Ordinary Acts of Bravery [A Divergent Fanfic]

Chapter 26 - Another night at Eric's

"Embrace the glorious mess that you are."

          I had found myself to be looking at a girl I hardly recognized. The girl that stared back at me in the mirror was not the same who had chosen dauntless to become her new faction. This was a warrior, a strong person who had made many decisions on her own. I had no baby fat left anywhere. It had all evaporated as I build up muscle.

I quickly finished freshening up before slowly exiting the bathroom as well. I was not prepared to face Abby again, but I had too and when I moved towards the door, I could hear another angry voice yelling at Abby. A voice I knew belonged to Eric. "Shut up Abby! Have you any idea what those cowards could have done to her?" The words made me linger by the door, arm already extended with one hand already on the door handle.

Abby sighed deeply, clearly I gaze by Eric's raised voice. "Eric calm down. She is a strong fighter, why else would you have chosen exactly her?" Abby's calm voice only annoyed Eric further because he growled at her, pretty immaturely but it was all he could do to express his dissatisfaction with her. A faint smile claimed my lips at the feat. Abby had already guessed. She knew what was going on between us.

When I pushed the door up and Eric saw me, he hurried around the couch, sidestepping it with just a few steps before taking me into a very tight embrace. He had moved his arms underneath my shoulders, forcing me to wrap my arms around his neck as he practically raised me off the floor. I could feel how heavy Eric was breathing as he rested his chin against my shoulder.

I didn't fight him or his embrace. I only allowed him to hug me as tightly as he needed too. When my feet returned to the floor and Eric released me again, I could see that Valentine and Abby still stood on the other side of the couch. Valentine had an arm around her, letting her lean against him. They looked good together and he smiled at me before placing a kiss on Abby's temple. Abby smiled brightly and leaned into the gesture.

Eric didn't seem to movie my attention had shifted, he only had eyes for me and only reluctantly released me. I kept my hands on his arms as one of his hands found the left side of my face. His fingers brushed against my skin before a thumb pressed against my chin, forcing me to look up. I reluctantly tilted my head up to allow Eric to asses the wound. He remained quiet the whole time until his expressions darkened, dangerous shadows falling over his face as anger boiled within him.

"Eric—" I tried carefully and raised my hands to cup his face, forcing him to look at me. "—I'm okay." I whispered when his blue eyes snapped to mine. They hadn't been looking at me, they had purposely looking everywhere else and especially at the fresh wound on my neck. Eric was shaking in my arms, but it all seemed to evaporate when I smiled at him. I knew he was angry, but he somehow managed to keep it hidden.

Then he shifted a hand to one of mine and closed his eyes. With a deep breath he turned his head, kissing the palm of my right hand before he made me lower my hands. He did not let go of it, his fingers merely wrapped around the wrist and held on tightly. When Eric opened his eyes again, they were on me instantly. "I wanted to pull you up from the floor so badly, only to continue what you had started. But the presence of Max—".