This chapter is basically all fluff. It has a tiny bit of plot, but a lot of it is just Bellarke being adorable together (which, after the heavy stuff we've had and some heavy stuff coming, we totally need).
Thanks to all my reviewers, y'all are the best: Words are my Weapons, SquidaQdaloo, Emperor's Sister, red08, jadegurl2, heidi1245401, foxcharin, ryromaniac, JCarabaguiaz, CheriEstella, Guest, Leppy99, karlidylanfa, and Artimiz.
Guest: Just you wait...the best is yet to come...
Artimiz: Ah, I get it...life totally gets in the way of reading fics sometimes. Sad but true...
11 Years after Start of Program
"…And Wilson, Holmes…take Factory Station today. Dismissed."
Bellamy looked around in confusion as the cadets nodded and went about on their way, while he remained sitting. His name, an assignment, hadn't been called.
"Sir?" He questioned, thinking that perhaps David had accidentally skipped over his name while reading it, but the older guardsmen was looking at Bellamy with a childlike smile.
"Bellamy, come here." He said and Bellamy approached him, "Good news- at the end of this season, you'll take over as the newest instructor."
"What?" Bellamy coughed, laughing a bit, "Are you serious?" He'd been waiting what seemed like eons to become a teacher, and lately he'd been thinking it might never happen. It was like he let out a long sigh of relief he'd been holding almost three years.
"I know. You'll report to Lt. Swan, she'll be retiring soon. You'll watch classes and how she does it for the next couple months, perhaps help a day or two, and eventually take over."
"Do you think I'll be ready to be teaching new cadets in just a few months?" Bellamy asked, concerned. David gave a laugh.
"Bellamy," He put a hand on his shoulder, "It's not often that we get the number one Cadet in his class wanting to go on teaching. Most want blood, gore, battles…all totally unrealistic things upon the Ark. You could probably take the class over today and do just fine."
"Your confidence in me is overstated, I think, sir." Bellamy felt his face redden from the compliment.
"Hardly." David said. Bellamy bowed, with every intention to find his new teacher until David stopped him. Bellamy turned, and David looked even more pleased yet.
"It would be unfitting for you to remain a Cadet at this point, you would have graduated years beyond it if you were any normal case. Because of this, you are no longer Cadet Blake but Sergeant Blake."
"S…Sergeant?" Bellamy nearly fell over, "That's higher than anyone in my class currently." He felt a little faint.
"As it should be. You demand the respect of the people you will be teaching. It's more than fair. I actually railed for you to become Lieutenant Blake, but Shumway thought that perhaps we should give you a couple months to fill your new large shoes before shoving you up the ladder."
"I…oh my gosh." Bellamy leaned on the wall for support.
"There will be an official rank-change meeting, per usual." David said, stepping forward, "But there's no reason we can't do this now…" He said, unpinning the 'Cadet Blake' patch from his jacket and reattaching a new, shiner tag. Bellamy felt his breath leave him just looking at it.
He looked up at David with a sly grin.
"I guess this makes us even, Sergeant Miller?" He teased.
"Ah, I guess it would…except, you know, I'm the Chief of the Guards. Representing all of us on the council. Except for that, I guess so." He replied back with just as much mirth.
"Why aren't you higher ranked?" Bellamy asked, finding it curious he was still merely a Sergeant. David shrugged.
"I am not here to climb the ladder. I am content in my job, in my place. If Shumway ever thinks I am deserving of something more, I would happily accept it, but I don't feel the need to rise higher in this moment." He paused, "Perhaps one day."
"Thank you, sir." Bellamy said, still star struck at how his life had changed so much in a singular instant.
"Now, get to work. Swan's expecting you."
As Bellamy walked around the training area, through the locker room and off area, people were patting him on the back and congratulating him. Good new must travel fast, he thought with a wide grin.
Lt. Swan was waiting for him. He recalled liking her the best out of the people that he was trained by. She was tough, but not unreasonable. Firm, but giving in times of need. Understanding, but not a fool.
"Blake!" She barked when he came into view, "Just in time…"
"What are you doing here, Cadet?" Murphy sniggered, lounging on the chairs. It was so odd to see Murphy here, but obviously he was 17 now and Bellamy knew he was one that had chosen the guard as his chosen path. He liked to think maybe it was because of him. Either way, he didn't spend much time with the cadets being taught, and he hadn't really considered the fact he'd now be in charge of him until now.
"Murphy! That is no way to speak to your new teacher, Sergeant Blake." Swan snapped. Murphy jumped to attention, eyes wide, almost happy.
"Oh shit!" Miller said, and snapped his hand over his mouth far too late. He was already one of the best in the class, apparently, no surprise to anyone since his father was so well trained.
"Cadet Miller, language." Swan said, but even her eyes glimmered with laugher.
"You'll just have to get used to me bossing you all around." Bellamy said, grinning.
"We get that from Clarke enough already. You too now? Ug, it's like you're already married." Murphy rolled his eyes.
It had been nearly two months since he'd started dating Clarke, and it was by far the happiest two months of his life.
His mother had been thrilled because she did like Clarke. She was hardly mad Clarke knew about Octavia (what with her saving her life and all). It was frustrating now because Octavia constantly wanted her over, and sometimes Bellamy just wanted a quiet moment alone to make out with his girlfriend.
Clarke's parents were also thrilled, which neither was expecting. Bellamy had been there on at least two occasions where her mother had given her the 'don't get attached' talk when she liked a new gal or guy, but her parents had just grinned stupidly and not said a word when Clarke told them. It was unnerving to both of them.
Everyone in the group had replied with varying responses of 'finally' or 'about time'. No one thought they shouldn't be dating, which was majorly comforting to Bellamy. Not that he would have cared, but it gave him more hope to that tiny dream he had that this would be his last relationship…that he'd marry her one day.
He hadn't told Clarke this yet, no reason to scare her off, but when he saw her…she was it. There was no more. She was the one.
The first day, Bellamy merely observed. He was given his own Holopad, which all higher-ranking officers received to keep up to date on what was happening, and he supposed that was almost he now, and also so he had a notepad. A small look through made his spine tingle; he had private information about when any and all random room inspections would occur along with other information. With this, his mother never would have to trade sex for information again. He could only glance at it, though, for he had information to gather.
He took painstakingly detailed notes on how Swan commanded the Cadets-in-training, how she explained certain ideas, how she diffused a situation. Watching Swan teach was like watching artist paint. His heart swelled with excitement when he realized this would be him very soon.
He acted nonchalant about the whole deal when he went to the break room for lunch. Ana, Keith, and Marc all eyed him with varying degrees of emotion as he approached. He pretended he had no idea why they were looking at him like that, and leaned back in his chair, covering his new nametag by crossing his arms over his chest.
"It's true, ain't it?" Marc asked, sounding angry and jealous- he was only Guardsmen Scarlett, and the only reason he wasn't still a Cadet is because unless it was a case like Bellamy's, he was made a guard with the rest of their class.
"What's true?" He asked, raising his eyebrow, leaning over carefully to take a bite of his chili. Oh, it was hot. He better let it sit a moment still.
"Oh, come off it. You know exactly what we're talking about." Guardsmen Keith Hazer said, sounding passive about it, just curious instead of angry or happy. He was a good Guardsman, and Bellamy was sure he was indifferent about the whole affair because he'd be moving up in the ceremony as well, likely to an Inspector.
"Nope." Bellamy was enjoying this.
"So the rumor that you haven't been shoved above us all isn't true, then?" Ana- Inspector Woloschuck (Or, Inspector W as everyone else called her) asked, raising an eyebrow. She'd only been made Inspector a half-season ago, a little bit after Charlotte was found.
"Ah, that. Well…" Bellamy made an elaborate motion of stretching his arms over his head, uncovering his new title with a smug grin.
"No way! Arg, you bastard!" Ana said, punching him, but from her grin he knew she was happy for him.
"Congrats, buddy." Keith said, nodding, "You really deserve it."
"Fucking hell." Marc kicked a chair across from him, his expression sour. Bellamy thought that he might have only liked Bellamy because he was lower in rank than him.
"It's long overdue." Ana said finally, "I'm surprised they didn't just up and make you Commander."
"Well, that would have to mean Shumway was leaving…" Bellamy pointed out.
"Yeah, wouldn't be the worst thing." Ana said, snorting.
"Maybe one day." Bellamy gave a shrug, "I'm just happy to be here."
He nearly skipped back to his room when he was dismissed for the day, a handful of change jingling in his pocket. This change in status meant a change in his credit-stipend, and he'd go from still having to carefully spread his salary with his mother to having something left over nearly every month.
"Mom, O, you'll never guess what happened! I got promoted!" He said, before they even had time to guess, "Look at this!" He threw the money on the table, as they'd given him a promotion bonus that day. It was only a week's worth of what he'd be given, but it was almost more than he and his mother ever had, combined.
"Oh my god…I've never seen this much credit in one place…" Octavia mumbled, eyes widening.
"This is just a week's worth." Bellamy said with a wide grin, "Can you imagine? We might actually get three full meals now. And…and mom can afford to find you some new fabric for clothes!"
"Bellamy, this is…" His mother had tears in her eyes.
"That's not all." Bellamy said, flipping out his holotablet, "Look!" He pulled up the Inspector schedule, "We're due for a 'random' inspection on the…" He scrolled to their name, "30th of September."
His mother clapped a hand over her open mouth, speechless. He looked at his mother gently.
"You know what all this means now, don't you mom? You'll never have to-,"
"No," The were tears in her eyes, "Never again…" She whispered, understanding his words. For the last 15 years, she'd been giving away pieces of herself to keep her family together and safe. It must be odd for her to think she'd never have to prepare herself to do such work again…that she could finally be free of it.
"We should have a feast tonight. Turkey, a whole one! Or…or steak!" He said, swiping it up and running the coins between his fingers.
"Or," Octavia said, looking at their mom with a smile, "Maybe you should use it to take Clarke on a date?"
"Yes! Please, do that." His mother agreed, "You'll have more money coming to you, and we'll have that feast another night."
Bellamy hardly had to be told twice. In another word, with another girlfriend, he might have fought it. But with Clarke? He was a little angry he hadn't thought of it first himself. She deserved the best.
"You're right." He kissed both of them on the cheek, "I'll see you later tonight."
He made a couple stops along the way to Clarke's house; first to the food market, and then to the trade store. He even had some credit left over when he was finished, a feeling he'd never had before.
He knocked on Clarke's door, setting his basket of things outside.
"Bell! Hey," Clarke said, grinning, pulling him inside. He grabbed the basket, setting it near the door. She leaned up to kiss him, and he smiled, pulling himself around her. He'd never get tired of this.
"I made plans for us tonight. We're going on a date." He said.
Clarke pulled back, frowning.
"A date? Where? Why?"
"Can't I just want to spend time with my girlfriend?" He asked, rolling his eyes, "Sides, you got something better to do?"
"Well, my plans were to just re-read Breaking Dawn on one of the hololibraries here, so no…not really." She said, laughing,
"Urg, yeah, my plan is much better." He said, wincing. His sister also loved those ridiculous classical vampire books from like a million years ago.
"Do we have some time before we go?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Why?" He asked, looking around.
"Well, because my mom and dad are both working late tonight…It will be at least another half our before either of them get back." She said. She was leading him over to the couch.
"Yeah, we have some time." He said, all to happy to oblige.
She kissed him hard, shoving off his jacket, which was usually the first thing to go. Her hands ran up his chest, under his shirt, doing the usual exploring. Bellamy kept his hands on her hips, always waiting for her to make the first move.
She looked up at him, eyes sly.
"So, was my little Cadet a good boy today or a bad boy?" She questioned, dragging her teethed own his jaw. Even if they hadn't gotten to anything past intense kissing, one thing Bellamy already realized was Clarke was kinky as hell. He was going to enjoy where this took him; that was for sure. He was respectful of her pace, of course, but it didn't mean he wasn't absolutely excited for the rest of their sexual relationship.
She'd maneuvered them to her bed, pushed him down onto the mattress. She crawled on top of him, legs on either side of his body. She liked being in control. But today, excited by his new position, he flipped them around so she was underneath him.
"Cadet Blake!" She cried in faux anger, "What a-,"
"Princess, it's rude to mis-rank a Guardsmen. It's Sergeant Blake now." He said, leaning down to kiss her.
Clarke, slack jawed, shoved him off her. Her whole face split into a grin and she shook her head.
"No way." She said, "No way!" Her voice grew louder and squeakier.
"Uh huh." He said, grinning, "Aren't you going to congratulate me?" He asked cheekily.
"I have every intention…" She said, pulling him back on top of her, placing his hands a little lower than her hips, while her own traveled down his back.
They kissed like this until they heard the front door clicking. They both jumped up, and situated themselves on the couch. They'd gotten quite good at that. Not that he thought that parents weren't totally aware of what their children did in relationships, but he wasn't ready to be found in a compromising position yet.
"Mom, dad!" Clarke leapt up, "Did you hear? Bellamy's a sergeant now!"
"I did." Jake said, "David was beaming about it all day. He's just as happy about it as you are."
"Are you two going to celebrate?" Abby asked.
Bellamy resisted the dirty thoughts of what he wanted to do with Clarke that would be a proper celebration. Instead, he nodded to the basket by the door.
"A date, ma'am." He said.
"Ah, sounds great!" Jake said, clapping his hands together, "Just have her back sometime, Bellamy." He said.
"Of course, sir."
They were always relaxed about Clarke going anywhere with Bellamy. He could have told them they were going out to have wild sex on the Chancellor's chair, and he was relatively certain they'd just say, 'Well, be careful!'
It was already darkening in the halls when they went out. Bellamy knew exactly where he was taking her.
"It's beautiful tonight…" Clarke said, as they approached one of the viewing windows of Earth. Tonight, down there, there were few clouds, which led to a magnificent view of the cerulean blue seas and the forest green earth.
He, meanwhile, got everything set up while Clarke was enchanted.
He coughed, and she turned. Her whole face lit up. In front of them was a picnic.
"Where in the world…"
"I got a bonus for moving up, wanted to spend it on you." He said meekly, shoving his hands in his pockets, "Do you like it?"
"Like it? Bellamy, I love it." She breathed, "But you shouldn't have."
"Of course I should have. You're my girlfriend. You deserve this." He assured her, "Now, c'mon, Princes. Fancy some champagne?"
"We are getting fancy." She laughed, sitting on the old blanket, "How are you sure someone won't come by and yell at us for this?" She asked.
"Because I have this." Bellamy took out his holopad, "Seems as though this area isn't due for a round until about 2 am tonight, and I doubt we'll still be here."
Clarke chuckled, "I think you're abusing that power, Blake." She teased.
He shrugged.
"I'm sure everyone who has one of these does, once and awhile. I'm doing something harmless here."
"Wow, Bellamy Blake breaking rules. What have I turned you into?" Clarke wondered out loud.
"It's only for you." He rolled his eyes. She smiled.
"I'm glad I'm such a bad influence."
They ate for awhile, Bellamy sharing stories of his first day as a teacher-in-training, and Clarke about her stories of doing her rounds at the jobs, even though everyone pretty much knew she was going to be a doctor like her mother. Because of that, she was given either ridiculously hard jobs to do as a rounder, or laughably easy ones.
Soon, Clarke looked at Bellamy, and raised her glass with a smirk.
"We should play truth or dare. Or, well, just truth, I guess." She said.
Bellamy raised an eyebrow.
"And talk about what? We know everything about each other." He said.
"Not everything." Clarke never had a shy moment, not even now, "Like…are you a virgin?"
Bellamy tried not to choke on the piece of meat he'd been enjoying. They hadn't talked about this, not truly yet. He guessed he didn't know either.
"You're rather casual about this." He wondered if it was because she did this often, this talk. She seemed to be able to read him right away.
"Oh, get that look off your face. No, I haven't done this talk with any other of my significant others. I do it with you because I do see us going somewhere." She said, looking at him, "I wouldn't have threatened our friendship by dating you if I didn't think we weren't going to end up together, in some way. Not today or tomorrow or anywhere soon, but someday."
His whole body felt as though it was being lifted up. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"But, you haven't answered my question." She said, artfully taking them away from the declaration she'd just made.
"Oh, well…yeah." He said. Clarke actually looked shocked.
"Really? Not with Gina?"
Bellamy shook his head, "You?"
"What kind a girl do you think I am, Blake?" She threw a French fry at him, "Not yet. How far have you gone?"
"Third base." He shrugged. Clarke looked confused.
"Bases…?" She said, frowning.
"Old slang. Ana wrote me up a whole chart." He said, looking embarrassed, "It's a better way to talk about it without being obvious." He said.
"Do you have it on you?"
"Ahh…" Bellamy rubbed the back of his neck. Clarke guffawed.
"You actually have it on you."
"Yeah, well, Ana uses the terms all the time, and so does Benny and Simon and I need it just as a dictionary!" He groaned, handing the sheet to Clarke. She'd watched more than a few old recordings of baseball games with her father and Wells, so she knew what it was referring to.
"Oh. Now I'm going to have to reevaluate anytime I ever heard someone talking about baseball, if they were actually talking about the game or…this." She said, rolling her eyes, "There's just a term for everything, isn't there?"
"Uh huh."
"Hmm, so third base?" She said, eyeing him, "Did you give or receive third base?"
"Receive." He said, looking less embarrassed than she thought he would, "Gina. We broke up before I had time to return the favor. Not that I'm against giving it." He assured her.
"Ah. Well, I guess I'm up to second base then. Sorta; it wasn't underneath my clothes. A guy I kissed got very handsy around here," She motioned to her breasts, "But he was only a good kisser. I think he didn't know what he was doing up here." She laughed.
"I assure you, I'm not so uneducated."
"With who?" Clarke scoffed, "You've only kissed Stasia and Gina."
"Ah, about that…" He winced, "I may have kissed a couple other girls, but I didn't tell you because it was more about the things other than kissing that it was about…and most of them were one-time things."
"Hmm." Was all Clarke said.
"I thought you'd be upset I didn't tell you?"
"What? Tell my poor virgin ears that you got a hand job from a girl somewhere? Yeah, I really wanted to hear that." She rolled her eyes, totally sarcastic, "Besides, I like a guy with some experience." She winked.
"Not that much." He said, hoping she wasn't getting her expectations up for a lot of things he hadn't done.
They continued with their 20-questions game, as it was more like that than Truth or Dare, with a list given to Clarke from Raven, pretty much all about sex or things close to it. A lot of the questions they couldn't answer yet because neither of them had the experience to answer it.
"So, if you got this from Raven…does that mean her and Murphy are doing it behind our backs?"
"We all wish." Clarke sighed, "No, Raven is just as much a virgin as us. She got the list from Sarah Helm."
"Sarah's for sure had some." Bellamy agreed, and Clarke hummed in agreement. The conversation turned into guessing which of their group members had or had not done things yet, and if so, how far.
"Well, Marisha for sure." Clarke announced.
"For sure? Why for sure?" He asked.
"She applied for a marriage license." She said like it was obvious.
"Maybe she's catholic and waiting until marriage?" Bellamy pointed out. Clarke made a sound behind her hands.
"Not trying out the merchandise before you buy it?" Clarke frowned, "Okay…that sounds fake, but okay…"
There were some the unequivocally agreed on, mostly because they knew or could easily guess that they had made a 'home run' which included Stasia, Ana, Benny, Sarah, Kieran, Atom, and Roma. There were some they were absolutely sure maybe hadn't even made first base, and that was Al, Fox, and Felice. Everyone else they couldn't tell or were at odds about.
"Raven has for sure kissed Finn, or Finn has kissed her." Clarke argued, "And he goes right for tongue- first base right there."
"No, way. She's obviously in love with Murphy. Unless you heard it firsthand from her, I'm not gunna believe it."
"Doesn't mean she wanted it! If Finn kissed me, I'd want to hide it too…" Clarke argued, "Now I mean, not when we were…dating, or whatever it was."
"Well, Wells and Bree for sure haven't French kissed."
"They've been dating like two years."
"Ugg, ew. No. I don't want to believe it."
"Just because it grosses you out doesn't mean it hasn't happened."
"So you think they've done it?"
Clarke frowned, "Let's not get crazy now."
"Where do you think people would put us?" Bellamy asked, "If they were doing this?"
"I don't know." Clarke frowned.
"Well, you had thought I'd 'done it'." Bellamy pointed out.
"Did you think I had?" She asked.
"Well, maybe a little…" He admitted.
Clarke considered this. "I'd rather be in the home run category, I think, than no bases." She decided, "Shows that people at least think I'm interesting or enticing enough to get some."
"What a funny way to look at the world. Dessert?" He asked, taking out two popsicles.
"My god, I haven't had these since I was little." Clarke laughed, nodding.
"I remember. We got them on your eighth birthday. It was the first time I'd tried them either."
"Yeah…lordy, we've known each other a long time." She mused, leaning back into him, watching earth outside of them.
"Yeah, I suppose we have."
I mean, yeah, looking back on it now...these two have been 'engaged/promised to each other' (unknowingly) for a dang long time...XD
So, in case you're totally like 'wtf are bases' or 'what are they exactly' (Because I do know that they differ from person to person) i used this chart I found on-where else- but UrbanDictonary dot com. I think it's particularly thorough, and although MOST of these I didn't talk about within the story, it's interesting none the less (and who knows? It might show up later!) I like to think the teens of the Ark are pretty much exactly how the teens of today are...
Going up to bat: Attempting
Bullpen: Foreplay
1st base: French kissing
2nd base: Above the waist
3rd base: Below the waist
Home Run: Sex
Grand Slam: Four times in twelve hours
Foul Ball: Ass sex
Strike out: Not getting it up
Line Drive: One night stand
10 Run Rule: Finishing on your own
Pop fly: Stealing virginity
Bunt: Pre-mature ejaculation
Gapper: Easy lay
Bases loaded: Threesome
Third base coach: The person who's filmming
Stealing bases: Rape (rape is bad)
Double/Triple play: Multiple Orgasms
Cup: condom
Steroids: Birth control
Error: No Orgasm
Broken Bat: Broken dick
Extra Innings: Four times in a row
Bench Warmer: Peeping Tom
Bat boy: Fluffer
Field: Heartshaped bed
Dugout: Back seat of a car
So there you have it! More about the sexual terms of baseball than you ever likely wanted to know...Next week I might be late to update (until Friday) because next Thursday is my 21st birthday (whoot woot) and my mom is coming down to celebrate with me (totally sad, I don't have any of age friends yet...sigh, I'm the adult in my friend group) and who knows where then night will go! Actually, it won't go that far. I'm not a HUGE fan of drinking other than a nice glass of wine...
