Chapter Text
“Hey, Clarke!” Jasper said from the door of the Chancellor’s office, holding a bottle of moonshine in his hand. Clarke looked up from her schematics with a frown.
“Please tell me you’re not drinking again,” she sighed, clearing off her desk.
“Nope, I’ve been good. The bottle’s full; I just wanted to share a drink with you. Socially, of course, not looking to get smashed.” He sat down without invitation beside her, two metal cups in his other hand. “As a fresh start, to get over you tazing me, locking me up, and whatnot.” He uncorked the bottle and poured a shot for her.
“I have to work on this, Jasper. I can’t take time off.”
“You should relax, Clarke. Picking the top hundred people couldn’t have been easy. Unless you’re used to it by now,” said Jasper. Clarke glared at him and raised the cup to her lips.
“Hey, watch it. I’m still acting Chancellor,” she downed the shot and sputtered, her face twisted into a grimace. “God, that’s worse than I remember.”
Jasper started chuckling, pouring a shot for himself. “Yeah, I was saving this for a rainy day, pardon the pun.” Clarke groaned.
“Are you just going to sit here and annoy me?”
“No, I’m here to tell you that I might have said some things I shouldn’t have. I haven’t made a hard call since Mount Weather. And besides,” he looked up at her with no hint of laughter. “I am grateful that you saved my life, those first few days on the ground. I know I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating.”
“Well, you’re welcome,” said Clarke, softening her tone. “Wasn’t much of a choice considering the other person calling the shots.” Jasper barked out a laugh.
“Wow, how times change.”
“How they do, indeed,” said Clarke, clinking her glass with his.
Half an hour later and another drink in, Jasper stopped laughing and looked at Clarke curiously.
“I just have one question about the list. Not a mean one,” he said, smirking.
“What is it?” asked Clarke, leaning back in her seat.
“You were on the list, whether or not you wrote your own name -“
“Yes.”
“And you said that the list was weighted towards young women who could have kids.”
“That’s true. Where are you going with this?” she asked impatiently. Jasper’s smile turned into a devilish grin.
“Who were you thinking of repopulating with, huh?” Clarke spat out her drink.
“Why would you even ask me that?“
“Our numbers are gonna get decimated, even if some of us survive. So who’s it gonna be?” he leaned forward and tapped his hands on the desk, mimicking a drum roll.
“That is none of your business,” she said flatly.
“What? I know it’s not gonna be me. C’mon, Clarke, tell your friend who has no one to mingle his DNA with,” he looked at her with a poor imitation of puppy eyes.
“First of all, that’s gross. Second of all, why do you care?” Clarke pushed her cup away from her. Jasper waved a finger at her.
“Because, I know you, and I know you have a name on the tip of your tongue. You just don’t want to say it, ‘cause you’re worried I’ll tell whoever it is.”
“Given your record, that’s a valid concern,” she retorted. He shook his head and took another sip.
“I promise I will not tell the whole camp. And if you won’t tell me, I’ll just guess. Hhhmm…” he stroked his goatee and shut his eyes. “There’s Jackson, but I figure that would be awkward since he kind of has a thing for your mom.” Clarke rolled her eyes.
“Do not make me think about that.”
“Okay who else…,” Jasper started thinking again. “The rest of them on the list are too old or too inexperienced. I assume your taste includes a guy who knows what he’s doing and doesn't have erectile dysfunction?”
“Get to the point before you give me a migraine,” groaned Clarke, rubbing her temples.
“There’s only one guy that you would ever have a baby with,” said Jasper. “And his name starts with a B—“
Clarke’s eyebrows shot up.
“Followed by an E—“
“Jasper, stop talking.”
“You got it, it’s Bellamy!” he said in a bit of a singsong voice.
“Keep it down! This conversation is over!” hissed Clarke.
“So do you want me to talk quietly or to stop talking? You’re sending me mixed messages,” said Jasper as he leaned back in his seat and crossed one leg over his knee. Clarke shook her head.
“I am not discussing my… personal preferences with you,” she said, managing to keep her voice calm.
“Then don’t make it personal,” shrugged Jasper. “Just take another sip —“ he pushed her cup back towards her, “— and tell me, logically, why Bellamy is the best candidate. Clarke glared at him for a moment before taking her cup and downing what was left. She thought about it, letting her eyes drift to the ceiling.
“Bellamy and I know how to work together, and we would settle arguments quickly. He raised Octavia, so he already has a fundamental knowledge of parenting. He’s definitely mature enough. And—“ Clarke tilted her head from side to side, “—he displays alpha male qualities that would make him a good father. There you go,” her gaze turned back to Jasper.
He blinked, chuckling slightly.
“You’re done?”
“Yes.”
“That was very clinical of you.”
“I know. “ Jasper started at Clarke for another moment, then looked down, shaking his head.
“Get some sleep Clarke. In case you didn’t know, we’re gonna try to save the world tomorrow,” he stood up, taking the bottle with him.
“Don’t drink any more of that tonight,” Clarke called after him. He raised the bottle over his head and shook it, letting the contents swish.
Clarke let her face fall into the palm of her hand as the door shut behind him.
“Curse that moonshine.”
Bellamy was walking back from his guard shift when he caught sight of someone in the corridor.
“Jasper?”
“Hey, Bellamy!” Jasper stumbled over and clapped him on the shoulder.
“What are you- oh God, you’ve been drinking again,” sighed Bellamy as he snatched the bottle from Jasper’s hands.
“Not enough to get smashed. I was a good boy,” said Jasper with a hiccup.
“You’ve had too much. C’mon, let’s get you to your quarters,” replied Bellamy, pulling him forward.
“Wait, wait, wait —” Jasper turned his head to face him. “I gotta tell you something.” He looked from side to side, checking for other people in the hallway.
“Clarke thinks you’re an alpha male,” he whispered.
Bellamy frowned, confusion furrowing his brows.
“What?”
“Clarke thinks you have alpha male qualities. I’m pretty sure it turns her on.” Jasper started snickering.
“Is that so?” said Bellamy drily.
“Listen, buddy. You gotta jump on that if you haven’t already. You don’t want the repopulation to just feel like copulation, y’know?” he punctuated his statement with a hip swing. “You need practice. You want it to feel good. Not that I would kn—“
“We’re done here,” Bellamy interrupted bluntly as he took Jasper by the collar and walked towards the younger boy’s quarters.
"Oh, she’s gonna be mad I told you.”
“I’m sure she will be,” chuckled Bellamy as he patted Jasper good-naturedly.
“Send these kits to Raven, she’ll want them noted and stored away,” Clarke instructed a medical intern the next day. She stepped out of the Ark and caught sight of Bellamy a few yards away.
“Bellamy!” she ran to catch up with him.
“What’s up?” he asked, pacing to the armory. Clarke started to speak, but then noticed that Bellamy was taking longer strides, walking faster than her.
“I was — why are you walking so fast?” she asked, jogging to keep up. He looked at her, amused.
“I normally walk this pace.”
“No, I’ve seen you slow down so I don’t have to sprint,” said Clarke, smiling.
“Huh, must be my alpha male tendencies kicking in, huh?” he smirked, looking at Clarke as her face froze in a wide-eyed stare. She stopped walking and clapped a hand over her mouth.
“Oh, why do I tell him anything?” whined Clarke as her hand moved up to her forehead.
“I was wondering how much he had exaggerated,” said Bellamy.
“What else did he say to you?” she asked. Bellamy shook his head.
“Nothing but babble.”
They reached the armory, and Bellamy filled the magazine for his rifle.
“Good luck on your hunt,” said Clarke.
Bellamy nodded.
“Thanks. I’ll see you later.” He turned to walk away, but Clarke tugged his shoulder.
“Please, be careful." He looked at her softly and pulled her into a one arm hug. Clarke could’ve sworn she felt his lips press against her temple, just as her own pressed against the skin inside his collar.
“I always am,” he replied, his voice soothing and deep. She held on a moment longer, enjoying the feeling of his embrace, the familiar scent that always clung to his shirt. He pulled away from her and walked toward the gate.
Clarke watched him go, shaking away intrusive yet heartwarming thoughts of warm sheets and dark-haired children.