Divergent One Shots (Eric & Tris)

One-A Life of Significance 1.1

Eric

The elevator doors to my floor open up and I instantly see Four knocking on the front door of Dauntless's newest leader-in-training. I stride down the hallway to my apartment glaring at him as he glares back at me. I pull my keys out of my pocket as he pounds on the door once more.
"Just a minute!" I hear a muffled shout from inside her apartment.
I close the door behind me as she opens hers to visit with my adversary. I shake my head to let it go. I know they're involved already—I saw them together the night of her membership. I hear talking from the other side of my door. I drop my keys on my console and head straight for my fridge. I uncap a beer and down half of it instantly. I thumb through my books and select one taking a seat in my living room. I try to focus on the pages in front of me but my thoughts, followed by my eyes drift back to my door—willing me to go knock on her door myself.  But I know Number Boy is over there and they're together... I shake her out of my head and continue to sip my beer brooding and staring at the pages in front of me without actually reading them.
I don't know how long I sit here but I hear the door across the hall close and I'm tempted to knock on her door and ask how her first day of training went. But then I remember... we're not really friends—not even chummy, just merely acquaintances. I honestly think she fears me. I guess I didn't make it easy on her in initiation. I just couldn't show favoritism and it's definitely something I struggled with with her. So, I kept my distance.  I probably made it harder on her when in the same room to hide my affection for her.
She was always pushing my buttons, though... helping her friend out at the Chasm incident, beating me in Capture the Flag, standing up for her friend with the knives. And her fight with Peter... she never gave up. Then there was her fight with Molly—she absolutely annihilated her. I still find it inconceivable.  I'm still in awe at the change in her from her first day.  Her stage two and three results were phenomenal—leagues better than anyone else and completely unheard of in this faction.  I'm just so incredibly impressed with her. There's just something spectacular about her. She has this fire within that just keeps growing as she progresses in Dauntless. I'm absolutely fascinated by her.
... but she's with Four. So much for him saying he wasn't interested. I mentioned the first day of training that I wanted her... my mistake. He must've seen it as an opportunity to push me out of the way.
I close the book and any false hope of getting her out of my mind. I rise and recycle the empty beer bottle before brushing my teeth and getting ready for bed. I lay down and hope sleep is more peaceful than my waking moments. I close my eyes and drift off... dreams riddled with thoughts of her... fantasies... I spend much of the night tossing and turning thinking about her.
I wake to the blare of my alarm. I turn it off and rise doing my typical routine—shower, shave, style my hair and whatnot. I make it down to the cafeteria for breakfast grabbing enough to satisfy and taking a seat at the empty leadership table. I pick at my food... all thoughts of hunger and nourishment out the window. Max joins me after a while.
"Morning," he greets me.
I mumble a reply as he sips his cup of coffee—sitting back and sighing as he surveys the early morning Dauntless crowd. Tris joins us and I have trouble not staring at her. She looks incredible in her fitted workout clothes—clearly new from shopping during the long weekend off. Her hair is down and I can't help but be mesmerized as it sways with each step. I try to turn my attention to my plate as she sits beside Max.
She greets us both and I nod in response.
"So, how was training with Lydia yesterday?" Max asks her.
"Good," she replies. "She's definitely pushing me but I feel like I'm advancing quickly."
"That's what Lydia told me, too. She says she's really impressed with you," he tells her.
I glance over to see her blushing at the compliment.
"That was awfully nice of her," Tris replies softly.
"She's being honest," Max shrugs it off. "Let us know if you need anything."
"Of course," Tris smiles at him.
I try to keep my eyes off her—that smile making me want to gravitate toward her. 
The rest of leadership join us.  I hear Lydia and Jude talking with Tris as Ryan and Max tell jokes around me.  My mind just isn't in it today.  After eating a few more bites, I decide I'm finished with breakfast first.  Tris glances at me bashfully as I leave and I wonder what that's all about. 
I head up to my office. I handle everything in my inbox on my desk and go through all of my email. I get a new stack of work delivered by the staff just as I'm finishing. I sigh and complete it all before going to lunch. 
She's already there and I deliberately don't sit beside her.  But I can smell her as I pass, the intoxicating scent of a gorgeous female making me feel weak.  I continue past her and start to eat my meal in silence. 
"Why so quiet?" Ryan nudges me. 
I shrug him off. 
"We'll be having a meeting at four," Max informs everyone. 
I nod in reply.  I'm aware.  I read my email. 
"What's this one about?" Ryan asks clearly not having read his.  He must've worked out this morning. 
"Factionless," Max explains in few words.
"Should I be there?" I hear Tris ask Lydia in a whisper.
She explains that she'll be present but it's a learning experience for her.  She nods and I actually see her glance at me with a small smile on her face in my peripheral vision. 
I rise from lunch and everyone surprisingly joins me.  We all walk together to the tray return and out the door.  I notice Tris is actually beside me walking quickly to keep up with my long strides.  I don't think I've ever been so close to her before and she's so much smaller than me.  Her hand grazes mine as we walk and I have to stop myself from shuddering at the sensation. 
"I'm off to the training room," I announce stepping out of the group. 
"See you at the meeting," Jude says to me. 
I nod to him in acknowledgment but Tris glances at me again.  I meet her eyes momentarily and have to force myself to look away.
I sigh shakily climbing the staircase to our building. I change for my workout and start off with a jog.  The fresh air is nice and actually helps me to clear my mind.  I down an entire bottle of water upon entering the training room and grab another for the duration of my time here.  I wipe my face with a towel and toss it into the laundry before grasping another one and approaching a heavy bag.  I remove my shirt since it's already soaked and begin my routine.  I notice Zeke approach me out of the corner of my eye.  He must have the day off. 
"How's it going, big guy?" he asks me. 
"It's alright," I respond. 
He begins to workout beside me.  I'm grateful for the silence, my mind currently at ease as I pummel the bag working off the stress from the last few days... or month, rather.  I sigh heavily feeling better and taking a drink. 
"Can you believe Four is seeing Tris?" Zeke says to me. 
My attention immediately snapping to him. 
"No, I can't," I reply and set the bottle down before hitting my bag harder. 
"Yeah, I never expected that," he continues.  "I tried bringing him on a double date with me once just after our initiation—before Shauna and I got together.  I've never seen him with anyone else.  It clearly didn't work out.  He apparently didn't care for her—insulted her, even."
"I was surprised when he said she kissed him during initiation.  It sounded like he wasn't interested, especially when I mentioned first day of training that I was," I confide.  We were roommates and even if he tells Four, I know everything I'm saying is completely true. 
"Are you serious?" he whispers to me. 
I stop punching the bag again and grab it from swaying.  I turn to face him seeing I have his full attention, too. 
"Yup," I tell him honestly.
He whistles in awe.  "She's pretty, I'll give you that.  She is kind of quiet, though, at first anyway until she gets to know you.  Then, she's got this sarcastic sense of humor you'd find surprising in a former Stiff," he says pausing.  "You really told him you were interested and he made a move?"
"Yeah," I nod. 
He sighs, "Man, that's rough."
"Yeah, especially having to work so close with her.  I pawned off my duties on Lydia but we're all sharing in on training her," I admit.  "Don't repeat that."
"No problem, man," he nods.  "So, Lydia knows?"
"They all do.  It's pretty obvious that I couldn't keep my eyes off of her since day one," I explain.  "They all saw me approaching her after membership and Four beat me to it."
"That's rough, man.  Sorry about that," he says sympathetically.  "You want to go out for drinks tonight?" he offers. 
"I've got a leadership meeting tonight.  I'm not sure how long it'll last," I explain. 
"Well, if you finish early or still need a friend, just call," he says. 
"Thanks, I appreciate it," I tell him seriously. 
He leaves for the locker room and I finish up soon after.  I head back to my apartment to shower and get ready for that meeting.  I should probably switch back to the morning workouts but I'm concerned being so close to her would be too hard for me.  I get cleaned up quickly and head up to the offices.