Eric Coulter Imagines

What If: His Proposal (Part 1/2)

The Dauntless compound was eerily quiet, a rarity in the chaos that usually filled the halls. Y/N was finishing up another round of training, her body still thrumming with adrenaline, when she saw Eric leaning against the doorway of the training room, watching her.

She raised an eyebrow as she wiped the sweat from her brow. "Stalking me again, Eric?"

Eric's eyes gleamed with that familiar, dark amusement. "You wish."

He stepped forward, his boots echoing on the floor as he approached. Y/N could feel his presence immediately—he always had this way of commanding space, even when he wasn't speaking. There was something about him that made it hard for anyone to ignore.

As he closed the distance, she noticed something in his hand. It wasn't a weapon or the usual Dauntless gear. No, it was something... unexpected.

A black choker.

Y/N blinked, her brows furrowing. "What's that?"

Eric's smirk widened. "For you."

Y/N let out a low laugh, crossing her arms over her chest. "You brought me a choker? What, you think I need a leash now?"

Eric's gaze was sharp, amused, but there was a seriousness in the way he handed it to her. "I don't do leashes. I do control."

Y/N took the choker, eyeing it suspiciously. The band was smooth and black, but what caught her attention was the small, silver insignia attached to it—an intricate Dauntless symbol, barely noticeable unless you looked closely.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Is this your twisted way of proposing, Eric?"

Eric shrugged, his smirk still firmly in place. "You could call it that."

Y/N stared at him, caught between disbelief and amusement. A choker. Of course, Eric wouldn't go for anything traditional like a ring or flowers. That wasn't his style.

"This isn't a marriage proposal," Y/N said, her voice half-sarcastic. "This is a chain."

Eric stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "Call it what you want. It's a mark. You belong to me."

Y/N tilted her head, her eyes narrowing in challenge. "Belong to you? You really think you can own me?"

Eric's hand reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face. His touch was firm but not harsh, a subtle gesture that sent a shiver down her spine.

"I already do," he replied, his voice soft but full of conviction. "You just haven't realized it yet."

Y/N's lips curved into a slow smile, her eyes glinting with amusement. "You're really something, Eric. A choker, huh?"

He held her gaze, his smirk fading into something more intense. "It's a reminder. That no one else gets to touch you. No one else gets to have you."

Y/N swallowed, feeling the weight of his words more than she cared to admit. Eric didn't do grand gestures or heartfelt speeches. This was his way of showing what she meant to him—possessive, protective, and completely in control.

But Y/N wasn't one to be controlled. She wasn't some prize to be won, some possession to be claimed. She lifted the choker, inspecting it closely before meeting his gaze again.

"So... you want me to wear this," she said slowly, her voice teasing, "and in return, I get... what? Your undying devotion?"

Eric's smirk returned, his eyes glinting with dark humor. "You get me."

Y/N raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching in amusement. "You're a piece of work, you know that?"

Eric stepped closer, his breath warm against her skin as he leaned in. "You wouldn't want it any other way."

For a moment, there was silence between them, the tension thick in the air. Y/N held the choker in her hand, feeling the cool metal against her skin, and wondered how she had ended up here—how Eric, of all people, had managed to worm his way into her life like this.

She glanced up at him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You know, if I put this on, it doesn't mean I'm yours."

Eric's smirk widened. "It means you're mine. Whether you put it on or not."

Y/N rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "You really think that, don't you?"

Eric didn't answer. Instead, he took the choker from her hand and stepped behind her. Y/N felt the cool leather brush against her neck as he fastened it securely, his fingers brushing her skin in a way that made her pulse quicken.

As he stepped back in front of her, his eyes flickered with something darker, something possessive.

"There," he said, his voice low. "Now everyone will know."

Y/N raised an eyebrow, her hand instinctively moving to touch the choker. "You want to chain me up, Eric?"

His smirk deepened, his voice a quiet growl. "Not chain. Claim."

Y/N shook her head, half-amused, half-exasperated. "You're out of your mind."

Eric leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, "Maybe. But you like it."

Y/N's breath hitched for a moment before she regained her composure, her eyes narrowing as she met his gaze again. "You're lucky I don't punch you right now."

Eric chuckled softly, his hands resting on her waist. "I'd like to see you try."

Y/N's lips curved into a smirk, her eyes glinting with challenge. "Oh, I will. Don't worry."

But despite her teasing, she didn't take off the choker. She wore it, feeling the weight of it against her skin, a silent acknowledgment of the strange, intense connection between them.