Seventeen-Initiation Offers 5.4

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Tris

I wake to the blaring of my alarm and I slap it to turn it off. I get ready quickly and get down to the dorm rooms. There are four—two girls, two boys, separated by transfers and Dauntless-born. I walk into the transfer girls' first. I flip the light on.
"This is your wakeup call. If you don't get up now, you can enjoy the migraine Four will give you in five minutes. Get cleaned up and eat breakfast. You have about one hour to get to the training room," I announce. I do the same for each room. Most get up but there are a few stragglers.
I see Four and Eric coming down the hallway together. Four has his pipe already in hand. I cover my ears knowing it's coming. Eric comes straight for me, all thoughts of messing with the initiates gone. I hear the muffled pounding and Eric laughs. I remove my hands and he takes me in his arms kissing me deeply.
"I missed you," he whispers.
I smile in reply.
As we separate, Four is staring giving us a hard look. "When did this happen?" he asks flatly.
"Last night," Eric responds kissing my cheek and pulling me aside with him toward the cafeteria.
We enter in and grab breakfast.
"Come with me," Eric insists.
"Alright?" I agree questioningly following him to the leadership table. I sit down next to Eric. Ryan is beside him but the others haven't arrived yet.
"So... why am I up here?" I question.
"Get used to it. You'll be up here for good next month," Ryan teases.
I grin at that.
"I figure we're the three leaders in charge of initiation this year," Eric starts.
I go to protest.
"Close enough," Eric says. "Anyway, my rule last year for top ten won't fly with close to sixty. What do you think?"
"I think we should spend more time on physical training since there are some smaller, weaker initiates. We could force them to continue to train physically so they don't slip into a bout of depression for the last two stages," I recommend.
Ryan nods in agreement.
"What do you think about cutting initiates?" Eric asks me.
"Well, there were several that wouldn't get out of bed..." I start. Eric nods. "I'm thinking that if say... we tell them to run and they don't listen, we could grade them by the old point system. If they don't have the bare minimum, they're gone. But I think we shouldn't kick anyone out until the last day. They should have the opportunity to work their hardest for four weeks and keep earning fighting points."
"I like it," Ryan nods.
"Anything else?" Eric asks.
"What about most improved?" I question.
"That would've been you last year," Eric says.
I smile at that. "Bonus points for effort and improvement?"
"We could do that," he nods. "And deduct points for laziness and lack of effort."
I smile. "Dauntless work hard."
"Alright. That's all I wanted," Eric says.
"Are you telling me to leave?" I tease.
"No. You're honestly welcome to stay but we'd have to announce you if you come up consistently," he tells me.
"I think I'd like my last month with my friends. Then I'll be with you forever," I say.
"You promise?" Eric whispers hopefully.
"You know what I meant," I slap his arm playfully.
I stay with leadership for breakfast and they all congratulate me—on both leadership and my relationship with Eric.
We walk down to training a little early.  We're the first to arrive and Eric turns to me.  He takes me in his arms and kisses me again. 
"Have you decided who we're training?" I ask him when he kisses my neck. 
"Who do you want?" he whispers. 
"I think the transfers need the most work, but we could rotate and make sure they're all getting the attention they need," I suggest. "On the first day, we could all be together. Maybe the transfers could learn something from the Dauntless-born."
He's looking at me, listening intently and smirking.
"I like it," he whispers.
We hear the training room door slam and separate briefly. It's Four and he looks to be throwing a tantrum. "Forget him," Eric whispers and kisses me again. I melt into the kiss. His are so passionate and addictive that I can't help but be taken away by them.
"Is this what it's going to be like with you two?" Four asks flatly.
"If you show up early, yes," Eric replies and pecks my lips gently again.
He separates from me though, as some initiates enter the room. The other trainers join us and Eric informs them of what we decided.
"Alright," Tori nods excitedly.
I hug her since I haven't seen her in a while. I look over the whole team of trainers and this is exciting. The only one I don't know too well is Lauren and I think we're on good terms.
"So... I hear you and Eric?" Lauren says nudging me.
I laugh and blush unable to deny it.
"What? I hadn't heard that," Tori says.
"It's true," I beam.
We start to separate as more initiates arrive.
"Why were you at the leadership table, Tris?" Four asks me harshly.
"Because I was discussing with them about initiation," I shrug.
"Why would you have a say in that?" he presses. "Only leadership decides the rules and members carry them out."
I glance to him and he's angry, confused.
"I'll tell you after initiation," I say.
He grits his teeth as I don't answer his question but I bet he figures it out—either that or he thinks I have sway with Eric now.
Eric is the one to give the speech to the initiates. It's extremely thorough. He speaks on the ground rules to cover everything and anything missed. He also mentions sexual harassment again and then informs everyone of the fraternization policy.
"Everyone has been warned. If any initiate is caught with a member or vice versa, they will both be made Factionless," Eric says.
An initiate raises their hand.
"Yes?" Eric calls on them.
"So... initiates can't date?" he questions.
"Initiates can date initiates. Members can date members. But after initiation, once you're made members you're free to date anyone you want," he replies. "Right, Four?"
Four stares him down.
"Can I ask a question?" another initiate raises their hand.
"Last one," Eric nods.
"Which of the trainers are involved?" she asks.
"Tris and I are together," Eric smirks.
Uriah and Zeke both say they have girlfriends.
"So... Lauren, Lynn, Tori, Ryan, and Four are all single," she nods.
"Alright let's go for a jog," Eric says. 
He turns on his heel and leads the crowd of close to sixty outside. I stay by his side at the front.  We tour all of Dauntless and it's beautiful outside.  I hope they're not all too overworked.  This is actually a light jog for a first day.  Ryan comes up beside us. 
"I've already picked out mine," he tells Eric. 
"Oh, already?" he questions. 
"What are we talking about?" I ask. 
"Ryan has decided who he's asking out after initiation if she becomes a member," Eric tells me. 
"Oh?" I laugh.  "You scoping out all the ladies?"
"Eric wanted you the first day," Ryan confides. 
I frown at that.  If only I knew back then what I know now. 
We come back to the training room and separate, spending time teaching the transfers the basics of fighting.  Four is with the Dauntless-born at the outdoor range.  Eric and I walk through and observe the initiates as they practice.  We stop frequently and adjust their form, correct their technique, and give tips for improvement.  We break for lunch and switch afterwards taking on the Dauntless-born who mostly already know this.  There is some correction needed but not much.  We leave them to the other trainers and go upstairs to see if we can help with shooting. 
It appears that Four has just finished his explanation and is demonstrating how to shoot.  I observe as he does so and he turns around telling everyone to select a target.  He comes behind the line of initiates and announces for them to begin. 
"What are you doing here?" Four asks me as I walk behind the initiates. 
"Helping," I shrug.  "The Dauntless-born don't need any more assistance for a first day."
I stop and assist a smaller girl with her stance and aim.  She hits the bullseye on the second attempt. 
"Why are you correcting them?  They're supposed to figure it out on their own," he says to me. 
I turn around and raise my eyebrows skeptically at him.  "Who told you that?  We're supposed to be training them and guiding them to be the best Dauntless they can be.  If they spend the next month trying to hit the target when they just needed slight correction, then we're all wasting our time and this wouldn't be called training.  It'd be called babysitting," I mock him and walk off to help someone else. 
Their improvement is incredible after Eric and I assist.  My group was never that good.  We meet up near the door to the staircase for lunch, Eric opening it for me.  We walk down the stairs and out of the training room.  Eric pulls me aside to a quiet hallway.  He crashes his lips with mine and I respond to him.  He slowly breaks away from me with a peck to the lips.  We both stare into each other's eyes panting. 
"Maybe you're right.  This may be our most successful Dauntless initiation to date if they keep improving," Eric softly to me. 
"Are you saying you like my techniques?" I question grinning. 
He nudges me slightly with his nose.  "I'm thinking you ought to be in charge of training in the future," he tells me teasingly before he kisses me again.  I can't help but be so incredibly blissful with him, my choices, the direction my life is taking.
The next day, we work on sparring together.  Eric and I even get in the mix to help teach.  Cain challenges me and I laugh that he's even going to try.  Four protests but I accept.  Cain knows I work with his older brother and I've taken him out.  We start and are surrounded by the entire initiation group observing.  I flip Cain on his backside in a matter of seconds using his own momentum against him.  I get him in a choke hold and he taps out.  I rise and join Eric's side.  He nods his approval to me and tells me a clear defeat is acceptable instead of a knockout.  So we work on submission holds with everyone after that.  Four actually comes up and compliments me—it's somewhat backhanded but I accept it nonetheless. 
Eric and I become inseparable during our off time.  He's either at my apartment or I'm at his.  On the weekends, we go out with friends.  We've been to parties, clubs, shopping...  We go zip lining together and it's incredible to go in pairs.  I didn't even know it was possible.  He gets a tattoo with my name over his heart and I'm surprised by that.  I really do think he's in love with me and never wants this to end.  I'm slowly growing to depend on him, too.  With every moment we spend together, my heart grows closer to being his.

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