Waking up to the sight of Niylah resting peacefully tangled around her is a sight she is becoming more and more used to but never losing its warm buzzing feeling each time. Six years apart from Niylah was difficult. She had slowly become used to waking up beside her and for that to be gone and knowing it would be years before she saw her again was a difficult adjustment.
Even when they were reunited, things were different. There was a distance between them, one they tried to bridge but kept facing different obstacles.
It wasn't until Niylah confronted her after the whole Primes and Josephine body control thing that she and Niylah had finally come back together. The older woman basically grabbed her arm and dragged her away from the others as soon as they knew that Madi was safe and would be ok.
Niylah had been worried looking at her other for any injuries and when she saw none, she smacked her arm multiple times shouting at her for almost dying again before hugging her and crying into her shoulder. It was a whiplash of emotions. Swiftly followed by Niylah kissing her with a desperation she had never felt from the older woman before.
"Do you ever sleep?" Niylah mumbles trying to nestle more into Clarke's body pulling the furs tighter around her. Her actions bring a small smile to Clarke's lips.
Niylah has asked her this question on more than one occasion. It is her way of chastising her: "Why sleep and miss such a beautiful sight laid out next to me?"
An amused breath escapes Niylah as she struggles to open her eyes. "I told you your flirting had gotten better."
"It's not flirting when I speak the truth." She argues completely flirting.
A weak eye roll is directed towards her. "Sure, it's not." Niylah shuffles back a little allowing Clarke to lean and down and kiss her good morning. "What time is it," Niylah asks looking around for her father's watch. No doubt buried under their clothes somewhere.
"To early to be up and about. I reckon we have another hour before people start daring to venture out of their tents." Although they have a set routine and lots to get done still most people don't dare start to leave their tents until around nine.
"Good," Niylah replies pulling Clarke closer. "Now please stop talking and go back to sleep." Chuckling Clarke accepts the sleepy cuddles as her mind begins to plan out her tasks for the day. "No thinking just sleeping," Niylah grumbles earning a louder more sincere laugh.
One of Niylah's most loveable traits is the fact that she hates the mornings. It was an unexpected surprise she discovered with the grounder woman but one she adores as Niylah is cute and grumpy in the morning. While she is the opposite much to her lover's annoyance.
It wasn't long until they heard people starting to emerge and get started on the day. Much to Niylah's displeasure and Clarke's amusement. Just as they were about to leave the tent Niylah grabs hold of her hand. "Remember the rules."
No kissing on the lips, no outright saying anything about their current or past relationship. "Of course, Ai natshana (my moon). I hope you're ready to lose."
"It's too early to start this argument again." Niylah resorts rubbing her eyes and shoving Clarke out of the tent when she catches sight of the amused grin lining her face.
Barely containing her laughter the two of them begrudgingly make their way over to where it seems everyone else is already eating breakfast. Murphy spots them first that familiar smirk lighting up his face. "Ahhhh our Princess has decided to finally grace us with her presence."
"Shut up Murphy." Clarke snaps back taking her seat and the offered bowl of food from Gaia who flashes her a sympathetic smile. Niylah drops down next to her still not completely awake. She slumps into herself head bowed as she tries to keep herself awake. Clarke can't resist the urge to brush Niylah's hair that is curtaining her face back behind her shoulder. her action drawing a small hint of a sleepy smile from Niylah. Passing her bowl to Niylah to eat first she waits until Gaia dishes out the last portion and accepts her breakfast.
Miller watches as a barely alive Niylah tries and eat as amused about the whole thing as Clarke is. "What's wrong Niylah drink too much last night." Them finding a hidden cache of booze was a horrible but great thing.
"A little," Niylah admits moving her food around in her bowl. "But I mostly blame Klark. She kept me up most of the night." She says with a hidden small smirk gracing her lips.
Subtle Niylah very subtle. She isn't outright saying it, but the people should be able to infer what she means. After all most of them do have a sex life.
Yet it seems to pass right over everyone's head. "Clarke you should have let Niylah sleep instead of keeping her up." Octavia scolds threateningly pointing her fork towards her. And it takes everything in her not to burst out laughing. She loves her friends. She really does. But how.
Fighting back a smirk she shrugs her shoulders. "I didn't hear her complaining." In fact, if her memory is correct it was the vast opposite.
"And you never will," Niylah mutters quietly in agreement next to her. But only loud enough for her to hear.
Octivia's not hearing and somehow not understanding narrows her eyes towards Clarke. "Please Niylah is too nice and thoughtful to ever complain. You need to be more mindful of your nightly habits. Think about Niylah next time."
Ignoring Niylah's mumbled 'Don't' Clarke smugly replies to Octavia. "Trust me Octavia I'm always thinking about Niylah. Especially during my... nightly habits. She would kill me otherwise." She also better be the one Niylah is thinking about during this as well otherwise they will need to have a serious talk.
Groaning Niylah shakes her head. A light blush appears on her cheeks which she tries to hide. "Kill is such a strong reaction. I wouldn't do that."
This time she can't stop the sly smirk tilting the corner of her lips. "But you would punish me." She says leaning towards Niylah who can't help but bashfully blush even more.
"Only because you would like it." Niylah shoots back just as quickly.
"We should get to work. We have a lot to do today." Indra interrupts just before Clarke could respond. Leaving the two of them to bask in their gaiety. The former general begins handing out tasks before sending them on their way. Indra has taken the role of leader as they begin to build their new lives here.
Quickly eating her breakfast, she kisses Niylah's cheek before darting off to catch up with Echo and Murphy as the three of them are on wood duty. Most people have already started to wander to go about their day.
Her girlfriend on the other hand first duty of the day is washing up which allows her to laze around the camp and savour her breakfast for a little bit longer. She should have made the same bet as Niylah. She would kill to switch to that job rather than chopping down trees.
For most of her morning, Clarke is stuck trying to think of ways to get people to call them out without being obvious about it. Her mind whirling about how to win the bet without cheating. But she just comes up blank. Yeah, she could change in the ways she shows affection towards Niylah but that would feel fake even. It wouldn't;t be real affection but things she meticulously planned out. That's is her showing her love but rather her trying to take control and she doesn't want that in their relationship.
Plus, Niylah would definitely count that as cheating. The whole point is for them to be them and see how long it takes people to click. Plus Niylah would get upset with her about their sudden distance and withdraw from her which is something is she not going to risk happening.
By the time lunch rolls around her group had made some decent progress on wood. At this rate, they should have the first cabins built in a few weeks. It would be nice to not have to sleep in a tent again.
And to have a proper bed. God does she miss having a bed.
Lunch was more scattered than breakfast or dinner. With everyone absolved in their tasks, it's more a just come and get it when ready rather than a set time. When she arrives with Echo and Murphy she is pleasantly surprised to see that Niylah and Emori are already there as well.
Murphy happily calls out to them moving to hug and kiss Emori while she takes a spot next to a more alive version of Niylah. "Hey, how was your morning."
"Easy," Niylah replies more lively. "What about you."
"We made some decent progress. It won't be long until we have our own private cabin." They will need to start scouting out where everyone wants their new homes to be. She would prefer to be a little bit further away from everyone else.
But she will listen to Niylah's thoughts about this after all this is their cabin. However, she will fight for the right to put up some of her drawings on the wall. She can't just stare at blank walls. Even on the ark she always made sure to hang her picture up and swap them around so it never grew old. And in her cell, she covered the whole thing in as many images of the earth as she could.
Something about the blankness of the walls always made her feel uneasy.
Niylah goes to reply but is cut off by Echo chiming in. "You're bunking with Niylah again." The former Azegda spy looks between her and Niylah. "Raven will be pissed. She called dibs on sharing with you next."
Raven is really keen on being her bunkmate. Strange... she wonders why.
"I thought everyone was getting their own cabin." Emori cuts in sounding just as surprised as Echo at the living arrangements.
She and Niylah side eye each other trying to think of how best to respond to that while within the rules of the bet. "Me and Klark are sharing by choice," Niylah answers back. "Just like you and Murphy." Her partner puts an extra emphasis on the like you and Murphy part.
Something flickers in Emori's eyes and Clarke leans forward almost in anticipation of what the woman might say next. Only for Echo to beat her to it. "Well, I for one will be glad to have my own space again. I love Raven to death but sharing a tent with her is hell. For someone so organised she is so messy."
That gets a few laughs from the group. And whatever passed through Emori's mind at what Niylah said vanishes along with it.
So close.
"Klark's more of a neat... freak." Niylah shoots back but looks at her to see if she got the term right. Except she is greeted with an offended look which only fuels her amusement.
She is not a neat freak. Just because she likes her area to be clean and uncluttered does not make her a neat freak. Niylah is a neat and tidy person as well, but she is calling her a neat freak... no.
Murphy laughs at this. "I expected nothing less from our Princess. She would always be on everyone's cases back at the dropship. I think she almost killed one guy who moved around her medical supplies."
"Richie," Clarke says remembering the older teen who thought she wouldn't notice if he took some of her makeshift painkillers. But when he took them, he like an idiot forgot where he picked them up from after rifling through all her things and just started putting everything back in random places. Something that stressed her out when she discovered it.
He was killed during the battle with Onya's army defending the walls. The others send her a weird look. All but Niylah that is. "What..." She asks looking around. "I remember every member of the hundred."
Murphy goes to say something as the mood starts to shift around them. Only to stop when Raven, Octavia and Gaia appear from their tasks ready for lunch.
The previous shifting mood going back to light heartiness from before. Yet Niylah still nudges her side. The silent question of 'Are you okay?' Nodding she rests her head on Niylah's shoulder as the woman places her hand over Clarke's in-between intertwining their fingers offering whatever comfort Clarke needs right now.
The 100 were her people. The first ones she fought for. The ones she killed for and did everything she could to keep them safe. Now there are only five of them still alive. Most of them died to grounders, then the mountain.
After lunch, everyone goes back to their tasks before they finish just before dinner. Normally this time is used to chill before everyone gathers for food and talk about their day hanging around together until they sneak off to bed one by one.
Normally she would use this time to draw or explore the area. Sometimes Niylah would come and join her but most of the time she just used this time for herself. Today she found herself sitting on one of the large rocks near the lake drawing the dragonfly she saw hovering over the water. Deciding to enjoy the nice summer's day before winter starts to take its toll on everything.
Hopefully by then they should have all the cabins built and the camp fully running. The summer days are starting to draw to a close, but she believes they will have enough time to get everything set up.
She's about partway through capturing its wings when she feels someone watching her. "Bilaik ai thru (Your staring)." Clarke calls out not bothering to look up from her notepad. The familiar feelings washing over her.
"Ha na ai nou gon baliak a meizen sinnes (How could I not at such an enchanting sight)." Niylah greets climbing up next to her with a smile and looking over her work.
"Nau chon ste boda op (Now whose the flirting)." Clarke shoots back finally looking up from her drawing to focus on Niylah.
"Chit na ai biyo yu don Ai manilk (What can I say you have me enthralled.)" Niylah remarks with that loving look on her face that makes Clarke melt inside.
"Ai fig raun ai laik won manilk (I think I'm the one enthralled.)" It's why she always kept going back to Niylah's trading hut rather than keep moving which would have been the smart thing to do. "Yu don Ai bob tika Oso hit op (you had me hooked the moment we met)."
Niylah giggles shyly as she leans forward and rests their heads together. "I told you your flirting had improved." Niylah jests pulling back away but still remains close to Clarke. "And you're better at picking it up now."
It was no secret back when Clarke was living in her self-exile and would head into Niylah's trading post for supplies that there had been some subtle flirting going on between them in her many visits to the trading hut. Mostly initiated by Niylah but Clarke was always quick to play along.
Not that anything really became of it due to Clarke's fear of being caught or recognised had her leaving as quickly as possible. At least not until Roan and that other bounty hunter showed up. Knowing that Niylah knew who she was all along helped ease some of the fear she had surrounding the two of them.
In fact, it led to a new openness between them. One that led to them finally giving in to their desires for each other that night. "You say that as if I was never flirting back with you."
"You flirted then disappeared into the night. Sometimes it was hard to tell if you even noticed we were flirting or not."
"Oh, trust me I knew. I just didn't want you to get hurt because of me." Clarke then remembers what Kane had told her when he first arrived in Poils. How he Monty, Bellamy Pike and Indra had tracked her down to the trading post and stumbled upon the other bounty hunter beating Niylah for information on her. "Which you did." Guilt begins to fester within again at the memory.
Horrific images played in her mind of what might have happened had Kane and the other not arrived on time to protect Niylah.
A had cupping her cheek stops those thoughts. "I'm okay Klark. We're both safe here now."
"You could have died because of me." It's a fear both of them have always been aware of. The constant fear of losing each other as each threat came and went taking people they care about with them each time.
Yet somehow the two of them have managed to make it this far.
"And you were captured because of me," Niylah replies her admission not making sense with Clarke. How was it Niylah's fault that she was captured? Niylah did everything she could to protect her. She holds no blame for what occurred. "I was purposely slow with getting your stuff." Niylah continues. "I wanted you to stay longer. So, I delayed you as much as I could just to spend more time with you. If I hadn't have done that you would have been gone before the bounty hunters arrived."
Looking back at it she does remember feeling a little anxious that Niylah was taking longer than usual. How she was offered the drink for the first time. But she put all that down to the fact that a panther was a more difficult animal to skin and separate into its uses then a deer was.
She never thought that Niylah was being purposely slow just to get to talk to her some more. Maybe Niylah has a point on her not being able to pick up flirting as well as she thought.
"I'm glad you delayed," Clarke admits taking hold of Niylah's hand. "That night with you was the first time I felt like a human in months." And she doesn't just mean the sex. But everything about it. About them. The time they spent talking to each other without the previous barriers being between them.
For the first time since properly being on the ark before her father's death, she felt safe. She felt free and not buried in the weight of everything.
Even when she knew she couldn't stay she couldn't bring herself to leave either. Not until her nightmares took a hold of her and she didn't want to wake Niylah up to help her deal with her shit.
Clarke brushes her nose against Niylah's. "Should we delay heading back for dinner?"
Niylah's answer comes in the response of closing the small gap between them and kissing her. A gesture Clarke is all too happy to return with enthusiasm.
When their kissing begins to turn into something much more pleasurable Niylah pulls back a little allowing Clake to lavish her neck in attention. "The other will realise we're missing," Niylah tells her through rapid breaths.
Chuckling into Niylah's skin Clarke barely stops to reply. "With how dense they are about us I doubt they will put it together." One of the perks of them not seeing what is clearly happening in front of them. They won't be able to make jokes and jests at their expense
"And if they come looking for us," Niylah argues while she slips her hand into Clarke's short hair bringing Clarke's attention back up towards her lips.
"Then you'll win the bet and people will know." Clarke simply tells her before reclaiming her older woman's lips.
Just as she can feel Niylah giving in to her request and just saying fuck it, they hear Octavia calling out to them. "Clarke, Niylah there you are we were wondering where you two had disappeared to. Dinners ready and everyone's hungry."
"I hate our friends." Clarke groans irritated at Octavia's horribly timed arrival. She rests her head on Niylah's shoulder to hide her face from the approaching girl while Niylah keeps her back turned to O as they both try to calm our breathing.
Niylah nips at her thigh earning a small yelp from Clarke as Niylah shouts back to Octavia. "We'll be there in a minute."
Clarke debates whether they should leave or just continue and tell O to tell the other to eat without them. The temptation to do just that builds. However, Niylah being the reasonable and responsible one presses one last kiss to her lips before detangling them. And climbing down for their perch.
"Are you guys coming or not," Octavia shouts as Clarke moves to follow Niylah.
"Evidently not," Clarke grumbles beneath her breath as she lands on the gravel path with a small thud.
Niylah's laughter fills the air as she raises an eyebrow at the bawdy comment in amusement. "I'll make it up to you later." She promises brushing against Clarke's shoulder. "This was just our practice run."
Clarke can't help but smile at that. Before all of this when the two of them were interrupted by anyone and neither felt like admitting what they had been doing. Mainly when her mother called over the radio. They would always use the excuse that they were practising together. Most people left it at that but some inquired about practicing what. Which one of them would then spit out a random lie ranging from teaching Niylah to shoot a gun, medical things, hunting things or Trigedasleng.
"I'll hold you to that," Clarke promises quietly.
"What are you guys doing out here anyways," Octavia asks as they approach. The dark-haired woman looks between the two of them like a puzzle she can't quite solve.
The two shades of blonde side-eye each other. "Practising." They both mutter in perfect harmony walking past Octavia and giggling to each other. Behind them, a visibly confused Octavia watches them for a few moments before shrugging and following after them inquiring about their day.