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⌈ 𝙶𝙾𝙳𝙳𝙴𝚂𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙷𝚄𝙽𝚃 ⌋
TWENTY SIX —— short fuse
˚ .･*｡༄ NOAH SANTIAGO MAKES HER WAY THROUGH THE HALLS OF THE ARK SWIFTLY. No one speaks to her as she does, either too afraid to do so or only brave enough to look at her with a sort of awe. The presence of the Solo within Arkadia, now named so instead of Camp Jaha now that Thelonoius is MIA and specifically not dead anymore. Apparently those in charge were against honoring someone still living. is largely , her boots clunking on the metal flooring. There are the few who view her as prehistoric, a soldier out of commission and who should retire. But those people aren't in the majority, not that Noah would listen to them.
She's become more comfortable around these parts. They're surely better than the forest behind the fences, acres of hunting ground, a place she rarely feels safe anymore. A place she used to call home— now exists only as a battlefield.
Now, she's venturing to find where her new home lies.
And she finds him inside a converted gaurd training facility room, mostly where a few people come to let off steam and hit something or someone. Bellamy and Lincoln both find solace in doing this, seeing as they spar quite regularly when both Octavia and Noah are elsewhere to teach a small class of sorts how to protect themselves.
When she walks in, both seemed pleasantly surprised.
Lincoln could practically see the heart eyes Bellamy had grown upon seeing the brunette, close to drooling in front of everyone. He smirked, smacking the back of Bellamy's head lightly.
"Afternoon fellas, um... Bell— mapping run loads up soon." She spoke, warily keeping an eye on the class of people trying to learn from Bellamy and Lincoln. A class on how to fight— finally something useful being taught on the Ark. "What's is going on here?"
Bellamy rolled his eyes. "Nothing." He sends Lincoln a warning look, "Nothing is going on at all."
Lincoln smirked at Bellamy's attempt at turning Noah away. He knew that Noah would be all for training— or sparring Bellamy. The woman had no shame in being among Arkadia's strongest warriors, even by Grounder standards. And Noah didn't mind in the slightly dusting off that award to knock someone on their ass.
Bellamy simply didn't want to be embarrassed.
"Training. And he — is losing."
She raised her eyebrows with a growing smile. She slid her bow off her chest, one she carried now constantly in case leave time went quickly to war. Kane didn't know of the dozens of hiding spots she hid arrows as well, mostly only Octavia and Lincoln knowing, in case they were need of ammo as well. No one else was really a useful shot with a bow anyway. "Aw, cute!"
Bellamy began shoving her out of the room, "Oh yeah, tons of fun, you can leave now. Actually, you can go all the way back to space. Send me a postcard." He hummed, purely hoping Lincoln wouldn't say the words he was sure to be thinking.
And he did.
"Why do you show him the ropes, Solo?" Lincoln hummed mischievously, before grabbing his shirt and heading for the door. "I'll leave you two to it."
If looks could kill, Bellamy's harsh glare would surely send Lincoln six feet under.
Lincoln grinned widely, only before Noah stopped him from leaving for another moment. "Oh— Harper said this was for you. A gift from the Council." She mocked their prestige, having received one of these so called gifts. A jacket and a pretty pin for the pocket. And Lincoln was as disappointed as she had been.
Catching the jacket out the air, Lincoln frowns. "I'm Trikru." He states plainly.
Bellamy shrugs. "A uniform doesn't change that. This is our home now, Lincoln. We fought for it. Too many of our friends died for it." He says lightly, keeping an eye on Noah's reaction. Oddly— Noah hadn't mentioned Mount Weather since they left. And he hated few things more than he hated walking on eggshells around her. "On the Ark, the uniform meant something different. Down here, it means what we make it mean. Together. My sister will understand that eventually."
Noah rolls her eyes. "Or it's something to get people to stop looking at you like you don't belong. It's a stupid gesture of trust. I would've preferred a really nice gun, or something."
Lincoln smiles softly, and takes the jacket merely as a sign of respect. Not for the Council or Kane— but rather for Noah Santiago. Can't be a bad thing to fight along side a Solo these days. "I'll wear it if Bellamy wins a spar."
"You're conniving."
"Why were you losing, tough guy? In front of all these doting students." She hummed, stripping of a plain jacket and only in her tank top. Bellamy would get flashbacks of the first time he met her when he saw her in such clothing. The tank top, army pants, and ponytail. Sometimes he wished things would go back to that day, then he could maybe take some better turns and say some better words.
She could've been his way sooner that way. He'd know the right things to say and do, the right ways to be there for her, to protect her before she was ever even in danger.
He laughed sarcastically. "Ha ha. Very funny. They're supposed to learning, not watching Lincoln get his ass kicked."
She hummed. "Is that why you're so sweaty and tired?"
"Why? You like it?" He whispered as she nears, something only she can hear.
He was bold, she'd give him that much. But she was surprised with the way he ignored all they'd been through. He pretended her visible skin wasn't littered with deep rooted scars and remnants of and pain they'd suffered. "Tell you what." She starts. "You win— I'll teach that weaponry class you want me to. I win— you have to... do my upkeep chore for the next week."
If only her from months ago could hear her now. Chores on the Ark? She was treating it like it was a struggle, god forbid you have chores instead of trying to survive each day. The world really was too cruel.
As if she hadn't slept on rusty cots, metal sheets, and dirt floor for five years plus.
He hummed, pretending to hesitate, before coming to a even better deal and leaning close to her ear. "Or I lose, I have to be on bottom."
Noah blushed wildly. "Now I'm listening."
It was certainly no secret the pair was sexually active. They were young adults in love, mutually declared or not, in the most unstable home with danger lurking just outside their inches thick walls. They kept it private, of course, and made it intimate. It was still important to bellamy that he made it special. She wasn't a conquest, and she never would be, and he had to act like it.
But they made it fun.
Despite Noah's dominating personality, she let Bellamy do the work in bed. He was on top, and he liked it that way. It made him feel like the powerful one, knowing everywhere else he was at Noah Santiago's beck and call.
Bellamy chuckled, taking a few steps back and separating his feet, hunching a bit, and holding his fists up. "Want me to go easy? I don't wanna hurt you." He warned.
Bellamy didn't love the idea of 'fighting' Noah per se. He knew, no matter what she said, he'd at least pull his punches. He wasn't going to hit her, he didn't care how tough shit she was. He wasn't going to hit Noah, he never would.
She laughed mockingly. "Try to stay on your feet, Blake."
In thirty seconds flat, she had him pinned. She straddled his chest, he was panting like he'd ran a marathon, and she hovering over him with a smile. "Hey."
Bellamy rolled his eyes. "Hi."
She lowered herself, pecking his lips and released her hands from his wrists. "You're cute when you lose." She hummed. And in a moment of sore losing spirit, Bellamy pulled his legs out from underneath and went to push her down to the mat, pin her back. But — as she'd warned — Noah was simply too good for him. She jerked to the side, sliding fluidly on the mat and away from his grasp, her leg swiping out and tripping him up. Noah's hand grabbed his arm, angling it in a way where any movement sent a sharp pain throughout his body.
He winced . "Okay— fine. Whatever."
"Don't pout, Bell. Just accept I'm better in every way." She shrugged, letting go and brushing off his shoulders for him.
God, he loved her.
He twisted, snaking his arms around her waist smoothly, and pulling her against him as he moved them to the wall. If he couldn't pin her the mat, this would have to do. She grinned, looking up at him as his aroma surrounded her. Some of it was musk, she'd admit, but most of it was the scent she loved so entirely. The smokey pine and petrichor that embodied the smell of home for her. He smelled like the forest, no matter how many times he showered or spent hours inside the ark hallways.
It made warmth swell inside her.
"What're you thinking about right now," he questioned, seeing her blissful gaze zoned out. "Hmm?"
She smiled wider, her arms looping around him, "About your entire class watching this. And— you smell good."
He'd died and gone to heaven, for sure. If he could have this Noah for the rest of his life, he'd say goodbye to all of this. Everything on the ground, he'd leave behind to see Noah smile like this even just one more time. This Noah, the one who didn't care who they were before or who they were supposed to be, it was just the two of them trying to be happy for just one moment. Just one single second, where they could be two kids in love.
It's all he wanted.
"I smell horrible." He laughed lightly, "All sweaty and tired, remember?" He threw her words back at her, his hands pulling her arms back in front of him and finding her hands. grasping at them, he pulled them up, kissing her hands softly. "And they're paired up, not paying attention to us."
Bellamy could be the good boyfriend. He could be anything and everything Noah Santiago needed whenever and wherever.
Boyfriend. He smiled at the thought.
"You're right — you do." She scrunched her nose. "I'm so not sitting in the front of the Rover with you."
Bellamy clicked his tongue, backing away and nodding playfully. "Oh, very funny. Come on, we'll shower when we get back— save water? It's the responsible thing to do."
She hummed to herself, letting him pull her along and out of the training room. Noah felt light at air in the moment, like she could float through walls. Her heart was soaring, like if this moment ever ended, she'd fall back to the ground and crash. She didn't want it to end, this feeling, simply seeing Bellamy so carefree and happy.
It made her happy. Which made him happy.
A vicious cycle, truly.
"I mean — it would be irresponsible to waste water like that." she shrugged. "Might as well."
He pulled her closer to her as they swayed down the hall, like a dancing couple, "I like how you think, Artemis."
"Off to Sector 7," She grumbled, scooping up her bow as they walked and collecting her quiver from behind a wall panel as Bellamy watched like she was performing a magic trick. "Puts us right at the Ice Nation Border."
"How many arrows do you have stashed around this place, by now?" He furrowed his brows and she clicked the panel back into place.
"A girl has her secrets." She hummed. "Besides. It's a risky run. Just because Azgeda is part of the Commander's Coalition doesn't mean they respect the ceasefire. I asked Kane to put Lincoln on scout, but I was brutally reminded of the Commanders kill order on him. Awfully rude."
Bellamy nodded.
Finally they come up onto Kane's office, sliding open the door to see Abby is seen fast asleep on the couch. Kane glances at Abby as the two walk in, "This is the first sleep the Chancellor's had in two days.
"We'll be quick then. You'll let her know where I am?" Noah looks to Kane.
Kane nodded curtly. "Of course."
Bellamy agrees and gets straight to the point. "We're going into Sector 7. I think we should arm the entire unit."
Kane trusts Noah, and therefore that usually means Bellamy is on the same page as well. He holds high standards for the two kids who kept 80 so teenagers alive while the rest of them were stuck in space. "Permission granted. But the rules of engagement still apply, non lethal response."
Bellamy nods. "Copy that."
Noah throws her head back. "Boring."
Shoving her shoulder, Bellamy keeps his head forward. "Noah copies too."
Kane looks up from his seat at the man. "Bellamy... There hasn't been an attack since Mount Weather. It's three months. Our people believe that this is real peace. Try not to screw that up."
"Yes sir."
They move to leave just as Abby stirs. Noah places a hand on Bellamy's bicep. "I'll catch up, I'm gonna talk to Abby for a minute."
Bellamy nods gently, pressing a chaste kiss to her forehead and he head to the armory to collect what the crew needed. "I'll see you in 10. Don't be late."
And the door slides shut behind him as Noah is left behind, and Abby wakes up with a smile at the sight. It's nice to see Noah has found some semblance of normalcy, something to keep her grounded after all she's been through. "He's come a long way."
She shrugs. "It's a work in progress."
"I was dreaming we were on the Ark. Before we sent the kids down." She stands up slowly and makes her way to towards Kane's map. "Maybe she's in Sector 7."
Kane immediately offers, "We could send out another search party."
It seemed Clarke was leaving a bigger hold in Arkadia that she'd ever thought.
And Noah has long forgotten her jealousy of Clarke's childhood, mostly anyhow. With Abby here now, and more people to fill that missing spot in her past, she feels Clarke and her could've gotten along better than they ever had here. "You can still send me, I'll go again. I found one of her camps last time— I was close."
She had been. She'd found hot ash at a small campsite, drawing left behind in the dirt where Clarke had tried to occupy her mind. She felt she was close enough to stay out longer, until Abby had called her back.
Something about staying on the weary side, not wanting to lose Noah too.
Abby shook her head. "She's not ready to be found."
"Just give me the word, Abby. I'll bring Clarke home."
Noah wouldn't say out loud that she missed the blonde. She'd say Clarke was bossy and stubborn and a real pain in her ass sometimes. Maybe it was nostalgia that made Noah wanted to bring her back, memories from before everything was about politics and war. Or maybe she just wanted to make Abby happy, or maybe she just wanted someone around who understood what happened. Someone to glance at from across the room and know, that they know, and they're always going to have your back.
"Thank you, Sunny. Focus on bringing yourself back first, please. Sector 7–"
"I know. Ice Nation. We're prepared."
Abby smiled and wrapped the girl in a gentle hug, not expecting much of one in return but enjoying the fact that Noah didn't pull away either. "I love you, Sunny. Be safe."
"I'll see you soon."
And then Noah was gone as well, disappearing down the hall and probably unearthing more arrows that she believed Lane didn't know about. Maybe he did, and maybe he felt a little bit safer knowing they were hidden too.
"She's a brave girl." Kane reminded the woman. "They both are. I think they got it from you."
But Abby shook her head, "All I see is Jake in them."
In the Hangar Bellamy, Monty, and Miller are preparing for the scouting mission while Raven makes some finishing touches on the River they've outfitted. A feat of engineering, four wheels surely makes patrolling a whole lot easier than relying on Noah to guide groups through the woods and teach them how to memorize it.
Bellamy spots Monty siting on the floor, "Monty, why aren't you ready?"
"I am." He retorts. "He's not."
Underneath the table, laid out with slow breathing and half asleep with a flask in his hand. A bad habit Jasper picked up after Mount Weather, unable to process the loss of Maya, or maybe even the entire event as a whole. Everyone's sure he was just medicating his loss, no matter the burden it placed on everyone else.
"What should we do?"
Bellamy shrugged. "We should leave him this time."
But Monty was determined to get back the friend he once knew, not this stranger. "He's not getting better. Maya's death broke him. He needs this."
Sighing, Bellamy reluctantly agreed. "Take an arm. Come on." He and Monty not so gently pull Jasper out from the table and to his feet, dragging him towards the Rover.
And when they get close enough, Bellamy leaves the responsibility to Monty as he sees one of the other survivors from the Ark coming up to him. Her name was Gina, she hadn't been one of the 100, which left a pretty hefty divide between the teenagers around the camp anyway. Those who hadn't survived Earth, and those who'd fought for their lives yet.
Gina made herself known pretty quickly to Bellamy Blake, and whether is was to prove herself to someone or just because she had the hots for him was unknown. Though, Noah had a pretty good idea which one it was.
Noah was well aware of Bellamys gravitas. And she believed he didn't need to give her the time of day— but he was very dedicated to making everyone feel like a part of the Arkadia community. It takes a village or whatever the saying was.
"Hey, Gina. Easy run?"
She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "I hate that place."
Speaking of Mount Weather, Bellamy couldn't agree more. "I know." He chuckled slightly, well aware of the horrors that took place inside those walls. Even if Gina didn't exactly know what he'd been through or what they'd all been through— at least she could feel the death inside there.
But her distaste turned into joy feather quickly as she reveals a book from behind her back that they'd collected from the art gallery. "I got you something, though."
The Iliad, hard cover. The same story he'd always mentioned he named Octavia afterward. Noah was most likely the only one to truly understand the significance of the story to him and his sister, but at dinner he'd often brought it up to reminisce. Honestly, it might've been a little odd that she remembered.
"You said your mom used to read this to you. I thought you'd like it."
And out of the blue, returning from her conversation with Abby and now appearing at Bellamy's side— Noah Santiago takes the book from Gina's hand and smiles venomously. "Cool book— I'll keep it safe for him."
There's an obvious tension between the two women, and it's a kind Noah has never experienced before. She's never been in the situation where she's ever had to acknowledge that someone else wanted to sleep with her partner. The only other time she'd even remembered being like this was when other Solo's in training would come ask her if her and Indigo were sleeping together. And usually it was because they wanted to sleep with him— and usually she didn't care if they did or didn't.
But with Bellamy, she'd scoop Gina's eyes out if she continued to look at Bellamy like a piece of meat.
And Gina could sense it, she could notice how Noah was like a lion circling around its mate. "Santiago."
Noah looked her up and down, unimpressed. "Whatever your name is. Looks like you've got some veggies to tend to." She almost mocked her, dismissing her back to her unloading job and half bragging about her much more dangerous work around the camp.
Bellamy smiled gently and placed a hand on Noah's shoulder, "Thank you Gina, take it easy."
And with that and a final nasty look at Noah, Gina made her way back to the truck and continued giving orders where they weren't necessary.
Noah scoffed and brushed his hand off. "She might as well suck your dick in front of everyone, huh?"
Bellamy wasn't going to be the guy who ignored that he got attention from other women, he wouldn't ever say that Noah was being crazy or delusional. He knew about it, but honestly didn't see the need to ridicule someone for the sake of saying he was with someone else.
Everyone knew about Noah Santiago and Bellamy Blake.
"Noah Santiago gets jealous, a sight to see." He boasted, also unable to say that he didn't enjoy Noah getting a tiny bit protective over their relationship.
Noah shrugged, "Still considering removing your kneecaps."
Turning to look at her with a cheeky smile, Bellamy leaned in a bit closer as they walked. "That might rule out some of your favorite positions."
"Shut it."
As as they get closer to the Rover, they both hear a voice that's familiar to them. A voice that's been a godsend for most of their time here on Earth, despite the common amount of sass and bark that usually comes with it. Raven is already yelling at someone to not be so rough with her baby, treat it as they'd like to be treated.
"Hey! Take it easy!"
Bellamy nods to her, "Mornin' to you too."
And also joining them, Miller frowns as they pack the artillery into the truck. "What's the point if we can't shoot 'em?"
"We can. Just not to kill. That goes for everyone." And now that everyone's he's expected to be here is— there's one missing from the roster. "Where's Octavia?"
"We're going outside the wall. You honestly think she'd miss that?"
A splash of water echoes from the other side of the Rober, the rest of the team peeking as the bucket of cold water now almost drenching Jasper head to toe and waking him up. Monty tilts his head sarcastically, "Sorry, was that too cold?"
Aggressively and going for his spot in the rover, he shoves Monty against the side of it— being stopped by Bellamy before he climbs in. "No gun for you, not until you're sober."
"Don't want one." He snaps harshly, then climbs in.
Brushing it off and shaking his head, he rounds everyone else up. "Let's do this."
Noah nods, sliding her bow beside the passenger seat before tapping Bellamy on the shoulder kindly. As she settles, Bellamf presses a chaste kiss to the side of her head nonchalantly before shutting her door for her. He wraps around the car and pulls open the driver door, everyone else loading in. Before he climbs in, a hand stops the door from shutting. He pauses, seeing Gina standing with a dorky smile and her legs crossed.
"Be safe."
Hearing Noah making a gagging sound from the passenger, he ignores it and nods before climbing in. "Thanks."
And once all the doors are shut, Raven leans in through Noah's passenger window. "She's pathetic."
Noah makes a cheesy smile.
Furrowing his brows, Bellamy turns his head towards the two women, "You too?"
"Raven has eyes that work, Bell." Noah sasses.
Jasper spoke up, words slurred and a little bit wobbly. "Careful. Noah might melt her."
Noah didn't even turn around before she spoke, "I could've left you on a tree, watch your mouth."
And Bellamy sees it, Raven and Monty do too. Despite the fact that she's 100% sober and been significantly more helpful than Jasper has been— Noah is just as much of a flight risk as him. Her anger keeps sneaking out, rage against what she's done. They can all tell that she is a bomb waiting to be detonated— and they fear Jasper is gonna be the one to do it with his big fat mouth.
Noah's completely cool and collected, until she suddenly isn't sometimes.
She's losing grip, and Bellamy is trying to postpone her fall as long as he possibly can. Saving people, providing, searching for Clarke— he believes that will fix her, even out the bad in her ledger.
It won't. But no one's willing to admit that yet.
Cruising just outside the wall and the engine purring— Bellamy spots in Noah's side mirror a horse galloping towards them with his sister on back, racing towards them as they slow to a stop.
"Guess we found her."
Grinning widely as she rolls her window down just as Octavia pulls on the reigns gently. "Just the Blake I wanted to see."
Bellamy leans towards her, "I'm sitting right here."
Octavia peeks to see who's joined them this time, not feeling much remorse even when she see Jasper in the state he's in. "Noah— slumming with four wheels and four losers I see."
She shrugs, "Meh— your brothers not bad company."
Holding up a hand to stop her or Bellamy from continuing any ramble about whatever they were, "I'm gonna stop you before I throw up. Just try keep up."
Noah and Bellamy always like a challenge.
AUTHOR SPEAKS !
— here we go all
season three
buckle up for a angsty ride
spread love y'all
— spidermandes