Her Candor [1] //Divergent// Eric Coulter

Nessa Hayes

SEVENTEEN✧

Swinging my legs back and forth, bouncing my heel off the side of the rocky chasm walls. I pursed my lips thinking of all the things I could do. With a breath I stood up, storming through the compound staring at the floor. The Amity trunks had been parked near the front entrance; the amity brightness seemed foreign to me.
"Whoa." Someone took my shoulders, holding me in place," Vessa, for the love of hell - calm down."
I struggled to look up at Eric," Let me go."
"No, you are in no fit state to go anywhere." He looked down at me," After that fear – being alone isn't something you should be doing."
I laughed hysterically," I'm more than being alone – I am alone."
"You will never be alone – you have the idiots you call friends and –" he stopped," and you occasionally have me."
"You?" I questioned," I have kind to you about everything even when people cower when you walk by, I'm there! You shouldn't have brought up the fucking article... In front of Everyone!"
He pulled me closer so we no longer had to shout down the corridor," Ok – What I said was stupid and inconsiderate, but it may have escaped your notice Vessa, I can't be the person you always see in front of people that, will shoot me on site – especially with what's happening ."
I grunted, crossing my arms.
He stepped forward, putting his hands on my crossed arms," Outside of any door, I am the ruthless heartless dick you met on that roof. Inside any room with you in it and only you in it – I can be as considerate and semi-caring as I can manage."
"I get it," I confessed," Doesn't mean I'm happy about it."
He pulled me into a hug," I would be surprised if you were."
"Does this mean I have to stop talking back?"
"I'd appreciate that but I have a feeling you're going to keep doing it anyway."
I smirked, "It's going to be so much fun!"
He looked down in a displeasing manner, however, he couldn't hold a straight face," don't get used to it."
"I'll try not to." I pouted with a smile.
" so, now you're not barging past people, can I ask where are you going?"
I bit the inside of my cheek," My dad's apartment, I wanted to pick some things up before the twins got them."
"You do know you're very sentimental?" He crossed his arms over his chest, the tattoos matching up creating a large pattern over his forearms," Faction before Blood, we come first."
I nodded," But who are we without the people who shaped us?"
"God, you sound like my sister, she didn't believe in all this either." His smile faded a little," I miss her."
Standing up on my tiptoes, I wrapped my arms around his neck – lowering from my toes, he wrapped his arms around my waist holding me against his chest.
"It gets better," I whispered, "Slowly."
He nods into my shoulder," I believe you."
Hearing footsteps echo through the walkway, we quickly broke up the hug – still standing reasonably close to each other.
"Do you still want to go to your dad's?" He asked, going back to crossing his arms over his chest.
Not making eye contact, I shrugged," Not sure, maybe. Now I've calmed down a bit – I don't know what to do."
Eric took my face in her hands," Don't go yet, go when you have made your place here. After you have done all of it, you knock on his door and show him the person you became."
Being forced to stare at him, I scoffed," Fuck you and your logic."
"You love the logic." He smirked.
I grunted in reply.
"Coffee?" He asked
Glancing up in defeat I nodded, "Fine."

Eric lead me back to his apartment, behind the thick black metal door is the ever cold yet homely apartment belonging to Eric Coulter. The walls concrete grey, the vents had been recently cleaned – giving a rippled reflection of the room. Little patches of dust sat around the three by four windows and on the coffee table, as a leader I can only imagine how lonely this place can become. Slipping off my shoes, I walked around the apartment – familiarising myself where everything was again. The bed was made, a black throw over the middle, the office door was open– documentation was scattered over the desk and old beer bottles left on the windowsills.
"Milk?" Eric asked from the stainless steel and black marble.
"And sugar," I called back as I made my way back to the main layout, leaning on the pillar next to the oven.
Passing me the mug, kissing my head, he opened the double doors to the balcony that ran around the edge of the building. The front entrance was a mix of red and yellow as for as the eye could see like the driveway was a field of tulips as the Amity trucks packed up ready to leave.
"This mug wasn't here before." I held the mug at different angles.
He didn't look at me," Nope always in the cupboard."
"Eric." I stated strongly, "It's a Strawberry red cup, you don't have anything of colour in here. You also have a potted plant."
He closed his eyes, "Fine, maybe – maybe I brought the mug after you mentioned that the colour of Strawberries is your favourite."
"Awe, the Dauntless Leader has a heart." I cooed.
He turned to me, his eyes looking directly at me," For you I do. Everyone else can fuck off."
The winter air began to nip at my skin, walking backwards into the living room area – I curled up on his black sofa. Walking over, Eric didn't sit down; instead, he leaned on the back of the seat cushions. From behind the sofa cushions, he pulled out a berry red blanket, wrapping it around my shoulders. Finally taking a seat, we talked about everything and anything. Eric's face was more relaxed, the hard exterior he kept up was slowly melting away. The phone on the coffee table rang over our laughter, Eric stopped smiling; his titanium walls welding themselves back up.
"Yes?"
Awkwardly sitting next to him, his hand on my knee - I played with the helm of the blanket.
"ok, I'll do it here – take the files, two plates, two bottles of beer and –" he looked at me," two fifty centilitre bottles of Sicilian Blood Orange Gin."
Eric through the phone on to the matching chair, his head rolling back.
"What are the files about?" I asked.
He smiled, putting a hand on my head, "Leader stuff."
"Is it to do with what I overheard a couple of weeks ago?"
He nodded.
"So, do you need me to go?" I asked, putting my coffee cup on the table.
He turned to me," I'd rather you didn't"
"In that case, I'm using your shower." Kicking the blanket from my legs, I stood behind him, my hair cascading over my shoulders.
He scoffed," Oh, just use my shower – what's next, the soap?"
"Now you mention it." I innocently smiled at him, putting my hands on his broad shoulders.

Without an answer, I ran into the bathroom - Eric's deep laugh following me. Choosing the Jasmine and Chocolate scent, I let the pressurised water massage the top of my back. Running my hand through my clean hair, I watched the water spin down the plug – a controlled directional spiral. Behind the frosted glass, I watched Eric's shadow walk into his bedroom then back out again. The water dripped on to the floor, leaving shiny footsteps on the dark wood floor. On the bed was the large black jumper he let me borrow last time with the black short with white pipping I wore for bed.
"Eric!" I shouted walking into the living space, the towel wrapped around me.
He looked up from the file he was read," Vessa?"
"Where did you get my shorts from?" I asked
Putting the file down, he leaned back into the chair," Wouldn't you like to know."
Crossing my arms to hold the towel up, I nodded with raised eyebrows, "Yes, that's kinda why I asked."
"Not gonna tell you." He smirked," Destroys the mystery."
"If you took them – that's creepy."

In a huff, I walked back to the bedroom; closing the door behind me – slipping my underwear on and the black clothes. Eric's jumper came just below my shorts and hug off my shoulders. Settling down on the sofa again, Eric answered the door – coming back in with a black plastic bag; taking two plates and a wine glass he sat down next to me.
I took the fork he held out; I ate the steaming Lancashire Hot pot – the silence wasn't awkward; it was somewhat comforting.
"Eric!" Max yelled through the door, "Open up."
"Wait a fucking second!" He yelled back, turning to me he pointed at the bathroom," You are still my initiate, go hide."

Taking the bowel of food with me, turned into the bathroom – looking back once he nodded in recurrence, I subsequently closed the door behind me; drawing the shower curtain closed as I sat in the bath – taking small bites from the bowl in my hand.
"How's everything going?" Max asked,
"With?"
Max sighed," With Janine. What's happening on your end?"
"Jeanine is developing a serum to control those who are not Divergent then we kill those who are " I could hear the subtle smugness in his voice," We have a year, maybe less. They are building a testing facility and control room on the sixth floor. The blueprints are in the files."

Max hummed," Ok when the time comes, will you kill them?"
Eric laughed, "fucking hell, wouldn't be a doubt in my mind."
"Good." Max said, the sound of him smacking Eric's shoulder." Maybe you were meant for this job."
"Maybe," Eric spoke.
"You have company?" Max asked.
Eric snorted, "Me? No, just like drinking, it takes the edge off."
Max hummed, "There is a meeting tomorrow, 7 am.
"I'll be there," Eric spoke, the sound of the door closing.

A year? I was going to die in a year – there has to be someone who could help me, Four maybe?
Swallowing my worry about myself, it dawned on me about Peter. My brother would've made his choice by then – he wouldn't even have time to experience the life he chose.

What if he's like me?

Eric let me out of the bathroom and back into the living room; he sat on one side of the sofa as I sat on the other with my feet over his lap. Holding the gin in my hand, I didn't drink it as I watched Eric as he read over the files on the coffee table.

Would he be the one to kill me?