tobias | ✔

fifteen - tobias

Tris called the person who contacted her last night as soon as her morning tiny exhaustion faded away. Her eyebrows furrowed at why that contact would be calling her and she quickly unplugged her phone, turning over to lay on her back as the phone dialed.

The person who picked it up seemed distressed. “I guess you’re calling about your lovely boyfriend?”

At the question, Tris furrowed her eyebrows even more. “I’m calling you back from whatever reason you called me last night.”

“Well, that is your boyfriend.”

Tris lifted a hand to rub at her head. “What did he do?”

“You know, that guy is a really emotional drunk. You should’ve seen him. I’ve known ever since we took him out for his birthday, but it gets more amusing every time.”

“Zeke.” Tris said, growing impatient. “What did he do?”

“Well,” Zeke hesitated and Tris could almost hear the wince in his words. “Well, Eric showed up and something happened, I don’t know what, but he added another comment I don’t remember and Tobias was on him before I could stop him.”

Tris shot up from the bed, eyes wide, pulling the covers back as she moved her feet to the carpeted floor of her bedroom. “What?”

“He got a few punches in before I was able to pull him back.”

“That could’ve got him suspended.”

“Well, he was drunk, Tris, and fully not thinking of getting suspended from his job, I can assure you that.”

“Is he at your house? Or his?”

“We both went back to mine. He’s sleeping in the guest room at the moment.” Letting out a long sigh, Zeke said, “I’ll text you the address.”

+++

Zeke’s home was around thirty minutes from her apartment. It was early on a Saturday morning, so there wasn’t much traffic on the ride. There was a neighborhood Tris drove into with houses both small and large, and the house that Tris pulled in the driveway to--Zeke’s--was a medium sized, with only two floors. The exterior was blue with white and Tris got out of her car as soon as she put it into park, taking the keys out of the ignition. She walked to the front door, bringing up her hand to press a finger against the door bell. The door was pulled open just a moment later.

A forced smile seemed to sit on Zeke’s mouth as he saw Tris, welcoming her into his house and shutting the door once she stood in the front sitting room. She waited for Zeke to move in front of her, leading her to the stairs and up them.

“Don’t be scared of the bruises he has,” Zeke says as he led her to the right side of the stairwell. He went right to a white door that was shut, closing his hand around the knob. “Eric tried to hit back at him and only managed one punch.”

Then, he was opening the door.

Tobias, still in bed, was laying on his stomach, sleeping on a pillow clutched in his arms. The blankets were hanging at his waist, chest bare, and it was the second time Tris had seen his scars. She wondered for just a second if Zeke knew also of what Marcus had done to Tobias, but the question was out of her mind just a second later. Of course Zeke knew, especially if Uriah and Marlene did. Zeke was probably the first one Tobias told. The light from the open blinds of the hallway window, shined in the room, highlighting the scars, and Zeke hissed in a breath.

“I fucking hate his dad for what he did.” Zeke said, not holding back or hesitating since he knew Tris was aware of what had happened.

And Tris didn’t know where the words came from, didn’t ever hang around Tobias in the years he was abused to know enough of Marcus, but Tris said, “Me too.”

Because even if she wasn’t there the days after the abuse happened, she still didn’t feel the pain from it. Tobias made sure no pain went to her, clicked something in his mind so that the torture became more for him--so he experienced the agony more than what he would’ve if he didn’t think to make sure Tris didn’t get anything.

Tobias slept for minutes, and Tris thought of the thing that passed through her mind the previous night, maybe because Tobias had hit the person who half terrorized her. She turned to Zeke, going to speak but closing her mouth, gathering her thoughts. Zeke raised an eyebrow.

“Is there any self defense classes you know I can take?”

Thinking, Zeke pursed his lips and furrowed his eyebrows. “I don’t know of any off the top of my head,” he said. “But maybe I can help you look for any classes. Four and I could also help. There’s a gun target room at the station, but also a gym that has punching bags hung up. We could get permission from Uriah about the room and use you as our guest at the gym, if you want us as your trainers.”

The thought of Tobias training her to fight had passed her mind. But, both Zeke and Tobias? The thought didn’t seem so bad. She nodded her head at Zeke, at the suggestion. “That will work.”

Tobias woke up then, groaning as he twisted around in bed. Tris moved closer to the bed, sighing as she sat on the mattress. As soon as Tobias’s eyes opened, they landed on Tris, and moved to where his friend stood in the door.

“You called Tris? Seriously?” Tobias didn’t smile or move his hand to hold hers, instead turning onto his back. “I was drunk, not dead.”

Tris narrowed her eyes, a light scowl moving on her lips. She didn’t know why he was being rude, didn’t voice it, only showing it with facial expressions. Even though she didn’t speak of it, Zeke did.

“Why are you being such an asshole?” Zeke asked. “I haven’t heard you be an asshole since senior year of high school.”

“I’m sorry for inconveniences.” Tobias snapped, he turned his head away from Tris and Zeke, snuggling back into the bed. “I’m going back to sleep.”

“You could’ve got suspended,” Tris said anyways. “You were drunk, and doing the same thing as Eric, except you weren’t on the job. If it needed to call reinforcements, Uriah would’ve found out, and he would’ve needed to take your badge and gun. The same thing as Eric--”

“In no way did I do the same thing as Eric.” Tobias turned back to her, the look of pure anger shining in his eyes. It threw Tris off, twisting a feeling deep in her gut. “He threatened you. I paid him back with three punches. I left behind bruises, while he left behind nerves and anxiety.”

“I can handle myself,” Tris said, standing from the bed but gaze still sharp on Tobias. “You can be scared, and you can, God, you can teach me how to defend myself. But don’t do things for me. If you take the time to teach me, I wouldn’t need to be so defenseless I’m looking behind me everywhere I go.” Not speaking, Tobias scanned his eyes over her, and Tris got a good look at the dark purple bruise on his cheek. “For God’s sake, Tobias, nothing is going to happen to me. I’m not some small person who has no capability of even learning to fight off anyone who tried to hurt me. But instead of thinking of that, instead of letting me be my own person, you fight as if you believe I’m not strong enough to.”

Tris stepped toward the door, backing away from the bed. As she did so, something flashed in Tobias’s eyes, and she felt the tiny bit of regret run through her system. But not her regret--she wouldn’t feel sorry about speaking up.

“But until you do decide to teach me, I’ll take Zeke as my instructor.”

Tris didn't watch to see the reaction Tobias had to the rejection. Zeke had disappeared from the door of the bedroom, but Tris could hear him right outside the door, listening. Bracing a hand on the frame of the door, Tris barely glanced over her shoulder to Tobias as she said, “Don’t think I’m not terrified myself.”

But Tobias didn’t respond, and Tris stepped out of the room, clicking the door silently behind her.

+++

It's my BIRTHDAY I'm SIXTEEN EEEEEE