This one-shot is inspired by Maddie and Tae's song "Shut Up and Fish" featuring characters from The 100. I own nothing other than the specific composition of words on the page.
It's set in sometime in Season One after Raven arrives on the ground, but before the Ark came down.
I considered manipulating the main idea of the song to somehow work in Bellarke (my OTP), possibly making it an AU, but it didn't feel right so I decided this would be a good way to get out my frustration at Finn without being too cruel.
"Someone needs to go out to get some more food," Clarke said looking at their meager supply of goods. "Maybe we can try fishing again; we caught a few last time and it's less risky than a full hunting party of armed teenagers who are more focused on food than any reasonable level of safety."
Bellamy nodded his agreement. "I can go in ten. I just need to look at the perimeter one more time and check in with the guards."
"No. I'll go. Some kids still need a little training in weapons and they don't listen as well when you're not around," Clarke told him, reluctantly admitting the truth of his influence. Plus, she added to herself, I just need to get out of camp for a little while; with everyone coming to Med Bay with something as small as a splinter, I need some time to just think to myself.
"Who's going to be in Med Bay?" Bellamy asked, authoritatively.
Clarke stood her ground, "I'll only be gone for an afternoon; Monty and Octavia can handle it until I get back. They've learned a lot since we've been done here."
Bellamy recognized when he wouldn't win the battle of wills. But that didn't stop him from adding an addendum. "You're not going alone," Bellamy told her blatantly.
"I'll go with her," a new voice volunteered. Clarke and Bellamy turned to look at the person who had been listening to their conversation: Finn. Clarke tensed. She did not want to be alone with Finn right now. Since Raven had come down things had gotten complicated, and she was not in the mood to hear Finn's excuses one more time. Finn continued, "I know my way to the fishing hole and around a gun. You know I'm the best tracker we have. I'll know if a grounder or animal in the area before we start, so we'll know whether the spot is safe or not. Well, as safe as it gets around here."
"Alright. Get your stuff and meet Clarke at the gate in five," Bellamy said without conversing with Clarke in the least.
Clarke opened her mouth to protest, but Finn had already left to get his pack. She turned on Bellamy, "You should have talked to me first instead of just telling him he's coming. Your word is not final, Bellamy." Her tone was dangerous; she did not want to go on this trip with Finn. The whole point of her going was so that she could think in peace. The object of the jumbled thoughts sitting right next to her would definitely not help matters.
"He's observant, he knows his way around weapons better than a lot of others here, you need another person out there with you, and he volunteered. It was simple." Bellamy strode away, not allowing Clarke to get in anything edgewise.
She growled her frustration and set out for the gate, pack on her back and makeshift fishing supplies in hand. When she got to there, Finn was already waiting. "Let's go," she said brusquely, brushing past him with a nod to Sterling and Fox who were manning the gate at the time.
Finn followed closely at her heels. "I snagged some of Monty's moonshine. Figured we could relax a little and chat while we fish."
"The whole point of you coming, was so that there were two sets of eyes looking out for grounders; that doesn't work if we're drunk," Clarke snapped.
"It was just a suggestion," Finn defended.
"One that we're not using," Clarke ended the conversation.
She led the way to their fishing spot, shutting down any attempt at conversation with the excuse of keeping their ears open for grounders. Once at the water, Finn did a quick sweep for any signs of people or animals nearby and came back with only the report of a trail used to get to the water. Clarke nodded at his report, set up her line and waited for a nibble.
Sitting on the bank, Clarke scanned the area, wishing she had brought something to draw with and on. No matter how dangerous the ground might be, it was more beautiful than she could have ever imagined.
Right when she was settling into those happy thoughts of the beauty that surrounded her, Finn settled in right next to her. She heaved a sigh and tried to ignore him. When he didn't gain her attention, he scooted a little closer. Then, of all the ideas he could come up with, he tried to hold her hand. She jerked it back. "Finn, just don't."
"But Clarke, you're so beautiful, and strong, and I love you. I thought I'd never see her again. Let's just live for the here and now: me and you and a good view. It doesn't get any better than this."
She was sick and tired of hearing his spiel over and over. No matter what he said, it couldn't change any of the fact. "Yeah, it could," Clarke replied curtly. "If you would shut up and fish."
Finn was taken aback by her harsh tone. He got up to run another perimeter around the fishing hovel. While he was gone, Clarke was left to stew. She still couldn't believe he could do something like that. Not only did he play with her heart, but what he had done to Raven was horrible. She couldn't understand how he could just turn around so quickly from someone who had been by his side for so long.
Luckily she was brought out of her thoughts by a fish on the line. She quickly pulled it to shore, and removed one of their precious hooks from it before tossing it next to their supplies. She threw the line back into the water and breathed in the forest air.
"You caught one!" Finn exclaimed, coming around the bend.
"Yup, just took a little bit of quiet and some patience," Clarke replied, proud of herself.
Finn settled in next to her again, though leaving more space than before. She breathed a sigh of relief. They fished in silence for a while for which Clarke was grateful.
All too soon, Finn slid over a little, turning towards her and trying to catch Clarke's eye. She refused to look at him, focusing on the water instead. She was overjoyed when she felt a pull on her line; not only did it mean more food for the 100, but it also meant a distraction from whatever Finn was trying to do.
Finn grabbed the fish and got the hook out of it for her. Clarke rolled her eyes, "I could have done that myself."
"I like to help," he said. He walked it over and set it next to the other fish laying on the ground. When he came back, he sat just as close to Clarke as he had been the first time. Clarke was really wishing there was a large rock to her other side, so that she could scoot over a bit too. But her thought for a little bit of shelter were grounders to come had weighed heavily on her choice of position. "Clarke, will you please just talk to me," he pleaded, taking her hand again. She pulled in back and threw her line back in, imagining she was throwing Finn into the lake as well.
"Clarke, I love you—"
"Finn, would you just shut up and fish. We're here to get food for camp, not talk about things I've already told you I don't want to talk about."
"Just try to understand where I'm coming from!"
Clarke stood up, overflowing with frustration. Why could he just not let it go? She already felt awful and he just kept pushing on the wound. It wasn't just about her, she could not wrap her mind around what he was doing to Raven.
Finn stood up and reached out to her, yet again. "Clarke—" That was it, she had it with him. He didn't get any further in his sentence before she put both hands on his arm and gave a push, sending him tumbling into the lake.
…
Clarke trudged back into camp. "I only got two fish," Clarke told Bellamy who had met her at the gate, having been told of their approach.
Bellamy looked concerned. He opened his mouth to say something when Finn sloshed through the gate, dripping water from his hair and every article of clothing; he wore a miserable look to match his appearance. He didn't stop, but kept walking straight to his tent, the eyes of everyone he passed following him.
Bellamy's eyebrows shot up. "I was going to ask if you were alright because you were back earlier than I expected, but I think I know why."
Octavia came up to the two of them, a look of curiosity on her face. "Did Finn fall in the lake?" she asked.
"No. I pushed him," Clarke said and walked away. She could hear Bellamy's laughter coming from behind her. She smiled happily to herself.
