8- Accommodations

"Scarlett!" Riley throws himself at me as we walk into the dining hall for lunch, wrapping his arms around my shoulders in a tight hug. I stumble backwards a few steps, my tiny body unable to hold up his large muscular one. Eric glares. "We were so worried, are you ok?" he pulls back a little to look at me.

"I'm good, thanks," I smile at him and Will, who pats my back. Eric glares harder.

"Come on, we're sitting over here," Will takes my hand, pulling me away from Eric. Riley grabs my other hand, both of them completely ignoring Eric's glare. I smirk to myself, knowing the lack of fear my friends hold for him bothers him immensely.

"So, where were you this morning?" Riley asks, handing me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich wrapped in wax paper from the middle of the table.

"Thanks," I start unwrapping the sandwich, "Just training with Eric, which was ok, but tiring." He'd locked us in one of the private training rooms and made me go through a cycle of punches for hours, but he hadn't tried anything. "And we met with Max."

"Are you in trouble?" Will raises his eyebrows, taking a bite of an apple.

"No, about the nightmares," I look down at the table, blushing. "You know, with all the screaming."

"What about them?" Riley peels a cheese stick into a million little strands, eating them one at a time.

"They decided I can't stay in the dorm anymore because I'm disrupting everyone's sleep, and being sleep deprived isn't good for training," I finish my sandwich and lick peanut butter off my fingers.

"Where are you staying?" Will's voice is full of concern, as if he can already sense that the answer is not good.

"With Eric." My voice is barely a whisper and it trembles.

"Is that even safe?" Riley's face is contorted with disbelief.

"I don't like this," Will slams his hands down on the tabletop.

"I know, I don't either. But I don't have a choice," I start peeling an orange, trying to stop my hands from shaking.

"What is Max thinking? I'm sure he knows what kind of person Eric is," Will shakes his head, "At least enough to know that sending you to live with him is not a good idea."

"Max thought it was a good idea because Eric's training me and he thinks I'll be safer than in a dorm full of guys."

"Obviously not," Riley rubs his temples, "In the dorms you have us to protect you and you have more of a chance of being able to fight off another initiate. If Eric tried to hurt you, there would be nothing you could do. He's massive."

"I know. But what do I do? Tell Max I'm afraid?" I shake my head. "This is Dauntless. I'm not allowed to be afraid."

"I'm so sorry," Will pets my hair as tears threaten to leave my eyes. I lean my head on his shoulder, somehow finding his touch comforting. I guess it's because I trust him. "If we can do anything, just tell us."

"Yeah, we're here if you need us," Riley reaches across the table to pat my hand, concern in his eyes.

"Thanks guys," I smile weakly, sliding a piece of my orange into my mouth. "At least I've got weapons with you."

"True!" Riley smiles, more comfortable with the happier topic. "Are we doing guns again today?" I shrug, twisting my head on Will's shoulder to look up at him for answers.

"Yeah, that's what Four said this morning. Weren't you listening at all?" he raises an eyebrow at Riley and takes another bite of apple.

"Not particularly. Too tired," he yawns, as if to emphasize his point.

"Sorry," I blush, looking down at the orange in my hands.

"It's not your fault," Will and Riley say at the same time, and I have to laugh at their synchronization.

"I'd rather wake up every night than have you stay with Eric," Riley pops the last of his string cheese into his mouth. I smile, really enjoying this friend thing.

"That wasn't too bad," Riley stretches his arms over his head on the way to dinner, sore from holding up a gun for so long.

"Better than fighting," I gripe, recalling the sweaty morning practice with Eric.

"I second that," Will smiles, glancing down at me.

Dinner passes, the laughter and light words broken only by a visit from Eric to drop off a key to his apartment for me. It only solidifies the nightmare that happened in Max's office this morning. Riley and Will ignored it in the moment, glaring at Eric, and now they've brightened up again, throwing carrots and celery at each other.

"We should do something," Riley dumps his tray in the trashcan, followed by Will's and mine.

"Like what?" I ask as we start out of the dining hall.

"Tattoos!" Riley starts to skip down the hall, spinning in circles as we travel towards the Pit, smiling like a maniac. Will and I roll our eyes in sync, but follow after him. We weave through clusters of Dauntless as we cross the floor of the Pit and climb up to the second-floor tattoo parlor.

"What are you going to get?" Will runs his fingers along the designs decorating the walls, looking at me briefly for my answer.

"Nothing," I shake my head, bringing my eyebrows together. "I don't feel Dauntless enough yet." Our attention flicks to Riley, who within the first five minutes was in the corner getting Dauntless flames inked on his right shoulder blade.

"Yeah. We don't even know if we're going to make it. If I become…" he hesitates, choking on the word, "…factionless, I don't want a constant remainder of my failure."

"And it will interfere with training," I nod, my eyes still focused on Riley, who is serene on his stomach on the bench with the artist hunched over him holding the needle.

"True." We drift over to the waiting area and sink down in the plush black armchairs. We sit with idle chatter for a while, watching people mill about in the Pit through the glass wall of the tattoo parlor. "Are you really going to be ok with Eric?" Will's off-topic words cut through the peace that had built up in me. I sigh.

"I don't know," I bite my lip, hating making this admission. "But I don't really have a choice."

"Do you think you could stay with Lauren? She's the one training the Dauntless born," he adds at my confused look. "Or even Four. He's less dangerous than Eric."

"I asked Max if I could stay with a female, I said for appropriateness's sake, but he just dismissed it. Like he's absolutely certain Eric would never do anything." Which I know is false because of this morning, but I don't mention this to Will. He doesn't need to know how weak I am.

"You'd think he'd know better. He's got to know how Eric treats initiates," Will shakes his head.

"Exactly. He agreed to it without a second thought."

"Agreed to it?"

"Eric suggested it." I shiver as the statement leaves my lips. "I just want to know what his motives are."

"That is awfully…suspicious," Will is regarding me with deep concern in his eyes. I nod as Riley runs over to us, a huge grin on his face and his shirt in his hands. He doesn't seem to notice the intensity in the air from our conversation.

"Look," he turns to show us his back, now partially black and on fire. "What do you think?" He turns back to look at us, an excited grin on his face. The expectation in his eyes is enough to make me smile.

"It's pretty epic," I stand up, and earn myself a smile from him.

"Very Dauntless," Will's mouth twitches into a crooked grin.

"I know!" Riley wraps us both into a hug. "I can't believe you guys don't want anything."

"We're just not quite sure what to get yet," Will's smile doesn't hesitate through the lie.

"You Erudite always overthink things," Riley gives Will's arm a light punch as we leave the tattoo parlor, weaving back through the Pit. "And who knows what the Amity's problem is." I laugh at his sarcastic tone, and shrug. We head to the dorms, laughter filling our talk. It's only when we are outside the already darkened dorms that I realize that my destination is another. They seem notice the reality we were all denying at the same time, and our laughter falls silent.

"Well, I guess I'd better get going," I try to paste on a smile to assuage their worries, but even Riley looks serious.

"We'll see you at breakfast," Riley wraps his arms around my shoulders, and Will slides into the hug. I take a deep breath as we stand huddled together, before breaking away.

"Yeah," I nod, trying to keep the tremor from my voice. "Good night." I turn away before my mask can crack. They must know I'm scared, but they don't know just how scared I am. My steps are slow and dragging as I make my way through the compound. Following the directions Eric had written on a piece of paper wrapped around the key card in matte black ink brings me to his apartment too quickly, despite my lagging pace.

I pull the black card out of my pocket, and stare at the room number, 238, written on it in silver letters. I move it towards the scanner on the door, and then yank it back before it can be registered. This process repeats several times, as I am unable to gather the courage to enter. But given the late hour, Eric is quite possible asleep. Nodding to myself to try to cement this thought into my brain, I finally scan the card and open the door as the little button flashes green.

The apartment is cold, and I wrap my arms around myself. A box sits across the room, and the open top allows me to notice that it holds my stuff. The lights are on, bright compared to the dim lights of the nighttime hallway, and my heart sinks as I notice Eric on the long black leather couch with a file on his lap. The grey stone walls seem hostile.

"Where have you been?" The harshness in his voice makes me flinch back towards the door. He shuts the folder on his lap and casts it onto the coffee table, but remains on the couch. I'm tempted to run from the room, my Amity tells me to in order to avoid conflict, but everything I have is here and there's nowhere else to go.

"With my friends," I meet his sharp gaze, my Dauntless choosing to be brave, my Erudite telling me that it would only enrage him further if I ran away, and my Candor preventing me from lying.

"Did I give you permission to stay out?" His eyes are dangerously dark, his words slow and vicious.

"I wasn't aware that I needed it," I wrap my hands together behind my back to keep them from shaking.

"While you're staying with me, you need my permission for everything."

"You aren't my parent," I snap, although I know nothing about parents. "You can't tell me what to do in anything but a training environment."

"I'm giving up my own personal space to protect you, so you will do as I tell you," Eric's tone is level and calm, and it's scarier than if he was yelling. I swallow thickly but glare at him, not ready to give up yet.

"You offered your 'personal space' and then you and Max forced me to take it. I don't want to be here." I'm shaking, and I'm not sure if it's from rage or fear.

"Regardless of what happened, I'm still a leader and I could still kick you out at any moment. If you don't want that to happen, I'd suggest you listen to me." The threat means more now that I have something to live for in the form of friendships. But I'm used to hunger and pain - I would survive. "Now, come here." Come here, baby sister.

My shaking increases, now purely fear. I back against the door, as far from him as possible. Eric smirks, appreciating the dominance.

"Come here," he repeats, his eyes darkening further. I still refuse to move, but my eyes are trapped on his. "Come. Here." His voice is flooded with anger and the need for control. My Erudite tells me to go, that it's better not to enrage him further, but I can't move. His steely eyes seem to pin me to the wall better than his muscular arms could. "Looks like," he smirks, "someone needs a lesson in obedience."

"No!" my body jolts back against the door as if I'd been hit as he rises from the couch. I'm shaking violent now, his slow steps and malevolent smirk increasing the speed of my breathing.

"I think so," Eric stops in front of me and grasps my chin between his forefinger and thumb, forcing me to look at him. "You've been very naughty."

"I'll tell Max what you're doing," I breathlessly threaten. I can't seem to find enough air to fill my lungs.

"You think he'll care? You think he'll take your word over mine?" he shakes his head, taking on a mock sad look. "You think he'll give one shit about you? No," his voice is hard now, threatening, "He'd fuck you just as fast as I would." A little scream tears from my throat at his words, and I collapse farther against the door. "Cute," Eric smirks at the sound. "Let's get this little lesson started. Sit," he points at the floor, and I collapse all to easily onto it. "Good girl," he pets my hair like a dog. "Now, there is one way you can stop this." I look up at him, eyes wide and eager for a way.

"Anything," I plead, wincing at the submission in my voice.

"Tell me what your nightmares are about," he smirks, mirth and dark dominance filling his eyes. He reaches down to caress my cheek. "And I'll stop."

"I already told you, I can't," I whimper. Although Ashton isn't here, his threats still weigh me down. Eric snarls and pulls me to my feet by my hair. I wince at the pull.

"Then I guess I'd better start teaching." I jerk away from him, but his hold in my hair prevents me from going anywhere. Then, to my surprise, he releases me. "Come," he starts towards the two doors across the room. I trail after him, my breath fast and halting.

Eric leads me through the door on the left into a blank room with only an empty closet, a bed covered in a grey comforter, and a little table as its contents. Ashton never took me to his bedroom, so the sight doesn't induce more fear.

"This will be your room. You can keep all your stuff in here but," he smirks, turning back to face me, "You'll be sleeping with me until you learn some respect." My eyes widen. "I won't do anything as long as you aren't a bad little girl, and it will allow me to keep an eye on your nightmares." I almost sigh in relief, but his words aren't reassuring because I don't trust him. He turns me back towards the door with his hands on my shoulders and leads me into his bedroom. It looks more lived in, the bed unmade, clothes in the closet, boots stuffed with newspaper in the corner.

Eric sits down on the bed and unlaces his shoes. I start to do the same.

"Stop," he commands, sliding his second boot off. I glance up at him, my fingers freezing. "You aren't allowed to do anything until I tell you that you can."

"Can I take off my shoes?" My eyes are pleading but I refuse to let it taint my voice.

"Is that how you ask?" he chides as if he's addressing a small child.

"Can I please take my shoes off? Sir," I add as an afterthought, hoping it will appease him.

"Good girl," he nods, smirking at the blush on my cheeks and obviously enjoying this power. "You may." With shaking hands, I slide my boots off my feet, leaving on the red socks I wear underneath. "Shirt next." I hesitate a little, but give in to his demand. He's already seen me in just a bra already. Eric smirk widens as he watches my every move from the bed. "Pants." A gasp escapes from my mouth as he gives the order. I shake my head, unwilling. "Pants, Amity." He cracks his knuckles, each one giving off a defined pop. "Now." My fingers tremble as I start to slide the leggings down my legs and off each foot, but I can't push him further than I already have without just bringing more pain for myself.

I'm left standing before him in only my black strappy sports bra and burgundy boy shorts, shaking furiously. Eric shucks his own shirt, leaving him in only black pajama pants.

"Come here," he reaches out his arms, and I reluctantly step towards him, ending up standing between his knees. Holding me in place by my waist, he looks over the wreckage that is my body. The marks on my hips are quite clearly hands now that they're more exposed, and the low cut of my underwear exposes the marks on my prominent hipbones. "You look so…abused," Eric's voice is a whisper and at his words I collapse against his chest with a sob. I've never heard the words out loud, and they send a wave of exhaustion over me but somehow also relief, even though I know Eric isn't going to do anything. He strokes my back, his touch now somehow tender.

Gently he rolls back onto the bed, pulling me on top of his chest under the covers, and somehow turning off the bedside lamp that provides the only light in the room. I tense as my bare thighs touch his bare chest, and push against his arms. Eric grimaces but after a second lets me go. I scoot away from him, but don't try to leave the bed. He seems satisfied with this, his previous anger somehow gone after I almost bared my body to him. I close my eyes and even my breathing, attempting to lull myself into sleep. Eric is much more successful, quiet snores filling the dark room.

With the utmost care not to wake him, I roll off the bed and reach around on the floor to find my shirt. I grab the first piece of cloth I find and pull it over my head. I'm absolutely exhausted after not sleeping last night, and somehow I find sleep after only an hour of tossing and turning.

I wake in the middle of the night with tears running down my face and shaking violently. But not from cold, because I'm pressed against something very warm. It takes a minute to register that I am not in Amity at the mercy of my brother, but in Dauntless at the mercy of Eric. His grey eyes are staring down at me as he holds my trembling form to his chest.

"I'm fine, you can let go," I push against him, seeking freedom.

"You are quite clearly not ok," he grips me tighter.

"I'll be ok faster if you let me go," I glare at his chest, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Consider it payback."

"For what?" my eyebrows scrunch together. "Barfing on your shoes? I'm pretty sure getting mostly naked and in your bed makes up for that."

"Although it was nice, I don't think that completely makes up for it. Maybe if you got completely naked," he grins, his usual smirk a little more like a smile.

"Not a chance." I realize the banter is helping distract me, and the shaking has gone down. Though it would still help if he let me go.

"But this is payback for stealing my shirt."

"What? When did I do that?"

"I don't know, I was asleep, but you're wearing it now." I realize with a jolt that what I'm wearing is in fact not my own shirt, but his.

"I didn't realize," I murmur. "I thought it was mine."

"I don't recall giving you permission to put clothes back on either." His patronizing words increase my trembling again, and I glare harder at his chest, still refusing to truly look at him.

"I was cold."

"I was here to warm you up if you wanted it."

"Can't you realize that this is not helping?" I hiss, clenching my fists against my chest and trying to control my body.

"Who ever said I was trying to help you?" I jerk back against his arms in a desperate attempt to get away, threatened by his question.

"And you were doing so well," I grit my teeth, struggling in his grasp. He just laughs and holds me tighter.

"I'm not letting you go, so just go to sleep, Amity."

"You think I can sleep like this?"

"If you don't shut up right now I'm making you take off the shirt." His voice is light, but I know he means every word. So I still, the only movement the shake of my body that refuses to listen to my commands. In the dark red numbers glow on the clock, spelling out 3:47. Each of Eric's breaths move my tense body slightly, and I know I'm not going to be able to sleep given how hyper aware of his presence I currently am, but I don't try to pull away. "Good girl."