Chapter Text
At sixteen, Tobias Eaton met his true nemesis.
Eric appeared in his life out of nowhere and immediately took over all the available space to the point where it sometimes became hard to breathe. It hadn't even been a week before all of Tobias's thoughts were occupied by him. The moment Eric appeared in his line of sight, a nervous tremor would seize Tobias, his face would flush, and everything inside him would seem to lift with some unfamiliar feeling. At first, he didn't understand what was happening to him at all. That is, until one morning, standing in front of the mirror in the shared bathroom, he froze with a toothbrush in his mouth, struck by a sudden realization.
This strange, unfamiliar feeling that had been tormenting him all these days was hatred. Pure and unadulterated. Tobias immediately understood this was very serious and for the long haul.
Hating Eric came surprisingly naturally, though not as romantic as the books described. No duels to the death or gloves thrown in faces — in reality, hatred turned out to be a little more mundane feeling. But nonetheless very strong.
It all has started with Eric’s sarcastic digs, hurtful remarks, his endless mockery. With his waspish "What's wrong, Four, aim off?" at the shooting range. With the arrogant "Move over, Stiff, you're not the only one here" in the crowded cafeteria, followed by a sharp elbow to the ribs. With Tobias returning to the dormitory to find Eric on his bed — he would sprawl there as if it was his own, sending a disgusted shudder through Tobias. Eric'd lazily turn his head, look at him as if he'd been waiting for him all this time, and smirk. He would constantly smirk.
Tobias genuinely tried to ignore Eric. But it didn't help at all.
The first days of initiation were a breeze for Eric. He ignored all Amar's instructions, yet it seemed to cost him no effort to stay at the top of the rankings. He tripped his rivals, always aimed for the neck, eyes, and joints. He swept their legs and used every dirty trick in the book — and thanks to this, in the first few days of training, he earned not only first place on the leaderboard but also the entire group's dislike.
His carefree attitude, however, didn't last long. One morning, barely stepping over the threshold of the training hall, he lazily glanced at the tournament board as usual and froze in place. His relaxed posture grew tense. The ease evaporated, replaced by a brief flash of confusion that took hold of him. Then his sharp, keen gaze found Tobias in the crowd. There was none of the former mocking arrogance in it. For the first time, Eric looked at him seriously. And for the first time in all these days, Tobias didn't look away first.
***
That same day, during the lunch break, Eric blocked Tobias’ path in the cafeteria.
"Well, Four," he said snidely. "Beat up a girl again? Great job. How does it feel?"
Tobias tried to step around him, but Eric nimbly moved sideways, blocking him again.
"You better be careful with that," he advised. "Might get addicted."
Tobias rolled his eyes. Eric glanced at his tray, brazenly took the apple from it, and took a bite.
"Before you know it," he continued matter-of-factly with his mouth full, "you'll start having all sorts of dirty fantasies on the topic."
Tobias watched his actions gloomily.
"Right now, my only dirty fantasy involves you handcuffed to a radiator with your mouth taped shut," he informed Eric dryly.
Eric choked, and a look of almost genuine astonishment flashed in his eyes for a moment. Then his lips stretched into an approving grin.
"Kinky," he drawled. "I didn't know a Stiff could say something like that without dying of shame..."
"Well, now you know," Tobias stepped forward, pushing him aside with his shoulder. "And you also know that getting handcuffs here is easier than pie. So please, don't tempt me."
That same evening at dinner, Eric shamelessly squeezed into the endless line for dessert right in front of Tobias and then, looking Four straight in the eye, scooped the last three chocolate muffins from the tray onto his own plate. That night, Tobias dreamed of smothering Eric with a pillow. In the morning, for the first time in a long while, he woke up with a smile on his face and a feeling of complete inner harmony.
His peace of mind lasted exactly until the start of morning training with fighting poles.
***
Tobias was paired with Colin. They monotonously drilled basic sequences on Amar's command. The hall was filled with the sleepy, rhythmic thud of wood against wood. Tobias was still feeling the pleasant aftertaste of his dream, when a sudden screech made him flinch.
Mia, who was paired with Eric, dropped her pole and doubled over, clutching the right side of her face with one hand.
"Eric!" Amar barked a warning from the other end of the hall.
Eric instantly lowered his pole.
"Sorry, Mia. Got a bit carried away." Despite his words, he had zero hint of remorse in his laughing eyes.
"I-it's... it's okay."
Out of the corner of his eye, Tobias saw Mia reach for her pole with a shaking hand, and a wave of angry trembling washed over his body. He clenched his teeth and signaled Colin for a break. Then he stepped back and walked over to Mia, who was still clutching her cheek. He touched her shoulder.
"Let's switch," Tobias told her.
Mia looked at him with watery eyes, wiped her nose, and nodded timidly, pairing up with Colin.
Eric met Tobias with a mocking look and spun his pole in one hand.
"Missed me already?" he inquired quietly, just before crossing poles with Tobias to practice the sequence. Two new silver rings glinted in his lower lip. Tobias didn't answer.
"Another tattoo?" Eric asked, easily parrying his strike, nodding toward the binding visible under Tobias's tank top — and the next moment Tobias felt a sharp jab to the ribs, right where Tori had inked tongues of flame on him yesterday.
He jerked back sharply, unable to suppress a hiss of pain. Eric let out a chuckle.
"Still sensitive?"
Tobias shot him an angry look, hesitating for a moment. Eric immediately took advantage, making a short lunge that Tobias barely managed to parry.
"We'll see how sensitive you are when I rip those stupid rings out of your lip," Tobias spat out viciously.
Eric snorted with laughter, apparently amused by the Tobias' remark.
"Hold your horses, Four," said Eric, closing in. "I'd prefer to get to know you better before we start exchanging rings"
Tobias clenched his teeth and went on the offensive. Driven by anger, he pushed Eric back, forgetting all the instructions. Eric seemed to have wanted just that. He retreated, dodged, easily deflected Tobias' lunges, toying with him like a cat with a mouse. He was wearing him down only to, at a moment Tobias least expected, feint and sweep his legs out from under him. Four crashed onto the mats, the air forcefully knocked from his lungs.
"Okay, stop you two!" Amar's voice boomed. "Eric! How many times do I have to tell you this is not a sparring match?"
Eric's face once again assumed a mask of innocence.
"My apologies, Instructor. Miscalculated my strength a bit." He turned to Tobias, still lying on the mats, and condescendingly extended a hand to help him up. "Forgive me, Four. I hope I didn't hurt you too badly?"
Tobias hatefully pushed the offered hand aside, getting to his feet on his own. Eric's lips twitched in a restrained, triumphant smile.
***
A week later, the first stage of initiation concluded. Its culmination was his and Eric's sparring match, from which Tobias emerged victorious.
Tobias had mixed feelings about it. On one hand, of course, he couldn't help but be pleased with the victory. He accepted his fellow initiates' congratulations and approving pats on the shoulder (“at least someone finally put that Eric in his place!”). On the other hand...
He kept replaying one moment from their fight in his head. A flash of pure, white rage that had clouded his vision for a moment. A thirst for violence was so uncharacteristic of Tobias, that every previous fight of his was accompanied by a slight sense of guilt for the injuries he inflicted on his opponents. Every single one, but this.
At the end of the match with Eric, Tobias experienced, for the first time, a brief, intoxicating feeling of satisfaction. That feeling evaporated fairly quickly, but Tobias remembered it perfectly nonetheless. And it frightened him to the core.
Zeke, for his part, was sincerely puzzled as to why Tobias was walking around looking crestfallen instead of celebrating his first place in the rankings. Tobias was trying to explain his position to Zeke as they both were making their way to the dorm. The route took longer than usual as the main corridor had been getting a paint job for several days already.
"You see, Zeke," Tobias continued, carefully choosing his words, "I don't like violence. I don't enjoy hurting others. For me it's not a game..."
Zeke snorted, not slowing his pace.
"Are you serious? We're talking about Eric, that fucking show-off! He's been here no time at all and has already managed to piss off half the faction. He was asking for it."
"It's just..." Tobias began, turning toward the dormitory and immediately running straight into Eric himself. Eric was standing, leaning against the wall, and staring down the opposite end of the corridor. At their appearance, he didn't even stir. Only his gaze, cold and detached, slid over them.
Tobias immediately froze and shut his mouth. Zeke, on the contrary, perked up.
"Speak of the devil! Hey, we were just talking about you! Four here gave you quite the makeover, huh?"
Eric slowly turned his gaze to him. There was no anger in his eyes. Only dry, arrogant contempt.
"Glad my imperfection warms your heart, Pedrad," his voice was quiet and even. "Maybe that way you can feel a bit taller in your own eyes for a while."
Eric pushed off the wall to leave, and as he passed Tobias, he suddenly threw a brief glance at him and added in a sickly-sweet tone:
"Sweet dreams, Four."
Tobias tensed instantly.
"What sweet dreams?" Zeke jeered after him. "Have you seen the time? You've really lost it, haven’t you?"
He shook his head and turned back to Tobias.
"See? Total shit of a person. And you're over here worrying."
"Just, you see," Tobias sighed again, looking away, continuing his way down the corridor, "I guess my empathy is too developed. It's hard for me to hurt even people like..."
He suddenly stopped in the dormitory doorway, and his face twisted. The air hit his nose with the acrid chemical smell of paint. His bed, pillow, blanket — all his belongings — were soaked in thick, dark-gray paint. The empty can was neatly placed at the head of the bed.
Tobias snapped.
"That son of a bitch! I'll tear all his limbs off!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Zeke froze, looking at Tobias with disbelief but clear approval. "That's a bit harsh for..."
Tobias shot him an angry look. Zeke had probably wanted to say 'for a Stiff', but thought better of it at the last moment.
"For you," he finished awkwardly.
Tobias slowly exhaled, leaning on his knees with his hands.
Alright, it's fine. Just one week left. Just one more week and the training will be over. They'll move into different rooms. Their paths with Eric will diverge forever. They'll only see each other in passing. There, he won't be able to get to him anymore.
Everything will be fine.
***
The day of the final test ended with a sprawling celebration in the great hall.
The dining hall buzzed like a giant hive. The air was thick with the scent of roasted meat, pastries, and spices. People's shouts mingled with the thunder of fists pounding on tables and ragged singing.
Tobias was in the very center of this chaos. A sea of hands splashed his back, faces before his eyes blurred into smiles. Today, he was their champion, and for a moment Tobias was swept away by this wave of euphoria. He forgot himself: forgot the doubts, the loneliness, the anxieties. Only the taste of victory remained on his tongue, so sweet and intoxicating.
When Tobias finally managed to elbow his way through the crowd toward the exit to catch his breath, he suddenly collided with Eric. He appeared right in front of Tobias, looking straight at him with cold contempt.
"Congratulations, Eaton," he said dryly, pointedly stressing his last name. He spoke as usual without raising his voice, yet somehow Tobias could hear him perfectly clearly in the epicenter of this bacchanal. "Well played."
Tobias froze warily before him, not knowing what to expect next.
"Enjoy the victory while you can," Eric added condescendingly. "Because you overlooked something, you know. You're in the spotlight now. Very soon, people will start asking questions about you and where you came from. It'll be interesting to see how their attitude changes when they dig a little deeper into your biography... I wonder, what it'll be like to lose everything you've worked for in one fell swoop? To become just a loser again?"
"I don't know, Eric," Tobias replied evenly. "Why don't you tell me? What's it like to be the second best?"
***
"Today we're practicing the 'contact and cover' sequence on the training grounds," announced Amar. "Your task is to patrol and monitor the sector for unauthorized activity. Pairs are on the board, enter the simulation hall at the signal."
This was their third preparation for the internship in police, which was supposed to start in a couple of weeks. And for the third time, he and Eric had been paired together. Tobias was beginning to notice a malevolent pattern in this.
"Why are we constantly paired together?" Tobias asked angrily, looking at Eric. Then he turned to Amar, addressing the same question to him. "Why are we constantly paired together?!"
Amar stopped near them and glanced distractedly at his clipboard.
"Oh… I don't even know," he drawled. "Maybe because I forgot to ask your opinion, Four?"
He gave an irritated look to both of them.
"Do you seriously think they'll ask you every time who you prefer as your partner for the day? Work with what you're given... You're both at the top of the rankings," he added, stepping aside. "And you both suck at teamwork. So come on," he gestured back and forth between the two of them, "sort it out."
Tobias scowled.
Their turn came, and they entered the training hall. In a blink of an eye its walls lit up, shifting to a photorealistic image of a night city. Dirty brick walls grew around them, the silhouettes of skyscrapers rose beyond.
Eric stepped forward.
"Alright, Stiff," he tossed out without looking at Tobias. "I'll lead, you cover. Stay behind and watch my back. And do try not to fall asleep."
Tobias rolled his eyes and drew his training weapon. He didn't care what role to play, as long as this farce ended quickly. He took up position a couple of steps behind Eric as they'd been taught, mechanically scanning the perimeter with his eyes.
For a whole minute, they maintained silence. Eric moved forward through the narrow streets, Tobias followed. But the hanging silence and monotony were clearly getting on Eric's nerves.
"Are you even scanning the sector?" he snapped, turning around. "I've already spotted movement over there three times."
He gestured vaguely to the right.
"I see everything," Tobias replied dully, feeling his blood start to boil.
"No, you don't. Look there," Eric impatiently pointed toward the roof of a building nearby, turning completely towards Tobias for a moment. At that very second, a hologram of an armed perpetrator emerged from around the corner of an alley. Tobias saw it first, but it was too late. The simulator siren wailed, the room plunged into darkness for a second, and then flashed back to white static light.
Eric stormed out of the room first, furious. Amar met them both at the exit.
"Well, what can I say?" he drawled grimly. "You're both dead, congratulations."
He turned to Eric.
"Eric, if you're leading, your job is to look ahead. Don’t do your partner's work for him. Four, and your role is to call out when you see a threat, not just make a mental note for yourself."
Amar pressed a button on a nearby printer — it spat out a paper. Amar took it and handed it to them.
"Here's a scheme of your movements. Bring it back to me after lunch with an analysis of your own mistakes. And then you’ll retake the simulation."
Eric snatched the map from Amar's hands and, without a single word, headed for the exit. Tobias was forced to follow him.
***
The cafeteria was absolutely unbearable during the lunch break. So, without prior agreement, they both ended up in the common lounge. It was usually fairly quiet compared to other parts of the Pit. The room was dimly lit, quite shabby, filled with faded, mismatched armchairs clustered around low tables. When they entered a patrolling guard was dozing in one of the armchairs.
They sat down at a table scarred with old cup rings. Eric commandeered the scheme, leaving Tobias with absolutely nothing to do. The only activity he could perform was to just sit across from Eric and stupidly watch him.
Eric's fingers moved quickly, as he was making notes with his pen on a piece of paper. He would stop periodically, flick a lock of dark hair from his eyes, chew on the end of his pen. From time to time he’d check the training manual on the tablet, silently mouthing the words. The longer Tobias watched him, the more he felt an inexplicable irritation boiling up inside him, even though, seemingly, Eric wasn't doing anything particularly irritating at the moment.
It suddenly occurred to Tobias that there was just something inherently repellent about Eric himself. Four had noticed it a long time ago, though he couldn't quite put it in words. Everything about him was somehow off. Even his handwriting — tight, with a sharp slant to the right — annoyed Tobias. Gloomily, Tobias thought that this was clearly one of those Erudite traits that didn't suit Dauntless at all but would stay with Eric forever. Something he'd never be able to get rid of.
"You're going to burn a hole through me," Eric lifted his dark, amused gaze, and the corner of his mouth twitched upward. "Planning to stare at me the whole break?"
Tobias flinched, but didn't look away. He was so exhausted by Eric's provocations lately that he didn't even have the energy to be embarrassed by his remark.
…And that voice of his, quiet and viscous like tar. Whenever Eric spoke to him, Tobias felt like he was being rubbed the wrong way. It was terribly unpleasant. In fact, all of Eric's mannerisms felt unnatural: from his foxy smirk to the dark, appraising look from under his brow. His obvious self-absorption. Sometimes Tobias truly felt that absolutely everything about Eric was fake. That all his traits were just meticulously chosen details of an image he used for his own various schemes. And Tobias knew he wasn't the only one repelled by Eric's behavior — and that thought filled him with a grim, gloating satisfaction.
That being said, it had to be acknowledged that Eric had, in fact, managed to do something good for Tobias. Something Eric himself was most likely completely unaware of.
The thing was, Tobias had been a loner all his life — he'd always found it hard to connect with people. Somehow, incredibly, Eric had managed in one fell swoop to unite him with the rest of the initiates.
It all started one evening with a teasing remark from Shauna.
This was back at the very beginning of initiation. That night, Tobias had joined Zeke's company for the first time. They barely knew each other back then, and he felt incredibly uncomfortable around the new people, not to mention the day had been particularly rotten.
Tobias probably sat with a sour face for a good part of the evening, keeping to himself. So at some point, trying to lighten the mood, Shauna remarked with a chuckle, "You look like you're planning to kill someone."
And Tobias snapped and, in a fit of frustration, blurted something about Eric — how he had driven him to the edge of fury yet again. And all of a sudden, Ashley immediately jumped in with fervor.
"Tell me about it! He's just a walking nightmare!" she rolled her eyes. "I ran into him in the cafeteria the day before yesterday, and you know what he said to me? 'Given how much you eat, I'm surprised your fall off the climbing wall didn't leave a crater in the floor.'"
"Asshole," Zeke concluded.
"He gives me the creeps too," Shauna complained.
And after that flash of solidarity, Tobias suddenly felt a sense of calm and an unfamiliar feeling of unity with the others. For the first time in his life.
Tobias didn't know what was showing on his face from that memory. But whatever it was, it wiped the smirk off Eric's face and made him tense up in his seat.
"What?" he asked challengingly.
"Nothing," Tobias replied in irritation. "You took the paper to yourself. What am I supposed to do?"
"You? Well, I don't know," Eric turned his eyes back to the sheet. "You can go and fuck yourself meanwhile. That's an option."
Tobias pressed his fingers against his eyelids.
"It's impossible to talk to you," he remarked.
"Oh, so now you want to talk to me?" Eric retorted sarcastically, raising his voice. Tobias nervously glanced over at the patrol guard who gave them a displeased sidelong look.
"Can you keep your voice down?" Tobias asked Eric.
"No, I can't!" Eric shot back. "Figure out what you want from me already!"
"Calm down!" Tobias hissed, sinking into his chair.
"Hey, over there," came an irritated voice from the armchair, "rein in your boyfriend already!"
"Yeah, sorry," Tobias muttered apologetically, "he’s just… Wait, what did you just say?"
Eric abruptly stood up and headed for the exit. Tobias mentally groaned, jumping up and hurrying after him.
"Where are you going?" Tobias asked irritably, catching up to him in the hallway. "We need to finish the assignment!"
"Stop staring at me like that!" Eric suddenly barked at him, whirling around to face him.
"Like what?" Tobias frowned in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
Eric gave him a contemptuous look.
"Oh, I know perfectly well what you're thinking when you look at me. What all of you are thinking…" Eric stepped forward, getting uncomfortably close to Tobias, completely ignoring his personal space. Tobias felt the anger instantly boil up in him from this proximity. He couldn't take it for long and shoved Eric in the chest, pushing him back a few steps. A strange, feverish satisfaction flared on Eric's face — as if he'd been waiting for Tobias to do just that.
Eric immediately closed the distance between them with a jerk. His punch wasn't precise or technical. It felt more like a breakdown he'd been carrying inside for weeks. The next moment, they were locked in a desperate scuffle right in the middle of the hallway.
"You two! Break it up!"
They both froze like two schoolboys caught messing around. The spark of conflict died out as quickly as it had ignited.
At the end of the corridor stood Amar, looking coldly at them both. Eric immediately loosened his grip on Tobias's collar. His face became impenetrable in an instant. Tobias, breathing heavily, got to his feet, feeling his face burn.
Amar slowly walked closer to them.
"Surprise me," he asked wearily. "What is it this time?"
Tobias kept silent, looking at the floor. Eric wiped blood from his split lip with the back of his hand.
"Disagree on the assignment," he said plainly.
"The assignment," Amar repeated and looked at Tobias. "How many times have I said that strength isn't the most important thing in Dauntless?" he asked him. "What is?"
"Self-control," Tobias replied dryly.
"Self-control," Amar confirmed. "And you’ve lost it."
Then his gaze returned to Eric.
"And you? Think you're the smartest one because you can find people's weak spots and push them? A smart person knows when to stop. You're just a provocateur."
He looked at them both, now subdued, and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but… Max asked me to keep an eye on you two. I'll have to report this incident to him."
A sense of grim foreboding immediately settled in Tobias' chest.
***
Max summoned them the very next morning.
The door to the office clicked shut softly behind them. Max silently pointed to two empty chairs opposite his imposing desk. His heavy gaze slid over Tobias, then settled on Eric — and Tobias suddenly noticed a flash of cold, almost physiological aversion in his eyes. Something twisted inside Tobias. Was this the look Eric was talking about yesterday? Was this how Tobias looked at him?
Eric sat down, maintaining a mask of detached indifference. But his lowered gaze and tense posture made it clear that he could perfectly feel the silent contempt emanating from Max.
"I've been briefed on your little… episode yesterday," Max began. "You may have forgotten that discipline in Dauntless isn't just for show. It's the foundation of our survival. And your personal vendettas," he shifted his gaze from one to the other, "are an unaffordable luxury I will not tolerate. We're not a pack of strays. We don't attack on our own here."
He paused, letting the words hang in the air.
"Listen," Max tiredly ran a hand over his face, "I don't need you to become friends, god forbid. But in Dauntless, we all have to function as a unit, is that clear? So shove your emotions somewhere deep and learn to coexist."
He pulled out a drawer, rummaged in it, pulled out a few stapled sheets and tossed the papers in front of them.
"The psychologist suggested I give you this. It's sort of a… therapy," he said, almost sheepishly.
Tobias picked up the papers. His eyes skimmed the title. "Form #M-89, For Maintaining Effective Partnership, Fostering an Atmosphere of Mutual Trust and Efficient Communication." An indescribable feeling of revulsion welled up inside him. Eric, however, managed to demonstrate it quite vividly on his face.
Fortunately, the form wasn't that long. Just a couple of pages.
1. Describe your partner's personality. Try to be objective and highlight their unique character traits.
Tobias rolled his eyes. Alright, he'd get this over with quickly.
He hovered his pen over the space for an answer for a moment. Max probably wouldn't praise him for profanity. Tobias gritted his teeth.
“Unusually and exceedingly peculiar person. Altogether quite impossible to describe"
Tobias hadn't even lied. For a moment he felt a slight, budding pride for such a diplomatic approach to the task.
Unable to resist, he glanced at Eric's sheet. His answer contained one single word.
"Stiff."
Tobias flushed. He shot Eric an angry look and buried himself in the form, galloping through the rest of the questions.
2. Describe three of your partner's strengths.
(1. Persistence (in driving me to the brink of fury);
2. Creativity (in finding new ways to annoy me);
3 — Tobias gave up on this point and left it blank)
3. List three constructive methods you are willing to use to resolve future disagreements with your partner.
(1. Ignore him.
2 — left blank
3 — left blank)
4. Describe what you believe an ideal partnership between you could look like in 6 months.
("We work in silence. He does his part, I do mine. We rarely cross paths")
Leaving Max's office, Tobias couldn't shake off a nasty feeling. The lists of internship pairings for the initiates were supposed to be posted tomorrow. Was that why he and Eric were constantly being paired together? Was that why they were both summoned to see Max?
An unpleasant chill ran down Tobias's spine. His premonitions rarely failed him.
***
The next morning, Tobias made a beeline for the posted lists. Pushing past the other initiates crowded around the board, he fixed his eyes on the names divided into pairs.
Zeke, of course, with Shauna. Ashley with Rick. Francesca with Eddie…
Tobias found his name and shifted his gaze to his partner's name.
He couldn't suppress a sigh of relief.
Next to his name stood Mia's name.
Mia was wonderful in every way. She was kind and simple. And most importantly, Mia was not Eric. For that fact alone, Tobias already loved her.
***
That same afternoon, all the trainees gathered in a small diner, sitting at different tables in their assigned pairs. Tobias sat opposite Mia and picked up the tablet with the compatibility questionnaire for their tandem work.
"Alright, let's have a look," Mia announced cheerfully, opening the questionnaire on her tablet. "Oh my, I just love questionnaires!"
Tobias flinched and looked at her with disbelief. With a hidden pang of panic, he realized this wasn't sarcasm at all. It seemed like Mia genuinely loved questionnaires. Truth be told, he doubted Mia was even capable of sarcasm.
They started filling it out, answering questions about reactions in crisis situations and decision-making tactics. At some point, Tobias couldn't resist and threw a quick glance toward Eric and Colin sitting at the next table. Colin was tapping his finger on the screen with a nervous smile. Eric was gloomily scanning the questions.
"I heard they're dating," Mia whispered confidentially to Tobias and giggled.
"Who?" Tobias asked, surprised, turning his gaze back to her.
"Carlos and Judy," Mia nodded her head toward where Tobias had just been looking, pointing to two bartenders arguing at the counter.
Tobias looked at them and gave her a strained smile. That information was completely irrelevant to him.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" Mia asked.
"Um… No."
"Have you ever had one?"
Tobias was suddenly hit with a terrifying thought: what if it's always going to be like this from now on? As a seasoned Amity, Mia would brazenly pry into his soul every single day with naive persistence. In a way, this was even worse than spending every waking hour side-by-side with Eric, who was jumping out of his way to wittily squeeze 'stiff' into his every other sentence.
"No, never," he answered and, to cut the conversation short, added, "I don't connect with people very well."
"I think you're a romantic type," Mia immediately informed him. "Like in the old novels, you know? Like Mr. Darcy…" Mia sighed dreamily. "I'm sure deep down you're just waiting for your Elizabeth, who will appreciate your reserve and nobility… You know what I think would help you? You need a pen pal sweetheart. That way you can overcome your awkwardness and express your feelings much better. There's this app called NeoBond, I'll send you a link..."
Tobias couldn't help but glance at Eric once again. Unlike Colin, who was already deeply engrossed in filling out the questionnaire, Eric hadn't even thought about starting his. He sat staring into the space in front of him and smiling. Then he slowly lifted his chin, tilted his head to the side, and looked straight at Tobias with that same insolent little grin, making it clear to him that he had heard everything. That he had heard it all.
By the end of the meeting, Tobias was feeling thoroughly depressed. Mia emanated an aura of predictable, exhausting cheerfulness. Tobias could already see how every day she would engage him in a vapid, meaningless small talk, the kind his female classmates used to have. And he would have to pretend to listen, to seem interested. Perhaps even react somehow to what she said…
Maybe Amar was right? Maybe there was something wrong with him?
When their allotted half-hour ended, Mia went over to Colin, waiting for him to finish. Tobias lingered nearby, looking out for Shauna and Zeke at the other end of the hall.
"Hello, Mia," suddenly came Eric's sickly-sweet voice next to them. "I noticed that the scar from the pole hasn't faded? I'm still terribly embarrassed about that accident. I can really get carried away sometimes in the heat of the moment…"
"Oh, don't be silly!" Mia exclaimed, immediately taking his words at face value. "It's all fine, doesn't hurt at all! I think it's actually pretty cool, my first battle scar! Dauntless love scars, right?"
Tobias stared directly at the utterly fake remorse on Eric's face. His fears were confirmed — Mia wouldn't recognize deceit even if it slapped her across the face
"I'm glad," Eric told her in a dead-serious tone. "By the way, what an incredibly insightful meeting, don't you think? It's amazing how much you can learn about another person in just thirty minutes."
"It really is," Mia responded eagerly. "I always say that! God bless questionnaires!"
"Amen," Eric concluded dryly. "Well, I suppose, I better be heading out now. I'm starting to sense some rather negative vibes my way."
He threw a mocking glance toward Tobias, who hadn't taken his eyes off him.
"Mia," Eric gave her a playful bow in farewell and shifted his foxy gaze back to Tobias. "Mr. Darcy…"
Tobias immediately felt an overwhelming urge to hit him over the head with something. Just for preventative measures.
***
After the meeting half of the trainees, including Zeke and his crew, stayed at the bar. Tobias joined them in to distract himself a bit.
What was wrong with him anyway? He was supposed to be glad he was paired with Mia, not Eric. But instead of relief, he felt only a heavy weariness at the prospect of spending the next six months playing the polite listener for a sweet and unbearably chatty girl who required constant verbal contact.
His tablet chimed. Tobias pulled it out. A message from Mia lit up the screen:
"Hi! :) Here's the link to the app I mentioned!"
Tobias rolled his eyes and put the tablet away.
"I heard Max called you and Eric on the carpet yesterday?" Zeke asked, pulling him from his thoughts. "What was that about?"
"Nothing," Tobias shrugged irritably. "Eric just jumped me out of nowhere in the hallway. Amar caught us."
Zeke clicked his tongue.
"What a nutjob," he drawled, leaning back in his chair. "If it was up to me, I'd fence off people like him from society altogether. Just look at how he constantly forces his opinion on everyone, as if the world would fall apart without it! A damn show-off."
"Yeah!" Ashley chimed in. "And the way he moves? A fucking snake…"
"Prick," Zeke added.
"Not to mention that nasty look of his…" put in Ian.
Tobias suddenly faltered. He felt goosebumps run down his spine. He himself had been on the receiving end of that look constantly, and it irritated him every time.
He was infuriated by Eric's affectation and the unnaturalness of his movements. But now, hearing others mock it, a protest began to rise within him. His shoulders involuntarily tensed.
"And his voice?" Ashley wasn't letting up. "The way he talks, you know? It just makes me want to puke, the way he…"
"Maybe that's enough?" Tobias asked sharply.
All the surprised gazes in the group turned to him.
"I mean… I get more than enough of him as it is," he muttered awkwardly. "Can we change the subject already?"
Zeke shrugged. The conversation gradually shifted to discussing the upcoming internship. Tobias buried himself in his glass.
He hated Eric for his actions. For his dirty tricks and constant mockery. For the things Eric chose to do. But what the others were talking about right now wasn't about irritating behavior or actions anymore. It was about something truly deep and personal. Something that was a part of Eric himself. Something he couldn't change. Attacking a person for who they are rather than for what they do suddenly seemed low and unfair to Tobias. He felt an involuntary shame for his own recent thoughts on the matter.
***
"We've reviewed the results of your questionnaires."
Max gave a meaningful look to Tobias and Eric. They were both summoned to his office again for a certain Conversation.
"According to the results," Max continued, "you, Four, are not a good match with Mia. However, Mia is a good match with Colin."
Tobias sat up straight, not allowing the last logical piece of this puzzle to click into place in his head.
"And it looks like you and Eric are a fairly good match, too," Max prompted, doing the work for him. "In terms of complementary profiles. Four provides stability and discipline. Eric shows high scores in strategic thinking and adaptability. Moreover, you both are clearly results-oriented, not process-oriented. According to the staff psychologist's, you could learn a great deal from each other."
Tobias continued to sit still, staring at the wall in front of him. He knew that what he was going through right now was a certain stage of denial.
Sure, he had thought fleetingly that working with Eric might be easier than with Mia. But that was just a momentary weakness! He had simply let his guard down and allowed those heretical thoughts to sneak into his head. At this exact moment, he was ready to run to Mia and spill his guts to her under truth serum. He would do anything to not be paired with Eric! Anyone but him!
"But Max," he finally dared, "they're just stupid questionnaires! They don't mean anything!"
"You're right," Max agreed. "If you both refuse to work with each other, then of course, I can't do anything about it. No questionnaires will help it. If you both reject this option, I'll reassign you back to Mia and Colin."
Tobias exhaled in relief and nodded.
"Okay," he said. "Reassign us back to Mia and Colin."
Max looked at Eric, and Tobias suddenly realized he hadn't said a single word the entire time they'd been here. Tobias looked at him angrily.
"Why are you silent?" he asked irritably. "Say you're against us being paired together."
Eric raised a thoughtful gaze to him.
"I don’t mind it, actually," he said.
Tobias froze.
"What?" he asked weakly.
"I don’t mind it," Eric repeated and turned to Max. "I think I really could learn a lot from Four. You know, in terms of self-control and all that stuff…"
The corner of his lip twitched upward — and at that moment, Tobias realized everything.
Before, Eric had managed to get under his skin a few hours a day: in the morning in the hall before training, sometimes during the lunch break. For an hour before bed in the common dorm. But now Max was handing him a carte blanche. He would be able to get on Tobias's nerves not for some measly couple of hours a day, but for at least nine hours, from eight to five, every day (excluding holidays and weekends) for the next six months.
Tobias felt the ground disappear from under his feet.
"Well, great," Max concluded, slapping his knees. "So, it's all sorted. I'll go get your files from Fletcher. Wait here."
He stepped out into the corridor, leaving them alone.
It hadn't even been two days since their last scuffle, but Tobias already wanted to go at Eric again.
He leaned back and looked at Eric directly and unabashedly. He studied his dark tousled forelock, his black jeans, his piercings glinting in the lamplight... God knew how much he hated him…
The feeling rose to his throat, clouding his vision. He was barely holding it in — and at some point, Tobias simply couldn't take it anymore.
"You know," he said to Eric in a fit of emotion, "no one in my life has ever annoyed me as much as you do."
He had never said anything like that to anyone. So, perhaps, the confession came out awkward and clumsy, but Eric clearly understood what he meant. He threw a surprised look at Tobias, apparently not expecting such frankness. Then quickly looked away and cleared his throat.
"Yeah, I… I hate you too," he blurted out. "Very much."
At these Eric’s words, a new wave of repulsion washed over Tobias. He somehow hadn't even considered before that his hatred was mutual. Well, it was clear that Eric despised him, of course. But Tobias hadn't even thought there was anything more to it for him. For some reason, knowing that you are hated by someone, turned out to be even worse than hating someone yourself. It felt strange to Tobias to think that someone could hate him. For what? He hadn't done anything to Eric. So, just for being who he is?
Just like that?
***
Tobias returned home to his new room, which had been assigned to him after the end of training. It wasn't even 10 PM yet, but he already wanted to get into his bed and lose himself in sleep to erase this horrible day from his mind.
As he was settling into bed, his tablet suddenly came to life. He picked it up, puzzled, and opened the app that Mia had shared with him recently. In the inbox, there was one new unread message.
"Hello, Four."