"Bellamy, this needs to stop" Marcus Kane, Bellamys agent said while pacing around his lounge room, Bellamy sat slumped on the couch with his head in his hands "Your temper, The endless line of women. You act on emotion Bellamy; you need to learn how to control it"
Bellamy looked up "It should not matter what I do in my personal life Kane, when I am on set I give 100%"
"I know that and you know that, but honestly Bellamy you need to rain it in" Kane pulls his phone out of his pocket and checks the time "I have to be off, but Bellamy, talk to Octavia, talk to someone, anyone and sort it out"
As Kane walks out the front door Bellamy collapses back into the couch and closes his eyes. He knows Kane is right, but he has spent so long looking after Octavia and worry about everything that he should not have to had worry about that now she is settled and fending for herself he should be able to enjoy himself right? Kane may be right he might have a temper but he is just trying to get by.
He was still deep in thought when Octavia walked into his house
"What was Kane doing here?" She asked him walking into the lounge and flopping down on the couch next to him
"Lecturing, you know the usual"
"What about this time"
He raises his eyebrow at her "Do you really want to know?"
"Big Brother you can tell me anything, you know that"
Bellamy sighs and looks at Octavia "It's nothing I can't deal with"
Octavia looks at him with a raised eyebrow "You do know you don't have to look after everything yourself, I can help you"
Bellamy nods and stands up to walk into the kitchen to get himself a drink "So what's up with you O?"
"Not a whole lot keeping busy, got some studio work on a tv show coming up, we are going to Grounders on Friday night, Linc was invited to some party"
"Yeah I think I heard something about that for Anya right?" Bellamy walks back into the room, drink in hand
"Yeah I think so. Are you going?"
Bellamy shakes his head "I don't think that would be a good idea O. I think I will lay low for a while, put some space between Kane's lectures"
Octavia walks over and takes the drink out of his hand and takes a sip "Well you know where we will be if you want company" She smiles up at him and puts the drink back in his hand "Now make some popcorn and lets watch Troy so I can look at some attractive men and you can bitch about how historically inaccurate it is"
Bellamy laughed at that "Sounds good"
That's how he ended up spending the rest of his day chilling out on the couch with his sister eating popcorn and bitching about historically inaccurate movies. It is like the old days no pressure, no expectations just them
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When Friday night rolls around Bellamy find himself home alone. He wonders around his large house aimlessly. It is too big and too quiet when he is there by himself, it used to be easier when Octavia lived with him but she moved out a couple of months ago to live with Lincoln. Not that it would make a difference as she was out at Anyas thing at Grounders tonight.
By 10pm he could not take the isolation any more, he grabbed his jacket, keys and wallet and head out for Grounders. He arrived at about 10.30 and there was a long line outside the Club. He pulled up at the entrance, the Club was so popular it had a valet service; he had been here a number of times it was a good place to pick up women. He jumped out of the car and gave the keys to the valet before heading inside.
Once inside he headed straight for the bar to see his Murphy working the bar. Murphy and Bellamy met when Bellamy was broke and working as many jobs he could find to support Octavia and get her though college. It was only by chance that Bellamy was spotted one night by a casting agent and his career path changed practically overnight. It didn't mean that he didn't work equally as hard as he had before hand, if anything he worked harder he had more to prove, more to hold onto, more to lose.
"Sup man" Murphy greeted him "Octavia said you wouldn't be in tonight"
"Yeah, changed my mind"
Murphy slid a drink over to him which he contemplated wearily
"Alright?" Murphy questions him while whipping down the bar
Bellamy looked up at him from his still untouched glass he didn't even need to say anything for Murphy to nod
"OK just one of those days. Octavia is on the floor if you wanted to say hi"
Bellamy nods in thanks, picks up his still untouched glass and head onto the dance floor, dodging people left and right until he spots Octavia in the middle of the floor dancing with Monty and Jasper a couple of techs she met working on sets. The boys deal will all electronic and pyrotechnic technical issues on sets which is where they met both Octavia and himself, as a stunt person they tend to work with Octavia more often and the three of them became close friends. She is also dance with two other girls a blonde and a brunette that he doesn't immediately recognise.
He manages to catch Octavias eye and he raises his glass to her. She smiles and pushes her way through the crowd to hug him.
"You came!" She yells in his ear "Lincoln and Wick are over there" She points over to where booths are lined up again the wall, he looks to see Lincoln talking to a scruffy blonde guy she doesn't know. He nods to her laughing she is clearly drunk but happy. He lets her go and starts walking over to the booth. He shakes Lincolns hand sitting down next to him he puts his glass on the table
"Didn't think you would be here tonight" Lincoln asks him
"Changed my mind" He turns to the Blonde man and introduces himself "Bellamy" He sticks his hand out to shake
"Wick" They shake
"What brings you here tonight Wick?" Bellamy asks
"The girls wanted to dance so here I am" Wick gestured to the girls dancing with Octavia
"How to you know them?" He asked making conversation
Wick looks at him with a surprised and slightly puzzled expression, this cause Bellamy to glance at Lincoln who is looking at him with a bemused expression
"Uh" Wick began getting Bellamys attention again "Well Raven there is my girlfriend, she is the brunette and the blonde is Clarke"
Bellamy nods and looks at the girls to place their names to their faces "And who is Clarke?" he asks Wick turning back towards him
Wick looks at him with that puzzled expression again and looks to Lincoln so as to ask his help. Lincoln laughs "Bellamy you have met Clarke"
Bellamy looks to the blonde again taking in her appearance she was wearing skinny jeans showing off her nice curves, a blue top and had her blonde hair down. He watched as she laughs and dances with the group.
He notices as some random guy sidles up behind her and places a hand on her hip. He feels the instinctive need to protect grow inside him however before he can move she has turned to face the guy giving him what for and the guy backs away with his hands in the air. He can't help but respect this tiny blonde she does not need anyone to rescue her. Unfortunately for him as she turns back to the group she catches him looking at her. She now glares at him; clearly he is now her new target.
"Shit" Bellamy muttered and looked away it was the girl Octavia befriended at Lincoln Gallery opening, the one he may have been a bit short with. He had a rough day that day.
That in turn caused both guys to laugh
"Remember her now?" Lincoln asked
"She is Ravens best friend since you asked" Wick commented "I'm going to move into the safe zone before world war three starts" He slid across the seat and stood. Bellamy glanced over to see Clarke walking determinedly if not slightly wobbly towards him.
"I wish you all the best" Wick said before making his escape over to the group dancing
Bellamy looked to Lincoln pleading with him "I am really not up for this tonight"
"Tough" is Lincolns only response "Now move I want out as well"
Bellamy moves over and lets Lincoln out of the booth just as Clarke reaches him
"You" she looks up at him and pokes him in the chest "Are a jerk"
Bellamy sighs as he sits in the booth sliding himself and his still untouched glass over towards the wall. He expects her to sit across from him but much to his surprise she slides right in beside him, he turns to slightly face her, immediately realising that was the wrong decision as she starts poking him in the chest again.
"You have no idea what I have had to do to get where I am, I don't need any handouts and I never needed nor asked for your help, nor Octavias. So how dare you imply that I was just using you for your name, your money or your body"
He takes in her face, she is strong and certain of herself even in her drunken state and she is looking at him to dare to challenge her.
"Look I can't really deal with this tonight so if you don't mind" he gestures towards his drink
"Hey!" she exclaims pulling his shoulder back so he is facing her "you don't get to turn away from me"
"Well seeing as I don't answer to you, can I at least enjoy my drink?" he says sarcastically turning away again and picking up his drink he swishes it around in his glass watching the liquid move. He is waiting for her to leave him be again but instead she just sits next to him. He is still looking at his glass when he hears her ask
"Are you actually going to drink that or just look at it all day?"
He looks at her and she is looking at him with an eyebrow cocked, he sighs and puts down the glass
"I guess not" she comments making herself more comfortable. She looks him over as though she is reading him, that more than anything unnerves him. She looks up at him with her big blue eyes "Do you want to talk about it?"
He sighs looking down at the table and back to her again "You don't want to hear it"
"Try me" she reaches over and takes his drink taking a sip from it and grimacing which makes him grin
"Not a whisky drinker?"
"I guess I am now" she shrugs "Now what's eating you?"
He shrugs one shoulder and looks around watching Octavia and her friends dancing together, he looks back to her as she grimaces again having taken another sip of his drink "you don't have to drink that you know"
She shrugs at him in return "I'm not passing up a free drink. Now stop stalling"
"It just gets a bit much is all, I know it sounds like winging but sometimes it is overwhelming, everyone expecting so much of me. Having to shoulder all the responsibility by myself. Did you know I practically raised Octavia on my own?"
She shakes her head acknowledging what he is asking but leaving room for him to continue
"Our mum died when Octavia was little, we have different fathers but neither of them were ever in the picture. We were lucky enough that I was old enough to get custody of her when mum died but it was rough I worked all time to keep food on the table, the rent paid and Octavia in school. I just always thought that once I made it, once money was not an issue, not that I ever imagined that would be the case, but now that it is the pressure would ease up and I could enjoy life a little"
She nods at him taking another sip of his drink wiggling in her seat until her head was leaning against the back of the booth looking at him
"But it is still just as bad, just different. I have the paparazzi after me all the time, I tell you they will be outside right now waiting for me, I have my manager on my case about being a perfect person all the time, and I am not Clarke, I am not a perfect person not by a long way"
He looks down to the table ashamed, he has just spilled his guts to this near complete stranger after she just had a go at him, he is so selfish.
"You know I came from money right?" He shakes his head at her admission and looks over to her meeting her eye line
"I gave it all up to follow my dream, I am an artist, well I'm trying to be an artist. That's how I know Lincoln. Met him at a lecture I went to and he took me under his wing"
Bellamy smiles that is exactly the type of person Lincoln is. Clarke moves in her seat again this time leaning her head on his arm. He lifts it to accommodate her, he knows better than trying to refuse a headstrong woman especially when she just let him unburden himself to her. She places her head on his shoulder and he wraps his arm around her to hold her to him as she continues
"My mother wanted me to become a doctor; she is a world recognised surgeon herself so it is in the family. I did a couple of years of med school before I realised though I was good at it and I understood it, it was not what I wanted to do. I wanted to do what made me happy, so I dropped out of med school got a job at the art museum and started taking the occasional lecture. My mother didn't agree with my choices, when I didn't return to med school like she wanted she cut me off completely. Now I don't have much but I am happy"
She looks up to him with sleepy eyes "So I understand"
He looks down at her and nods, she closes her eyes for a brief minute and he watches her. He looks over to their friends who are still having fun, Octavia sees him and raises and eyebrow and he shrugs, well as well as he can with someone half asleep on one shoulder.
He looks down at her again "I think it might be time for you to head home"
She opens her eyes and looks at him and nods a little before closing her eyes again
"Do you want me to get Wick?" He asks
She shakes her head and whispers "Can you take me home?"
"Of cause" he brushes his hand through her hair before tapping her shoulder encouraging her to sit up. She sits and grabs her bag from where it was on the table sliding out of the booth. He slides out behind her
"I'm just going to go to the bathroom" She tells him
"Will you be ok?" he checks and she nods "I'm going to let them know where we are going and I will meet you at the bar"
She nods again and walks off, he makes his way through the thinning crowd, it must have been the early hours of the morning by now before reaching their group.
He pulls Wick to the side and lets him know he is taking Clarke home, he lets Octavia know the same before pulling her in for a hug and promising to call her the in the afternoon "not morning Bell" she declares "or I will have to kill you, you know I can do it" He waves goodbye to them all before heading to meet Clarke at the bar. He says goodbye to Murphy before collecting Clarke and heading towards the door.
He asks the bouncer to get the Valet to bring around his car, throwing a hefty tip at them both (he knows what it is like to work those jobs) before turning Clarke to face him.
"Clarke" He says getting her wavering attention "I need to apologise in advance if there is any paparazzi out there, just hold onto me and keep your head down and I will get you to the car" He remembers saying the same thing to Octavia when his name was starting to get out there and she would call to be picked up from clubs, she has Lincoln for that now.
Clarke nods her head and he wraps his left arm securely around her, she wraps her right arm around his waist and her left grabs a hold of his jacket. The bouncer lets him know that his car is there so he starts walking towards the door, he feels as Clarkes hold tightens as they walk. They hit the cold air he feels her press her head towards his chest. He sees the flashes of the paparazzi as they ask if he had a nice night and who the girl was, he keeps his head down and tightens his hold on Clarke before reaching the passenger side door, he opens it for her and helps her in, before nodding to the paparazzi and climbing in the car himself and driving away.
He stops the car a couple of blocks away and turns to Clarke "Are you ok?"
She smiles at him "Yeh I'm fine, that is crazy though. Worse than when I had to go to events with my mother"
"Good" he nods at her then rubs his hand behind his neck "So you are going to have to remind me where you live"
She laughs brightly at that which in turn causes him to smile. She gives him her address and they head off.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
They arrive at Clarkes building and she is all but asleep in the seat beside him, he pulls up and turns off the car and turns to her
"Thank you for listening to me tonight"
She shakes her head "It's fine, I understand. Sometimes you just need someone to listen to hear you instead of lecture or try and fix you"
He nods at her statement "Well thank you all the same. Are you ok to get inside" he gestures towards her building
She moves to get up before falling back into the seat then looks at him with big doe eyes. He laughs at her before unbuckling his seatbelt and getting out if the car, he goes to the other side and opens her door, she sticks her hand out and he helps her out of the car shutting it behind her. He follows her to the door of the building he motions for him to follow her inside, so he locks his car and head in. He has to help her on the stair a couple of times before they make it to her door which she unlocks and walks in leaving the door open behind her.
She flicks on some lights and throws her bag on to the couch before heading to the only other door in the place which must be the bathroom. He shuts the door behind him and looks around her house, it is a studio apartment with a bed in one corner, a kitchenette in another a small kitchen table and living area and in the furthest corner from him a easel with a painting on it. Her apartment was not huge but it was homely and felt lived in as opposed to his house which to him just felt big and empty.
He moved towards the easel to take a closer look at what she was working on, she was really talented he loved the dark colours and shading she used as well the bright lights of the stars. He could really relate to it
"I am having some trouble getting the shading right" she said from behind him
He turn to see she had now changed into some loose pyjama pants and a tank top, he looked back to the painting "I think it is amazing"
He smiled as he looked back to her and she blushed. He moved towards her causing her head to tilt up to meet his eyes
"Thank you for everything tonight Clarke, I would really like it if we could be friends"
She smiled at this "As long as you keep your jerkiness in check I think we can do that"
He nodded at her statement "Well I will see you around then princess" he walked past her heading for the door
"Princess?" she enquired behind him
He turns back to face her "Well yeah only princesses exit vehicles as you did"
She laughs at this and he wishes her goodnight before heading back downstairs and into his car heading home. It was not a bad evening in the end, he made a new friend.
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