Bellamy

Her lips met mine and it felt so right. Although she was a tough warrior, her lips were soft and warm. I kissed her back without pause. I didn't want this to ever end. Never. I kept my lips locked to hers, my tongue begging entrance into her mouth. With a soft sigh and allowed.

We couldn't go too far.

I gave her one last kiss before pulling away. She looked slightly upset when I pulled away, but she also knew why. If we were going to do this, we were going to do it the right way. I wanted a good relationship, not just a physical one.

And I know she feels the same way.

"I don't how to do this," she admitted in a quiet voice.

I gave her a sad smile, pulling her close to me. "I know. We'll figure this out, together. One day at a time, Echo, moving forward every day."

She was quiet for a long while, leaning against me, her head resting on my shoulder and her breath on my neck. "What are we?"

I frowned in confusion.

"Our people would call us…lovers, but that isn't what we are, is it? This feels…more meaningful than that."

"My people would call you my, um…" I hesitated, not because I doubted my relationship with her, but because I didn't want to further overwhelm her. "They'd call you my girlfriend. Not like a girl that's a friend, um…a girlfriend is a girl who's n a relationship with someone, and they are very important to the person they're with, and there's strong feelings, sometimes love involved."

She pulled back and looked at me, her brown eyes serious.

"I think I might be…no, I know I'm falling in love with you, Bellamy kom Skaikru."

I smiled, those words warming my heart. I truly loved this girl.

"I'm falling in love with you too, Echo kom Azgeda."

Echo

"It's quite amazing down here."

I looked around in wonder. Of course, once this view was the only view I'd have for five years, it'd get old real fast. But I was going to appreciate it for right now. There were underground farms and water filters, which Bellamy called it. I didn't quite understand the terms. Enough to support 1200 people, and three clans were splitting the space. Azgeda, Skaikru and Trikru. Four hundred slots each.

Azgeda was the least happy, being the largest of the three. Especially when Skaikru argued that they had only four hundred eighty people and that Azgeda and Trikru should both have 40 less slots than Skaikru. Roan settled it quickly. He was having me move in early with Bellamy in case Skaikru tried to play dirty.

One of the guards apparently in charge of directing people to where they belong frowned when Bellamy led me over.

"Our living space is level one. Grounders," he sneered, "are in the other two."

Bellamy glared at him. "Let me correct that. Skaikru is level one, Trikru is level 2, and Azgeda is level three. The other levels hold other necessities."

"Skaikru? We are nothing like those savages, Bellamy! We are Arkers, they are the Grounders."

I tried to pull from Bellamy to lunge at him, but I stopped myself. If I attacked this man, then I'd be the savage he claimed I was. So I just let Bellamy shield me.

"Well, Richards, we're going to be spending five years in here with those so-called savages, so get used to it."

The man, Richards, glared at him, and then his gaze shifted to me. I shuddered at the cruelness of his look. He didn't scare me, not really, but the pure hatred in his look made me worried he'd do something to my people…to our people. Bellamy looked at me, and he gave me a shared look.

"You better watch your tongue, Richard. While they might not be savages, they won't hesitate to cut your tongue out."

He took my hand, leading me away from the man.

"Hey, Bellamy! After your done fucking the grounder I'd love a turn! She looks like she'd be real fun—"

He was cut off by Bellamy's hands around his throat, knocking him to the ground. I watched in fear and horror.

"Bellamy!" I was frozen, unable to move, to stop him. Don't become a murderer, I desperately thought. Not because of me. Please! "Bellamy, don't!" I tried again. "Please!"

He hesitated before releasing the man. Richards pulled away, coughing and holding his swollen throat. "Don't you ever talk about her, or any woman, like that again. Ever! If I ever hear it, I can promise I won't be releasing you until your dead and that's a promise."

He stood up, walking over and silently taking my hand and leading me away. "There's three options," he said in a clipped tone. "You can stay in Azgeda level and I can stay in Skaikru is option one. We can both stay in Azgeda is option two. And option three is we both stay in Skaikru."

I didn't care, not as long as we were together. "Whichever you're most comfortable, Bellamy. I don't mind. As long…I prefer the second two options."

He smiled softly at me. "Me too. I vote we both get our own rooms and just take turns over which room we stay in."

I nodded. "That works for me."

"I'll head to Skaikru and you head to Azgeda. Let's say in twenty minutes I'll find you in Azgeda?"

I nodded. "Twenty minutes."

He moved closer, resting his hands on my lower back. He leaned in, capturing my lips in his own. I hummed in content. He pulled back and gave me his best and most adorable smile.

"I love you, Echo kom Azgeda."

The sound of those three words warmed my heart. I couldn't contain the big smile. "I love you too, Bellamy Blake."