Work Text:
Clarke knew she would be matched at eighteen; that wasn’t what made her match unusual. No, she was matched to the twenty-three year old Bellamy Blake.
See, the thing was, if you were found to be incompatible or less likely to reproduce with those eligible in your age group you would have to wait what could be years until your match was found.
And, well, that was the case with Bellamy Blake.
A hundred years ago when the Ark landed on Earth they steadily worked to create a new society that could support their dwindling population, since members of the Ark could only have a single child when their society was in space. Now, however, birth control wasn’t given out in hopes to increase the population steadily.
No matter how much she dislikes the situation she understands it (kind of), after all her mom had been a first generation child to have been born on Earth, and was on the council that assisted Chancellor Jaha (who also happened to be her friend Well’s dad).
Tonight everyone in their sector of the Ark would congregate in the grand hall to listen to the announcement of their matches.
Wells gave her a shaky smile before they entered the building breathlessly telling her she looked beautiful in the dress she had chosen (it was blue, her favorite color). She knew what he wanted to say, he wanted her to be his match, and although Clarke cared about Wells she couldn’t see herself being truly happy with him. However she didn’t want to be one of those girls whose match lived in a different colony and had to move away from their family to be with someone they didn’t even know.
Staring nervously at her shoes Clarke slowly climbed the steps to the grand hall with her parents silence covering their family. Clarke was their only child which wasn’t necessarily considered favorable by most of the Ark, however fertility was still as struggle for many matched since the Ark had worked so hard in past generations for their citizens to become infertile.
Despite being in the grand hall with so many people Clarke feels lonely, her parents are off socializing with their friends leaving her behind.
Glancing around the hall Raven, one of her close friends, rushes toward her leaving her boyfriend behind. Raven was one of the many teenagers who had been involved before their match, although almost every relationship got disbanded after they were matched.
“Are you nervous?” Raven whispers putting a comforting hand on Clarke’s shoulder, Clarke nods quickly not trusting herself to speak.
Tonight she would find out when her appointment was to get her marriage license (as well as her match) and she would be expected to continue working to become a doctor while trying to get pregnant (all they cared about was reproducing no matter what they told you).
“You?” Clarke stutters. Raven shrugs “We’ll see. It could be good or bad. Oh, look, there’s Octavia!” Raven calls waving over their friend who is immersed in conversation with her older brother.
“There you guys are!” Octavia squeals, rushing over to them and hugging Clarke so hard she feels like she might explode. “I’m so nervous, what if I don’t get matched?” Octavia worries, sending a sympathetic look towards her brother, who rolls his eyes.
“Then you wait and don’t have to become a babymaker?” Clarke says, rolling her eyes. Her brother laughs in response “’Tavia it isn’t as bad as you make it out to be.”
Clarke knows a little about Octavia’s brother, his name is Bellamy and he is one of the top cadets in law enforcement, and Octavia absolutely adores him, that’s the extent of her knowledge. Not to mention Clarke finds him very attractive; but that should be the last thing on her mind right now.
Clearing his throat Chancellor Jaha takes his place at the podium and Clarke quickly hugs her friends before rushing back to her seat by her parents, her hands are sweating profusely but she has to stay strong.
The ceremony seems to rush by in a blur, Octavia is the first of her friends to be matched, to no other than Jasper, a dorky boy in their class who is at least kind, but Clarke sees the flash of disappointment in Octavia’s face. Raven’s boyfriend, Finn Collins, is matched to a girl from a different colony and immediately Clarke sees Raven crumble.
The ceremony goes quickly and Clarke freezes when she sees her face flash on the screen and her name called by Jaha, her parents straighten in their seats and Clarke nearly gasps. Bellamy Blake’s face flashes across the screen; Jaha’s voice seems to falter when he glances at his son. She was supposed to be matched to Wells (that must have been there plan), so was Bellamy her true match?
Clarke glances at the boy in question, who looks at her in contemplation, at least he doesn’t look disappointed which is a relief. Octavia looks enthusiastic as she whispers in her brother’s ear excitedly. Bellamy meets Clarke’s gaze and her spine starts to tingle in a way that forces her to look away.
She isn’t disappointed; she’s almost relieved that Wells isn’t her match. After all Bellamy is attractive. And well, once you’re matched there is no divorce and adultery is severely punishable. Marriage is for life.
Soon she will be married and moved into the housing sector. Her childhood will be gone. Glancing at Bellamy once more he gives her a slight nod, and her heart almost bursts because his gaze holds so much meaning. She isn’t alone.
The ceremony ends in what feels quicker than an hour. Raven is matched to Miller, a quiet but strong guy in their class.
Wells isn’t matched, along with a few others from their class. It’s not unusual to not be matched; usually the algorithm is unable to find you a suitable match in the pool of eligible unmatched.
“Are you okay honey?” Her father asks, and Clarke shrugs “I’m fine. I’ll be good.” Getting up from her seat she gives her parents a hug before she walks towards Octavia and Bellamy. Her friend rushes towards her with Bellamy on her heels “I always knew you two would be perfect together! And everyone thought you would end up with Wells…. see I know things Clarke!” Octavia gushes, Clarke smiles, glancing at Bellamy.
“Hi.” She murmurs. Bellamy gives her a shy smile running his hand through his messy curls, “Hi, I, uh, guess we’re um together now?”
Clarke nods, “Do you want to go talk somewhere quickly, away from everything. I need some space.”
“I’m space?” Bellamy asks sarcastically. “You’re the person who can help me get it I guess.” She offers, and Bellamy nods, he’s nervous, she can tell by the twitching in his palm. Octavia smiles, “I should go talk to Jasper” she says belatedly and Clarke nods.
Leading the way her and Bellamy exit the building the air tense between them, they sit down on the steps, and Clarke turns to face him.
“Are you okay?” she asks kindly, Bellamy smirks “Believe me I’m fine. I should be asking you that question.”
“I’m good. They wanted me to be with Wells, I’m glad I’m not. Octavia cares about you a lot, so you don’t seem awful.” Clarke offers causing Bellamy to laugh.
“I don’t think I’m awful either Princess.” Bellamy says, causing Clarke to flush. “I’ll be good to you okay, you’re younger and I know that, and I respect it. Honestly I’m surprised I even got matched at this rate.”
“You aren’t disappointed are you?” she asks hesitantly, Bellamy shakes his head “I would consider myself lucky, believe me.”
Looking at his hands his gaze settles back on her, “Is it okay, if I kissed you? I know it’s not ideal but I want to know.”
Clarke nods, “I want to know too.” She doesn’t know what she wants it to be.
He’s her first kiss; he leans forward until his surprisingly soft lips meet hers. It’s sweet and tentative and his hand rests on her lower back while she curls her hand into his black curls.
It seems like he pulls away all too quick.
“I think we’ll be fine.” He whispers. She agrees.
----
Clarke doesn’t see Wells until the next day, he stops at the house briefly before she leaves with her parents to meet Bellamy to get their marriage license; they have one of the earliest appointments at which they will also get their house assignment based on their projected income.
“I saw you kiss him last night.” Is the first thing he says to her, she frowns, “I think he’ll be good to me Wells.”
“I would’ve been good to you!” he pleads, and Clarke shakes her head “we aren’t meant to be Wells, I-I’m sorry. One day you’ll find someone. I’d only hurt you.” With those words she can tell he’s already halfway gone as he walks away she wonders if they can even be friends, is a man she barely knows worth losing Wells?
-----
An hour later Clarke neatly writes her name on the marriage contract next to Bellamy’s unruly scrawl, the official stamps it and their marriage is sealed. Bellamy gives her hand an encouraging squeeze, she doesn’t let go and their fingers tangle together.
They are both dressed for their later activities, him looking more handsome than she thinks is fair in his cadet uniform and her dressed in her rather dull scrubs.
“Well, Mr. and Mrs. Blake, you will be residing in the inner sector, one of the nicer houses, consider yourselves lucky.” Bellamy’s eyebrows raise in surprise, although Clarke has always lived in the inner sector Bellamy has worked his way up through their society.
“Thank you very much.” Clarke says, trying to sound confident. The two exit the office to their awaiting families. Bellamy’s father passed away when he was young and his mother raised him and Octavia. Briefly Clarke had met his mother Aurora, and Octavia had come as well giving Clarke a tight hug. The Griffin’s had been slightly less welcoming, well, at least her mother. Her father always was kind no matter the circumstance.
Clarke had been excited when he’d told her about himself earlier while they were waiting for their meeting. The more she knew the more she couldn’t deny that she liked and admired Bellamy Blake.
“It’s done.” Clarke said as they approached their families, dangling the house key between her fingers, blushing when she realized she was still holding Bellamy’s hand.
She tries to discreetly untangle her fingers from his but he just holds on tighter which she finds half endearing and half annoying.
“We’re living on Stadium, in the inner sector.” Bellamy says, Mr. Griffin smiles “Well then we’ll only be two streets away, you know the houses built there are just beautiful!” he says.
Octavia nods “You two are lucky!”
Their boxes are loaded up into a truck and brought to their already furnished house by the Officials who work in the Match Department. The rest of their family leaves and they climb into Bellamy’s car to drive over to their house to direct the movers.
“I can’t believe I’m living in the inner sector.” Bellamy chuckles, it’s somewhat self-deprecating the way he says it. “You deserve it. You’ll do great things.” Clarke says smiling.
Until they have to leave for work he tells her about his plans, his life, and the things he loves as they make quick work of unpacking their boxes. Its short work, neither of them own too many possessions and the house is already outfitted with the standards. And Clarke knows this isn’t the usual for him and she feels honored that he simply lets her listen.
She gives him a kiss on the cheek when he drops her at work and all of it feels oddly domestic.
----
Tonight will be the first night she shares a bed with someone.
On her walk home from work all she can think about is what this means. She isn’t ready for sex, she knows Bellamy won’t push it (anyway from what she’s learned about him she doesn’t think he will. Like he had said the other night he knows she’s young).
By the time she gets home Bellamy already has dinner made, causing Clarke to smile. “I was hungry so I figured I could do the cooking.” He says shrugging; Clarke takes him surprise by embracing him. “Good” she buries her face into the worn t-shirt he changed into instead of his uniform “I hate cooking.” She murmurs into the fabric. Bellamy laughs, “Well, you know about me, now tell me about you. Or what I don’t already know from Octavia.”
So she does. Clarke tells him about her parents, her job, and the tiny scar she has on her lip from when she played ‘what’s in my mouth’ when she was twelve and a kid had put a butter knife in her mouth handle first.
He talks about how he loves to cook, and his cooking is fantastic (she can’t cook for shit).
Does everyone feel this connection when they are matched?
They work together to clean up after dinner and Bellamy makes conversation “Octavia’s appointment isn’t for another two days. She told me how nervous she was this morning.”
“I was nervous too.” She offers, and Bellamy nods “I think everyone is. I always thought the algorithm was some sort of joke.” He says conspiratorially “But, um-well, my view has changed.”
“Really?” Clarke teases bumping her hip with his, “I always thought that too.” Meeting his eyes she watches the slow smile spread across his face. Gently tracing her fingers down his chin he brings his lips down to hers “turns out I was wrong” Bellamy whispers his breath warm against her lips.
It’s all consuming and his kisses are everywhere, on her neck and on her stomach as he pulls her shirt off. She wraps her legs around his waist as he sets her on the kitchen counter. “Tell me if this is too much.” He says and she nods giving him a sly smile as she grinds herself against him causing him to let out a groan.
Clarke eagerly pulls his shirt off admiring his rather defined abs. “You’re so beautiful.” Bellamy whispers as she presses kisses to his abs. “Mmmm and you’re rather handsome.”
“Can I?” Bellamy asks moving his hands to the waistband of the scrubs she didn’t bother to change out of. Clarke nods “I want to know, what it feels like to you know… orgasm.”
Bellamy raises an eyebrow at her “Well- I can do that.”
In what seems like a second her pants are on the ground and Bellamy’s fingers are hitting that spot and the whole world seems to explode and it feels absolutely amazing. Her hands are tangled in his messy curls and his kisses are bruising against her lips.
When she comes apart she moans his name causing him to groan. Pressing a kiss to Bellamy’s neck she glances down at his growing erection “I think it’s time I help you out.” He doesn’t protest.
---
Later they curl together in bed when Clarke asks the question that’s burning in her mind “Was that your first time? I mean I’d understand, you’ve had sex right?”
Looking down at her he looks slightly guilty “Yes, there was a girl Roma, she was infertile and we messed around. I never thought I’d be matched, but I guess this changes everything. I know about the checkups, how if you haven’t had sex at your monthly, how harsh they can be. And, I want to do it right.” Bellamy amends.
Clarke smiles “We will, I’m just scared, children scare me. This scares me. This is our life now.”
“I know.” Bellamy whispers.