"Never have I ever; had sex outside," Miller spoke and raised his bottle to his lips. "Drink, Bellamy, I know you have!" He grinned and Bellamy rolled his eyes, letting the cool beer run down his throat. It was a stupid game he had gotten himself into, but it was a laugh. It consisted of going round in a circle and stating things that were deemed scandalous, if you had done them, then you drank. Bellamy found himself drinking a lot.
"Your turn, Bell," Finn prompted him and Bellamy ran a hand through his curls.
"Uhhh...never have I ever..." He paused, racking his brain for one that hadn't been said already but was interrupted by a deep voice calling his name from behind him. His head snapped round to see the last person he expected. Wells.
"What are you doing here?" Bellamy stood up automatically as if to gain an upper hand over Wells with his height. The boy frowned.
"You're not the first person to ask me that. Look, you need to come right now," He sounded mildly breathless, as if he had hurried to get to him. Bellamy's mind went to Clarke, he knew she wouldn't cope well with his being there, he hoped she was alright. Maybe she had gotten into another argument with that blonde girl, her temper was bad enough when Wells was around and the other girl seemed to infuriate her even further. Bellamy stepped forward, worried.
"Why? Is Clarke okay? If you've said something to upset her, if you-"
"You're with Clarke now?" Bellamy's threat was cut off by Wells's pained question. Bellamy didn't care about Wells's pain, he cared about Clarke's.
"What about it? Where is she? What have you done?" He pushed the chair back with his foot and started toward the boy, but Wells's sad expression was replaced with exasperation.
"Nothing! This isn't about Clarke; it's about your sister!" Wells threw up as his hands as he yelled but Bellamy could barely see him.
"Octavia?" He whispered, "Octavia!" He pushed roughly past the younger boy, not caring if he hurt him, not caring that he didn't know where he was going or what was going on. If Octavia needed him, he would be there.
"You don't even know what's happening!" Wells called as he jogged to keep up with Bellamy's long- legged stride. Bellamy cursed beneath his breath, no wonder Clarke broke up with this guy. Perhaps he was well-meaning but he was annoying as hell, and that was without counting the whole betrayal thing.
"Enlighten me then," Bellamy snapped as the two made their way into the large living room, closely followed by Finn. The room was full of people as it had been before but now they were crowded round the edges, making space for something in the middle, or someone. Octavia?
"Get out of my way," Bellamy muttered as her shoved at the people gathered there, some of them cursing at him as they stumbled from his touch. He didn't notice, for his eyes were drawn to the confrontation that everyone was watching in the centre of the circle. But it wasn't Octavia.
The boy who had whistled at his sister earlier was on the floor with his hands over his head and a bloody nose and looming over him was Jasper; wild eyed with hands balled into fists.
"Jasper!" Bellamy tore through the last line of people, into the fray. Jasper's dark head whipped up and for a moment he almost looked scared. "What the hell is going on?"
"He touched her. She didn't want him to, she was crying. He deserved it Bellamy, he deserved it!" Jasper's breathing was erratic as he stepped away from the boy on the floor, who quickly scrambled backwards, wiping his nose with the back of his hand and inspecting the blood that came off on it.
Bellamy stepped toward him, fearsome in his height and anger and confidence. The boy had hurt his sister. He deserved all Jasper had done and more. No one hurt Octavia, no one. He trapped the boy there with his boot on the hem of his jacket and met his eyes with his own.
"Get out now, or you can have the same from me." It took him a great deal of strength to refrain from hitting the boy himself, but he let him go. It was the right thing to do, Octavia was the priority. He watched the boy scamper from the room muttering swears before he scanned the room anxiously for his sister.
She was hunched over in Clarke's arms, streaks of dark makeup down red cheeks as her shoulders shook with loud sobs. Bellamy bit his lip and glanced around at the crowd.
"Everybody get out. Get out!" He roared and the group dispersed, heading back to their party. Bellamy tasted metal in his mouth and he hurried to Octavia's side. Clarke released her without looking at him, and Octavia fell into Bellamy's arms.
She clutched at his shirt the way she used to do when they were small and she had bad dreams, or their mother had a drinking spree and shouted too loud. Bellamy had cradled her beneath the covers of his bed and rocked whilst he told her stories. Sometimes they were stories he knew from books or television but mostly they came from his own mind. He'd never been very creative, even as a child, and especially not in the manner that little girls liked. He'd tried his hand at making up princess stories but they all had a touch of a childhood boy's humour or imagination to them. Octavia's favourite had been about a princess who lived in a dustbin. He could've chuckled at the memory, but his sister sobbing in his arms made it hard to be anything but worried and angry.
He kissed her head softly as he led her away from the little group who was still there; Clarke and Raven, Finn, Wells, Monty and Jasper, still seething to himself. Bellamy watched Clarke turn away from Wells pointedly as she crossed to Jasper, touching his arm to soothe him. Bellamy felt a stab of guilt for leaving her to deal with Wells, but Octavia needed him more.
"What happened?" He gripped his sister by the upper arms and pulled away to look into her eyes once they were out of earshot. Octavia scrubbed at her eyes with little fists, making a bigger mess of her makeup. Her bottom lip quivered and she stared at the floor. "Octavia," Bellamy almost whined.
"We were just dancing and," She took a shuddering breath, meeting his eyes. Her blue eyes that were usually so pretty were red and sore and rimmed with dark smudges. She licked her lip nervously. "Jasper had gone to get drinks with Monty, and Ben, he started wrapping his arms around me. I knew Jasper wouldn't like it but I didn't think it was so bad so I let him hold my waist for a moment. But then he kept slipping his hands," She gulped and Bellamy inhaled sharply, seeing red. "I told him to stop but he wouldn't, he wouldn't Bellamy, he wouldn't let go." Octavia began to cry once more and Bellamy swallowed deeply. It was good that he had sent the boy away when he had, or else he would have gotten himself into trouble. He was beginning to understand Jasper's reaction.
"I couldn't make him let g-go; he was too strong B-Bell. And Jasper came back and he was so mad, and I just wanted – wanted him to take me away but he kept hitting him. And Clarke, C-Clarke and Raven were holding me back," She put her head in her hands and groaned amongst her tears.
"It's okay, O," Bellamy pushed down his anger and wrapped his sister into his arms. "You're safe now. I'm sorry, I should've been there. I should've-"
"Don't," Octavia's head snapped up, "Don't blame yourself," She stared up at him, looking so innocent that Bellamy felt as if they were children again and a surge of affection warmed his heart. No matter what Octavia said, he should've been there; he should've looked after her. She was his baby sister, she always would be. No matter how much she grew or who she dated, she would always be Bellamy's to protect. He knew that, had always known it, and he saw it clearly now.
He kissed her head once more.
"Okay, you're okay now. I won't let him come near you ever again." He squeezed her small frame before taking her hand and looking at her with a sad smile. She looked so small and sad and fragile, but she smiled a watery smile for him.
"Wanna go home?" She nodded and he gripped her hand tighter and placed his jacket around her shoulders. At least she won't be cold on the walk back to the car.
"Why did you do it Jas?" Clarke rubbed Jasper's shoulder in a comforting motion as she sat beside him. Jasper was looking at his lap where he was wringing his hands with anxiety or guilt; she couldn't tell which. He let out a small sigh and on his other side Monty shot Clarke a worried look.
Clarke rubbed her forehead roughly, feeling tired. The night had taken a turn for the worse and she was restless and exhausted.
"He was hurting her, I just, I just freaked out," Jasper smoke in a small voice and Clarke couldn't help but sympathise. She was no stranger to anger, or the things it made you do to people. She thought of Wells and bit her lip, her stomach tightening strangely.
His arrival and the confrontation between Glass and Raven had shaken her and his face kept swimming in her mind, his dark eyes pleading. They were always so warm when they looked at me, now when they see me, they turn cold and sad. A stupid thought, she tried to tell herself. It was nothing she hadn't asked for; she didn't want Wells's affection anymore. Did she? She pressed her fingers to her temples and closed her eyes. Nothing good had come of her trying to patch things up with Wells, but arguing with him didn't make her happy either. Doesn't matter, she told herself. There was a more important situation at hand.
"What if she doesn't forgive me? What if she hates me?" Beside her, Jasper spoke meekly as Clarke held a flannel over his knuckles. They had split when he was punching the boy and they were red and sore. Clarke had rushed to tend to them. They weren't bad wounds, the other boy had suffered worse, but he had gone and Clarke was angry at him besides. Healing and nurturing was a natural instinct to her though, like it was to her mother, and it calmed her to treat the minor wound; calmed her to feel as if she was doing some help.
Bellamy had whisked Octavia away in an act of brotherly devotion, Wells had dispersed and Raven and Finn had hovered awkwardly for a moment before leaving too; so it fell to Monty and Clarke to comfort Jasper.
"Don't say that, she loves you! You were protecting her!" Clarke tried to soothe him, "She's just shaken up," Jasper nodded and offered her a weak smile but Clarke didn't' see it. In her mind's eye she saw her best friend crying and Bellamy striding angrily through the room. A small part of her wished he had come to her side, fierce and full of rage when Wells had been bothering her, but that part was stupid. She didn't need Bellamy to fight her battles for her. And Raven had been as good a friend as any. She wished he was next to her though.
It was a selfish thought, Octavia needed him more, of course she did. But Clarke had barely seen him all night and she yearned for his arms around her body, comforting her. She kicked her legs slightly, letting them thump against the sofa on their way back. I drank too much, she thought in disdain, and I'm too tired. It wasn't yet midnight, but Clarke wanted to go home.
As if he had heard her thoughts, Bellamy appeared in the doorway, his arm tight about Octavia's waist and his jacket hanging oversized on her body. His eyes met Clarke's and she felt a little weight lift from her shoulders. She couldn't have said why, but it was just him. His presence made everything a little easier to handle.
"Octavia," Jasper's voice sounded strangled and pained, he stood up as soon as he noticed her, but he hesitated awkwardly as if afraid she might reject him. But Octavia wriggled free of her brother's grasp and crossed the room, stopping a step away from him. "Octavia, I'm sorry," Jasper swallowed, his face pale beneath the green paint he wore. Octavia shook her head and pressed a hand to her forehead.
"I love you, you fucking idiot," She looked up at him, closing the gap between him and taking both his hands. Jasper looked relieved and pulled her close so that her head rested on his shoulder.
Clarke averted her eyes, feeling as if she were intruding on an intimate scene. She felt heat spreading to her cheeks as the couple embraced, even though it was no more than an innocent hug. It was the feelings attached to it that made her blush.
"Clarke," Her head snapped up at the voice. His voice. Deep and rough and all encompassing. When she looked up, Bellamy was staring at her. His lips were set in a hard line and his eyes were as tired as her own but they flickered dangerously. She knew he was angry, but he was holding it back, keeping it together for Octavia.
"Yes?" Her own voice sounded weak in comparison.
"I'm taking Octavia home, want a ride? Or..." His eyes flickered around the room, landing on Monty before they came back to her. "Or are you getting a lift with someone else?" Clarke was bemused. He thought she wanted Monty? The boy's jealousy issue was unreal.
"I want you. I mean, I want a ride with you. I want a ride with you. Please," Clarke felt her face turn red and she looked at the floor, tucking a curl behind her ear. She thought she heard him chuckle, but it was too low for her to be sure.
"Do you guys need a lift too?" He asked the boys but they shook their heads.
"My mum's picking us up," Monty told him and Bellamy nodded.
"Come on then," He said gruffly in the kind of voice he used to command. Octavia squeezed Jasper's hand and shot Monty a smile before she followed her brother. Clarke gave the two boys awkward hugs, though when she wrapped her arms around Monty, she thought of Bellamy's hard expression and let go abruptly.
The journey home was quick and silent. Clarke sat in the back seat on her own and watched the street lamps blur past.
"Octavia, I'm dropping you home first," Bellamy finally spoke just as Clarke realised they were heading the wrong way for her house. "You need to rest." For once, Octavia didn't argue, perhaps she knew he was right, or perhaps she was just too drained to retaliate.
When they pulled up at the Blake's house Clarke got out to hug her friend goodbye and move into the passenger seat. Octavia smiled and thanked her and Bellamy told her to wait while he saw his sister inside. Clarke watched them out the window, silhouetted against the golden light that spilled onto the drive when they opened the door. She sighed to herself; the night was definitely not what she had expected it to be. She should've known, her and parties never went well together. At least she would get some time in the car with Bellamy, however brief.
He raised his eyebrows at her when he got back in the car and made a face.
"Interesting night, huh Princess?" He huffed and Clarke half-laughed, half-grunted in reply. It was dark inside the car once they started driving and she couldn't see his face clearly, only his dark profile and his hands upon the steering wheel. Strong hands, she thought absentmindedly. She remembered how they had felt on her, inside her and was glad of the darkness so that he couldn't see the blush on her skin.
She clasped her hands together anxiously, wondering what it all was, what she and Bellamy were. He had kissed her earlier, in front of everyone, that must have meant something. She hoped it did.
The car pulled up in front of her house too quickly. No, she thought, I'm not ready to leave him yet.
"Princess?" Bellamy asked softly when Clarke made no move to leave the car. He moved his hand to her leg in a soft gesture, to comfort her, nothing more, but it made her skin prickle in goose bumps.
"Stay?" The word tumbled from her lips before she could stop in and she almost clapped her hand to her mouth.
"What?" Bellamy's voice changed and she could see him half-smiling in the semi-darkness. Half his face was shadowed, but she could see one eye glinting and the freckles on his skin where his cheek pulled up in a smirk. Clarke exhaled deeply.
"Will you stay with me? I know you've got Octavia to worry about and I shouldn't ask you to but, I want to," She looked at her lap, where his hand still rested just above her knee. He withdrew it to scratch the back of his neck.
"You want me to stay the night?"
"Yes," Clarke swallowed, waiting with her heart thumping wildly at his silence. She heard him laugh lightly.
"Well, I can hardly say no to the Princess can I?"
A/N Bellarke sleepover! Smut in the next chapter anyone? ;) Sorry this took a little while to upload, I've been on holiday. Hope you enjoy it, please let me know what you think! :) - J x