They were having dinner when Octavia got the call. She made a face before leaving the room to answer.
"Uncle Bell," Audra whispered when Lincoln got up to get more water.
"What, munchkin?"
"Do you want to see a trick?"
He chuckled, "Of course."
She took a spoonful of her vegetables and told him to close his eyes. After a few seconds she clapped, "Open!" She held up an empty spoon and showed him proudly. "They disappeared!"
He raised his eyebrows, "Wow, kiddo! That's pretty-"
"NNNOOOOO!" Nick started screaming, interrupting Bellamy. "NO!"
Lincoln came back and picked him up, trying to stop him from interrupting Octavia's call.
"N-No! Audie, no!"
Bellamy looked at Audra, "I'm guessing you didn't eat your vegetables to make them go away." She glanced at Nickolas' now double portion and shook her head, looking down. He quickly scooped the spoonful back and gave it to Audra. "You have to eat them, munchkin. So you'll be strong."
After the vegetables were taken from his plate, Nick calmed down and Lincoln set him down. Audra was making a show of how strong she already was and trying to convince her father and uncle that she did not have to eat her vegetables. When Octavia came back she was grumbling about work and people's stupidity and hating her boss.
"Everything okay, O?" Bellamy asked, glancing at the exchange between her and Lincoln.
"No. Not really. Indra just called. Apparently I've got to go Iceland next week. There is a settlement that's really traditional that we've been trying to learn about for a long time. Apparently they've just agreed, but they're customs have something to do with the seasons? I don't know. Long story short, I have to fly out next week and stay for two more." She looked at Lincoln, "Can you get off work a couple days so we don't have to get a sitter every day?"
Lincoln, always calm, balanced out Octavia's stress. "It's not a problem, babe. I'll just-" his phone beeped and he quickly read the message,"… sit next to you on the plane." He grimaced. "Looks like the settlement didn't just agree for researchers- national geographic wants an article too. I have to go photograph and interview."
Lincoln had worked for national geographic for several years now. Working with nature had always been a passion and now he got paid to explore remote places and survive essentially in the wilderness for days at time. Octavia on the other hand, recently graduated and only just got her job. It had taken her longer to graduate from school on account of having Audra and Nickolas- their kids, but she had managed to get an undergraduate degree in anthropology. Still having to go to grad school, she decided it would be best for the family if she took a couple years off, interned, and paid off some loans before taking out even more. She had always wanted to work with other cultures, so when she got the offer to work as Indra's assistant and research remote settlements and people, she agreed in a rush. Normally it wasn't too difficult, Lincoln had it arranged so his work was mostly at home. He could easily edit, write articles, and connect with his colleagues over e-mail. This made it easy to watch the kids when Octavia had had class or now when she got called into work at random hours. If he was unable to, Lincoln's friend Nyko- who was practically his brother- would normally watch them for a few days.
Octavia groaned, "Crap! What are we going to do? Nyko won't be back for another 15 days!"
"Um... O? Not that it's a big deal, but I'm sitting right here." Bellamy mentioned, "You know... Uncle to both and godfather to one?"
"Bellamy, I can't ask you to do that. If it was summer, you know I'd have no problem with it, but what about your classes? There's no way I want you to have them be a burden for two weeks."
He scoffed in return. "A burden? First of all, they're my niece and nephew, they're never a burden. Second of all, I don't have a class every day, and the classes I do have are only several hours a day. My TA can help me out and they can sit with me during office hours. You said you had a sitter, so if there's an important class or it gets to be too much I can call them for one or two days. Seriously O, I want to help you guys out."
She studied him for a few more seconds before conceding. "Okay, big brother. If you're sure it won't interfere with your classes." He shook his head and smiled pulling her into a hug. "Thank you, Bell."
Lincoln added a thanks and they resumed the meal.
"Even though you're watching them, you're still good to take them on Tuesday, right?" When he nodded, she looked relieved. "Great, I'll be home around one, I'm having lunch with Clar-" She gasped, apparently having an idea. "Hey! Maybe Clarke could help you out! She gets called in to work a lot, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind."
He sighed. Clarke. It wasn't that he had a problem with her, it was actually quite the opposite. Clarke was fantastic, but she was one of Octavia's best friends. He met her when Clarke and Octavia were in college, and has known her for years. They had not always got along, but after Audra was born their all-out screaming matches turned into petty disagreements.
"Hey, Clarke, I want you to meet my brother! This is Bellamy," He heard Octavia say as she dragged a blonde girl behind her.
The girl was slightly tipsy and looked generally pissed at the entire bar.
She nodded and waved at him before pulling out her phone and furiously typing. Octavia rolled her eyes, "Seriously Clarke? I did not take you here so you could fight with your mom the whole night. Let loose for a little bit and then I swear we can go home."
Clarke nodded again and Octavia smiled and went to get them more drinks. Clarke's phone chimed twice before it began ringing.
"Isn't that probably your mom?" Bellamy asked her.
She immediately scoffed, "Probably. I don't really care. She doesn't dictate my every action."
He nodded, seeming disinterested. "Aah, got it. So you're pissed at mommy dearest. Judging by your shoes and shirt, I'm going to guess you didn't get the pony you wanted for your birthday?"
He wasn't trying to be rude. Much. But since she began talking to him, he got the feeling that she saw him as a pain in the ass. She didn't want to talk to him, so why should he pretend to be nice?
"Excuse me?" She whirled on him. If he thought she looked pissed before, it was nothing compared to the fire in her eyes now. "Who the hell do you think you are? You have no right to jump to-"
"I brought beer!" Octavia said cheerfully, coming back from the bar, unaware of the situation she had walked into. When she saw Clarke's face, hers fell a bit. "Clarke? What did she say now?"
"My mother hasn't done anything else. Your asshole brother seems to have made a few assumptions about me though."
Bellamy figured that if she had already given him a title, he'd live up to it. "That's right I have, let me guess... Princess is trying to rebel. Break away from her mommy. Bet you didn't think about who's going to pay for your phone bill and shopping sprees, did you princess? Unless daddy's got that covered."
He hardly got the last word out before she hit him. Not a slap on the arm, either. She punched his jaw with her eyes ablaze. "How DARE you?!" She screamed at him. "You have no idea who I am." She shoved at his chest, but when security looked like they might come over, she turned on her heel and left. Octavia mumbled something about driving her home and then went after her.
"I'll call you, Bell. I'm sorry!" She called over her shoulder.
Bellamy thought of how he was left standing dumbstruck in the bar. He thought of the fiery passion that was always associated with Clarke. He thought of how much they had grown from their first meeting and how much they both loved Nick and Audra. He thought of how amazing she turned out to be after they did get to know each other. He thought about how much he still craved to know but couldn't learn because he didn't want to lose her. He thought of how hard it would be to have her help him for two weeks and act like he felt nothing for her.
"Yeah," Bellamy agreed with what he hoped was a relaxed smile. "That'd be great."
What was he getting himself into?
A/N: Sooo this is kind of the introductory chapter. I'm working on the second one right now, and there will probably be one for everyday Lincoln and Octavia are gone. Lots of domestic fluff because I'm Bellarke trash. Let me know what you think or if there're any specific situations that you want to see! Reviews are great! :)