Episode 9: Bonds and Betrayals
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The Morning Encounter
Octavia woke up to the gentle morning light filtering through the tent, but something was off. She glanced over and realized Naruto was gone. Worried, she quickly got up, pulling on her jacket as she stepped out to look for him. After a brief search, she found him by the river, shirtless and washing his clothes, the water glistening over his toned body. Her cheeks heated up, and she found herself blushing at the sight of him.
Just as she was about to walk over, she noticed another girl from the camp approaching Naruto. The girl giggled as she spoke to him, playfully brushing her hand against his arm. Octavia's stomach twisted in jealousy as she watched the girl trying to flirt with him, but Naruto remained oblivious. He simply continued to chat with her, completely unaware of the girl's intentions.
Octavia clenched her fists, the growing jealousy too much to bear. She spun around and walked away before she could witness any more. She didn't understand why it bothered her so much, but it did. As she stomped off, Naruto noticed a faint glow in his hand, a light red hue. His connection to Octavia was stirring again. Realizing she had left, he quickly finished washing up and went looking for her.
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The Grounder and His Name
Octavia found herself heading toward the area where they kept the captured Grounder, her mind distracted by Naruto and that girl. She decided to bring Lincoln, the Grounder, some food, a way to take her mind off things. When she got there, she saw Lincoln tied up, still bruised but with a defiant look in his eyes.
She crouched beside him, offering the food. "Here, eat this."
Lincoln hesitated for a moment but took the food. Octavia then asked, "What's your name?"
The Grounder looked at her for a long moment before responding, "Lincoln."
"Lincoln," she repeated, feeling a strange sense of trust forming between them. They began to talk, and Octavia found herself growing curious about his world, about the Grounders. She asked him questions, and he answered cautiously, telling her bits about his people and their way of life, even revealing that they were not the savages the Sky People believed them to be.
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Naruto's Growing Dread
Naruto wandered through the camp, following the strange glow in his hand that guided him toward Octavia. He wasn't sure why, but every time his hand glowed, it was connected to her somehow. His hand, marked with Octavia's name, had grown redder and warmer as the day progressed. He found himself in front of the area where they were keeping Lincoln and heard Octavia's voice from inside.
Peeking in, he saw her talking to the Grounder—Lincoln. He was about to step in, but then something stopped him. Octavia was smiling at Lincoln, looking at him in a way that Naruto hadn't seen before. His heart sank. He didn't want to interrupt, so he turned and walked away, ignoring the growing discomfort in his glowing hand. He didn't understand why it was bothering him so much.
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A Growing Connection
For the next hour, Octavia stayed with Lincoln, continuing to ask questions, learning about the Grounders' society, their numbers, their culture. The more they talked, the more she realized there was more to Lincoln than just a captive. There was a connection forming between them, one she couldn't deny.
As the sun began to set, Octavia offered Lincoln some more food. This time, their eyes met, and something unspoken passed between them. Slowly, they leaned closer, and before Octavia knew it, they were kissing. It was brief but intense, a moment of connection that felt both thrilling and wrong.
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Naruto's Return
Naruto, hand still glowing a darker red, felt an unbearable urge to check on Octavia. The glowing had become painful, and he sensed something was wrong. As he approached the place where Lincoln was being held, he saw it—Octavia and Lincoln kissing. His heart shattered, the glow in his hand intensifying, and his eyes turning a fierce red.
Octavia, sensing something off, broke the kiss and saw Naruto standing there, his expression filled with hurt and anger. Her eyes immediately went to his glowing hand and the red in his eyes. Panic welled up inside her as she called out, "Naruto!"
Naruto turned away without a word, walking off into the night, his glowing hand hurting him even more now. Octavia, terrified and guilt-ridden, ran after him. "Naruto, wait! Please, calm down!" she shouted, her voice shaky. "It was just a kiss! It didn't mean anything!"
But Naruto ignored her, the pain in his hand and his heart intensifying with every step. He felt betrayed, confused, and hurt beyond words.
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A Painful Confrontation
Octavia, desperate to calm him down, reached for him, humming that familiar goodnight song she had sung to him before. "Naruto, please," she whispered, trying to soothe him. "Just listen to me…"
But Naruto's hurt ran deep. His glowing hand pulsed with pain, and his eyes remained red, filled with the rage and sorrow he was trying to suppress. The more Octavia pleaded, the more it hurt, until finally, he couldn't take it anymore. He turned to her, his eyes hard, and pushed her away.
"Stay away from me!" he shouted, his voice cracking with emotion.
Octavia, now crying, fell to her knees, devastated by his rejection. "Naruto… I didn't mean to hurt you. Please… I'm sorry."
But Naruto was already walking away, the pain in his hand becoming unbearable. The glow pulsed with every beat of his broken heart, leaving him torn between the bond he shared with her and the betrayal he had just witnessed.
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Octavia's Confession
After Naruto stormed off, Octavia felt utterly lost. Her heart was heavy with guilt, her emotions a tangled mess. She didn't know where to go, but she needed someone to talk to, someone who could understand. Wiping the tears from her face, she made her way to Clarke's tent.
When she arrived, Clarke noticed her immediately, her eyes widening with concern at the sight of Octavia's tear-streaked face. "Octavia?" Clarke said softly, stepping toward her. "What happened?"
Octavia could barely hold back the sobs as she collapsed into Clarke's arms. "I messed up, Clarke," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Naruto... he saw me... kissing the Grounder."
Clarke's expression shifted from shock to sympathy as she held Octavia close, trying to calm her. "Hey, it's okay," Clarke murmured soothingly. "Naruto just needs some time. You know how protective he is of you. Just... give him some space. He'll come around."
Octavia sniffled, pulling back slightly to look at Clarke. "But what if he doesn't? What if he never forgives me?"
Clarke shook her head, offering a small, reassuring smile. "He will. He cares about you, Octavia. Just let him process this."
Before Octavia could respond, the tent flap opened, and Bellamy walked in, looking as though he was about to say something urgent. He immediately noticed his sister's tear-streaked face and stopped in his tracks, his brow furrowing with concern.
"What happened?" Bellamy asked, his voice laced with brotherly protectiveness. "Why is she crying?"
Clarke hesitated for a moment but knew Bellamy deserved to know. "Naruto saw Octavia kissing the Grounder," she explained quietly, watching as Bellamy's face hardened with a mix of confusion and anger.
"Is that why he's been storming around camp like a wild animal?" Bellamy muttered under his breath, looking to Octavia with a mix of frustration and concern. "You're in deep, O."
Octavia nodded, wiping her face as she stood up straighter. "I'll be fine, Bell. I'll help you with the food run."
Bellamy raised an eyebrow, clearly seeing the sadness still etched on her face. "Are you sure? You don't look okay."
"I need to do something," Octavia insisted, her voice firm, though her eyes still reflected the turmoil inside. "I'll be fine. Let's just go."
Bellamy exchanged a look with Clarke, who nodded subtly, indicating that it was probably better to let Octavia distract herself for now. Reluctantly, Bellamy agreed and led the way out of the tent. But as they walked, he glanced at his sister, still worried about her emotional state.
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Naruto's Solitude
Meanwhile, deep in the woods, Naruto trudged through the trees, his mind a swirling storm of emotions. His eyes had returned to their normal color, but his hand still glowed red with Octavia's name etched upon it, throbbing with a constant, painful reminder of the bond between them.
Each time the pain flared, it brought with it flashes of the memory—Octavia and the Grounder locked in a kiss. Naruto's jaw tightened as the image replayed in his mind, the betrayal stinging like a fresh wound. He didn't know the man's name—only that he was the Grounder they had captured.
He tried to push the thoughts away, but it was no use. The more he ignored the glowing red in his hand, the more persistent the pain became, almost as if it were punishing him for staying away from Octavia. Yet, despite the unbearable ache, he couldn't bring himself to go back.
Naruto eventually found a small clearing by a riverbank, a place where the trees parted just enough for him to see the night sky. He sat down heavily on the ground, staring up at the stars, the vastness of the sky making him feel even more alone. His hand, still glowing red, pulsed with pain, almost as if it were calling him back to her. But Naruto resisted, gritting his teeth against the sensation.
The memories continued to flood his mind, unwanted and relentless. He saw Octavia's face as she leaned in to kiss the Grounder, saw the way her eyes softened as if she had forgotten everything they had been through together. It was unbearable.
Naruto clenched his glowing hand into a fist, the pain intensifying, but he didn't care. The physical pain felt like nothing compared to the hurt in his heart. He closed his eyes, trying to focus on the sound of the river, the rustle of the wind through the trees. Anything to drown out the thoughts that plagued him.
He had always been strong, able to push through any kind of pain or challenge, but this... this was different. The glow in his hand was a constant reminder that his bond with Octavia wasn't something he could just walk away from. It was a part of him now, whether he liked it or not.
But for now, he needed space. He needed time to think. So, he stayed there, staring up at the night sky, letting the stars be his only companions as his glowing hand ached with every heartbeat, urging him to return to the person he couldn't bring himself to face.