#eric insurgent fan fiction

[writingismyhappytime]

Dauntless: Daddy Dearest (Part 6)

Eric x OC

Warnings: Language, Violence, Slight Seduction

A/N: Let me know what you think about the ending. Do you think Eric would sink that low?

"The hell do you think you're doing?" I hissed, grabbing one of the soldiers by his collar and jerking him around. "You think this is a fucking game!? I fucking told you to move those goddamn crates and I meant it!"

The soldier stared at me like I'd lost my mind, and I shoved him away from me, pissed. Mel had been letting everyone run around unsupervised until they felt they didn't have to follow orders!

Damned woman!

The soldier hastily moved away from me, heading for the crates he should have moved an hour ago. I watched broodingly, noticing all the hustle going on around me since I'd arrived last week.

I was already burnt out.

Mel had absolutely no control over anyone here. I'd let her give orders, just to see what was going on; she didn't try to instill any fear or respect into her troops, she just gave a flippant command and walked away.

You either gained the loyalty of the people following you, or you made them so fearful of you they knew they had no choice but to answer you.

I'd always been good at the latter.

I cut my eyes, turning to look behind me.

In two days I had that warehouse empty and the living factionless out of it. Perhaps the more naive Dauntless here thought everyone had been equipped with simulation darts, only making the faction less feel like they'd been injured, but not all of us had.

Still, more had survived then I'd want too, but that was my own fault.

I hesitated.

I'd been going to shoot that man, right between the eyes and put him out of his misery. He'd been scrambling like everyone else in those tattered clothes, and just as I'd started to squeeze I saw him lean down, pick up a wailing toddler from the floor and into his arms.

His son.

That shouldn't have stopped me, it never had before. I'd never let anyone get away from me, I'd never hesitated when it came to taking somebody out.

But I let him live. I let him run off with that kid and I'd turned the other way. I shouldn't have, but I did.

It bothered me.

I'd just --- I'd seen that kid, how it reached for the man in fright, and Kai crossed my mind.

He was making me weak already. I needed to separate my two lives again, the personal needed to stay at the compound, the soldier was what I needed now.

I needed to be the man who didn't let the thoughts of his kid stop him from taking a shot.

"Well, looks like you have this all under control," I heard Mel's dry voice behind me. "Don't see a reason I should stay."

"You're not going back to the compound." I said, not bothering to turn around to look at her. "I was ordered to come here and show you the ropes since you're incompetent."

"Ouch, right to the point as always." She sighed as she stepped to my side, her hands on her hips. She had her dreads drawn back against her nape, her shirt too low cut for the situation and not long enough either. She's supposed to command respect with how she dressed, not look like the white she liked to be.

"I had to come all the way out here go deal with your fuck up," I snapped, glaring down at her. I wasn't pleased I was here, and I was going to let everyone know it.

"You should have been here in the first place," she said lightly, cutting her black eyes up at me. "Not me."

I crowned. "Did you mess up just so I'd have to do this op?"

I wouldn't put something so stupid past her; Melanie had a way about her, she'd get something done the way she thought it should be in the strangest ways --- ones no one would notice. That's why Max liked having her around so much and tolerated her. When no one else could get it done, Mel could.

"Don't be stupid, Eric." She rolled her heavily painted eyes at me, the light glinting off the silver hoop dangling out of the center of her nose. "Why would I fuck my own self over to help someone like you?"

"I was asking myself the same question." I muttered, looking away from her and to the bustling men around me. I'd done the important part, gotten the factionless out of the way, so I would be heading back to the compound in another week or so regardless. Mel would still have it all to do, whether she wanted it or not.

"I just don't want you going soft on me, Eric." Mel finally said, keeping her voice low so only I could hear. "We have a reputation to keep, and doing what we do, we don't need that to go away."

I clenched my hands, staring ahead and not bothering to acknowledge her words.

"You know Max doesn't like wild cards, he's too paranoid." Mel continued, as if I was listening. "If you don't get your head in the game, he might think you're losing focus, that you're not putting his wants and needs first."

"Since when have I ever gave a fuck about those?" I muttered in irritation. "I don't even like him, he's a weak leader. We shouldn't have to gain the favor of another faction, we're strong in ourselves. The city wouldn't function without us."

"You might think so, Max doesn't view it that way. Just stop turning him down, Eric, before he decides he doesn't need you anymore." I didn't miss the tense edge to her voice that time, and I straightened, suddenly understanding.

Max was wanting rid of me.

I pressed my lips into a thin line, feeling anger start to make my blood boil. I'd been a loyal soldier, I'd murdered members of my own faction at his orders, never questioning whether they were guilty or not. I'd gone on countless missions no one knew about, traded weapons with those who shouldn't have them, tortured people just to get information out of them --- all because he wanted me too.

And now, now that I finally had my own small happiness that had nothing to do with Dauntless --- he thought he could take that away from me!? He ---.

"I'll rip his throat out if he so much as touches my family," I snarled, turning to look point blank at Mel and not giving a shit who heard me. "If he's so pissed, he better take it up with me. If something happens to my kid or my girlfriend, if one fucking hair is out of place, I'll kill him before the entire faction and anyone who tries to stop me." I spat the last words, making it clear whose side Mel better choose when the time came for power to change hands.

Her eyes widened, and she just stared at me, taken off guard. I shouldn't say that where so many could hear me, but I wanted to make that point clear; you touch my family, I'll destroy you.

Slowly.

~~~~~~

I sat in my room, my feet propped up on the table in front of me as I leaned back in my chair. It's dark, there's only a single lamp on, and I've been sitting there for a bit.

I was furious.

What had Max said to Mel that made her feel the need to warn me? Was he seriously considering getting rid of me, or was she overreacting?

He wasn't going to kill me.

He could try, he could send whoever he wanted after me and I'd take them down. I knew all the tricks, I'd made a few of them myself, and now I knew to be on guard.

Mel was good for something after all.

I ran a hand down my face, gritting my teeth. Shit was getting complicated much quicker then I expected.

Dauntless power shifting was a serious thing. The previous leader had to become unable to lead or fight, and had to either die or become factionless.

Most die.

Max would.

He was getting older, he's the only leader I could remember Dauntless having. He wouldn't stand up to me in a fight, he wouldn't even fight me, he'd put someone in their place. The only way to get rid of him permanently would be to finish him off.

However, it needed to be smooth.

If Max was to be overthrown, it would have to be unanimous. I would have to prove his incompetence, show he wasn't a valid leader anymore, and basically put myself on top of the totem pole.

Not as easy as it sounded.

I'd need support.

A lot.

That would take some time.

For the moment, I'd play his game. I'd make him think I was falling back in line, that he could control me again. I'd give him a few years, at least until Kai could walk.

Then I'd overthrow him and toss his useless corpse into the chasm like we had so many others.

I smirked, propping my chin on my hand as I gazed around the dark room I'd been provided with. It was basic, just somewhere to squat while the op was happening. Nothing fancy, and not something I was going to miss. A table, a cot shoved in the corner with a bathroom and small kitchen area.

Not fit for someone who'd be leading Dauntless in a few years.

I run a hand across my jaw with a scowl, realizing I was almost growing a full beard at this point. I didn't like facial hair on me, and Camille didn't either, so I always tried to keep it smooth.

Good a time as any to shave it.

~~~~~~~

"Move your asses!" I barked, glaring at the soldiers in front of me. "We gotta get this supplies to the building by noon! Let's go!"

"Oh, must you do all the shouting?" Mel groaned from above me, rubbing her temples as she hunched over. "I'm sure they hear you just fine."

I sent her an irritated look. She's sitting up in the passenger seat of the truck that's being loaded with the supplies to take down the warehouses. A couple drops of dynamite here and there would be sufficient enough to reduce the old buildings to rubble, and moving the debris shouldn't be too bad of a hassle.

Well, so long as everyone followed orders.

"You should be taking notes," I snapped at her, standing on the truck step as I looked around, making sure everything was going smoothly. "Not moping in there because you're hangover."

"Gotta have some fun," she muttered Crossly at me, leaning her head down into her hands. "Not all of us have turned into celibate bores."

I rolled my eyes, irritated. I wasn't celibate, and I wasn't sure what gave her that idea. I wanted to comment, but there wasn't the place.

So, I ignored her, barking some more orders to the men around me to get them moving. We were actually ahead of schedule, and I wanted to keep it that way.

I had someone to get back too.

"Alright, pack it up!" I called, seeing all the pallets and crates loaded. "Let's get going!"

"I hope you're driving," Mel muttered at me, her voice barely audible through the open window as truck engines started. "I can barely see right now."

Pathetic.

I dropped down from the truck step, striding around to the drivers seat and climbing in. I tugged the door shut behind me, glancing at Melanie as I started the vehicle.

I'd always thought her name was pretty, it reminded me of music, of something sweet. She was everything but that, of course, she was perhaps rougher then even Camille.

Mel had many men and women in her bed, but she'd never settled down with any of them. She might sleep with them over and over, but she wasn't partial to one over the other. We'd had our nights together, and admittedly I'd enjoyed myself, especially when she'd brought other women with her.

But I didn't love her. We had a friendship because of what we did together, she was the closest I had to a friend under the circumstances. She wasn't the type of person I'd invite to see my kid, or admit to Camille that I knew very well.

Camille didn't like her, but the feeling was mutual.

Camille might do some shady shit and follow orders, but she questioned, she wanted to make sure it was the right thing to do; that's what held her back in Dauntless.

Me? Didn't give a fuck if they were guilty or not, I'd shoot them.

Melanie was the same.

"You know," Mel said after a moment, slowly raising her head from her hands; her makeup was smeared around her eyes, probably from yesterday, and it looked like she did have a rough night. "I used to think we'd both end up like alone and drunk."

"Still might happen," I muttered, shifting gears. I turned the truck down the road after the first three, sighing.

"No." She shook her head after a moment, looking frazzled. "No, you have that kid now. He'll love you because you're his father. Camille will love you because she's a stupid bitch."

Well.

I grimaced, slowing the truck down a little as we hit cracked concrete, feeling the bumps and hearing Mel groan.

"Why are you so sentimental?" I asked after a moment, daring a glance at her. "Afraid you'll end up alone and die by yourself?"

"I might die by myself, by I won't be alone," she snorted, sounding a little more like herself. "I can have someone around any time I want."

"Having someone around to fuck isn't the same as having someone, Mel." I said after a moment; I'd never understood until I became serious with Camille that there was even a difference. "Companionship and all that."

"Oh what bullshit. Playing house has made you soft," Melanie scoffed, brushing her dreads behind her ear. "You never believed in that crap before."

"I know." I didn't think I'd ever have it either. I frowned. "Mel, look, I ---."

"No, Eric, I don't want to hear it." Mel cut me off before I could start. "I get it. You've changed, you're a family man, you give a shit now. That doesn't mean I have to or that I will. I'm fine with how my life is, I'm satisfied."

"If you're so satisfied why the fuck are you always on my ass?"

"Because I'm worried about you."

"What? Why?"

"I'm worried that you're gonna get all content and shit, and that your happy family thing is going to explode in your face." She finally said, massaging her temples. "Whether it's your own fault or not."

"That's life, Mel. Shit does that, you just keep going." I sighed. "It's not easy, but we survive."

"Yeah, well, I'd rather survive on my own then having people rely on me." She snorted, drawing her knees up to her chest, her arms wrapping loosely around them. "Nobody to worry about is easier."

With that, I did agree.

"Mel ---."

"Look out!"

I slammed on the brakes as the truck in front of us abruptly stopped, swerving sideways as something sent the earth exploding in front of it. Mel shrieked as our truck slid dangerously sideways, tilting up until I felt my stomach dropping.

My arm went out immediately, pressing against her chest to hold her against the seat as everything went in slow motion; my heart was so loud, it's all I could hear, my chest so tight I couldn't breathe.

I waited, knowing we were going to turn over, fall at any moment. Mel would crash into me, throw me against the door, all the supplies behind us would shift, the dynamite --- it didn't happen.

The truck slammed back onto four wheels so forcefully I was nearly thrown onto her side, a boom in the distance so heavy the entire truck shuddered.

I cut my eyes forward, seeing black flames rising into the air in front of us.

Shit!

"We gotta get out," Mel rasped, already reaching for the gun on her belt as she kicked the dented door open, brazenly climbing out. I cursed, glancing in the mirrors --- I couldn't move the truck, old hollowed buildings were on either side of us, the street was too narrow.

This wasn't how the day was supposed to go!

I cursed under my breath as I shoved my door open, my gun already in my hand. I didn't know if we were under attack or if there was just an accident, but I was going to be prepared!

Why was none of this going smoothly?

"You two, stay here and guard the truck, shoot anyone to tries to take it," I barked as I saw two soldiers stagger out of the smoke, covered in black soot. "Anyone who isn't Dauntless dies, got it?"

"Yes, sir," one wheezed, coughing into his hand.

I glanced forward uneasily, seeing the black smoke in front of us; fire wasn't good, not with all the dynamite we were hauling. I couldn't see anything in that smoke, all I could hear was shouting and the sound of my own heart.

I couldn't see Mel, I didn't know if she rushed into the smoke or not, but I had to know what was going on!

I started forward, clicking the safety off my gun as I headed into the smoke.

Fucking way to ruin my day!

I raised a sleeve against my nose asked mouth as I disappeared into the black, my eyes immediately beginning to burn and water. I held my breath the best I could, careful of my steps.

It was chaos, I could see people moving and running, but I couldn't tell who was who. I kept close to the truck that had been in front of us, heading for the doors to check it; we didn't need this shit stolen.

I held my eyes open, refusing to even blink --- all the water in my eyes was making it impossible to see and blinking only made it worse. I fumbled against the hot metal of the truck, finally finding the door and jerking it open. I scowled as a body tumbled out of it, Dauntless with a knife through his neck.

Figures.

Factionless shits just wouldn't stay down!

I leaned down, tugging the knife out of the guys neck; he wouldn't be needing it after all. I glanced around before slipping up into the truck seat, shutting the door and turning the key a few times. If I moved this thing, I could park it to the side, make the street open again. This thing being sideways wasn't helping!

Hope nobody was behind me.

I shifted gears, turning to look over my shoulder as I hit the gas, causing the truck to squeal tires for several seconds before gaining traction, jerking backward along the concrete. Even the cab was stuffy, hard to breathe in.

I hit the brakes the second I felt the bump of tires against the sidewalk, probably leaving black marks as I twisted the wheel sharply, edging one side up against a building.

I huffed, tightening my hold on my gun as I looked out the cracked windshield. Had someone surprised the guy driving this truck, jumped in the passenger seat and stabbed him? What made him stop, what's going on up ahead?

I wasn't going to put up with this!

I could sit there, I guessed, safely in the cab of the truck and just let chaos ensue around me. I could just watch it happen, not do anything, but that's not my thing.

I wanted to kill someone anyway, for putting me through all this shit. I was incredibly frustrated, all I wanted to do was beat my hands against the steering wheel and bellow at the top of my lungs!

I wanted to just get through this, get back to my girlfriend and my kid --- why does this gotta happen!? Why does everything have to be so fucked up and chaotic?

I just wanted some peace!

Dammit!

I turned, shoved the door of the truck open so hard I heard the hinges creak. Black smoke immediately billowed into the cab, and I grimaced as I hopped out. I held my gun to my side as I started back for my truck, my pace swift.

At this point I'd shoot anyone and ask questions later.

~~~~~~~

"Get down!" I grabbed the back of the factionless jacket as he hung off the back of the truck, jerking him so hard I sent him sailing across the concrete. The two Dauntless I'd ordered to watch the thing were nowhere to be found!

Useless!

The factionless couldn't get into any of the vehicles anyhow, the back doors were held shut with heavy chains and locks that only I had the key too.

I turned as I heard the factionless move, firing immediately and hitting him a couple times in the chest. He gargled a bit before falling, so that was good enough for me.

I strode to the doors of the truck, aiming my gun in front of me as I jerked the open. I was relieved to find they were empty, no one had thought to climb in yet.

"Eric!"

I glanced as I heard my name, lifting myself up onto the step of the truck just as I saw a flash of blonde dreads.

Ah, so she was still alive.

"The fuck is going on?" I demanded of Mel the second she was within earshot. She had some black soot on her face, but didn't look ruffled. "The hell is everyone?"

"Factionless took down the first truck, caused the engine to blow!" She gasped, her shoulder slamming into the truck. "It's blocking everything up there, we can't get past it. The threw some smoke bombs to cause more chaos, and everyone's running around like their head is cut off."

"So much for being well trained," I muttered sourly. Four must have been their trainer during their initiation, anyone Camille and I took care of wouldn't be so useless! "Get in. I'm ending this."

"Yeah? How's that?" Mel coughed, her voice raspy from all the smoke.

"I'm going to drive this truck to the front and shoot anyone I see," I grunted, climbing into the drivers seat and starting the engine. It rumbled smoothly to life. "You can come and help or run away like the rest of those bitches."

"You don't know how many factionless are up there, Eric!"

"Makes the game more fun." I muttered, glancing at her. "You coming or not?"

I wasn't going to wait.

I heard her curse, but she darted away, heading for the passenger side. I hit the lock for the doors, hearing them click as I hit the gas. Moving the other truck made it possible for me to drive half on the road and half on the sidewalk for a few feet, the truck adding more black smoke into the air as I floored it, sending both of us back into the seats.

No one fucked with my day.

I had people to get back too.

~~~~~~

"You did well today, Eric." Max actually complimented me as I looked at the computer screen in front of me, seeing him and his office. "We lost no cargo, and only a few dauntless. It would have gone much worse if not for you."

"Did Melanie tell you that?" I grunted, leaning my hands onto the table as I stared at him.

The day hadn't ended well. I'd run over a few faction less with that truck, felt the bumps as the wheels turned their bodies into mangled messes. They'd run off after that, leaving all the trucks behind when they realized they couldn't even get to the cargo.

The wounded had been carted off, everything was where it was supposed to be. I had a few bumps and bruises, but I was fine for the most part. Most of us were.

"No. I haven't spoken to her." Max shook his head. "You've lead this op admirably."

Why was he complimenting me so much? I didn't like it when he did this. He was up to something.

"I'm still leaving." I said after a moment, putting a little more weight on my hands. "When the week is up, I'm still out."

"You've already gotten the ball rolling, Melanie should be fine with the destruction of the buildings." Max didn't argue with me, which I found even more suspicious.

I frowned at him, wondering if I should be worried.

"When my kid is older, this won't be an issue in the future." I said after a moment. "He'll be in daycare soon and Camille won't pitch such fits."

"She'll also be busy with her recruits." Max added. "New initiates should be here in another month after the ceremony."

"Yeah." I rubbed the back of my neck.

That would be interesting.

"I'll have a car waiting for you at the end of the week, to bring you back to the compound."

"I'll get a ride myself," I shook my head immediately, distrustful. "Don't worry about it."

"Very well. See you then." Max ended the call abruptly, and I frowned at the screen in front of me.

It's hard to tell if someone is bullshitting or not through computer screens. I still wasn't sure if Max was out to get me.

I glanced over as there was a knock on the door of my small room, and I frowned as I straightened.

I didn't have time for visitors, I had too much shit to worry about. I ran a hand down my face, but the person merely knocked again, apparently not going away.

For fucks sake.

I huffed, shoving away from the table where the computer sat and making my way to the door. I jerked it open with a scowl, frowning when I recognized Mel.

She had a scratch across her forehead, but otherwise she looked fine.

"What are you doing here?"

"I brought a peace offering," the blonde woman lifted up a bucket of ice, bottles of alcohol chilling in it. "Plus I don't like relaxing by myself."

"All your current fuck buddies too freaked out after the day?"

"Something like that," she sighed, looking tired. "I can't believe it went the way it did."

"Yeah," I stepped back, holding the door open so she could walk in. I glanced at her curiously as I shut the door, seeing how tightly her black jeans clung to her hips.

Those were actually my favorite jeans on her, I recognized them by the scuff on the back pocket. I couldn't fathom how many times I'd jerked them down to her thighs and bent her over her kitchen table after a rough day for both of us.

I shook my head, immediately regretting the thought. Shit, I shouldn't even think of stuff like that anymore.

Mel dropped the bucket on the small table, tossing herself down into one of the chairs and crossing her legs. She reached for a bottle, popping the top off and quickly raising it to her lips.

She wasn't wasting time tonight.

I sat down in the chair opposite her with a sigh, grabbing one myself.

"Has Max called yet?" Mel asked after we'd sat a few moments in silence.

"Yeah. He's glad things went well and we didn't lose any cargo." I mumbled, enjoying the burn as the alcohol ran down my throat. After about six of these I'd have a nice buzz and could relax, they just tasted like shit.

"So he's not pissed?"

"He was suspiciously calm. He's up to something, isn't he?" I leaned my arms against the table, swishing around the liquid in my clear glass bottle.

"I don't know. He doesn't exactly tell me his devious secrets."

Huh.

I sighed, running a hand down my face. I didn't even enjoy this anymore, drinking and brooding. I just wanted to get back to the compound, sleep in my own bed and get woke up every fifteen minutes by my kid.

I never thought I'd miss hearing his screaming.

I slept decently here in the beginning, but not so much now.

I was eager to get home.

"Eric."

"What?" I reached for another bottle, hardly aware I'd had three already. I tended to drink this stuff pretty fast, but I couldn't really feel the affects yet.

"When was the last time you had sex?"

My fingers paused as I went to twist the lid off the bottle, eyes flicking to her.

"Mel..." My tone was warning, I didn't want to have this conversation again. Camille had been uncomfortably pregnant for the last nine months, so I'd say for the last four I hadn't been getting any.

It was frustrating, I wasn't used to going like this. I wanted the rough, wild fucking again, holding onto her as she gasped and came under me, yelping my name. I wanted to see her face as I made her cum, feel her lips around my cock.

Just the thought of Camille like that made me have to shift in my seat. I missed our sex life, but I wouldn't press for it; I got bitched at enough.

"That long, huh?" Melanie mused, gazing at me from across the table. "So you knocked her up and she cut you off? I would be pissed too but not that frigid."

"I thought I made it clear we weren't going to be having these sorts of conversations."I said flatly, but she merely shrugged her shoulders.

"Don't be so uptight, Eric. Since when do you not like talking about sex? You used to like telling me about all your conquests."

"That was the other way around, Mel." I rolled my eyes as I lifted my bottle to my lips, my mouth burning as the liquid splashed against my tongue. I drained it halfway, starting to feel that soothing numbness settle over my body.

"Eh, maybe. I'm guessing you don't want to hear about the guys I fucked last night?"

"No."

"Fair enough," she sighed, looking mopey as she leaned back in her chair. It grew quiet again, just the clicking of the clock on the wall as we both sat there.

What the hell was my life becoming?

I ran a hand down my face, feeling the cut on my cheek sting. I wasn't even sure how I got it, I hadn't noticed it until Mel had been smearing some healing ointment across it when everything had settled down.

To think, I used to enjoy the thrill of a life or death situation; now it just stressed me out. I had a lot more to lose now then I did before.

"Mel."

"Yeah?" She looked up from staring into her bottle, her black eyes flicking to mine. She shifted in her seat, as if growing uncomfortable.

"Do you think Max is a good leader?"

"He's decent, I guess. I can't remember the one before him, I was a kid when the power changed." She shrugged her shoulders. "But he's kept us good so far, right?"

"I guess." I took a long sip from my drink.

"Why?" Her voice was wary.

"No reason. Just think he's getting old after all these years."

She snorted, lifting her bottle up to clink against mine.

"May we all get that old, Eric." She chuckled before draining her drink and tossing the glass into a waste basket. She wiped at her lips with the back of her hand, sighing.

She pursed her lips before standing, a little wobbly on her feet.

"Where are you going?" I asked in amusement. "You're already at your limit."

"I am --- I don't know," Mel hiccuped, her hand rising to press against her lips. "I just needed to get up."

Ahuh.

I took a slow sip of my drink, numb to its burn now. I leaned back in my chair, my eyes flicking to the only window in the room. The city was dark, no one's supposed to be using a lot of electricity at night anyhow. The sky was cloudy, so it was just black outside, reminding me of all the distance between me and my family.

Was a person supposed to think about their family as much as I did? Was that normal? They crossed my mind pretty frequently, I couldn't help wondering what they were doing. I hadn't spoken to Camille in weeks, I was starting to miss even her smartass comments.

What was she doing? Did she miss me? Was she glad I was gone?

"Eric ---."

Shit!

I jerked in surprise as Melanie abruptly tossed herself across my lap, causing my drink to spill across the table. I grunted as her arms wrapped around my neck, grimacing.

"Mel ---."

"You know you miss fucking me," she sighed at me, and I pulled away from her with a frown.  "Don't you? Don't you miss all those fun nights we had?" She shifted in my lap, and I tensed instantly.

"Get up." I snapped, gritting my teeth as she merely leaned into me, pressing her lips against the spot under my ear. My body went rigid as I felt her teeth nip at my flesh, immediately feeling a rush of heat against my skin.

Mel knew my body, she knew what I liked and what would turn me on. Not even Camille knew about that spot, and I shuddered as Mel worked her way down to my throat.

Shit.

I shouldn't be letting this happen, I should shove her off into the floor, I should --- it feels so good. Months going without any type of touch had really taken its toll on me, and now to suddenly have it... I didn't want to push Mel away.

She shuffled, slipping her thighs on either side of my hips so that she was straddling me, her hands rising to cup my cheeks as her black eyes gazed down into mine.

"Tell me to stop and I will," she murmured, grinding her hips down into mine. My hands rose, clamping around her waist, eyes drawing lower to the obvious swell of her breasts in front of me.

I didn't want her too.

I wanted this, I could already tell I was getting turned on. Mel knew how to use her body as a weapon, and especially as a lover. She knew tricks that surpassed even my knowledge, and she was currently using them on me. If this had been two years ago, I would have tossed her on the table and fucked her until she was screaming, but now ---.

"Come on, Eric," she cooed, her nails lightly raking against my jaw to grab my attention again. "You miss this, don't you? I can tell your body does." She chuckled, her lips on my throat once more, sucking and biting until my head was tilting back of its own accord, my hands slipping lower to curve around her hips.

Camille loved doing that, pressing on my shoulders when she was on top, taking the control away from me. She'd always giggle how easy it was, tease me that I let her have her way with me. I could already see her on top of me, her black hair framing her face as she gazed down at me with that mischevious glint in her eyes.

That's the thing.

Even if I fucked Mel tonight --- I would be thinking of Camille the entire time.

The thought made me sick.

Could I even do this?

Could I sleep with Mel, thinking about the woman who was waiting for me at home with our kid?

Tags: @rred87   @jcause.    @elaacreditava.       @riegan.   @deathbyamonster @pathybo@buried-in-books   @miss-evil-one  @maquet-lambb.  @jojuarez26. @ljvosscmt    @beltz2016 @magellan-88     @kenzieam     @tigpooh67 

[proveraaaa]

6th January 2020

>>11:59 am<<

So yesterday I was watching Insurgent and I forgot how my crush in that movie was the fictional character Eric. So ofcourse I did what any other horny girl will do. Search up smut fiction on it. I was still at my low yesterday and I tend to feel like my 14 year old self again read fan fiction based.

I am terribly scared for uni coming up soon. Especially for my exams. I am too dumb for anything. What if I don’t pass my first year? The biggest L and huge disappointment I am.

-N

[leader-of-no-fear]

Self Care

Sorry for the lack of posting for a long ass while, I work full time and go to school full time. But I have had many request to come back so here is a little something to restart. I will get back to writing your ask and I will try to post on here regularly. Thanks for understanding, -Megan

“Self care isn't just for women, guys can do it too.”

“I don’t care i'm not putting that on my face.”

“Nobody will see you what does it matter, im the only one. It's just a face mask it gets rid of  all the dead skin on your face when you rip it off, it will make it nice and smooth, get rid of all those blackheads.”

“No, im not”

“Eric stop being a baby i'm trying to help you. It's not like i'm asking you to paint your nails. You don't even have to anything i'll do it.”

Eric rolled his eyes and threw his hands  up in surrender. “Fine but this is the only time so you better enjoy it as much as you can.”

y/n’s lips turned up into a grin and she leaped off the bed and ran into the bathroom grabbing the bottle and a brush. She looked at him a moment then ran back into the bathroom coming out with a headband. Eric had just gotten out of the shower so his hair was in his face. Crawling onto the bed she straddled his outstretched pajama covered legs. He looked up at her and sighed and she squirted liquid onto brush then painted it onto his face. He pulled his head back quickly from the brush being a reaction from the cold goo. She grabbed his chin and pulled it back into place. She delicately stroked the brush looking intent and focusing on getting none of it on his stubble or eyebrows.

Once she finished she ran into the bathroom and did her own. Coming out smiling bright at Eric. He rolled his eyes and grabbed his phone to read emails before bed. While he wasn't looking she pulled hers out and took a quick picture with him in the background of herself and him in the back completely unaware. Keeping it too herself to laugh at later to his expense and maybe use as leverage.

15 minutes later both were dry and time to peel off. He sat on the edge of the bed and she stood above him peeling up an end so she could rip it off. She yanked quickly. Eric grunted and pulled away. “What the hell” he had furled eyebrows pointed in his direction.

“What that's how you get it off” Y/N explained and reached to grab the edge again. Eric pulled away from her quickly. “Eric!” She snached his head in her hand and held it tight. “The quicker the better” she said as she grabbed it and yanked quickly leaving Eric letting out a huge profanity and pushing her away.

“Self care my ass.” she reached in again but her grabbed both her arms and held them. “No.”

She sighed, “Please just let me do it,” he squinted at her.

“Slow”

“Slow doesn't work, you have to go fast.”

“Do it slow or your not doing it” “Fine. so much for leader of the dauntless.” she snorted, he let go of her hands slowly. She pushed him onto his back and sat on his chest. “We will do this more relaxed.” She said then quickly pinned his two arms under her legs so he had a harder time fighting back to what she was about to do. She yanked on the edge and he fought back trying to break his hands free. “Almost done.” she said then yanked the rest of it off. She quickly jumped off of him then ran to the other side of the room holding up the floppy rubbery mask she ripped off. “Look your done” she defended as he quickly got off the bed.

He charged at her making her squealed as he grabbed her by her legs and threw her over his shoulder and marched to the bathroom. “Your turn” he said as he carried her into the bathroom.

[khunsetare]

ODIUM

 Had some writing buzz, and finished up a chapter late last night. I normally work end of the week, and weekends so it’s harder for me to upload. BUT, I figure why not leave things on a  interesting note! 

WARNINGS: Lil bit of smut, DRUGS/ALCOHOL (using, and mentioning).

Thanks for reading (:

TAGS : If you want to be tagged/ kept updates you can turn on my notifications or ask to be tagged in future uploads ! I have an ongoing list.

@kenzieam , @jaihardy , @pathybo , @elaacreditava , @tigpooh67 , @beltz2016 , @lostinthebeans

Chapter 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5  

   Chapter 6

 As I hurriedly put on my pants for the war games, I grab my badge, and phone before rushing out. I zip and button as I step out, and begin to follow initiates towards the doors outside. I feel a grip on my bicep, and I’m pulled back into a hard chest. I look up and it’s Eric, and I wonder what he wants now.

 “War games don’t begin till another 30 mins, you don’t need to rush,” He speaks to me sweetly. I squint at him, as I feel like he’s lying to me on purpose. “Max needs to see you in his office. I suggest you hurry,” He smiles at me, and I roll my eyes rushing up towards the nearest flight of stairs. I jog up quickly until I’m by his office, and I wiggle the door but it’s locked. I groan out loudly to myself.

 I turn back around and into the hallway looking for anyone that might know if he’s in there still or roaming around. I hurriedly walk around until I spot Max at the end of the corridor. I run over to him, and he stops noticing my presence.

 “You wanted me?” I ask, and he shoots me a confused look.

 “No? Is everything alright?” He asks, furrowing his brows as he stares at me up and down. I replay the moment with Eric again, and curse to myself. I hear the train’s loud horn, and I groan in frustration.

 “I’m going to fucking kill Eric. I’m sorry, I need to get to the train before I miss the war games,” Max laughs as he sees me take off back down the stairs.

 I glide down one rail, and pace myself making sure I don’t fly face first into a flight of stairs. As I reach ground floor I push it open, but it doesn’t budge. I push again, and peek through the window to see there’s a small wooden plank wedged in between the handles. I scream out in frustration, and kick the door repeatedly till I hear cracks. I kick it one last time, and the wood splinters, and falls to the ground. I take off towards the doors that lead outside, and thankfully they were open.

 I spot the train taking off slowly, and I start running at a moderate pace trying to catch my breath. The train starts to pick up, and I pick my pace up hearing my feet stomp on the gravel trying to keep up. I don’t realize how fast I’m going but I manage to grab onto one of the side railings. As I latch on Four notices me, and pulls me in. He looks impressed, and stares at me a bit longer before walking off in the direction behind me.

 I struggle to control my breathing for a bit, but stay calm and steady. Em, and Caleb are the first to spot me and join me in the middle. “Hi,” Em speaks.

 “We thought you weren’t gonna make it when we couldn’t find you by the stop. Where did you go?” Caleb asks.

 “I was supposedly supposed to meet Max, but he wasn’t aware that I was supposed to meet him either,” Em shoots me a confused look.

 “Who let you out?” I hear Eric speak next to me, and I look at him.

 “Max,” I cock my head to the side and smile at him.

 “Max did?” He raises his brows, and I nod. He’s silent for a few moments more, but looks between Em, Caleb, and I. “Okay,” He purses his lips. He looks back at me one more time before joining back with the rest of the initiates.

 Four throws two long, and narrow duffle bags into the middle of the train. “The games simple, it’s like capture the flag,”

 Eric unrolls the duffle, and pulls up a long metal weapon. “Weapon of choice,” He holds it up mid-air.

 “You call that a gun?” A girl beside Eric scoffs, staring over at Wyatt to her left. She’s naturally very tall and slim. Probably five foot eleven to six foot. She has medium length brown hair, and brown eyes, and I wonder why I hadn’t recognized her sooner. Eric pulls back the hammer, and shoots her in the leg. She falls back onto the walls of the train, and slides down to the floor in agony. She groans out, holding onto her thigh as she shoots daggers at Eric. She’s still whimpering as Eric leans over, and pulls out a small, metal, serum filled bullet.

 He holds it up for everyone to see, but sets his eyes on me as he speaks. “Neurostim dart, stimulates the pain of a real gunshot wound only last a couple of minutes. Two teams; Four, and I are captains,”

 “You pick first,” Four gives Eric the honor.

 “Okay,” Eric gives Four a pleased look. “Edward,”

 “I’ll take the outsider,” Four looks over at me, but then back up at Eric.

 “Oh,” He drones out. “Picking the ones who’ll never make it so you’ll have someone to blame when you lose?” He nods his head.

 “Something like that,” Four smirks back at him, and I can pick up the hint of rivalry already.

 As the train nears both teams split ways, and wander off to either side of the abandoned amusement park. “Where did Eric’s team go?” Zephryine questions the team as a whole.

 “They must’ve gone to the end,” Artiste explains. Four pulls out a neon yellow flag, and holds it out with him.

 “Alright, lights off. Gather around. What’s your strategy?” He questions them.

 “We can hide the flag so they won’t find us,” Artiste speaks.

 “I say we blitz em, beat them with sheer force,” Another initiate speaks up. They all argue and chatter about different tactics, but I look around my surroundings. I sneak off, and push open one of the building doors. I run up the flight of stairs till I’m at the roof, and I sneak to the edge to peek at the rest of the park.

 “You think like my girlfriend Tris,” I jump slightly at Four’s voice behind me.

 “Great minds think alike,” I state, and he chuckles.

 “What’s your plan?”

 “Spot the flag, and,” I pause looking around, and spot a flash of neon green by the top of the bell tower. “Split into four. Two groups along the sides, two in the middle. Whatever team makes it to the bell tower first will give us a signal, and we’ll fight the rest off until they can get to the top,”

 “Good plan, I’ll warn the rest, and send Emily, and a few others towards you,” I shake my head, and follow him down and out making sure not to cause too much noise.

 “Hey, what about Eric?” Four asks, and I turn.

 “I’ll deal with him. Just make sure to try and overthrow his team and reach the tower first,”

 Shortly, Em, Caleb, Zephryine, and Artiste are awaiting me. “Now, we can stay in the same side location but we must split. They’ll notice if we’re paired up. If you hear any cries for help, try to help each other out. If you spot the flag or are near the bell tower abandon us, and go for the flag,”

 Everyone nods, and we all split sneaking off into the different corners, and shadows. I crouch behind the shadow of some bushes when I hear footsteps, and keep still as a few of Eric’s team members pass by. I wait until they’re past a few buildings before I jet to the end of the amusement park. I see a few members from my own team jog up to me.

 “Eric’s in the bell tower. What do you want to do?” One of them asks.

 “You attack where the most of his team members are. Distract all of them from entering the bell tower. If he’s the only one in the tower, I can handle him,” They all nod, and run back off. I hear the first round of darts, and I bolt to the tower’s entrance shielding my face. Luckily, everyone seemed preoccupied with fighting each other that I was able to access it with no problems. I sneak in slowly noticing one lone member guarding the bell tower door.

 I sneak up behind him, and keep him in a chokehold until he’s knocked out. I lay him down gently, and pull my hammer back as I sneak up the stairs. Before I can push open the door above to climb up I feel something grasp my foot, and I’m yanked down the stairs. I turn towards the person dragging me, and I notice it’s Wyatt. I aim at his neck, and he falls down the last flight of stairs. He screams out in pain as his body meets with the concrete on the ground level. As I run to look over him, I see two more darts hit him and I look up to find Zephryine, and Artiste by the doorway. He groans out in pain as they both near. Zephryine walks closer and shoots him one more time near the groin. “Asshole,” She mutters before following us both up the stairs.

 “Thanks,” I huff out, and they just smile in return. We approach the upper doorway as a trio and are greeted by two more of Eric’s teammates.

 “Go, we’ll deal with them,” He nudges me, and I climb up the ladder trying to avoid getting darted but feel a pinch on my outer thigh as I push open the hatch, and climb up. I whimper out in pain, and crawl up trying to recover from the dart shot to spot Eric. He’s seated on the floor with his dart gun pointed at the middle of my forehead. Fuck me.

 I keep eye contact with him, and swat the gun out of my face with enough force to throw him off. I ball my fist up with my other hand, and swing at his face, landing a punch right on his lip. He clenches his jaw, and spits a bit of blood on the floor beside him. His hands land on my throat, and I struggle to reach him as he begins to push himself up off the floor with just his knees. I wrap my fingers around his wrists, and push back settling him back on the floor.

 I somehow manage to straddle him to prevent him from standing as I reach for the dart gun beside me. His eyes flicker over to where I’m reaching and he loosens his grip on my neck, giving me enough time to reach for it, and stand up. I shoot him once in the chest, and once in his lower abdomen. He groans out in pain as he lays on the floor, and I walk over and crouch beside him. I grab a hold of collar and pull him up to me as he yanks one of the darts out of his chest, and throw it off to the side.

 “You’re making this game so easy,” I joke, and kiss him on his cheek before pushing him back and shooting him in the chest one more time. He yells out in frustration, but I turn back to the edge of the bell tower and grab the neon green flag. As I take it off, and wave it I hear Artiste, and Zephryine climb up and join me.

 They’re both laughing as they spot Eric on the floor still in pain, and join me to cheer loud. A few of our teammates notice us, and begin to celebrate. We just won our first War Game.

 .          .           .           .           .           .          

 My body feels alive. After the rush of adrenaline from the zip line I felt like I was ready to conquer the world. I follow the group of initiates that I went zip lining with, and follow them into the pit. This time it isn’t a bunch of dauntless brawling, but a bustling night life. People all gathered around in groups holding beer bottles, and mixed drinks.

 “Last day of physical initiate training. We need to celebrate!” Zephryine exclaims. She grabs a hold of my wrist and pulls me to a small bar nearby. There’s a line of dauntless, and most are headed back into the pit, but there are still some seats empty by the bartender.

 “Give me something strong!” Zephryine smiles at the attractive bartender, and he returns her smile with a smirk.

 “You got it, beautiful,” He winks, and looks over at me with raised brows. “What can I get you? Something strong too?” He asks.

 “Double whiskey ginger,” I smile, and he nods his head in approval.

 “You ladies smoke? I’ll be out back in a few minutes,” He raises his brows, and I nod. Zephryine looks uncomfortable, but nods her head.

 “I smoke, she doesn’t. But she’ll come,” I reassure him, and she squeezes my hand under the table as a silent thank you.

 .          .           .

 I’m three or four double whiskeys in, and I feel the buzz start to hit my system all at once. I question why I feel so drunk, and think about what I ate that day until I realize I hadn’t really. I had a two bananas, and an apple. That’s definitely not enough. I sigh to myself as I realize that I’d have to suffer being more fucked up than normal. Zephryine is a wild wind of fun; Dancing, and pulling me towards the pit.

 “I’ll be out to smoke in like 20 mins. Both of you can meet me there,” Charlie, the bartender yelled over at us. I smiled, and gave him a thumbs up. While we were drinking we all shared some cool facts about each other, and Charlie seemed like a really genuine, down to earth guy. I could tell Zephryine was smitten over him, and I was happy she had found her own attractive dauntless member to befriend.

 Music boomed through the pit, and my entire body felt really buzzed. Swaying to the beat was nothing but a breeze. Zephryine and I swayed, and danced to the rhythmic beat laughing as we both stumbled around quite a bit. I grabbed her hand swaying my hips, and started grinding on her lightly. A pair of hands grabs onto my hips, and I defensively swat them away. I look up to find a random dauntless member, and I furrow my brows, and drag Zephryine away. He continues to follow me, and I poke my index finger into his chest keeping him at bay, and away from me. He takes the hint with ease, and moves onto the next dancing girl. I feel a pat on the back of my arm, and both Zephryine and I turn to see Charlie.

 “Hi,” She quips.

 “Ready?” He asks, and we nod and follow him outside. He pulls out a pre-rolled joint, and lights it. He passes it to me, and we both exchange taking hits. I take another drag, and hold my breath letting the high really blend with my drunk-ness. We’re all sat on the floor so the effects of anything haven’t and won’t hit me till I’m up and walking.

 “Cross faded at its finest,” Charlie laughs, and I laugh along with him.

 “I wanna smoke, but I feel like I’d cough up a left lung,” Zephryine adds.

 “Don’t worry, I can teach you one day if you’re free,” I raise a brow, and smirk in Zephryine’s direction. She glances at me quickly, but returns her attention back to Charlie. They move closer together, so I grab the joint and take another deep inhale. As I take another pull before passing it back someone snatches it out of my hand and hands it back to Charlie.

 “She’s done,” I turn to my side, and see Eric. Who under the moon light, looks frustrated. Not an emotion I’ve seen so far. I’ve only experienced anger, and his childish temperament. I’m still holding in my inhale as he swoops an arm under my arm, and around my waist to pull me up. I feel light butterflies, but try to keep a straight face.

 “Clean this up, and get back inside,” He speaks to Charlie, and Zephryine and they both nod. I blow the remaining smoke in his direction, and protest.

 “Hey, hey. You can ruin my high, but don’t ruin theirs,” I pout as he shakes his head and drags me back into the pit by my upper bicep. He continues to drag me till we’re nearing the elevators. “Ow! You’re hurting my arm asshole,” I frown at him pulling back my arm, and rubbing it when he lets go.

 “I’m the asshole. Okay,” He nods his head to himself, in a sarcastic manner. I feel my inner subconscious scolding me, and telling me to obey him and be quiet but my drunk side isn’t letting it slip.

 “Yeah! You are! And you know what else you’re a real party pooper. I could’ve been having fun, maybe met someone nice. But you sabotaged that!” I cross my arms over my chest as the elevator doors open. I turn to go back to the pit, but he’s got my arm again and he’s pulling me back into the elevators.

 “The only reason why I’m complying is because I’m drunk, and I have nothing better to do,” I say in a matter of factly tone.

 As the elevator rides up, I feel the effects of both in me, and the elevator seems to make me dizzier. I open and close my eyes a few times taking in my state of mind, and mindlessly hop around the halls until we reach his door to his apartment.

 “I forgot your passcode, but I have a badge! Badge to the rescue!!” I exclaim laughing to myself as I pull my badge out, and scan it letting myself in. I kick my shoes off in to the corner, and take off my jacket placing it on one of the couches. I plop on the couch, and make myself comfortable.

 “Get up, you’re sleeping upstairs,” He states, and I look up at him with a confused expression.

 “What if you bring someone over last minute. I’d rather just be here,” I pat the cushion, and look back at him. “It’s comfy! It will do!” I smile, and he takes a deep inhale.

 “Upstairs, now.” He demands, and I pretend to be shocked.

 “Demanding,” I roll my eyes, and follow him. I hear him growl lightly to himself, and I can tell I’m pushing his buttons. “Okay, master. I’ll obey your orders,” I pause turning back. “For tonight,” I raise my brows, and walk up the stairs.

 I walk over to my duffle bag, and pull out makeup wipes. I rub the cloth all over my face till my face is completely clean, and I throw the wipe in the trash. I rub a small black hand towel over the rest of my face to get rid of the remainder before turning back to Eric’s bed. I see him toss a shirt, and boxers on the bed before turning to take off his clothes. He’s in his boxers only, and I can feel how odd I must look staring at him while he undresses, but my mind seems to only be concentrated on him right now.

 I climb onto the bed, and he grabs my ankle and pulls me back. “Change into these,” He states, and I turn back to him with a pout.

 “I don’t wanna,” I argue, crossing my arms over my chest.

 He does another deep inhale, and I don’t wait to see his next reaction. I’m not wearing a bra. I think to myself, but a hidden spark of confidence tells me to not care, and take it off anyway. I pull off my shirt, and slide off the bed to take off my pants, and underwear. I slip on his boxers, and almost stumble over my own feet in the process. He steadies me with one hand, and let’s me hold onto him as I pull them up.

 “Hands up,” He drones out, and I comply letting him place his shirt over my head.

 As the material goes over my head I’m met with his muscular chest. There are small hairs peeking through, and I notice two bruises on his pecs. He moves from me, and sits on the edge of the bed pulling his socks off. I feel a strange impulse to straddle his lap, and though sober I may have fought the urge and went to sleep. I wasn’t sober and I didn’t want to fight the urge. As I straddle him, he doesn’t tense, and I’m not sure if it’s because he’s tired or if he’s planning a way to throw me off and kill me. I keep staring at his chest, and the bruises that formed. My mind flashes to me shooting him in the chest with the nuerostim dart, and I feel a pang of guilt.

 “Did I do this?” I ask him as I look up at him, and he’s already staring at me.

 “It’ll heal, it was just darts,” He replies, confirming my thoughts.

 “I’m sorry,” I reply, brushing my hands softly over his pecs. I look back at him, not surprised he’s still staring at my intently. It’s his thing, I guess. I take notice in his eyes, and his pupils are blown out wide. My core responds, and I fidget on him. His hands roam up my upper thighs, and grasp onto my hips hard. I feel my heart pounding in my chest, and I’m not sure if he can hear it too. Kiss him. My subconscious cheers, and claps in the background. My eyes trail from his eyes to his lips and back up. I notice the sides of his lip are still a little red, and puffy from when I punched him in the mouth. I move my hands up, and lightly trace over it with my thumb. I blink a few times, hoping that maybe I’ll snap out of this trance but I don’t.

 I lean in and place a small, needy kiss on his lips. He doesn’t kiss back so I retreat pushing myself off of him. “I-um. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that,” I stutter out, looking down as I speak to him. When I look up he’s standing with me, and his chest is moving up and down. He doesn’t make any sudden movements, but when he walks to me I instinctively take a step back afraid that he might attack. I feel his hands grab my face and pull me to him as he kisses me hard. At first I’m surprised but I immediately melt into the kiss. I wrap my arms around his neck, and he grabs my ass and hauls me up to his waist. I feel him turn towards the bed as I wrap my legs tight around his lower hips.

 I begin to feel nervous as I have yet to have sex willingly with anyone, and briefly wondered if I should tell him if we go that far. I was too aroused at the moment to protest, and just moaned in response. He growls, and throws me onto the bed climbing in and over me. His lips latch onto the side of my neck, and he sucks hard. My eyes flutter at the sensation until I hear a loud knocking sound.

 As easy as the sensations came, was as easy as they went. The knocking continued but gets louder over time.

 “Eric, open up. We have a situation at the chasm,” I hear him growl, as he grips onto the side of one of my hips. He pushes himself off me, and takes a deep breath before pulling his clothes back on and heading off towards the door. I sit up on my feet as he walks towards the stairs. He looks back briefly, and pauses but continues to pace down the stairs. I hear the door swing open, and him bark at the dauntless outside his room.

             I could only hear brief bits, but it involved something about something found in the chasm, and that it didn’t make any sense. But the door was already slammed shut before I could hear anymore.

 What could be going on in the chasm that needed him leave this late at night?

[sparklemichele]

I'm giggling to myself looking up vibrators......for the reader y'all!!! Research! Research!! There is so much shit out there. What happen to the good old rabbit that was featured on Sex and the City. The reader has to have one with clit stimulation (like a vibrating butterfly or dolphin). My God this is so funny what fan fiction writers have to do in the name of research and for the story. I know Eric will just throw it against the wall smashing it to pieces. 😂😂

[fantasticbreezy]

I just posted "Chapter Seven" for my story "Other Side (A Divergent Fan Fiction) ". #fanfiction

[swipestream]

Science Fiction New Release Roundup: 23 December 2017

This week’s roundup of the newest releases in science fiction features a jailbreak by the battle-hardened legionnaires of Victory Company, an uneasy alliance between galactic bounty hunters, alien relics under Earth’s ice-caps, and a vicious insurgency against the immortal rulers of a wound-down universe.

*     *     *      *      *

Assisgnment Darklanding – Craig Martelle and Scott Moon

A frontier world. One Sheriff. And all the action one Spaceport can’t hold. Darklanding is the wild, wild west of known space.

Sheriff Thaddeus Fry will never completely leave the battlefields of Centauri Prime. His new assignment, the Sheriff’s office of Darklanding, could be a do-nothing job, or it could get him killed.

The first thing he learns is that his predecessor’s headquarters were bombed, creating the vacancy that led to his appointment. The Company Man, is not who he expected, to say the least. His new accommodations are right in the center of Darklanding’s misfits. He finds one native of Ungwilook willing to talk to him and tries to make him a deputy. What really matters on Darklanding, are the mines.

Faced with a dangerous collapse that could kill hundreds of workers, he leaps into action and gets the story of Darklanding started. Fans of Firefly, Bonanza, and Tombstone will love this new series. Join us today and every 18 days, you’ll get a new episode of Darklanding.

*     *     *      *      *

Galaxy’s Edge: Prisoners of Darkness (Galaxy’s Edge #6) – Jason Anspach and Nick Cole

The Battle of Tarrago was just the beginning. Following Goth Sullus’s ruthless onslaughts against the Republic, a desperate House of Reason searches for scapegoats—and finds one, deserving or not, in Commander Ellek Owens. His sentence is cruel, unjust—and final.

Unless Victory Squad has anything to say about it.

When Chhun undertakes a daring raid on the prison planet Herbeer to rescue his commander, Wraith’s loyalties are put to the test, as he’s forced to choose between his responsibilities to the Legion… and his responsibilities to his captured crew.

Meanwhile, in the Umnar system, the soulless menace known as the Cybar seeks to break Prisma Maydoon—and set the stage for the total annihilation of not only the Republic, but all life in the galaxy.

*     *     *      *      *

Invaders: The Antaran (Invaders #3) – Vaughn Heppner

The Galactics quarantined Earth. But the last Guard agent died. Logan found his stealth ship, and now it’s his job to enforce Galactic law against alien predators.

Lord Beran the Antaran regards humans as little better than insects to stomp if they get in his way. He’s searching for the lost Polarions, last seen on this backward planet thousands of years ago.

There are alien relics hidden under the ice-sheets of Greenland and Antarctica. Lord Beran wants those, even if uncovering them will unleash a stellar holocaust.

Unless Logan can stop the Antaran, whose super-science seems like magic to us mere humans, the universe is about to find out why the Galactic Guard first quarantined Earth.

*     *     *      *      *

Joined in Battle (Wolfpack #4) – Toby Neighbors

Every Hero Has Enemies…

Captain Dean Blaze has seen the enemy. His platoon has fought the Kroll, but his biggest threat isn’t among the stars, it’s found in the ranks of the Extra Solar Defense Force. After saving a diplomatic mission from complete annihilation, Dean and his platoon return home, only to find trouble brewing among the people he is fighting to save. With a predatory empire moving closer to human held space, an Admiral with an axe to grind, and internal politics threatening his career, Dean quickly realizes his problems are much larger than he ever expected.

*     *     *      *      *

Odysseus Awakening (Odyssey One #6) – Evan Currie

Defy the inevitable. Such is the stance of Confederation captain Eric Weston and the crew of the starship Odysseus, patrolling the outer limits of Priminae space, anticipating the Empire’s next attacks. Connected with the Terran FTL tech—the transition drive—humanity might stand a chance against the overwhelming forces. Until the entire planetary system goes dark.

Outnumbered and outgunned, the Odysseus arrives to find the Empire securing critical intelligence from Priminae ships—data that could prove disastrous in the wrong hands.

As the Odysseus enters the fray, the ship’s systems exhibit increasingly chaotic glitches, while haunting apparitions stalk the crew. As they struggle to control their own ship—and their sanity—against the tide of battle, how can they hope to grasp victory when the Odysseus itself appears to be coming to life?

*     *     *      *      *

The Ophian Rising (Soul Cycle #4) – Brian Niemeier

The Zadokim healed the cosmos from the ravages of the Cataclysm, and the survivors made them kings. Now the Ophians, a ruthless insurgent movement, wage a vicious uprising against their immortal rulers’ two hundred year reign.

Xander and Astlin have transformed the desert world of Tharis into the hub of a flourishing trade empire. Their Nesshin subjects spread a new faith promising true freedom in another universe. But when Astlin seeks forbidden knowledge to resurrect her long-dead family, sinister forces exact a terrible price from those she loves.

With the Ophian threat engulfing the spheres and a primeval terror rising from its prison, Astlin must turn to a shiftless gambler, the outlaw squire of a fallen knight, and a mismatched pair of smugglers to escape the ghosts of her past and save all souls from eternal death. But can mortals succeed where even gods have failed?

*     *     *      *      *

Overture (Earth Song Cycle #1) – Mark Wandrey

In Central Park, a homeless man bears witness to the arrival of a strange device, but is it a gift from the Angels of God, or a way for them to invade Earth at its most vulnerable moment?

Disgraced astronomer Mindy Patoy learns of an asteroid bearing down on Earth, and she finds herself drawn inexplicably to New York City, where she finds friends and enemies alike as she struggles to unravel the mystery of the portal.

As word spreads of alien devices appearing around the globe, scientists race to find out whether they are the end of human civilization or its salvation. Through the portal, a small band of soldiers struggle against monstrous reptiles to carve out a place for the refugees who hope to follow. They cannot hold out for long without resupply, and the portal is one-way only…there is no retreat.

As the asteroid bears down, time is running out, and New York City has become a war zone. Civilization is shaking itself to pieces as factions around the globe battle over the portals, and the asteroid draws ever closer. Is the Song of Earth about to end, or is it just beginning?

*     *     *      *      *

The Starhawk Chronicles – Joseph J. Madden

The year is 2283.

Though more than a quarter-century has passed since the end of the last war, the Galactic Confederation is still busy picking up the pieces. Whole sectors of the galaxy remain lawless, rife with corruption and greed. The criminal element has a well-established foothold on these sectors.

It is a good time to be a bounty hunter.

Jesse Forster and the crew of the STARHAWK are some of the best bounty hunters in the business. Kayla Karson is a young independent hunter out to make a name for herself. Their paths collide as both take up pursuit of the leaders of the Nexus Gang, the most brutal crime syndicate in the galaxy. An uneasy alliance is formed as the two undertake the most difficult hunt of their careers. Great rewards are to be claimed, if they don’t kill each other in the process.

*     *     *      *      *

Titan’s Wrath – Rhett C. Bruno

After inciting rebellion against Earth throughout Titan’s off-world colonies, Kale Trass learns that leadership isn’t only about fighting. Keeping control of his people–even his own family–requires a different set of skills. Following a pivotal battle over Saturn, Kale travels deep into enemy territory under the guise of seeking peace, though peace is the last thing on his mind.

Malcolm Graves used to be an infamous Collector for a powerful Earther corporation–and then he nearly lost his life on Titan. Now he’s retired. But when Kale’s wake of destruction follows Malcolm to Mars and claims the life of a friend, it’s time for the ex-Collector to dust off his pulse-pistol and leap back into a fight he thought he’d left behind.

With the solar system divided, heroes are few and short-lived … but someone has to put the self-proclaimed King Trass of Titan in his place.

*     *     *      *      *

Wasp Hand (Silent Order #6) – Jonathan Moeller

The galaxy is at war, and an ancient enemy has returned from the darkness of interstellar space.

When Jack March is attacked by an unknown alien vessel, he soon realizes that the alien warship is just the vanguard of a far more powerful invading force.

All that stands between the alien fleet and the Kingdom of Calaskar is the daring plan of a mercurial Lord Admiral.

And unless March can carry out that plan, all of human civilization might be devoured by the alien force…

Science Fiction New Release Roundup: 23 December 2017 published first on http://ift.tt/2zdiasi

[writingismyhappytime]

Dauntless: Daddy Dearest (Part 7)

Eric x OC

Warnings: Language, almost smut, children

I strode forward, dust clinging to my uniform, knowing I looked like shit. The cut on my face itched as it healed, and my boots were caked in mud as I took the stairs three at a time. I was in a hurry, I had to get to Camille and our kid --- I was running late.

The convoy had taken too long to get here.

Camille would think I wouldn't be there!

I shoved past a few Dauntless gathered at the bottom of the stairs, knowing I had to look crazy as I did my best to move quickly. My body ached after the last few days, the fight with the factionless catching up with me. I hadn't waited for anyone else, I'd jumped out of the trucks before they had even stopped rolling.

I had to get to Camille.

I knew I got some crazy glances, but I didn't give a shit. I took the next set of stairs, the next bridge above the Pit --- five more minutes as I was opening the door of my apartment, nervously glancing at the clock above the wall as I stepped inside.

The lights were still on, and --- it smelled like home. I could smell the baby powder, I could see the carrier on the table, the stupid blue bag with everything the kid needed shoved in it. The coffee pot was still percolating, a white cup set in front of it.

"Camille?" I called, shutting the door loudly behind me as I stepped forward. Was she still here? Was I too late? Where was she? Where was the baby ---?

"Eric?" Camille sounded startled, and I turned, seeing her step out of the baby's room, blinking. Her hair was in a half bun on the back of her head, the rest of it collapsing forward to frame that beautiful face I'd been missing. She looked tired, black rings beneath dark eyes, a baby bottle held in her hand.

"Camille." I went to her immediately, clasping her face between my hands as I kissed her. I felt her surprise as my lips met her own, as I kissed her like I would never see her again. I felt her hand curve around the back of my neck after a moment, and finally she relaxed, returning my kiss.

"Hello to you too," she said breathlessly as she finally pulled back, blinking again. "When did you get ---?"

"Back? Just now." My eyes flicked into the nursery, seeing Kai was still in his cradle. He was making gurgling sounds, just loud enough for me to hear. "I tried to hurry, I wanted to take him to daycare ---."

"He doesn't go until tomorrow, Eric," Camille almost looked amused, her arms weaving their way around my neck. "You're a day early, you know that, right?"

"I am?" Was I?

"Yes." Her eyes scanned my face, taking in the dirt smeared across my cheek, the cut. Her brows furrowed, and she finally took a step back, looking me over. "What happened? I thought the op was going to be easy."

"Nothing is ever easy when factionless are involved," I grunted, running a hand through my short hair. I needed a shower, I knew I smelled like dust and oil.  "They attacked trying to steal some supplies, but it was handled."

"You look rough."

"So do you."

She frowned at me, her hands going down to her hips. "You try handling a one month old all by yourself. He screams constantly, he just own't stop. I feel like I haven't slept in days." She groaned, looking down at the bottle in her hand. "You're not leaving again, are you?"

"I don't plan on it." I stepped away from her, just to the door of the nursery. I didn't want to track anymore dirt through the apartment, especially in the baby's room. I gazed at him, seeing his eyes were open as he looked around, and he was flexing his fingers, blowing those ridiculous spit bubbles again. "He seems fine right now."

"He should sleep any minute, I just fed him." Camille crossed her arms. "He usually naps until noon."

So he's on a routine now?

"Are you okay?" I asked after a moment, turning to look at the mother of my child. "Have you been okay ---?"

"Eric, I'm fine, just tired." She frowned at me. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, I just... missed you, I guess." I muttered, crossing my arms as I leaned back against the doorway. I was just worried about her, all the shit with Max was starting to make me paranoid. I was going to tell her about it, I didn't want her to be off guard in case something happened.

She softened a little at my words, reaching up to brush a thumb across my cheek. "You know I'm always right here, Eric. I mean, you kind of made sure I couldn't go anywhere when you made me pregnant."

"That was an accident." I turned my face, kissing her palm.

"Yeah, sure it was. You just wanted to make sure I didn't go anywhere." She teased me, and I couldn't help but smile, my tense shoulders finally relaxing.

Yeah, sure.

"I need a shower," I said after a moment. "Give me fifteen minutes?"

"Sure."

~~~~~~~~

My fingers dug into Camille's waist as I pulled her to me, my lips fighting for dominance over hers. She kissed me back hungrily, arching her smaller body into mine as I pressed her into the wall, teeth tugging at her lower lip.

I was just out of the shower, my skin was still damp, my hair clinging to my face. I only had a white towel around my waist, and already it was becoming a nuisance.

I wanted Camille, I wanted her body underneath mine. I wanted her crying out in pleasure as we fucked, her nails dragging down my back like old times.

I wanted it now.

I turned abruptly, taking her with me. Her eyes flashed open in surprise second before we were tumbling back onto the bed, my lips on her skin once more. I sucked on her throat, feeling her fingers wind their way into my hair as I made sure to leave little red marks against her skin. My hand trailed down to her thigh, curling my fingers around it as I lifted it to my hip, allowing me to slip between them.

I was impatient, I'd admit that.

It had been too long, and I wanted her.

If she told me to stop, I would. I would fling myself out the window and put an end to my misery, I couldn't stand this any longer!

I ground my hips into hers, feeling her nails rake against my scalp as I nipped at her throat. I let my hands roam to the button of her jeans, popping it open in seconds. I leaned up reluctantly, my eyes flicking to her as I tugged at the hem of them. She merely lifted her hips, allowing me to wiggle them down her thighs, the material clinging to her skin.

I tossed the bottom half of her clothing out of my way, urging her to sit up so I could take care of the top half. She hesitated a moment before lifting her arms, letting me pull her t shirt off. I figured she was probably a little self-conscious, considering she'd had a baby not too long ago. Her stomach wasn't quite as flat, her breasts had definitely gone up a cup size, but none of that mattered.

She could look like a balloon and I would still love her.

I kissed her forcefully, my tongue parting her lips and immediately demanding of hers. I ran my hands down her chest, cupping her sensitive breasts and making her moan. I gently squeezed them, feeling how fully they filled my hands now, wondering how she would react when I had them beneath my tongue.

She seemed just as eager for this as I was, her nails skimming my shoulders, fingers tugging roughly at my hair. I didn't want to hurt her, I didn't want to be too rough with her, even now I was trying not to push too much. I didn't want another kid right now, I didn't want for either of us to go through another nine months of that, so I had a condom at the ready this time.

We weren't going to fuck up like that again.

I pushed on her shoulders, forcing her back against the bedsheets as I crawled over her once more. I felt the towel fall from my hips, my cock finally free of the itchy material. I pecked at Camille's lips before I drew lower down her body, feathering her collarbone with wet kisses, moving down to the swell of her breasts.

"Eric, wait ---."

I paused instantly, my lips hovering above her skin as I looked up.

Camille looked embarrassed, and after a moment she sat up, forcing me to do so as well.

Did she not want too? It's like my heart sank into my stomach.

"Are you not up for it yet?" I asked hesitantly, lifting my hands from her body. I mean, she did just have a baby, but that was over a month ago, and I thought after so long she could start having sex again.

"I --- well, I want too," she says hastily, her hand rising to brush at my hair. "I just... I don't ---."

"It's fine," I said after a moment, lying through my teeth. My cock was already literally throbbing, ready to go, and she was telling me to stop.

Great.

"I'm sorry," She muttered after a moment, her cheeks flaring red as she looked away. "I just... I can't."

"It's alright, Camille." I reached forward, curling my fingers beneath her chin and causing her to look up. "You just had a baby, your body has to adjust. I get it."

Uh oh.

I watched as tears suddenly welled in her eyes, a miserable look overcoming her face as she curled her knees to her chest, turning away from me completely. I look at her, startled, completely unsure what I was supposed to be doing --- did I say something?

"Camille, what's ---?"

"You're never going to want me again!" She suddenly wept, her hands rising to wipe at her eyes. "I know it's been forever, and I'm so, so sorry, I just, I just ---."

She just cried.

Uh.

Well.

Hmm.

This definitely wasn't a Camille thing, she never cried.

I leaned back on my knees, at a loss for what to do. Here we were, both completely naked, in our bed, and she was curled up in the fetal position crying because she wanted to have sex but didn't want too?

Well, the mood was ruined anyway, so she didn't have to worry about it.

"Camille, baby, it's fine," I cooed, reaching hesitantly for her. She didn't shy away from me as I curled my arm around her shoulder, dragging her into the curve of my arms so I was holding her. "It's fine. We don't have to have sex right now."

"But you want too."

"I always want to fuck, that's nothing new." I brushed my fingers through her tangled black hair. "I can wait."

Or throw myself out a window.

"I'm sorry," She whispered again, snuggling back into me. "I just... I hurt."

"You hurt?" What did she mean? Was something wrong? Was she supposed to still be hurting? Should she go to the infirmary ---?

"My stupid breasts weigh as much as watermelons," she sniffled, shivering slightly in the cool air. "And they hurt, they're sore, and Kai sucks as hard you do on them."

I almost snorted at that, but bit my lip, pressing my face into her hair.

Oh.

"Well, you don't have to breastfeed forever. You're already doing the bottle thing, right?"

"Yeah." She sniffed, and I reached forward, dragging at the blankets until she was covered, letting the cool air brush at my back. "He doesn't like it though."

"Well, who would like giving up a nice pair of breasts for a bottle?" I said after a moment, nuzzling her. "I would be fussy about it too."

She just sighed.

So, I guessed sex was still off the table for me. I'd been so hopeful that when I got back, everything could return to normal. Sure, we'd had a screaming loaf in the other room, but we could still fuck, still get our frustrations out for the day.

Guess not.

Mel briefly crossed my mind, but I'd already shut that door forever. I'd told her no, shoved her off into the floor, and she'd stormed off in a tizzy. I just couldn't stomach the thought of being with anyone other than Camille, of betraying her like that. She meant too much to me, and just the thought of it made my stomach twist with guilt for something I hadn't even done.

"Your breasts look great, though," I said after a moment, trying to ignore the fact I was still hard. That would go away after a few more minutes, or I'd have to go take a shower and deal with it myself. Either way, something had to happen.

"Thanks." Camille didn't sound impressed with the compliment. "I hate this. I hate that everything is so fucked up right now."

"It's not fucked up, this is what everyone goes through."

"Well, everyone else can shove it up their ass, I don't like it." She muttered, pressing her cold nose into my neck. "I want to fuck again, and I want my breasts to stop hurting, and I want a decent nights sleep where I don't have to get up fifteen times because I'm afraid he might roll the wrong way and ---."

"Everything is going to be fine," I pressed my lips against her temple, holding her closer. "Stop panicking, he'll be grown up and we can kick him out before you know it."

"Eric!"

She was hissing at me again.

"See? You're already getting that condescending tone, everything is going back to normal." I teased, earning a pinch to my bicep and a reluctant smile.

Sure, the moment wasn't sexy anymore, and this whole after-birth baby thing really sucked, and I was so horny I was sorely tempted to really toss myself out that window and end it --- I'd fought factionless to get back here, though, and I didn't want to waste all that effort.

I'd just... deal with it.

The best I could.

Until... well, maybe I'd come home and she'd just jump my bones, that would be great. I always enjoyed surprise sex from her, especially when I didn't expect it.

Maybe waiting would make it so much better?

~~~~~~~~

"Don't forget his blanket!"

"I got it."

"And here's his extra bottles --- make sure to remind them to feed him with this, he's allergic to the other milk!"

"Uh, okay."

"And here --- he can't sleep without this dumb bear," Camille shoved the teddy bear into my arms, and I frowned, glancing down at it.

What the fuck did he need all this stuff for?

I looked down at the baby where he sat in his carrier, big blue eyes taking everything in as he looked around. He still couldn't do much, just wave his hands occasionally, but that was about it. Camille had mentioned he's starting to lift his head a bit, so I guessed that was a good sign?

Hell if I knew anything about babies.

"Camille, you're freaking out. He's just going to daycare so you can get some rest."

"I know," She bit her lower lip, staring at our son. "But what if they're mean to him?"

"That's why I'm taking him, remember?" I squeezed her shoulder with my hand. "He'll be fine."

"But will he?" She glanced up at me nervously. "What if he starts crying, and he needs me, and ---?"

"Camille, baby, he's one month old. Right now all he needs is a diaper change."

She glared at me, her hands going to her hips. "Eric, this is serious."

I rolled my eyes, setting the dumb bear in the baby carrier where Kai could hold it between his tiny fingers; he had a pacifier in, so he wasn't screaming like usual. Once we got out of here and Camille took a nap, she'd be fine; right now, she was on the warpath.

"He's only going for a few hours, he'll be fine. I'll check up on him during lunch, and I'll pick him up after work --- and no, I won't be late tonight. Max has a replacement for the armory anyway, they don't need me in there, I'm just supervising for today.  You just... go relax or something." I took both of her shoulders beneath my hands, making sure not to show cowardice and break eye contact. "See Tori, take a nap, a long bath --- whatever you want to do today."

She chewed her lower lip. "A long bath would be nice, I guess."

"Exactly. So you let me take care of little man, and you relax. And no going to the daycare to check on him either," I warned her. "You'll be breaking the rules."

"What rules?" She scoffed, pulling away from me and looking down at our curly-haired kid.

"The ones I just made about you not going to check on him. It's bad enough I have to look like a bitch with his fluffy bag," I teased, gesturing at the baby bag with all the toys and bottles peeking out of it. "I don't need you going behind me acting like I wasn't good enough to drop off a baby."

She rolled her eyes at me. "You're being an asshole."

"It's what I'm good at. Now, let's not worry about this." I brushed her hair behind her ear. "I'm taking him to daycare, you're going to nap and do whatever else you wanna do. The choosing ceremony is soon, so you're going to have a new batch of initiates to scream and take your frustration out at. I know you're excited about it."

"A little," She muttered, crossing her arms. "It'll be nice to get back out there, though. I didn't get much time with the last batch, and look how shitty Four and the others trained them; those morons can't even take apart a gun."

"You're the best trainer we have," I assured, kissing her temple as I slung the baby bag over my shoulder. "Without you, we all crumble."

"Again, being an asshole." She scowled as I slipped my arm beneath the carrier handle, lifting Kai up. He blew a bubble at me, spit rolling down his pale chin.

Intimidating.

He would show all the other newborns who's boss.

~~~~~~~

I frowned as I stepped into the small daycare center in the Pit, immediately assaulted with the scent of disgusting children and their screams. My scowl merely increased when I saw how frantic the woman inside was, trying to gather all the little Dauntless born together so she could do a roll call.

This didn't look promising.

I could run a daycare better then this bullshit.

The front room of the center was a mess, the walls a depressing, dirty yellow with some old posters clinging to them. There were toys already spread about the room, some round bean bags tossed in the corners. Cubbies were full of the kids junk, and I could see a row of knocked over books on top of it.

Huh.

I glanced at Kai, seeing him wave at me with those little curled fingers. I couldn't exactly say the kid was excited, I knew I certainly wasn't. Maybe sending him to daycare this early was premature, and we should wait.

"Oh, hello --- Eric." Someone choked as they said my name, and I turned, my expression still sour as I faced the man near me. I couldn't remember his name, but I'd seen him around; I was fairly sure he was in my initiate class, anyway.

Was he part of this ridiculous daycare?

"I'm here to drop my kid off," I muttered, twitching as a child began to scream in the background. I glanced at Kai, but he didn't seem bothered, just kept blowing little bubbles. That was apparently his favorite thing to do these days.

"Oh. Okay." The man hesitated, dressed in the casual black clothes so many wore on their day off. He was standing by a counter, covered in a chaotic mess of papers.

Was any of this organized?

"Well, what's his name? We'd heard Camille finally had the baby, so a late congratulations is in order," the man said briskly, gathering some papers together and trying to get some order. "Our normal teacher is out today, and Gabrielle is..." he looked at her in dismay, "new."

She looked ready to cry as the screaming children ran circles around her, throwing multi-colored blocks in the air, attacking each other like wild animals.

"Kai." I said after a moment, stiff; I was starting to think this was a bad idea. "Kaiden."

"Right. He's about a month, right?" The man was scribbling on a piece of paper --- did they not even have computers in here? I had a fucking fragile baby, and I was going to leave him in this chaos? He might be Dauntless, but right now he couldn't punch anyone in the face, I was going to still have to do it for him.

This wasn't going to work.

I was taking him home.

About the time I started to tell the man to go fuck off, I heard a shriek, causing both of us to turn and stare. The woman, Gabrielle, was bent over, two children roughly pulling on the long brown braids she'd had running down her shoulders.

That's enough.

This was ridiculous!

"Watch him," I snapped, suddenly sitting my son up on the counter, the man immediately grabbing the carrier with a pale face.

I turned in irritation, striding forward to where the two black haired boys were tugging the poor girl around, much to the giggles of the other children.

I was about to teach all of them a thing about respect; I wasn't their parents, so I didn't give two shits about these little fucks. The only kid I cared about was mine, and if this was the disorderly environment he was going to be exposed too, I would have this place burnt to the ground and the rebuilt under much better supervision.

I grabbed the two punks by the back of their t shirts, easily lifting them both off the ground with yelps. They both gasped as they dangled a few feet above the floor, their little arms flailing in their black sleeves, and the room grew ominously quiet as the other kids stared with wide eyes.

"That," I said, "is not way to treat your teacher."

I was tempted to shake them for effect, but I did have some restraint. The girl immediately backed away, tears in her eyes as she reached for her hair. She was just a kid, maybe graduated just last year from the initiation. She probably had no idea what to do, and she wasn't exactly garnering the respect of this hellions.

Kai wasn't going to stay here in this chaos.

"Do you know what happens to soldiers in Dauntless who disobey their superiors?" I asked, turning both the dangling children so they were looking up at me; they didn't weigh much, they were probably only six or seven, and I wondered if their parents knew what bastards they were. They should be in school soon enough, begin their regular teachings, and they couldn't go in acting like animals; we were Dauntless, we had a reputation to uphold, and this wasn't going to cut it.

Both boys eyes were wide, and they were twins from the looks of it. Their faces were turning red, so I knew the collar of their shirts were becoming uncomfortable for them.

I hated children.

I turned, tossing both children down onto the gray bean bags I saw in the corner. They sailed a few feet before crashing into the soft material, their eyes becoming the sizes of saucers.

"Those who cannot follow orders in Dauntless, do not stay in Dauntless. You keep up this behavior, you'll be turned factionless." I snapped, crossing my arms across my chest. "Is that what all of you want? To leave your families, be forced out in disgrace where you live on the street and starve?" I bark, hoping to hold all of their attention.

Ahh, blessed silence.

I glanced around, but none of the children were offering me any lip, so that was a plus. The mood I was in, I'd probably shove them all into the chasm and tell their parents just to have another one, and do better this time.

"All of you, line up," I snapped, my voice thundering through the rather small, disorderly room. "Up against the wall, tallest to shortest."

The children didn't immediately move, but when I glowered, they scrambled.

Heh.

I wished my soldiers did this, it would be much more entertaining.

I waited, watching as the kids muttered and shoved at each other, trying to find the right place in line. I made my way back to the counter where the man and the crying girl stood, the man still clutching Kai's carrier.

"You have to remind them they're soldiers to be, you can't let them run around like that," I said casually as I leaned against the counter, seeing the paperwork I needed to fill out. "Is it always like this?"

"N-not when Margaret is here." The man stuttered, flushing a deep red. "She handles them much better then us. We're still in training."

He is?

Well, whatever. From the looks of him, he should already know his place.

"I'm not going to leave my son somewhere that I'm not sure of his safety," I said, my hand going to the carrier. "If you can't control this pack of rats, you shouldn't be here. You either instill fear or respect from them, there is no in between."

"They're little devils," the girl finally muttered, a dark scowl on her face as she brushed her hair over her shoulders. "They should all be shot."

"Gabrielle!" The man hissed, immediately sending me an apologetic look; ah, she must not know who I was. She had no idea that I was in leadership, that I was the right hand to Max --- of course I would be bringing this to his attention as well.

"Are there just two of you taking care of all these children?"

"Other volunteers come in later throughout the day. The children are always rambunctious in the mornings." The man explained.

I glanced over, narrowing my eyes as I saw the two boys shoving at each other, trying to knock the other out of line.

"Knock it off!" I snarled, and immediately they both went still, shoulders tensing. I glanced at Kai, reaching forward to shuffle his blanket a little higher on him, feeling his little hand wrap around my finger when I got close enough. Camille must yell a lot around him, because he certainly wasn't phased.

"Can you handle them and my kid too?" I asked, completely serious as I looked between the two of them. "If I come back and even one hair is out of place ---."

"Your son will be perfectly safe with us, I assure you, Eric," the man burst hastily, waving his hands in a placating manner. "Everything is fine here! We're just --- understaffed."

Ahuh.

"I'll be back at lunch to check on him." I said, gently tugging my finger out of his grip. His brows furrowed, but he didn't immediately begin screaming. "I assume this place will be in much better working order by then."

Or else.

I didn't say it, but it was out there, and the man was muttering apologies and affirmations at me as I finished filling out the paperwork for Kai.

I hoped this wasn't a mistake.

[writingismyhappytime]

Dauntless: Daddy Dearest (Part 5)

Eric x OC

Warnings: Language, parenting angst

A/N: I think the panicked expressions on Eric’s face are incredibly accurate for this series lol also, if you want to be tagged in any dauntless updates, let me know! I don’t always post consecutively, sometimes there might be a few weeks in between chapters, and I don’t want anyone to miss out! Don’t forget to check the masterlist for the rest of my Dauntless, and where all parts of this series are tagged.

   I leaned over the crib, watching the infant sleeping in his blue blankets. Camille had him wrapped up like a burrito, still wearing his little blue hat, his face scrunched in his sleep. It was late, I'd just gotten in, but I'd wanted to check on him before I went to bed.

It felt... weird.

Really, my day wasn't any different --- I left early, came back late, the same time every day. Now instead of just Camille greeting me with a nasty look or a sweet kiss, there's also screaming.

So, not too different.

The baby didn't stir much, just moved his mouth occasionally, made some baby sounds. At that moment, my kid was just a screaming, pooping bundle. He's only a week old, so I guessed it would be a while before he had any personality, did anything other then lay there.

I sighed as I straightened, seeing a few strands of dark hair against his forehead, curling upwards against the hat. His hair looked black like Camille's, but I was kind of hoping he kept my blue eyes; someone had said baby's eyes change colors after they get so old, but I hoped his didn't.

Kai.

I'm a little surprised Camille so readily accepted the name, maybe she was just glad I picked something. We'd been fighting over that the last few months longer then we had anything else. I was just glad all that stress was over.

I stepped away from the crib, silently leaving the room and leaving the door only cracked. I hesitantly popped my head into the bedroom, seeing Camille was safely tucked beneath the covers, sleeping soundly. I felt bad about leaving her with the baby all day, but one of us had to be out there working.

New initiates would be coming in soon, maybe another month, and by then Kai should be old enough to go to the daycare in the Pit. I'd take him there myself every day if I had to, if it made Camille feel better about leaving him. I guessed it was a mother thing, being so attached to the thing she carried for nine months.

I shut the door, grimacing. I'd let her sleep, I'd hear the baby if he started wailing.

So far, there'd been a few congratulations for the baby, a snarky message from Melanie, and Max had clapped me awkwardly on the back before moving on. Tori had been over to see it, Camille said, and Zeke.

It's weird.

I felt like everything had shifted, that now that I had a kid, I... well, I was stupid as fuck. I shouldn't be worried about the fact having a kid would fuck up my reputation, but I was. Melanie was right, anyway, turning down leading the op was seriously going to fuck me over, and I knew she kept hoping I'd change my mind any minute now and take it, leave Camille and the baby to their own devices.

It was tempting.

I sat down on the couch, leaning forward to unlace my boots. I needed to get back out there, remind everyone that I wasn't going to take their shit, that having that kid in my life wasn't going to make me soft. It seemed stupid, even to me, but that's still how I felt. I knew Camille still wasn't feeling well, she was ill and pretty bitchy right now, but she was trapped in the apartment all day with the kid.

She needed some time off.

Hell, maybe I could send her to lead the op --- that would give her something to do and... no, I didn't want to be left alone with the baby. I'd only held it a few times, mostly when Camille begged me too because she was exhausted. It's been a week and I doubted she'd gotten eight hours of sleep yet.

The thing cried all the time!

I leaned up, running a hand along my stubbled jaw. I hadn't had time to shave in days, everything seemed so out of sorts lately. I hadn't felt the need to jump ship and run off yet, so I guessed that was a good sign.

Still, the thought of raising that kid --- I didn't want it to turn out like me. What if it turned out to be a big wimp though, defected to another faction?

Worse, what if it ended up becoming factionless? No kid of mine was gonna end up like one of those pathetic wastes of space! Hell, I didn't even want their to be factionless by the time he was old enough to choose!

Of course, he'd pick Dauntless, I'd make sure he grew up to be tough and a badass like me and his mother. We'd teach him all the tricks, show him the ropes --- he'd end up in leadership like us. He'd be the top of his class, I wouldn't accept any less!

No son of mine was going to end up a disgrace.

I'd chosen a strong name for him, now he better live up to it.

As if on cue, I heard him start to cry, at the top of his lungs just like every night.

Great.

I grimaced as I pushed to my feet, leaving my boots by the coffee table and hastily heading for the nursery. I nudged the door open, shutting it behind me so his cries wouldn't carry to Camille.

"Hey, kid," I muttered, stepping to his crib. "You hungry or somethin'?"

The baby's eyes opened for a few seconds at my voice before closing again, his face scrunching up as he let out another toothless scream. I sighed as I reached down, gingerly lifting the bundle into my arms, supporting his head like Camille showed me.

Where the fuck did she keep his milk, anyway? In the kitchen? I hoped it was already in the bottles and I could just shove it in the microwave or something.

It took me about five minutes longer then necessary to figure it out, especially with him wailing in my arms like he was dying. I ground my teeth together as I finally finagled the bottle into my hand, dripping the milk a few times on my arm to check the temperature like I'd seen Camille do.

Barely warm, that's how it's supposed to be right? I eyeballed the bottle a moment, hoped it was right, and popped the rubber thing between the kid's gums.

Almost immediately he began sucking on it, and I sighed in relief, my ears still ringing. Jeez, the kid had a set of lungs on him!

I gingerly sat back down, feeling awkward as I held the bottle up, his little arms too weak to do it yet. Feeding a baby definitely wasn't giving me any intimidation points, although at least it finally made him shut up.

I leaned my head back against the couch, staring up at the ceiling. The kid was so small in my arms, smelling like powder and detergent, warm. I could hear him eating, and I was relieved he didn't wake Camille up --- she needed her rest.

Fuck, I needed some rest and I wasn't even taking care of him!

I rolled my neck, hearing my joints crack before looking down at my son. Seemed strange thinking that.

His eyes opened for a moment again, still that same bright blue as mine before drifting back shut. It would be a bit before he could keep them open, before he could be out of the serious straight jacket his mother kept him in. She also kept weird little socks on his hands so he wouldn't scratch himself, and I didn't see how he didn't get too warm.

I frowned, pressing the tips of my fingers against his small forehead, but he felt fine. Not too hot, just the right temperature.

Oh, and he's done.

I tugged the bottle out of his lips, seeing him smack them a little bit; he'd about drunk the whole thing, hungry kid. I shuffled, leaning him up a little, hoping I didn't need to do the whole burping thing; I was afraid I'd tap him on the back too hard, I'd break one of his little bones --- I was terrified of injuring my own kid.

I liked Camille doing all that.

When he didn't immediately begin wailing, or throw up all over me, I took it as a good sign. He'd already ruined one of my t shirts, causing Camille to just laugh at me, as if she wasn't even phased.

Probably wasn't.

"Alright, kiddo, let's get you back to bed so I can get some sleep," I muttered, his eyes scrunching as my thumb ran along his soft cheek. My hands felt gawky, too big and cumbersome when I was touching him. I knew my skin was rough, scars decorated my hands, but I hoped it didn't bother him. "Why don't you sleep for the rest of the night, give mama a break, huh?"

I shuffled, reluctantly getting to my feet again, still muttering to him as I headed for the nursery.

"You gotta grow up, be a badass like we are," I said, tugging some of his blankets around in the crib, making sure they were sort of bunched on either side of him so he couldn't roll around and smother himself. Camille had given me a full ranting rundown all of the bad things that could happen to our kid if I didn't do everything right. "Get big and tough and kick the shit out of your peers. Show them that being my kid is a major advantage."

I gently laid him back into the crib, leaning on the railing for a few minutes. I wanted to make sure he was breathing okay, that I didn't still need to burp him or something.

"I don't know if you're gonna have any brothers or sisters, so you have a lot to live up too." I mumbled, propping my chin on my hand. "You're carrying on a pretty prestigious name, you know that?

"Mama is always gonna be here for you when I can't, but I'm gonna teach you everything I can when I am around. You're gonna be the best fighter, the best soldier Dauntless has ever seen. And when I'm leading this faction, you'll never have to worry about anything."

I gazed down at him, seeing he was already asleep, blowing little spit bubbles. I refused to acknowledge I found it sort of cute, and I hastily turned away. If he was conked out, it meant I could get a shower and crawl into bed before one a.m. tonight.

Nice.

~~~~~~

"I can't believe he slept all night," Camille mumbled as she stood in front of the coffee pot, still half asleep. "That's a first."

Ahuh.

"He didn't." I muttered, leaning down to lace my boots, my fingers fumbling with the black laces. "I got him."

"You did?" Camille sent me a surprised look over her shoulder, her eyes not looking quite as tired this morning.

"Yeah. You needed some rest," I stood, stretching my arms over my head. "He only cried twice, don't worry. I fed him and figured out the diaper thing."

After four tries.

Not that I was going to tell her that.

"You didn't have to do that, you're going to be exhausted," she sighed, slowly pouring a cup of coffee before offering it to me. "I'm home all day, I can take care of him."

"I don't mind," I pressed a kiss to her temple as I took the cup. "You're exhausted. Maybe putting him in daycare a little early wouldn't be a bad idea, give you a break some days."

"No," Camille shook her head instantly, looking disgruntled. "I don't want to out him in until we have too."

"Are you still worried someone will be mean to him?" I sipped my coffee, barely noticing the harsh burn. I gazed at her, seeing the troubled look on her face.

"Yes and no." She eventually said, turning away from me to pour her own coffee into a glass cup. "I just... I dunno, I'm not ready to let someone else take care of him yet. I mean, what if they don't feed him or forget him somewhere? What if ---?"

"Camille, he's barely a week old. Don't panic yet," I hooked my finger beneath her chin, tilting her head up. "You have plenty of time to spend with him."

"Only sixteen years," she corrected me, soft lips almost pouting. "What if he chooses another faction and leaves us? What if ---?"

"Too many what ifs this morning," I shook my head at her, pressing a quick kiss against her lips before stepping away, noticing the time. "Don't worry about any of that. He'll be the toughest soldier Dauntless has ever seen, he'll be running this faction by the time he's ten."

"That's some high expectations," she looked amused.

"He's my son, he has a lot to live up too," I shrugged my shoulders. "Now I gotta go. You gonna be good?"

"More or less, I've survived worse then a screaming baby."

I chuckled, seeing her hands on her hips as I strode for the door. "I'll see you tonight."

"Alright."

~~~~~~

"Is she fucking up already?" I asked in annoyance, standing across the table from Max; he'd summoned me up here a few minutes ago, apparently something important was going down.

"Erudite is less then pleased with her progress," Max responded in displeasure, pressing his hands against the table, a map of a city drawn into its top. "Her control over the movement of the factionless and the soldiers is less then acceptable."

"So she has no idea what she's doing." I ran my hands down my face, irritated. Couldn't Melanie do one goddamn thing right? I had enough on my plate to deal with her bullshit too! "She's fucking everything up."

"Essentially. She's managed to move most of the factionless out of the warehouses we need with few casualties, but production has seemed to stop at that point. She cleared these two buildings," he motioned at the map on the table before him, showing me the areas. "But the third is still crawling with them. If they're not gone by the end of the week, we'll be behind schedule."

"Why not just blow the place sky high?"

"It would draw too much attention."

Of course it would.

I rubbed at my scruffy jaw, in serious need of a shave. Maybe tonight I'd have time, if the baby didn't start screaming and Camille start crying because her nerves were frayed. I didn't mind getting up every now and then to soothe him, but I couldn't every night and work too.

"She needs to send in some units to clear it, have them armored and with enough weapons and ammo it's not a problem," I said after a moment. "Go through all the exits but one, leave the factionless with only one escape route so they funnel out into this abandoned part of the city with the rest of them." I drew my finger along the map. "Shouldn't take more then a few hours. Even she's capable of that."

"I wouldn't hold my breath," Max grumbled, and I glanced up at him; he wasn't one to bad mouth one of his soldiers, even lightly; she must seriously be getting under his skin with her fuck ups.

"Just send the order and she'll follow."

"I don't want to send another order, I want to send someone more capable." He shook his head, and I tensed at his words.

I ---.

"Eric, you need to lead this operation before it crumbles through our fingers," he finally said out right, dark eyes on mine. "I'm sending you to replace Melanie, there is no other choice."

Eh!

"I can't ---." I started instantly, curling my fingers into fists. "Camille ---."

"Camille is safe within the compound, her and your child. I need you to stop focusing on them, and focus on your duty to Dauntless." I straightened at the insulting words; did he really think I wasn't taking this seriously? "You need to lead this op to completion, or I'm going to find someone who can follow my orders to a T."

I narrowed my eyes at the hardly veiled threat. He wanted to replace me, did he? He thought he could find some other fucker to do the dirty work and not feel bad about it?

He'd fail, and we both knew it. I was going to call his bluff, I wanted too, especially to remind him how much he needed me.

However...

This might be a good opportunity for me.

"I'll lead the operation," I said thoughtfully, Max starting to smirk. "But not outright. I'll go for a few weeks, I'll train Melanie to get her head out of her ass, and I'll come back. If I think she's going to be shit at it, I'll say so, and we'll make something work. I'm not going to leave for three months at a time, I've got too much shit to handle now."

As I spoke, Max's face steadily soured, until he looked ready to shoot me outright. He ground his teeth as he looked at me, but I merely crossed my arms.

I wasn't changing my mind.

"Three weeks is what I'm giving you." I said flatly. "That's it."

In three weeks, Kai would be a month old, old enough for daycare. I wanted to take him on his first day, and I'd walk back to the compound if I had too. I wanted to make Camille feel better about being separated from him, and me taking him is the only thing I knew to do to set precedence.

You fuck with my baby, I'll kill you.

Pretty easy to remember.

"Fine. Only, however, the factionless are gone by the end of the week." Max said after a moment, deciding not to argue with me.

I smirked. "Done."

~~~~

"Three weeks?" Camille nearly shrieked at me, and I winced as the baby immediately began to scream in her arms.

"Oh! I'm sorry, baby, Mommy's sorry," she sighed immediately, starting to bounce and rock him slightly. She glowered at me over the top of his curly black hair. "Eric!"

"It's Max's orders!" I shrugged my shoulders, watching her grit her teeth as she tries to quiet Kai. "I don't have a choice. Melanie is fucking the op up pretty bad for Erudite and it's becoming a problem. I should never have agreed to let her go." I sighed.

"But --- Eric! You're going to leave me here all by myself with this thing!" Camille gasped, looking ready to cry herself; I could hardly hear what she was saying over the kid, I was having to read her lips. It was just a constant barrage of high pitched screams.

"You're more then capable, and it's only for a few weeks." I said gently, offering my arms. Maybe if I held him she wouldn't have a mental break down on me. She handed me the baby readily, and I cradled him in my arms, running my fingers across his snarled nose. "You're alone with him all day."

"Yeah, but you always come home at night," she sat down on the sofa, running her fingers through tangled black hair. "You give me a break."

"Not all the time. Camille, you can do this. We're soldiers, we can handle anything," I said, holding Kai up against my shoulder, letting him wail into my ear; I didn't need to be able to hear anyway. "He's sleeping better now, right?"

"No." She stressed the word, dark circles still beneath her eyes. "Eric, you can't leave me here by myself. I can't do this."

I knew it was coming.

"Baby," I sighed, shuffling Kai a little against my shoulder, relieved he was finally starting to hiccup instead of scream. I stepped to Camille, sitting down on the coffee table in front of her. "I have to do this, Max isn't giving me a choice. This is big for us and Erudite building trust, and Melanie is blowing all of it up. I love you." I reached forward, taking her hand and squeezing tightly. "I'll be back in three weeks to drop Kai off at daycare if I have to walk the distance myself."

Camille gazed at me with those dark eyes, and finally she nodded, frowning. "Max is the leader."

"Yeah, for the time being." I glanced down at the baby, grimacing as I saw the spit on my shirt. "I'll take control one day and it won't be like this."

Camille snorted, shaking her head. "You really think you'll get Dauntless one day?"

"I'll got you, didn't I?" I arched a brow at her. "I convinced you to fall in love with me and have my child, the hard part is already over."

She almost smiled at me.

"You're so fucking dumb." She finally muttered, but leaned forward to kiss me lightly; her kisses are basically the only affection I've had since she started ballooning outward, and I missed it. I missed the sex like crazy, I'd never gone so long without it before, and I missed her giggles, those coy looks she'd send over her shoulder at me.

The moment she'd gotten that baby bump, all of that stopped.

I was still going through withdrawals.

I wanted --- needed --- it now that I had it.

Being trapped with Mel for three weeks was going to be torture. I wouldn't be getting sweet kisses or halfway smiles, I'd get... Mel.

I wasn't looking forward to it.

Tags: @jcause.    @elaacreditava.       @riegan.   @deathbyamonster @pathybo@buried-in-books @maquet-lambb.  @jojuarez26. @ljvosscmt    @beltz2016 @magellan-88     @kenzieam    @tigpooh67   @rred87

[writingismyhappytime]

Dauntless: Camille and Eric

Eric x OC

Warnings: Language, fluff

Camille giggled as she leaned back into my chest, my arms wrapped tightly around her as I held her. I leaned my back against the brick building, watching the sun start to disappear over the city skyline. It was a splash of bright oranges and reds, yellow mixing in. It was beautiful, just like the woman I held in my arms.

“I’m glad we’re doing this,” Camille said after a moment, her black hair tickling my nose. “Just us, spending some time together.”

“I know. It’s been a while.” I murmured. We’d both been busy in leadership, new initiates, just life in general. I didn’t like putting my personal business out there, so I didn’t see Camille much throughout the day. People knew we were together, but I didn’t flaunt it.

I missed her, though.

I pressed my lips against her hair, inhaling the scent of her perfume. We watched the sun go down, the sky darken, the stars start to come out. You couldn’t see them too well, not with the faint lights of the city, but they were still there.

“What do you think is out there, Eric?” Camille murmured after a moment, her hands covering mine where they rest against her flat stomach. “Over the wall? do you really think it’s just nothing?”

“I don’t know.” I frowned at the thought. “Maybe people are out there, maybe not. Hard to believe we’re all that’s left.”

“Yeah,” she pursed her soft lips, then tilted her head back to smile up at me. I returned it, feeling myself relax at the warm look in her dark eyes. I raised a hand, trailing my fingers down her red cheek before dipping my lips to kiss her.

This woman means the world to me, I’d do anything for her. Spending time like this with her, just us without any distractions --- I couldn’t ask for a more perfect moment.

I couldn’t ask for a more perfect person to spend the rest of my life with.

[writingismyhappytime]

Dauntless: Daddy Dearest (Part 3)

Eric x OC

Warnings: Language, Fluff, Angst, Parenthood

"Goddammit, Camille! I can't keep doing this!"

"Well, you're gonna fucking have too!"

"I have no fucking clue how this goes together!"

"Figure it out!" Camille hissed, perched on the edge of the chair in the living room. I scowled at her from the floor, some baby trap in front of me in pieces. Why the fuck didn't they give these things to us already built?

"These directions make no fucking sense."

"Oh, give them here," She held her hand out, and I slapped the paper into it in irritation. If she thought she could do better, she could have it! I'd been trying to put this crib together for an hour, and so far it had three legs attached to some bars. None of that shit made any sense.

Her face pinched as she looked at it, hunching her shoulders a little. She pursed her lips, which immediately told me she had no clue either. I sighed, knowing that face meant she had no clue either. I leaned back into the chair, defeated by a baby crib.

"Wouldn't it be fine in a box?"

She swatted my head. "It's not an animal, Eric."

"Yeah, but seriously, wouldn't a box be fine for the beginning?"

"Eric!"

"Well, I can't get this thing together! I'm a soldier, not a handyman." I grouched, tilting my head back to look at her. "Can't you get one of these already put together?"

"Apparently not. This is what we got, so we're going to have to figure it out."

"They fucking gave this to us to make fun of us, I swear." I grumbled. "They knew we couldn't do this shit. Someone else is going to have too."

"And who else do we have?" Camille sighed, letting the instructions lower to her lap. Her dark eyes find mine, her shoulders slumping a little. "Eric, we don't have anyone else."

"No, I don't have anyone else. People actually like you." I corrected her, giving her knee a swift kiss where it's by my face. "What about Zeke? Or Tori?"

"You want me to get Zeke to do this?" She arched a brow down at me. "You hate him."

"He's a good soldier, he might be useful."

"Are you going to tell me to call on Four next?" She snorted, but straightened a little. "Although I'm sure he could do it."

"You are not calling Four," I snapped, sitting back up. "He couldn't do this."

"Why? Because you can't?"

"Oh, I can do it," I defended myself. "It's just... difficult. Killing people is easier then this."

Honestly, it was. I could kill someone ten times by the time I got this thing together.

Camille just shook her head at me, handing me the instructions and leaning back in her chair. Her hand was against her stomach, and she looked exhausted. I didn't think she's been sleeping, the kid has been pretty active lately. Lots of kicking, making her pee, he's on her bladder or something, I didn't know.

She's tired, that's all I got. So tired, in fact, she spent a lot more time napping then screaming at me, so it's not all bad.

I looked down at the paper in my hands. Scars decorate my palms and fingers, from knife wounds to climbing, from training accidents to me just punching the shit out of people. These hands weren't equipped to handle something small and fragile, and my stomach knots painfully at the thought of it.

I didn't want that baby to come yet.

I was... terrified.

I wasn't a good person, not a good role model. I killed people, murdered them, followed orders. I was a fantastic soldier, but not a people person. I was the epitome of what Dauntless should be, but not how a person should.

I tighten my grip on the paper, watching it tear a little.

Just a little pressure, and something like this could be ruined. I was barely pulling, and yet it wanted to tear --- how could I even think I could hold a baby?

I would hurt it.

I felt sick just at the thought of it.

"Eric, don't mess up the paper," I heard Camille grouch, her fingers brushing through my hair. "We'll lose half of it and be really fucked then."

I let go of it, letting it flutter to the ground. She stroked her fingers against my scalp, and I felt myself relax slightly. I loved her, she could handle me being rough, she could handle me at my worst, and she has. Camille was tough enough to control me and deal with me, keep me grounded before I got out of hand.

I knew what I was, I knew what I could do.

That baby, that kid... it's not gonna know. What's it going to think when it gets big, and it learns what a monster it's father is? It's not going to like me, look at me with unconditional love. It's going to look at me the way everyone else, with a mix of fear and trepidation.

I couldn't be a father.

"Eric."

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

"What? Yeah, I'm fine," I glanced back at her, seeing Camille was gazing at me, her brows furrowing.

"Don't bullshit me, something's wrong. You're being all... stoic."

"Stoic is my middle name," I responded lightly, kissing her wrist. "And you shouldn't be worrying about me. You're the one having a baby in a month."

A month.

That's all the time I have left.

All the time I have to be free.

She's eight months, and I knew it could come even earlier then that. What if the doctor got the dates fucked up, or the baby decided to come early? What was I gonna do? What if something goes wrong and I lose Camille?

I wanted her more than I wanted anything else.

She's the only reason I haven't lost myself, or that's the way I feel sometimes. The track I was heading down, being Max's henchman, it wasn't a good one. Still isn't. Camille was the only bright light in all that darkness, the only person who made me realize there's more to life than just what I want.

Her being happy, me being able to do things that make her smile, it means more to me now then even being the leader of Dauntless would. Making her happy makes me feel good, it makes me feel. I wasn't numb inside, I wasn't a --- around her, everything was just better.

I didn't want to lose that.

I let my eyes trail down to her stomach, seeing her hand pressing against it.

That kid might ruin all that.

I get I'm panicking, that I'm being a little over dramatic about it --- if I confessed any of this to my girlfriend, that's what she'd tell me. She'd say I have nothing to worry about, I'll be a great father, blah blah blah.

She's too optimistic for her own good.

I'll ruin that kid.

"Oh," Camille suddenly straightened with a hiss, and I jumped, twisting to look at her. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, a pained look on her face.

"Camille?" I demanded, scrambling to my knees. "Baby, what's wrong?"

She didn't immediately answer, holding her breath. I reached out, my hand closing nervously over hers where it clenched against the chair arm. She let her breath go slowly, her fingers slipping through mine.

"Camille?" Did I sound as anxious as I felt?

"Sorry, it's... nothing." She muttered, looking a little pale. "He just kicked really hard."

"Oh." I relaxed a little. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. He must just have your temperament," She joked lightly. "Already pitching fits and not even born."

I snorted, reaching forward to run my fingers down her cheek. "Are you sure you're alright? Do I need to get you to the infirmary?"

"No," she shook her head quickly. "No need to parade my fat ass" through the compound just yet, Eric. He just kicked hard, I'm not about to burst."

I flushed a little.

"You're just... not far along enough yet, I don't want anything bad to happen." I mumbled, getting to my feet.

"I worry enough for the both of us, Eric." She squeezed my hand. "Don't get yourself worked up."

"I'm not worked up."

"Do you think I haven't noticed that you're freaking the fuck out?" She asked me after a moment, as if she couldn't hold the words in any longer. She looked up at me, frowning. "You're having mental breakdowns on the inside, I can tell."

Huh.

I frowned at her. Maybe she knew me better then I thought she did.

"Everything is going to be fine, seriously." She told me, shifting a little, wincing. "This thing is going to come out and it's going to be fine."

"Are you reassuring me or yourself?"

"Maybe a little of both?" She shrugged her shoulders, pausing. "Eric?"

"What?"

"Can you... help me up?" Her cheeks flushed, and she looked away, embarrassed. "I can't... lift."

I snorted, trying not to chuckle as I reached down, gently helping her up. She only gained maybe an extra twenty pounds, if even that.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just going to go lie down for a bit. Slugger is seriously being an asshole right now."

"Slugger?"

"What? Don't like that name either?" She rolled her eyes at me. "We still need to pick one."

"I'll pick one when I know what it is."

She scowled. "Eric, we need to name it beforehand, so we're prepped!"

"If we knew the sex of it, we'd be prepped." I huffed, not giving in. I wasn't going to pick a name, no matter how much she screamed at me. She didn't know what the baby was gender wise, and she wanted to be surprised. Me, I'd rather know already.

Plus, if we gave it a name, that would make it even more real then it is.

"Go lie down," I waved her away, turning to look down at the mess of wood and screws in front of me. "I'll put this bullshit thing together. But, if it doesn't work out ---."

"No box, Eric. It's not a puppy."

"I'm just saying ---."

"I'm saying go fuck yourself if you think putting a baby in a box is a good idea," I heard her call, already in the bedroom.

My lips quirked.

Always had to put me in my place.

~~~~~~

"So, not much longer now, huh?" Melanie nudged me with a grin on her lips, cutting her eyes up at me from the table. "Camille looks ready to pop that thing out any day now."

"She's got another month," I muttered, ignoring her as I checked all the guns. Melanie's good at knowing stock, taking a gun apart and putting it back together, and shooting it. What she's not good at is everything else. Max wanted me to brief her, make sure she could handle the op she was leaving for in a few days.

"Yeah, but you know how that works. Just because it's a month, doesn't mean it can't be any day instead." She said lightly, and I sent her a vile look.

I didn't want to hear shit like that.

"Oh, don't look at me like you're going to kill me. I'm surprised you're even sticking around." She rolled her eyes, leaning her hip against the counter where the guns laid in front of us, cleaned and ready to go. I cut my eyes at her.

Melanie could be pretty, if she tried. Her blonde hair was in dreads down her back, and she kept her black eyes painted. The silver hoop dangled out of her nose, and she was covered in swirling tattoos. She was a frightening woman to look at, and pretty formidable in her own right. Usually she had some kind of bruise where she'd been fighting.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I looked at her in annoyance.

"You're not the daddy type, Eric."

I knew that.

I looked away from her, down at the gun I was checking.

"How long are you going to play house with Camille before it gets boring for you? You're not going to get any sleep with that thing there."

"That thing is my kid."

"Unfortunate for it."

"Is there a problem?" I snapped, finally turning to face her. "What's the fucking issue, Mel?  Why all the bitching?"

"I don't have a problem, Eric. I just don't get what game you're playing. You don't even like kids," Melanie faced off with me, still holding a black magazine in her hand, the gun resting against the table. "I get knocking her up was an accident, but you should have had that taken care of. It's cruel, even for you, to give her hope when you're just going to leave her."

"The fuck kind of person do you think I am?" I snarled, my temper flaring. How fucking dare she think I'd up and leave my girlfriend like that!

"One exactly like me!" She snapped, glaring up at me. "You're not father material, Eric. You never should have gotten involved with her past the point of fucking. People like us don't get families, we don't keep them. You're fucking yourself over playing house, and you know it. This should be your operation; this should be what catapults you into the good graces of Erudite."

"You act like I give a shit about any of that."

"Oh, I know you do. You think you're a badass, Eric, and you are. But right now, pretending you can start a family and be happy --- well, you're messing yourself up. Why do you think Max doesn't have anyone, huh? Because he's the leader --- leaders don't get distracted with personal matters." She said tightly, and every word hit me harder and harder. I knew she's right, but I didn't want to believe her.

Having a kid was a mistake, pretending that I could be a parent was a mistake --- letting Camille think all of it would work out was a mistake.

"I'm not going to leave Camille," I muttered, glaring at her. "Not now, and not ever."

"I know you think you love her, Eric, but we don't know how too." Melanie's voice gentled, and she reached out, her cold fingers brushing against my cheek. "We do the dirty work, we do the bad things everyone pretends doesn't happen. People like us don't have happy endings."

I stared at her uneasily. My stomach was in knots again, just like it always was lately.  She was right, but I wasn't going to tell her that.

"I hate you got yourself into this mess," Melanie sighed, her hand dropping from my cheek. "You always find a way out, though."

"I don't want a way out."

"You will." She gazed at me, and it's that look in her eye --- it's the same as mine. She knew I understood what she was saying, I'd given the speech before myself. Still, everything was so different now --- I didn't want to give it up.

I never used to be so conflicted about anything, either.

"You know you always have somewhere to go," she added, my eyes finding hers. "When that finally gets to be too much, you have somewhere to go."

"It's my apartment."

"No, you gave up your apartment, Eric. That's both of yours. You'll have to leave, not Camille, not with that kid."

I glared at her. "I never asked for your opinion, Mel, and I don't fucking want it."

"I didn't ask a lot of things from you, Eric, and yet I still had to deal with them." She retorted, just as harshly. "I'm doing this op for you, understand? You better fucking appreciate it, because I like my job in the armory, and this better not fuck me up. As soon as that kid is born, you get your ass straight and take this op, got it?" Her finger jabbed deep into my chest. "Otherwise you'll never advance again. You keep turning down jobs, and you'll stop getting them."

Yeah, yeah.

I batted her hand away, scowling.

Whatever.

~~~~~~~

"Eric?"

I opened my eyes, hearing Camille's soft voice. It's late, we went to bed hours ago, but I couldn't sleep. I'd been laying there, listening to her restless shifts, unable to doze at all. Melanie's words kept running through my head, every single one of them right... which was what made it so bad.

I love Camille, and I've never loved anyone else before. She made me happy, she made me feel warm and she made me laugh. She gave me unconditional kisses, words of confidence... she loved me, no strings attached.

But she didn't deserve me.

"Are you awake?"

"Yeah." I gave it a moment before I shifted, rolling over to look a her. It's dark, but my eyes adjusted hours ago.

Camille was staring up at the ceiling, biting her lip before rolling her head to look at me.

"What is it?" I ask, propping myself up on my arm. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, I can't sleep." She muttered, looking a little guilty. "I didn't want to wake you, but ---."

"I wasn't sleeping either," I shook my head, watching as she forced herself to sit up, her hand immediately going to her stomach. She shuffled until she was leaning against the headboard, sighing.

"Is it kicking again?" I asked after a moment, and she nodded.

"Yeah. He won't stop tonight."

"He must be restless," I sat up, shifting until I was beside her. I slipped my arm around her shoulder, pulling her to my side. She pressed her face into my neck, cold hands curling against my bare chest.

"I guess." She mumbled, curling into me. I let my fingers stroke through her hair, pressing my lips against her temple. The kid was moving around a lot, which I guessed was a good sign, but it made Camille uncomfortable. She had a small frame anyway, so it doesn't have a lot of space to move around.

Her shoulders tense, and I watch as her hand pressed harder against her stomach, as if willing the baby to stop moving.

"He always does this when I try to sleep," she said after a moment, her voice tight. "I hate being pregnant."

"You don't have much longer left," I said after a moment, swallowing down the ball in my throat. Those words were awful on my tongue, sour tasting. I wanted Camille to never have that kid, but I also didn't want her to be in pain, either. The faster it was out, the better, right?

Right...

"That's not soon enough," She sighed, her breath hot against my skin. "I wish he wouldn't kick so much."

"Don't worry, we won't mess up again. No more kids."

"And here I thought you wanted twelve."

"I don't think I could handle eleven more of you." I teased, feeling her smile slightly. She looked down at her stomach, hidden beneath one of my shirts, I noticed. I guess it was easier for her to wear my clothes to bed now then hers, though.

"What do you think it is? Boy or girl?"

"Why don't we just ask the doctor and find out?"

"Eric."

Fine. "I dunno."

She frowned. "I don't care what it is. Just as long as it doesn't have three heads or something."

"Doc says it's fine, don't worry about it."

"Doctors are fucking dumb, Eric."

"I never said they weren't."

She flinched, and I tightened my hold around her shoulders. I reached over, placing my hand on top of hers where it's clenched against her stomach, wishing I could do something to help her. I couldn't give her alcohol, although I could use some, and I wasn't about to let her have any drugs, either.

"It's alright," I murmured, kissing her nose. "He's just eager to meet his mother. Thinks she sounds hot as hell."

"Eric!" Camille pinched me. "Come on!"

"Well, I think she's hot as hell," I chuckled, kissing along her cheek, hoping to distract her. "With her high cheekbones, her soft skin," I moved across her jaw, making my way back to her lips, "these soft, plump lips that I love around my c---."

"ERIC."

I laughed, slipping my fingers under her chin and tilting her head up so I could kiss her properly. She sighed beneath my lips, kissing me back. I kept it gentle, lazy almost, because I knew nothing could come of it.

We hadn't had sex in months, I'd gone through withdrawals to a point I'd almost considered helping myself. I knew she wasn't up for it, she never felt good, plus moving around proved to be an issue for her. I was afraid I'd get too rough with her, that I'd hurt her instead of making her feel good, anyway.

I let my hand cup her jaw, feeling her lean into my touch.  I nibble along her lips, my hand slipping around to cradle the back of her head. She's warm, just like always, and so soft. Her fingers curl around my neck, and I sighed, feeling her lips part as my tongue ran along them. She never denied me, she was always... perfect.

She groaned against my lips finally, pulling away.

"Fuck, I wish I wasn't pregnant. I miss fucking you."

I snorted, caught off guard. "Here I thought I was going to be celibate for years."

She grinned at me, letting her chin rest on my shoulder as she gazed at me with so much warmth.

"Not forever, Eric. I like sex too much. Just..." She hesitated, looking down at herself. "I'm not very attractive right now, the size of a barrel. It's horrible."

"You're always attractive, Camille." I corrected her, tilting her face back up with my fingers. "I don't care if you're the size of a water tower. I love you, and your bump, and if you're really up for it I'll just turn you around and not even notice."

"Eric!" She smacked my chest, scowling at me as I laughed, giving her a crooked grin. I couldn't help myself, teasing her always made my day.

"You're such a jerk," she grumbled, but I could see her smiling, even in the dark as she snuggled back into my side, pulling my arm around where my hand rested against her stomach again, her hand on mine. "But I love you anyway."

She's probably the only person.

I curled myself around her, cradling her against me, her head tucked beneath my chin. I wanted to take care of her, but I didn't know how. All I could do was be here, let her scream and yell at me, pitch fits and then cry and apologize. I would be here when that kid was born, and... I couldn't leave her with it by herself.

I couldn't live without her.

I'd be miserable again.

"He's always better when you're here," Camille suddenly said, tightening her hold on my hand. "He likes the sound of your voice."

"He?"

"It. Whatever. You know what I mean. He always calms down when he hears you, you asshole."

I chuckled. "It's first word will be a cuss word, I just know it."

"Probably. But it'll be your fault."

"Your favorite word is asshole, Camille."

"And yours is fuck, so I don't know what you're trying to prove... Asshole."

I hid my smile in her hair, the fragrance of vanilla filling my nose.

"I love you," I said, feeling that I had to say it over and over. I wanted her to know that I did, I wanted to make sure.

"I love you too, Eric," Her hand pressed harder against mine.

I hoped that she did, truly.

I wouldn't survive without it.

“Don’t think being all sweet gets you out of putting that crib together tomorrow.”

Oh, goddammit.

Tags: @jcause.    @elaacreditava.       @riegan.   @deathbyamonster @pathybo@buried-in-books @maquet-lambb.  @jojuarez26. @ljvosscmt    @beltz2016 @magellan-88

[writingismyhappytime]

Dauntless: Caffeine, Baby?

Eric x OC

Warnings: language

Wow, Eric was being more of an asshole then usual. I leaned against the wall with crossed arms as the new initiates filed past sleepily, hardly able to even hold their eyes open.

Poor babies, Eric was going to rip their heads off.

Not that it was my problem.

I technically didn't have to work the babies this morning, I'd just stopped by to see how grouchy Eric was.

Off the charts.

Not that that was my fault or anything, either.

I mean, it wasn't like we'd had a knock out, drag out fight last night because I was slightly pregnant and hormonal and I couldn't stop talking when I should. We'd established that I, the female version of asshole Eric, was going to be a complete and utter bitch for the next six months.

No lie.

I was bitchier then usual.

Also a little round; okay, so technically I suppose I wasn't even supposed to be training anyone, or fighting, and there was something about heavy lifting too....

Whatever.

Didn't matter much to me.

I could do whatever I wanted.

Like leave before Eric noticed I was spying on him.

I quickly slipped out of the room, heading out into the compound. I kind of felt bad about last night, I'd lost my temper over something stupid and it had ended in a screaming match.

Eric never shut his mouth though, even when I was being irrational he felt the need to put me in my place, and I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Probably a bad thing on his end, it always made me worse.

Sometimes I even cried and then literally neither of us knew what to do then.

Horrifying.

I sighed.

Maybe I could offer him some kind of peace offering?

I mean, neither of us had wanted a baby, it had quite literally just happened. All of a sudden, out of the blue, unfortunately, without either of our fucking permission.

Surprise motherfuckers.

I wouldn't have expected any less of a child of mine and Eric's.

It better kick ass too!

It would be the best soldier Dauntless has ever seen; Eric and I are both in leadership, excellent soldiers, although our personalities are shit. Which is probably what drew the two of us together, we were intolerable to other people.

Hell, we could barely stand each other half the time, and I know he absolutely hated me right now.

I felt bad about it.

I should get him some coffee.

Would that be nice?

I could do nice things, even if he said I couldn't! I was fucking thoughtful, you arrogant pretzel!

Ugh!

I was going to put arsenic in his damned coffee if I had my way.

Okay no, I wouldn't. I wasn't going to raise a baby by myself, and I wasn't going to allow Eric to die and get away with it either.

So, he lived another day.

I pressed a hand against my stomach with a grimace. I was already getting that baby bump or swell or whatever it is.

Eric seemed to always want to touch my stomach, and I couldn't wait until she or he started kicking and he could feel it. He was going to be a great dad, and I knew that. Already he was excited about it.

I wanted a boy, myself. I figured a little Eric running around would be cute, and Eric would absolutely love and adore him so much. I mean, he probably be that way with a girl too, but I still wanted a boy.

Eric had never said his preference,not that I cared anyway .

Okay, I cared a little.

I wanted him to be happy.

I didn't want him to be like my dad, knock someone up and stick around long enough to have a second kid before bailing and getting himself killed. I'm sure that last part wasn't intentional but karma's a bitch after all.

Eric was loyal, though. He might be a pig sometimes, but he would never be with someone else while he was in a relationship with me. Single, he could sleep with as many women as he wanted. In a relationship, I'd bust his balls so hard he'd never be able to produce anything else but white powder.

...

Yeah, I was definitely a little edgy right now.

But I had a thing growing inside of me and taking up space! My back and feet hurt now more then ever and I wasn't even fighting. Hell, I was barely doing anything right now!

Which also got on my nerves .

But, I digress.

Now where was some coffee? Maybe with some caffeine in his system he wouldn't be such an arrogant prick.

Although... I did kind of love him. He was sweet when it mattered, and he always tended to take care of me. He was doing his best under the circumstances, so that's what mattered . The fact he was with me after I'd been so awful showed that much.

Why did I have to be such an ass!?

I wasn't going to apologize, but.... Well, I guess I could.

It wouldn't kill me this time.

I grabbed a cup of coffee from one of the many break rooms throughout Dauntless before making my way back to the training center. I could hear Eric traumatizing the poor students from out in the hall, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

No doubt he was running them ragged, I'm quite proud of him. You had to be rough in the beginning, it was the only way to make them into good soldiers. They had to lose that pride, learn to become soldiers, follow and take orders. That's what mattered in war anyway, or even just policing.

It's how we took care of each other and kept the city safe.

I'd heard a lot of the time I was too rough, even for Dauntless, but I didn't think so. We couldn't have any weakness here, we couldn't have anyone who would jeopardize the missions and cause someone to die.

So, I was harsh, I was tough, and I didn't give any mercy in training. If you couldn't follow the most basic order, couldn't so the simplest task, then dauntless didn't need you.

Apparently I was also rubbing off on Eric .

Who would've thought?

I slipped silently into the training area, holding the warm cup in my hand as I walked towards Eric . We hadn't publicly announced I was pregnant, and I doubt we would. I'm sure when everyone noticed I was the size of a watermelon they'd make their own conclusions.

So none of the initiates knew, and very few others did either unless they'd already guessed. This black t shirt was already getting sort of tight on my abdomen anyway, so it wouldn't be long until I needed new clothes.

Or took Eric's .

No shame.

He had his back to me, tattooed arms crossed over that buff chest of his as he faced the blue mats. He cut his eyes as I stepped to his side, my black hair loose around my shoulders. I glanced at him, then offered him the coffee.

"Caffeine, baby?"

His lips twitched, but he kept a sour expression on his face as he took the steaming cup. "Is this your way of saying sorry?" He muttered.

"No. Maybe. You're just grouchy this morning, I thought you could use some coffee," I shrugged, crossing my arms. "Or  I could take it back."

Eric raised a brow, merely sipping the coffee I'd given him. So I guess I wasn't getting it back then.

"Better?" I asked, looking up at him. "Are you still mad at me for being psychotic last night?"

"I was never mad at you."

"You were pretty mad, Eric. We didn't even have angry sex afterwards, you were all sullen."

"You said you didnt want me to ever touch you again."

"I was exaggerating."

"Didn't sound like it to me."

I rolled my eyes.

He was mad.

"Can we just forget about last night?" I sighed, tired already. "I was obviously just throwing a bitch fit for no reason. You should have just told me to shut the hell up and left, I would have cooled off."

"I told you before, I'm not going to leave you when you need me," he replied, and my eyes rose to his. The bright blues were gazing down at me, full of seriousness and warmth. I liked that look. "Even if you're being a crazy bitch."

Well, there went the warm fuzzy feeling.

"You were doing so well for a moment there," I grumbled. Eric chuckled,lightly bumping my shoulder with his.

"You know what I mean, Camille ."

Yeah, I suppose I did.

We'd been through a lot together, and never once had Eric abandoned or left me behind. He knew I had asked about family, considering my brother had stabbed me years ago and I'd ended up killing him a few months back to save Eric's life. Some could show I probably had some abandonment issues , but hey, it was no question that I was damaged goods.

Most of us were.

Eric wasn't any better, to do the dark things he did for the Dauntless leaders, he must have been born twisted. Still, killer or not, I loved him, and I knew he did me . Otherwise we would have already parted ways and gone back to hating each other.

We were an unlikely couple in my eyes, but really, I could see how no one else questioned us being together. Our personalities were similar, we were loyal soldiers who didn't deal with bullshit, hard on the people we trained because we expected nothing less then excellence.

So yeah, maybe us getting together was inevitable.

Either way, I'd like to think we were happy, and that's what mattered in the long run.  

I think.

Right?

Hell if I knew.

"How about we abandon our jobs right now and disppear to the roof for an hour?" I suggested suddenly, nudging Eric . I hope he appreciated me bringing him coffee and that he wasn't going to be expecting it very often. I wasn't that nice.

"So just leave all these initiates running around unsupervised?" Eric quirked a brow. "Yes." I didn't care about them.

They already looked exhausted anyway.

"Alright," Eric agreed, and I perked up immediately.

Yay!

I smiled at him, then grabbed his hand , pulling.

"Then let's go! We need some sun anyway!"

"Did you drink some of this coffee before you gave it to me?" He grinned as he turned his back on the initiates.

"No, but I did think about it. I'm not a coffee person though."

"You have enough energy as it is."

"Well I  wouldn't say that," I clucked in disagreement . "I always feel so tired."

"Well, you're kind of growing something right now. Of course you're tired. " He told me, squeezing my hand.

I guessed.

I wasn't exactly chipper either.

I wasn't sure how Eric lived with me.

Hell, I could barely stand myself!

"I'm sorry I've been such a crazy person lately," I finally said as we entered the hall, sheepishly glancing up at him. "I don't see how you stand me right now."

"Practice makes perfect," Eric replied , slipping his arm around my shoulder and dragging me to his side. "It'll be alright. Everything is going to work out for us."

I hoped so.

I slipped my arm around his waist, feeling a little more content. When I was around Eric , and I wasn't mad at him, he tended to calm me down, make me feel safe. This was a scary time for me admittedly. I had no fucking clue what I was doing.

Of course, neither did Eric , but at least we were together.

Being together made it a little better.

[writingismyhappytime]

Dauntless: I Can't Stop (Part 2)

Eric x OC

Warnings: language, violence 

"So that's it?" Peter whined as he followed me down the hallway, right on my ass. "We're just going to herd some factionless back into their holes?"

"Something like that," I grunted, trying to otherwise ignore the kid. He got on my nerves, and if he pissed me off too badly tonight I'd leave him with them.

He didn't get we were really going to kill a few of them, thin them out as per orders. He'd figure it out quick enough and help, and if he didn't... well, we couldn't exactly have any tattle tales, now could we?

Plus, he'd been a little bitch to my girlfriend and I'd have no qualms ending him.

Now where were we?

Ah yes, the armory. Peter has probably never been inside, and from the surprised look on his face as we entered, that confirmed it.

Kid probably had never had his cherry popped either.

I glanced around the armory as we entered. Metal racks lined the wall, going as far as the eye could see in the gray room. They lined the walls about three stories high, and I could see the other Dauntless milling around, cleaning the weapons, doing inventories.

Usually if a Dauntless got armory duty, they didn't leave it, it was a good and easy gig.

Unless a gun went missing, then there was hell to pay.

"Sign in," I muttered to Peter, motioning at the metal cage where someone sat, a small screen on the outside where everyone who entered had to sign in. I waited impatiently for him to do so, crossing my arms.

"This is the armory," I said, as if it wasn't obvious enough. "You get to pick one weapon for your first mission, so pick well. The wrong one could get you killed."

I hoped.

Peter hastily followed me as I shoved the metal door open, it swinging open silently to reveal the rows of guns in front of us.

All of them were automatic, and I could hear through some of the side doors a humming, meaning either more weapons were being created or their ammunition.

We generally had to be sparring with our ammo, we only had so many resources after all, but apparently we were in abundance right now.

I didn't bother to make sure Peter followed me, I knew he would as I walked past rows of tables, guns in multiple stages of being assembled.

"Don't ogle," I said to him, smirking as he stiffened quickly behind me, beady eyes still taking everything in. "It's not that impressive."

I was lying, it was pretty fucking impressive.

I loved the smell, especially of fresh gunpowder, the burn of it when fired. "Does everyone get to come in here?" Peter asked, still looking around like an idiot.

"Not everyone. Most of the time we just hand out the weapons, crate them up for missions. Unless you're assigned here or have clearance, it's not somewhere we normally let others wander."

Peter frowned.

"I bet Camille has been in here, even though she's just a Trainor."

I rolled my eyes, coming to a stop as I half turned, debating taking the closest gun muzzle and putting it to good use on the kid.

Camille had actually been assigned here after she'd completed her testing and come out number two, behind the majestic fucking asshole Four, but she hadn't wanted it.

Too tame for her I suppose.

She'd wanted to train, to fight, and the higher ups had obliged her, she was one of the best after all.

Had to admire her for not wanting one of the cozy jobs.

I turned to Peter.

"You piss me off today and I'm going to leave your ass with the factionless," I said quietly, catching his gaze. "I won't help you, I'll shove you right into the line of fire. I'm only warning you once."

Peter stared at me, whitening slightly.

Good.

Satisfied, I turned away, continuing to where we'd been heading before. I stepped into one of the other caged areas, watching as a woman loaded one of the semi-automatics, popping the magazine into the gun.

"Melanie."

"Eric." She greeted coolly, glancing up at me. "You're late."

"Max ordered someone new," I shrugged, stepping out of the way so she could see Peters scrawny ass. Peter hovered in the doorway, gazing at all the weapons behind us.

"Fresh blood? Is he ready for this?" She questioned, her black eyes spearing him.

Melanie was a frightening lady, covered in swirling tattoos, her blonde dreads tied at the back of her neck. She had a hoop hanging from the center of her nose, and from her black eye I could tell she'd been fighting again.

She had a temper.

But she was an efficient soldier, followed orders without question --- she ran the armory with an iron thumb, something Max liked.

"We'll see," I finally answered her, going for the gear lying on the trunks against the wall. I started strapping the armor on, Peter hesitating before doing the same.

I wasn't here to babysit him, he could figure shit out on his own.

We all did.

"How many are in the way tonight?" I asked, stepping to the table. Melanie shrugged her bare, tan shoulders, handing me an M-16 she had prepped for combat.

"Who knows, all of them look the same so it's hard to count. Jackson is coming along too, he's meeting us at the gate. He's already prepped, I was just waiting on you."

"So glad you were thinking of me," I grunted, taking the extra magazines on the table and slipping them into my belt.

"Don't I always?" She murmured, soft enough where Peter couldn't hear, too preoccupied with figuring out how to wear his gear.

I hesitated, cutting my eyes in her direction with a frown. We'd slept together a few times, I'd admit it, and she was a helluva good lay. We'd been fuck buddies since we'd first met until it had gotten serious with Camille.

Melanie hadn't exactly been pleased when she realized me and Camille were actually a thing, and I wouldn't fuck anyone else, not while I was with her. It had been a year now, maybe a little longer, but even when she pissed me off it didn't even cross my mind.

Maybe I'd lost my edge because of it, gone a little soft because I cared about someone, but I didn't give a shit. Camille made me semi-happy, for the first time in my miserable, fucked up life, and I wasn't going to risk our relationship for a different bed.

Not even for Melanie.

"Let's get going," I mumbled, grabbing the black duffel of ammunition off the  table.

~~~~~~~~

Shit!

I hit the side of the building, clenching my gun tighter in my hands. I could hear the popping of gunfire, smell the powder in the air --- it was dark, we were way behind schedule and nothing was going to plan!

Shit!

"How far are we from the train?" I hissed over my shoulder, hastily wiping the sweat from my brow.

Melanie huffed, pressing her back against the wall beside me, both of us streaked with dirt. We'd been at this since dusk, herding those damned factionless where they belong --- leaving those who protested behind.

In pieces, actually.

Someone else can always clean up the mess.

"Five minutes until pick up," she rasped, sounding hoarse. She'd been barking orders for the last five hours into the radio on her shoulder, but we'd already lost contact with Jackson.

I figured he was dead.

Not our fault, people died in this line of business. Didn't much like the guy anyway.

You couldn't get attached in this line of business.

"Okay, let's keep going," I muttered, taking a step to the edge of the wall; these fucking factionless weren't supposed to fight back, they were supposed to run!

Camille was going to kill me for missing dinner!

I gritted my teeth, knowing I didn't have much ammunition left, and the enemy was endless from the looks of it!

"What about reinforcements?" I asked, hesitating as I saw the blood running down Melanie's arm; she was hurt? How bad?

She scowled, brushing some grime off her face, unaware of her wound. Dirt streaked her tan face, and she still managed to look badass despite the circumstances.

It was so dark, and with the smoke from the gunfire and scuffling, you couldn't see shit. I was burning up in my armor, sweat pouring down my skin and making the grime stick even worse.

It would take two showers to get clean after this.

"You seriously think they'd send some after us when we're on cleanup duty?" Melanie snapped, checking her magazine. "Yeah fucking right. Keep dreaming."

I glared at her, my head turning to look around the corner again.

"This way, I see an opening," I muttered, eyeballing the distance between us and the row of old dumpsters. "We can make it if we stay low. Follow me."

I cast one more furtive glance before I darted forward, my legs already burning. I slid to a stop, crouching hard, Melanie darting to my side.

"Okay, the train is over there," Melanie said, her voice tight. "Where's that kid you brought?"

"Hell if I know. Probably dead at this rate," I shrugged my shoulders, glancing around nervously. I had to admit, this was definitely a tight situation.

"So you're just going to leave him then?"

"He's not my responsibility."

"You're still a ruthless asshole."

Maybe.

But you had to be.

I didn't bother to respond, just turned, lifting my gun as I saw some black blurs in the distance. I narrowed my eyes, waiting for them to come into view, but they merely disappeared.

Great.

"Let's keep going while it's clear. We can get on the train and wait it out," I decided, sparing a glance to see her nod in agreement.

"Whatever you say."

That's what she always said.

I gave it a beat, then lunged forward, running hard for the train and not looking back.

My plan went well for about five seconds.

I flinched as a bullet pinged off the concrete by my feet, my eyes flashing to one of the nearby buildings --- great, a fucking sniper!

We'd be sitting ducks at this rate!

"Just keep going," Melanie hissed from behind me, shoving me hard when I slowed. She turned, still moving backward as she fired in wild arcs at the building, glass shattering and falling into the concrete.

I grabbed the back of her black vest, wrenching her behind me as I headed for another cover. We ducked down quickly behind the crumbled wall of a once tall building, staying low.

"We're not far from the train," I hesitated, brushing at my forehead again, no doubt smearing more fucking grime across my face.

It was just so hot beneath the armor, my skin was burning, and with all the running ---.

"We're totally fucked with a sniper in the area. One of us is going to get gunned down immediately, and I'm not volunteering," Melanie grouched, her gun pressing hard against her chest. "So come up with somethin'."

"Why me?"

"You're always the one with the bright ideas, aren't you?"

Shit.

Yeah right.

I rolled my eyes, hunkering down always little more, giving my feet a small break as I tried to figure something out.

Nothing was coming to mind except making as break for it.

"Why are these factionless so well armed? It's been getting worse and worse lately."

"They're stealing, obviously. How else? They must have some kind of reserve somewhere."

"Yeah, but --- their training ---."

"Eric, shut the fuck up. We don't have time to worry about that stupid shit right now," Melanie snapped, shaking her blonde head. "Buck the fuck up!"

Yeesh.

She didn't have to be such a bitch about it.

We both flinched, ducking as bullets started pinging off our little wall, and my stomach dropped as one came completely through, inches from my face --- I could feel the breeze off of it on my cheek.

"We'll die if we stay here," I hissed, getting as low as I could. "We gotta move!"

"And go where!?"

"Anywhere is better then here!"

My eyes scanned the area hastily, but other then a shattered fountain and some burnt out hull of whatever it was, this was the only cover from here to the train.

If we didn't get in we were dead.

Even if we did get in, we could be dead.

So what the hell?

"Make a run for it, I'll cover you," Melanie suddenly said.

What?

"What?"

"You got somewhere to be, don't you? That bitch of yours is waiting for you to get back, and I don't want to be the one to tell her you got shot down by a factionless. She'd rip my head off."

Well, I wouldn't disagree.

"Mel ---."

"Just go. I got another magazine left, it should be enough to get you to the train. When you get on, fire as fucking much as you can for the same spot and I'll move as quick as I can.

Ah, okay.

"You think that's going to work?"

"Well it kind of has too, dontcha think?"

"One of us is going to get shot in the ass, I just know it," I grumbled, but it wasn't a bad idea, it gave us a chance.

Her dark lips curled.

"Don't even," I snapped, just knowing what she was about to say; I wasn't giving her an opportunity to bring up any of our time together, no matter how good it had been.

She chuckled weakly, but there was no humor in her eyes.

It's hard to be truly amused when you're seconds away from death, from having your head blown off in one more step or thought.

I needed to stop coming on these missions.

"Cover me," I muttered, disliking the sudden eery silence; I'd rather the guy be shooting at us so I could get a location on him again.

Mel nodded, turning so she was crouching, her gun pointed more towards the building. I shuffled, getting to my sore feet, slinging my gun over my shoulder.

One of us was so going to die.

If it was me, I didn't have any doubts Camille wouldn't bring me back to fucking kill me again.

She was an asshole that way.

I cut my eyes back, and Melanie gave me a curt nod, letting me know it was time.

My chest clenched, a white, cold feeling sweeping through my body I did my best to ignore. I had to get back, I couldn't --- and wouldn't --- die out here!

I took off, my boots pushing against the riddled ground as I took off. I heard Melanie immediately begin firing, and I didn't look back, just ran as hard as my legs could go.

I slammed into the train, literally tossing and rolling myself over the edge of the platform. I staggered a little to my feet as I reached the open compartment, throwing myself into the metal enclosure.

I pulled one of the train doors halfway shut, knowing they wouldn't open from the outside unless I said so; no one was sneaking up on me. I grabbed my gun, my gloves keeping my damp hands from slipping as I pulled the stock against my shoulder, finding Mel through my scope.

Ah, she was fine.

Okay, now where's the other asshole?

I sighed, my gun roving as I sought out the enemy, my heart beat still loud in my ears as the adrenaline ran through my body.

Fuck!

I couldn't find which window the asshole was in! Mel had definitely blown most of the glass out of the building, but still.

Wait.

There!

I cast a glance at Melanie, seeing she was ready to run, just waiting for me to tell her too.

I raised my hand, signaling her.

Almost immediately she took off, long legs carrying her towards the train. I waited, my finger tight on the trigger.

Come on, come on, where the hell are you!? I was waiting for the guy to make an appearance, I wanted to end this!

Melanie was halfway to the train when I finally saw his barrel inch out of one of the windows, and I didn't wait, just immediately started firing, knowing I had to at least hit his gun from how it jerked.

Yes!

Melanie's lean body was soon throwing itself into the compartment with me, and I pulled back, letting her wrench the final train door closed and cut us off from the fray.

Whew.

That went better then expected.

"You hurt?"

"Not much," Melanie brushed at her clothes, bruises covering her body just as mine. "You?"

"Just peachy."

She rolled her eyes, pushing her gloves down where she could see her watch.

"It's already after midnight," she sighed, slowly sitting down. It looked more to me like her legs went out from under her, but I didn't comment.

My muscles were trembling too, my legs wanting to jerk from all the exercise, but I wouldn't let them.

Instead, I got to my feet, walking over to the computer screen on the wall and punching some of the buttons.

"You're not worried that the kid or Jackson might still be alive?" Mel asked as she felt the train shift, starting to move.

"If they were, they would've made it here before us.  If they're Dauntless, they'll find a way back home."

She sighed, but didn't comment as she leaned back in her ringed hands, crossing her ankles and just looking at me as I slid down the wall.

She reminded me of Camille for the world.

Mel was maybe a little rougher, started fights where she didn't need too, thrived on chaos. She was tatted up to her jaw, had a worse mouth then I did at times, and like me, was pretty fond of the female form.

Well, male too I guess.

Mel didn't discriminate in her bed buddies, and we'd definitely had some good times because of it.

But that's all it had ever been; we didn't have a connection, I wasn't drawn back to her after it. She was just a friend I guess, there was nothing about her that drew me in... well, like Camille did.

No one was like Camille.

How did I fuck myself over that way? I was Dauntless, I wasn't supposed to get attached to anyone, I'd always told myself I wouldn't.

It hadn't started off as a problem, us being a thing, but I wasn't sure who got attached first.

"You're thinking about her, aren't you?"

"Huh?" I looked up, frowning as I saw Mel staring me down.

"Camille. You always get a stupid look on your face when you do, like you're constipated or something."

"Fuck off, Mel."

Her lips curved. "You're really crazy about her, aren't you? This is the longest you've ever gone with someone, just the two of you."

I pressed my lips together, deciding it was better to stay quiet and not dig my own hole.

"It's fine, Eric. Camille's alright. Kind of soft for your taste, in my opinion, not that it matters. But she gives you hell, right?"

"All the time."

"Good. You'd get bored with a peaceful chick."

"Camille is the farthest from peaceful."

"So I've heard. She's an excellent trainer, her initiates are always top notch. I'm glad you're happy with her, Eric."

"Thanks." I frowned at her. "What's with the gushy shit all of a sudden? Are you shot?" My eyes skimmed her, just in case.

"Nah. But I see shit, more then people think. And since we haven't fucked in a while I figure you're pretty serious about her. She'd probably try to kick my ass if she knew about us."

I shrugged; we didn't discuss our past relationships, Camille didn't seem to care about the past.

I leaned my head back, feeling exhausted where I sat. The train rocked lightly beneath me, it wasn't as shaky as the ones used to be.

"This mission went to hell, didn't it?" Mel sighed, apparently prepped for her rambling session; she always talked too much.

One of the reasons I didn't stick around after sex.

Now how long till we made it back to the compound?

~~~~~

I hopped off the train wearily, my body aching and definitely in need of a shower. I rolled my shoulders as I stepped forward, seeing Max waiting for us on the compound, a chagrined look on his face.

Yikes.

He was gonna rip us a new asshole.

"Max ---."

"Eric!"

Huh?

I half turned, a little surprised as I heard my girlfriends voice. I saw a blur of black hair until she rammed into me so hard I had to take a step back.

"Camille? What ---?"

"You stupid asshole!" She hissed, her arms wrapped so tightly around my neck I could barely breathe. "What the fuck are you doing, running off on a mission without backup!?"

I sighed, letting my hand press against her waist.

"I'm fine."

"You smell awful!"

"I'll take a shower."

"You're covered in grime!" She huffed, taking a step back to scan me. "And you're cut up!"

Her hands suddenly cupped my face, and I leaned into her grip, relieved. For a few minutes there I thought I'd never see her again.

I pressed my lips against her palm, seeing her dark gaze soften.

"You're so stupid," she murmured. "Why didn't you tell me you were going out?"

"Because you would have wanted to come with me," I responded, pulling away from her quickly, mildly embarrassed when I remembered where we were.

Max and Melanie were both pretending not to notice our moment, instead discussing how our "sweep" had gone wrong.

"... much more of them them there should have been," Melanie was grumbling. "Hell, I don't know if Jackson and that kid are alive, we got separated."

"Kid?" Camille asked, her hand tight on my arm.

"Peter."

"Who's Peter?"

I sighed. "Nosey."

"Oh." Camille paused, strands of her black hair falling in her eyes before she brushed them out of the way. "I hope he doesn't come back, the little asshole."

I snorted, surprised as I cut my eyes down at her. "I almost forgot how much you didn't like him."

"Well, don't. He's a little bitch."

I chuckled, taking her hand and squeezing. She squeezed back, but then her nose curled.

"You smell like dirt. Go take a shower already."

I rolled my eyes.

Good old Camille.

~~~~~

I stood beneath the water, letting the dirt and blood from the last six hours wash off my skin.

I ran my hands through my short hair, watching the black run down my skin in rivulets.

Funny, the things you take for granted.

I thought I was going to die out there, that I would never make it back. Even with Mel at my side, I'd started to seriously question if I would or not.

I would have gone out killed by those fucking factionless, the worthless leeches. I didn't want to go that way, so pathetically.

If I did, I wanted it to be extravagant, lots of fiery explosions and chaos. It seemed more my style.

I sighed, looking down at my arms, my skin scrubbed red and clean. Small cuts burned where the water and soap hit them, reminding me of the windows that had shattered over me again and again, factionless firing at me.

Shit.

I needed to retire already.

This was too much stress.

No wonder Dauntless died early.

I glanced over as the shower door moved, and I relaxed as Camille slipped in behind me.

Her cool arms slipped around my wet waist, pulling me back against her dry body.

"You had me worried," she said after a moment, lightly kissing my back. "You were supposed to be home for dinner."

"I know. Shit went south. There was more factionless then we expected."

"More then just four of you should have went."

"Wasn't my call."

"I know, I just... fuck, I was hounding the hell out of Max." She sighed, slowly letting go of me. "I thought I was going to have to go after you."

"I wouldn't have wanted you too," I said, the water now starting to glisten on her skin from touching mine. "It was too bad."

"Exactly. So you're not going back out."

I frowned,shifting uneasily. She just thought it was supposed to be a small sweep, but it wasn't. The four of us had gone out there to thin the herd, so to speak. We'd literally gone to kill as many of them as we could; I was sure we'd accomplished quite a bit of what we'd set out to do, even with there only being so little of us.

I did the dirty work for Dauntless, so did Mel. There was quite a lot of us who did shit in the shadows, did a lot of bad stuff the rest of our faction knew nothing about .

It wasn't because we wanted to, it was because it was necessary. We had too, and we can't stop doing it, I can't stop.

Someone had to do it.

Just... I didn't want too anymore.

I had someone to come home to now.

[leader-of-no-fear]

light up my inbox, its winter and all I do is snuggle up in covers. Hit me with an imagine prompt, tell me about your day. anything.

[leader-of-no-fear]

Imagines

Go ahead and inbox me some imagine request. I’m down for really anything.

[writingismyhappytime]

Dauntless: Daddy Dearest (Part 10)

Eric x OC

Warnings: Language, Violence, Smut

"Come on, buddy, you're doing so good. Just a little farther --- that's my boy!" I said proudly, grinning from ear to ear where I knelt on the floor, holding my hands out to my son. He crawled towards me, wobbly still on his knees, fat limbs shuffling forward until he's within reach. I lifted him up proudly, and he gave me a peel of giggles as I brought him down to plant a loud kiss on his soft tummy.

Camille laughed softly from where she sat on the sofa, her hands curled around a steaming cup of coffee as I kept the loaf entertained. I'm insanely proud of him for crawling, and he's only five months old, which is ahead of the other babies his age!

Okay, so his type of crawling was still sort of scooting on his stomach or butt, but we're working on it.

Already he's the best baby in Dauntless!

I grinned at him as I set him down on his feet, bouncing him a little as he gave me a toothless grin, his eyes wide and taking everything in. Admittedly, even though I cared about him when he was a tiny loaf, being able to interact with him a little more is better.

"I have to run to the Pit to pick up some things for Kai, do you want to come?" Camille asked after a moment, setting her coffee to the side.

I hesitated. I hadn't been to the Pit in a while, other then to drop Kai off at daycare. I had never actually been down there with Camille and Kai, not just casually.

"Sure," I said after a moment, unsure if I meant it. I mean, I had a reputation to keep, of being a badass, pretty cruel and heartless as a matter of fact. Could I still keep that up when I was carrying the kid around and holding shopping bags?

"He just needs some new clothes, he's getting too big for his already." Camille said, oblivious to my internal struggle.

"Well, he's a growing boy," I chuckled, holding his hands as he wobbled back and forth on his feet, legs not quite strong enough to hold him yet. "When does he start getting teeth?"

"Like I have any clue." she shrugged her shoulders, slowly getting to her feet and stretching her arms over her head. "When he starts wailing and we have to buy those little teething rings, I guess. Or when he bites you and it actually has an affect."

I snorted, letting Kai drop by onto the rug on his back. He flailed his little fat legs a minute before rolling onto his stomach, reaching for my shoe laces.

"He's going to get all the ladies when he's older."

"Oh yeah?" Camille sounded amused as she moved past me, her fingers brushing through my hair as she started for the bedroom.

"Yeah. He'll have plenty of girlfriends by choosing day."

"As long as he doesn't get any of them pregnant."

"I never did. I only ever fucked up with you." I called to her, handing Kai one of his toys to smash repeatedly against the ground and shove in his mouth. "And look how long I managed."

"Let's hope he takes more after you then," she sighed, returning with a jacket for him. "And doesn't give us a shock as soon as he hits puberty."

I smirked. "Not to worry, I'll show him how to be careful. We won't get anyone pregnant, will we?" I cooed at him thoughtlessly, taking the jacket and helping get his arms in it. "Nope. And if we do, we get to know what catrastion is."

"Eric!"

"I'm just saying! Neither of us are going to raise it for him."

"We don't even know how to raise him right, let's not talk about our grandchildren." She grimaced, picking him up and setting him on her hip. "That makes me feel incredibly old."

"Ah, you're going to age well, don't worry."

"And you're going to go bald and get fat, right?"

"Nope. I'll shave my head, no one will notice."

"Well, if you keep eating all his cookies, someone's going to notice that gut," she tossed over her shoulder, and I rolled my eyes as I clambered to my feet.

So baby cookies taste good, yeesh.

I lifted Kai up into my arms, he still happily gnawing on his toy as Camille grabbed a few other things. She looked badass as usual, black jeans tucked into her boots that made her ass look great, her black --- actually that was my jacket she was wearing.

"I thought you had that made for me," I smirked, holding Kai easily in my arms as he kicked his legs, bright eyes taking everything in.

She glanced down, then shrugged. "When I moved in it became mutual property."

"Ahuh." I gave her a quick kiss, taking the keys from her and offering her the child in return. She sighed as she took him in her arms, propping him in the crook of her arm.

"Should we take the carrier?"

"Do you really want to lug it around the crowded Pit? How long are we gonna be?"

"An hour, maybe?"

"Ah, we can carry him around," I said, holding the apartment door open for her, tapping the heel of my boot against the floor. "He'll be tuckered out pretty soon."

"You've not seen him when he gets his second wind."

~~~~~~~

"How about this one?"

"Eric, that's too big."

"He'll grow into it." I looked down at the black thing in my hand. It actually wasn't that big, which made me remember how small the loaf really was.

Camille sighed at me, shifting Kai over to the other arm. He had a fistful of her hair already, but she didn't even seem to care if he got drool in it; she must be immune.

I glanced around the small clothing store, finding it didn't have too many people inside. I wasn't much of a shopper, just when I really needed something, so I wasn't exactly comfortable, not that anyone could tell. I didn't know any of the Dauntless inside, not off the top of my head, so that meant they were just peons.

"The new recruits are finally allowed to wander around," Camille said after a moment, picking at some yellow baby blankets with animals on it.

"Yeah. I saw a few of them trying to get into the bar." I frowned, glancing back out the open door. "Tako had to toss their assess out."

"Fuck, I miss the bar," Camille groaned softly, Kai snuggling his face into her neck. "I miss going out and getting plastered and having to go to your place because I'm too drunk to go to mine."

I snorted at the memory. "We've been living together for a few years now."

"And what's your point? Think that I was sober enough to remember that?"

I grinned; we always had great drunk sex.

Possibly how Kai came along tho.

Hmm.

"Why don't you go out one night then?" I asked, propping my arm along one rack of clothes as I looked down at her. "I can watch the loaf and you can relax."

"You want me to leave him alone with you?"

"I'm his father."

"You're also the one who can't swaddle."

"What the Fuck is even the point of that bullshit?" I scoffed, letting my hand rest on my belt. "Its unnecessary! Put him in his bouncy thing or his carrier and he's fine."

Camille rolled her eyes at me, grabbing another outfit by the hanger and holding it up.

"Hell look like a little bitch in that."

"Eric, he's five months old."

"Yeah, and he has a reputation to uphold. No little bitch outfits."

She glared at me, but did put the outfit back up. I doubted she'd ever ask me to go shopping again, but that's fine with me.

"Camille, Eric."

I glanced over the rack, narrowing my gaze as I saw Four and his bitch girlfriend; I never used to think of her like that, but that's all Camille ever used to describe the Stiff.

"Four." Camille gave him a friendly smile. "You two out shopping too?"

"Yeah. The initiates are free tonight, thought we'd take a break as well." Four said, and it was all I could do not to roll my eyes.

I'm surprised the guy knew how to relax.

"Your baby is getting so big," his girlfriend offered after a moment, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"You don't have to tell me that," Camille chuckled, shuffling him slightly. "He's growing up fast."

Not that fast.

Kai snoozed on her shoulder, completely oblivious to the world as his mother made annoying small talk with the enemy. I didn't see why we were even acknowledging him, even should be somewhere else being a smartass.

"Eric, can you take him?"

Huh?

I blinked, focusing and realizing Camille was handing me a fussy baby before her words processed. I reached out automatically, taking the squirming loaf and resting him against my shoulder. His face puckered the second he was away from his mother, and I could see it, the deep inhale as he prepared to let out a death defying wail of discontent.

I shoved the pacifier in his mouth so quick he blinked, and he actually looked up at me accusingly, as if I'd ruined his big crescendo.

Sorry, kiddo.

Not today.

Camille jabbered a few more minutes before Four and his girlfriend finally left, giving us some peace. I might have gone down a little on the intimidation scale holding my kid, I'd have to earn some more respect soon; I didn't like people looking at me and thinking I've gone soft.

"What about this one?" Camille asks, looking through a few more things. "He's growing so quick, I guess they do need to be a little bigger to accommodate."

"Yup," I watched as Kai practiced his spit bubbles, getting some drool on my shirt I ignored. My eyes flicked around uncomfortably, but no one was paying the two of us any attention. It's not unusual for kids to be frolicking during the later evening, or for people to have their little ones with them; I just never thought I would be one of those people.

"Can you imagine what it would be like if we had a second one?" Camille muttered, hearing the wail of someone's kid. She glanced at Kai, but he was falling asleep again, drool running down his chin and dripping onto his bib thing. She sighed as she wiped at his face with it, shaking her head.

"He sleeps like you do."

"I don't drool."

"So you think."

I rolled my eyes, shifting the loaf a little when my arm ached. He's getting to be a pretty hefty little thing.  

"Have you found enough yet?" I sighed, growing impatient the more we wandered around. "It's been longer than an hour and he'll never sleep tonight."

"Yeah, I think we do." She grimaced, looking at the tiny clothes draped over her arm. "At the rate he's going, though, we're going to have to do this again next month."

We?

"We?"

"Yes, we. It's not going to hurt you to come out with him in public."

"I go out with him in public."

"You take him to daycare, and that's like five minutes. You can't just spend time with him in the apartment and never go out with him."

"He doesn't care, he can't even walk yet."

"Yes, but ---."

"You just want people to see me out with him, don't you? Trying to ruin my reputation."

"Eric, for fuck's sake."

I chuckled, glancing at the dark-haired baby snuggled up into my neck, his little fist clenched in my t shirt. I didn't mind that much, if I was being honest, but it meant I was going to have to be pretty harsh when it came to the initiates and their training if they saw me. Just because I was a softy when it came to my kid, didn't mean I wouldn't kick their ass regardless.

"Did you want to see Tori while you were here?" I asked after a moment, her eyes flicking over to me in surprise. "I know it's been a bit."

"Well, I wouldn't care, but we can't bring Kai in the tattoo shop. And we have all this stuff, so we should just ---."

"I can just take it all back to the apartment, it's not a big deal. You said you wanted some time to relax."

"Yeah, I do, but you're going to be alone with Kai for a few hours."

"I literally am the only one who gets up at night with him, I think I can handle it. I have mastered the art of ---."

"Don't you fucking say swaddling. You turned him into a Q-tip last time."

I shrugged my shoulders. "He was fine, wasn't he? Don't be so worried, it's not like I'll drop him."

"Eric!"

I grinned at her, feeling Kai's fingers flex against my chest. "Trust me, if I can kill someone with just a knife in three feet of water and with only one good eye, I can take care of a baby for a few hours."

"Somehow, I don't think those are comparable, Eric." She didn't look impressed, but I figured I could do something nice for her for once. She should go out and see Tori, even though I knew the tattoo artist didn't like me much; I didn't blame her, I was an asshole, but I considered Camille to be my redeeming quality.

Well, her and the loaf.

Without these two, I'd be just as bad as Mel and I knew it.

~~~~~~~

"Well, little man, it's just the two of us," I stated, dropping the bags onto the coffee table. Kai ignored me, kicking his fat legs a minute to let me know he wanted down. He rousted up a little on the walk back, and we didn't meet too many people, so I figured my badass reputation was probably still in tact.

I leaned down, sitting him on the rug and nudging one of those inflatable chew toys at him; having a baby wasn't too far from having a puppy.

Kai's fingers closed around the toy, and I watched as it immediately went to his mouth. He seemed so small, sitting on the rug, barely tall enough to go past the top of my boot. It still felt strange, knowing that I had a kid, someone who relied on me solely for their protection and their life; he wouldn't survive without someone looking after him.

I looked down at my hands, at the scars crawling across my skin, the rough patches from years of fighting and using weapons. I was a trained killer, I had murdered more people than I'd ever saved, and I didn't regret any of it. I used to think I didn't even have a conscious, that maybe that part of me just didn't exist --- turns out I was wrong.

Growing up in Erudite, everything was different. I grew up tall and lanky almost immediately, but my height didn't matter there. The nerds, the most intelligent of us, those are who got the most attention, who everyone cared about. My parents were just like all the rest, scientists who worked with the Erudite leader. That was the only reason I knew Jeanine Matthews, why she always wanted me to be around during the meetings; I was a familiar face, even though I'd defected to a faction that I belonged in.

I'd always liked fighting, I was bigger than most of those my age, and I didn't take their shit just because I didn't catch on as quick as they did. They might be smart, but I could pack a punch a lot better than they could.

So what would Kai be?

I sat down on the edge of the sofa, watching him for a few moments.

Would he be a fighter like me and Camille? She was born here, and her parents before her, so her bloodline ran strong in Dauntless. Would he take after her, show leadership, show ambition and want to do good for himself in life? Would he be strategic, be able to read people and understand that you can't trust even those you've grown up with?

Would he be smart? Peaceful? Would he defect to another faction if he felt he didn't fit in?

Would he think we wouldn't love him if he didn't?

This kid meant the world to me, without doubt, and I'd kill over him just like I did his mother. I would give my life protecting him, even if he grew up to hate me because I was hard on him. I wanted him to be strong, able to take care of himself no matter where he let life take him --- so long as he didn't end up factionless.

That's what I was worried about, though. What if he didn't like this faction? I had a lineage to uphold, I intended to be the leader of Dauntless one day, and I couldn't very well have my own showing me up and leaving, now could I? that's why I wondered if maybe we shouldn't have another kid, just in case Kai didn't --- fuck, I sounded like an asshole, even to myself.

We couldn't handle a second one right now, Camille wouldn't have it, and honestly I didn't want one. We were just now getting our sleep schedules back to normal, getting our lives back on track, and I didn't want to fuck that up.

Camille was working with the initiates, and her separation anxiety over being away from the loaf was getting better and better. I didn't want to go through all that with another baby, her being so attached and clawing me eyes out if I even suggested sending it to daycare early.

So no, we'd just stick with Kai right now.

And what if he had a brother? What would we even call it? Or a girl? I wouldn't know what to do with a girl, and I wasn't sure if we could get another apartment or not. Generally two kids is about the limit when it comes to procreating, just because of how our housing arrangements are.

So we couldn't have more than that.

I sighed, and reached forward to brush my fingers through Kai's black curls. Right now he just had a lot of fuzz, sticking up in every direction,but he made it work pretty well.

"C'mere, buddy." I reached for him, curling my hands around his small torso and lifting him up. "Let's get you some supper, shall we? Then it's bed time."

Kai didn't look pleased at that.

~~~~~~~

"So, tomorrow the initiates are taking their expedition out to the wall." Camille said as she stood beside me in the training room, stretching her arms over her head. I glanced down as her shirt came up, revealing her stomach, one red scar visible for a few seconds before her hands returned to her hips; she'd kept a little weight on after Kai was born, but she was fit, so she was already slimming up again.

"Yeah. Four's taking them, isn't he?"

"So I heard."

"That doesn't give us much to do then, does it?" I smirked, letting my hands rest in my pockets. Right now the initiates were practicing their knife throws, either hitting the wooden targets before them or missing terribly. My eyes flicked around, wondering who I could pick on and make an example out of.

"We'll get a little extra time, I guess."

Heh.

"Does anyone else know about the field trip?"

"Uh, I figure so, why?"

"No reason." I muttered, keeping my thoughts to myself. I suddenly had a great idea to get Camille up on a rooftop and fuck the hell out of her; I missed hearing her gasps and loud moans, we had to be too quiet right now.

We had a time bomb in the other room, after all.

Camille ran a tired hand through her hair, and finally she stepped forward, getting onto one of the initiates for slacking. She grabbed his wrist, lifting his hand and showing him how he should be holding his weapon. He frowned, but listened, so at least he wasn't a bitch about criticism.

I glared at the one beside him who appreciated her ass.

Again, how many times was I going to have to show these boys manners? They might not be Dauntless born, but I thought respect was something all factions had. She wasn't here for their fucking enjoyment, she was their superior, and it didn't matter how nice of a piece of ass she was, I would break their fingers and shove them in their eye sockets if they so much as leered at her!

I seethed silently to myself, making a mental note for the next war game we had.

I was shooting that one in the balls.

"Why do you look ready to tear someone's head off?"

"This is just how I look."

"True." Zeke chuckled as he stepped beside me, slouching a little. I glanced at his mohawk, at the snake tattoo crawling across his skin and multiple piercings. I thought he was a lazy smuck, but Camille liked him well enough and he'd gotten her a baby gift when Kai was born. "How's your kid doing?"

"Growing."

"You and Camille good?"

I glared at him; he asked too many questions.

"Hey, just trying to make conversation."

Ahuh.

The fucker had kissed my girlfriend once, I hadn't forgotten that despite it was a few years back. I owed him a good beating, and one day I'd give it to him.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" I grumbled, watching the initiates again and doing my best to ignore him.

"Don't you? You don't have to be here all the time looking after them. I get you're just spending time with Camille, but ---."

"You have no idea what my job is." I interrupted him, scowling as I looked down at him. Actually, he was right, I didn't have to be here, but I didn't like leaving Camille by herself with these punks. If they got out of hand, I wanted to be able to beat their asses so she wouldn't have too. Max hadn't called me in for any undercover missions, I hadn't actually shot a gun since I got back to Dauntless, everything had been peaceful.

For now, but it never lasted. I was just sort of waiting every day for when I would be called in, if I was even still in that sort of position. Max knew he could trust me, I'd never failed him so far, but I wasn't naive, I knew he would turn on me one day.

So I'd have to kill him then, and I worried if it would be sooner than I'd like.

Kai was still so little, and I had some allies to make if I wanted to overthrow him.

Mel, of course, would be on my side, just because she's a bitch and loves to fight. We'd been through so much shit, I knew she always had my back, no matter what the situation.

She, however, would not be enough. I needed more, which meant... fuck, I was going to have to be convincing.

I propped my chin on my hand, gazing around the room, listening to the pings of knives embedding themselves in the wood.

Did I really want to start a war in Dauntless? Half of us would be loyal to Max regardless, because he's our rightful leader and I would just be a traitor. Plus, no one liked me, but I didn't blame them.

Still, I didn't want to just be someone's hitman for the rest of my life, not anymore. I figured I was advanced as possible at this point, and really, admittedly, as long as I kept going as I was, I'd be fine. Keep murdering some people here, do some dirty work there, and I'd always have a place.

If I did try to overthrow Max, and I failed, he would without doubt come after Camille and Kai. He would come after them mercilessly and I'm not sure anyone would stand up for him --- at the very least he'd kill Camille, even if it looked like an accident.

Did I really want to endanger them just because I wanted rid of Max and his job? Who's to say I would even get to retain it should I win, anyway?

There's so many risks to mutiny.

But... if I had the backing of another faction...

"You're thinking up something devious, aren't you?"

I glanced down as Camille came to stand beside me, bumping her shoulder into my arm.

"I can always tell when your plans are maniacal."

I chuckled, discreetly letting my hand rest along her lower back, as if it wasn't well-known already we were a couple. I tried to keep it strictly professional when we were working, except for the spontaneous fucking sessions, but sometimes it felt nice to relax a little.

"They're not maniacal."

"Yeah? Then what are they about?"

I couldn't tell her; not only would she not agree, she'd pitch a fit because what we had now was stable. We have a nice apartment, nicer than we should, and a baby who needs our full attention; I shouldn't even have time to be plotting a mutiny.

But hell, what else am I going to think about in my free moments?

"You'll find out later," I merely say, giving her a smirk as I cut my eyes down at her. She narrowed hers up at me, her long black hair falling loosely down her shoulders. I knew she hated it when I said things like that.

"That doesn't exactly fill me with confidence, Eric."

"Mmm."

~~~~~~~

Camille moaned against my lips as I pressed her against the brick wall of the building, my hands on her hips.

Of course, as soon as Four had taken those initiates on their trip, I'd grabbed her and drug her up here to have my terrible way with her. It had only taken my three seconds and a rough push into the wall to turn her on, and, well, it felt nice to be back up here.

We'd used to sneak off all the time up here, it's sort of our spot. We'd fucked here so many times when we were supposed to be working I couldn't even count, and I'm honestly a little surprised that no one ever caught up.

Plus, Camille is a screamer when she's really feeling it.

I cradled the back of her head as I kissed her, my tongue delving into her mouth. I wanted to make it explicitly clear to her that we're going to fuck up here, but so far she didn't seem to mind. Her eyes are closed, her fingers curled against my shoulders as she gave into me, just like always.

I loved kissing her, how sweet she tasted, how soft her lips were. I'd never been much for kissing, just a few make out sessions before I pushed things more towards the heavier side, but with Camille it was a little different. She liked kissing, she liked the long, slow kisses, the soft ones, the gentle pecks that caught her off guard. I was more affectionate with her than I had ever been with anyone else, mostly because she didn't expect it but liked it so much.

I eased my fingers a little lower, popping open the button of her jeans as I placed warm kisses along her neck. She tightened her fingers on my shoulders, titling her head to give me more access as my teeth graze her skin. I wasn't going to mark her neck, but the rest of her was a completely different story.

"We haven't done this in a while," she breathed, her nails raking down the front of my t shirt hard enough to make my skin sting. Her fingers tugged on my belt, getting it open before I could even offer to help.

"I figured we should make up for lost time," I nipped at her ear, feeling her hips shuffle against mine. "I think our blankets and shit are still up here, too."

"Who says we ever used them?"

True.

I smirked slightly at the thought, keeping my lips on her neck as she opened my belt, tugging hard enough to move my hips as she brought them lower. I started slightly as her hand slipped into my shorts, curling around my hardening cock and giving it a few good strokes to make me groan. Her thumb brushes my head before her nails trail upwards, and I closed my eyes. Fuck, that felt good to have someone touch me again, our sex life had been so miserable until lately.

Her hand tightened, giving just enough pressure to make my hips want to buck forward. All I could think about was fucking her, taking her up against the wall just like old times. This woman knew all my weaknesses, how to get me off with just hot whispers of words in my ear and a twist of her wrist.

I nibbled along her ear, trying to stay focused, to not arch into her hand like some adolescent.

"Do you have a condom?" She asked breathlessly, and I snorted, forcing myself to lean up slightly. She had me in quite a spot to be asking me that now.

Fortunately. "Yeah, I got some. No worries."

She looked relieved, but then her lips were on mine, drawing me into a hard kiss as her hand left my cock. I didn't waste any time, my hands going to her jeans, jerking them down her hips the best I could as I pressed her back up into the wall. I had so many ideas in my head on how I wanted to take her, I wasn't sure I could pick just one --- face-first against the wall, both of us on the ground, her on top of me --- fuck, so many options!

Somehow, we both ended up on the ground, her under me on the rooftop. I kissed her hard, hearing the clink of my belt buckle occasionally as I pushed my hips teasingly into hers. She was already hot, her skin flushed, and I never had to work too hard to get her wet for me.

Her hands cup my face as my fingers slip between her thighs. I kiss her deeply, my tongue moving against hers, wishing more than anything I could strip us completely naked and not have to worry about someone catching us; that's sort of the thrill though, someone coming in, seeing me fucking the daylights out of my woman and hearing her moans; I wasn't shy about the fact I was a great fuck, that I knew what I was doing, and Camille never used to be.

Although she did have some limits.

I pressed a finger against her clit, just enough to make her shiver beneath me, her head pillowed by my jacket. I teasingly dip lower, feeling her wet folds, the warmth waiting for me there with a heavy sigh. I'd missed her body so bad, I'd --- I'd missed all of this. I lightly circle her clit, keeping just enough pressure until her hips are rocking up into mine, her kisses becoming more breathless and her sharp gasp perfect.

I chuckled against her lips as her thighs clenched around my legs, my fingers finally delving lower, feeling how wet she really was for me.

I propped myself on my elbow, nibbling along her jaw, my fingers coasting across her skin. I teased her core, watching as her eyes closed, as she let herself enjoy my touch. She's already a little shaky beneath me, her fingers clenching in my shirt, and I loved watching her get off. I pressed harder against her clit until she gasped, her hips surging up against my hand as I slipped my finger inside of her.

"Still so tight," I purred in her ear, running my tongue along the curve of her throat. "I can't wait to feel that tight cunt around me again."

"You're all big talk, aren't you?" She said breathlessly, cutting her dark eyes at me. Her lips are parted, cheeks growing red, especially when I began to thrust my finger inside of her rather mercilessly. I slipped a second one, making sure to keep my thumb on her clit, her desire starting to coat my palm the rougher I got; Camille didn't usually like it when I was easy on her.

"Mmm, fuck, Eric," she groaned, and I smirked, gazing down at her. I wanted her to cum, I wanted to feel her writhing under me and know that I was the only guy that could make her feel like this. Her body squirmed, but I didn't let up, not until I could feel her muscles starting to clench.

I kissed her quickly as I pulled away from her, hearing her whine of dissent. I gave a chuckle as I brought my fingers to my lips, sighing as I felt her taste on my tongue. Her eyes flicked open, watching as I ran my tongue along them. her own lips parting.

Mmm.

"I want to taste more of you," I murmured, my voice husky as I shuffled. I dropped between her thighs, curling my fingers around them and peeling them wide. She hefted herself up onto her elbows, her eyes flicking almost nervously to the roof door before back to me.

Yeah, we didn't have a lot of time, but I was confident enough that she'd be getting off before the next train came by --- and if not, guess we'd just have an audience. It was hot today, the sun was beating down on us and already my body felt damp, but the breeze helped. It could have been raining and it wouldn't have stopped me, I just would have fucked her in the stairwell instead, cameras be damned.

Not like we haven't before.

I felt her nails brush against my scalp before her fingers curled into my short hair, hips already shifting where I'd have an easier time. I didn't wait to bring my mouth to her heat, hearing her inhale sharply as I kissed her wet lips.

I slowly draw my tongue up her folds, hearing her loud moan as her head immediately drops back in pleasure. Her taste coats my tongue, and my second lick is much harder, teasing her clit before slipping back down. I seal my lips against her, delving my tongue inside of her like I'm kissing her all over again.

Her hips buck almost instantly, her fingers clenching against my hair as I thrust my tongue inside of her, twisting and curling it in all the ways I knew she liked. She writhed slightly, but I had never been known to be any kind of merciful; my fingers pinched her clit, and this time when she moaned, it was my name.

That's my girl.

I rolled the sensitive bud between my fingers, feeling her thighs trembling against my shoulders as my tongue rolled through her heat. She was soaking at this point, and I hummed as her desire flooded my mouth. She wasn't far from cumming, she just needed a little push.

I sealed my lips around her clit, giving a harsh suck just as two fingers thrusted into her. Camille gasped, and her hips back up against my hand as she clamped her fingers against her mouth, trying not to shriek. I tried not to grin as I kept a harsh pace, sucking on her clit and rolling my tongue around it until she was whimpering, writhing helplessly against my mouth.

"E-Eric ---!"

"Cum, Camille." My eyes flicked up to hers where she looked at me, those dark eyes dilated as her chest moved heavily. I needed her to cum, to know I hadn't lost my edge, that I was pleasuring her until she couldn't control herself anymore. From the heavy breathes leaving those swollen lips, I figured she only had about one, two, three more thrusts ---.

She cried out immediately, her thighs suddenly tight around my face as she came against my lips, her entire body shuddering with pleasure. I sighed in relief, slowly running my tongue through her wet folds, rather pleased with myself.

My cock throbbed against my thigh as I listened to her pant, try to regain her composure. It was hard to ignore the fact that my girlfriend was beautiful, and hot, and that her body was wet and waiting for me. My fingers caressed her outer thighs, watching her, waiting for her to return to her senses so I could fuck her and make her cum again.

We probably had another thirty minutes to an hour left, and I didn't intend on wasting one second of it.

I gave her thigh a quick kiss before I shuffled, pushing up onto my hands and knees and leaning over her. Her fingers rose, brushing my shoulders before cupping my jaw and bringing my lips to hers.

"You haven't lost your touch," she whispered, and I chuckled bumping her nose with mine.

"I know."

I doubted I ever would.

Now to finish what I started.

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