nysalogs | ( CLOSED )

I hope you can be.

[It's just as quiet and just as sincere. The last time Bellamy focused on being happy was with Gina, and look how that turned out. It's not something he really tries for anymore, but he thinks Clary should.]

You deserve it.

[ maybe she can be. maybe she will be — or maybe she won't. happy still feels like a gift that's borderline impossible to achieve, inevitably ruined by the next war or the next tragedy, and clary knows better than anyone the wounds she carries — as unseen as they are — need time to heal before it can ever be hers for more than a handful of moments. still, she hopes just the same; without that, she thinks she might go insane.

it's a nice sentiment — a sweet one, at that. the gratitude gets stuck in her throat, but she smiles lightly and lets her thumb skip over the back of his knuckles, like that might express it without words. ]

Everyone deserves a chance at being happy. [ not just herself. she does believe that, idealistic as it is, despite the horrible things she's witnessed. ] What they do with that chance is a different story.

[Bellamy smiles just a little, the edge of something wry in it. Maybe he does deserve a chance at being happy, but he doesn't have time for it. Not back on the Ark, and not here.]

Have you always been this optimistic?

[ whether it's a joke or a genuine line of questioning, she has to pause to consider it. yes, on one hand, when everything had been simpler. no, on the other hand, when she'd been too overwhelmed by what she'd discovered — and the consequences of choices she'd had to make along the way — to feel even the least bit sane. ]

Not really. I think the general consensus would be more of a 'too stubborn to give up' thing. [ or even too strong to be anything but convinced she'd win, confront whatever she'd needed to without running. maybe it qualifies as optimistic, maybe it doesn't. ] I had to have someone teach me how to be optimistic.

Stubborn makes sense.

[It's quiet and teasing, but he gets it. He's sure most people would describe him the same way.]

So who taught you?

[ teasing or not, it's undoubtedly true. the elbow she nudges him with is harmless, barely driven by any force in her retaliation. ]

Izzy. The same person who saw me through my training. [ even mentioning her by name makes clary's voice sound that much warmer, and naturally so. izzy had been the one to truly welcome her like she'd been family, and without question. ] She's not here, but her brother is.

[His smiles grows when she elbows him, and he scoots away slightly. The warmth in her voice is obvious—probably as obvious as when he talks about Octavia, he thinks.]

I'm glad you have someone from home who's awake.

[ she'll interpret that as a victory, thank you. intimidating bellamy blake into scooting away from her will be her purposefully warped perception. ]

Don't be too glad. Alec likes to pretend he still hates me.

[ she rolls her eyes, but otherwise doesn't seem too perturbed by that fact. alec is alec, and alec... will be alec. ]

Still?

[He raises his eyebrows.]

What, did you pick him up too?

Uh, no. I think he might literally try to murder me if I try.

[ that's a gross exaggeration, judging by the laughter in her voice, but alec has never been known for his sense of humor. ever. ]

He's just... Alec. We didn't get off on the best foot, and we don't exactly see eye to eye on everything. Besides, he's the definition of grumpy. His face moves even less than yours does.

[ as though that's an accomplishment of some sort. teasing begets teasing; bellamy deserves some ribbing in return. ]

[Wow, rude. He glances over, face impassive, but what he says isn't at all serious.]

Maybe I'm only like this with you.

[ either he's playing along with the joke, or his expression is hilariously adept at staying unreadable. whatever the case, her mouth still splits into a smile. ]

Oh. [ that aforementioned smile quickly turns into what can only be described as a shit-eating grin. two can play at this game. ] So you really do think I'm special, don't you?

[He shrugs, giving her legs a half-hearted and not at all successful little push in his lap.]

Depends on what you mean by that.

[ don't make her resort to childishness by shoving her toes in your face, bellamy. for now, she's content to plant her foot against his chest and shove, however gently, with the excuse that he started it. ]

Why don't you tell me what I could mean by that?

[ no matter how convinced she is that she's potentially setting herself up to be the butt of his joke.]

[He lets the shove happen, raising his eyebrows at her and settling back against the arm of the couch so that he's facing her more fully.]

Do you really want me to answer that?

Yes.

[ automatic and a little suspicious. her skepticism is only amplified by the slight narrowing of her eyes before she latches onto the pillow nearest to her and smacks him in the arm. ]

You can stop building the anticipation now.

Nothing. I was joking.

[He says, with a shit-eating grin. What a jerk.]

You're an ass. You know that, right?

[ which might hold vitriol and some weight if she didn't laugh before announcing that. whatever the case, she's leaning forward to try to smash that pillow into his face. just desserts, bellamy blake. ]

[Bellamy laughs, shoving the pillow away.]

Yeah, I know. You're supposed to be resting.

I was never very good at following directions.

[ surprising, truly. clary knows she's had enough run-ins with bellamy that he's probably gauged as much for himself without her input. she gestures to the couch a moment afterward, gaze pointed. ]

I'm halfway there.

[ it counts. ]

[He scoffs, pushing the pillow back at her.]

Go to sleep, Clary.

[She's not going to.]

On the couch?

[ she'd have to be extremely fatigued for that to be an option, given how incredulous she sounds. the couch is a haven for sketching and reading, or even entertaining herself with whatever weird shows they air on their outdated televisions. more than that, she might just be looking for an excuse to do the opposite of sleep. ]

What do you plan to do if I actually sleep?

What, too good to sleep on a couch?

[He shakes his head. Shameful!]

You said you wanted me to stay, so I'll stay.

It's better than the floor.

[ so the answer, then, is maybe. she'll leave it as a mystery. ]

I think watching me sleep is going to get pretty boring. [ dryness aside, she is sincere when she adds, ] But thanks.

Trust me, I've had guard shifts more boring than this.

[She's not saying no, so hey, there's a chance, right?]

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