Bellamy stood still, the quiet whisper of the wind the only sound. The tall, dark trees loomed above him, their leaves casting his face in shadow. There was a hush in the air, so different from the franctic buzz of the everyday. The push and pull of so many bodies milling about. The hundred. Less now, he supposed.
He felt a familiar pang in his chest at the thought. He had failed so many.
He shuffled his feet, the crisp crunch of the leaves never failing to surprise him. So different from the dull pang of heavy boots on old metal, the forever incessant sound in deep space.
His quick small smile vanished at the sound of approaching footsteps, the hard mask of leadership taking its place. He turned slowly, his hand rested firmly on the cold harsh metal of his gun.
"Bellamy"
Her voice was strong, confident. He'd always liked that about her. From the very beggining, the sound of her voice.
Clarke.
He found himself standing taller, and unconscious reaction, cursing himself internally.
God, why does she make me so nervous?
She was a few paces away, smart of her to warn him that she was close, the constant threat of attack left everyone a little on edge.
"How'd you find me?" He asked
She smiled then, a slow curl of the lips. She stepped closer, soft beams of sunlight shone through the trees, catching off her blonde hair. He found himself transfixed by the sight of it, like spun gold.
"Where else would you be?" She said, her blue eyes sparkling.
He smiled then, not saying anything, content just to look at her. There was a slow rustling sound, as the branches of hundreds of great tall trees were bent by a sudden gust of wind. Dark red, bold orange and pale yellow leaves began to fall all around them, a slow sunset of fall.
Clarke laughed, a purely joyful sound. The leaves fell all around them, catching in the long blonde strands of her hair, latching into the fabric of her shirt. She stood with her arms outstretched, her eyes full of wonder.
God, she was beautiful.
She looked at him then, her smile faded slowly, an unreadable expression on her face. He wondered what she saw in his eyes.
"Bellamy" She said soflty.
"Yeah?" He managed, his voice strangely hoarse.
She stepped closer, the leaves crunched under her feet. She was so close, he could count her eyelashes.
"I never thanked you." She said, pausing, as if to consider what her next words would be.
He stood still, for once, unable to think of what to say.
"For coming back for me" She continued.
"For saving me"
He looked down at her, swallowing audibly. He lifted his hand, slowly, never taking his eyes off her face. He ran his fingers along one of the leaves caught in her curls, a slow heat curled in his stomach at the feel of her soft hair under his hands. The leaf was a dark red, flecked with bits of deep orange.
She didnt pull away. They stood there for a moment, amonst the swaying trees. Simply looking at each other.
"How could I not?" He said finally.
There was a heat that crept into her eyes then, the blue in her eyes growing deeper, darker. His hand moved despite himself, playing in the soft warmth of her hair, she pressed closer to him, and he slid his other arm around her slim waist, his hand moving from her hair to cup her face. His thumb tracing soft circles against her cheek, his heart pounding.
He leaned close, his movements slow, hesitant. He pressed his lips against hers, a slow soft kiss. Her hands twinned around his neck and he pulled her closer, kissing her harder, deeper. She made a soft little sound against his lips, and he was suddenly hard, trapped between their bodies.
Her hands dug hard into his shoulders and he pushed her back, trapping her between a tree and his body. His large hands reaching down to cup her ass.
She dragged him closer still, kissing him back franctically. Her hands slidding along the muscled strength of his arms. His breathing was harsh already, he couldnt stop running his hands through her hair, over and over feeling the softness of it.
She hitched a leg around his, and in one quick movement, unbalanced him, dragging him down into the leaves, pulling him on top of her.
"Clarke" he panted. "Clarke"