"Big brother!" Octavia shouts, her arms wailing in the air as her feet carry her as fast as they can into Bellamy's arms. She was 20 now, and although she may be engaged and working as an intern at a veterinary hospital, seeing her big brother walk through those airport doors excited her just as much as Christmas morning. Bellamy grasps her in his arms and she scrunches her nose as the curls of his hair tickle her face.
She squeezes him so tightly. "I missed you, O." His arms squeeze her back and then they both pull away from the embrace. He holds her chin in his hand, analyzing her face. She's gotten older and more mature. He hadn't seen her in 6 months and although she was and adult now, she was still growing. And was as perfect as ever. Somehow, he still seemed to visualize her as a little girl. "You look like mom. Got her eyes, her nose, everything."
She grins and the skin by her eyes crinkle. It's been six years since their mother died and although the thought of her hurts both their hearts equally, this is the highest compliment she could receive. Bellamy and Octavia's mother was by far one of the most beautiful woman to ever grace the earth. She had long dark hair that bounced when she walked and chocolate eyes that anyone could fall in love with. Octavia's smile still hadn't faltered and she grabs on to Bellamy's hand, "come meet Lincoln!!" The excitement bubbles over from inside her.
Octavia and Lincoln had been together for almost three years but if you were looking for exact timing Octavia could tell you. Exactly, on the nose, two years, seven months, and fifteen days. Bellamy had never had the chance to meet Lincoln. Octavia only ever saw her brother twice a year, and it was usually Octavia flying into Toronto due to Bellamy's physically and mentally demanding job. Being one of the best paramedics his station had was something he was proud of. With Lincoln owning his own local pub, The Bow and Arrow, he didn't have much time to leave the city.
Bellamy outstretched his right hand leaning slightly into Lincoln for a hand shake. "You've taken good care of her, thank you." He smiles, looking slightly to Octavia. A wide grin plastered amongst her face. Watching two of her favourite men interact was something she longed for since they started dating.
"I just worked with what you gave me." Lincoln laughs and Octavia jumps into his arms, plastering small kisses on his cheek. "Sometimes I wonder if she's part dog." He laughs, kissing her lips and hugging her tightly.
Bellamy chuckled, seeing his baby sister so happy was so comforting. Octavia and Bellamy had different dads, although never thought of each other as 'half siblings'. Octavia grew up with Bellamy and their mother and her father Marcus Kane. Unfortunately her parents were never married and separated shortly after her eighth birthday. Kane moved to Vancouver, where he was originally from and Octavia would visit him every summer and several different weeks throughout the year. Bellamy's father wasn't in the picture and he never had a strong male figure in his life to stand by. When their mother died in a car wreck, Octavia was only 14, Bellamy 21. He was in university, training to be a paramedic, living in residence, and due to this situation was forced to separate him from his little sister. Just like that, Kane came to Toronto, packed up Octavia and took her with him. It was the best thing for everyone and Kane was more than able to provide for her, but that didn't make it any easier.
Bellamy, Octavia and Lincoln picked up Bellamy's luggage before heading back to Lincoln's place. A nice apartment located inner city a few blocks from the pub. Octavia still technically lived with Niylah, a girl with a heart so soft that she even made baby blankets seem rough. They lived in the same building as Lincoln, however she spent more time at Lincoln's than her own. Bellamy would be staying in his guest bedroom for the duration of his visit. It had a nice view and lost of light. Something Octavia always loved. It was like walking into a breath of fresh air.
"Big bother!" Octavia called running into the guest bedroom and throwing herself onto the queen sized bed. "Lincoln wants to show you the pub, and meet the gang!"
"Lincoln? You sure about that?" Bellamy raises his eyebrow, a smirk sneaking across his lips.
"Okay..." she draws out, "maybe I had something to do with it." Octavia laughs and pops back up, grabbing onto Bellamy's arms and pulling him through the apartment. A puppy barks at their feet, thinking they were ready to play. "Don't mind Chewy!" She says before pushing both of them out the door.
~~~
"Wait, so how did you meet again?" Murphy, the sarcastic, kind of an asshole but you still love him, guy of the group, asks trying to dial back several years ago.
Raven sticks out her tongue and points to the back of her throat. Making a gagging noice before rolling her eyes. "Not this one again."
"Hey! Be nice Raven!" Harper, a smiley brunette girl slides down a rum and cola towards Bellamy. "This is a good one. A story of love." Harper puts a hand to her heart and another to her forehead pretending to swoon.
"Good one? Yeah if you like those stupid chick flicks from Lifetime!" She pops a French fry in her mouth, secretly wanting to hear the story once more for herself. She said she hated it, but the truth is she longed for that kinda love. The soul mate kinda love. Something she just wasn't good at grasping onto.
They sat all across the bar, Bellamy beside Octavia, feeling completely and utterly out of place. He was the oldest there, except for Lincoln, while the others seemed to be close friends of Octavia's. Nothing really seemed to catch Bellamy's attention. This wasn't the crowd he usually seemed to hang around. He was more of a professional kinda guy. Suit and tie kind of events. Drinks with the boys at so-and-so's house. Or so-and-so's birthday party. Or some gala that someone's wife was throwing. Definitely not with kids who just drank for the sake of it.
"I was at this bar, totally a pub crawl, one I was definitely too young to be at and I was... I was mad drunk." Octavia starts laughing. She takes a swig of her beer and then continues. "The guy I was with, the he who shall not be named, totally ditched me. Whether it was intentional or not, I was young and drunk and alone and somehow found my way in the middle of a bar fight. I was stumbling around, trying to find my way out of this group of people and I must of looked lost, or something."
"Or something?" Lincoln chimes in. "More like calling out for help with your arms reached above your head, drink in hand spilling it on everyone around you."
"Whatever." She snickers, scrunching her nose up. "He took my hand and got me out of that sticky situation, literally. I had recognized him from the apartment building so I trusted him and he walked me home. He really was my knight in shining armour." Octavia leans in, planting a kiss on his lips and Lincoln tackles her in his arms, causing a shriek. Everyone belts out with laughter.
"Ugh, not this again." A beautiful blonde girl appears from the shadows of the bar. She ties her apron at her waist then pulling her hair up into a pony.
"This is why we're roommates!" Raven starts laughing and they point to each other making some kind of wink and hand slap coordination sequence.
Lincoln clears his throat, "late again, Clarke?" Everyone pears over to the blonde bartender, Harper snickering beside her.
"I left early, traffic was bad and-"
"You were trying to save the world again?" Harper bursts out and they erupt with laughter once again.
Murphy looks up at Clarke, "or was Niylah just really getting you going?" He rolls his eyes back and starts moaning.
"Shut up, Murphy" Clarke scowls. She doesn't hesitate, backhanding him in the shoulder making his entire body jerk.
Octavia clears her throat, "Clarke, this is my brother, Bellamy." She nudges Bellamy and he extends his hand. "Bellamy, this is Clarke. She's the best bartender in the city!"
Clarke extends her hand, sharing a smile. "Nice to meet you." Bellamy holds on to her hand for a moment longer than he usual would. Something between them clicks. It's like a switch was flicked. A light turned on. A connection made.
"She's also got a great ass!" Harper peeps up and Clarke releases her hold on Bellamy, her cheeks turning a vibrate shade of coral, even though she knows it's just a joke.
Bellamy chuckles as well, suddenly not feeling so left out of the group.