Inner And Outer Demons

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Tris's POV

Waking up the next morning, I realized it was the first time I was waking up since I fell asleep. No nightmares. No dreams of Tobias dying in my arms waking me up in a panic in the dead of night.

Instead, I wake to soft shadows of the rising sun dancing against Tobias's navy blue walls. The blinds still shut, but I can spot the morning light aching to be let in. I feel rested for the first time this week, my entire body thanking me for getting some hours of much needed sleep. And tilting my head up slightly, I know it's all thanks to the man my head rests against now.

His eyes are shut, his eyelashes fluttering softly against his cheeks as he dreams. His hair is sticking up in certain places, but it makes him look softer. Seeing him this way, makes him look younger and less effected by the world that has hurt him. His arm is still wrapped around me loosely, and I find comfort in the fact that even in sleep he hasn't let me go.

Unable to resist it any longer, my hand reaches up and I gently run my fingers through his hair. Careful not to wake him, my fingers trail against his warm skin and through his curls that are soft to the touch. All the while, admiring this man that is far too good for me.

"I could get used to waking up like this every morning." His voice startles me, and I pull my hand back. His eyes are still shut as he just begins to wake, but his words have a smile trailing behind them.

"I didn't mean to wake you." I whisper, suddenly feeling shy beside him.

Very slowly, his eyes flutter open. Squinting in the small amount of light in his bedroom, and runs a hand over his face. "You didn't," He assures me, and his voice is low and raspy as sleep weighs down his words. "Did you get some sleep?"

His gaze steadies itself on me, and I nod my head. "Yeah, no nightmares."

His lips find my forehead, and he smiles softly against my skin. "That's good."

Quiet falls over us as Tobias continues to wake up and I lay there in his warm arms for a few minutes longer. Feeling like I could lay there forever if life allowed me to.

"You know," I clear my throat when my words first come out in a soft whisper. "You know I really am sorry for what I said about you and to you the other day, right?"

Moving my head on his chest, I twist to look up at his blue awaiting eyes that look down upon me. Taking his left hand in my right, I entwine our fingers together as I wait nervously for his response.

"I know you are," He says, and his eyes watch me closely. "And after last night, I know even more so that what you said was due to something else."

"You knew I wasn't okay, didn't you?"

Tobias runs a hand through his hair as his left hand still holds mine, "There'd been something off with you all week, I was just hoping you would realize that you could tell me and not keep hiding it."

Sighing, I move closer to him and wrap both my arms around him. Pulling our clasped hands apart, but I feel his arms soon hug me back. "I should've told you. And I'm sorry I didn't."

"I'm here for you Tris," Tobias murmurs softly against the top of my head. "You've been there for me more times than I probably deserved you to be. Let me be here for you."

Nodding, I relish in the warmth and the comforting presence of his arms around me. Hugging me tightly against his chest, where his heart beats beneath my ear. Each beat falling in sync with my own.

"No more secrets." I whisper against his chest.

"No more secrets." He whispers back. And my heart feels full, but it isn't like the weight I've carried all week. This feeling is one of thankfulness and love towards Tobias.