Taming Chaos // J.M // The 100

Chapter 76

Murphy would willingly talk to the thief from the deazdone, but not the guy he fucked in the bunker. What a way to stab him in the back.

Ethan sets his jaw, rolls his eyes, and spins away from said people to watch the water behind them.

He's swallowing the bitterness down at the same time as he notices he's scratching ragged lines down his ankle.

"What happened between you and John?"

Ethan flinches, almost flailing out of the boat and into the water if it wasn't for Emori grabbing his arm. She winces when he settles back down. In some sick way, he's leaning into the touch. 

"What?" He snaps.

Emori pulls away, choosing instead to crouch down beside him with a furtive smile, "You two were as thick as thieves. What happened?"

He probably shouldn't tell her anything after the last time, but he does anyway, because it's nice to confide in someone who isn't already on their own side.

"He thinks I stabbed him in the back." Ethan fiddles with the bracelets still around his wrist. "And when Murph puts his mind to something it won't be changing anytime soon. Not until he has proof."

He blows out a breath, eyes landing on Murphy, now standing with Emori's brother, Otan.

Ethan will do anything to get that proof. Even if he has to beat it out of Jaha himself.

This thing with him and Murphy isn't ending just like this.

With a resolute huff, he drops his eyes. He almost bites through his tongue when he realizes he's scratching at his leg, again.

"Maybe he wants to avoid being hurt," Emori says, lifting a perfect brow.

Ethan crosses his legs so his right foot is tucked under the other, "He sure seems hell-bent on doing the hurting." The bruise in question aches when he speaks, but hasn't darkened from the red flush it's taken on. 

It sucks. Mostly because if he was in the same situation, thinking Murphy had broken his trust  - again - he would've punched him too.

"Are you two... together?" Emori glances behind her, hair tumbling over her shoulder.

Ethan frowns, lips parting when he follows Emori's questioning gaze. He didn't. . . he didn't know. The label was never placed. Okay, that was stupid. He'd mostly assumed -

And now?

"I don't know." His voice comes out in a croak, so he forgoes an explanation.

Emori tosses her head back towards him, her brows touching her hairline. "You're not? I thought. . . with how you were in the deadzone."

His cheeks feel a little hot, and he shrugs, clearing his throat. "I'd like to be."

She hums, "I can see that," She looks at Murphy, catches blue eyes before they swing away, "I can see that he'd want to be as well."

The steady lap of waves slam against the boat with every passing second, and Ethan tries not to think about the monster at sea - besides, this was the cleanest he'd felt in months and he really doesn't feel like falling in and ruining it all - nor the fact he can barely open his eyes past a squint.

He drags his fingers over his face and stifles a yawn. "You know, for the thief that took our shit and tried to kill us, you're not that bad."

Emori grins, a cheeky kind of look.

He adds, "Still don't trust you though."

"That's the life," She shrugs. Glancing overhead, she stands and pats his shoulder. "We're here."