The Dauntless training room buzzed with the energy of clashing bodies and weapons, the initiates throwing themselves into practice under the sharp watch of the instructors. Y/N stood at the edge, demonstrating a takedown technique with calm precision. But she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched—closer than usual.
She didn't need to look to know it was Eric.
He had been around more lately, always finding ways to get closer. After that kiss, everything between them had shifted, though neither of them spoke about it. It was an unspoken understanding—an electric tension that neither had acknowledged aloud, but both knew was there.
"You're letting them off easy," came Eric's voice, low and teasing, as he stepped up beside her. He was close—too close. His arm brushed against hers, casual, but deliberate.
Y/N didn't flinch, keeping her focus on the initiates. "They'll figure it out. Not everything's about force."
Eric chuckled, the sound sending a ripple through her that she refused to let show. "Force keeps them alive."
Before Y/N could respond, another instructor, Finn, approached. His eyes lingered on Y/N in a way that made her skin crawl. "You've got a talented group," Finn said, his smile a bit too familiar. "Must be your touch."
Y/N felt her muscles tense. The comment wasn't overtly disrespectful, but the implication behind it was clear. She opened her mouth to respond, but Eric was faster.
In one fluid motion, Eric's hand settled on her waist, a casual grip that sent a clear message without saying a word. The pressure of his fingers was light, but firm—possessive in a way that only she would understand.
"They're skilled because they've got the best instructor," Eric said, his tone hard and final, though his smirk remained. "And they don't need your opinions."
Finn blinked, taken aback by Eric's casual dominance. His eyes darted between Eric and Y/N, unsure of what he was witnessing. "Didn't mean anything by it," he muttered, backing away.
Y/N's heart beat faster—not because of Finn's comment, but because of Eric's hand still on her waist. She didn't move, didn't flinch, though every nerve in her body was suddenly aware of his touch. The tension between them was palpable, but neither of them acknowledged it.
"Was that necessary?" Y/N asked quietly, her voice low so no one else could hear.
Eric's smirk deepened, though his hand lingered for just a moment longer before slipping away. "Probably not."
She finally turned to face him, her eyes meeting his with a calm intensity. The space between them was charged, but neither of them let it show. It was in the way he stood, close but not too close, and the way her gaze didn't waver from his.
"You don't have to defend me," she said, her voice steady but with a slight edge.
Eric's smirk turned into something darker, his eyes flicking briefly to where his hand had been before meeting hers again. "I wasn't defending you. Just making sure he knows his place."
Y/N raised an eyebrow, the unspoken tension hanging between them. She knew what he meant—knew it wasn't just about Finn overstepping. It was Eric's way of asserting something that neither of them had said outright.
"You're still full of yourself," Y/N muttered, her voice low and controlled.
Eric's eyes gleamed with something unreadable, his smirk softening just slightly. "Maybe. But I'm right."
Y/N didn't respond, her focus turning back to the initiates. The room was loud, but the silence between her and Eric felt heavier than any of the noise around them. She didn't need to say anything—didn't need to acknowledge the shift between them.
They both knew.
Eric lingered a moment longer, his presence unmistakable, before stepping back. But the tension never left. It followed them, unspoken but felt in every look, every casual touch that lasted just a second too long.
"Get them moving," Eric said, his voice more for the trainees than her. But the glint in his eye when he looked back at her said everything that words couldn't.
Y/N smirked, hiding it behind her command to the initiates. "You heard him. Let's see if you can keep up."

YOU ARE READING
Eric Coulter Imagines
RomanceA series of imagines between Eric Coulter from Divergent and Y/N, who is a weapon instructor and developer. The ideas are mine, but written down by ChatGPT entirely. I only watched parts of the show, but I love Eric. I just want to marry him 🥺