I want all kinds of Clarke/Octavia bonding in season 6 (so Octavia better fucking survive!). After her reign as Blodreina, Octavia finally understands Clarke in ways she never could before. And Clarke now has an equal who understands what it means to be Wanheda.
They need to become friends. Octavia will need Clarke moving forward as she tries to forgive herself. Clarke will need Octavia now, at a time when she feels more alone than ever.
I want Blodreina & Wanheda, BFFs™.
I want Clarke serving as a middle ground between Octavia and Bellamy as the siblings try to mend their relationship.
I want Bellamy to be weirded out and intimidated by their relationship.
I want Octavia playing her role in Bellamy’s Echo/Clarke drama through Clarke instead of Bellamy.
I want these two girls who are/will be ostracized from the majority of their people to find a home in each other.
I wrote this after reading the 5x11 spoilers and felt I couldn’t possibly share it until the episode aired. After actually watching it, I was craving some Clarke/Octavia and almost started writing another until I remembered this. Some of this echoes dialogue in the episode which was obviously unintentional but I’ll take that to be a good sign. Glad I read Madi right but wishing I had time to address what we saw between Octavia and Bellamy—because wow—but this really just wasn’t about him.
And I have no idea the circumstances under which this interaction would even be considered possible, so don’t ask.
“Octavia!”
Clarke probably had more important things to be doing (read: people to be clearing the air with) but for some reason, this was the one that necessary before any more happened.
“Octavia,” she repeated the call and finally, Blodreina answered.
Her red cape spun around her as she turned. She was terrifying and, from the look on her face, ready for a fight.
“Clarke. How wonderful.” Octavia’s deep gravely voice just barely reached Clarke’s ears but the sarcasm and resentment sounded strong. Still, Clarke strode forward, shoulders back and head high.
“Can we talk?” It was strange talking to Blodreina as if she were a normal person, but Clarke had to remind herself that this was Octavia… whether Octavia was ready to admit it or not.
“About what?” the girl- no, woman drawled with a roll of her eyes.
With another step forward, Clarke crossed into her personal space. She watched Octavia’s hackles rise and her guards’ followed, but no one moved.
She kept her voice low, confidential and soft, letting every ounce of compassion she had within pour out her mouth as she spoke.
“I wanted to say thank you, Octavia. Thank you for keeping our people alive.”
The girl huffed, dismissively, but Clarke’s hands rose to sweep against her biceps. With barely a graze she could feel Octavia’s strength. Octavia Blake was a warrior.
“Thank you for saving my mother. And Kane. And Miller. And Jackson. And Niylah. And so many— so many more.”
Her hands wrapped around Octavia’s shoulder the second she thought she could get away with it, hoping the confusion she saw in her eyes was the opportunity she’d been looking for.
“You’re a hero, Octavia. I know what you had to sacrifice for them…” Octavia’s eyes flashed with horror or shame or anger, Clarke wasn’t sure. “—and I am so grateful for what you did.” Fuck she was crying and Clarke had never really understood Octavia before all of this, but now… crying was not the way through to her. Clarke choked back her tears the best she could. “I know that you bear it so they don’t have to.”
She saw Octavia’s lip tremble and pulled her into her arms on instinct.
She was hugging Blodreina in front of her people and she’d likely be shot within seconds for—
But Octavia’s arms curled up under Clarke’s own shoulder blades, her trembling lip buried in the leather of Clarke’s jacket. “You’re Madi’s hero, you know that? Always have been. Even now.” Octavia flinched in her arms but Clarke only held her tighter. “Even with the flame in her head and twelve past commanders in her ear and a target on her forehead, she came here to thank Octavia kom Skaikru for saving her people.”
Octavia’s weight fell further into her arms and they were going down. Down into the dirt of the forest floor, curled up in each other’s arms. Octavia Blake and Clarke Griffin.
Their arms remained linked, hands on shoulders and elbow to elbow, faces inches from the dirt they sat on. “You did so good, Octavia. I wish we could have been there. I wish we could have helped you through this. But you did it. Octavia… you get to rest now. You get to take a breath now. And I know that’s scary, the thought of living again with what you’ve seen. But you have your people here to help you find your way. The hundred—well, the eight, not to mention the family we’ve found along the way. We will see you through this.”
“I can’t…. I can’t… Not after—” Octavia whispered through her silent sobs.
“You can. Octavia,” Clarke lifted Octavia’s head to look her in the eyes, giving outsiders their first real look at what was passing between them. Clarke could feel Bellamy looming over them, watching anxiously.
“If you need forgiveness,” Clarke repeated the words that had followed her and Bellamy over their months on the ground, the words that had carried her when the world called her Wanheda. “I’ll give that to you. You’re forgiven. A thousand times over.” She knew Bellamy heard her words, felt him draw closer and fall to the ground. “We both will—“
“He doesn’t know,” Octavia accused with a dark laugh.
Bellamy was probably going out of his mind not knowing, but this wasn’t the time.
“He will,” Clarke stated the fact, “and he will say exactly what I am. Although probably better.”
Their sad chuckles sounded snotty and gross, but it was something. Clarke looked to Bellamy and like always, they were able to say a million things in a single glance.
Bellamy nodded in agreement and Clarke continued.
“You did it, Blodreina. You can let go now.”
“The war isn’t over, Clarke,” Octavia growled through snot and tears.
“No, but Blodreina’s fight is over.”
Her head dipped, greasy hair falling forward to hide her face.
“Octavia…” Clarke whispered helplessly, “we need you. We need the girl who lived under the floor because that girl became the most fearsome warrior I have ever seen. …And I had a pretty badass girlfriend.”
Octavia’s eyes flitted toward Bellamy. “Will you tell him for me? I can’t…”
“Of course. I understand.”
She nodded.
“Octavia,” Clarke began. “He’ll understand.”
She didn’t say it for comfort or reassurance and she knew Octavia heard that in her voice. Clarke said it because it was true. He already understood how it felt to sacrifice your own soul to save your people. He already understood what it felt like to live with the horrible things you’ve done.
So when they stood and Octavia threw herself into her brother’s arms as she had the day they fell to earth, Bellamy looked to Clarke, shock plain to see on his face. But seconds later he cradled O close, fully intending to never let her go.
