The 100 fic: Follow You Down

[jennickels]

There are a lot of dangers on the ground, but Bellamy found out quickly that the scariest one was Clarke Griffin. She had ways of hurting him he'd never imagined, and yet, he keeps going back for more. Like a moth to a flame in the center of hell.

849 words | rating: PG-13

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He watches her. From across a room. Across the camp. Trudging through the forest when he should be watching for danger. But then again, Clarke Griffin represents a real threat to Bellamy Blake. At first it was a threat to his authority. He'd taken advantage of his age and the uniform he'd stolen to influence the kids on the dropship. Years of indoctrination had them automatically looking to someone older to tell them what to do. He liked having the power for once. He liked the way the kids looked up to him. Were afraid of him. Except Clarke.

No, she had to stand in his way, constantly challenge his decisions, or just ignore his orders. He may have had a "no rules" policy, but she split loyalties. Created a wedge in the group. And Octavia was on her side. That stung the most. For the first time in his life, his sister didn't have that hero-worship glean in her eyes when she looked at him. That wasn't Clarke's fault, but it was easier to blame her than himself.

Later, the danger became physical because everywhere Clarke Griffin went, pain seemed to follow. She attracted trouble like moths to a flame. She was always going off on some fool-hearty mission, and bringing back trouble. She just had to take a group to find Mount Weather. A group including Octavia. That right there put her on his shit-list. But then she came back minus one geek, an injured Octavia, and a grounder army on her tail. And then wanted to go back out and find Jasper. She'd talked him into that particularly crazy scheme. Manipulated him to be more exact. It wouldn't be the last time—Clarke knew how to push every one of his buttons.

Now the danger is completely different, if not related to the first two. She continues to get in his way every move he makes, arguing about his choices, making him second-guess every decision. And there is still trouble wherever she goes. Still grounder armies prowling around her. Still attempts on her life that he has to avert. Still fights to keep her safe. But the real danger now comes from deep down inside of himself.

He watches her from across the corridor. She gestures frantically at her mother, her voice rising with her passion. She’s pleading to go back out and find Finn. Her mother looks less than convinced. Actually, she looks like letting Clarke leave camp ever again is the last thing she’ll allow. She apparently doesn’t know her daughter very well. Abby is not going to win this fight. She makes a valiant effort, though—metaphorically putting her foot down.

The conversation settled in her mother's mind, Clarke spins and stalks towards him. She looks like hell—her face broken and bruised, but the fire in her eyes lights flames in his chest, the heat radiating into every inch of his body. She'd hugged him when he walked into camp. Nearly knocked him off his feet with the intensity she puts into everything she does. He hadn't been expecting it. Hadn't realized it was exactly what he needed to heal wounds he hadn't time to even catalog. He'd held her tight despite Octavia's quips and smirk. Up until that point, he didn't know if she was alive or dead. Battered and alive and in his arms was definitely a best-case scenario in their lives.

Right now, she locks eyes with him—her gaze never wavering, jaw set in a dangerous way. Whatever is on her mind is going to hurt. Physically, mentally, probably emotionally, because everything with her hurts. She barely slows as she passes him.

"We're going to need guns," she murmurs.

Of course they are. Because there is no doubt she will ignore her mother’s final say. Finn is still out there and nothing will stop her. Nothing ever did. Bellamy can’t stop her. The grounders can’t stop her. The Mountain Men will probably regret the day they met Clarke Griffin. He learned long ago that fighting it her pointless. Instead, he runs through probable scenarios that will result in the acquisition of weapons.

His body aches everywhere. He's been beaten, nearly incinerated, almost fallen off a cliff, and has just walked fifteen miles half-carrying an injured Mel. He wants nothing more than a shower, a hot meal, and a soft bed. Nothing more except to keep one head-strong princess safe. So he ignores the pain and goes to work. He'll find her guns and help her escape into enemy territory. He'll search for Finn and watch their happy reunion without a sound because it's what she wants. Needs. And he needs for her to be safe. And happy if that is possible.

Trouble follows Clarke everywhere, but she is most dangerous to Bellamy because she's wormed her way into his heart. He’s in way over his head, and he knows it. Loving Clarke will open entirely new avenues of danger. But he'll follow her to hell and back if she asks. Which he is sure is exactly where they are heading right now.