Daring to be Dauntless (A Divergent Fanfiction)

Chapter 21- The Eldest

"I am greatly impressed," Eric says smiling.  

I give the tattoo artist a quick wink over my shoulder and take hold of Eric's bicep. "And to think, you thought I was just kidding."  

He gives a low chuckle and maneuvers his arm around my shoulders and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek. "I should have never doubted you."  

I smile. "No, you shouldn't have. That was your first mistake."  

He pulls me closer into his side so we have to walk together as to not fall over each other.  

"So let me see it again," he says stopping.  

I pull up the back of my shirt just so most of my spine shows. He removes the gauze and smiles, tracing over the tips of the buildings and where the bird is soaring towards the faction symbols.  

"Unbelievable," he whispers making me smile. "Just because I am a Stiff doesn't mean I'm a goody-girl," I laugh. He nods pulling the hem of my shirt back down to cover the gauze.  

"Well any other day I might have disagreed... but today you have shocked me."  

"And you owe me," I point out. He squirms a little but nods in recognition of our agreement. He would apologize to Tobias.  

"You better not forget," I say pointing a finger at him again. He nods and takes me back to my room. He stays a minute to show me his own tattoo of a sword which is nothing short of amazing. The blade touches a compact word of swirls, so small and twisted it was unreadable.  

"What does it say?" I ask.  

"'Fortis,' it's Latin for brave." He smiles, genuinely happy that I was taking such interest in his art. From somewhere inside his jacket there's a beeping noise. He removes a sort of phone and answers, cradling it between his ear and shoulder. "Talk," he says. I kind of smile at how forward he is with people. It's nice to be with someone who doesn't beat around the bush; tells you how it is no matter how painful it gets.  

There's chattering on the other side. It's a woman's voice, and for a minute I think it could be Jeanine. I raise an eyebrow and he makes and equally confused expression.  

"What she look like?" he asks shortly.  

More chattering and then a sigh escapes Eric's lips.  

"Do what you want with her and I'll be waiting for her to be escorted back." His eyes narrow as he shakes his head, angry as a hornet being swat at.  

"No one listens around here," He growls punching the END CALL button and shoving the phone back into his pocket.  

"Who was that?" I ask innocently hoping he'll disclose the mysterious caller.  

He doesn't smile, just runs a hand through his cropped hair and says, "Jeanine. One of the Dauntless initiates... a stiff," he says grinding his teeth. "Got in her head that she would leave the compound without telling anyone where she was going, and without permission."  

I nod a little. She'd have to be one crazy chick to sneak off... and of all places to go, go to Erudite.  

"She wanted to see her brother," he says. He rubs a thumb over the little stubble on his chin and then says, "you should know him, he's an initiate as well."  

"Oh," I say a little surprised. Two stiffs...one here in Dauntless and another in Erudite...kind of reminds me of someone else I know. "Caleb Prior right?"  

"Yeah, Tris was the one that ran away."  

I nod and give him a smile, taking his hand in mine I give him a quick kiss on the cheek before telling him to get this mess with Beatrice straightened out.