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AT FIRST, MARLEY'S KNOCKS WERE QUIET. Tentative and unsure, apprehensive and terrified, her knuckles tapped softly against the metal door, barely making a sound, even in the staggering, impending silence. Her shaking hands refused to move with much urgency. Any pretence of bravado she'd built up in her mind had crumbled when Bellamy's door had loomed up in front of her. With a shaking breath, she swallowed her pride and all the hesitancy holding her fist back and knocked a little harder. The sound wasn't much louder than the first yet, somehow, it seemed to rumble through the vacant hallways like a clap of thunder.
A few moments later, long enough for Marley to think of walking away because he, clearly, wasn't inside, the door slid open. It's hinges released with a hiss and regret instantly set in. It was a ridiculous idea to come here, to wake him in the middle of the night for her own selfish gain. Bellamy Blake stood before her, dark eyes still hooded and drowsy from sleep, shirtless and confused as the why the hell someone was knocking at his door in the early hours of the morning. She couldn't help but let her gaze linger on his chest, though her sightline was barely visible through the hazy darkness that surrounded them.
She expected his voice to come angry and for him to tell her to leave grumpily, before he sunk back to his bed in silence. But his voice came low and raspy - almost concerned, she thought - as he called out to her. "Marley?" He took in her small form that lingered in the doorway. "What time is it? What are you doing here?" He questioned, confusion furrowing his brow.
"I-" She shook her head, as clear as she could. "I couldn't sleep." Her voice was small, far quieter than she'd intended it to be, but that was probably a good thing; no one else would be able to hear her, stood awkwardly at his door, unsure what the hell she was going to do now that she was here.
He tilted his head as she shuffled her feet awkwardly, pulling the sleeves of her navy sweatshirt down over her hands, bunching the fabric between her fingers. It still smelt of campfire smoke; no matter how often she washed it, it seemed to linger, but she'd grown fond of the scent that seemed to comfort her. A chill swept over her legs and she was suddenly conscious that she wasn't wearing any pants, just the flimsy sleep shorts she'd picked up from supply when she'd first arrived at Camp Jaha. "Um-" Her voice was so small she was surprised he even heard her. Maybe he hadn't. Just saw the way her lips parted slightly to release the small puff of air. It was a terrible idea. A truly terrible, awful, hopeless idea and she had no business being there, outside his room at God knows what time, shivering in the frigid darkness.
Marley caught her bottom lip between her teeth. She bit down harshly - hard enough to draw blood, she's sure; hard enough to snap her back to some semblance of reality. "Did I wake you?" She whispered dumbly a moment later, though she already knew the answer. Stupid question, she cussed herself. Marley took a step back, ready to run back down the hallway and barricade herself in her room out of sheer embarrassment, and never speak to him again until he'd forgotten things. She was glad for the darkness that concealed the bright flush of her face. Her bare heels dug into the metal grate in the floor behind her as she retreated. It was the only thing reminding her that she wasn't in some sort of hazy dream where she'd suddenly become far too bold and unburdened by the world that leaned on her shoulders. "I- I'm sorry. I woke you."
