Chapter 12: Hurt
The next morning I lay in bed. I had awoken early, memories of the previous night flooding back to me. I turned to face Eric. He lay on his back arm thrown over his eyes. I rolled to my side and watched him. He was so peaceful in his sleep. Last night was an eye opener for me. He told me my purpose and promised not to keep anything from me anymore. I guess you could say it was official, we were a thing now. He was so passionate. Knowing what I know now maybe I would have acted different toward him. I mentally scolded myself for holding back with him all this time. Our evening kiss goodbye had led to this. Me waking up with him in my bed. I don't think either of us could hold back against that feeling any longer.
The kiss had deepened and neither of us wanted to let go. Before I knew it I was laid down on my bed him towering over me. With as hard as man that Eric was I was surprised at how delicate he was in that moment. Our hands roamed each other. Our clothes disappeared. I was mesmerized by every muscle laid out on his chest. His touch sent the right amount of spark through my body. The sensation was better than I had imagined. He moved against me quick and I gasped. My back arched against him. He was slow at first, allowing me to get accustom to the feeling. It didn't take long before his moments were fast and deep. I couldn't contain that cry that escaped my lips when I reached my peek. He groaned into my neck moments later as he reached his. We fell asleep in each other arms. I smiled at the memory of it all.
"You're happy this morning." I broke from my day dreaming and glanced up at him. He had turned to face me. I smirked and moved closer. His arms wrapped around me as he brought me in for a kiss. I groaned when it ended. I knew I was never going to get enough of him ever. "What's today?" he asked.
"Thursday." My fingers traced the outline of his muscles of his chest. He laced his land with mine and brought it to his lips.
"I'm going to have Peter and Tris fight today." I sat up abruptly causing him the chuckle.
"That's hardly fair Eric." I couldn't believe it, Peter was one of the stronger competitors and Tris was one slot away from making it. Saturday would determine who made it to the second stage of training. If Tris continued with more guidance she would be in.
"She needs to be taught a lesson." He said, his hands wandering over me. I swatted them away and he smirked. "There will be a deeper lesson than just the fight, trust me." He sat up and leaned in to kiss me, I stopped him.
"No, that letter I got says I'm in charge now, not you, so no." He sighed and nodded.
"Then she will fail initiation." I ran a hand through my hair. He was right, she needed to prove herself more. Maybe this was a good way to do it. It would be supervised.
"She is going to get hurt Eric." He nodded.
"I know, I want to see how hard she can get hit and keep moving forward." He had a point, around here you could be the toughest bad ass the world had to offer but if you couldn't get up and continue to fight for yourself you were nothing. "Let them fight, if she recovers and makes it to war games, she can stay."
"I forgot that scoring is between the three of us not just me." He nodded.
"We all have to agree by Saturday night on who makes in to stage two of training." I nodded and he leaned in and kissed me. "Shower with me?" He said when he broke the kiss and I nodded. We had to get to work, it was almost seven. We were late either way. Eric didn't understand how to keep his hands to himself. When we finally made it to the training area, Four had begun pairing of individuals. He didn't say anything about our lack of timeliness and we continued through the day. The thought of Peter and Tris fighting made me sick to my stomach. The day continued without Eric saying a word about it. I had a feeling it would be at the last moment of the day.
"Last fight of the day Peter versus Tris." Tris was shaking her head as she walked up to the mat. I stood next Eric and waited for the fight to begin. Tris looked to me for some form of support but I looked away. She and I had become good friends over the last few weeks. Everyone knew that I had the chance to stop this now but I remained silent. Four looked to me with a stern gaze and I met it. I would stand by this and give Tris the chance to prove herself. Peter and Tris faced off in the ring. Tris managed to land a few good shots at Peter but he gained the upper hand quick.
"This needs to stop." I whispered to Eric when Peter threw Tris across the ring. Eric gazed at me for a moment before turning back to the fight. Tris glanced at me before dodging another punch from Peter. I glanced around the training area. Everyone was looking to me. I crossed my arms over my chest and let the fight continue. Eric was right in what he said this morning. She had to prove herself. Peter landed a strong punch and soon Tris was on the floor. Eric motioned for him to knock her out and Peter did as he was told. She was done. Christina and Will rushed to Tris's side. I let out the air out my lungs I did not know I was keeping in. Stepping forward I knelt down at Tris's side.
"Why did you let that happen?" Christina asked as we flipped Tris over to her back. I ignored her. Tapping the side of Tris's face I attempted to wake her up.
"Tris?" I tapped her face again like I did during her first fight. "Tris, wake up." I grabbed her shoulders and shook her. She wasn't responding. "Shit, Tris!" I leaned over her and checked her breathing. She wasn't. "Fuck, Eric! Get the medic." Eric was at my side looking over Tris with me. "I said get the medic." I shouted at him. I made sure she was flat on the ground before beginning chest compressions. "Four!" I looked around as I called for him. Where the hell did he go? "Will, get over here and take over for me!" Will did as he was told and I began to give breaths. By the time Eric returned with the medic we were able to get Tris breathing again but not conscious.
"She has a head injury, we need to get her to the infirmary now." The medic said and I order Will, Peter, and Edward to help him.
"Everyone out!" I shouted as I watched them carry Tris out of the room. I tried to catch my breath but air wasn't finding me. I leaned against a nearby pillar and tried to calm myself down. She almost died. I felt Eric approach me and grip my arms.
"Breath." He said simply and I let out a sob. How could I let that happen? She didn't deserve that. Eric pulled me into his arms and held me tightly. "I'm sorry, you were right."
"It was bound to happen." I said into his neck.
"Where did everyone go?" Fours voice broke the silence and we both turned to him. Breaking out of our contact.
"Where the fuck were you!" I shouted at him. I was lucky to have someone there to help me but at that moment I had need Four and he was nowhere to be found.
"What happened?" Four asked sternly as he approached both of us. I turned away from Four, whipping my face.
"Tris, she is in the infirmary." I heard Eric tell him. "Peter knocked her out, when we went to wake her she wasn't breathing and." Eric didn't finish before Four left the room. I turned and watched him go. Eric turned to me. It was all my fault, I should have been more vocal with Eric. "Come on. Let's go home." I nodded and leaned against Eric as we walked back to our apartments. "You saved that girls life Avery." He said as we entered my apartment.
"Wouldn't have needed to if we didn't make her fight Peter." I said and slumped down on the couch with a groan.
"This was bound to happen like you said, whether in training or in a real fight." Eric said from the kitchen. He was making drinks. I sighed, he had a point to the matter. He approached the couch and handed over a drink. "She isn't cut out for this." He took a seat next to me and gulped at the drink.
"You said the same thing to me remember?" I sipped at my drink and turned to him. He smirked and nodded.
"You're different." He said.
"How am I different?" I asked and he shrugged.
"You had me rooting for you." He said and I smacked his arm.
"No you weren't!" He laughed and I couldn't help but smile. "You were just the same cruel ass to me as you are to Tris."
"And look at us now." He said and I shook my head. "Tris will recover in time. Give it a day. She still has a chance to prove herself to all of us." He set a now empty cup on the table. I watched him closely as he slid closer to me with a devious smirk. "Now to more important concerns." I raised my eyebrow at him as he began to play with the buckle on my belt. "We never finished what we started in the shower." He whispered into my ear as he came close and I shivered. I shrieked slightly as he pulled me into his lap. I could feel him against his jeans. I smirked down at him and shook my head.
"I should go see Tris." I said and he frowned.
"She is out cold, let her rest." I sighed and shook my head again. "Let the medics take care of her. You need to take care of your man." He leaned up and kissed me quick. I laughed.
"My man." I said and smiled. He nodded. He was right I could wait to go see her in the morning. It still bothered me that I was part of the reason that she was there. I put my focus on Eric. Leaning down I kissed him deeply. He groaned when I grinded myself down against him. He had no patience and neither did I. Clothes disappeared and we found our pleasure in one another there. He had no time to waste taking me to the bed room. He smirked in the end looking up at me. I ran my hands through his hair.
"I could get used to this." He whispered. I kissed him gently before making my way to the shower. I could get used to it too. He eventually joined me. We didn't leave until the water ran cold. At least we were clean. Dressing I made my way to the kitchen. I needed food. Eric left to return to his apartment for some clean clothes. I began to chop veggies on the cutting board for dinner. A knock came to my door. I smirked. Walking over to the door I opened it, I had a witty line prepared for Eric but Eric did not great me. A fist did. I fell back against the hard floor of my apartment. Looking up I was shocked at who stood over me. Al?
"It's all your fault!" He shouted down to me and advanced. I came to my feet quick and dodged his movement.
"Al Stop!" I said and raised my hands to him. He advanced again. Grabbing his arm, I twisted him around and forced him against a wall.
"You could have stopped it all!" He pushed me away from him. He landed a punch to my stomach and I gasped. Stepping back I raised my hands again.
"Al please stop!" I gasped out. He was on me again shoving me into the wall. His hands wrapped tight around my throat. This was my own fault. I could have dispatched this initiate quickly enough but I chose not to fight him. I didn't need two initiates in the infirmary. I grasped at his hands around my neck. This sucked. I had no air. I groaned. "Now you know how she felt, no air, no way to breath."
"I. . . .brought . . . ." I was gasping for whatever air I could get at this point. "Her . . . back!" The hands around my neck disappeared and I fell to the ground. Coughing for air I looked up. Eric had Al in a choke hold.
"Well this wasn't very smart of you Al." Eric whispered into his ear. Al was fighting against him and getting nowhere. I stood up quickly and rushed forward.
"Eric stop!" I forced myself between the two of them. I pushws Al toward the door. He glared at both us and rushed out.
"You're just going to let him run off!" Eric shouted. "He could have killed you!"
"And you him." I said softly. I knew that Eric had the capacity to snap Al's neck. Eric sighed and moved forward. His hands were at my neck observing the now bruising skin.
"He will pay for this." I brought my hands up to frame Eric's face and to get him to focus on me.
"No." He looked at me questionably. "Let him be, he is just upset about earlier."
"That doesn't give him the right to attack his trainer, better yet one of his leaders." I shook my head.
"It takes a lot of courage to stand up someone else." Eric's look softened. Max said it all the time. It was the Dauntless way. He would have done the same for me, and I him. I took some pain killers after that. My body hurt. Al could land a punch for being one of the lowest ranked in the training group. Tomorrow I would confront him on that but now, I just wanted sleep. I snuggled up to Eric on the couch after dinner and did not remember making it to bed. Things were only going to get harder.