𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐑, bellamy blake ²

12; essence of childhood

"She had a wild, wandering soul but when she loved, she loved with chaos and that made all the difference."

― Ariana Dancu

➳ ➳ ➳

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE WAS TAKEN?"

Naomi stormed into the room, Ley hot on her heels. Her eyes were wide and frantic.

The group was sitting around a table, discussing the turn of events. Noe slid beside Octavia, who looked like she'd been dragged through hell and back. Her hair was in braids and she had the remains of black warpaint smudged over her eyes. Naomi had heard how she'd become Indra's second.

Naomi had her own paint smeared across her face—ready for a war.

Octavia dropped her head on Naomi's shoulder. "Lincoln said the guards knocked Bellamy out and took him inside, to be 'harvested'."

Naomi looked down, pressing her lips together firmly. "Okay, great," she said, tears in her eyes. "We sent him in there despite my warnings. And now we've lost him too." Octavia had her arms firmly wrapped around Naomi from the side. She pressed her chin against Noe's shoulder.

"We can't rely on him as an inside man anymore," Clarke said, from across the table. "We need to think of another plan."

Noe looked over at Clarke. "We sent him in to die—you all know that. He's probably being drained for blood as we speak." Octavia turned her gaze away, but kept her body resting firmly on Naomi's.

It was no secret how much Naomi and Bellamy cared for each other. Though neither of them would admit it, they were both stupidly pining for the other.

"I can't believe we've lost him too," she muttered. Naomi stood abruptly, disturbing the quiet Octavia and turning everyone's eyes to her. She shook her head and walked from the room. How could she have let this happen again? Every time they separate someone dies.

"Shila?" Ley asked, trailing softly behind her. Naomi wiped tears away abruptly, blinking rapidly against the light. Ley looked up at her with gentle eyes. "You can cry," she said. "It's okay to cry."

Naomi slowed her footsteps to a halt. The corridor was empty, and Naomi blinked away more tears.

"I still cry sometimes. About my mother, and Serena. Even my father." Her brown eyes were kind. "It's okay if you cry."

Noe reached up a hand to cover half her face. Her palms were rough and scarred. "We sent him to die," she whispered. "I shouldn't have let him leave." A sob threatened to burst through her lips.

"You couldn't have known, Shila. You couldn't have known he would get captured."

"But I did. I warned everyone he was going to get himself killed. Yet I did nothing when—" she broke herself off, turning her faze towards her feet. Her eyes squeezed shut. "I'm not weak," she promised, mostly to herself. "I'm not."

Ley shook her head. "Crying isn't weakness. It's not," she assured. "Everyone has to cry. It doesn't mean they're weak. It doesn't mean you're weak."

"I feel weak."

"No. You're strong." Ley stepped back. "We're going to destroy Mount Weather and get your friends back. Together."

➳ ➳ ➳


Naomi hummed to them as she braided their hair. Ley sat behind Naomi, doing the older girl's own. Naomi's bed was soft and comfortable, and the four girls fit there perfectly. She had gotten another more makeshift beds dragged into the room: one for the girls. Naomi had a bed big enough to fit Ley in it anyway. For the first time since being on the ground and with the Blake's, she was in her own room. She wasn't sure how she felt about it.