XX

"You keep dreaming and dark scheming

Yeah, you do

You're a poison and I know that is the truth

All my friends think you're vicious

And they say you're suspicious

You keep dreaming and dark scheming"

"I Feel Like I'm Drowning" -Two Feet

Eric had never, in his life, up until this point, ever felt like something bad was coming. Unable to figure out where it was coming from, the leader of Dauntless slid through his kitchen area and grabbed a clear bottle with a clear liquid within it. The spirit went down smoothly after he poured it into a small metal shot glass, and he took it from the bottle after that. Only two more swigs, and he felt a bit more at ease, though that could have been the burning sensation of the poorly made vodka. It might look fancy it the glass bottle, crystal clear, but it was all made underground, by people who had nothing better to do. At least it was better than the moonshine that they came up with, and Eric decided he couldn't complain. Some factions weren't even allowed alcohol.

As he took his fourth swig, he replaced the silver lid and gripped the bottle tightly. Lowering his head, Eric shook it loosely. Harper had gotten into his head in ways he didn't know possible; he didn't know that he had the emotional capacity to care about someone like he cared about Harper. And he cared already, that was the frightening part about it, the part that made him want to take another swig of the vodka. But he was forced to hold off because a knock came on his door. With the desire to smash the bottle on the concrete floors of his apartment, Eric released the bottle, but his hand felt stiff. A grimace plastered on his face, he walked to his door and yanked it open.

It was Jeanine.

"What?" he asked, his tone sharp.

"Is this a bad time?" She raised a curious eyebrow.

Eric was worried about Harper because of her father's roots. Regardless of where she stood, Jeanine would have kept an eye on her for some time now. Maybe that was why she had shown up to the final initiation test in the first place; that, and to weed out Divergents'. Eric had told her that he was more than capable of handling that task, so her showing up had been a surprise to him. If Harper had been her target, what had been her goal? What was her intent? What did she want to do with Harper? He had it in his mind that maybe Jeanine had speculations of Eric and Harper together, and didn't want him distracted, didn't want him that close to her. Especially if she had opposing opinions.

"Yeah, it is," he said to Jeanine, but stepped aside to let her in.

She raised a hand. "I don't intend to come in."

"Then why are you here?"

"No need to be so hostile." She almost sneered. "Something bothering you?"

"Just trying to relax, Jeanine." And then Eric couldn't withhold from speaking his mind. "What was your interest with Harper Von Treese?"

"Curious are we?" She waited for Eric to take the bait, but when he crossed his arms over his chest, she knew that he would spill no more. "Harper knows more than she leads on, and that can be a very dangerous thing. However, she appeared to be understanding of what she knew of our situation. And that's why I've come here this evening."

Eric waited.

"Are you close with her at all? When I asked about her training with you instead of Carson, she seemed opposed." Jeanine hoped her words would hurt him into breaking, into tell her everything.

"I've seen her around, like all the initiates. She trains more often, sometimes I run into her," he said. "What does this have to do with me?"

"You saw her simulation, what do you make of it?"

Eric thought about all her fears, and knew exactly which one Jeanine was talking about. "I think she saw her father as a threat, but I thought it was the killing him was her underlying fear. Having to kill someone she loves because they are in the wrong. Chances are, it will come up in her life again."

"Do me a favour, Eric." She went to continue, but Eric cut her off.

"Just one more, or do you have a list?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Keep an eye on her, but don't lose sight of what is important here."

Her words clung in the back of his head like a bad aftertaste even after she was long gone. What was important was that Harper was hanging on the fringe of being trusted and not. But Eric couldn't deny that Jeanine was being smart about the situation, regardless of how snarky he had been towards her. 

Harper was no fool, and if it was in her mind to trick Jeanine and Eric, it was possible that she could do it. But people couldn't hide their fears, however, they could be vague enough that onlookers might not truly understand what they had seen. Eric had been inside Harper's fears, but he had not been inside her head entirely, and part of him didn't want to regardless of the information he wanted to know. He simply respected that Harper was someone he cared about, and he did not want to invade that part of her.

No more than half an hour later, Jeanine having been long gone, Eric heard another knock on his door and shut his eyes, inhaling through his nose. He was about to snap if he had to see anyone else; if anyone had anything to say about what he needed to do, what the faction needed from him, he would slam the door in their faces. Sure, his temper wasn't always under control, but Eric composed himself and walked towards the large, black door. When he opened it, he was more than pleasantly surprised to see Harper standing there. Not only was there something in her eyes that made his heart skip a beat, but she was there, in the flesh, and he could confirm that she was still alive, and here, in the flesh.

"You have no idea how glad I am to see you," Eric said with a sigh of relief.

"I think I have an idea," she replied, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her. "I'm officially Dauntless now..."

A million and one thoughts ran through Eric's mind as he realized the implications and meanings of her words. She didn't bother asking Eric if she could come in, because his words suggested enough, and when he stepped aside, she entered.

Her big green eyes locked on his, hungry. Eric placed one foot between hers, the other just outside of her left foot. His hand went up to her neck and wrapped around the smooth back, under her hairline. His lips crashed on hers, a fire between them that would grow to something dangerous, something bigger. Harper knew there were more secrets between her and Eric, and Eric knew that there were things he was supposed to be paying attention to, but all he wanted right then was Harper, and all Harper wanted was Eric.

She could allow herself to drown in Eric every now and then, she told herself, she wouldn't lose sight of what was important. And yet when Eric's lips travelled down her jawline and down her collarbone, she felt her breath hitch. He hands darted to the back of his head where she tangled his fingers in his short blonde hair, pushing his head down towards her breasts. In a swift motion, Eric ran his hands underneath Harper's shirt, and only broke from touching her as he peeled it from her perfect body, and his lips darted back between her breasts, sucking on her flesh and leaving a dark mark; his last one had faded already, signalling that it had been too long since their last encounter.

Harper removed one hand from Eric's hair and unclasped her bra, sliding it from her arms and tossing it to the ground. Eric wrapped one strong arm around her hips and another underneath her right thigh, and lifted her half-nude body up around his waist. She towered over him now and her breasts were eye level for him. His mouth darted from one to the other, his tongue flicking over her nipples until they were hardened. Harper moaned, unashamed of allowing herself to lose herself with Eric. 

He walked a few steps, not moving far, but moving them away from the door. To her surprise, he placed her down on the black leather couch and his eyes shamelessly traced her every curve, as if he was looking at her for the first time. In this intimate way, he was.

Kneeling in front of the couch, Eric brought one hand to Harper's chin and looked into her eyes, those deep green eyes that were just like his, only more innocent. 

"Is this what you want?" he asked, his voice husky and carnal.

"Yes," she breathed.

Both his hands were on either side of her, and he ran his fingertips down her neck, over her shoulders, between her muscles on her arms. All the way down to her fingers, he traced with his own, and back up. He ran his hands down her sides, and only stopped when his fingers touched the fabric of her pants, and from there he hooked his fingers and lifted her off of the couch slightly to remove them. When she was stark naked, Eric removed only his shirt for her viewing pleasure, and inched closer, moving Harper so that she was on the edge of the couch, her body shaking slightly as she anticipated what Eric was going to do. It was so much like her dream, only it was far more exciting, more real, she could feel every single nerve in her entire being burst with excitement.

Just as his fingers had traced her body, Eric did the same with his lips. Harper was about to burst if he didn't do something else, but she dared not tell him what to do. Rushing him would only mean this would be over sooner, and Harper truly was enjoying every touch her offered her, every brush of his lips over her pale flesh. 

After what felt like hours, Eric had finally reached her core. All she wanted to do was buck her hips and make him hurry up, but she nibbled her lip and glanced down at him between her legs. His eyes met with hers and he smirked every so slightly, his hands gripping the insides of her thighs as he neared her mound. His tongue finally slid along her slit, parting her lower lips and diving deep inside of her. When his tongue continued to move upwards, he flicked it over her clitoris and felt it harden under his touch just as her nipples had done. Harper whimpered when he touched such a sensitive location, her eyes fluttering shut.

His tongue moved inside of her, while his strategic thumb made its way to rub her clitoris, teasing her. She arched her back off of the slick leather and lolled her head back against the couch. She could hardly believe that something could feel this good, and she began to moan as Eric continued to pleasure her with only the use of his mouth and fingers. It was amazing how something so simple could feel so amazing, and Harper was relishing the feeling. Her hands dug into the fabric of the couch, her nails threatening to puncture the leather. Eric didn't let up, and Harper felt that familiar feeling build in her stomach, spreading out to the rest of her body, and just when she thought she was going to hit that pleasure peak again, Eric stopped what he was doing. Harper gasped in shock, opening her eyes and looking right at Eric.

He grinned, his lips pulling up to the side.

Before she could protest or beg or even get a word out, Eric wrapped his arms around her again and Harper wrapped her legs around his hips again. This time he easily carried her to the bed, and when he reached it, Harper expected him to toss her down. But instead, he gently lied her down on the surprisingly soft mattress with black, synthetic sheets. 

Remaining standing only to remove what was left of his clothing, Eric crawled on the bed above Harper. Her knees were bent, she had herself propped up on her elbows and Eric swooped down to take her lips with his. Making her moan with only a kiss, Eric knew that she was still on the brink of her orgasm that he hadn't let her have. Not yet.

With one hand on her hip, he slid the other between her thighs and into her, moving his hand once, twice, three times before removing his fingers. Harper was wet, desperate to feel Eric inside of her, but Eric was stalling, and that smirk on his face suggested what he wanted. Harper couldn't help but grin up at him when she realized what it was that he wanted. She parted her lips, her tone slightly raspy, carnal. There were a million things she could say, a million ways to word it.

But Harper was blunt, "Fuck me."

Eric felt a shudder run down his entire body, having expected Harper to say something gag-worthy like 'make love', but she had been so blunt, it shook him to his core. Gripping the base of his cock, he pressed the tip to her clitoris and rubbed until she shook, and then he slid himself inside of her. Both of them released a gasp as he filled her, so much pleasure rippling through their bodies, connecting them. Moving his hips, slowly at first, Eric kept his eyes trained on Harper, never wanting to tear them away from her, never wanting to focus on anything else in his busy world but her. For a while, they could forget their secrets, their issues, their problems, their fears. For a while, it was just Harper, Eric, and the pleasure that they could create.

Harper sat up and changed the angle, moaning as she moved. Her legs were over his, while he was knelt on the bed, and Harper wrapped her arms around his neck. She pressed her breasts against his strong chest and brought her lips to his neck, her breath leaving his skin slick with sweat. Her hair cascaded down her back as she brought her head back to moan loudly. Eric's hand slid up her spine and held her close, tangling his fingers in her brown hair. His other hand moved back to her clitoris, which was still throbbing with pleasure from when he had left her hanging. His hips moved in slow, but harsh movements, his thumb rubbed against her in perfect, continuous motions, his lips crashed down on her chest. Everything faded around them, and all at once Harper felt that feeling spread throughout her entire body, a groan coming from her quivering lips, and she stopped breathing to allow the pleasure to consume her entirely.

The minute her orgasm ran through her, Eric lied her down flat on the bed, and bucked his hips harder against hers. She ran her hands down his chiseled body, her eyes locking on his and moans still coming from her lips. No more than a few minutes later did that same overwhelming feeling overcome Eric, his eyes closing and a carnal groan echoed through the large warehouse-like room.

Silence filled their minds, their ears, the room, the world.