GRIM REAPER¹, bellamy blake

062 ━━ compromise

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REIKI LEFT the pair to speak, closing the door behind her. Iona felt trapped suddenly, confined in the place she used to call home- her comforting place- as she attempted to outrun her problems.

She knew she would have to speak with Lexa eventually.

However, she did not expect it to be so soon.

"Was the arrow really necessary?" Iona questioned first. She had a teasing tone, one that covered her true feelings- her concern- that was hiding beneath her facade. Iona tapped the bandages across her right shoulder, "It kind of hurt."

Lexa let out a small laugh through her nose, shaking her head, "No, that was just revenge."

"Holding a grudge, I see," Iona commented quickly. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her thighs and staring at her cousin with bored eyes. "For someone that speaks so high of loyalty, you cannot respect my own."

Lexa gave her a tight smile, "I believe loyalty is a two-way street. I did the unthinkable for you, and your first instinct was to run away and throw it all down the drain."

"I guess we have something in common, then."

This reunion was not going well. Iona stared at her cousin with blank eyes, clearly passionate about her side of the argument, whilst Lexa glared at her. For two people that seemed to get along so well, they certainly weren't doing so at the moment.

Of course, both sides had their reasons, of which they both thought to be the right ones, but neither seemed keen to actually listen to the others' side of things.

Two stubborn leaders pitted against each other; who will win?

"I wish not to fight with you, Ona," Lexa said with a heavy sigh. She approached Iona's bed, sitting on the edge, putting a good amount of distance between them. "I am willing to... compromise for both of our sake."

Iona looked over at Lexa. Her cousin was not wearing her makeup, nor was she donning her typical commander's gown, and had left her weapons behind.

This was a sign of peace; an attempt to talk as just normal people, not commanders.

"Are they truly your people?" Lexa asked, giving her a side glance. She held her cousin's gaze that way, breath catching in her throat, "Do you feel as strongly for them as you do for us? For me?"

Iona shook her head, "I care about you, Lexa. I have never cared about the tribal differences- you are my home. You are my family. It has always been this way."

Lexa's lip quivered, words failing to leave her mouth. Iona watched as her mouth opened and closed, searching for the words, and she took this as her opportunity to continue, "However, I... do care for them, yes."

"Him, you mean," Lexa corrected, glancing into the mirror against the wall across from her. "It has always been about him, yes?"

Iona blinked.

Her shoulders dropped slightly, brows furrowing.

How was she supposed to answer that?

"It's okay," Lexa said. She reached a hand over the bed, grabbing Iona's limp one and squeezing. Once they met gazes, she smiled comfortingly. "I understand, Ona. Better than anyone."

There, they sat, staring at each other wordlessly.

It was almost disgusting to Iona how easily they fell back into step, as if nothing had happened in the first place. How could she let that happen? They had a huge fight- several, even- and it ended in Iona abandoning her cousin and everything she had built.

Why were they able to pretend as if Iona hadn't done terrible things? Sure, Lexa had done them too, but Iona's ended up housing the worse end of the effects.

Yet, here Lexa was, smiling sadly at her cousin, holding her hand as if they'd never separated.

Iona doesn't like affection, but she couldn't help but jump into Lexa's arms. If this moment were to end, she wanted to at least be assured she let Lexa know just how much she meant to her, despite all the chaos they'd endured the past year.

Lexa held her close, embracing her cousin in that same loving hug, eyes closed, batting away tears; trying to hold onto this grasp of comfort for as long as she could.

Things weren't okay between them, that much was clear. They were yet to fix the issues between them, but for now, burying them would have to do. To start new, you have to get rid of the original seed, no matter how tainted.

Perhaps this new chance- one of many- would provide better fruit than the last.

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