Empty With You

We were introduced to our instructor for our time in Dauntless, Amar. All the other initiates went with another leader, mainly the ones who were Dauntless born. Amar then took us around the compound and then the chasm. All of which were interesting to me.

It wasn't til he took us to the dorms in which it was pretty much co-ed and open. Not something I was looking forward to. Showering in front of all these boys. It honestly did make my skin crawl a bit. It wasn't the scar on my side that worried me, it was mainly the tattoo and the fact that I didn't want any of them to see me naked or undress, other than Eric. In fact, he was the only one whom I wanted to see me ever get undressed or naked.

It was a fear, really, just an uneasiness. Either way, we were given Dauntless clothes to change into and I quickly did, making sure to hide my knives still on my body since if I left them under a pillow, there was a chance someone could find them.

I took Eric's hand after he switched into his clothes and the two of us followed the crowd down to the pit where we were finally getting to eat. Today was probably going to be one of the easiest days we'd have, so we might as well take it in and enjoy it.

I took a seat at a table with Eric and a few other people around us with our food as he looked at my hand.

"How's your hand?" He motioned to it as I shrugged.

"It's okay," I picked at my food as I glanced across the room to see Tobias, well Four now, sitting at the table surrounded by some kids h was talking to.

"Really?" Eric raised an eyebrow. "Let me see."

"Careful, you sound like you're not a Dauntless," I smirked at him as he rolled his eyes and grabbed my hand.

He slowly unwrapped the fabric from my hand to look at the gash that was still bleeding and stung with the touch of the cool air around us. His eyes looked over it, slowly going to touch the raised skin around it as I winced a bit.

"Why'd you cut so deep?" He questioned as I shrugged again.

"I don't know, to prove that I didn't belong in Candor anymore?" I rolled my eyes. "Honestly, I just, well don't know."

"Here," Eric mumbled lowly as he took out some bandage. "I'll rewrap this morning before we start training."

"Thank you," I smiled at him as I watched him bandage up my hand. "I mean it."

"I know you do," He smirked as he kissed me quickly. "I can't lose you the first day in Dauntless."

"Psh, you can't get rid of me that easily," I stuck my tongue out at him as he picked at his food a bit.

"I meant that seeing you in the hospital like that, it's not something I want to experience again," He mentioned quietly.

"I don't want you to either," I smirked at him and took his free hand. "Which is why I'm going to try to not be as much a rebel."

Eric smiled a bit more and was about to say something when the attention of the whole room fell onto the man at the top of the stairs, Max, I think he said his name was. Whatever it was, he stood there in black with Dauntless tattoos every, welcoming us to the Faction and explained everything again about us, transfers would be trained seperate from the Dauntless born but ranked together in order to determine where we would end up placed for jobs. He then made all the initiates stand up so everyone around us could identify who we were.

There was a roar from the crowd and for the first time, I finally felt like I belonged here. Max let us finish dinner but then told us we should head back to get rest for tomorrow's training. Not that many of us would rest. A lot of us would explore the compound, get a feel for our surroundings. And although I should, I've been here so many times, ran the streets so many times, that I knew it almost like the back of my hand.

"So, are you coming with me back to the dorm?" Eric questioned as I bit my lip slowly and pulled him towards me.

"Well, we do have a bit of free time," I smirked as he got the idea and started to follow me down the long hallway when we ran into Max.

"The transfer dorms are that way," Max pointed to us back down the hallway.

"Yeah, I know," I started as Eric squeezed my hand.

"We're going back that, just go turned around," Eric started as he looked at me and whispered. "Come on, Ari-"

"Ari?" Max's ear perked up. "Short for Ariana?"

"Yeah but I'm sure you're aware of that," I glared at him.

"Simms, nonetheless, right?" Max questioned as I felt defensive.

"Why?" I kept my stance against him.

"You've made quite a name for yourself prior to being here," Max sized me up and down. "I hope there are no problems while you're here."

"Of course not," I glared at him. "Besides if I had been-"

"Ariana," Eric snapped. "Let's go."

"Better get rest," Max smirked. "Training starts early tomorrow."

Eric pulled my hand away from Max as I tried to let go of the anger and suspicision but couldn't. There was something in his eye and the way he spoke to me that put me on edge. Like I was the one he had it out for even though he never met me before. I didn't like it either way nor did I like trying to keep my rebellish nature down for too long.

The two of us finally made our way back to the dorm rooms and everyone was slowly making their beds to turn in for the night. Ten weeks of living in the same space with each other was going to be difficult, especially when I knew I was going to clash with some of these people.

"I guess I should get some sleep," I mentioned as I stood next to Eric's bed and looked towards the direction in which my bed was next to Four's, I did want to talk to him but I honestly wanted to spend time with Eric now.

"Stay with me?" Eric suggested as I smirked.

"Isn't that breaking the rules?" I felt him pull my hand down to him and into his small bed.

"Not if you're quiet," He smirked and pressed a kiss to my lips.

"I'm not sleeping with you, in front of everyone," I pointed out to him as a smile spread across his lips.

"So I did find what will make you squirm," He whispered as I rolled my eyes.

"Jerk," I glared at him.

"Well I haven't slept with you in a while," He pointed out.

"Is that all you think about?" I questioned as he pulled me closer to him.

"No," He ran a finger down my side where my scar was. "I think about losing you, not seeing you. A lot of things. How much I love you."

"It's crazy how easily it is for you to flip flop," I ran a finger down the bridge of his nose.

"It's true," He shrugged. "I may not show it much to other people sometimes but I love you more than anything."

"I love you too," I kissed him quickly.

I found myself falling asleep in Eric's arms. It was the first time in awhile that I actually felt safe and sound. Like no harm could come to me while his arms were wrapped around me. It wasn't until we heard the sound of banging on pipes of the dorm that all of us woke up with a start or slowly for our first day of training.

Eric untangled his arms from around my waist as he let me up and I slowly got dressed again by my bed. Four looked at me with a smirk as I pulled a new shirt over my head and he caught glimpse of one of my blades.

"Don't give that look," I mumbled as I felt his eyes on me.

"What?" Four questioned as he slid on his boots.

"That one that says I'm breaking way too many rules already," I smirked at him as he shook his head.

"You said it, not me," He chuckled as I felt Eric walk over to us.

"Who's this?" Eric nodded towards me as my eyes met Four.

"He's a transfer, like us, his name is Four," I nodded as Eric looked him up and down. "And Four, this is my boyfriend, Eric."

"Hey," Four nodded.

"You two seem to be getting along fairly well," Eric mentioned as I rolled my eyes.

"Oh get over it," I shoved him slightly. "I'm making friends and he's harmless."

"Yeah," Eric's arms slipped around my waist. "He's the Stiff everyone was talking about?"

"He's Dauntless now, so does it matter?" I gave Eric a look as he smirked.

"I don't know how he'd survive, Stiffs don't usually do combat fighting," Eric argued.

"And there's the jackass part back," I mumbled as I laced my boot on my bed. "Don't be so judgemental, Eric. People may surprise you."

"Much like you keep that blade, right her," Eric whispered in my ear as his fingers touched my side and I stood up straight.

"What blade?" I smirked at him only to see that grin spread on his lips. "Come on Four, first day of training."