Eric's apartment is on the top floor, flooded with light and filled with bookshelves, a huge comfortable grey couch and wooden table. He has a kitchen island that doubles as a bar, but also a big dinner table.
"Do you guys ever really use the kitchen?", I question.
"Sometimes. But rarely during initiation, I like to keep an eye out."
"Of course."
There are three more doors. Eric opens one of them and I see a huge black bed with silky sheets, dark blue walls, cream coloured pillows. He reemerges with sweatpants and a hoodie.
"These should fit somewhat."
He points to the door to our right.
"Bathroom is through there."
My mouth falls open when I see the bathroom.
A huge walk-in shower, double sinks, and a bathtub that could fit at least three people.
"And we get these ugly, see-through stalls", I grumble, then close the door behind me.
I peel the clothes off my body, folding my underwear carefully and placing them on the closed toilet seat.
The water of the shower is immediately warm, another unfair thing considering in our dorm we have to wait at least three minutes. I sigh at the water pressure, which is also way better here. Eric has a surprising amount of hair products, which is another improvement to the bars of soap.
After half an hour my hair is soft and smells like lemon verbena, my skin is clean and I realise that I have to shave soon. I grab one of the towels out of the cupboard, again, improvement.
"You done soon?", Eric calls from the outside.
"I am sorry that if I am able to take the first real shower in a month I am going to enjoy it", I call back, pulling on the sweater and then tying the sweatpants tightly, before exiting. Eric is sitting on the couch with a book in his hands.
Eric's eyes roam over my body, even though there was nothing to see.
"What?", I question, crossing my arms before my body.
"I just like you in my clothes", he says and I walk over to the couch, where he pulls me into his lap.
"And you smell like me too."
"You like that?", I ask with a smirk.
"Very much so", he grins and pulls me closer, fingers tracing my jaw, my lips, draws lines down my throat. My breathing hitches. So his lips follow his fingers, nipping at the skin of my throat. I place two fingers underneath his chin and move his head up, then place my lips on his shortly, before pulling away.
"I am going to shower at yours every time now", I announce.
"You are very welcome to do so if you always use my shampoo", he smirks holding a strand of hair in between his fingers.
"So you read...", I say.
"Surprised?"
"Maybe. Which one is your favourite?"
"The Picture of Dorian Grey."
"I don't know it, but to be honest I didn't get the chance to read much in Abnegation. Because it was for leisure, and if we have time for leisure we are to use that time to help others."
Eric rolls his eyes at that.
"Can I ask you something?", he says.
"Sure."
"In your fear landscape, you saw Four dead, and you almost lost it. You said that there was nothing between you and I don't want to...assume again."
"I...this is hard, I don't know...we aren't a thing, I can promise you that. He...", I take a deep breath, he hates my brother, he might actually kick me out. My brother will hate me for telling him, "Four, he's my brother."
Eric's eyes widen and he pushes me off him onto the couch.
"What?"
"He's my brother. That's why I was so...", I trail off at Eric's fiery gaze. I sigh.
"I'll just...leave then?", I ask. He remains quiet, so I take it as a yes.
"Thanks for the shower."
But he grabs my wrist gently, pulling me back down.
"Wait. I just...I don't understand, well I do, but....why are you with me then? I am sure he told you many things about me."
"He did. I didn't care, because I am sure you didn't watch sunrises with him. I make my own decisions and until now I haven't regretted the ones concerning you."
"Do you want to read A picture of Dorian Grey?", Eric asks then, with a small smile on his face.
"Sure."
Eric grabs a book out of his shelves and sits back down. To my surprise, he doesn't hand the book over but starts reading out loud.
I lay down, placing my head in his lap and listen. His voice, which I previously noticed was really nice, is not stumbling over any words, deep and soothing. Whenever he flipped a page, his hand finds its way into my hair, stroking my cheek.
Every time I dare to slip away, think about what I had seen or felt today, he pulls me back, giving me soft kisses or squeezes of my hand.
"As much as I enjoy this", Eric says and shuts the book, looking down at me, "you should probably head back to the dorms, your friends will miss you."
"My friends are in the other dorm."
"And Tris won't?"
"But your heating works", I grumble.
"Ah so that is why you put up with me."
"Would you let me stay if I told you that your voice is sexy?"
Eric rolls his eyes.
"I'd only give you another kiss before you leave."
I pout, but it is swept away by another passionate kiss.
"Now go", Eric says, I stick out my tongue at him.
"Asshat", I whisper under my breath.
"I heard that"; Eric calls.
I open the door.
"I know."
YOU ARE READING
Spitfire - Eric Coulter
Fanfiction"Four like the number?" "No like the letter." "Haven't I told you to shut your damn mouth, Stiff?" "You did. And I told you that my name is Tessa." "Have you enjoyed my misery enough yet?", "Well, I believed you'd pass out after four laps, so...no."...
