Evolution (O/C X TMR)

Dramatic Understandings

*Tris's POV*

I stepped out of the tent to see an anxious Aris sitting on a crate next to an even more nervous Jorge who was bouncing his knee. Both of them looked up at me. "Brenda's sleeping, she'll be okay. Go see her." I said to Jorge while nodding twords the tent. The man responded promptly by standing up and speed walking into the tent with as much composure as he could muster.

The two people who were eavesdropping outside the tent were sneaking up to the edge of the tent to listen in some more. I locked eyes with a curious and nervous Aris who had stood up from his spot on the crate. It was written all over his face that he wanted to ask me something but wasn't sure if he should. He stood there fidgeting with his hands for a moment before I decided to speak up.

"Let's go regroup with the others and you can ask me what you want to know then." I stated calmly to the boy. "Hey Newt. Minho." I called out to the edge of the tent behind Aris. "Try to be less obvious next time, -" I joked as the two taller boys emerged from their hiding spot. "- I heard you when you were walking up to the tent, your footsteps are very loud." I smirked at them while the boys I've known for a long time glanced at eachother questioningly, of course they didn't know that though. Aris whipped around to look at the other boys, surprised.

"Did you say yo-" Minho started to ask a question before Newt nudged him in the side and cut him off with his own words.

"We'll head up and talk to our friends. Honestly at this point I'm not sure if we can trust you and I'd rather ask what my mates think about what we've heard first, yeah?" Newt explained, straightening his posture to try and seem as serious as he could. I gave a very small, knowing smile in response, and Aris decided to interject.

"Guys. She saved me while in the maze- shes the only reason we got out!" Aris looked at his friends pleadingly. "You're not seriously going to treat her like a threat when all shes done is helped us, right?" He asked genuinely, sounding frustrated. I locked my index finger onto his pinky, tugging slightly to get his attention. His head snapped to look at my face, then to our fingers, and back to me.

"People often view what they don't understand as a threat, especially when what they don't understand could potentially be stronger than them." I said calmly. My voice laced with gentle sympathy. "It's okay. You we're there the last time this happened. It's just what happens when I don't hide my-" I continued to try and calm the boy. He cut me off, stepping to be directly in front of me, losing hold of my finger in the process. Frustration and sadness were washing over his face as he spoke to me.

"It's not right. You protected me and you were banished. You left quietly, and made sure to leave us the key to the maze, giving us the best chance of escape." Aris's eyes were glossy. He slowly sounded more desperate to be heard the more he spoke. "You've done it again, protected us at any cost, and everyone's acting like they're ready to abandon you again."

"I know." I said simply. I gave Aris a genuine smile. It was nice to hear that not everyone saw me as a monster. "But it's still okay."

Aris opened his mouth to protest but I continued speaking. "It's human to be afraid Aris. It's good that they're cautious, thats how they'll continue to survive out here." I paused a moment to glance at the boys behind Aris who hadn't left yet. "I'll respect whatever choice they make." I looked back to Aris as he let his head hang down, his eyes fixed on the ground beneath us.

"I just hope your choice is made because it's what you believe is best for your people, and not just because you're afraid." I stated plainly to the boys a few feet away. "Come find us when you're ready, or don't, it's up to you." I nodded to the freckled boy before tapping Aris on the arm to signal to him that we should go. We walked away from the boys in silence, not bothering to look back, and check if they had left, too.