A Different Divergent: Everyday Love

22

Chapter 22

A/N: Bolded section taken directly from Allegiant.

"Hector!" Shauna and Lynn heavily admonish at the same time Zeke asks, "What the hell is wrong with you, man?" Tobias lunges forward and grabs Hector by the collar of his Dauntless t-shirt and lifts him off his feet. Zeke, Uriah, Will, and Brody are at my husband's side in an instant trying to make sure he doesn't hurt the insignificant initiate. A murderous look contorts his features. His jaw tenses, his eyes narrow into steely slits, and his ears go bright red as he stares down the punk but, unbelievably, Hector doesn't even flinch ... not once. It's almost like he has a death wish.

"You gonna hit me, Four?" Hector sneers, a smug smirk on his lips. Tobias' look turns even darker, and I can tell he wants to but that he's holding himself back. I know my husband. He doesn't want to resort to violence if he doesn't have to.

"Four, let him go. I have no idea what his problem is. He's obviously being a huge asshole. We all know that you would never hurt Tris, not intentionally," Zeke calmly says in a soothing voice. "I know you probably want to throw his ass off the train and right now I can't say that I really blame you but I think it would upset Shauna and Lynn if you kill their brother. Come on, bro, let him go." A sound unlike anything I've ever heard before rips from Tobias' chest as he throws Hector to the floor. It's like a cross between a high-pitched keening and a feral growl. For a moment I think he's going to beat the shit out of him but instead of striking out, he turns around and launches himself off the train without a thought to his safety. We could be stories in the air. God, I hope not.

"Son of a bitch," I mutter under my breath. I would love nothing more than to beat the shit out of Hector myself for his unnecessary and totally false comment but I'm more concerned about my husband's wellbeing than the unimportant initiate before me so I decide to follow Tobias but before I go I take a deep, cleansing breath and loudly say, "I really didn't think I would have to say this tonight in this company but my husband has never beaten me, not once. And you." I step forward and furiously slap Hector, knocking the irritating smirk right off his face and leaving behind my red handprint. "You will be dealt with later, I promise you that. Will, Shauna! Make sure this initiate gets back to Dauntless immediately. He shouldn't be rewarded for his bad behavior by finishing the game."

I turn my back on everyone in the car, take a step back, and propel myself out the open door into darkness. I glide through the cool air, the momentary feeling of weightless flight simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying just like every time I jump from a moving train. I land on my feet and don't waste the momentum, running in the direction I hope Tobias went, towards Dauntless. Luckily, it doesn't take me long to find him.

"Tobias!" I call out and, thankfully, he stops and turns around. He sees me barreling straight for him and steels himself, apparently reading my mind. I launch myself at him and it's like running into a brick wall. I wrap my arms firmly around his neck and my legs tightly around his waist, pressing my body against his. He's too stunned to react at first and makes no move to hold me. I cling to him while I pant vigorously from the exertion.

"You didn't have to follow me," he gruffly says.

"Of course, I did. I'm your wife. I care about you. What Hector did was out of line. I don't blame you for leaving but I'm not letting you hide from me. Never again. You promised," I plead, reminding him of our conversation that took place a mere handful of hours ago. "Talk to me, Tobias. Or scream. Yell. Curse. Punch something. Just don't hide from me." After far too long of just staring into each other's eyes, he finally wraps his strong arms around me and buries his face in my hair and does the last thing I thought he would do, he starts to cry. After a moment his legs give out, and we crumple to the cracked concrete beneath us. Listening to his anguish nearly rips my beating heart right out of my chest and tears flood my own eyes. I tighten my grip on him and do the only thing I know to do, I hold him close to me. It's not like I've never seen him cry but the times have been few and far between. I repeatedly press my lips to his temple, jaw, cheek, and hair and whisper words of love as I embrace him. Slowly his sobs quiet and a troubled sigh escapes his lips.