Peter Hayes Imagines

Safe With You

If you look over your shoulder now, you can see your entire life fall away behind you. The train car rattles with the slightest of movements, so all you can do is stay still and watch your home get farther and farther away. Dauntless is a ways away from your old faction; you'll likely not be able to return except on official faction business.

Then again, this isn't the worst problem in the world. You've been thinking about this choice for the last few months, maybe even your entire life. Someday, there would come a time when you would have to stand up in front of the city and select your faction through the Choosing Ceremony, and there would be no going back. Even if you repeated today a hundred times, you would never choose anything other than Dauntless.

You're not sure that you would assign this same sentiment to every other initiate in the train car, though. There are a few Erudite standing glumly by the doors, an Amity or two that looks extremely out of place. A few of them must have made spur-of-the-moment decisions to dash their blood over the hot coals back in the Choosing Ceremony, and are starting to regret it now.

You can't help a slight smirk as you watch them. One of them looks positively green, and another's hands shake like they're stuck in an earthquake. Apparently the nerves from having to climb up buildings and jump onto moving trains are already getting to them. Then again, what did they think would happen, that they'd enter Dauntless through hearty handshakes and proud smiles? Everyone knows the Dauntless are risk-loving fools. That's kind of the whole point of joining.

Someone shifts slightly to join you, arms folded across their chest. "Am I the only one surprised by how unprepared these guys are?" You glance to your side and see a former Candor boy with dark hair, glinting eyes, and the same incredulous expression as you. 

"Not at all," you return, "but I'm assuming they'll get weeded out soon enough."

This appears to be the exact sort of response the boy wants to hear, because his smirk widens and he extends a hand to you. "I'm Peter. Peter Hayes." 

You take his hand. "Y/N L/N." 

He nods. "See you in initiation, then." 

There's a shout from one of the Dauntless directing all trainees to jump back off of the train. You prepare yourself, all thoughts of Peter pushed from your head. At least for now, that is. You have a feeling that you won't be able to get rid of him as easily.

This, as it turns out, is an understatement. Peter Hayes quickly solidifies a place for himself in the highest rankings after quickly taking out all opponents who face the misfortune of having to go against him in a fight. He's brutal in the fighting ring, his gunshots always make it to the center of the target, and he's got the sheer willpower to never accept second place. The only person who might challenge him is, well, you.

You're not sure that you're truly a better fighter or marksman than the other initiates, but you do have one thing they lack, and that's your neverending want to win. You've seen the way some of the initiates hesitate before they punch, like they're still unwilling to truly hurt someone else. You lack this weakness. You came to Dauntless to learn how to be brave, didn't you? What's the point of holding back now?

Your ranking among the other initiates fluctuates from first to second place, depending on how well you and Peter did on any given day. You almost expect him to hate you for it, but for some reason, Peter keeps treating you like a friend. Sure, he rolls his eyes and issues out sarcastic comments like knives up his sleeves, but you've seen him nodding silent approval whenever you win a fight. 

You're also one of the only initiates who has yet to be on the receiving end of his scathing words. You don't know why he would exempt you from this, especially because you pose a threat to his first place ranking, but you're not about to complain.