GRIM REAPER¹, bellamy blake

027 ━━ resignation

hi im SO sorry if u got a notif for this earlier, i accidentally hit publish instead of save-

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"NO. ABSOLUTELY not!" Lexa exclaimed. She roughly hit her hands against the war table, shaking her head furiously. "You will not go parading around like some- some traitor!"

"It's not up for debate."

Iona stared at Lexa, her gaze hardening. Lexa looked somewhat offended by it, taking in a betrayed breath. "Do you have any idea what I just sacrificed for you? What I just gave up? What I ruined?"

Iona took a step forward, attempting to take Lexa's arm between her hand. Instead, the woman pulled her arm from her grasp, shaking her head.

"With all due respect, Commander, I did not ask for you to give up everything for me. I greatly appreciate it, I really do, but you made that decision with your heart," Iona put a hand over her heart. "The Lexa I know would've let me rot in that mountain."

Lexa took a step backwards, "Is that what you wanted me to do? You wanted me to sacrifice you because of some plan that might not have worked?"

Iona chewed on her lip, sighing, "Lexa-"

"No!" She interjected, and for a second, Iona saw tears spring to the woman's eyes. "You're my family. You're all that I have left! I was not going to let you die knowing I could've done something about it."

Iona stayed silent, attempting to maintain eye contact with her cousin; it was hard, considering her teary-eyed look had Iona drowning in guilt.

"And if you consider me the same family that I consider you, then you won't do this," Lexa said. Once deafening silence settled between the pair, her eyes widened, and betrayal seeped through her blood.

"No..."

Iona tried to keep a straight face. She tried to keep an emotionless look that would hide how much internal pain she was feeling- but if one thing was true about Iona, it was that once she had her mind set, she wouldn't let anything come between her and her goal.

Even if that meant breaking her cousin's heart.

"I have to, Lexa. He saved my life."

Lexa scoffed, "What about me? Did I not just save your life? Did I not just sacrifice everything because I love you? Because I wanted to see you again; because I wanted you to live?"

Iona glanced down at the floor, trying to hold back the water pressing to the top of her eyes. This fight- if that was what they were to call it- had all the potential to absolutely shatter their relationship.

Iona didn't want to mess everything up with Lexa. She loved the woman. She admired her, aspired to be like her one day. But she didn't ask for her cousin to sacrifice the world to save her life- she never would've done that, and Lexa knows it.

Maybe that's why she made the decision that she did.

But Iona knows what the right thing to do is. Her people are freed but that is not enough. She has to fix what is broken, and she has to save Bellamy's life just as he did hers.

She needed to do this, her pride wouldn't allow otherwise.

"My final decision is no."

Iona gathered in a deep breath. It took her a moment to regain her focus, but she did, hardening her stare and adjusting her posture. She radiated power and finality and used this to her advantage to stare at Lexa, "It's not your choice."

"Like hell!" She snapped, thrumming her balled fist against the desk. "I am your commander, and I said no. You follow my orders. I'm giving you a direct order to stay here. Do you understand?"

Iona looked at her cousin, reaching into her pocket with one hand and awaiting the word, "Are you really going to make me say it?"

Lexa's face paled and she shook her head, "You wouldn't-"

"I hereby resign from being Commander."

Spinning the small commander crest on her finger, Iona admired the token one last time before bidding it farewell. She sat it upon Lexa's war table, sending her one last glare before storming out the door.

However, she didn't miss the loud scream coming from the very same tent she'd just left:

"You traitor!"

Iona wishes she could say it didn't affect her, but she'd be lying. Instead, she ignored the churning of her stomach and called for Athena.

Then, she charged in the direction of Mt. Weather.

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