SOLDIER
book one
It's been 97 years since a nuclear explosion radiated life on Earth and life support on The Ark is now failing. In a desperate attempt to grant the citizens of the SpaceCraft more time, 100 juvenile delinquents are sent down to the...
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DESPITE the heat that ran up them, Vivienne's arms trembled as she shed the jacket off her back, ;letting it fall to the floor with a soft thud, and took a deep breath to steady herself. Then, navigating over the jumble of makeshift medical equipment sprawled across the floor, she made her way towards Jasper, kneeling at his side.
"How is he?" Her voice wavered slightly as she brushed Jasper's sweat-soaked fringe away from his face, her concern making her body tensing as she leaned over him.
Octavia had watched Vivienne's movements closely from the moment she reached the second floor, noticing the way her fingernails dug into the palms of her hands and how her front teeth gnawed at the inside of her mouth.
"He's alive, thanks to you." The youngest Blake spoke quietly as she slowly approached Vivienne, kneeling beside her as she kept her eyes trained on the blonde.
Expecting at least half a smile, Octavia's face fell as she watched Vivienne's remain unchanged as she blankly stared down at Jasper. Cautiously, not knowing if it would cross the line, Octavia placed a hand on Vivienne's shoulder letting her thumb lightly caress her warm skin.
Tucking a strand of her own hair behind her ear, Octavia broke the moment of silence between them. "You should get some rest," she told Vivienne, patting her shoulder gently before standing and offering out her right hand.
Nodding, Vivienne took her hand gratefully and was pulled to her feet, standing toe-to-toe with Octavia. "If you need anything, let me know," Vivienne said though her voice was barely audible as she spoke and, if Octavia hadn't been standing so close to her, she wouldn't have heard a word the blonde girl said.
Downstairs, Murphy pushed his body away from the wall, where he'd been leaning since Vivienne disappeared to the second floor, the moment the hatch reopened. His eyes trailed Vivienne's movements as she descended the ladder, her jacket clasped gently in her left arm, before her boots hit the flat ground with a soft thud.
Murphy also noticed the stray tear that trailed down Vivienne's face as she straightened herself up and a strange feeling washed over him as she slowly approached her, his hand instinctively lifting ever so slightly. However, before he had time to brush her tear away himself, Vivienne quickly swept it away with a deep breath.
•••
AS hours passed by, the majority of the teens confined within the drop-ship had finally drifted off to sleep. Yet, still struggling with the mental image of Charlotte's frail body, Vivienne hadn't gotten even a moment of shut eye.
Sat on the other side of the ship, at the furthest possible point from the ticking time bomb of a girl, Murphy slouched lazily against the wall with his gaze fixed intently on Vivienne. He observed the heavy rise and fall of her chest as she tried to calm herself, and he studied the nervous twirl of her blonde locks between her fingers.
After a silent inner debate, Murphy rose from his spot on the floor, trudging his way over to the blonde. Inconsiderately, he bumped his feet into the legs of slumbering teenagers as he maneuvered past them.
"You should try to get some sleep," Murphy suggested, nudging her boot gently with his own before settling beside her. His shoulder lightly pressed against hers, but Vivienne instinctively leaned away, not liking the way she enjoyed the feel of his body so close to hers.
"I can't," Vivienne murmured, her voice barely rising above a whisper, "not until those doors are open."
Dropping his head, Murphy sighed quietly. "There's no point worrying about Charlotte right now, there's nothing you can do," he stated, his tone colder than before, yet not harsh. He understood Vivienne's concern, but Murphy saw no point in sitting there and dwelling on it.
"How are you so calm about all this?" Vivienne asked, turning her head to face him with her tear-filled eyes.
Murphy simply shrugged. "I'm alive, and that's good enough for me," he stated, meeting her gaze, and he noticed the slight frown tugging at her lips.
"That's it? You just don't care about anyone else?" Vivienne queried, genuinely curious. She couldn't quite fathom how Murphy seemed to lack concern for anyone besides himself.
"Why should I? At the end of the day, I'm the only person who's got my back," Murphy replied, a scowl forming on his face. He averted his gaze from the blonde, finding the material of his trousers far more interesting as he mindlessly pulled at a loose thread.
"That's not true," Vivienne countered, her voice quiet yet firm as she narrowed her eyes and tilted her head, attempting to catch the boy's gaze. "That day in Earth Skills, I had your back, and I'd do it again," she admitted, surprising them both as she placed her hand lightly on Murphy's knee.
Staring at her hand, Murphy swallowed the nervous lump in his throat, shifting slightly in his spot. "I've been meaning to ask you about that. Why did you do that?"
Vivienne shrugged. "I never liked Pike..." her sentence trailed off as their eyes met again. "And he had no right to speak to you the way he did." Murphy watched her hand slide off his knee and fall back into her lap as she finished and, though he'd never admit it aloud, he missed the reassuring pressure of her palm instantly.
A silence settled between them, not uncomfortable but certainly not comforting either. Murphy continued to fidget in his spot, while Vivienne rested her head against her knees, pulling them tightly into her chest.
"I'm sorry for earlier, but I wasn't willing to lose anyone else tonight," Vivienne eventually spoke up, shifting to rest on her left cheek so she could meet Murphy's gaze.
"Don't apologize," his response slightly stunned her. Vivienne's eyes widened at his gentle tone. Then, a small smile tugged at Murphy's lips. "It was kind of badass."
A soft laugh escaped Vivienne's lips, and Murphy's grin widened. His eyes flicked between the glossy shimmer still residing in her eyes and her pale, chapped lips, now pulled up into a toothy smile.
"You're not so bad, Murphy," Vivienne said, nudging his shoulder with hers as her laughter slowly drowned out. "I'd have your back any day."
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A/N: sorry for such a late update, I've been busy and really struggled to write this chapter so apologies if it's not great <3
