It became a common thing.
Nearly every night he would go out to the forest and find Clarke. He would talk to her for a little bit then go back to his tent. They didn't talk about serious stuff just making fun of each other or talking about things back at Arkadia. Whatever it was it made them both smile at least a little bit.
Murphy still felt confused on why she wasn't shoving him away like everyone else. He wasn't complaining though.
Today however he had to go to the forest for other reasons. They were scouting a section of the forest. He hadn't told Clarke, still unsure of their relationship. She moved around a lot and rarely stayed in the same spot for more than a few days.
He got into the car trying to ignore a grumbling Jasper in the front. Stupid drunk.
Murphy stared off into space during the entire ride and was startled when the car stopped "Okay everybody out" Raven called form up front.
He didn't say anything climbing out of the vehicle. If he had to say anyone was his friend it would be Raven or Clarke. Maybe.
He was paired up with Jasper and they walked in silence but it wasn't long until Jasper broke off. Now instead of it being a scout it was a game of hide and seek. Stupid drunk.
He continued through the forest his knife out as he had to cut through quit a bit of shrubbery
"Finally" He grumbled under his breath noticing a clear path through the dirt and began following it. There was no doubt about it. Jasper was going to die today. And no one would be able to stop him.
He paused coming into a small clearing. There wasn't anyone here but this is where the trails stopped. He frowned looking up to see a bag tied to a tree across the clearing. Only Clarke did that though and last he checked she had been miles away from here. So what was going on...?
His thoughts were frozen when a arrow went flying past his head barely missing him. He had felt the wind from that. Instantly he had his gun raised looking over to the direction to find everyone's favorite blonde.
She scowled putting her now down "You nearly have me a heart attack. I could've hit you"
"Oh please with your aim I doubt you could ever kill me"
"I probably couldn't, it's damn near impossible to kill a cockroach"
He laughed softly then frowned upon hearing that. "Have you seen Jasper? I was looking for him. Stupid drunk" He muttered the last part to himself and instantly saw it was a mistake as she probably heard him. For a moment she looked truly miserable, like someone had killed everyone she ever loved. He felt his chest throb and shifted uncomfortably.
She nodded and pointed off in the opposite direction, her face turning back into that stone cold princess facade he despised. Before he could even say anything she turned her back and walked away, dissapearing between the trees
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Murphy lay awake that night not even having the ability to have nightmares tonight. He looked at his watch and sighed. It was near 1 am. He sat up running his fingers through his hair. A walk could do him some good. Or maybe he just wanted to visit Clarke. Who knew?
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Murphy sighed, walking through the camp again. Once again he was the only one around. He knew it wasn't because they had forgotten their traumas though.
He weaves his way around the tents and slipped through a hole in the fence. When he had first met Clarke he hadn't had to and could just jump over it. Now though it was charged so he was very careful not to touch it.
He wandered into the forest, feeling exhausted but still awake enough his thoughts weren't a mess. As he walked his mind wandered.
And his thoughts landed on Clarke. He felt something twist inside his stomach when he wondered if he had done something wrong to cause that look on her face. His fight or flight response kicked in as a result of his nervousness. Well his body was fucking retarded. Then he heard a branch snap.
Maybe his body wasn't so stupid.
He spun around, tense. Then relaxed when he saw the blue eyes, illuminated in the dark, reminding him of a cat he had heard about in earth studies so many years ago.
"One day you are seriously gonna get an arrow in the face"
He rolled his eyes, relieved she was acting like normal. Then he frowned when he saw how tense she was, with her shoulders hunched as if she was trying to make herself seem smaller. It reminded him of how she had looked after that whole Finn mess. He had only seen it once.
He flinched as the memory of her turning around with bloody hands, tears pouring from her eyes, came to him so strongly. A throbbing was in his chest that he didn't quite understand. He hated his friend had to go through that.
Unknown to him, he had stepped forward closer to where she was maybe 10 feet away. His eyes left her face for a moment to see his outstretched hand. Slowly he pulled it back, confusion clouding his senses.
"Are you okay?"
He whispered it so quietly it would be a miracle if she heard him. Instantly he felt stupid. Of course she wasn't okay. Something he had done or said in that clearing this morning caused her to be like this. Guilt burned in his chest which he stomped down, anger takings it's place. Guilt could go fuck itself, it stopped people from surviving.
She looked up at him, taking her eyes off her bow. The giant wooden tool for destruction didn't seem to fit in her small delicate hands. The tears didn't make sense to him when all he knew were her strong determined eyes.
Before he even knew it he had crossed the distance and pulled her into a hug.
She was tense against him for a moment and everything was silent except their breathing and her small hiccups and sobs. He felt the moment she melted into his arms and he could feel his shirt getting wet from her tears, coming in waves.
At that moment he dimly wondered why his heart burned.
