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Tris woke up with a jolt, sitting up quicker than she perhaps should have for the almost blinding pain that erupted made tears form at her eyes. Squeezing them shut, she breathed in and out. Even that hurt her. She took a few more deep breaths to center herself before reopening her eyes and quickly swiping at them to remove the evidence of the one tear that had escaped. It was too late for that. The evidence had been seen by none other than the person whom she was most trying to impress. Who she had undoubtedly already impressed.
“Godammit, Stiff,” the gruff voice of Eric carried throughout the room. There was a clattering, he had shot out of his chair so quickly it had fallen backwards from the force Eric exerted on it. “Lay back down. You’re wounded. As it is you should be in medical.”
Tris couldn’t help but feel a fission of fear go through her when Eric approached at speed. This whole situation was after all his fault, even if she had gone along with it. Her Dauntless side of her showing through. He had been trying to show her that you did not need a harness to climb the side of a building. He was right of course, they had climbed it, with very little trouble at all. Going up was fine. In record time, actually. It was the coming down part which was the problem.
Eric was doing that thing where he was trying to prove he was more Dauntless than her. Tris could not have that, she could not have word getting round that she was less than fully committed to her faction. When Eric had challenged her to the race, it had seemed like a good idea to accept it.
Hands settled on her then, careful to avoid her many injuries from the fall, yet there was still some pain when she was guiding into a more restful position against the pillows behind her.
“You’re damn right it is. You very well knew that I couldn’t say no. You asked - No, you challenged me, at breakfast of all things. I would have been a laughing stock until someone else messed up or reneged on a spontaneous death defying stunt,” Tris breathed out heavily after having run of air during her tirade against Eric. She ended it when she aimed a punch at Eric’s chest.
Eric stopping her hand with the palm of one of his, with practised ease, resulted in a resounded slap reverberating around the room.
“You could have at least let me land that. You deserve it, for all your posturing,” Tris grumbled.
The motion was like muscle memory to him. He could not help it. The slight twitch of Tris’ lips and sharp intake of breath made him examine the small hand that was in his. There was a half yellowed bruise there, and a barely scabbed over cut from where she had tried to grab hold of one of the windows but had missed and scrapped it down the side of the wall instead. Eric bought the hand up towards his face, eyes on Tris, giving her the chance to pull away. When it reached his mouth, he placed a soft kiss on it. Tris saw his eyes widen at what he had done. He all but threw her arm away from him.
“You may be right, Tris. You don't need to go hurting yourself anymore. Once you are better, and only once you are better, I will allow you one free shot,” she couldn’t help but smile when he used her name. Then smirk upon his announcement, it was hard for her to get a clean shot at him when they sparred. It was generally an evenly matched fight when they clashed, he had taught her all that he knew. Tris wondered when she would surpass him yet she would need training in speed and using their opponents strength against them rather than brute force which was Eric's go to. Perhaps she would ask Lauren for help with that. A hand cupped her chin forcing her back into her current situation, her eyes went to Eric's and when he said his next words Tris couldn't help but swallow, “But should I hear that from anyone else's lips I shall endeavour to come up with another, less lethal way, to make you suffer." His next words made him lose all manner of his terrifying persona, "Perhaps, I should relegate you to the floor. I have quite forgotten what it feels like to have a bed to myself.”
“Eric. Who’s to say that I’ll even let you back on this bed again? I’m going to be recovering in this bed so I think you’ll find that it’s you who will have to take the floor. I’ll even be generous and spare you a pillow,” Tris teased him. “Perhaps, I’ll even tell you a good night story to help you get to sleep on that cold hard floor.”
“Don’t push it, Stiff,” Eric said menacingly whilst leaning in even closer to Tris. If this was the first time Tris had met him she might have shrunk back but she kept her gaze on his.
“The fact that I push you and challenge you is the reason you like me,” Tris winked at Eric, a sign that all was going to be well. He reciprocated with a wink of his own when he relaxed back a fraction.
Their room elapsed into a tolerable silence. With Eric watching over Tris and Tris resting. Eric even righted the chair. It was only when there were raised voices in the corridor. A sign that the new recruits were up and about to be trained that Eric left Tris. But not before having the final word.
“I need to go and sort out some training with the newest batch of recruits. I want to see that you are still resting and not trying to keep up with your fitness regime. Like yesterday. Or else I may have to tie you to the bed,” his stance and words were menacing, Tris couldn't help but to feel for the new transfers and even the dauntless borns who were about to face his wrath. They were sure to be in for a trying and more demanding day than Eric had originally planned. If that were at all possible.
The door to the room had shut and Eric was gone before Tris could even open her mouth to reply that being tied to the bed may be something that she wanted.
“Godammit, Eric.”
Even though he had left in a hurry, Tris couldn't help but smile. With her fall she had subsequently won the race. Beating him to the finish had never been less satisfying though. There would be a rematch in their future.