Divergent One Shots (Eric & Tris)

Thirty-Two-I'm Sorry 7.8

Tris

Eric and I sit together at the leadership table once more for lunch. We eat together quietly, him not speaking to me since earlier on the walk in. As we return our trays and start to leave the cafeteria, Four stops me.
"I went to your apartment and you weren't there," he says.
"I moved," I tell him.
"To where?" he asks.
I look to Eric. "She can't tell you yet," he insists.
"You're trying for leadership, aren't you?" Four deduces.
I don't answer.
"Are you in leadership?" he questions.
"You'll find out next week," Eric insists pulling me with him. We step into the hallway and start walking away.
"Can I at least talk to you?" Four continues behind us.
"You're not asking questions that I can answer," I reply and keep going.
"Tris?" Four pleads and grabs my arm stopping me. "Can't we just work this out between us?"
"Four," I say evenly. "There hasn't been anything between us but friendship for years. I don't appreciate you telling Eric we've been together all this time when we haven't. You either need to stop lying or stop deceiving yourself."
I remove his hand from my arm and walk away. Eric puts his arm around me.
"Stop acting so smug," I tell him softly.
He laughs in reply.
"So, what's the plan?" he asks.
"I don't know," I shrug. "I was going home and changing."
"You want to come over and play cards?" Eric offers.
I look to him and grin. "Sure. We can spend the day together," I reply.
He smiles at me as we head home. We both change into something more comfortable. I come over to his apartment and he teaches me several card games. We banter and joke around. We start to really talk and get to know each other throughout the afternoon. I find myself enjoying Eric's company more than I ever would've thought.
The next week is more work in the training room. I fill in my clothes with healthy weight gain and muscle. Eric spends some serious time teaching me more fighting and I'm surprising even myself at how quickly I'm picking it up with the constant one on one attention. He spends some time with me on weapons training—shooting various guns at the range as well as knife throwing and weapons in combat. I blow through a good portion of the leadership study material and by Thursday late afternoon, Eric calls me into the conference room to speak with the rest of the leaders. I sit down where he tells me, across the table from all of them.
"We've brought you here to evaluate your current condition as a leadership trainee," Jude begins.
"We've all read Eric's report on you. It's quite impressive," Max states.
"It appears that you've already completed much of the actual leadership training," Ryan points out.
"Your physical abilities have grown substantially in such a short time," Lydia adds.
"The truth is, we're all in agreement that you will be announced tonight as a leader-in-training," Eric tells me.
I laugh in surprise. I wasn't expecting it so soon.
"Anything else to add?" Lydia questions.
"Welcome to the team," Ryan chuckles.
They all pound the table in agreement—the Dauntless way. I beam in excitement at this.
Eric has me rise and he hands me a vest wrapped in plastic. I open it and put it on. Lydia hands him a wooden case and he opens that. It looks like one of his holsters is in there but smaller along with a pair of firearms. He adjusts the holster and has me wear it. I observe as he loads my two guns for me. They're very small and appropriate-looking for my size.
"I think these will fit your willowy frame," Eric mumbles. "After you try them out, if you don't like them, we can get you something else."
I stare at him in amazement. It's as if he always knows the exact thing to say to compliment me. I always thought I was small and childish, but he doesn't think so.
All of leadership exits the conference room. As we leave, I see stares. Will gives me a knowing look—like he had already figured it out. We descend in the elevator, then the Pit staircase. There are whispers going around and several members observe us as we move through the Pit. We take a back hallway to the cafeteria and climb the stairs to the outside double doors of the balcony.
"Are you ready?" Eric asks pausing at the door. 
I nod to him and he grasps my hand.  It feels familiar, yet so different to have him holding my hand.  We step out together and there is a hush that falls over the crowd.  We all gravitate towards the railing.  I hold firmly onto it with my right hand as Eric holds my left. 
"Dauntless!" Eric shouts raising his left arm.  "I have the privilege of introducing you to your next leader-in-training, Tris!"
The faction cheers for me and it's deafening.  Eric raises my arm and I look to him.  He seems so proud of me.  I smile at him and look back to the crowd.  I realize I'm placed in a position to be responsible for their wellbeing.  I promise myself to always work hard for them and do my best.  When they finally calm a bit, we walk down the staircase to our table.  I take my seat and my friends watch me with stunned but happy expressions on their faces.  We're served together and it's incredible being here as one of them—the acknowledgment from leadership and the faction. This feels so real... and wonderful... and kind of dreamlike and disbelievingly fantastic.