulation which needs to come into the light. I also think that we will be training together in the Control Room, since we both need to understand how computers work and how to type up reports, since most of the time our jobs consists of us drowning under paperwork and documents. Well, that's what Eric told me at least. Even he- the youngest and harshest Dauntless leader who isn't very fond of the kid- himself, approved of Uriah's choice. Although his selfish motive is clear to me; that means one less chance for him to be visiting Johanna and Amity. He also believes that Uriah will fit in perfectly with the peaceful faction. And I couldn't possibly agree more.

Peter chose the path of the city patrol squad-which is ranked higher and is a more notable position than the Fence guards. It low-key saddened me when I heard that he wouldn't be spending as much time as we used to, merely because the patrol squads are always out and about- patrolling the Amity compound and the streets around Erudite, Candor, Abnegation and our own headquarters. They also like to be called for random, Factionless issues. That, however, is a little harder than the scouting around each compound due to Abnegation's interference with the swap of this law to a more 'peaceful' one- one which doesn't allow the Dauntless soldiers to come close to the Factionless sector- preventing 'uncalled violence' and 'to not disturb the poor souls.' I've had this conversation with Eric many times- and I'm glad that he and I are on the same page for this. My faction of origin is wrong, and I will do all that I can to change their minds. Marcus' mind. My father's mind.

Lynn chose to become a tattoo artist and a professional fighter at night. She can draw beautifully and I think that the whole faction will appreciate her stunning, bad ass tattoo designs. For the impatient, snappy and angry person that she is- drawing seems like it calms her down, and she's wonderful at it. As for the professional fighter; the Hell Hole is hidden deep in the heart of the compound. It is no secret, and nearly every single member has been there or has even participated in the activities happening. There's betting and challenges undertaken by any daredevil who believes that they have the guts to prove themselves in front of the Dauntless eyes. Lynn will be a trainer down there, but also the fighter who takes on the matches. People would either bet on her or her rival, and whoever wins the fight gets the points.

Marlene chose to follow the path of the Dauntless medical staff. She will apparently enter the nurse apprenticeship program where she will have to train to become a nurse- obviously- and then later on she can become a doctor if her skills are flawless. Marlene is precious and she's always been that brave, Dauntless warrior who would sacrifice themselves for everyone else. I think she will be the best nurse in the compound.

As for me; I can't tell them what I have chosen just yet. Max instructed me to prevent myself from freely speaking about my accepted position position in the program; only until after the ceremony where each and every job would be revealed in front of the whole compound. I continue lying whenever any of my friends ask me about what my choice, and I always say that I'm going with the flow until the very last minute. Hopefully they don't get offended. I would obviously tell them if I could.

Now, I pant and gasp for air as I roll around the mat for what feels like the millionth time this hour only.

"Again." Eric snarls as he circles around me methodically, his stance giving away how he can literally snap me in half in a heartbeat. He growls when I take my time, my hands and knees too weak for me to spring up onto my feet as quickly as him. A few days after my 'acceptance,' Max called us in to tell us that we may start the training hush hush, and since being physically more capable and more vicious than the normal Dauntless member is a must for all leaders; we began my physical training behind the closed doors of the separate, more elite, Leadership Training Room.

My body is peppered with all kinds of blue, green and purple blotches. My lip is busted and slightly swollen. My elbows and knees lack skin after the countless of times where they have connected with the sawdust-covered, sandpaper feeling of the arena's floor surface. I've managed to hide most of my wounds from the public eye- including my friends. But I don't know for how much longer.

In the beginning, Eric barely touched me. He would move away the millisecond before his punch would land on me. That severely pissed me off, because I wanted more. I wanted to feel his hits and know just how much it should hurt my own opponent when I master his teachings. He didn't agree on my first try. But after many attempts- both in the comforts of mine or his apartment and during the long, treacherous hours of training- I managed to get him to concede, but only with a warning that if I really wanted it, I would have to always stop him if it becomes too intense.

I never have.

"Yeah yeah- take your time. I'm sure your opponent would love to wait around for you to catch your breath. Go ahead." He raises his hand up, his voice deep and demanding as he glares down at me struggling to get on my feet.

"I'm sure that there's no other opponent like you in this whole world. Who can smirk and toss around sarcastic remarks after finally getting a punch in the face," I mumble loudly, to which he replies with a chagrined chuckle before rubbing his hand over the light purple bruise beginning to form on his jaw. It was the only ever time Eric had lowered his guard down; and that was right after he slowed down, pausing as he thought that he broke my nose.

I charge into him again, and he moves out of every single one of my attacks- and I scream in exasperation. He grabs me by the hips and hurls me back onto the floor, before successfully pinning me under him. I'm too mad at him to even make eye-contact, so I just jerk my head to the side; my tired and wild breaths washing over the dust and bringing it to life around me. Then I look back at his face, catching him cock his head to the side amusingly, his studs glinting at the bright colors of the sun setting through the window.

"You're getting better baby," he assures me wickedly, smirking when the blush begins burning through my cheeks- like every other time he decides to say something affectionate and sweet. "And don't get me wrong; you can attack and kill your opponent easily. It's just you can't get to me because I know and have taught you the sequence of the punches and kicks. So I literally know what your next move is," he purrs at me and I push him off. He traps my wrist and locks it over my head, his lips brushing over my ear.

"If you wanted to hurt me- you're gonna have to surprise me." I stare at his blown pupils and shiver when I feel his hips move over mine gracefully.

I snort, shaking my head to get rid of the intimate image that pops up in my head. Eric's face gives away that he too- is thinking about the same thing.

"Sadist." I wave a hand in the air and he laughs before his teeth rest and rub over his bottom lip as his gaze gradually lowers over my body. I place my hand at the back of his head and my fingers edge upwards until they lock around his messy hair on top. He groans and his head falls onto my collar-bone as his breathing increases. I wrap my leg around him and he swiftly presses his palms against the ground until he flips us over so that I am on top.

I gasp out in surprise and he smirks at me.

"We should try this position sometime."

I cock my head to the side and he taps his fingers against the arena floor until I mentally warm up to what he actually means.

"Oh." Is all I can think of and I can safely say that only judging by the amount of heat I feel on my face- my expression says it all. He chortles at my face before pulling me in to kiss me breathlessly, his fingers carefully sliding up and down my back.

"Ew lovebirds, don't you have a home?" Eden breaks the silence and I immediately stiffen before attempting to hide my face in the crook of Eric's neck. He doesn't seem to mind that interruption, because his lips make their merry way over my jaw; down my throat and onto my shoulder. I clutch his bicep in a mortified hurry and only then does he decide to pay attention to the third person in the room- who is sauntering towards us with a disgusted look on her face.

"Don't you have toilet paper to go count?" He sneers, sending her a nasty grimace as his hand grips my hip firmly.

I have realized that the Leadership Program is a very tricky process, separated into different aspects. Although it is usually run by Eric- and in my case it is- I shall have to spend some time with the other leaders and learn about what they do and how their jobs benefit the faction of the Brave. My lover is in charge of the strategy, intelligence and safety of not only the faction; but what goes on in the other factions too. He is a very important piece in the chess game when it comes to relations between our faction and mainly Erudite and Candor (no one bothers Abnegation and Amity usually agree with what the majority goes for). His job will not become easier when Uriah becomes Ambassador; because he will still have to continue going on patrols around Chicago every now and then; he'll still have to know anything and everything happening in the whole city and he'll still have to hunt Divergents for Jeanine.

The mere thought makes my stomach clench horribly.

So, not only do I have to understand and follow what Eric is doing; I will have to shadow the other faction leaders for a small amount of time (although Max thinks a meeting or two with each of them will be good enough for me to understand what happens where and why; until I am able to build a branch on my own).

Eden is in charge of the supplies imported and deported in and out of the Dauntless compound. She estimates everything; all of the necessities entering in here; from how many bars of soap Dauntless needs to how many points a month are to be distributed amongst the population. Facts and statistics are her thing- and I was not even surprised when she told me she was from Erudite. But that also explains why she's so fond of my young leader. She has spent too many hours 'babysitting his ass' for her to successfully become immune to his death glares. She's also the only other person I've seen Eric not completely shut out.

I'm perfectly fine with her meddling around with Eric; even more so when I know that she's in a very serious and long-term relationship with Harrison. The 'God of Weaponry' as they call him. He surveys the new tanks and trucks built for the patrol squads and is in charge of the infantry's training. He not only tests but builds new weaponry equipment and he's got a pretty collection hanging around down in the Dauntless Armory/Weaponry Unit. If an unexpected Factionless uprising occurs; Eric will calculate the good amount of soldiers they should send off while Harrison decides on which armaments they should leave with. And while that is happening; Eden will calculate the number of communication tabs and intercoms that should be divided and split amongst the squads.

Then there's Max; official head of Dauntless- although it's easy to say that no matter how much one soul tries to deny it; it is obvious that Eric is his right hand. Max is the person who is constantly calculating and rechecking all that happens in our faction, but also our neighbors. He would go to meetings once, twice, maybe even three times a day; depending on how long the duration of each meeting is. He will usually bring Eric along, for intimidation purposes and for the fact that together, they draw in more attention to the points and laws they want to shed light to.

My training is to understand that one leader's job cannot function properly without the help of the other. They are all a very powerful team.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Don't you have people to go scare off?" She counters and he merely shrugs his shoulders; returning his intensive stare towards me. I look back at him and not miss how longingly his eyes flicker towards my lips. I grin at him and he smirks- moving in until his cold lips meet mine just as Eden starts making gagging noises.

"Please, at least we can't hear you and Harrison 'kiss' at night from our apartment," he rolls his eyes and I clasp a hand over his and my own mouth before trying to bite back a hysterical laugh threatening to erupt from me. I peer at Eden, who's face looks brighter than her pink hair and she clears her throat, clearly avoiding any eye-contact with me and the young leader.

"I've come to take Tris for her physical checkup. C'mon." She smiles at me before jerking her head towards the door. I press my palms on Eric's chest and heave myself up- and he uses my hand as an anchor to hoist himself up; even though he really doesn't need me to stand up. Immediately, he pulls me until I'm flush against his chest and his face doesn't seem to excited at the fact that I'm gonna go see Sara.

"I'll be fine, Eric. I'm gonna be with Eden and it'll probably not take that long." I want to avoid making eye-contact and reveal that in all honesty, I really do not want to leave him. So instead, I look down and let my fingers brush over his split knuckles, caressing them softly with all my whole and love I have for him. He growls unpleasantly but he knows I'm right. And I really hate it when I'm right.

When I finally look up at his face, he has opened his mouth to say something, but I beat him by the second- since I already know what he's gonna say.

"Yes, baby: I'll find you after. Although I might pass by the Cafeteria and say hi to my friends." He hesitates for a moment, before nodding approvingly and letting me go reluctantly.

"Bye, Tris." He mutters as I begin trailing after Eden and his voice makes my heart break. It isn't soft and pleading me to come back; it's more demanding and irritated that our training was interrupted by an appointment with his ex.

Who hates my guts.

"Fine...yeah...alright...tick...check." The nurse drones on and on after taking notes on the clipboard in her hands. She steals glances at me propped up on the hospital bed and I cringe every time. She's a pretty human being, but her personality or what she chooses to show me makes her seem ugly. Since she's working closely with the Leadership. Eden told her why I'm being brought to her and what she's supposed to be doing to me. She snorts, as if this is old news for her.

"I know. Your statistics and your position has been revealed in your records, and since I have access to all the medical records and I've been skimming through the initiates' ones- it definitely caught my eye when I saw 'Leader-in-training' under your name. You're also forgetting that all government officials are constantly being updated with things like this, so there's no doubt that the other factions aren't already aware of this too." She shrugs before continuing. Eden's face goes red and she looks like she's about to jump onto the smug nurse any second now. However, I'm still wondering as to what she means with the 'other factions.'

Why would the other factions be concerned with what happens in Dauntless?

Unless we're talking about a specific 'other faction'...

She glares at me the entire time; her lips sealed in a firm line as she nods slightly before walking into her office to pull up and retrieve my medical record.

"Your vitals seem fine...-"

"We don't want our leader-in-training to have vitals that 'seem fine'. Everything should be flawless," Eden exclaims from the corner of the room and Sara turns to glower at me, as if it's my fault.

"Sorry, your vitals are perfect. Blood sugar is stable and pulse is good. I don't see any issues or severe dilemmas that might affect your training." She flicks through her clipboard with my information; her brows knitted together. "You don't have anything to share with me? Have you ever suffered a cold? Had a trauma that may potentially affect your future?" Both women are staring at me- one not too nicely. But I smile tightly and shake my head, shoving back bitter memories.

"Nope. I did, however, fall very ill sometime last year, during the winter times. I believe it was the only time I was sent to Erudite for medical attention. But I don't think that that's important." Behind Sara, Eden smiles at me reassuringly and we both nearly miss the nurse's crude remark about her surprise that 'Erudite treat Stiffs.' I watch as the older leader stands up abruptly but to my surprise, bites back her attack when I shoot her a pleading look to just leave it.

Sara isn't the first and certainly won't be the last person to comment on the tricky situation between the two factions.

"Are you taking any pills? Vitamins?" She inquires professionally and I am about to shake my head no, but the words come out without a warning. "Just birth control. Although I was advised by Dean to swap it to the shot later on. But that's it." She blinks a few times, as if in surprise that the words 'birth control' have left my mouth. She taps open her pen again before scribbling something. "Alright then; I'm giving you multivitamins to strengthen your immune system and Vitamin D since we practically live underground...uh...what else...oh wait actually; scratch the multivitamins out. I'm giving you this instead." She snatches the pill bottle out of my hand and rounds up to her desk before pulling open a draw. She then hands me a small pill bottle with no name tag. I shake it suspiciously before shifting my gaze back to her cold eyes; silently in demand for an explanation.

"It's a new pill created by Erudite. I completely forgot about it. Jeanine sent our medical ward an email explaining how this," she juts her chin out at the pill bottle in my grip, "is to be given to each leader. It is basically all the multivitamins needed for you to have a healthy and balanced inner environment." I nod slowly, popping open the bottle and it smells unpleasant- making me scrunch my nose.

"If it's supposed to be given to every leader; then how comes I didn't get a prescription for it too? Or Harrison? Or Eric and Max? We should have known." Eden narrows her eyes at the unhappy looking nurse who's lips pinch up unpleasantly.

"All in good time. Tris coming here has reminded me that the other orders have still not arrived. You will each be called in to get your own prescription sometime later this week. In fact, this pill bottle only came a few hours ago. If you're so keen on starting the pills then I can get them by tomorrow morning? Or maybe tonight?" Sara's voice is laced with mockery towards the leader, who growls angrily before refusing it harshly.

"Next time don't forget about shit like this." She crosses her arms over her chest before beckoning me to follow her out of the Infirmary. Me being brought up to always be polite, no matter how rude the person opposite you is- I turn to say my goodbyes to a scowling Sara, who immediately follows after me.

"Eden, give us just a minute, she'll be right back out." Sara slams the door after the leader's heels before turning to stare me down.

I raise my eyebrows and wait for her to continue. "Take two every day. If you feel nauseous or you feel like you have a headache- then it's working...according to Jeanine's email." Just by hearing the Erudite leader's name, my blood runs cold and I shake my head quickly to conceal the shiver running down my spine. "And don't make a big deal out of it. Don't go telling everyone that you were given vitamins that will boost your immune system better than the shit given to the norm." She spits the words out harshly and I knit my eyebrows in disgust at her tone.

I brush past her and gasp angrily when she twists to grab my wrist, pulling me back. "Come back in a few days or so, so I can see how the pill is doing you. Ignore the side effects and keep going. It's an interesting pill and I need to know how it's working you." Her smile seems psychotic and I can't help but feel uneasy about this strange pill. Nonetheless, I don't question her professional tactics, and I just walk out- uttering another weak 'bye.'

The pill bottle is small enough to be shoved into my leggings- since I have no pockets- and I make my way towards the Cafeteria; where I am greeted by the suspicious, angry and worried looks of my friends.

"What's wrong?" I ask, completely forgetting about greetings at this point. Uriah sucks in a breath between his teeth before dropping his fork on the table and looking up at me.

"We need to talk."

"Oh no." I groan, slumping down between Melody and Lynn, completely ignoring how both Peter and Marlene exchange a weird look between Uriah's sharp exhales.

"Is Eric abusing you?" Peter blurts out and if my eyeballs could pop out because my eyes have widened too much- they would have right in this very moment.

"What the fuck?" I exclaim, pushing myself up before glaring at the few members who have turned around to see what's happening. "What makes you think that he's abusing me?" I snort, running a hand through my hair.

"Can you blame us Tris?" This time it's Lynn who surprisingly opens her mouth as she turns her head towards my direction. "Look at you. You look like you're going through Initiation right now. Every day you've been meeting us with new bruises and you never talk about them? What else are we supposed to be thinking?" I shut my eyes for a moment, taking the time to count until I'm sure that I won't just publicly reveal something that really doesn't deserve so much hiding and attention.

"He. Isn't. Abusing. Me." I say flatly, emphasizing each word on its own. No one seems to buy it. "He really isn't. I started sparring with him and he's been teaching me how to protect myself against larger and mightier opponents. Nothing on me," I wave a hand at my face, "Is forced upon me without my consent. As a matter of fact- it might not seem like it visually- but he's actually really against properly attacking me while we train together. But I'm the one pushing him." I take a deep, sharp breath after my rant before glaring at everyone's guilty-stricken expressions.

"We're sorry we thought of the worst." Marlene mumbles quietly and I can't help but feel like a horrible person for going off at them. It was a two-way street and I'm in the middle of it.

"It's fine. I appreciate your concerns about my well-being, but Eric would never, ever lay a hand on me outside the arena." I smile back at the way Uriah looks more relaxed as he picks his fork up to resume his journey through the Dauntless cake. "Anyway, I'm gonna go find him now. I'll see you guys around." I pace away quickly out of the Cafeteria before anyone can call after me.

I make my way back to my apartment and to my dismay it's empty and Eric-less. I take the pill bottle out and push two of the small white pills onto my palm. Taking a glass of water, I down it and ignore the bitter taste it comes with. Immediately, my head feels heavy on my shoulders and black blotches appear in front of me.

I shake my head in an attempt to get rid of the colors and that's when the headache appears. I fall to my knees groaning as I clutch my head in my hands. My stomach clenches and I vomit on the floor beside me. My body crumbles onto the ground and I sob; praying that whoever can hear me can barge in and make the pain go away. My breaths become short and my body stiffens as I try and crawl towards the door, my cheeks wet with tears as my clothes are covered in my own puke. A small part of me is furious at myself for being so weak. Another part of me is confused.

Why am I reacting so badly? Was I supposed to eat a lot before the pill? What the fuck did Sara actually give me?

My messy thoughts and the loud ringing in my ears barely block out how my front door unlocks just before Eric pops into the hallway. I can barely figure out what is happening, but next thing I know I can hear his loud, demanding voice calling something. My name? Me? He rushes past me and towards the kitchen counter. I hear him curse loudly before the pills that were once in a bottle wash all over the floor.

I try to turn around to face him and see what's happening, but my movements are very slow. But then I'm in his arms again and he cradles me, his chin resting on my head. I close my eyes and let the pain absorb me and the last thing I remember is that and we are moving. Fast.

Very fast.

Oh damn, drama drama drama!

Thank you so so much for being so patient and supportive via the wonderful reviews and increasing follows/favorites. It really means a lot!

To the guest who is always so hyped whenever I post- nah ah honey, it's never too much! xx

I love it when I hear what you have to say! Hope I haven't disappointed this time. It's a long chapter, and hopefully I get back into writing more...writer's block and all.

Till next time! XX

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