When I see you, the whole world reduces to just that room... And then I'm trapped, overthinking, and yeah, probably self-doubt. You tell me to get over it and to take you out.

— Don't Delete the Kisses, Wolf Alice

━━━━━━ October 11, 2149

THE HUNDRED WERE PREPARING for war. Raven recruited Casey to help split bullets while Jasper and Monty attempted to make more gunpowder; Clarke prepared her medical supplies; Miller and Harper took watch at the gates for increased security; and Murphy and Octavia cured meat in the smoke tent.

⠀⠀⠀Everyone had something they needed to do to prepare.

⠀⠀⠀Around midday, Casey took a quick break as her limbs had started to ache from hunching over the table.

⠀⠀⠀After Murphy brought the disease to their doorstep, the war against the Grounders began. The camp moved in a frenzy, although with Raven's direction, they were an organized frenzy. Casey helped her with splitting bullets throughout the morning until her limbs ached and her back cracked with an angry crunch! It was about midday when she left the tent to move around some and grab water and rations.

⠀⠀⠀She headed over to the smoke tent where Murphy and Octavia worked. It was the least desirable job, and it was just Casey's luck that her two best friends were the camp's biggest enemies.

⠀⠀⠀"Are you guys doing okay?" Casey asked as she looked between the brooding pair.

⠀⠀⠀Murphy and Octavia looked up, eyed each other, then nodded silently. Casey rolled her eyes at them.

⠀⠀⠀"Do you guys need anything?" she pushed.

⠀⠀⠀"We're okay, Casey," Murphy said with a thin smile. Then, he raised a brow as his smile turned into a crooked smirk. "What are you doing here, though. Thought you were hanging out with your girlfriend."

⠀⠀⠀Casey swung a punch at him, but he dodged. She glared at him and claimed, "We're just friends."

⠀⠀⠀"Seems like it," Octavia snarked with a raised brow. She glanced at Murphy, and for the first time, the two laughed together.

⠀⠀⠀Casey huffed, raising her middle finger, and snapped, "I... fuck you guys."

⠀⠀⠀"I think you meant to say that to Raven!" Murphy yelled behind her.

⠀⠀⠀Casey shot him a glare, her face red and nervous goosebumps rising along her skin as she entered back inside the work tent. The conversation going forward would have been awkward on Casey's part if Finn hadn't taken the opportunity to corner Raven in her absence.

⠀⠀⠀Raven broke up with him after the bridge. The knowledge that he had cheated on her with Clarke was weighing harder on her every day before she finally cracked. Although Casey didn't like that he cheated—to an extent, she understood. They had come to Earth, and the probability that he'd ever see Raven again was minimal. However, he handled the aftermath poorly and likely could have saved himself with a simple explanation. Now, he was taking it hard, as if the situation didn't stem from him in the first place!

⠀⠀⠀"...when you're really pissed off," Finn was saying, standing beside Raven with a small smile. "You always find a project, something to keep your hands busy so you don't punch someone in the face."

⠀⠀⠀Raven's shoulders tensed while Finn chuckled to himself.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm not keeping busy, Finn," Raven snapped at him. "I'm keeping us alive."

⠀⠀⠀"I think it's time you go," Casey said. A deep frown creased into her lips, wrinkling her forehead, as she glared at Finn. He had been there for her during her toughest moments on Earth, but he was really starting to get on her nerves.

⠀⠀⠀Finn was startled, not hearing her come in before he stepped away from Raven. "Yeah, you're right. That was a dumb thing to say. See you later."

⠀⠀⠀"Wait!" Raven said, standing hastily from the table as she met Finn before he could leave. His eyes filled with a lovestruck hope. Raven fidgeted under his gaze, swallowing thickly, as she said, "We're good. We're good. We are... I just want you to be happy."

⠀⠀⠀Casey stood at an awkward distance from them. A little too close for comfort but not close enough to the entrance to make an escape. Her lip curled slightly as she watched them both struggle to say something when someone screamed 'FIRE!' outside.

⠀⠀⠀They darted out of the tent, the smoke tent now on fire. Casey rushed over to Octavia and Murphy, panting for fresh air while ash clung to their skin. They had been inside, but they were okay. Bellamy had already made his way over as he knelt down in front of Octavia. His hand rested on her shoulder as he talked softly to her. Casey sat beside him, her hand clinging to Murphy's knee.

⠀⠀⠀"Hey, you okay?" Casey asked, her hand reaching out for Octavia's. She nodded in reassurance, but it came off more like a grimace. Casey turned to Murphy, squeezing his knee, and asked, "You?"

⠀⠀⠀Murphy didn't look at her, glaring at someone just behind her. He stood up, launching himself forward at one of the campers, Del, as he screamed, "This is all your fault! We told you it was too much wood."

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy pushed the two apart as Casey stood, gripping Murphy's arm before he could jump forward again.

⠀⠀⠀"Hey! Hey! Hey, stop!" Bellamy shouted, turning to Murphy, "Save it for the Grounders."

⠀⠀⠀"Bell!" Octavia exclaimed, her voice strained as she waved her hand toward the fire. "What the hell are we gonna do? That was all the food!"

⠀⠀⠀Silence overcame the camp as they stared at the tent. 

WITH THE FOOD GONE, Clarke and Bellamy decided that they'd have to go outside the walls to hunt. When the Grounders came, it would be harder for any of them to fight on an empty stomach.

⠀⠀⠀With their rations burned to an inedible crisp, Clarke and Bellamy made the call to leave the camp to find more. No one would stand a chance on an empty stomach when the Grounders attacked.

⠀⠀⠀Casey stood at the dropship where Bellamy had crowded the delinquents around. He addressed them, his tone firm, "Each group takes someone with a gun, and they're for killing Grounders, not food. We don't have the ammo. Use the spears for hunting. Get what you can. Be back by nightfall. No one stays out after dark."

⠀⠀⠀The group dispersed, and Casey looked around to find a partner, though someone found her first.

⠀⠀⠀"Casey, I'm heading out with you," Bellamy said, nodding his head at her as he swung his gun across his shoulder.

⠀⠀⠀Casey raised a brow, surprised he wanted to be in her vicinity. They had been going back and forth on their stances with one another. It was almost exhausting. She opened her mouth to protest, but he interrupted her before she could.

⠀⠀⠀"Would you talk to Raven? See if she has some more ammo we can take. I know you've been working with her on that," he said. His hand rested on her shoulder, and an expression eerily similar to the one he reserved for her after she killed Atom crossed his features. His eyes softened, his mouth in a firm line, and he looked years younger in an instant.

⠀⠀⠀Casey's eye twitched, unnerved, but she nodded despite herself and said, "Yeah, no problem."

⠀⠀⠀Casey found Raven stuffing her bag with tools and rations inside the work tent. She looked frantic, not wanting to see her before she disappeared into the night.

⠀⠀⠀"You and Bellamy are just alike," Casey sighed, rolling her eyes as she entered the room further.

⠀⠀⠀"What?" Raven asked, taken aback as she looked up at Casey. Then, she scoffed, "No, I'm not."

⠀⠀⠀"I've gone through this with him, twice!" Casey exclaimed, raising her fingers to emphasize her point. Once on the way to the river and the second on their day trip. She leaned her hip against the desk and crossed her arms as she looked at Raven. "Come on, I... we need you here."

⠀⠀⠀"No, you don't," Raven hissed, the unmistakable implication flying over her head as she dramatically flung her backpack over her shoulder. "Jasper will make more gunpowder, and you'll be fine."

⠀⠀⠀"But will we?" Casey asked, determined, as she straightened her posture and used her two inches over Raven to tower over her. "The Grounders are coming, and you're just going to leave us all here to die?" She hadn't known Raven long but knew that wasn't like her. "Nah, there's something rattling up in that head of yours that knows we can do more to prepare. Nothing that Jasper would think of. You've just been too occupied by Finn's bullshit that you haven't had a chance to consider it."

⠀⠀⠀Raven stared at Casey, dumbfounded, before she finally came to her senses. Her eyes flickered over Casey's face as she considered what she said, her head firing on overdrive before she finally said, "Radios."

⠀⠀⠀Casey smiled. Raven did, too.

⠀⠀⠀"We can't defend ourselves if we can't communicate. If we can build walkie-talkies, then we can fight as a team," Raven continued, rattling off her idea as she began to pace. She paused and said realistically, "We'd have a chance, at least."

⠀⠀⠀Casey reached out, taking Raven's hands in hers as she swung them out and back with a wide, excited smile.

⠀⠀⠀"There you go! See, we need you, idiot," Casey encouraged, watching as Raven relaxed, even just a little. "Even if those other jackasses won't admit it. I'll talk to Bellamy. Make sure it's okay for you to get started before he lectures me again on him being the one in charge." She rolled her eyes, then jumped as she was reminded of the reason she was there in the first place. "Oh, do you have some spare ammo, by chance?"

⠀⠀⠀Raven removed her hands from Casey's, leaving her cold without her touch, as Raven took a small handful of bullets from the table.

⠀⠀⠀"It's not much. Not until Jasper gets back," Raven explained with a solemn smile.

⠀⠀⠀"Don't worry, it'll be enough," Casey assured her, taking the ammo. "I'll be back soon, but I'll signal what Bellamy says."

⠀⠀⠀Casey left the tent with Raven a step behind, standing at the front of the tent. She spoke to Bellamy, her mood raised by the conversation and the touch left by Raven. By the time she finished her explanation, she was panting, resting her hands on her knees. Bellamy sent her a soft nod, saying that it would be beneficial for them. Casey, in all her life, had never been more thankful to Bellamy. She gave him a quick hug, as it felt like Bellamy had come a long way from the river, before turning to Raven with a thumbs up.

⠀⠀⠀At that moment, Casey didn't notice how Raven's smile faded, or Bellamy's gaze lingered a second too long.

IT WAS NEAR NIGHTFALL, and Casey was anxious, knowing what Murphy had gone through at the Grounder's hand. It put her on edge alongside how exhausted she felt. Well, she was always exhausted. She hadn't gotten a good night's sleep since coming to the ground. Thankfully, she didn't have to do so much as she held the bag of rodents and the gun. Bellamy was better with the spear.

⠀⠀⠀They had moved in silence through the woods, the air slightly thick between them. When Casey first realized Bellamy was on the planet with her, she was angry and quickly turned it all on him. She didn't like him, blamed him for his failure as a brother to protect Octavia, and nearly got her mom floated for leading her out of their home. Now, she was conflicted. Bellamy easily got under her skin, his ideals for what they would do on the ground opposite to her own, and it felt like he almost did it on purpose. But, as the weeks passed, and there wasn't any way she could avoid his company, Casey started to... accept that he would stick around.

⠀⠀⠀Casey didn't want to say she liked him or they were friends. But, she was coming to an understanding in her own way. All Bellamy had ever done was to protect his sister. He sacrificed his life to protect her, tried to give her one moment of freedom, and shot Jaha to come down with her. Bellamy was arrogant, and irritating, and proud, but he was selfless in how he protected her.

⠀⠀⠀And she realized, in a strike of lightning, that they weren't so different after all.

⠀⠀⠀Casey did what she could to protect her family: convinced her mom to take in Murphy, sacrificed her life to save her mom, and stood up to Bellamy when Murphy returned. She wished she could have done something about his banishment, but that was a step too far.

⠀⠀⠀She scowled to herself, hating the idea that she and Bellamy were alike. She was supposed to hate him. After all, he had thrown the radio into the river and tortured Lincoln. But, while it didn't overshadow the damage he had done, he had also—alongside Clarke—helped them to survive this long. The delinquents listened to him, even if they were Clarke's words at times, and while he had come down for Octavia, he looked out for all of the kids in camp. He had sent to patrols looking for Trina and Pascal when they went missing and taught them how to defend themselves. He was a good leader and—

⠀⠀⠀Casey bumped into Bellamy's back, startling herself, and let out a short scream in surprise.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy turned back to her, scowling. She could hear something scamper off into the woods.

⠀⠀⠀"Casey, what's wrong with you?" he snapped.

⠀⠀⠀Well, at least Bellamy hadn't changed his attitude.

⠀⠀⠀"Nothing! You suddenly stopped in the middle of the woods," Casey retorted, clenching her jaw as she glared at Bellamy in equal exchange.

⠀⠀⠀"I didn't just stop. We've been here for five minutes."

⠀⠀⠀"What? We've been walking this whole time!"

⠀⠀⠀"Are you losing it?"

⠀⠀⠀"No, are you? Because I question your mental state a lot," Casey snapped. She stood, seeing as no animals would approach them within a mile radius.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy followed, towering over her. "I'm fine. Someone has to make sure we don't all die!"

⠀⠀⠀"Well, we're about to do that now, aren't we?"

⠀⠀⠀"That's not my fault!"

⠀⠀⠀"I know!" Casey exclaimed, raising her hands. She paused, digesting what she said, and repeated, softer, "I know... God, we're all gonna die, aren't we?"

⠀⠀⠀"Hey," Bellamy said, his hands on her shoulders as he shook her slightly. "We are not dying. Not today and not anytime soon. We're gonna get out of this."

⠀⠀⠀"How?" Casey asked, turning away as a tear fell down her cheek. "I've spent the last year re-enacting how I was going to die. I was okay with it, but now, coming to the ground... I don't know how to accept that I'm allowed to survive."

⠀⠀⠀"You've been imagining death for too long," Bellamy muttered, looking down at his boots before glancing up at her under his lashes. "Maybe it's time you start thinking how you're gonna survive."

⠀⠀⠀Casey glanced at Bellamy, sniffling. "I don't know if I can do that."

⠀⠀⠀"Start small, tell yourself, 'Today, I will live.'"

⠀⠀⠀Casey whispered the words in her head four times. They felt right. She smiled softly and looked at Bellamy again, his eyes glinting from the rising moon.

⠀⠀⠀"If it wasn't for you shooting the Chancellor, I don't think we would've made it this far," Casey said honestly. "Or, at least me. So, thank you."

⠀⠀⠀Casey dropped her guard. She had hugged him before heading out, but it was brief and spontaneous. This one was deliberate, her feelings unable to be captured into words. Her arms wrapped around his torso, and she squeezed him close to her to convey that he had done something right.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy stilled, his muscles growing tense under her skin. She frowned, worried he didn't feel the same before he pulled her close. It was soft and warm, much less heartbreaking than they embraced after she'd killed Atom. This one was an embrace between friends, not strangers.

DESPITE DESPERATE TIMES FALLING upon them, Casey felt lighter in a way. Her conversation with Bellamy was something they both needed. The delinquents had fallen to Earth together, and while they might not all get along, they needed to trust each other. She trusted Bellamy even if she knew they would still butt heads at times.

⠀⠀⠀She said goodnight to Bellamy, who reassured her they'd manage the food preparations without her and made her way to her tent. Murphy had taken up residence with her once again, though she spotted him hard at work in the camp. She waved when she passed. He flashed her a sly grin, giving a casual nod before he returned to his work.

⠀⠀⠀Inside the tent, Casey let her pack slide from her shoulders. She froze when she turned to her cot, startled to find Raven standing there.

⠀⠀⠀"Oh! Hey," Casey laughed.

⠀⠀⠀Casey's hand flew to her chest as her heart thundered from the surprise. Her smile wavered when Raven didn't return the amusement. Her expression was intense, almost hungry.

⠀⠀⠀"Raven?" she asked, her voice softening in concern. "What's wrong?"

⠀⠀⠀Raven didn't answer right away. Her gaze swept over Casey slowly, lingering in a way that made Casey's skin prickle with goosebumps a second time that day. Raven's lips split, shallow breaths escaping as her fingers curled and uncurled at her sides. Then, with a step forward, Raven closed the distance between them until they were toe-to-toe, the air between them thick and electric.

⠀⠀⠀"You... want this too, right?" Raven asked, barely above a whisper. The question brushed against Casey's lips, sending a shock through her system.

⠀⠀⠀Casey's heart pounded in her ears as she grasped what Raven was saying. Her mind spun. She had forced the attraction out of her head when she realized she was taken. But now... that was all off the table, and her body moved on its own accord.

⠀⠀⠀Casey's hands raised, cupping Raven's face. Her fingertips brushed the edges of her dark hair, eyes roamed over Raven's face, studying every detail—the warm brown of her eyes, the hint of vulnerability in her gaze, and those parted, inviting lips.

⠀⠀⠀With a breathless exhale, Casey leaned in, her lips meeting Raven's in a kiss that was gentle, tentative, testing. Raven stilled as if caught off guard, and Casey pulled back, uncertain.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm sorry... Is that not what you meant?" Casey whispered, numbers flying through her head as she berated herself for misreading the situation.

⠀⠀⠀Raven's gaze softened, her voice low. "No... it's exactly what I meant." She hesitated, her hand lifting to graze Casey's cheek. "It's just... I haven't been with anyone but Finn," she admitted, the words seeming to drift out on their own.

⠀⠀⠀"We don't have to—" Casey started to say, but Raven silenced her with another kiss, this time fiercer, her fingers threading into Casey's hair and pulling her closer. Casey responded in kind, letting herself get swept up, matching Raven's intensity with her own desperation.

⠀⠀⠀They broke apart, gasping for air, but neither moved back. Instead, Casey slid her hands down to Raven's waist, guiding her back towards the cot. Raven's knees met the edge, and she sank down, drawing Casey with her until she straddled her lap. For a moment, they stared, lips a hair's breadth away as they breathed each other in.

⠀⠀⠀"Raven..." Casey whispered, eyes lidded, voice husky but still uncertain. "We can take this as slow as you want. It doesn't have to be now."

⠀⠀⠀But Raven's fingers were already slipping under the hem of Casey's shirt. Her hands were warm against her skin as she trailed them up Casey's back.

⠀⠀⠀"I don't want slow," Raven murmured, pressing her lips against Casey's neck in a promise.

⠀⠀⠀The last bit of Casey's resolve faltered. Her body pressed against Raven, chests together as she traced patterns against Raven's skin. Her lips pressed from Casey's neck to her jaw and teased everywhere but her lips, leaving a trail of fire with every touch.

⠀⠀⠀Raven's lips got to the edge of Casey's shirt, and she tugged the fabric off with a fierce intensity. Left in only her bra, Casey paused Raven, enjoying herself but worried, as she asked, "Are you sure?"

⠀⠀⠀"More than I've been about anything," Raven breathed, her eyes never leaving Casey's as she tilted her head up, capturing her lips once more in a no longer tentative but all-consuming kiss.

"I'M SORRY!" OCTAVIA SHOUTED, her hands on Casey and Raven's (naked) shoulders.

⠀⠀⠀Casey looked up blearily at Octavia, her brows furrowing as she stared at Octavia in confusion. Then, she remembered Raven's arms around her and burned with embarrassment.

⠀⠀⠀"Octavia—!"

⠀⠀⠀"Sorry, but Clarke and Finn are still gone! We're going to look for them," she explained.

⠀⠀⠀Raven was much more blasé about the situation, waving her hand as she said, "Whatever. They're out banging. They'll be fine."

⠀⠀⠀Casey frowned. The way Raven had said that... She knew it was too soon.

⠀⠀⠀"No, Raven," Octavia groaned in exasperation. "They went out with Myles. He hasn't come back, either. It's the Grounders."

⠀⠀⠀Raven turned to Octavia, her face falling in realization. Casey's hand tapped against her arm, uncomfortable and stressed with the way things were moving.

⠀⠀⠀"Get dressed. We're leaving in two minutes. Monty said to bring the walkies," Octavia finished and darted out of the tent.

⠀⠀⠀Neither spoke a word as they dressed. Raven was likely worrying about her ex-boyfriend being captured by the Grounders (and not having sex with Clarke like she had thought). While Casey overthought everything that had happened in the past few hours. Numbers rattled in her head, but she kept her head straight to meet Octavia and Bellamy at the edge of the woods.

"ARE YOU OKAY?" BELLAMY asked, his focus trained on the woods, but his eyes darted to Casey's for a brief moment.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah," Casey muttered.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy turned back to look at her, glanced up and down, then rolled his eyes.

⠀⠀⠀"Right," he muttered.

⠀⠀⠀Casey frowned but didn't feel the need to elaborate on her feelings to him.

⠀⠀⠀"Is anyone else hearing this signal?" Monty asked over the radio, covering Casey's lack of replay. A loud static followed his question. "I think it's the same thing we heard in the black box."

⠀⠀⠀"Damn it, Monty, pay attention! Do you see anything? Report," Bellamy called over the radio.

⠀⠀⠀Monty didn't respond.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy and Casey moved out of the trees and found Raven and Octavia, where a bush rattled. In it, they found Myles whimpering in pain, an arrow protruding from the right side of his chest.

⠀⠀⠀"Myles, what happened?" Raven asked, stepping closer to him. "Where are they? Clarke and Finn, where are they?"

⠀⠀⠀Casey watched Raven, frowning, guilty with her own feelings of jealousy in this situation. The numbers in her head moved to her lips. Octavia noticed, sending her a look that she couldn't comprehend.

⠀⠀⠀"Grounders took them," Myles groaned. His face clenched in pain.

⠀⠀⠀"Take it easy," Bellamy said, pulling Raven back by the shoulder. "We have to get him back to camp."

⠀⠀⠀"Bellamy, what about Clarke and Finn?" Raven retorted.

⠀⠀⠀"Raven," Casey said softly, trying to reassure her that they needed to get Myles safe first. But just as her hand brushed against Raven's skin, she jumped back like she had been burned.

⠀⠀⠀Casey caught Bellamy's eye, and she clenched her teeth, irritated by how quickly her personal affairs were becoming public.

⠀⠀⠀"We need to make a stretcher," Raven commented off-handedly.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy nodded, turning, and lifted his radio to his mouth. "Monty, we're heading home. You copy? Monty, can you hear me? Monty, Monty, where the hell are you? Report."

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hee hee hee!!! I love Casey and Raven. There are definitely destructive cracks in their relationship already that don't bode well for their future :')

I'm not a big fan of love triangles, but I hope this one feels more than just a love triangle. Like, Casey will have significant relationships with both of them and she (and Raven) both learn what they need in partners from each other.

Also, is anyone going to ever bring up why Monty was taken first? Was he just stuck in that white room longer??? Like...

Also, anyone else watching Arcane right now? I just finished Act 3 and... I don't think I'll ever recover.

CHAPTER TIME FRAME: 1x11, The Calm

Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you'd like, they keep me motivated! However, this is an all kind of reader safe space. So, even if you ghost read or comment on every chapter, I hope you know it means the world to me that you've come to spend your time in this fic ♡

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NEXT TIME: Things have grown awkward between Casey and Raven. Although, they have worse things to worry about when Murphy begins a revenge plot.