Elastic Heart

Dying Fire

"What are you doing all the way out here?" Bellamy asked as he walked up behind Blair, her back facing him as she crouched down to pick up another piece of wood to add to the large pile she'd already collected.

Without turning, Blair rose to her feet and placed the piece of wood with the rest stacked under her arm and continued forward. Bellamy's eyes followed her every move. "I could ask you the same question. Somehow I seriously doubt you're here to help collect firewood."

Unbeknownst to Blair, Bellamy smiled at the quirky manner in which she spoke. He was fast learning that smiling was something he often did when in her presence, or simply when watching her from afar. "You're right, I'm not. I'm just doing my duties as a member of the Guard to keep all you prisoners in check."

Blair scoffed a laugh. "Oh please," she began, turning to face the older boy. "You and I both know you're not a real member of the Guard. I spent almost a year locked-up inside the Skybox. If you were a Guard, I'm fairly certain I would have seen you at least once."

Raising both hands defensively as he conceded defeat, Bellamy watched as Blair laughed a small laugh and shook her head. Turning back around, she carried on walking deeper into the overgrown forest. "Plus, you're not wearing a wristband," she continued as Bellamy trailed along wordlessly behind her. "Surely if you were supposed be down here they would have fitted you with one?"

"Not much gets past you does it, Queen Bea?" he jested. Blair stopped and looked at Bellamy, her earlier amusement gone.

"My name's only five letters and one syllable, it's really not that hard to pronounce. Maybe you should just try calling me by it instead of all these nicknames. Sleeping Beauty, Aurora and now Queen Bea. How's a girl supposed to keep up?"

Bellamy breathed an airy laugh. "You should be honored-- most girls normally just get one."

Butterflies swarmed within Blair's stomach at hearing his words. It did make her feel honored, special even. She liked knowing he set her apart from other girls, even if it was just by giving her an extra nickname or two. Staring down at her feet, Blair felt the heat rise in her cheeks, giving her neutral skin a rosy glow. Repeatedly praying Bellamy wouldn't pick up on her subtle change in skin-tone, Blair forced her eyes up to look at him. He acknowledged her gentle flush with his tight-lipped smile she had claimed as her own.

Unsure of what to say, Blair opted to say nothing. As she turned her focus back onto collecting wood for the fire they would soon be lighting, she racked her brain to find a way she could turn the topic of conversation away from her and onto the boy yet to take his eyes off her. He continued walking with her, just a few steps out of touch.

"So how did you do it? Get on the dropship, I mean."

Bellamy's face fell and he swallowed, his mouth suddenly turning dry. He tried to picture Blair's facial expression if she ever found out he'd shot the Chancellor. The disgust in her bright blue-eyes wasn't something he'd prepared himself enough to witness just yet. "I made a deal with someone. Did something in exchange for a seat."

"Sounds ominous," Blair commented, noticing the sudden aloofness in his tone of voice.

"It was supposed too," he admitted.