#ff bellarke

[cvldbones]

you were never not mine

Summary:

Everyone they meet assumes that Bellamy and Clarke are dating. And, really - they're not.

There are so many things she does not understand about Clarke at sixteen. It feels like overnight her daughter turned into someone new, someone she didn’t understand, and Abby woke up in this new version of her life without an instruction manual.

So, yes, there are so many days that Abby Griffin feels a bit adrift, when it comes to parenting this new version of Clarke.

Until she meets Bellamy Blake.

Clarke joined the debate team when she started high school, at Abby’s probing; she needed extracurriculars for her college applications, and her daughter’s stubbornness was a weapon she could wield very effectively in a debate setting. Bellamy was an older student, a junior to Clarke’s freshman, and Abby had met his mother a handful of times through her clinic’s doors. So that first year, his name features in her stories just like her other friends, and Abby thinks little of it.

Her daughter’s sophomore year, though, something changes. Clarke is partnered with Bellamy for their debates that year, and the two of them seem to have become the de facto leaders of the small group. He starts showing up around their house, staying for dinners, picking Clarke up on the weekends for non-debate things. When Clarke talks about him, her voice has gone warm, rather than tinged with irritation as it had been.

Abby Griffin may not understand her daughter as well anymore, but she remembers being sixteen, too.

Read more on AO3!

[truthofherdreams]

children of the apocalypse (4)

Later that day, Clarke is cleaning Wells’ wound – the scarring is pretty bad but at least he seems to be recovering quickly – when Sterling enters the dropship. He squints at the semi-darkness of the interior before his eyes fall on Clarke and, with a nod to himself, he walks toward her.

Clarke puts the bandages aside and turns around to face him with a raised eyebrow. He looks young, and shy, and Clarke wonders what someone such as him could have possibly done to be thrown into the Sky Box.

“Bellamy is asking if you want your own tent, or if you prefer to stay in the dropship,” he tells her.

Only then does Clarke notice Sterling is holding a pillow and a blanket. For her. Because she’s in charge alongside Bellamy now, so she deserves nice things. The thought alone annoys her more than it should. They all deserve a blanket and a pillow for the night, but only a few privileged ones actually do have access to the luxury – all of them handpicked by Bellamy, of course. Clarke has to try hard not to roll her eyes at the poor boy in front of her. He’s only the messenger, she reminds herself.

“Bellamy wants you to be comfy,” Wells sing-songs.

Mental note: add more alcohol to his wound. 

To fight back the infection, obviously.

continue reading on ao3

[alannacouture]

So, for reasons unknown to me, Ao3 wouldn’t let me upload this w my Bellarke Valentine’s Day fic. So I’m sharing it here in hope you’ll go visit my story (it’s very fluffy, I promise). ❤️❤️❤️

https://archiveofourown.org/works/44920405

[cs-and-bellarke]

Love isn’t weakness: A Bellarke fanfic

Ao3, FF

Prev / Next part

Chapter 4

Clarke’s P.O.V

Me and Bellamy were talking about why we couldn’t sleep, then it turned into why Octavia doesn’t want us to get close. Don’t get me wrong I love Octavia but I don’t why she doesn’t want me to get to know her brother, she says if I did then I would end up getting hurt. After she said that I couldn’t sleep, she then started to kick me in her sleep so I went to the living room. 

Bellamy told me that what he was thinking that wouldn’t let him sleep was something O would kill him for...my question is what was he thinking...because what was running through my head would make O kill me as well. I was thinking about Bellamy...I don’t know why, but ever since he came to me to make sure I was okay, and when he took me to his ‘hiding spot’ I’ve felt a connection to him. I can’t explain it but it was a feeling that I don’t want to go away. I feel safe with him but I don’t know him...all I know is that he is my best friend's brother. I can’t fall for my best friend’s brother...I can’t...but...I think I already have.

“Well, everyone I’ve known has either left or completely stopped talking to me and umm...I was just think why, I was also thinking of something Octavia would kill me for, she just hates the idea of me getting close to you, she keeps saying that you would end up hurting me but I don’t see why she would think that of her own brother” I say.

“Yeah, it's because I’m known as a player and she would actually kill me to protect you and she won’t tell me why” he says.

“I know why”

“Then why?”

“I’ve been hurt a lot in my life and when we became friends she said she would never let anything hurt again...she told me about you and I knew I wanted to meet you but she said it was a bad idea. She said it’s not about you it’s about you being a player, she loves you a lot and if it was different then she love us to get to know each other, but sadly it’s not, what’s going on between your family and Echo’s” 

“Before my dad left he made a deal with Echo’s family and we’ve been paying for it ever since, my father is not a good person and my mom raised me to be good and not be like my father, and I’ve tried to live by that but I think I’ve failed my mom”

“You didn’t fail your mom. You are a good person, and Echo’s family are just awful people, she’s hated me since we were young because I was in the galery when her mom was on my mom's operating table watching her...her mom died on that table and she’s blamed me everyday for it. She does everything in her power to make my life a living hell, my dad died on my birthday when I was 10 and my mom isn’t really there for me” I tell him.

He looks at me and I can tell he feels bad but I don’t want him to at all, I don’t need pity or anyone feeling bad for me. His eyes were looking into mine and I couldn’t help but smile and so did he. “I’m sorry, I guess we both are in pretty deep in Echo and her family” he says.

“Don’t be sorry, and I guess we are,” I tell him. He goes to the kitchen and brings back junk food, with his free hand he takes mine and leads me to his room. “What are you doing?” I asked him.

“We are going to watch movies and eat junk food until we both fall asleep, and you are not going to say no because I know you have nothing better to do” He says.

“Fine but I’m not going to like it”

“Whatever you say Princess”

*the next morning*

When I got up the next morning Bellamy wasn’t in the room so I went to the living room. I was in the living room when I saw O and she didn’t look happy. “Hey O, what’s wrong?” I asked.

“Did you and Bell sleep together last night?” she asks.

“What?!? No, why would you think that”

“Because when I got up last night you weren’t in bed and when I went in the living room you weren’t in there, then I went to check Bell's room and there you were with watching a movie...so I need to know did you sleep with my brother”

“Octavia...I did not sleep with Bellamy, we both couldn’t sleep last night and we got to talking, then he grabbed a whole bunch of junk food and led me to his bedroom, then we watched a movie and I fell asleep, that’s all that happened” I told her.

“Okay” she says and we eat breakfast. Bellamy came inside from the back yard and now I’m curious what he was doing. “Morning Bell, what were you doing in the shed?” Octavia asked him.

“Finishing up some things, good morning Clarke” he says.

“Good morning...thanks for the talk last night,” I told him.

“Well, thank you as well”

“Anytime”

“You too”

Octavia gave us a look that was an unhappy one, she still thinks that Bellamy and I slept together...don’t get me wrong I don’t mind the idea but the truth is that we didn’t. O looks pissed, and I know it’s not about Echo because her and her family were on the news this morning and they got arrested. I love O like a sister but she needs to calm down...Bellamy and I are only friends.

“Are you sure you guys didn’t sleep together?” she asks. Here we go again.

“What if I did Octavia, what would you do about it?” Bellamy says...I can not believe he just said that. 

“So you did”

“No Octavia, we’ve been telling you since yesterday that we didn't, so stop asking” then he storms off.

[cathloves]

As a bellarke veteran, I would like to remind everyone that show runners will say shit, actors will say shit, other fans will say shit and the media will say shit about the pairings you love all the time that you disagree with and honestly you should ignore all of it and just believe what you see on the screen. Fuck the rest. Art is subjective and shows do this all the time to keep the audience guessing. They probably don't even know what's going to happen.

It was only after the 100 ended that we all found out that bellarke was supposed to happen but didn't because the showrunner decided that he would ruin the show out of spite towards one of the leading actors and their fans.

Always believe what you see on the screen, not even subtext. Literally what's been intentionally written, shot and edited by the show. That's all you can go off.

It's true that it may not end the way you want it to or whoever you ship might not get together but that's not what matters. The truth is that what's already been shown is there for all to see and they can't take it back.

Honestly the whole 'shippers aren't as intelligent as other viewers and this is more than about ships, go find another show' thing gets on my nerves because people can do what they want for one and its completely normal to see chemistry and potential in two characters. It also doesn't mean that we don't see all the other amazing things this show has to offer. It just means we see chemistry. That's literally it. It's not that deep.

They don't even have to get together but anyone saying that shipping as a whole is bad is a bit ridiculous, it's never that serious.

ITS FUN FFS

It all jumps back to the whole idea that anything that's enjoyed by mostly women (shipping) is seen as less important.

[beebahbah]

I got into FF again last year. Started with Dramione, Percabeth, Bellarke then Jonsa. I've read so many it feels like a whole lifetime has passed but nope it's only been 18 months.

Side note recently got into Kathantony😭❤️‍🔥

[meremennen]

This is going to be a thematical series.

1: Work In Progress Works

Okay, hear me out. Work in progress works are so underappreciated. 

And even though I’m not sure if all of these works will be continued, some probably not, but I love them for a reason and they deserve a shout out. They are all honestly so great for various reasons (for plot, for characterisation, for the idea itself, for writing style or for editing, etc.) and I don’t regret any minute of reading them. 

The list, sorted by current ratings:

aphelion (modern/ G /space pirates, loosely based on Firefly, multiple POV)

Arrangement of a Lifetime * (modern/ G/ fake/pretend relationship)

Heaven Can’t Wait (canon/ G/ kidfic, fluff and angst)

Hello, Princess  (modern/ G/ college/university, slow burn, Maths nerds, humor)

I Know I Don't Deserve It, But Stay With Me A Minute (modern/ M/ 10 Things I Hate About You AU (loosely)

Let’s Go to the Mall! * (modern/ G/ denial of feelings, high school)

mind if i check you out? * (modern/ G/ bellarke library au, rivalry)

The Rest Was History * (modern/ G/ fake dating)

The Will ‘o the Wisps (modern/ G/ fantasy, faes)

This is where you fall, this is when you get up * (modern/ G/ cowboy!Bellamy)

Baby Mine (modern/ M/ Jane the Virgin AU)

Now and Then * (modern/ M/ best friends to lovers, past and present)

The Art of Disappearing * (modern/ M/ fake marriage)

Up In Flames * (canon/ M/ post season 1 AU)

Win a Date with Bellamy Blake (modern/ M/ slow burn, fake dating)

All Is Love (modern/ E/ kid fic, unplanned pregnancy)

Bite Me (canon/ E/ season 1, affectionate insults)

Friends With Benefits (modern/ E/ college/university, friends to lovers, humor)

The Prisoner and The Cure * (modern/ E for gore/zombies)

Weave Me A Myrtle Crown * (modern/ E / firefighter!bellamy, paramedic!clarke)

Happy reading!

I don’t know everyone’s tumblr, or if they have any, so if anyone is actually reading this and you wanna tag them, please do so.

Ratings are indicative and might change.

* – probably won’t be updated, but we can always hope

***************************************************************************

All Is Love (E) by @bisexualbellamyblake (AO3: lightyears )

135k+

Summary: It all begins because Raven declares that she's on a sex ban for three months. Clarke reminds her of this when her life is turned upside down. Raven reminds Clarke later, when everything finds its place again. / Or, Clarke finds out she's pregnant six weeks after Bellamy leaves. 

*** S l o w burn. And that moment when they reunite, or when Bellamy finds out about Clarke’s little secret tortured me in ways that hurt a lot. But hey, still breathing ;-) ***

aphelion (G) by @kindclaws  (AO3: kindclaws )

45k+

Summary: It's been two years since the spaceship Aphelion mysteriously disappeared, its crew branded by the ARK as traitors to be shot on sight. Jake Griffin was on that ship, and with him, a dangerous secret that could change civilized space forever./ Now, Clarke wants some answers - and revenge, if she can get it. Bellamy wants a bigger ship - specifically, Clarke's. Wells wants to fix the system his father broke. Octavia wants a little fun. Miller wants everyone to stop making poor life choices. Harper wants to kiss the new girl. And Raven? Well, Raven just wants to blow shit up./ The universe won't know what's hit it. (Space pirates AU!)

*** what I love the most about this fic is the multiple POV! It is so rare to have these kinds of stories, and honestly, it gives such a unique feel to it. I am so, sooo grateful for this fic. ***

Arrangement of a Lifetime * (M) @ FFnet: moomolie1709

55k+

Summary: He needed her to pose as his girlfriend, and she needed him to make her unfaithful ex jealous. But what began as a simple transaction between two business partners soon becomes more complicated than either of them could have ever anticipated.

*** without giving too much away, there is a really cute bedsharing scene and another scene with Clarke in a dress that I loved a lot. Sadly, it also ends after a huge cliffhanger, and I really doubt this will ever be finished, but it deserves to be on this list. And like with every other WIP, You NeVER kNOw. Your comment might just be the one that makes the lovely writer to finish it.*** 

Baby Mine (M) @ AO3: stumblesun

80k+

Summary: A routine doctor's appointment, a mix-up and an artificial insemination...what could go wrong?

*** I haven’t watched Jane the Virgin, but you don’t have to. S l o w burn ***

Bite Me (E) by @notnicorette (AO3: notnicorette)

10k+

Summary: 'Bite me' is a common insult, right? People say it all the time. Except...Clarke ends up screaming it at Bellamy... And, for once...he does take one of her orders.

*** good old season 1 feels!!! And you know, who says it didn’t happen, just because we haven’t seen it on screen ***

Friends With Benefits (E) @ DreamofInception on AO3

60k+

Summary: Clarke Griffin and Bellamy Blake hate each other. But they like each other naked.

*** Such an excellent humor!!! And heartbreak. ***

Heaven Can’t Wait (G) by @randomly-random-jen (AO3: justanotherjen ) 

45k+

Summary: With the Apocalypse banging at their door, the Arkadians and what's left of Trikru take refuge in the remains of Alpha Station and hope for the best./ Over 500 souls crammed into a tin can, but there's only one that has Bellamy wrapped around her little fingers.

*** post season 3 canon divergent, it’s so raw and emotional, and I love this Bellamy so, so much!! ***

Hello, Princess (G) @ AO3: moonyredmoon

Summary: Professors and TAs were supposed to teach and help you. They were supposed to appreciate students who took the time to come see them and ask questions. If nothing else, they were supposed to have a clear explanation when it came to questions on grading. Instead, Clarke had even more questions and only one new piece of information… / Bellamy Blake was an asshole.AU with Clarke in college as a pre-med student, and Bellamy her Calculus TA. More characters and tags will be added as they are introduced.

*** SLOWBURN, Maths nerd Bellamy tutoring Maths nerd Clarke is such a unique concept and I love it so much!! ***

Let’s Go to the Mall! * (G) @ AO3: Willaphyx

20k+

Summary: Clarke Griffin was looking forward to a summer of working at her favorite art store in the local mall. That is until she found out who works at the bookstore across the hall: Bellamy Blake, who quickly becomes Clarke's least favorite person. But it would seem like Bellamy doesn't quite feel the same. With the whole summer ahead of them, who knows what could happen?

*** It’s super cute. ***

mind if i check you out? * (G) @ AO3: earthandsky

5k+

Summary: "'Literally, he’s the only clerk to get requests from patrons,' Monty had told Clarke a few days ago, rolling his eyes. 'People come to the desk with all of their stuff and will specifically ask for Bellamy to check them out.' / Raven had grinned. 'I think they’d rather check him out.' / Monty had pulled a face but didn’t disagree. Apparently, Clarke was meeting him today. And he was going to train her. Awesome." / Bellarke Library AU.

*** Just read it. It’s great! ***

Now and Then (G atm, though it’s rated M) by @100yearsofbellarke (AO3: InfiniteBeauty93)

30k+

Summary: Growing up since birth together Bellamy and Clarke have been through the best and worst of times. But when Bellamy gets engaged and Clarke confesses her love to him he rejects her leaving her heartbroken. Now spending a week at her family's vacation house with Bellamy's in preparation to his wedding the past and present collide.

*** well, normally I don’t read anything with e.cho but this story was posted before the dark days, and trust me, it’s good. I’m really loving the alternating timelines!!! ***

I Know I Don't Deserve It, But Stay With Me A Minute (G, possibly turning M) @ AO3: belgardebells

45k+

Summary: Octavia Blake isn't allowed to date until her big brother Bellamy does, so she calls in a favour from her best friend Clarke Griffin. All Clarke has to do is seduce Bellamy, fake date him, and then break things off when Octavia starts going out with her waiter conquest. It's supposed to be quick, easy, and painless. And it is. Until Clarke starts falling for real.

*** this author has multiple WIPs (I recommend them all) and a really unique writing style and humor ***

The Art of Disappearing (M) @ AO3: Jenye

20k+

Summary: The first night they met they witnessed a grisly murder. Now they’re being placed into the Witness Protection Program. Starting life over in Ark, Minnesota was definitely not part of Clarke’s five-year plan. And gaining a wife certainly wasn’t something Bellamy saw himself doing this year.

*** Bellamy and Clarke falls in love in witness protection ***

The Prisoner and The Cure * (E for gore) @ AO3: PaintedGhostOrchid 

30k+

Summary: The US has been transformed into a barren, post-apocalyptic wasteland after a viral outbreak leaves society in shambles. But Clarke Griffin is a girl on a mission to her mother's research facility to deliver the only-known cure- if only she can avoid the free-roaming criminals who are determined to kill her, led by one particularly terrifying (and handsome) escaped prisoner who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. / Loads of Bellarke tension, human survival, the occasional zombie (but not much), jealousy, and romance.

*** Bellamy as a grumpy prisoner trying to save his sick sister. And then, there is Clarke. She is special. They are fighting their way through the zombie apocalypse.  ***

The Rest Was History * (G) @ AO3: Tate

25k+

Summary: Historian Bellamy Blake needs to impress his potential bosses at ARK Enterprises. He's got everything they're looking for, except the girlfriend that his best friend Raven Reyes assures him will win them over. But that's okay, because Raven's found just the girl. Only, there's one problem. Bellamy Blake and Clarke Griffin really, really hate each other.

*** ummm, quite a few tropes in this. One of the details I really, really loved is the name of the car and fLUsTeREd Bellamy.  ***

The Will ‘o the Wisps (G) @ AO3: DracoTerrae

5k+

Summary: With his kingdom falling to darkness, Jake Griffin barely managed to escape to another world, his young daughter, Clarke in tow. Twenty years later, Clarke wanders a little off the designated trails and stumbles into the very world her father left behind. Now desolate and under the shadow of darkness, Clarke slowly gathers a ragtag group with whom she will fight the powers that brought this world to its knees.

*** it’s very mysterious at the moment, only a few chapters in, but I cannot wait to read more. On hiatus, but I have faith ***

This is where you fall, this is when you get up (G) by @queenofchildren (AO3: queenofchildren )

35k+

Summary: In which Bellamy is a grumpy cowboy, Jake knows a good steak when he eats it, and Clarke makes a decision.

*** COWBOY BELLAMY, WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED? ***

Up In Flames * (M) @ FFnet: lucawindmover

60k+

Summary: AU Post Season 1 finale. They were meant to be used as a new influx of genes for Mount Weather. But Clarke Griffin and her band of survivors would not be going along willingly.

*** The MM made them do it. Sooooo, I wish I could say this story will continue!! Anyway, I just love this one so much, it has to be on this list. ***

Weave Me A Myrtle Crown (E for abuse and sexy times) @ AO3: AJRedfern

75k+

Summary: Clarke's not a woman easily shaken - she has a reputation of being 'logical, level-headed if a little cold-blooded'. And then she gets assigned as the new Paramedic In Charge to Firehouse 82. Amidst the people she's starting to call her friends, is Bellamy Blake: heroic firefighter, exemplary Lieutenant, complete asshole. Normally, this would have been fine - it's not the first time she's had to work with someone she despised. Except dreams keep plaguing her. Dreams that start the day she first met him. Dreams of a different life, a different time, a different world. Dreams of him, of her, of them. Dreams that start to feel like memories. Yeah, her carefully constructed facade isn't going to survive Firehouse 82.

*** Reincarnation (?) AU. I wish I could say this will be updated, but I have doubts. Regardless, the parallel timeline/flashbacks are giving the story an amazing flavour, and the UST is excellent ***

Win a Date with Bellamy Blake (M) by @bittyab18 (AO3: Bittyab18 )

125k+

Summary: Clarke Griffin's best friend enters her in a contest to win a date with Bellamy Blake, famous actor/Hollywood heartthrob/bad boy. Except, Clarke already knows Bellamy, and she's not a fan of him or his movies. Because her life sucks, she wins, and now she's reintroduced to the guy she loved to hate in high school. 

*** So much UST, so much angst and so much cuddling. A true s l o w burn. ***

*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

I hope you will give it a go and show these writers some love.

***************************************************************************

Coming up next (probably): 

Fake dating/Arranged Marriage/Accidental Pregnancy

[welllpthisishappening]

Clarke Griffin is not a violent person, by nature. The Hippocratic Oath frowns on that sort of thing. Only, well—it’s hockey. So, it feels sort of outside the realms of natural law and ancient oaths and the guy sitting next to her is a grade-A jerk. Which means it’s only reasonable to do what she does. Defends her boyfriend’s on-ice honor. 

Words: just under 2k Rating: fluff Part of Connecting on the Wraparound, my The 100 Rangers AU

I have done the thing! Written words! Not a lot of words, but words all the same! This is very exciting news! A few days ago, I reblogged this post and asked for numbers and some very nice people — including @NORTHERNSHIRO who asked for No. 4 — sent numbers and now I’ve written this! If you want to send more numbers so I will write more words, feel free. I think you’re all delightful. 

“I’m here, aren’t I? Like, I’m physically standing right here?”

Glancing around with enough force to make several things in her neck crack, Clarke somehow manages to keep her hands plastered to her side—but only just. Her fingers itch to bunch, to shake wildly in the air directly surrounding her for no less than seventeen straight seconds. And, well, maybe, if she possibly elbows the jersey-wearing bastard with an accent that sounds eerily similar to John Travolta’s in Hairspray, then that’s neither here nor there. 

“That can’t be his real voice, can it?” Murphy’s lips disappear behind his teeth. 

His shoulders shake, though. Somehow that makes it feel as if they're even. Although Clarke’s not entirely sure what the competition is, honestly. So the concept of equality is moot. She flinches when someone hits the boards in front of them. At some point she’s cautiously optimistic she’ll stop doing that. 

Not-John Travolta yells again. With vowels that sound almost correct, until the obvious emotion takes over and the accent sharpens and Clarke’s fingernails dig roughly into her palm. Her jaw cracks, too. She’s made of rice crispy treats and anxiety. 

“I hate him.” “He has no idea who you are.”

“I could not possibly be more obvious about this.”

Scientifically speaking, her jersey does not get heavier. The letters on her back that form a name she’s not entirely in possession of yet, but is also kind of waiting to be partially hers, do not, in fact, tug on either one of her shoulder blades. 

Clarke went to med school. 

Multiple diplomas hang on her office wall back home. She’s smart. She knows. 

She understands. 

And yet. 

She wants to yank her arms away from her side and toss propriety to the metaphorical winds and throttle the guy standing next to her. For shouting at the ice like that. For shouting at Bellamy like that. 

Some of his insults are really creative, honestly.  

Throttle is a very old-sounding word. 

“Awfully self-important,” Murphy murmurs, barely audible over the din of the crowd. Clarke’s body is a medical marvel tonight. Truly, it’s incredible. Supersonic hearing and a stomach made of titanium lining because somehow that stomach has not simply disintegrated or melded with her spleen while watching her boyfriend slam into glass that’s really more plastic than congealed particles of sand. 

Is that the only way to make glass? Her familiarity with the production of glass stems almost entirely from Sweet Home Alabama. So, it’s entirely possible she’s not an expert. 

“Do you want people to know who you are?”

Well, there it is. The million-dollar question. Almost literally—because Bellamy signed that extension and the money isn’t Clarke’s, but some of it’s going into a trust for Maddie and she’s sort of glad Maddie isn’t here because it’s probably not the best version of parenting to be plotting covert murder in the middle of a sold-out arena. They’re too close to the ice, anyway. 

All those TV cameras would totally spot her. 

Murphy hums the JEOPARDY theme song. He’s not wearing a jersey. Blake, or otherwise. Clarke briefly considered painting the number 10 on her cheeks like she was a sophomore in high school and going to Saturday’s homecoming game instead of Thursday night’s playoff-berth clincher. 

“You have all the subtlety of an 18-wheeler.”

“Oddly specific.” Clarke lets out a breath. Through her nose. She’s got to stop holding her breath. And bouncing her knee. She’s never bounced her knee before. Not even when she spent 16 hours in the ER during the first weekend of her residency. So, that’s a fun new quirk to discover. About herself. 

Not-John Travolta is making up words now. There’s no other explanation. She’s never heard half of the things he’s saying—although that may be because the words are growing indistinguishable from their separate syllables, and she pretends not to notice how Murphy sits up straighter. 

The Rangers are winning. 

Have been for almost the whole third period, since Miller’s wrister rang off the in-goal camera. Clarke is perfectly aware of what a wrister is now. 

Which is good. Great, even. Proper terminology is important in medicine and sports and those worlds aren’t mixing for her anymore. They have been mixed, past-tense. There’s no separating them now. Not that she wants to or has even thought about. Not when she’s thinking about other things and letters in names and hyphens and dollar signs and possibility and—

Liquid sloshes over not-John Travolta’s hand as he lets his arms do whatever they want, Clarke recoiling with an instinct that immediately makes her snarl. 

Energy bunches in her calf muscles. The desire to run a full marathon has never been stronger. In that, it is the first time in her personal history that she’s ever felt like that. So, it automatically skyrockets to the top of the recently-formed list. Only one of her lungs feels as if it’s collapsing. That can’t bode well for her potential mile time. 

“How do they track your pace during a marathon?” To his credit, Murphy’s eyes don’t leave the ice when he replies, “Probably by the mile. Slow and steady. Winning the race.” “Tell me more platitudes, please.” “Idioms, really.” “What do you know about idioms?” “I went to college, too.” Clarke’s lips tip. Up. In something akin to happiness and anticipation. “You didn’t answer my question.”

Her lips don’t move. Her lungs don’t collapse. The energy in her calves moves toward her knees and her hips, neither of which entirely appreciate the distinctly non-ergonomic chairs at Capital One Arena. 

And they weren’t hiding. 

She texts Monroe with a regularity that felt like legitimate friendship. Three months ago, Casino Night photos littered more social media platforms than Clarke was aware even existed. Maddie mocked that realization for sixteen days straight. Bellamy counted. She’d met other girlfriends and… other relationship titles. That was the wrong order. No one called them GAWs, and that was probably for the best because that made Clarke think of seagulls and PIXAR movies and single parents and her mind did not prepare her body to twist with that amount of force. 

Snap, crackle, pop goes her sanity. 

“What the hell is your problem, man?”

Murphy had tears in his eyes by the time the final buzzer sounded. The Rangers won by two goals. Playoff-bound. Again. 

“So, uh,” Bellamy says, hair still damp from his post-game shower, and Clarke has to stop herself from blatantly smelling him. In the middle of the hallway. There are other people around them, for God’s sake. She can almost hear Murphy still laughing at her. Tonight has been an exercise in stopping herself, really. That she has been only marginally successful at. 

Pushing up on her toes, her nose grazes the underside of Bellamy’s chin and the side of his neck. Six-dollar ocean-scented body wash from CVS is her favorite smell in the world.  “Uh?” “Did he appropriately cower before you, Princess?” Her heels drop. 

Loudly. Or maybe that’s just the ringing in her ears. 

Bellamy smirks at her. The bastard. Absolute ass. The smirk becomes a full-blown grin, and Clarke has to blink against the force of it. 

“How did you—” “If you think I’m not always,” his head moves, “constantly,” his mouth finds the shell of her ear, “perpetually,” she shivers, he chuckles, “frustratingly aware of—” Clarke shoves at his chest. “Frustratingly!” “You’re real pretty when you’re yelling at random dudes in the stands, y’know.” “There is no possible way for you to know that I was yelling.” “The tips of your ears get red. Little signal fires. The beacons of Gondor are lit.”

“God, you’re such a dweeb. How do you function with all that dweeb’ness coursing through you?” “You think I’m cute, too.” “Mostly because of your hair.” He hums, more teeth involved against her neck that time and it’s good and he knows it’s good and that’s one-hundred percent why he did it. Clarke can’t fault him for that. “Thanks for defending my honor.” “He wouldn’t shut up.” “What was the final decision, then? Pistols at dawn?” “I told him to go drown in the Potomac after he said your on-ice vision was average,” Clarke takes a deep breath, “at best!” Bellamy’s eyes lighten. His lips disappear, too. Just like Muprhy’s. In any other situation, that would be sort of funny in a known-each-other-forever type of way, but Clarke’s not interested in attacking Murphy’s lips the way she is with Bellamy’s. Adrenaline is a fascinating thing. Her hair feels like it’s buzzing. She might be levitating. The only thing keeping her on the ground is the hands resting heavily on her aching hips. “And that’s,” she continues, “just patently untrue and insane. Even your greatest enemy—” “Babe, I do not have enemies.” “—Would be forced to acknowledge the incredible dexterity of your wrists. Hey, hey, we should study your wrists. Get a grant and do some sports science on it and—” “You’d have to get ESPN to start that show again, and I don’t know if you have that sort of pull.” “—So I told him to go drown and that maybe then he’d look a little better, even if he resembled a rat,” Bellamy’s eyes bug. While simultaneously glowing. No, that’s not right. Eyes don’t glow. Science. Clarke is a doctor. With degrees. And bouncy knees and so much energy and not-John Travolta had been wholly unprepared for her. 

She has to take a deep breath before she finishes, “He asked if we were, and this is a direct quote, fucking married or something, so I told him about the bacteria count of the Potomac, Murphy glared, you scored the empty net and that was that. No pistols.”

Bellamy doesn’t say anything. Turns into a statue, it seems. Muscles bunch with tension that Clarke doesn’t expect, only passably noticing through the haze of her adrenaline. Until it disappears just as quickly because he’s breathing far too rapidly for a statue and she doesn’t think they make many statues out of glass or plastic. He’d be marble, anyway. 

To honor his very good-looking face in perpetuity. 

The one that’s moving. Toward her and to her, and it had taken everything in Clarke’s soul to avoid saying not yet to the marriage question. 

Murphy didn’t hum the JEOPARDY theme song as they walked toward the friends and family station. He belted it. Let the sound bounce off walls and the tiled floors, seeping into Clarke until it times up with her heart. 

A marathon, not a sprint 

Bellamy’s tongue finds its way into her mouth. So, she stops thinking. Does the opposite of thinking. Pushes her fingers into water-soaked strands of hair and lets herself rest against the flat palm at her back, closing her eyes and breathing him in until all she can smell is six-dollar body wash. 

Everything settles. For half a moment. Another. A third. Because every time they pull away they fall back, twining limbs and sneakers that allow for upward movement on the tips of her toes. Clarke’s hips are getting much more attention than they should in a hockey arena that isn’t as empty as a moment like this demands. Canting up and rolling, and her hips don’t stumble, but she might, pushed against the nearest flat surface while her own tongue does a thorough inventory of a mouth she’s pretty intent on marrying. 

Eventually. 

Plus, like—the rest of him, too. She really is super attracted to Bellamy’s hair. 

“Stop staring at me when you’re supposed to be worried about faceoffs.” He doesn’t pull away, mumbling against her mouth, “Absolutely not.” “Ok, cool.” “Cool.”

He asks eventually. After a playoff run that’s different than the last, longer and better and Clarke kisses him before she answers. She figures that’s the answer. 

He smiles against her mouth. So, that helps. 

[cvldbones]

guess it was a lawless land

Summary:

“You’ll come get me, right?” she asks, and maybe it’s a trick of the light, but he swears she’s blushing a little bit. “When you find someone good. I want in, too.” He doesn’t even hesitate. “Of course I will.” She clinks her empty beer bottle against his own, and it feels like a vow. So, when he hears about the Marcus Kane campaign, his very first call is to Clarke Griffin.

Bellamy gets into politics because he likes being right.

It’s a perfectly reasonable decision, as far as he’s concerned; he has great opinions, and a lot of them. If he were probed to give another, albeit far more vulnerable answer, he’d say that he got into politics because he wanted to be able to make a difference. It sounds corny even in his own head, though, so he’d probably never admit that aloud, but the point remains.

The world has not been kind to him – his mother didn’t get the proper medical care she needed because she couldn’t afford health insurance, the foster system nearly bankrupted him and almost ruined his relationship with his sister, and the process of not only applying to but also attending college as a first-generation nontraditional student had felt like it might kill him. It would be nice, he thinks, to change some of that. Maybe not all of it, maybe not all at once, but – baby steps.

When he finds that once he’s finished his history degree at GW, he isn’t ready to stop going to school yet, he’s not horribly surprised. He worked so hard to get to this point, and so he lets himself think, for the first time, of what he wants to do with his life, and he decides to embrace the more optimistic part of him. Lets himself latch onto the idea of making real, tangible change.

So, he stays, and he gets his master’s in political science, and he starts interning on campaigns. And the second he’s there, he realizes that this is it. The thing he’s meant to do. His voice is important, in those rooms; they take him seriously, not because he’s someone’s kid or nephew, but because he’s good at this. He keeps being referred up, further and further, and so his first real, full-time gig outside of grad school is on the Jaha campaign.

Even though he starts off in more of the volunteer coordination side, Cartwig – Jaha’s Chief of Staff – realizes he has a natural aptitude for the writing. He starts working with their communications team, mostly on speeches, shadowing the Communications Director, and learning as he goes.

That’s where he meets Clarke Griffin.

Read more on AO3!

[truthofherdreams]

children of the apocalypse (3)

also on ao3

Clarke spends the next couple of days tending to Wells and Jasper and dealing with minor cuts and scratches the other teenagers get around camp. Bellamy’s ban on weapons seems to be working somehow, for everyone is a little more peaceful with each other as routine settles in. Teams are created for hunting, building of tents and a wall, and other chores around the dropship. It’s not perfect, and fights break out more often than not, but it is definitely an improvement on the chaos of their first moments on Earth.

She’s cleaning Jasper’s wound – now relocated to the ground floor with the rest of them so he and Monty can chat away while Monty works on their comm system – when Finn enters the dropship. He makes his way toward Wells, and the two of them lean over the table to look at something.

Clarke frowns.

“I think that’s enough, Clarke,” Jasper tells her.

She looks down at his wound, realises she’s been rubbing it a bit too forcefully – the redness of his skin less about the fever now, and definitely about her lack of bedside manners. She mumbles an apology before she grabs another piece of cloth that she wraps around his torso.

She pats his arm without really looking, before she stands up and moves toward the other two boys.

“Whatcha talking about?” she asks cheerily, startling them both.

They offer her twin looks of surprise, too focused on their discussion to notice her coming. That’s when Clarke sees what they were discussing, the old map she had used on their very first day to find her way to Mount Weather. Only now a bunch more scribbles are added to the paper. She frowns.

“Nothing much…” Finn starts, leaning back with his hands in his pockets.

Wells is not that slick. “Looking for a better place to settle.”

Clarke blinks at him. “What do you mean?”

He points to the map, the big dot that represents the dropship, the slithering lines that make up the newly formed rivers, the most dangerous parts of the forest. She knew Finn had made a habit of sneaking out of camp already, but now it makes sense – they were updating the map, one landmark at a time.

“Our location isn’t exactly the best in the long run,” Wells explains. “If we want to build a proper settlement, the ground here is too uneven. We’re too far from fresh water too, which would be bad for agriculture, according to Monty. And we want some clearing, so we can establish a proper… town, I guess? Village?”

Clarke looks down at the map again, frowning slightly. She hadn’t thought that far, but of course Wells did. And it does make sense. They’re only sticking to the dropship because it’s easier than moving a whole bunch of rowdy teenagers to a new place and starting from scratch.

Wells takes her silence as an invitation to continue, “We think closer to the river, to the south, would be better. The ground is more even there, so better for the foundations of buildings.”

“Monroe’s dad works in Factory Station,” Finn chimes in. “She says she can help with basic architectural foundations.”

Wells points at him in agreement, and adds, “If we can get even basic cabins, that will help us with weather conditions. Climate is okay for now, but once winter comes, who knows what to expect. No to mention storage, cooking, or even just protection from those acid fogs.”

They both look at her expectantly, as if waiting for her approval. But Clarke is dumbfounded, blinking between Wells and the map in front of her. While she was trying her hardest to keep them all alive, they planned an entire exodus, buildings, and even fields? Together?

Is she that oblivious of the world around her?

“Who’s to say the Grounders won’t shoot us on sight if we move?” comes from behind her.

Clarke is startled by Bellamy’s proximity, only a few inches behind her as he looks at the map over her shoulder. She didn’t even hear him coming and yet here he is, so close she can smell the smoke of the fire and the sap of trees on him. He stands with hands on his hips, leather jacket discarded for once. The gun pokes out from under his shirt, a not-so-friendly reminder.

“They shot Jasper the moment he crossed some kind of border, yeah?” he asks. When Finn simply nods, he adds, “So how do you know this isn’t their territory too?”

“Well, hm,” is all Finn replies.

Clarke hates that Bellamy has a point, if only because he doesn’t need to be smug about yet another thing. But he does have a point – the Grounders are nothing more than shadows and tales in the dark at this point, and who’s to say they will not attack again if the opportunity comes? Maybe they just got lucky with their landing spot, some No Man’s Land they now get to claim as their own.

“Bellamy’s right,” she admits. Wells immediately shoots her a look of what can only be described as betrayal. “We’re safe here for now. Moving could be more dangerous than it’s worth it.”

“Maybe we can send Charlotte as our scout,” Finn replies, voice dripping in sarcasm. He raises his hands in defence when the three of them immediately glare at him and voice their discontent. “Joking, guys… Even though I’m sure she’d enjoy the change of pace.”

Three days she’s been locked upstairs, three days of Bellamy feeding her breakfast and dinner and not allowing anyone else to see her. Three days that must feel like an eternity up there, and yet Clarke cannot find even half an ounce of sympathy for her. Back on the Ark, she would have been floated on sight, minor or not.

“We stay here and that’s final,” Bellamy states.

Even if Wells or Finn wanted to argue, it would be a lost cause. Those delinquents outside only answer to Bellamy, and even barely. They would never follow them to a different location without his approval, even if it made sense.

Still, never put it past Wells to try and win an argument, and he’s halfway through a reply when a whooping sound gets their attention. All four of them turn toward Monty’s corner of the dropship to find him doing a mini dance, before he stops and stares back at them.

“Oh please do keep fighting. I only just managed to repair the comms, if any of you are interested.”

Clarke shares a quick glance with Wells before the two of them hurry to Monty’s side, Bellamy and Finn following close. Monty shows them the different cables connecting various pieces of the dropship’s tech and Clarke’s old wristband.

“Once we connect this cable to the cuff, we should be able to communicate with them. Morse code, one way only.”

“Better than nothing,” Clarke replies, with a pat on his shoulder. 

He’s been working relentlessly on this for the past few days, only taking breaks for food and short cat naps. The bags under his eyes are so dark they turn purple in the low lights of the dropship. He deserves at least a whole week of sleep for the effort he’s put into this.

He shows Jasper how to connect one cable to the wristband, so he can do them the honours.

It doesn’t exactly go as planned.

Bellamy disappears back outside without a word.

…

The first real fight breaks out at dusk, about four days later than Clarke expected. It starts as a low rumble of voices, and turns into cheers and screams and chants within seconds. Clarke shares a glance with Wells, the two of them moving as one to make their way outside.

Unsurprisingly, Murphy is in the middle of the fight, with a dark-skinned boy twice as large. The other boy is very obviously smoking Murphy, punch after punch hitting his jaw and the side of his face, as the other teenagers cheer them on and yell words of encouragement.

“Someone needs to stop them,” Clarke tells Wells.

And she has no doubt Wells would do exactly that, were it not for the stitches on his neck Octavia had to fix twice already. He would put himself between them, take a few hits of his own maybe, but he would stop them. Only he can’t.

Bellamy is nowhere to be seen. Of course.

Another guy from Murphy’s gang grabs the dark-skinned boy from behind, holding his arms to his side and giving Murphy the perfect opportunity to punch back without taking a hit. He goes for the nose with a loud crunch of bones against bones, then for the ribs, and a kick to the side. The other boy grunts in pain, struggling to escape and fight back.

Wells grabs Monroe and pulls her toward them. “What’s happening?”

She looks a little wild-eyed, her tight braid coming undone, her clothes a mess. Her eyes travel between Wells and the fight, like she really wants to explain but also doesn’t want to miss the fight. She winces when the boy finally escapes and punches Murphy right back in the cheek.

“Murphy’s been bullying everyone at camp,” Monroe explains, then stops to cheer on the boy – Connor, apparently – before she glances back at Wells. “Ration water for no reason, force people to work, just straight up dickhead. Was only a matter of time before someone lashes back.” She cheers for Connor to kick Murphy in the dick. “Murphy took a piss on Connor after Connor asked for water so, ya know…”

“Yeah, this needs to stop.”

By the time Clarke actually manages to push her way through the crowd and toward the two boys, the fight has gone much, much worse. Three other teenagers are holding Murphy, pinning him so he can’t move, as Connor punches him relentlessly.

One girl yells “Float him!” and it immediately becomes a chant, louder and louder and louder, drowning out everything else. They push and pull and kick Murphy out of camp, Clarke following as she yells helplessly for them to stop, to listen, to not, please don’t, what are you doing, stop, stop.

Bellamy shoves past her, in time to stop a boy from slipping a nose around Murphy’s neck.

“What the fuck are you all doing?” he screams, and it’s enough to stop them all in their tracks, enough for all of them to fall silent and turn toward him. Enough for Connor to let go of Murphy, who spits blood and saliva on the ground.

“Right on time,” Murphy grins.

“Shut the fuck up.” Bellamy glares at the other boys, the only thing he needs to do for them to step away from Murphy, who slumps against the nearest tree. Bellamy ignores him as he turns toward the crowd. “If we kill him, we’re no better than the Ark. Is that what you want? To become your oppressors?”

The same teenagers who, only moments ago, were screaming for murder and blood, now all grumble in agreement with Bellamy. Eyes cast down, neck in shoulders, as if being scolded by a father figure. Clarke looks at each and everyone of them, the way they avoid his eyes and stand still, listening to his every word.

Only Connor is brave, or perhaps foolish, enough to reply. “So what do you propose we do? He’s been bullying half the camp for days now!”

Bellamy glares at him, for a second too long, before his eyes find herself in the crowd. Incertitude flashes through his eyes before he smooths his features again, but Clarke knows. She understands the silent cry for help. She steps forward.

“We banish him,” she states, loud enough to be heard by all. “If he refuses to be part of our society, then he’s gone. Simple as that.”

Murphy stands up, one hand on the trunk of the tree, and wipes the blood off his mouth. “And who put her in charge?” 

Bellamy pushes him back, hard, and Murphy falls back against the tree. “I did,” he says, with the kind of confidence that only Bellamy can muster. He turns back toward the others. “Anyone has a problem with Clarke, they have a problem with me.”

Clarke blinks at him, unable to find words to express the way she feels at the moment. Wells is at her side, fingers against her elbow, but she can’t find it in her to look at him when she’s so puzzled by Bellamy in front of her. Not after what he said, not after he looked at her for – was it guidance? She can’t even tell. It doesn’t make sense. Nothing makes sense. Bellamy doesn’t make sense.

She watches, troubled by her own thoughts, as Murphy is given a knife and a warning, as he’s pushed away from camp, as teenagers scatter back to their duties with hushed whispers and hurried steps. She watches, as Bellamy ensures Murphy is gone, before he turns back and walks toward her and Wells.

“What was that?” Wells asks for both of them.

Bellamy ignores him, only has eyes for Clarke. “My sister trusts you. Believes in you. Don’t make me regret it.”

Clarke frowns, before she swallows back a few chosen words for him. Instead, she says, “People will start asking about Charlotte. They’ll think it’s not fair.”

“Let me worry about Charlotte,” Bellamy replies. “And help me keep everyone else alive.”

“Since when are you a team player?”

He smiles – his first real smile, not the usual smirk and scoff – at her, looking at her through his long lashes. A lopsided smile that Clarke pretends is perfectly normal and not – yeah, perfectly normal. “Don’t pretend like you don’t want to be in charge, princess.”

And then he’s gone, strutting his way back to camp without even a glance back at her. Clarke watches him go, watches him disappear behind the fence, before she looks back at Wells. She doesn’t know if she wants to be relieved or concerned that he looks as lost as she feels right now.

“I think he likes you,” Wells says flatly.

Clarke shoves his good shoulder away. “Shut up. Not Bellamy Blake.”

But Wells gives her that look, the one that says he definitely knows better and she’s being clueless, and Clarke huffs, annoyed. Her best friend knows better than to poke at it. Instead, he says, “Maybe you can convince him to move…”

“Not now. Not when we don’t know what’s out there.” She pauses, and sighs. “Anything else, though, I’ll need your help with.”

Wells grabs her hand, squeezes her fingers. “Always.”

[alannacouture]

Sooo…funny story: I actually wasn’t going to write a Bellarke 4th of July holiday story since it’s strictly an American holiday & it felt a little weird. But then the amazingly wonderful @kateschechterxthorwasmyfirstotp wrote a comment on my Bellarke Father’s Day story that we really needed a Part 3 where we finally see Bellamy & Clarke confront Abby & Kane over how they should spend the holidays with their daughter. So I got inspired! I started writing…and I hated it. So I started over, wrote an entire story, and…I hated it. It was almost complete angst & if I’m writing a holiday story, it’s going to be fluffy, damn it! So I went back to the drawing board & realized what the problem was. The 4th of July isn’t just a holiday…it’s a party. And suddenly it was clear: you can’t have a Bellarke story about a party without including the Delinquents! So please, please, please come read my sorta 4th of July but mostly Bellarke Takes The Delinquents On Vacation & Hijinks and Surprises Ensue Holiday Story! (It’s really fun, I promise 🎆 🎇 )

[saintbellamys]

Dust to Dust

a Bellarke AU by starsonfire

this is the story of how a band breaks up.

(it’s also a love story.)

read chapter 1 here

[marauders-groupie]

Caves That Once Were Rivers Do Not Forget

A Bellarke selkie AU

A selkie who wants to go back home. A witch's son that moonlights as a supernatural detective. And a curse.

AO3

Art by coffeeshopsandpaint

“Bellamy Blake, I would like to contract your services.”

Bellamy looks up from his book carefully, lazily. As a witch, he always knows who to fear, and the creature in front of him doesn’t seem like she means harm. But she is a creature.

“My services,” he repeats, wrapping his tongue around the vowels. “And which particular services are you looking to contract?”

When she meets his gaze, lightning flashes in her eyes.

“I want your help in finding something very dear to me.”

Read more on AO3

[seredelgi]

They always wonder what happens after happily ever after, doesn't anyone wonder what happens after smutty one shots? Pretty sure all that careless unprotected sex leads to something.

[fuckyeahbellarke]

Flowers, Chocolates, & Something Warm

[An alternate canon fluff with a Valentine's twist set in an alternate post-2.16 future where Maya survived. - This is an older work that I reedited & added to slightly.]

[On AO3]

The day started out normal enough, except for the flowers sitting outside her tent. She doesn’t pay them much attention as she picks them up and takes them to medical. They’re an important ingredient in a healing salve for burns, after all—someone probably found them and left them where she’d surely see them.

She takes them to medical and adds them to the inventory list. Before setting them down, she puts them to her nose, breathing in the subtle, earthy smells. She’s smiling when Harper comes in for her lesson that morning.

-x-

Later, she doesn’t find anything strange about Bellamy coming in after dark with some rations for the both of them. She often forgets to eat, and he often brings her food. They’ve done this enough times now that Clarke’s already getting their space cleared in the corner as soon as she sees him with the tray.

He tells her about his day. “Miller nearly blew up on Tanner for forgetting his shift this morning, and Jasper’s been nervous all day.”

Clarke smiles. “You’ve scheduled Miller on a lot of late night watches, he’s probably getting sick of the strange sleep schedule,” she comments.

Bellamy shrugs. “I think he likes the dark,” he says then adds with a small knowing smile, “and, anyways, Harper’s always keeping him company up there.” Clarke’s eyes widen as she stares at him. His smile widens as his small smile breaks into a wide grin. "Monty too. Together sometimes."

Clarke's more amused by Bellamy knowing this gossip. She shrugs at sips at the moonshine he brought her. “Is that why she was so tired during her lesson with me today?”

And so it continues. There still aren’t a lot of them at camp—a newly established settlement away from the Ark, back at the dropship site—after more than a year apart, so Clarke isn’t always treating patients in medical. She has, however, taken to giving lessons to their residents for most minor injuries and their remedies on hand so she isn’t inundated with the small things all of the time.

Similarly, Bellamy and Octavia (with Lincoln every now and then) have held individual training courses to make sure all of the camp residents can defend themselves.

-x-

After Bellamy leaves, it’s Octavia who gets Clarke wondering. “Apparently Bellamy’s been spreading stories of Old World traditions again,” she comments when she comes into medical with new rations gathered from her group’s scouting expedition. “Jasper’s been fretting all day about what to present Maya for Valentine’s Day, and Miller’s taken Harper who knows where, not to mention what Fox and Newt are up to behind the smokehouse.”

“Valentine’s Day? The love holiday from Before with all the hearts and flowers?” Clarke’s a little confused, even as Octavia nods.

They didn’t celebrate holidays on the Ark. Well, maybe they did at first, when there were gifts to be made and time to be spent on such things, but that only lasted about thirty years, then things changed. And from what Clarke’s been told, the Grounders don’t keep the Old World holidays. They have their own now.

Octavia shrugs. “Well, to be fair, he was speaking of some old Roman saint and the beginnings of the holiday, but you can probably guess what part the rest of them were more interested.” She twirls a yellow flower in her hands. “I think Lincoln heard enough of it to believe I want to be involved some how in this madness.”

Clarke’s grabbing paper and pencil and taking inventory of their new stock. “Well, do you?” she asks.

“I don’t know,” Octavia replies. “I mean, I want him to tell me or show me that he loves me, but I don’t want it to be for some stupid Old World tradition based on a facts no one even remembers anymore except for my stupid brother who knows everything Roman.”

Clarke smiles fondly. She’s heard a lot of Bellamy’s stories, too, after all. “You could tell Lincoln that,” she says to Octavia, “or you could do something to show him how much he means to you—something all your own.”

“That’s a good idea, Clarke,” Octavia responds.

Clarke nods, focusing on the inventory in front of her, looking for the plant Octavia mentioned when she came in. “Now, where did you tell me the—” she cuts herself off as she turns around, noticing that she’s the only one in the room.

-x-

Much later, as most of the camp residents find their tents to sleep, she returns to her tent to retrieve one of her furs. Sitting amongst her bed furs lies one she does not recognize. Clarke walks over to it curiously and picks it up. It’s a shawl, she notes with a smile. As she inspects it more closely, she begins to recognize the animal it was made from. Bellamy’s prized kill the other week. A rather large big cat, they all thought at the time, with a strangely dark brown fur. No one could quite decide what animal from Before it was closest to.

She picks it up, wraps it around herself, and walks over to the large fire still burning outside. She smiles when she sees Harper, Miller, and Monty looking cozy together as well as Jasper and Maya off to the side curled into each other. Things must have turned out alright for them, she notes. She also can’t find Octavia anywhere, so that must be going well, too.

Clarke sits beside Bellamy, like she always does, and studies him closely. There's something more intimate in his eyes when he looks at her lately. His concentrated expression holds steady for over a minute before he smiles down at her. “Enjoying the warmth, Princess?” he asks loudly.

Clarke barely has to look around to see the smiles directed at the two of them. Perhaps she should have pieced it together long ago—the rest of camp seems to have figured it out long before her.

Finally, she nods as she leans against him. “How long have you been working on it?” she asks.

“’Bout a week now, ever since I told them the story of Valentinus. It got me thinking.”

“I didn’t get you anything,” Clarke murmurs.

“That was never my intention. I just wanted you to have this. You needed it, and this seemed like a good occasion—something for them all to look forward to.”

“And the flowers?” Clarke asks pointedly.

Bellamy shrugs. It’s dark enough that without the fire, she wouldn’t have been able to see the slight tinge on his face. “Thought you’d like them.”

Clarke nods. “I did. They were very beautiful.”

-x-

The next morning, she rolls over and stares at him. “What about lunch?” she asks.

“What about what?” He seems confused. Clarke figures it’s all the activity they participated in last night when they were alone.

She kisses him. “You took me lunch yesterday. How did that factor into your plan?”

“Who says it did? Maybe I just wanted to eat with you.”

Clarke stares down at him.

Finally, he cracks. “Monty was experimenting; there was cocoa in the moonshine.”

Clarke’s laugh can be heard by all.

(Original version can be found here.)

[doontpanic]

They are young, and helplessly in love with each other. But Clarke is a public person, and her relationship with Bellamy turns out to be harder than she intended it to be.

--

I want to love until my heart aches. Until each breath isn’t my own until the breaking of dawn becomes artwork to my eyes. I don’t want to become numb to the touch. I want to feel the beating of every heart that passes by, and I want to keep a hold of the special ones that stay. I want to fall for life and hopefully you in the process. - Late Night thoughts of falling for life.

Coming soon...