"THEO? HOW MANY FINGERS AM I HOLDING?" Octavia's hand rose abover her head, her voice carrying both concern and playfulness.
Theo groaned, her eyes fluttering open, not knowing when she had opened them. "I'm not dying, just sleepy, idiot," she mumbled, one hand moving to instinctively touch the wound on her head. "Why are you yelling anyway?"
"You look dead," Monty chimed in, his tone matter-of-fact. The statement hung in the air, prompting everyone to turn their gaze towards Theo.
She stood there, the dried blood on the side of her head a stark reminder of the events that had transpired. Her skin was paler than usual, and the weariness of the night lingered in the shadows under her eyes. Theo yawned and then stretched her arms, in the end putting one of her arms around Monty's shoulders. "You're the only honest one, that's why I like you."
"Thanks," he smiled widely and then rolled his eyes after noticing how Jasper frowned at him and then dramatically placed a hand on his heart. While Jasper mouthed "betrayal" Theo looked around, narrowing her eyes at the river. The logs on the shore caught her attention and she felt like something just clenched her stomach from the inside. She turned to Clarke, her expression serious. "I've got a bad feeling about it," she admitted, her eyes then scanning the landscape beyond.
Something wasn't right.
"You can go first if you want," Finn suggested, his tone laced with mock generosity.
"I'll pass, I want to see you hit the tree or break a leg."
Theo's fake smile contradicted the sharpness in her words. "I thought we were doing better," Finn remarked with a frown, attempting to ease the tension.
"In your dreams, ballerina," Hardy retorted, her tone cutting through any notion of goodwill.
As Finn and Theo's banter escalated into familiar territory, their exchange punctuated by jabs and fake grins, the rest of the group observed with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. Octavia and Jasper chuckled under their breaths, accustomed to their dynamic, while Monty shook his head with a knowing smile.
Finn then turned his attention, eyed the vine in his hold, his fingers curling around the sturdy green coil. The prospect of swinging across the water filled the air with a mix of excitement and tension.
"Just hang on till the apogee, and you'll be fine."
"The apogee like the Indians, right?"
"Apogee, not apache."
Theo wanted to hit her forehead at the conversation in the background, but the pain stopped her. Yet, just as Finn readied himself for the daring leap, Jasper's hand intercepted, a silent plea in the subtle pressure on Finn's arm. They exchanged hushed words, eyes flickering toward Octavia and Theo.
Amid the huddle, Theo seemed to withdraw, shutting her eyes against the outside world. A muted grimace touched her features, biting back a whimper that threatened to escape. The pain was etched across her face, an invisible weight pressing on her wounded side. Even with closed eyes she felt like the world was spinning, her throat clenched, stomach twisted, chest felt like it was sucking in a imaginary hole inside of her.
YOU ARE READING
Protector
Fanfiction"With the part that we're not prisoners anymore, I agree. We're not, Bellamy. We. Not you. You were a janitor, cleaning after everyone and now you're acting like you were locked up with us, trying to be our leader. You know nothing about how it was...
