Heaven Can't Wait - Chapter 32
22 Sep 2018 03:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jennickels
Chapter Thirty-Two - Drama Queens
Bellamy’s mind races through everything that was said at the meeting—attacks and curses and Octavia being strangely supportive. He can’t make sense of it all. One fact keeps jumping to the front, waving its arms for attention—“Indra won’t let you keep her.” It’s not that he didn’t already know that, but hearing it said out loud is a punch to the gut.
Despite this ridiculous curse, Indra will find someone to take Heaven. If only to spite Bellamy. What am I going to do then?
Move on with your life like everyone else. It’s not rocket science.
He almost laughs at the voice, but nothing about his life or this situation is funny.
Heaven twists his hair harder as they enter the mess hall. Bellamy trains his eyes on the ground to avoid the curious gazes and gets in line behind two middle-aged women whispering to each other. Every few seconds they glance over their shoulders. He sighs, focusing on his boots like they are the most fascinating thing in the room. Heaven isn’t so laid back.
After the third or fourth sneer at them, Heaven raises her head, glaring hard at the women. They stare back, unblinking.
Who has staring competitions with toddlers?
He’s about to tell them to mind their own business when Heaven clutches Bae tighter and sicks out her tongue. It’s such a normal child thing to do that it catches Bellamy off guard. The women, too. Several people around them snicker until the women stomp off without any food.
There’s oatmeal with dried apple slices for breakfast. Or what passes as oatmeal around here. It’s not as bad as some of the stuff they’re served. He sets Heaven at a table in the corner and gives his apples to her. She licks each slice on every side before nibbling the end of one. Bellamy just plays with his food, unable to eat.
Why does this have to be so hard? He knows the answer—he just doesn’t like it. The hollowness growing in his heart aches, making him sick. Heaven hums a random tune while pretending to feed oatmeal to Bae who seems about as enthused as Bellamy about the food. He smiles despite his foul mood then presses a kiss to the top of her head because he can’t resist her. She smiles up at him, motioning for him to take a bite.
Bellamy shakes his head. “I’m not really hungry.”
She narrows her eyes then fills her own spoon, lifting it to his mouth. Bellamy sighs, knowing there’s no reasoning with her, and takes a bite. It takes an extraordinary measure to swallow. They continue to eat in silence. Well, Heaven eats while Bellamy forces down a spoonful any time Heaven looks over at him.
Eventually, Jasper plops down across from them with a groan. Heaven eyes him for a moment then pulls everything—apples, bowl and spoon close to her. She has a good memory apparently.
Jasper doesn’t notice. He just lays his head on his arms and moans.
“Long night?” Bellamy asks.
“Too short,” Jasper mumbles. “Still is broken. Sobering up. Shoot me.”
“It’s the end of the world for you every day isn’t it, Jasper,” Bellamy says flatly.
“But this really might be the end!”
Bellamy rolls his eyes, catching Monty stumble to a stop across the room. He looks from Bellamy to Jasper then around the room like he can’t decide if he wants to join them or not. Things between Jasper and Monty haven’t been right since Mt. Weather. It’s painful to watch. Monty takes a deep breath, squaring his shoulders before approaching slowly—an obviously forced smile plastered on his face. “Morning,” he says too cheerfully, setting down his bowl and apples next to Jasper.
“Hey,” Bellamy says then stuffs a reluctant spoonful of oatmeal into his mouth so no one expects him to talk. He hates being caught between his two friends, but he doesn’t know what to say to make things better. There’s probably nothing I can say. Jasper is still hurting too much.
Monty plays with his food, shooting nervous glances at Jasper. “Are you okay? You look sick,” he finally asks.
Jasper mutters something into the table.
“He’s fine,” Bellamy tells Monty, “just hungover.”
“And it’s all your fault,” Jasper grumbles. His head pops up to glare at Monty. “Your fault because you’ve been too busy to keep an eye on the still and now it’s broke.”
Bellamy shakes his head, spoon halfway to his mouth. “I told you, Jasper, Kane’s going to shut it down anyway. Might as well get used to it.” Or more accurately, he’ll get me to do it because that’s apparently my job now.
“Fuck that.”
“Jasper,” Monty hisses when people look over.
“What? I don’t care what they think.” He glances around at the curious faces. “They can mind their own damn business if they don’t like what I have to say.” His voice gets louder and louder with each word, catching Heaven’s attention. She frowns at Jasper.
Bellamy sighs. “That’s enough, Jasper. Calm down.”
“I think I’m the appropriate amount of calm considering the situation.”
Harper suddenly appears next to the table—her clothes soaked through, hair stuck to the sides of her face. “Oh, quit being such a drama queen, Jasper. You’ll sober up and learn to survive on your excessive supply of jobi nuts.”
“Whatever. They won’t last long if I have to share.” He shoots Harper an accusing look then pouts.
Harper laughs, sliding an arm around his shoulders. “You’re going to survive the apocalypse and you’re going to like it, young man,” she says in her sternest voice.
Jasper shoves her away. “Get off, you’re all wet.”
“Yeah, that’s what happens when it rains.” She leans over Jasper to kiss the top of his head, making sure her hair dangles in his face before sitting next to Monty. She pecks him on the cheek then steals one of his apple slices.
“You were outside?” Monty squeaks. “I thought everyone was restricted to inside now.” He looks from Harper to Bellamy for some kind of confirmation.
“The doors haven’t been locked yet,” Bellamy says, stabbing his food with the spoon.
Harper shrugs. “Someone has to watch the engineers that are fixing the station. We haven’t seen much movement in days, but there are still dangers out there.” She points at Heaven with her apple. “Case in point.”
“But why you?”
“I volunteered.”
“What?” Monty’s voice is shrill. “Why? It’s dangerous!”
“It’s just rain,” Harper says then lowers her voice to murmur in his ear. “Besides, now you can help me out of these wet clothes.”
Bellamy looks away, an uncomfortable feeling settling in his stomach. Harper is too much like a sister to watch her flirt that way.
“Nice.” Jasper holds a hand up waiting for his friend to respond. “Come on, man, don’t leave me hanging.”
Monty stares at his food then slides it over to Harper. “You can have the rest—I’ve suddenly lost my appetite.”
“Ooh, rejected,” Jasper says to Harper, his hand still in the air.
Harper glares at him. “Stay out of this.”
Heaven’s head swivels back and forth between the three, mouth half full of oatmeal. She can’t understand them, but can obviously tell by their tones that something is wrong. Bellamy rubs at the pain between his eyes. “Guys, come on. Not here.”
“You know what—I’ve got some work to do in engineering. See you guys later,” Monty mumbles as he gets up, ignoring Harper’s hand on his arm.
“Monty, don’t be like that,” she calls after him, but he doesn’t come back.
“Yikes,” says Jasper. “Talk about a drama queen.” He reaches for Monty’s discarded breakfast. “If you aren’t going to eat this.”
Harper jumps up, chair screeching across the floor. “Get bent, Jasper.” She storms off in the opposite direction as Monty.
Jasper just shrugs and starts eating Monty’s oatmeal. Bellamy sighs, rubbing his face. Sometimes he really misses the dropship. Sure there were Grounders trying to kill them all of the time, but they were working together. Like a family. He isn’t sure what they are now.
With another weary sigh, he gathers Heaven’s uneaten apples. “We should get going, too.”
Heaven looks annoyed but takes his hand as they leave the mess hall. He doesn’t actually have anywhere to be, but he can’t listen to Jasper’s ranting anymore.
