Love Can Survive Anything /discontinued/

Part 24: Four

FOUR'S POV:

 

 

Four-

I change out of my pajamas and into clean clothes - just the basics- jeans, shirt, socks and sneakers. I flick off the lightswitch before remembering the shirt swatch Adrian gave me last week. I snatch it off the dresser before walking to the Clothing Shop.

The swatch is light blue and cotton.

Zeke is not here because he's busy, and I quote, 'snogging Shauna.' So, I'm supposed to get two suits; one for me and one for him.

The things I do for that guy.

He's shorter than I am by four or five inches, but has thicker, more muscular arms.

He's my best friend, probably more so than Tris which says a lot.

I push open the door and walk in, relishing in the warmth of the store. The tunnels tend to be freezing at this time of year. Winter.
"Four, b-bro!" The man behind the counter says, rushing to me.

He looks familiar, but I don't think I know him.
"Hello," My Instructor voice booms through the shop and I barely catch the muscle twitch of fear on his face.
"H-how c-can I help y-you?" His voice quivers as he stutters.

His hair is shaved close to his scalp, and the bit I can see is a gingery red, like Peter's.
"I need two suits, both black. One with a white shirt and the other this color." I hand him the swatch and his eyes widen before he nods violently, taking the scrap of silk.
"Okay..O-okay. Come with m-me." I'm beginning to remember him more and more.

His eyes are brown and beady and he has a large nose. Gideon. That's who he is!

He used to work in the Control Room, but then he had some sort of break down, so they shoved him in here, I guess. The breakdown was apparetnly caused by the Dauntless Leader's taunting threats over his suspected Divergence.

Later, after his breakdown, he was tortured under Candor's truth serum where he reacted poorly to the chemicals, causing his stutter.
"U-um, here are the s-suits. Y-you can find your o-own size, r-right?" He asks, his voice small.

It's obvious the leaders' threats got to him. The way he shivers in my presence. Even if I'm not a Dauntless leader, he still fears me.

I can't imagine staying here - in fear nonetheless - with no one.
"Yeah, I can. Thanks, Gideon." I send a sad smile at him and he jumps a bit, frightened.

I feel sorrow through my bones. It is the only time I wish I was a leader; to stand up for the weak; the deficient. It isn't their fault for how they are; it's the leaders'. Gideon should not have had to suffer because of them.
"I'll get y-your dress s-shirts. W-what sizes?" I'm surprised he's still willing to talk to me.

All of Dauntless knows that I would make a better leader than Eric or Max. I'm not as cruel; as heartless.

I tell him the sizes and he nods quickly before hurrying off, the swatch of blue color in hand.

I drag my hands over the black pants on the shelves.

Some are cotton, some are denim, and some are a miz between the two.

I grab two pairs of pants - black and a soft, cottony denim - and walk toward the jackets.

Some are vest, others have short 3/4 length sleeves and others are too long even for my arms.

Gideon returns as I place two black, full length jackets over my arm. He's holding a white shirt - Zeke's - and a blue/gray one for me.

The shirt vaguely reminds me of Tris's gray eyes. Soft, curious, but fiery and passionate. She makes me who I am. I wouldn't even be here, in Dauntless, without her.
"Thanks again, Gideon." The corner's of his lips twitch at my gratitude.
"No problem, Four." He doesn't stutter and his voice doesn't shake.

I feel proudness surge through my veins toward him. Hopefully, he'll eventually overcome his stutter and fear of all the leaders. Then maybe he'll be back in the Control Room.

He was almost as good at computers as I am.

+AUTHORS'

FINALLY AN UPDATE!

ugh.

WHO HAS ALLEGIANT?!

No spoilers pls. I've only just got it, andf I'm around page 200-ish and i'm so FOURING scared of the end.

-Jess