Spitfire - Eric Coulter

XXV

The testing is the same as always. My time is the same as the day before that. I still wake up panting, Eric holding out a glass of water.

"You know, you could have told me that it was prohibited to beat someone up in the mess hall."

"But then I wouldn't have seen it. And as I said, you look hot beating people up. What is your punishment?"

"Helping out in the nursery. The nursery! Me! Babies can't even talk, how the fuck am I supposed to know what they want? I am not a baby person. I am a 'I can have a conversation with you' person. And they are so tiny, what if I break one?"

Eric chuckles.

"Break one?"

"Yes, like, they are so squishy. What if I squish too much?"

Another laugh.

"I am sure Madja will tell you all you need to know."

"I hate all of you", I grumble and exit the room.

So I show up at the Nursery the next day. After trying to find it for 30 Minutes, I am promptly handed a toddler.

"This is Nadia. She needs a nap but refuses to calm down. Just play with her, rock her and coddle her. Eventually it will work."

The baby is in my arm held away from me, crying and screaming.

I slowly bring her closer to me, holding her against my side.

"Uhmm...hush, hush..."

No reaction at all.

Think, Tessa, think. What do I remember. Not much.

I rock her lightly, bouncing her on my hip.

Okay. Coddling. What is coddling?

Madja is very helpful but children are simply not my thing. You just get them to calm down and then they scream about another thing. Three hours feel like forever and I am happy to escape to lunch and then start training. Edward shows up later on, taking me up on my promise to show him the move my brother tought me. It is actually a lot of fun training with him. At least until my buzzer goes off.

"Off to hell I am", I smile.

"Good luck. And thanks."
"Lets do it again some time."

"Tomorrow after your babysitting?"

"Don't remind me", I grumble and Edward laughs.

It was Eric who was testing me again. Squeezing my hand as he is administering the serum. It is just as bad as the last times, but I am quicker at calming down this time around.

"You wanna come to my apartment later?", Eric questions.

"Sure. You owe me for not telling me about the fighting in the cafeteria thing."

"Of course"

Sammy picks me up after his session after lunch and we catch one of the trains.

"So. You and Four are siblings..."

"Yeah.

"Explains why you so strongly reacted to me saying that he is hot. Which he is, but not to you, obviously."

"Yes. I mean I know he is a good looking guy, but you know...my brother."

"It makes so much sense."

"Tris said that too."

"Tris is the one who was also attacked right? The blonde?", Sammy asks.

"Yeah. We were both really lucky. I mean, sure there is jealousy, but...to kill someone..thats just...gosh. Especially when they are your friend. Al is Tris friend and still..."

Sammy looks up at me.

"Was. Was her friend."

"Well obviously not anymore, after the whole attack thingy and..."

Sammy interrupts me.

"He killed himself. After breakfast."

"I...what?"

"Yeah, he jumped. He was going to be cut, especially after the deducted points. It happens sometimes at this point of training. And the guilt must have been the last factor."

"I suppose. Still sad. He was a nice guy."

We sit in silence for some time, looking out the open cart door, the city flying by. There are swimming pools on the Erudite rooftops, and people playing a match of some sort of handball.

"How are you and Eric?"
"Uhm...well, better. He saved me and he had previously apologized too, so I gave him another chance. He likes to read you know?"
"Eric, a reader?"

"Totally."

"Well, now I know what I would get him for Secret Santa."

"Secret Santa?"
"Oh, Abnegation...right. Everybody who wants to participate writes their name onto a list and later all of those people pull a name out and have to get them a present. They get contributed at the Christmas Party. So no one knows who got them their gift."

"That's kinda cool. We have 12 days of Christmas giving in Abnegation. Everybody has to do something good or nice or helpful during all of December."

Sammy nods slowly and we continue to talk about Dauntless traditions.

We are almost finished with our round through the city and ready for the jump and roll off onto the grass. We split up and walk to our separate dorms. I pick up some fresh clothes and head up to Eric's apartment, dodging both Zeke and Max on the way. Eric opens the door and the smell of food surprises me.

"You are cooking?"

"Why do you sound so surprised?", he grins.

"Oh, nothing, just happy to learn more about you every day."

Eric scoops me in a hug, lifting me off the ground and setting me down onto one of the bar chairs.

"Well, I suppose I should have told you about the cafeteria rule, so a dinner, I thought, would do. And, since your other knife got...lost, I got you this."

He sets down a thigh holster with a knife placed in one of three sheaths. It is not a throwing knife, but a dagger.

"I'll show you how to use it. But it is a weapon, I thought you might feel safer with it."

"Thank you. For cooking too."

He smiles at me, a soft smile that I would never see outside these walls.

Eric moves the knife from the table, puts down placemats and then sets down the most delicious-looking pasta I have ever seen.

"Oh my, that is amazing."

"Dig in."