My fictional world.

**note that this isn’t really meant to coincide with any of veronica’s works, this is all written for uncanon entertainment inspired by an ask left in my inbox and of course veronica’s characters and universe. also this is written in away that assumes the reader already knows what’s happening**

"Who are you?" A much larger man than I speaks in a harsh voice, making it clear that he’s not asking to be friendly.

I clear my throat of any sign of intimidation. “Eric from Erudite.”

The man, whose name I recall being Amar, lets out a small chuckle. “Another, Nose? Alright. Here.” He hands me a neatly folded pile of what looks like all-black clothing.

Once everyone is given their new clothes, Amar disappears into a poorly lit tunnel without as much as a single glance to see if anyone is actually following him. Regardless, each teenager quickly files in behind him.

I look around at the handful of faces, each mixed with both eagerness and anxiety. Me included. When I chose Dauntless at the Choosing Ceremony, I don’t really know what I was expecting, I just needed something different.

"Welcome, transfers. This is where you all will be staying for the remainder of initiation."

I take a look around the place and come to the conclusion that it’s in very decent condition.

"So is this the girls’ or guys’ room?" Though I can’t see the speaker, I know that he is located somewhere behind me.

Amar’s expression remains emotionless as he answers, “Did I not say ‘you all’?” These words immediately send an uneasiness throughout the group, more so with the girls.

"You have 15 minutes to get situated, get dressed, and get back to the the Pit. Go."

The second the door shuts, everyone gravitates toward a bed without need of consulting anyone else. Once that’s done, it takes a few awkward seconds before someone finally steps up as the first to get undressed. Once that was out of the way, everyone else seemed at much more ease.

In my opinion, this isn’t exactly a big deal. The girl standing by the bed next to me obviously doesn’t feel the same way. I immediately recognize her as Tawny Roxas.

For the past sixteen years of our lives, we grew up on the same street, attended the same classes, we even had quite a few mutual friends. We just weren’t friends ourselves. I don’t think she ever saw anything wrong with me, nor I with her, we just never got the chance to get that close. Tawny took her studies very seriously, she was arguably the brightest in our class in fact, she never even left the library most days. This is why I was so shocked to find out she chose Dauntless as well at the Choosing Ceremony.

I observe the way her body tenses up when she peeks upward before quickly averting away. I turn my head in the direction she was looking and I spot three guys across the room, all transfers from Candor, practically drooling as they all watch Tawny drop her pants to the floor.

I get it, Tawny is a very attractive girl, probably the most so here. Her hair is dark brown with a naturally light tint to it that compliments her naturally golden skin tone very well. She may be one of the shortest initiates here but she definitely has a nice build. So, yes, I get why those Candor guys would feel tempted by her but that’s no excuse to be a major creep.

Slightly irritated by their clear lack of respect, I don’t even bother to pull my pants all the way up before waddling my way to the middle of the room, making sure to obstruct their view. I am sure to make eye contact with the group so they know I’m doing what I’m doing for them.

The guys get the picture and turn away. I let a few seconds pass before turning around myself to see a grateful Tawny smiling up at me. By this time, she is already fully dressed.

As she ties her hair into a ponytail, her smile only falls to whisper the words, “Thank you.”

Without much force at all, these words make me smile. “If those perverts bother you again, just let me know. I got your back.”

"I appreciate it. It’s one thing to get dressed out in the open, but to have an audience? I’ll pass."

She says this with such a bubbly tone, one that I’ve never heard from her before. To be fair, we’ve never really been close before, like I said. This makes me realize that I don’t really know her, at least not in the way that I never knew I wanted to.

"Come on, we better get going." Her gentle voice draws me out of my deep thought.

I take a look around the dormitory and notice that we’re nearly the last ones here. I just simply nod my head and walk by her side out the door to the Pit.