Alone Together [b.b] [book one]

living like we're renegades.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Song: Renegades by X Ambassadors

"So," Naira started, she was busying herself preparing some food for Mira, "who is Bellamy?" Mira's eyes flicked to the back of Naira's head, she had stubbornly refused to answer any of her questions so far. Naira turned around to face her with a playful smirk. "You said his name a few times in your sleep," she admitted. "Is he a lover?"

"No," Mira stated all too quickly, Naira raised her eyebrows and turned back around. Mira sighed and gave in, she hadn't hurt her yet, so it  was likely she was untrustworthy. "He's our leader," she explained. Naira walked over to where she was sitting at the dining table and placed a plate of meat and unfamiliar vegetables in front of her. Mira looked up at Naira unsurely.

"It's deer and potatoes," she explained. Mira shrugged and dug in. She would eat anything at this point. Naira sat opposite her, sitting awkwardly while Mira ate.

"Why do you live here?" Mira asked, with her mouth full of food, "don't you guys live in villages or something?" Naira frowned suddenly, clearly this was a sore topic.

"I left my village, there was nothing left for me there," she explained vaguely, Mira took that as a good enough answer and continued to eat until her plate was empty. She humbly declined seconds.

"So grounders do speak English?" She asked, thinking of the grounder that they had chained up in their drop ship. Did he speak English too? Had Octavia got him out of there?

"Only our warriors do, my nomon taught me," she spoke sadly.

"Nomon?" Mira inquired, struggling with the foreign word.

"Mother," Naira translated and an awkward silence ensued. Mira bit the inside of her cheek.

"How long are you going to keep me here?" She asked hesitantly. Naira looked at Mira as though she had just been accused of her own family's murder.

"You are not a prisoner here, Mira. You are free to leave whenever you want, but I will take you home," she said, "there's no way you'll make it home alive without me." Mira nodded.

"Then I want to leave now," she stated, but Naira bit her lip. Mira sighed. "What is it?"

"It's getting too dark, and you can hardly walk," she told her. Mira hated to agree with her. She'd barely done anything today but try to kill Naira and eat, and she was exhausted. She pushed herself up and walked over to her sword, trying her best not to make her limp look too visible.

"It's not dark yet," Mira said, "so teach me how to actually use this thing." Naira raised her eyebrows and inspected the sword closely.

"You're going to need a sharper sword."

❀

Mira's training began as the sun was going down, she held one of Naira's sword in her hand and was back in her own clothes, which still had obvious splotches of dirt and blood on them. Naira had apologised and said that she did her best to get them out. Not that she'd admit it, but the grounder girl was growing on her.

Naira stood opposite her, her favourite sword in her hand, she had tied her dark hair up, which made her look more fierce somehow. Mira took a deep breath before attacking. She stepped forward quickly, pain shooting up her leg again and swung at Naira, who stepped out of the way effortlessly. She stepped behind Mira and bought the hilt of the sword between her shoulder blades, causing Mira to stumble, but she remained on her feet. She spun around, just as Naira was swinging her sword on her and caught it with her own blade, pushing her away. They both attacked at the same time next and their swords ended up clashing, but Naira had more strength and managed to push Mira away, and she fell to the ground. Naira used her foot to push her flat on her back. She rested her foot on her chest and held the sword point at her throat.

"I win," she stated, grinning playfully. Mira shoved the sword point away and stood up, which she found somewhat difficult.

"Not fair," Mira grumbled, "you have years of training under your belt."

"So do all grounders," Naira pointed out, "and they don't play fair. Again."

So they duelled well past sunset, Naira insisted that she needed to learn how to use the darkness as a strength. Mira hadn't beat her once out of their fifteen duels, but she did come close one time. When Naira announced that it was time to stop, Mira nearly cheered. Her entire body ached and the wound on her stomach felt like it was on fire. She walked back into the cave, dragging her feet and dropped herself onto the bed.

"You need to clean your wounds," Naira told her, Mira simply grunted in response. Naira smiled and pulled on her feet. "C'mon, sleepyhead," she encouraged, tugging at her feet again and giggling. Her giggles ceased when Mira got up very suddenly, swinging her leg at her. She kicked Naira to the ground and in the blink of an eye, Mira had Naira under her boot and at the point of her sword. Naira's dark brown eyes widened, she thought they had been getting along, and that they were becoming friends, but here she was, trying to kill her again. Mira smirked.

"I win," Mira teased, followed by her own giggle. Naira breathed out a sigh of relief and let Mira help her up.

"You scared the shit out of me!" She exclaimed, though she was laughing, as was Mira.

"Yeah, I could tell. You're face was all like-" Mira made an exaggerated face with wide eyes and an open mouth. Naira snorted at her, causing Mira to laugh even more.

"Go clean your wounds you idiot," Naira teased and Mira nodded with a smile before heading to the medicine box.

Mira took her time cleaning herself up. She had to clean the wind on her stomach and all the wounds from the fight with the grounder the other night, along with a few cuts from hers and Naira's duels. By the time she had finished, she was so exhausted that she didn't even argue with Naira, who had given up her bed for Mira and was sleeping on her torn and broken couch. She flopped onto the bed and pulled the covers to her chin.

"Mira?" Naira called out in the darkness. Mira hummed in response. "I'll take you home tomorrow," she said.

Mira smiled at the thought. Despite how much fun she was having with Naira (surprisingly), she wanted to go back to camp -to her home. Ever since she'd arrived on Earth, she'd been wishing that she was back home on the Ark, with her parents. She was surprised that it had taken so long for her to realise that she was home. Her home was wherever Octavia and Asteria were convincing Mira to do stupid things, like getting drunk. Her home was wherever Jasper and Monty were telling terrible jokes and puns. Her home was wherever Clarke was making sure everyone was okay with her worried doctor voice. Her home was wherever Finn was being an adventurous idiot and Raven was convincing him not to do so with an amused smile. Her home was wherever Bellamy was. She pulled his jacket around her and smiled even wider as she breathed in the scent of him. She fell asleep with a smile at the promise and thought of returning home.

WORD COUNT: 1271

Mira and Naira are brotp af and Naira is played by my wife Crystal Reed which is why there is a photo of her

so yeah

that's all folks??? awkward af.