Hi y'all. Just got back from camping...I recall now why I much prefer the indoors XD We went hiking though, at the campsite, and it was totally beautiful but the actual sleeping in tents part? Ehh...I like my own spider-free, totally dry bed!
Thanks to my three reviewers: heidi1245401, Guest, and karlydilanfa
Guest: I know! Poor Wells! Although I've seen quite a few fanfics where he's always been happy with Raven, and I do like that couple...when I'm not shipping Murven. And I'm glad you like it so much
9 Years After Start of the Program
"Happy Unity Day! Or almost…Unity Day." Jasper sang, dancing around the table.
Everyone chimed in with a half-hearted response, except for Murphy, who made a retching noise.
"What? What could possibly annoy you about a day we get off from school and get free food?" Miller asked, running his hand over his face.
"Long ago, when the Earth was on fire, 12 stations floated through space, all alone. Then one day, Mir floated by Shenzhen and they realized life would be better together. They other stations saw this, and they wanted to be together too." Murphy began to recite in a faux-child's voice, mockingly. It was the words that every child pretty much knew by heart by their fifth unity day, for it was the annual re-telling of the cause of celebration. Every year, 12 six year olds were chosen to recite the speech.
Wells and Clarke had been chosen, actually. At first, it was just going to be Wells. Usually, the children were picked via lottery, but the Chancellor's son turning six was a huge deal. The previous three chancellors were all without children, so Wells was as close to royalty as they would ever get. But Wells got stage fright and told his dad he wouldn't do it unless Clarke was up there with him. Clarke, of course, had zero fear and happily recited her own part, a huge smile on her face the whole time.
"It's bullshit, you know." Murphy continued, dropping the voice, "They seem to forget that it began by blowing a thirteenth station out of the sky."
"Well, it's not like we want small children saying that part." Monty mumbled.
"And what's it to you anyway?" Monroe frowned, "I didn't think you cared about people, and it's obviously not like any of us are descendants of Polaris."
"I just think it's hypocritical."
"So what?" Raven said, raising her voice, "You're just going to go in there and pop all the children's balloons while telling them we're all descendants of murderers?" She questioned. Murphy backed down, Raven the only one allowed to speak to him like that.
"Well," He muttered as an afterthought, "It was really only Alpha station that did them in." He said, glaring at Miller and Clarke.
"Oh, whatever." Clarke rolled her eyes, "You could have some alpha nationality in you too, you know? The people that lived on those ships live all over, not just on Alpha by this point. Interbreeding and such. I might descend from what the Factory station is made from, who knows?" She pointed out logically.
"Ew." Murphy made a retching sound, "I think I'd know if I had some-,"
"John." Raven warned with a single syllable. He bit back whatever he was going to say. Clarke just sighed. Murphy's antics didn't offend her anymore. He clearly woke upon the wrong side of the Ark this morning. Didn't get his sniff of coffee, or something.
"Anyone know the party that's happening this year? Last year it was a movie for the children, and I mean anyone else, but maybe I'm sorta looking forward to a teen thing? Just maybe?" Harper said, coughing.
"Why? Have a girl or guy you're trying to impress?" Jasper waggled his eyebrows.
"If so, what's it to you?"
"I make it a point to be in everyone's business, you know that. Especially romances."
"It's because you don't have any of your own." Murphy grumbled. Instead of getting offended, Jasper let out a loud laugh and nodded.
"Extremely true."
"Though not for lack of girls trying." Monty nudged his friend, "If I had the game you had…man, I wouldn't be single."
"None of them interest me." Jasper gave a casual shrug, sounding very non-concerned, "They're all low-hanging fruits."
"And what? You're waiting for the golden apple?" Raven chortled behind her fingers.
"Just maybe, Reyes."
"Speaking of settling…" Murphy coughed loudly.
"No one was speaking of settling, Murphy." Monroe corrected him. He gave her a hard glare.
Clarke followed where his gaze had meant to bring all of them, and gave a soft smile. It was Bree and Wells, enjoying lunch together and laughing together. She was incredibly happy that Wells seemed so at ease.
"He's the chancellor's son." Clarke said, turning back to Murphy with a steely resolution, ready to defend one of her best friends, "He wouldn't have to 'settle' for anyone. He could get any girl he wants. He chose Bree, he's very happy."
"Almost any girl." Murphy corrected, giving Clarke a meaningful look. She didn't like the way it made her stomach twist, and ignored it. She'd always wondered if Wells liked her a little more than just in a best friend way, but she'd never seen him like that, and the thought of their friendship being ruined by, well that, it made her uncomfortable. So she didn't acknowledge his jeer. Besides, half of what Murphy said was bullshit anyway.
"Wells!" Raven stood on the table, waving them over, which was silly since they sat in the same place everyday and could very easily find them if they had wanted to. They didn't seem upset about bringing their meal to their friends, though, and eased into the quiet chatter.
"So do you know what the Unity Day plans are?" Harper asked Wells.
"Nothing exciting for us, if that's what you're asking." Wells moved his noodles around on the plate, "Senior citizens year, according to my dad."
Almost everyone at the table gave a sigh of regret. Murphy was likely about to make a snotty comment, but Raven whacked him so hard on the back that he began to choke a little on a noodle he'd taken from Wells' plate.
"But hey…" Wells said, noting the despondent looks around him now, "I mean, we can stay for the food and the speech and all, but I'm sure my dad would be fine with letting me have something at my place for you guys."
"Great idea." Miller said, "My dad just inherited a new board game. I'll bring that over."
"My parents would happily provide anything we don't have." Clarke added.
"This sounds like a great alternative." Bree said, although she seemed a little uncomfortable at the idea of a big group. Clarke knew she hated lots of people, even if she knew all of them very well at this point.
"Hey…" Wells said, taking her hand and pulling them into a private moment, as though the group of people around them didn't exist, "I'll be there with you…and if you don't think you can-,"
"Nonsense. You should throw the party. I will be fine. I know you'll be there."
"Clarke?"
Clarke jumped around in her seat a little, seeing Bellamy standing behind her and the table, beginning to take off his guard's uniform.
"You have a dreamy smile on your face." He teased, sitting next to her. Wells and Bree were facing each other on the bench still, completely overtaken by each other's words. The rest of her friends had lost interest and gone on to discussing other topics. Still, she talked quietly.
"I just…I knew he'd be a good boyfriend. And they way they look at each other…I know he wasn't in love with her to begin with, but this might be the real thing." She turned to Bellamy, wonder in her eyes.
"Doesn't it scare you that you might lose him to her then?"
"No, of course not. This is Wells. I want him to be as happy as he can be. And if it's for love…" She gave a quiet chuckle, "I just…I want someone to look like me like that and for me to look at them back. Not even today…just, someday."
"I'm sure someone will." Bellamy assured, awkwardly patting her back. It wouldn't have been awkward, but she noticed that he almost didn't- there was a slight pause as though he was contemplating whether he should touch her or not-before he got over it.
"What about you?" Clarke chose not to over analyze that pat, "Is that what you're worried about?" She raised an eyebrow. Bellamy took a second too long to answer.
"Naw, not really. Just heart a guy on the force saying something like that today…kind of thought it was a weird concern. I mean, don't have to worry about it with you guys…you're all too young. Ana…she's great with getting guys to sleep with her, not so great at keeping them around. Honestly, I think they're terrified she'll eat them after. And Benny? Imagining him settling down? That's…" He gave a bark of laugher, "It wouldn't be his choice, let's just say. He enjoys being single far too much."
"I think that it's silly the guy you overheard is even worrying about it. If you were friends before, there's no reason you can't be friend after. Look at my mom, my dad, and Chancellor Jaha? They became friends when they were all 12."
Bellamy grunted, shaking out his hair from the helmet-shape it had come to resemble.
"So, do you have to work the Senior's Unity Day Party?" Monty asked Bellamy from across the table.
Bellamy groaned.
"I am all for respecting elders," He began, wincing, "But I really hope not. I worked the one last year, so maybe I'll get a break? There's a lot of new recruits to help the senior citizens play bingo or get them back home safely."
"Good! Because Wells is having an awesome party for us at his place." Miller said, on the same thought line as Monty.
"That sounds great." Bellamy gave a genuine grin, "Now I really hope I don't have to work! Do you mind if I invite-" He began, likely to ask about Ana and Benny.
"No problem." Wells answered, seemingly rejoining the group instead of staring with doe-eyes at Bree, "Ask whoever…I mean, within reason. My dad's place isn't built to fit all forty of the group."
October 1st seemed to come quickly after that, and it wasn't long until Clarke was crammed into Wells' apartment with almost twenty-five other people. And, for the first time in her life, she was incredibly aware of her singleness. Not that she'd been looking for a partner right now, but seeing almost everyone else with someone else…it was, admittedly exhausting.
Wells was curled up with Bree on the couch, throwing popcorn to for each other to catch in their mouths, being almost too cute to handle. Marisha and Harry were chatting with some of the kids their age, still going strong despite the rejection of their marriage application. Harper seemed to be getting cozy to a guy Clarke didn't recognize, but was quite the catch. Jasper, who wasn't interested in dating anyone, had a gaggle of girls giggling around him. Raven was watching one of the movies in Wells collection with Murphy sitting on one side and Finn on the other, watching Raven more than the movie although she hardly looked at him. They were at that age, she supposed, but it didn't make it any harder to watch.
At first, her singular consolation that she wasn't alone had been Monty was flying solo tonight as well, but she just ended up feeling shitty for him when his smile dropped off his face the moment Miller walked in holding hands with a kid named Bryan. But his sadness and loneliness didn't last long, because Monroe came up and shyly asked him to dance. And thus he left Clarke, sitting with a glass of Sprite and wondering when everyone started coupling up? And how she'd missed it?
Of course, not everyone was with someone, but all her best friends were and that left her in a position that she wasn't sure she liked. She didn't mind talking with some of the other people in her group, but they were usually older or younger so she always felt a little out of the loop of inside jokes.
"Where's Bellamy?" She complained to Benny, wishing he'd get here sooner. If there was one thing she could count on him for, it was that he never seemed to get close to girls. She always thought it strange, but tonight, she was banking on this.
"He got stuck having to supervise the party. One of the new recruits accidently burned off all his hair in a tragic training accident. I'm surprised you didn't hear about it."
"Oh, yeah." Clarke vaguely remembered her mother trying not to laugh about the poor boy's misfortune today. She hadn't thought it would make Bellamy have to fill in, though.
"They drew sticks." Benny said, as though reading her mind, "It was just a shitty day for him, I guess."
Wells front door slid open, and Clarke saw the familiar unruly patch of dark hair being greeted, and practically shot off the sofa. She was so relieved.
"Thank god you're here!" She said, throwing herself at him. He tensed when she hugged him, which was highly unusual, and she was about to ask about it, until she noticed a girl trailing in behind him that she didn't know.
She'd seen her around in the couple times she'd been down to the Factory Station, and she did seem to be about Bellamy's age. It wasn't like she happened to be coming in at the same time as him either because when she looked down, she saw their hands were intertwined.
"Oh…" She said faintly. Her eye movement was not unnoticed by Bellamy or the girl.
"You must be Clarke. Bellamy tells me how good of friends you are. I'm Gina Martin." She unraveled her hand to shake Clarke's. Clarke swallowed, nodding to her.
"You didn't tell me you were, uh, bringing someone." She tried to keep her tone casual. In all honesty, she felt hurt. She'd been telling him this entire time about her kisses and dates and he hadn't been doing the same. Maybe he thought her to be immature or far to flippant, or maybe he didn't want her knowing this part of his life.
"I tried to ask yesterday, but Wells assumed it was Ana or Benny." His face was pretty flushed, "I didn't think I'd have to work an extra shift today either and I could introduce you two before all this."
At least he'd intended that, Clarke thought to herself.
"Well," She wasn't totally satisfied, "I feel like an idiot. I didn't even know you liked someone!" She decided to let it go, be a friend about it. She couldn't expect to be privy to everything in his life, she figured.
"Oh, don't be so shocked!" Gina laughed, "I've been flirting with him for what seems like years and he's been surprisingly unobservant. I had to finally ask him out, and even then I was terrified that it seemed I would be coming out of left field. When I finally gathered the courage two days ago, he said yes but he seemed surprised I had interested in him."
This made Clarke feel infinitely better. Besides, she wanted Bellamy to date and be happy. But the idea that he hadn't been lusting after her this whole time but instead had been approached made her feel much more at ease. All her negative feelings whooshed away. She gave a devilish grin.
"Guys are about as perceptive as spoons, especially this one." She teased, gaining a full smile from Gina.
"Hey!" Bellamy protested.
"My god, she could have had a neon sign saying 'I like Bellamy Blake' hanging over her head, and you would have still gotten that deer-in-headlights look when she asked you."
"I'm going to go get some drinks instead of sitting here being abused," Bellamy interjected, but he was grinning, "Want something?"
"Sure." Clarke said at the same time Gina replied 'yes'. Clarke almost kicked herself. He'd come with a date, of course he wasn't asking her. He didn't seem to be perturbed by her faux pas and gave thumbs up to both of them.
"So he really is best friends with the Alpha Princess." Gina mused when he left, although not unkindly, just more with wonder.
"Yeah," Clarke rubbed her arms, "Our parents kinda always pushed us together, stars know why. You're lucky. He's a great guy." Clarke said.
"Oh, don't I know? I'm utterly surprised he wasn't already taken. I think everyone else is crazy not to think he's perfect."
Although Clarke wholeheartedly agreed, she felt weird being in accord with Gina in this way.
She maneuvered Gina to where there were three open bar stools at the breakfast bar, occasionally pointing out people in her and Bellamy's friend group. Bellamy seemed to have talked quite a bit about his friends in the day since they'd begun dating, because she seemed to have a good grip on each of them in small blips (Raven; "the really smart one", Miller; "gay and second-best guy friend", Benny; "best guy friend, say away from him or he'll try to hook up with you", Monty; "totally gay for Miller, wont say anything about it ever though", Murphy; "Our trash friend, but we love him" and so on).
"So what's he said about me then?" Clarke asked raising an eyebrow.
"Do you have like four hours? Because that's how much he talks about you."
This made Clarke smile like an idiot.
She saw Bellamy returning, balancing three drinks with him.
"And he won't shut up about your artistic skills! I didn't know I believed him- I mean he was comparing you to Monet or Picasso, but then I saw your tattoo that you're doing for him."
The smile slid off Clarke's face.
"You…you've seen his tattoo?"
It wasn't unrealistic to expect that if they were dating they would eventually do what people who dated did. But if they'd only known each other for two days, at least in a closer way…
Also, something about Bellay's tattoo was incredibly personal to her. Even though it had been nearly a year since she'd started it, she still wasn't done. It was by far the biggest tattoo she'd ever done, spanning across his entire upper side of his back and the tips of his arms, so it naturally took a very long time. They also found far less times to be alone to work on it, so they maybe got a chance to do it every two weeks or so. She found she enjoyed these sessions a thousand times more than when she'd done Murphy's and had that thing with Finn, and she thought that was as happy as she could have ever been. She'd also figured out by herself that Bellamy hated needles around their second time working on it, but he'd never asked for her to stop doing it. Although he still refused to find out what it was, she'd informed him that it would be very large, and yet he still powered through. She didn't want to force him to too much needle in one day though.
"Yeah, but he says he doesn't want to know what it is until it's completely done, so don't worry-I didn't tell him. It's totally incredible, though! He showed it to me just to prove that you were that good."
"It wasn't like we were doing anything." Bellamy was quick to add.
Clarke tried not to let it bother her; tattoos were meant to be seen, unfinished or not.
And, as the night progressed, she couldn't hate Gina if she tried. She was funny, intelligent, kind, and adored Bellamy. She couldn't ask for a better person for him to date. She also seemed to have zero problems with his friendship with Clarke, and in fact encouraged them to keep close even if she would be taking up a bit more of his time now.
She had to leave before the party finished because she worked a very early morning shift, finally leaving Clarke with her friend. They eventually migrated to one of the couches, sitting with drinks and handfuls of chips.
"So…do you like her?" Bellamy asked, catching Clarke's eye.
"Why does it matter?" She shrugged, "If you like her, everyone else's opinions shouldn't change much."
"But I want you to like her." Bellamy pressed, "I couldn't date someone you thought was awful, ever. You're the ultimate veto."
"So, if I said I hated her, you'd break up with her tomorrow?" Clarke raised an unbelieving eyebrow.
"Yes." There wasn't a doubt of uncertainty in his voice, and she was shocked at his resolve.
"Rest assured, she's wonderful." Clarke said, and she did see him completely relax.
"I thought you two might get on. I mean, if we do date awhile, I guess you'll be seeing her a bit." He said.
"What, on awkward dates with me third wheeling?" She chuckled, and from Bellamy's face, perhaps it wasn't too far from what he was thinking.
"Well, not all the time. Maybe you could find someone and we could double date?" He said.
"Maybe." Clarke shrugged. She didn't currently have her eye on anyone, but maybe she'd start looking harder, "Everyone is kind of hooking up. I don't know whose left for me to date. Haven't you noticed?" She said, motioning to all the couples around them.
Bellamy did a quick look around, "My god, you're right. How strange."
As thought to prove her point even more, the song changed to a much quieter tempo, and people began coupling up for a slow dance. Bellamy and Clarke looked at each other, as though both considering suggesting they go out for one friends dance, but then both snorted, thinking better of it.
"Poor Monty." Bellamy commented, seeing Miller dancing with Bryan.
"Maybe not." Clarke said, nodding him and nodding where he was dancing with Monroe, and she had leaned up to kiss him, and he wasn't objecting.
"So he bats for both teams?" Bellamy asked, because Monty had never really come forward and confirmed either way.
"Suppose so." Clarke said.
"Wells looks really happy. From the way you talked about it, he didn't seem so keen on dating Bree." Bellamy said to, looking at where Bree was laying her head on his shoulder.
"Sometimes I guess someone just has to point it out."
"And Finn looks like a kicked puppy."
"What?" Clarke asked, then saw his forlorn expression as he sat alone, "Oh, you're right. Look why!" She giggled behind her hand. Raven had dragged Murphy out to the dance floor and he seemed to be fighting it every step of the way, until about thirty seconds after when it seemed no one was paying attention to them (but to their significant others) and he actually looked…happy?
"My god, are they dating already?" Bellamy said in exasperation.
"I don't think so. We'd know." Clarke said, "But seriously, they need to just kiss and get it out of the way."
"Agreed! How can two people who are so clearly meant to be act so oblivious about it? It's like they're punishing all of us that see their sexual tension by pretending it doesn't exist." Bellamy waved a hand.
"For real. It's like everyone else can see it and Raven and Murphy are choosing to be blind. They must have some idea. I can't ever imagine being that way with someone, could you?" She turned toward Bellamy. He looked at her hard for a second, before cracking a smile and shaking his head.
"Absolutely unthinkable, I agree." He nodded, "Meant to be…" He trailed off quietly.
She settled back into his chest, taking his drink from his hand because hers was empty and downed it, clicking her tongue.
"Some people…"
NOT LONG UNTIL THEY ACTUALLY GET TOGETHER! I PROMISE IT'S COMING!
Btw, thank you to the reviewer that a long time ago suggusted that I do a Unity day chapter! This turned out to be quite the chapter, eh?
Remember to review :)
