The Fourth Eaton

Chapter 14 🔪 Sharp Stuff

"And you are?" He counters.

"Never said that. I just said that you aren't."

"Well, I'm definitely wiser than you, little insect."

I shudder at the mention of bugs, but quickly regain my composure, hoping Tobias doesn't notice. He'll never let me hear the end of it if he knows I'm afraid of something like insects. Creatures so small that they could never harm you... except for when they bite you, not only puncturing your skin but passing on any diseases they may carry. And when they... enough of that.

"Insect?" I demand, turning my head to meet his eyes.

He laughs again. "Yeah. You got yourself caught in the spiderweb that you made for yourself. Therefore, you're an insect."

"Technically, spiders are arachnids, not insects."

"Oh, Miss Smarty-Pants over here." He wiggles his eyebrows, pretending to look impressed. "I'm surprised you're dressed in black, not blue."

I knock my head against his chest, since my arms are pinned. "Shut up. And never call me a little insect again."

"Of course, little arach-" He's cut off by my deadliest glare. He raises his eyebrows, looking unfazed. "Fine, you look like you mean business. Although I can confidently say my glare is better than yours."

"Like my social skills are better than yours." I shoot back.

He rolls his eyes. "Who needs to talk to people, anyways?"

I fake pout. "So you don't need to talk to me?"

He smirks at me, squeezing me a little tighter. "No, Cam, how could you ever consider such a thing?"

I gasp dramatically. "I'm offended!"

"I'd be offended if you weren't."

"Anyways," I choose to ignore his last comment. "Back to the purpose of me running at you. Why the HECK did you throw a knife at me?!"

Tobias starts laughing, AGAIN. I'm less amused now and more frustrated. "Could you please explain, O Knife Wielder?"

"I like that title." And I have the urge to smack that smirk off your face, if I could ever get out of your death grip. "But I saw you coming in, looking like you were sleepwalking. And you do not want to walk into training today sleepy. So, I decided to... wake you up a little."

My brother's antics... "There were better ways to do that, you know. Like, come up to me and shake my shoulder?"

Tobias grins. "What's the fun in that?"

"You're insufferable."

"Thank you. It's my life goal, to be unbearable." I roll my eyes again. My typical brother; quiet and serious on the outside, but a playful, witty person once you get to know him. "But, Cam." His face sobers instantly, and I find mine doing the same. "Why did you look like a walking zombie? Didn't you get any sleep last night?"

I look at the ground, refusing to meet his eyes as I admit to my weakness. "The nightmares. They were the worst since the Choosing Ceremony."

"And they were about...?" He prods gently, his grip around me looser now.

I squeeze my eyes shut. "You know who."

I can feel his chin moving against my hair as he nods. I inhale and exhale slowly, taking in the smell of dust and sweat that makes up the training room, and the smell of Tobias, which is made up of a mixture of the Dauntless soap and something else that I can't quite identify. The two smells collide in my nostrils and, somehow, calm me.