Work Text:
The Dauntless could be split in two halves — the ones smoking like a chimney and those immensely promoting healthy lifestyle.
Eric has never tried to hide he belongs to the former. He had his first cigarette, or more precisely a cigarillo, at the age of sixteen which most smokers would consider a bit late and most abstinents too soon. We all know opinions of the others were irrelevant to him.
Until one day.
A new girl named y/n had arrived. Although he did not know what exactly he felt towards you, he was sure as hell he wanted to present himself in the best way possible.
It was childish and stupid of him but he has only smoked in his private rooms ever since you came, not risking to see disgust in your face after seeing him committing to such a repulsive habit.
Little did he know how much you craved a cigarette yourself, being used to have one or two ever now and then in your life before the choosing ceremony.
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You were sitting on your bed, legs hanging down. You just wanted some kind of a relief. Anything.
You studied the room around you. Everyone else was asleep. You raised your pillow and ogled the small, half empty pack with a lighter hidden inside. You found yesterday in the dining area, not entirely sure whom it used to belong to, however you suspected it belonged to a certain woman, let’s say in her early forties, you remembered her only bluntly but she was the one doing *the test* with you.
Anyway, the pack was lying on the ground and you picked it up. Sounds fair, right?
It was hard to guess the time, but if you had to, you would say something around midnight.
You could not say the training was easy but there was one thing consuming your thoughts and making you feel sick even more — your crush, ironically. You have never had it for the guys with a combination of dark hair an pale skin, ever in your life. But here he fucking was — Eric-God-knows-his-last-name, he did not bother tell anyone, running around and stealing your heart.
You rose from the bed and went outside the dorms, quickly scrolling the area, your pocket full of something you were not exactly sure was banned but never seen any of your peers possess.
It was chill out there. You spent almost ten minutes blindly walking around, not knowing how you will get back, not paying it much attention though, when you saw the perfect spot. There was a bench next to a view down the caves. It would have been perfect have not it been doors to what seemed like private quarters, so peaceful, contrary to any presumptions everyone could make about this faction generally.
You sat on the bench, fiddled with the small box and then finally raised the cigarette to your lips and lit it. It felt like heaven. All of your problems had disappeared for a moment. You closed your eyes, taking another drag, now keeping it in your lungs for a while. You sat there and continued smoking, tranquil as you had not been in quite a time.
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Eric could not sleep. He was upset about something, however even he did not know what the matter was.
He checked the alarm next to his bed. 1 a.m.
His recipe to sleep was similar to most of his recipes: a quick cigarette.
It was a deep night, so no one could see him if he took it outside. He got up, walked over to the door, took the keys and a small package that was lying right next to it. He had this habit to always put a lighter inside so he would never forget it.
He reached the doorknob and opened the big door.
The first thing that came to his mind was that there already was someone out there and that someone was doing the same thing he intended to do.
He tried to look closer, but he did not have his lens on, so he had to walk closer.
And ever since that moment Eric knew he had to win this girls heart. It was y/n. She was sitting there, eyes closed and looking as calm as he has never seen her before.
He chuckled, startling her a bit, tearing her bright eyes open.
She opened her mouth in an attempt to say something but no words actually found their way out.
So he took the initiative: “I would never take you for a smoker.”
She bowed her head, making some sort of an apology in which she counted on nicotine being banned in her society.
“Don’t worry,” he said, the corners of his lips slightly twitching.
You nodded, not knowing either what to sayer what to put your eyes on. You knew maintaining eye contact is a crucial part of a conversation yet ever since you were taught about the infamous expansion of human pupil, you were paranoid and avoided his eyes as much as possible.
He looked next to you, spotting the little package.
“Looks awful lot like the ones I lost a couple of days ago,” he teased.
If he decided you stole it, you would be in lots of trouble. Your head was already spinning by the thousands of punishments he could give you. He was known for being mean and rough and you saw him on multiple occasions to prove this saying correct, yet he has never been severe towards you.
“I found them yesterday at lunch,” you defended yourself awkwardly.
“It’s okay,” he laughed and something about it sounded utterly wrong, you just could not put your finger on it. If you had to describe it with your words, you would say he sounded feral, but that is not the most accurate description.
“Oh, dammit,” you yelped. You stopped paying attention and the cigarette had burned your fingers.
“Fuck, are you okay?” he asked but there was more of a jest in his voice than actual worry.
“Yeah.”
“You wanna have another?” he raised his eyebrows. “With me,” he added.
You smiled.
The two of you had a beautiful nigh and who knows? Maybe you were on a way to something more.