Taming Chaos // J.M // The 100

Chapter 24

"-an?"

Ethan's dreaming.

Or maybe it's a nightmare because honestly, he feels like shit.

 "-than!"

He's floating in a pit of darkness, the death and chaos below him like a fire licking at his feet. But something is tugging him upwards, towards the light. He doesn't know which way to go.

"-Ethan? Ethan!"

Why was Murphy in his dream?

Ethan feels himself flinch away from the shouting and comes to when his head crashes against the metal wall behind him. The noise rings in his head so he bites his tongue, clasping a hand over his eyes when the pain bounces like a pinball.

"Ethan?" The voice sounds. . . worried. It's unusual coming from the owner, but it's nice.

There's a hand on his arm, gently nudging.

Ethan sucks in a sharp breath, "Yeah, yeah. I'm awake."

He lifts his head carefully and meets blue eyes. Eyes that widen quickly at his appearance. Ethan wants to be offended.

"Shit," Murphy says, straightening his back to search for Octavia.

Ethan winces, "What?"

When he tilts his head back, he finds his answer, in the form of something warm dripping down his mouth and falling off of his chin. He swipes his hand across his face and blanks. A shudder goes through his limbs.

A deep, dark red.

"Oh." Ethan had thought the fatigue was from a concussion. But this makes sense, too. "Oh no."

If he had a concussion, he shouldn't be sleeping, should he?

Ethan should ask Clarke if he has a concussion.

Oh, but - he glances at the cot on the other side of the room, pale bodies taking up most of the floor, and sees Clarke. She's still unconscious. Sicker than he was.

Ethan frowns, tilts his head back and tugs at the jacket over his shoulders, his shirt sticking to his back. "It's hot."

Murphy swings his eyes back over, "Yeah, it's called a fever." He rasps, bringing a cold cloth up to Ethan's forehead, cleaning away sweat and dirt as he had done to him before.

It's gentle.

He doesn't have to do it, nor is he annoyed by it. He's just doing it. And for the first time, Ethan doesn't feel like a burden.

Murphy looks focused, too, when he tugs at Ethan's jacket, sliding it off his shoulders and down his arms.

There's a toothy smile on Ethan's face.

"What?" Murphy narrows his eyes.

"It's nice to see you like this," He says, lolling his head to the side. His mouth feels unfiltered.

Ever since they landed on the ground it's been a fight for something new every day. Ethan and Murphy had fought because of other people, then there were all those times with Bellamy and his goons, even verbally from Raven who switched quickly from kind to hating. The grounders - they were going to war with them. The word "gentle" doesn't fit in their vocabulary anymore.

Until now, just for a little bit.

Murphy swallows hard, avoiding his eyes. He turns around again, "Octavia!"

Pushing through bodies moving through the dropship, she emerges and upon spotting Ethan, her face drops. She purses her lips and leaves. When she comes back it's with a cup of water, kneeling down to push it into his hands.