Soulmates

Chapter 8: Conversations

On the day after capture the flag, the initiates are allowed to sleep in for the first time since arriving at Dauntless. Coming from Abnegation, Tris has never been allowed the lazy, self-indulgent privilege, so she wakes at her usual time, but stays quietly on her bunk to avoid disturbing the others.

Eric enters the dorm while everyone else is asleep. Normally he would relish waking the initiates, but when he sees that Tris is the only one awake, he decides to get to know her a little bit.

"Good morning," the leader says quietly. His deep voice makes Tris shiver, and she instinctively pulls the thin covers higher.

"Are you cold?" Eric asks, his voice quiet and surprisingly genuine in its concern.

"I'm fine," Tris says, her voice still weak and sleepy.

"May I sit?" Eric asks, pointing to the edge of her bunk.

Tris realizes that she can't very well say no to her trainer and faction leader, so she nods as she scoots to the far edge of the mattress.

"How are you feeling?" Eric asks, willing himself not to reach for Tris' hand as he sits on the edge of her bed. He had no idea that the magnetic pull of his soulmate would be this strong, and he wonders if she can feel it too.

"I'm fine," Tris says in answer to his question.

"Don't be a stiff," Eric chides gently. "You had a concussion and a cracked rib after your fight with Peter, and the next day you were jumping on and off of trains. Are you sore? Dizzy?"

"I really am fine," Tris insists, wiggling fingers that itch to reach out and trace the young leader's tattoos. What is wrong with me? she wonders. I have never wanted to touch a man before, but it's like my fingers have a mind of their own!

"Erudite's new healing serum works wonders, doesn't it?" Eric asks, trying to prolong the conversation, even if it is awkward.

Tris nods. "Can I touch your tattoos?" she blurts out, then slaps her hands over her mouth as if it had spoken without her permission.

Eric chuckles. Yup, he thinks. She feels it too. Rather than answer, the young leader reaches for Tris' hand. His fingers tingle as they brush across her knuckles, enveloping her hand in his and pulling it away from her mouth. He gently places her palm on his forearm, and she strokes the black ink.

"I… I thought I'd be able to feel your tattoo," she says, growing bolder as she traces the black lines.

"You can when they're new," he explains. "But once it heals it's just part of your skin." ...like a soulmark, he wants to add, but stifles the impulse. "I take it you don't have any tattoos?"

"Not yet," Tris replies. "I want to, but I'm afraid a new tattoo or piercing would be a liability as long as we're fighting. I heard they're tender for a while."

"That's very smart," Eric says. More than anything he wants to stroke Tris' cheek, kiss her soft-looking lips, and pull her into his arms. But that would undoubtedly freak her out, and the other initiates will be waking up soon.

"I'll tell you what," Eric says conspiratorially, "today is visiting day. Tomorrow is a field trip to the fence and Amity. The day after that are the final exams with guns, knives, and physical fitness. You have three whole days before you're fighting again. I wouldn't recommend a piercing yet, but that's enough time for a tattoo to heal - provided it's not too big."

"Why are you telling me this?" Tris asks, biting nervously on her bottom lip in a way that makes Eric want to groan.

He reaches over and gently frees her lip with his thumb, then doesn't let go of her chin. "You surprise me," he says. "I like watching you become more and more Dauntless."