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Bellamy really wished Murphy would just listen and do as he was told sometimes.
The idiot was stood in the middle of Arkadia’s makeshift bar with Clarke and some others arguing loudly. Although arguing wasn’t really accurate. They were bickering. Bickering over something as stupid as whether Murphy needed a new jacket or not. The jacket he was currently wearing was worn, a few holes in the sleeves and the colour fading in places, but it was a jacket he was attached to and that was almost a shield for him at times. But people were taking turns to try convince him to wear another one, and apparently it was now Clarke’s turn again – because Bellamy knew she had tried to convince him a few times before.
The bickering wasn’t really a problem. Murphy and Clarke bickered a lot. And most of the time it was to Bellamy’s overwhelming amusement. But he wasn’t amused about this situation.
The 100 had hit the ground already with a generally more progressive approach on how to handle the dynamics between alpha, beta and omega. On the ark, things had been rigid and traditional, with alphas in charge and dominant, betas in the middle, and omegas submissive and at the bottom of the pile. And with every generation, people were increasingly more aware of how ridiculous that was. So when the 100 were sent to the ground, they weren’t too keen on focussing on keeping those rigid social rules in place when fighting to survive. It helped that the Grounders hadn’t developed similar social standings, and viewed everyone much more equally. And then when they joined with Alpha Station and Mecha Station, they adapted away from the tradition roles as well.
But the Arkers from the other stations they had brought into the camps hadn’t let go of those traditional views. They still expected to see omegas submitting to alphas, and thought it should be that way. So while to Bellamy, the 100, the original inhabitants of the camp and the Grounders staying with them seeing Murphy – an omega – arguing with Clarke – an alpha – was nothing to bat an eyelid at. Especially not that specific omega and alpha. But the Arkers from the other stations did – especially the alphas.
Bellamy could already see some them looking over at Clarke and Murphy. Seeing some of them taking note and frowning at the exchange. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, leaving his seat next to Miller and Harper and making his way over. He knew what the people from the other stations would be thinking seeing an omega act towards an alpha like that. That was why Kane and Bellamy had told Murphy to stay out of the way for a while, to not draw attention to himself until they had time to settle the differences between their people. But of course Murphy hadn’t listened. Of course he had gone to the busiest part of the camp and started bickering with one of the most respected alphas.
More and more people were noticing the exchange. Some, those who had a freer view of relationships between alphas and omegas and who knew Clarke and Murphy, just rolled their eyes and went back to their own business. Other didn’t though. Bellamy could see people from Farm Station and Factory Station frowning and glaring at the exchange. Bellamy could feel the anger and disgust rolling off the alphas. He could smell it in the air.
One alpha from Farm Station seemed to have had enough, and Bellamy saw his clenched fist and bared teeth. His feet had him moving towards the cluster of the 100 automatically, his own body filling with fire at the sight of someone looking at his omega like that. He reached the group first, his worry and anger driving him forward while the other alpha had to weave through a crowd and his heavy anger seemed to hold him back slightly. He put himself between the alpha and Murphy and Clarke, stopping the tall guy with a hand to his chest.
The man’s eyes flickered from the other’s to Bellamy, and the anger seemed to roll off him. Bellamy drew himself up to full height, puffed his chest out and bared his own teeth, doing everything he could to intimidate the other alpha and show him he meant business. Clarke and Murphy had stopped bickering and were paying to attention to Bellamy and the other alpha now.
“Do we have a problem here?” He asked, pushing his hand harder against the alpha’s chest. The alpha growled, pushing forward against Bellamy’ hand. And then his nostrils flared and he pulled back slightly, but noticeably. He had scented Bellamy on Murphy, and Murphy on Bellamy. The only good thing about the fucking ridiculous traditional views was that Bellamy could protect Murphy.
“You should keep your omega in line.” Bellamy felt his blood boil at the man’s words and the disgust and condescension in his tone and he knew everyone behind him would be reacting the same. Bellamy’s own hands curled into fists, the one on the guy’s chest grabbing hold of the dark top he was wearing, and it took everything he had not to punch the arsehole’s face until it was nothing more than a bloody mess.
Everyone in the bar was looking at them now and Miller and Harper had made their way over, standing beside Bellamy and just as ready to fight. Bellamy was ready to fight. He was sick of seeing the people from the other stations treat omegas like second-class citizens, like animals, like property. He was sick of seeing people he cared about – Murphy, Monty, Harper, Jackson – treated so badly just because they were omegas.
But, a voice in the back of his mind asked him what good fighting would do. A voice that sounded very much like Kane. Kane was working to sort out the issue peacefully, to find a way to let the other stations live with them while also allowing people to live outside the traditional rules that had existed on the Ark. Bellamy had wanted to just force them. He wouldn’t kick them out of the camp, he wouldn’t through them back to the wild and the Grounders out there like Azgeda, but if Bellamy was in charge they would do things his way from the get go even if he had to force them. He wasn’t in charge now though. Kane and Abby were. Bellamy and Clarke had an input – a big one – but they weren’t in charge. So the people from the other stations weren’t being forced to give in, they were being brought around by Kane’s peaceful tactics. And Bellamy was putting in his faith in Kane’s methods. But at time like this it seemed that was happening too slowly.
“You should walk away. Now.” Bellamy warned, his voice low and harsh. The alpha seemed to get the situation he was in with Bellamy’s obvious fury and a glance at the amount of people gathering beside him. He sent one more glare at Murphy and Clarke over Bellamy’s shoulder and then walked away, back to his Farm Station alpha buddies who were still glaring at them.
They may have diffused that particular situation for now, but tensions were still high. The room was almost buzzing with it. They should probably leave. But Bellamy struggled to make his feet move. His eyes were stuck on the other alphas, almost wishing one of them to try something again so he could actually hit one of them.
Someone pulled at the back of his shirt. “We’re going Bellamy.” Clarke said.
Bellamy took a deep breath and turned his back on the room. He grabbed hold of Murphy’s elbow and pulled him as he walked from the bar. As soon as he got outside, the fresh air felt like a relief. Bellamy felt calmer without the scent of domination coming off of so many alphas in one room and the air cooled his burning skin.
“Well that was something.” Murphy said, his tone amused. And Bellamy finally lost it.
“What is your problem?” He shouted, rounding on Murphy and grabbing his shoulders. “You knew arguing with Clarke was going to draw attention from those alphas. You knew they would react that way. And you did it anyway. Even though me and Kane asked you not to because we knew it would make things worse.”
Murphy stood toe to toe with Bellamy, not flinching or even blinking at the anger or display of dominance. Instead he was angry himself and his face pulled into a furious frown. It was how he could bicker with and stand up to an alpha in front of so many people who would be angry about that and not care. It was how he could not worry about the influx of so many alphas and beta that think omegas should submit any more than just worrying that it might impede on how independent he was. He wasn’t a traditional omega. He didn’t submit or given in to alphas at all like he had been expected to on the Ark.
“Bellamy!” Clarke shouted, pulling at his jacket. Bellamy tore his eyes from Murphy to the group surrounding them, and of course his anger had affected them because they weren’t Murphy. Harper was practically cowering, forced into a half-submission because of the dominance Bellamy had exerted through his anger at Murphy, and Octavia was struggling to contain her own sudden rush of anger created from feeling Bellamy’s despite her being a beta. It was expected though, given how she reacted naturally more like an alpha anyway since Bellamy was really her only social mirror until she was 15.
“It’s late and we’re all tense. Why don’t we all just go back to our rooms for the night?” Clarke said, her hands up in the air as if to placate them all. She had managed to stay calm despite the mess of the situation and the anger and dominance being thrown around.
There was a murmur of agreement and everyone split up, going their own ways. Bellamy stormed off, waling to his and Murphy’s room while muttering to himself about idiot omegas who don’t listen. He knew Murphy would be following him there without checking. He got to their room and practically ripped his jacket off, throwing it on the ground and letting a frustrated sigh.
“So I’m guessing sex is out of the question tonight?” Murphy said and Bellamy turned to him, face holding a warning not to push. But of course Murphy didn’t heed it. “Because you know I find you being all hot and angry very sexy.”
“Can you not ever just do as you’re told? Even just once?” Bellamy asked, less frustrated and angry now they were safe in their room.
“No.” Murphy said, a smirk on his lips. “But that’s why you love me.”
All Bellamy could do was smile softly and pull Murphy to him so he could kiss those ridiculous smirking lips. Because Murphy was right. That was part of why Bellamy loved him. And though it was frustrating as hell that Murphy never did as he was told, Bellamy really wouldn’t change that at all at the end of the day.