Tobias x Reader

Chapter 16: Capture the Flag (pt. 1)

Galen didn't talk much for the rest of the day. He made a point of not making eye contact with anyone. I could see the guilt on his face every time the fight came up in conversation. I could tell he was hating himself for what he did to John.

Michael pulled me aside after dinner, letting Galen walk away without us. "I don't get it," he said. "He should be proud of himself. He won his first fight in front of a Dauntless leader."

"He just upset because he feels like he went too far," I said. "He doesn't like what he did."

Michael scoffed. "I think he needs to see that John is an ass and deserved it anyway."

I gave him a withering glare. "John may have been rude but I don't think he deserved having his face caved in."

Michael just shrugged and continued walking to our living quarters. We entered quietly and began our nightly routines. I noticed as I grabbed fresh clothes, that Galen was lying in bed. I couldn't tell if he was asleep or not but decided it didn't matter. He clearly wanted to be left alone right now and I could respect that.

Exhausted from events that took place earlier that day, I fell asleep quickly. 

I told myself that I would talk to Galen when I woke up in the morning but it wasn't morning when I woke to the sounds of rustling clothing and footsteps. 

"What's happening?" I asked Michael as he quickly got dressed.

"I don't know," he said as he laced his boots. "We were just told to get ready."

I wondered what we were getting ready for as I threw on a black tank top, black jeans, and black boots. I joined everyone out in the hall outside to see that we were all just as tired and confused as the next person. I saw Four and Eric standing together, waiting for everyone to stumble their way into the hall. 

Galen was the last one out. He left the dorm with two jackets in his bruised hands. One for me and one for Michael. He handed the first one to Micheal who quickly put it on. He then gently draped the other over my shoulders. I silently thought of how Galen could go from relentlessly beating someone up, to  gently reminding people to wear jackets in case it gets cold.

Eric and Four silently led us away. I didn't really pay attention. I just watched Galen, wondering if I should try to talk to him. But he seemed fine. The only indication that he had even fought John was the bruises but other than that he showed no sign of the fear and unease of the previous day.

I don't know how long it was before I noticed that the Dauntless-born initiates and their trainer had joined us but before I knew it, the big group of initiates stood around their trainers and the Dauntless leader. Standing between Galen and Michael, I listened.

They explained that we would be separated into two teams. The two teams would be chosen by their team captains, Eric and Four. 

"I'll choose first," Eric said, surveying the large group of young adults. He was silent for a moment before saying, "Galen."

Nervously, he looked to me and Michael. I reached over and squeezed his hand reassuringly. Michael reached around me to pat his shoulder affectionately. Galen took a deep breath before moving to stand behind Eric. 

Now it was Four's turn to choose. He didn't look around at the initiates but I saw him hesitate for a moment before calling out my name. I looked up at Four in shock, wondering if I heard him correctly.

"The Stiff!" Eric exclaimed. A few of the Dauntless-born initiates laughed quietly. "Picking her so you have someone to blame when you lose?"

Normally Four seemed like the type to brush off a comment like this but to my surprise he grinned at me and said, "Something like that." I walked away from Micheal and stood behind Four. 

Eric and Four went back and fourth, picking different initiates. I noticed that Four picked the fastest and smartest while Eric picked the biggest and the strongest.

I waited until everyone was picked and then turned my attention to Four and Eric.

"The game is simple," Four said, "Just like capture the flag."

"The weapon of choice!" He yelled out as he held up an odd looking gun.

"You call that a weapon?" One of the Dauntless-born girl scoffed. 

Eric loaded what appeared to be a dart into the gun and fired it, shooting her in the leg. She yelled out in pain and dropped to the floor, staring in horror at the dart sticking out of her leg.

Eric didn't even blink. He walked over to the girl and pulled the dart out of her leg. "Neuro-Stim Dart," he said. "Simulates the pain of a real gunshot wound. Only lasts a couple of minutes." Michael and I exchanged shocked glances before moving to grap a gun. 

Once everyone had a gun, Four and Eric led us away. We were jogging for a while when Michael looked around and noticed that Eric and his team had disappeared completely. "Where'd Eric's team go?" he called to Four.

"They must have gone to hide their flag," Four said, stopping and pulling out an orange glow-in-the-dark flag. "Alright," he said. "Lights off, gather around. We need to decide on a strategy."

Immediately after the words left his mouth, the group erupted into an argument. One girl suggested that we need to hide the flag and have everyone guard it. Michael disagreed and told the group that we need to divide into an offense and a defense. I opened my mouth to put in my opinion but I realized no one would listen to me anyways. I'm just the Stiff.

I decided to break away from the group and start looking for a good vantage point. A giant farris wheel not too far away seemed like the perfect thing to climb. I had barely even made it up a few rungs of the ladder on the side of the farris wheel when I heard a voice behind me.

"You're not gonna jump, are you?"

I turned to see Four staring at me, grinning.

"No," I said, continuing my climb. "I'm just trying to get a good vantage point."

"That's a good idea," he said, climbing up after me.

"You don't have to come with me," I said. "I'm perfectly capable."

"I didn't say you weren't," he said, continuing to climb after me. "But two sets of eyes are better than one."

"I guess I can't argue with that logic." I said.

We climbed in silence for a moment until a rung broke under my weight, nearly causing me to fall. Four caught me, holding me steady for a moment with one of his hands on my waist. "Are you okay?" he gasped, still holding onto me.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, trying my hardest to appear unfazed. 

"We should stop here," he said, his voice shaking.

I looked down and saw him gripping onto the rungs tightly. He was staring at the ground nervously. I laughed and he gave me a withering glare.

"I can't believe it," I said. "The almighty Four is scared of heights."

He scoffed at me. "Everyone's afraid of something."

I laughed again.

"We should stop here," he said again. "I'm sure we're high enough."

"No way," I said looking around. "We need to get to the top."