Inner And Outer Demons

|17|

Tris's POV

The setting sun shines in through my passenger side window, the warm ray landing across my legs and onto our hands that sit entwined on the arm rest in between us. The sky I watch fly by as Tobias drives is painted light peach with streaks of lilac in between. The blue long gone as dusk settles over us.

Looking over at Tobias who keeps his eyes focused on the road ahead of him, he still keeps his gentle hold on my hand. As if he doesn't want to let me go, afraid maybe I won't come back to him. But I would. I want to tell him this, as I know he still feels vulnerable and raw in my presence ever since he shared what he did hours ago in that dim dusty gym. But his scarred past has no impact on my choice to be with him. With my choice to stand by him, because over this past week and possibly longer, I would stand by him over and over again.

"You alright?" Tobias's voice enters the quiet that had grown inside of the car.

Turning my head to look at him, as I had begun watching out the window again, I smile softly. "I'm fine, just thinking."

Tobias nods, carefully watching the road yet still stealing glances my way.

"Thinking about what?"

Releasing a sigh, as this day has drained me down, leaving me quite tired. I settle further back into the seat, not daring to move my hand in his though. "You, I guess."

I can see Tobias visibly tense, but allows me to continue. "Me in what context?"

Shaking my head, I release another sigh. This one not of tired origin, but one directed for him.

"I fully understand that what you told me today is something you've barely told anyone else Tobias," Pausing, saying his real name still feels different as it falls from my lips. Not a bad different, a good one that I have to get used to. "And I'm trying to focus on that, but if we're going to keep doing this Tobias, I want you to trust me. Need you to trust me."

"Trust that your past isn't going to hinder or persuade me in the choices that I make with you. Or that every time I'm thinking about you, isn't bad or about your history. Sometimes I just like to think about you to think about you." I tell him, and watch the edge of his lips twitch like he's about to smile.

"I'm new to this Tris." Tobias confesses, as he takes a left.

"I know you are," I say. "I am too."

Tobias looks over at me as the light turns red, and his blue eyes lock with mine. I want to say something more to him, but the words escape me. So instead, I do the only thing I can think of to do that would display everything that I want to say and everything that floats through my brain and beats in my heart right now. I lift our entwined hands, and press my lips gently to the back of his hand. The warmth of his skin touching my cool lips, and I don't break eye contact as I kiss his hand.

Setting our hands back down shortly before the light turns green, Tobias gives me that small but beautiful smile he had been holding back. And as he turns his gaze back to traffic, I know we'll be okay.

| | | |

Watching as I log out of my computer for the day, I can't help the small smile curling on my lips as I see Tobias and Zeke hug. They had been talking for a while, after Tobias handed him a file on a person of interest he discovered in his time away from everyone. They had made up, and I knew being on good terms with his best friend would better simplify things for Tobias. Ease his racing mind perhaps.

Reaching for my bag I had locked in my bottom drawer, I pull it out just as Tobias walks back over to our conjoined desks.

"I'm proud of you." I tell him, as he shrugs his jacket on.

Tobias tilts his head to the side slightly, a faint smirk shadowing against his lips. "So I get a gold star for the day?"

Rolling my eyes at his tease, I stand like him. "I'm proud that you're handing Amar's case to Zeke. Letting him do his job, and trusting him enough to find the truth."

Tobias shrugs, looking down at his feet before looking back up at me. "Someone told me my judgment wasn't the clearest, and that Amar's case should be solved the right way."

Now a smirk plays at my lips, and swinging my bag over my shoulder, I walk around my desk towards him.

"Sounds like a pretty smart someone huh?"

Tobias laughs as we begin to walk together towards the elevators. "Very smart," He comments pushing the down button. "And beautiful too."

The sky is dark now, a deep navy blue almost resembling black. But the street lights of the parking lot and the stars brighten it up. Tobias holds my hand again, ever since we entered the elevator, and he hasn't let go.

"Would you come home with me tonight?" Tobias asks calmly, as we approach his car that happens to be parked a few down from my own.

My feet come to a slow stop as his do the same, and looking up at him through my lashes I smile faintly. "You just can't get enough of me, can you Eaton?"

Tobias chuckles lowly, and his breath chills slightly in the cool night air.

"I want to say it's because I just don't want to be alone," Tobias shakes his head and looks down nervously at his feet. Until he look back up, and his blue eyes lock with mine. "But I think I just want more time with you."

His hand tightens it's grip on mine slightly, and even in the dark I can read the emotion shown in his eyes.

"We're together all day, almost every day. You're saying you want more time with me?" I joke with a light smile.

"I know, I know." Tobias says, and I can hear his own smile in his voice. "I think I just want more time with you, not as Prior and Eaton. But as Tris and Tobias."

My smile falters slightly, but not because his words make me unhappy. But because they pull deeply at my heart strings, and I was in no way ready for it. Staring up into his eyes that glimmer with so many layers of emotions and depth, I reach my hand up to cup his face. Feeling the slight stubble lining his jaw line, and the warmth of his tan skin against my palm. And standing up on my tip toes, I press my lips to his. Kissing him, because somehow this man makes being with him better and better with each passing moment.

"Let's go home." I whisper against his lips, and our mirroring smiles meet once more.

A/N: Shorter chapter, but a FourTris filled one no doubt! It was hard following up one of the best chapters ever, but I hope you enjoyed it, and I'm off to start on the next chapter!💕