Chapter Text
She sees him out of the corner of her eye while she’s applying lipstick to another model. He’s on his phone, and he has a smile on his face. It’s probably his sister. God, she hopes it’s his sister. She smiles at Heather - or was it Harper - as she leaves, then takes a sip of water. It was so much easier when they first started working together. She wouldn’t worry about who he was talking to on the phone. He would say something ridiculous, and she would roll her eyes.
“Princess, are you gonna make me pretty today?”
“Ease up, Princess. I don’t think the shoot’s gonna be in drag.”
He would still tease her, and she would still roll her eyes. But, now there was an underlying affection. It felt like they were almost friends. Friends that mostly see each other at work. A friendship where one takes a little longer doing the other’s eyebrows than is strictly necessary just to talk to him a few minutes more. Sometimes they had lunch together during breaks. That counts, right?
It started changing about six months ago when she had some red paint on her sleeve. “Yikes, Princess. Murdered anyone today?”
“Ha Ha. Very funny. I was painting this morning, and didn’t realize I had gotten some on my sweater.”
Bellamy looks thoughtful for a moment before saying “I didn’t know you painted.”
At that, Clarke just shrugs her shoulders. “You don’t really know me.” She didn’t mean it as an offense. It didn’t really bother her. She freelanced, but she saw the same few dozen models most of the time. She didn’t really feel like she knew any of them either.
Bellamy eyed her seriously. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
Then, he started asking about her painting and drawing. What did she draw inspiration from? Did she do commissioned work? At that, she blushed, and reminded him that he hasn’t seen any of her work. She said he might not like it, which made him scoff. She yearned to draw him, though. Sometimes she would see him pose a certain way at a shoot or look at her with that damn smirk, and her fingers would itch for her charcoals. Over the next couple months, this continued. He would ask about her life, and he would talk about his. He talked about his frustrations and worries for his sister, Octavia. She told him about her dad and her fears of disappointing her mom.
She’s shaken out of her memories by Bellamy sitting down in front of her. “Hey! Long time no see.” They had worked together just last week, but she agreed with him-- it did feel long.
“How did the basecamp shoot go? I think Glass did your makeup for that shoot?” She tries to keep her voice light and conversational, but apparently she fails given the smirk on his face.
“Jealous?” He laughs at her scowl. “Don’t worry; you’re still my favorite.” She rolls her eyes at his overdramatic wink.
A couple hours later, the shoot is wrapping up and he walks over to her by the catered snack table. “Any exciting weekend plans?” Bellamy asks.
“Oh tons! As long as you count packing and moving as exciting plans.”
He chuckles at that. “Well, I’m glad you’re finally moving out of your shitty apartment.”
Clarke scoffs. “You don’t even know what my place looks like.”
“Well you complain about it so much that I feel like I have. Hey, and maybe I can see it this weekend.” Clarke’s eyes widen dramatically.
“No! Uhh… No. I mean I could help you move,” Bellamy stutters out.
“Oh, that’s really nice of you to offer…” she starts.
“Don’t sound so surprised that I’m nice, Clarke. You wound me.”
She rolls her eyes. “As I was saying, it’s nice of you to offer, but my friends Monty and Jasper are already planning on helping. What they lack in brawn, they more than make up in enthusiasm.”
“In that case, you’ll definitely need my help. Seriously, it’s no problem. Miller and I were going to hang out Sunday, but he has a truck. He won’t mind. He’d love for me to owe him a favor.”
Clarke looks at him hesitantly. It would be helpful to have a truck. She was planning on renting a van, but that’s always such a pain in the ass. Plus, Nathan Miller, one of the other models, is really nice. “Only if you’re sure,” she hedges.
He smiles brightly and reaches for her phone. “What’re you doing?” she asks as she unlocks it and hands it to him.
"I am putting my number in, and texting myself." He hands it back, and calls out “see you Sunday.” Clarke waves goodbye and goes to her recent texts. She sees one sent to Bellamy (your favorite model) Blake with just one word-- “princess.” Well, she thinks to herself, that’s one way to get his number.
She spends much of her Saturday packing all of her belonging into boxes. It was hard not to look around and feel nostalgic for what this place had meant to her. She moved here a couple years ago. It was how she declared independence from her mother after she finished nursing school. Moving to New York from DC, so she could make it as an artist was the scariest thing she’s ever done. She enjoyed her job now, but she yearned for being able to just paint and draw. The last few months, she was working every hour that she wasn’t doing makeup to build her portfolio. Ever since the Finn debacle, she decided that if her personal life was suffering, she could at least work to make her professional life a rousing success.
Sunday morning, Monty and Jasper are sitting on the ground drinking coffee when Clarke hears a knock at the door. She takes a breath, steels her nerves, and opens the door. She greets Miller and Bellamy with a smile, then they get to work.
It's difficult not to get distracted by Bellamy as he moves boxes out to Miller's truck. He’s in blue jeans and a black v-neck and she feels like she’s going to faint. She could blame it on the heat. Except, damn it’s February. Clarke has seen him basically naked before, so she is pretty frustrated by her inability to keep her cool.
“Never would’ve called you Princess if I knew you lived in this dump," Bellamy says after an hour or so of loading the truck.
Clarke smiles. "If I remember correctly, you started calling me that before you knew me at all."
He laughs. "I guess that's true... Princess." Clarke rolls her eyes as she tries (and fails) not to smile.
They bring a truckload over to her new apartment in the East Village before breaking for lunch. Jasper heads to grab takeout for everyone, and they all settle in. Bellamy and Clarke are standing by her back window while Miller and Monty sit against the living room wall talking animatedly. "I really appreciate you doing this," Clarke starts. "I'm sure there are more fun ways to spend a Sunday."
At that, he flashes his several million dollar smile. "I'm rescuing a Princess. What could be more fun than that?"
After a couple more trips to get the rest of the smaller items, Jasper announces “well, all that’s left is the bigger furniture.” Jasper glances around for volunteers.
Before someone else can interject, Bellamy says, “how about Monty and Miller get the couch and mattress, and the three of us can stay to organize boxes?” Jasper smiles knowingly over to Monty and Miller who readily agree to this new arrangement. They’re barely out the door before Bellamy grins lasciviously and says “it looks like I won’t owe Miller after all.” Clarke elbows him and Jasper laughs.
Jasper leaves soon after everything is moved, and winks at Clarke. She rolls her eyes. Why are her friends such dorks? The four of them are drinking beer and unpacking the kitchen when Monty asks, “so where is Raven?”
Clarke continues to unload plates, as she responds. “She had to go on a last minute arctic trip to fix a leak that sprung on one of the…”
Bellamy stares in shock. “You and Raven are friends? Is this the same Raven you told me about a few months ago?” Monty and Clarke chuckle at that.
Clarke is at a coffee shop a week after her breakup with Finn when she sees Raven come through the door. It’s fucking New York, she thinks to herself. How could they possibly be running into each other in a city of 8 million? The reason, apparently, is that Raven was seeking her out. Raven walks over to Clarke’s table with a determined look on her face. Clarke doesn’t have time to mount a defense before Raven says, “Hey! I’m awesome. You seem awesome. I need more friends in the city. You wanna get drinks tomorrow night?”
Clarke is dumbfounded, but recovers eventually. “Uhhh, suure?”
"Great. Dropship at 8ish?”
Clarke just nods and offers a weak, “see you then,” before Raven heads back out.
That was nearly two months ago, and since then they were nearly inseparable. Despite Finn’s numerous other flaws, apparently he has good taste in girlfriends. She tells Bellamy as much, and enjoys the bewildered look on his face. Miller seems to understand this isn’t the time to ask questions. “Is she gonna be back in time?” Monty asks.
“Oh, of course,” Clarke says, “she said and I quote ‘we’re gonna go balls to the walls and get you beyond shitfaced.’”
They all laugh before Miller asks, “your birthday?”
Monty cuts in and says, “yeah! You guys should come.” Monty's eyes go wide as he glances over at Clarke who chuckles good naturedly.
“It’s fine, Monty. You are both welcome to join us. It’s the Saturday after next at the Dropship.” Miller and Bellamy both promise that they wouldn’t miss it. A little while later, the boys all head out, and Clarke thanks them for coming.
Bellamy stays at her doorway as Monty and Miller walk out to the truck. He smiles down at her before asking, “so when am I gonna see you again?” Clarke’s breath catches before she reminds herself that they are friends. He’s just being friendly.
“I think Tuesday. You have that cologne shoot, right?”
He looks strangely disappointed as he says, “yep. Giorgio Armani.”
Confused by his reaction, she tries to joke. “Come on, it can’t possibly be as bad as the Pizza Hut ad I know you did a few years ago.” He chuckles half-heartedly, and starts to leave. “Bellamy?” she asks.
“Yeah?”
She reaches up and kisses his cheek and says, “thanks again for coming. I had a good time.”
He eyes her for a moment before smiling softly. “Me too, Clarke. I’ll see you.”