#The Society Clark Beecher | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

feathersontheclyde · 1 year ago

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#FEATHERONTHECLYDE - A mutuals-only multi-muse nurtured by sunshine.

About me:

Sunshine, 30, she/her ( trans fem ), Taurus. I'm an absolute dingus who lives cringe and will die cringe. I love my muses and animation and stories so much.

Rules:

This blog is not a safe space for bigots so take it somewhere else.

Don't be a dick. Be patient. Any vague posts will be met with a block. I come here to write what I want when I want to.

No forced shipping.

Please tag any bodily harm graphics. I also have Trypophobia so anything with a bunch of holes makes me nauseous.

NSFW and triggering themes will be present and tagged. 21+ to follow because of that.

Lastly, keep me out of your drama and be kind to one another. This is a hobby, remember that.

Mains & Affiliates:

@soughtbirthright

@entangledmuses

@lcstinfantasy

@descendantes, @r4chelamber

@ner0tic

@dcmur3

Quick Links:

Credits

Rules

Locations: Click for more !!

Kildare Island

Muses:

ORIGINAL CHARACTERS

Celeste Winters - Witch, 22 FC: Kaylee Bryant

Sylvie Nightbloom - Seer, 15+ FC Maisie Williams

Aspen Lightfoot - Elven princess, 21+ FC: Ruby Cruz

Elizabeth Murphy - Teacher, 20+ FC: Dakota Johnson

Alicia Piao - Psychology Student, 20+ FC: Natasha Liu Bordizzo

Tiabeanie Florence - Princess,15 FC: Georgie Henley

Allison Roe-Scott - Fashion designer, 18+ FC: Leighton Meester

Grace Scott - Student, 18 FC: Sara Waisglass

Alwyn Oakdweller - Half-elf, 25+ FC: Henry Cavill

Dante Moore - Vampire, Forever 18 FC: Quincy Fouse

Astrid Green - Bar / Lounge Owner, 20+ FC: Zoey Deutch

Jacklyn “ Jack ” Esparza - Student, Soccer player, 18 FC: Ruby Cruz

Umi Okoye - Student, animator, 18 FC: Ayo Edebiri

Sergio Garza - Cps worker, 30+ FC: Oscar Isaac

Leslie Bishop - bodyguard, driver, 30+ FC: Jesse Williams

Aubree Fraser - Nurse Practitioner, 20+ FC: Jessica Henwick

Peyton Wong - Photographer, 19+ FC: Chase Sui Wonders

Greta Cohen - Event Planner, 18+ FC: Emilija Baranac

Ryker Cameron - Kook, 20+ FC: Ryan Gosling

Jaden Reeves - Werewolf, 20+ FC: Josh Hutcherson

CALL OF DUTY

Kyle " Gaz " Garrick (25+) - FC: Elliot Knight

Simon " Ghost " Riley (25+) - FC: ???

EUPHORIA

Fezco (19+) - FC: Rish Shah

Jules Vaughn (18+) - FC: Hunter Schafer

Cassie Howard (18+) - FC: Sydney Sweeney

Nate Jacobs (18+) - FC: Jacob Elordi

THE WALKING DEAD

Rick Grimes (30+) - FC: Andrew Lincoln

Carl Grimes (18+) - FC: Tanner Buchannon

Glenn Rhee (20+) - FC: Steven Yeun

Andrea Grimes (20+) - FC: Candice King

Rosita Espanoza (20+) - FC: Christian Serratos

THE WITCHER

Geralt of Rivia (30+) - FC: Henry Cavill

Jaskier (30+) - FC: Joey Batey

Tissaia (35+) - FC: MyAnna Buring

Cirilla of Cintra (14+) - FC: Freya Allen

THE SOCIETY

Becca Gelb (18+) - FC: Gideon Adion

Harry Bingham (18+) - FC: Alex Fitzalan

Cassandra Pressman (18+) - FC: Rachel Keller

Kelly Aldrich (18+) - FC: Krstene Froseth

Gareth Visser (18+) - FC: Jack Mulhern

Gordie Moreno (18+) - FC: Jose Julian

Clark Beecher (18+) - FC: Spencer House

GIRL MEETS WORLD

Lucas Friar (14+) - FC: Peyton Meyer

Maya Hart (14+) - FC: Sabrina Carpenter

Topanga Mattews (30+) - FC: Rachel McAdams

Augie Matthews (14+) - FC: August Maturo

Isadora Smackle (14+) - FC: Cici Balagot

Farkle Minkus (14+) - FC: Corey Fogelmanis

STRANGER THINGS

Eddie Munson (18+) - FC: Joseph Quinn

Jane Hopper (14+) - FC: Millie Bobby Brown

Jim Hopper (18+) - FC: David Harbour

Nancy Wheeler (18+) - FC: Natalia Dyer

Max Mayfield (14+) - FC: Sadie Sink

Robin Buckley (18+) - FC: Maya Hawke

Carol Perkins (18+) - FC: Chelsea Talmadge

Will Byers (14+) - FC: Jack Dylan Grazer

Tommy Hagen (18) - FC: Chester Rushing

Steve Harrington (18) - FC: Joe Keery

TEEN WOLF

Derek Hale (30+) - FC: Tyler Hoechln

Stiles Stilinski (30+) - FC: Dylan O’brien

Liam Dunbar (30+) - FC: Dylan Sprayberry

Kira Yukimara (30+) - FC: Arden Cho

Jackson Whittemore (30+) - FC: Colton Haynes

Mason Hewitt (30+) - FC: Khylin Rhambo

ONE TREE HILL

Nathan Scott (18+) - FC: James Lafferty

Karen Roe (30+) - FC: Moira Kelly

Kieth Scott (30+) - FC: Craig Sheffer

Peyton Sawyer (18+) - FC: Hilarie Burton

HARRY POTTER

Luna Lovegood (18+) - FC: Evanna Lynch

Neville Longbottom (18+) - FC: Matthew Lewis

OUTER BANKS

Rafe Cameron (19+) - FC: Drew Starkey

Kiara Carrera (18+) - FC: Madison Bailey

JJ Maybank (18+) - FC: Rudy Pankow

John B Rutledge (18+) - FC: Chase Stokes

Ward Cameron (30+) - FC: Charles Esten

Wheezie Cameron (15) - FC: Julia Antonelli

Topper Thornton (19+) - FC: Austin North

ANIMATED TV & MOVIES

Catra (18+) - FC: Lulu Antariksa

Ballister Boldheart (30+) - FC: Riz Ahmed

Vi (20+) - FC: Brianna Hildebrand

HEARTSTOPPER

Nick Nelson (18+) - FC: Kit Conner

Darcey Olson (18+) - FC: Kizzy Edgell

DISNEY MOVIES & TV

Evie Grimhilde (18+) - FC: Sofia Carson

Ben Florian (18+) - FC: Mitchell Hope

Queen Elsa (18+) - FC: Anya Taylor Joy

Honeymaren (18+) - FC: Devery Jacobs

Kristoff Bjorgman (18+) - FC: Lucas Till

Olaf (10) - FC: Asa Butterfield

Fawn (18+) - FC: Maia Mitchell

Flynn Rider (19+) - FC: Ben Barnes

Amity Blight (15+) - FC: Kiernan Shipka

Jack Frost (19+) - FC: Thomas Brodie-Sangster

Astrid Hofferson (19+) - FC: Britt Robertson

Miguel Rivera (10+) - FC: As Himself

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES

Damon Salvatore (18+) - FC: Ian Somerhalder

Klaus Mikaelson (25+) - FC: Joseph Morgan

Bonnie Bennett (18+) - FC: Kat Graham

Vincent Griffith (30+) - FC: Yusuf Gatewood

Freya Mikaelson (25+) - FC: Riley Voelkel

LIFE IS STRANGE

Dana Ward (18+) - FC: Lily Collins

Alex Chen (18+) - FC: Brianne Tju

Chloe Price (18+) - FC: Emma Mackey

Warren Graham (18+) - FC: Austin Abrams

Stella Hill (18+) - FC: Maitreya Ramakrishnan

Luke Parker (18+) - FC: Ross Butler

Kate Marsh (18+) - FC: Grace Van Dien

SCREAM MOVIES & TV

Billy Loomis (18+) - FC: Skeet Ulrich

Mindy Meeks-Martin (18+) - FC: Jasmin Savoy Brown

Chad Meeks-Martin (18+) - FC: Mason Gooding

Noah Foster (18+) - FC: John Karna

Dewy Riley (23+) - FC: Dave Arquette

Tatum Riley (18+) - FC: Rose Mcgowan / Christina Hendricks

Wes Hicks (18+) - FC: Dylan Minnette

THE LAST OF US

Joel Miller (30+) - FC: Pedro Pascal

Ellie Williams (18+) - FC: Bella Ramsey

Dina (18+) - FC: Cascina Caradonna

Tess Servopoulos (30+) - FC: Anna Torv

MARIO UNIVERSE

Bowser (??) - FC: As himself

Princess Peach (18+) - FC: Sydney Sweeney

Toad (??) - FC: Jack Dylan Glazer

RED DEAD REDEMPTION

Arthur Morgan (30+) - FC: Tom Hardy

Abigail Marston (25+) - FC: Rebecca Hall

TWILIGHT

Edward Cullen (18+) - FC: Robert Pattinson

Charlie Swan (40+) - FC: Billy Burke

Jasper Hale (100+) - FC: Jackson Rathbone

MISCELLANEOUS ANIME

Saitama (18+) - FC: Adachi Yūto

Sakura Haruno (18+) - FC: Robert Pattinson

Naruto Uzumaki (18+) - FC: Suda Masaki

Houtarou Oreki (18+) - FC: Kubota Masataka

Haruhi Fujioka (18+) - FC: Watanabe Mayu

Tamaki Suoh (18+) - FC: Sato Ryuji

Arisa Uotani (18+) - FC: Hirose Alice

Nana Osaki (18+) - FC: Rila Fukushima

Taiga Aisaka (18+) - FC: Natsuki Margaret Gibb

Yui Harasawa (18+) - FC: Ririka

FNAF

Vanessa Afton (18+) - FC: Elizabeth Lail

Suzie / Chica (9) - FC: Dakota Fanning

SUPERNATURAL

Dean Winchester (30+) - FC: Jensen Ackles

Bobby Singer (50+) - FC: Jim Beaver

Meg Masters (1000+) - FC: Rachel Miner

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE

Frank Castle (30+) - FC: Jon Bernthal

Peter Parker (19+) - FC: Tom Holland

Tony Stark (30+) - FC: Robert Downey Jr

Vision (??) - FC: Paul Bettany

Bruce Banner (30+) - FC: Mark Ruffalo

Jessica Jones (30+) - FC: Krysten Ritter

DC CINEMATIC UNIVERSE

Bruce Wayne (30+) - FC: Robert Pattinson

Selina Kyle (30+) - FC: Cameron Bicondova & Monica Baccarin

Harley Quinn (30+) - FC: Samara Weaving

Arthur Fleck (30+) - FC: Barry Keoghan

Barbara Gordon (20+) - FC: Kat Mcnamara

Dick Grayson (20+) - FC: Brenton Thwaites

DUMPLIN’

Ellen “ El “ Dryver (18+) - FC: Odeya Rush

Bo Larson (19+) - FC: Luke Benward

#( out of character. )

13 notes · View notes

viinchester · 3 months ago

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Caught Between The Tides

Warnings: Verbal Threats, Descriptions of Emotional Distress, Angst, Hurt Some Comfort, I think that's all

Fandom: The Society (Netflix TV Show)

Pairing: Clark Beecher x Reader

Request by: Anon

Summary: The guard unexpectedly joins forces with Campbell to overthrow Allie’s leadership, leaving you grappling with betrayal and confusion. After the arrest, you do your best to avoid Clark, struggling to reconcile his actions with the loving boyfriend you once knew.

Word Count: 3.876

My Masterlist

A/N: Once again, I struggled. Once again, I prevailed. I hope the struggling part is not too noticable.😅 I enjoyed writing this though, so hopefully you guys will enjoy reading it as well!💞 Reposts/Comments with feedback would very much be appreciated!!🙏🏼 Feel free to request more, I may already have a bunch of them and it might take me some time to get to them, but I love the inspiration and it motivates me to know that someone wants me to write.💙

The air inside Allie’s house felt stifling. The tension in the room was thick enough to choke on. You had watched in confusion as Clark, your boyfriend, along with Jason and Luke had stormed in and declared that Allie and Will were under arrest. You hadn’t expected this, Clark hadn’t mentioned anything.

But now here you were, standing next to him, trying to make sense of his words.

Allie’s eyebrows shot up, disbelief coloring her tone. “Is that a joke?”

You looked at Clark again, searching his face for something, anything that would let you know this wasn’t real, but he just stared back at her, unflinching, not saying anything.

“I’m under arrest.” Allie clarified slowly, giving pause for someone to interject, but nobody did. “For what?” Her voice was tight with shock.

Luke stepped forward, clearly uncomfortable as he spoke. “For trying to steal the election.”

Your mind went blank for a split second. Steal the election? The accusation seemed absurd, like something Campbell might have concocted, not Luke. You looked at him, waiting for some sign that he didn’t really mean it and that this was just a mistake. But his words hung heavy in the air, and all you could feel was a sudden surge of anger and bewilderment.

How could they possibly believe this?

You glanced at Clark, desperately hoping that he didn’t agree, that he wasn’t a part of this madness. But the look on his face, hard and resolute, told you everything you didn’t want to know.

Allie's gaze flitted between the group, and you could see her hurt about being stabbed in the back by her own guard in her eyes, her voice incredulous as she spoke. “You know that’s not true.”

Luke couldn’t even meet her gaze, his eyes shifting away, and for a few seconds nobody said anything. Only Clark and Jason exchanged a few glances, something heavy and unspoken passing between them that unsettled you.

Coming to some kind of agreement, both of them moved. Clark walked around the counter toward Allie, and Jason mirrored his movement, heading for Will. Your stomach turned as you watched it unfold, panic rising in your chest. This wasn’t just some disagreement. This was real.

Fear bubbled up in you, and before you could stop yourself you moved from where you had been standing and went to your boyfriends side, reaching out for him, “Clark.” Your voice was weak and shaky, but you couldn’t just stand there and do nothing. Clark didn’t even look at you though, shaking off your loose grip and continuing to push Allie back, acting like he hadn't heard you.

Your heart broke a little at that moment.

Will attempted to step toward Jason, his voice rattled, as he started: “You don’t have the authority-”

Immediately stopping him with a hand to his chest, Jason's tone was almost mocking as he retorted: “Seems like we do, though. Since we’re doing it.”

You couldn’t believe what you were hearing, couldn’t believe that Clark was going along with this. Your mind raced as Jason pushed Will back, forcing him into a corner, and Clark did the same with Allie, backing her up with silent determination. The room felt smaller with every passing second, suffocating in its tension, until Gordie, who had been standing quietly in the background, stepped forward, his face filled with frustration.

“Why are you really doing this?” he asked, clearly upset. “Allie’s done everything in her power since she stepped up to make the best of the situation we’re in. What more could you possibly want?”

The question hung in the air, cutting through the noise in your head. Gordie’s words echoed what you were thinking, what you wanted to scream at them. Allie had worked tirelessly, had made the hard decisions no one else had the courage to. What were they hoping to achieve by doing this?

But before anyone could answer, Campbell sauntered into the room, his presence immediately commanding attention, and everything seemed to click into place.

“Allie’s been making mistakes,” Campbell said, addressing Gordie's words, his voice smooth, almost persuasive. “We need real leadership.”

Of course. It’s him. It had always been him, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It all made sense now — the arrest, the sudden accusations. This wasn’t about the election or anything she had done at all.

This was about Campbell, manipulating everyone to seize control.

Grievances had apparently festered long enough and he had only waited for the perfect moment to step up and take over under the pretense of being nothing more than a concerned citizen. So now the guard, who had once stood by Allie’s leadership, were swayed.

But you weren’t. You could see the manipulation behind Campbell’s calculating eyes as he walked around the place like he owned it, the danger that radiated from him. Your chest tightened with a mixture of dread and anger. How could Clark not see it? How could none of the guard see that Campbell was feeding on their doubts and insecurities? That Campbell’s idea of leadership was terrifying? Power, pure and ruthless, with no room for compassion or fairness.

Allie, who you definitely had to commend for her courage, stood defiantly, and stared directly at Campbell. She obviously also realized that he had manipulated the entire situation, so she was understandingly pale, but otherwise as put-together as one could be in her position.

It irritated you that she had to play pretend like this in the first place, after everything she'd done to keep this town from falling apart. It made your blood boil.

You couldn’t just stand by any longer.

“And I suppose that real leadership just conveniently includes your best friend who listens to you like a dog these days?” you asked, stepping forward and crossing your arms, your voice sharp as it cut through the unease in the room.

You could see Clark stiffening out of the corner of your eyes, shooting you a warning look as everybody turned to you, but you ignored him, solely focussing on Campbell, whose smirk faltered slightly, his eyes narrowing as he gave you his full attention. The room seemed to still, everyone watching the shift in his demeanor. You could feel the tension rise as you met his gaze, but you refused to back down.

He raised an eyebrow, his voice now colder and sharper. “Oh, you’re quick, aren’t you?” he said, taking a slow, deliberate step forward. His smile returned, but this time it didn’t reach his eyes. “Clark’s girlfriend, right? Always hanging around, thinking you understand what’s going on.”

The way he said it had you clenching your fists at your sides and struggling to keep your facial expression neutral in an attempt to hide that his comment had gotten under your skin.

You didn't let it stop you from retaliating though.

“I understand that this isn’t right.” You insisted, refusing to stop, even though you probably should. You couldn’t just let Campbell take over without at least pushing back, without trying to make the guard see the truth.

Campbell glanced at Clark — who shifted beside you, his discomfort palpable — for a brief second, before looking back to you.

“You see, this isn’t about what's ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ though.” Campbell stepped towards you again, clearly expecting you to back away, but you responded by holding your ground and raising your chin at him. Noticing your defiance, his smile grew thin and predatory as he spoke his next words. “It’s about making the tough calls, about keeping this place running, no matter what. Allie has had her chance at that, and she’s failed. So right now, the only person who can correct her mistakes... is me.”

The nonchalance in his voice sent a chill down your spine.

He wasn't just talking about leadership. He was talking about power, the kind that meant no one could stop him once he had it.

“That’s not true at all! Allie's been doing what no one else was willing to do. You don’t get to rewrite the story just because you want control, because you like the privilege of being able to do whatever you want. You’re not just taking over by doing this, you’re also actively trampling on everything that has been accomplished so far! These people — Allie, Will — they’ve sacrificed so much to make all of this work, and you'll ruin it just because you're on some kind of power-trip!”

The words barely left your lips when Clark already moved toward you, his hand reaching for yours, but you snatched it away without even looking at him, your anger too fierce, too raw. You weren’t going to let this happen without a fight.

Campbell’s smile had faded at your words, replaced by a chilling and dangerous look. He leaned towards you now, until you were almost nose-to-nose, and you could feel the suspense in the room grow, everybody glancing between him and you.

“Careful, sweetheart, you should learn your place, before you get yourself really hurt.” Campbell said lowly, but loud enough for everyone to hear. “Because I don’t think Clark will always be able to protect you.”

Clark flinched as if he’d been struck and your stomach twisted, fright and fury both roaring in your chest at the unmistakable threat in Campbells words.

You had never liked him, not from the very beginning. But now, with him standing in your way, you could feel the real weight of the darkness in him that others usually either ignored or were too afraid to face.

Standing firm and refusing to back down, you remained strong, trying to ignore the way your pulse quickened under his stare. Your every instinct screamed that you were in dangerous territory and to back away.

But before you could do anything, Clark moved toward you, his face tight with anxiety. “Please,” he muttered under his breath, almost begging. “Don’t do this. Don’t make it worse.”

Your eyes flashed in indignation at that and the urge to shout at him surged through you. “Worse? You’re the one making it worse by going along with this! Can’t you see that he’s using you? All of you?”

You finally and properly looked at your boyfriend, and for a second, you saw the boy you loved. His face was hard, his jaw clenched, and you could tell he was conflicted, torn between the two sides. Yet, he insisted: “Just leave it alone and trust me on this.”

There was a long pause as Clark and you just exchanged looks, tension crackling in the air like static before a storm. Campbell watched the exchange with a bemused expression, clearly enjoying the chaos he had caused.

You clenched your fists in frustration — your nails digging into your palms — and tears threatened to overtake you, but the last thing you wanted was to give Campbell the satisfaction of seeing you cry, so you swallowed them down.

Allie, who had been silent and just watching throughout most of this, stepped forward now.

Her voice was soft but steady as she addressed you.

“Go,” she told you quietly, her face calm. “Please, just go. It’s not worth it.”

For a moment, the room was dead silent, and you could feel Clark’s eyes burning into you. Your heart raced, anger and hurt clashing inside you. You wanted to argue, wanted to stay, every fiber of your being screamed at you to stand up for Allie and what was just. But the look in her eyes — defeated but still holding some hope — stopped you. She was telling you to leave, not because she didn’t want your help, but because she knew how dangerous Campbell was.

Tears stung at your eyes as you looked from her to Clark, torn. There was worry in his eyes, and desperation. But despite it all, he remained standing there with the others, on the wrong side of history.

You had been confused before, torn between loyalty to Clark and your sense of justice, but now you saw the truth clearly.

As much as you wanted to stand your ground, to oppose what was happening, you wouldn't be able to do it alone. It would only make things worse right now, if you stayed.

So with a shaky breath, you nodded and took a step back, sucking in your defiance at once.

“Okay..” You agreed quietly and turned to leave, exchanging one last lingering look with Clark — who had his shoulders hunched up as if ashamed — and shooting a final glare at Campbell — who just smirked, a flicker of something menacing inside his eyes.

Turning on your heel and leaving, you swallowed the knot of sorrow and doubt, heart heavy with the weight of betrayal.

You didn’t have to turn around to know Clark would be torn apart inside, but you knew that even if regretted what he'd done today, it wouldn't change anything.

As the door closed behind you, you heard Campbell’s voice once more, a foreboding undertone. “You need to control your girlfriend in the future, Clark,” he said, “Or I’ll do it for you.”

You didn’t know what hurt more — the fact that Clark didn’t stand up to him, or the fact that you knew, deep down, he was too scared to even try.

As you reached the safety of the outer corridors, you couldn’t shake the image of Clark caught between his loyalty to his friends and his love for you, a pawn in Campbell’s dangerous game.

The days after Allie’s arrest were a blur of emotions you couldn't quite sort through — anxiety, irritation, and resentment all twisting together until it felt like you couldn’t breathe. You had expected some sort of change, but not like this. Now, the streets felt heavier, the once-thin veneer of order peeling away under Campbell's influence.

And Clark — Clark had become a ghost, someone you avoided at all costs. Every time you saw him approaching, whether in the cafeteria or on guard duty, you ducked behind corners or would turn and walk the other way. If he managed to get close, Becca or Sam were always there, shielding you from him. You couldn’t bear to face him, not after what he had done.

Becca and Sam had become your refuge, your safe space away from the storm that seemed to be growing worse by the day. Becca would engage you in quiet conversations, Sam’s silent support kept you grounded, and Eden distracted you by being absolutely adorable and a beacon of hope in an otherwise dark situation. In those moments, you almost forgot the betrayal hanging over everything. But every time you caught a glimpse of Clark in the distance, your heart ached all over again.

"He's looking for you," Becca whispered one morning, glancing out the window of the house you were staying in while gently swaying Eden in her arms. You caught sight of Clark across the street, his eyes scanning the area like he was searching for something, someone. You.

Your stomach twisted into knots, and you immediately stood, slipping into the next room. Sam, sitting by the door, shot you a reassuring smile. “We’ll keep him away,” he said softly, putting a hand on your shoulder. “You don’t have to talk to him if you don’t want to.”

It had been like that for days, Clark trying to get close to you, trying to talk, but Sam and Becca always running interference. It wasn’t that they hated him, but they understood the weight of what had happened. They knew you needed space, time to sort out how deeply he'd hurt you.

But Clark was relentless. And one night, it became clear just how far he was willing to go.

You were staying in one of the houses a little further from the square tonight, a place where you thought your boyfriend — if you could still call him that — wouldn’t find you. It was past midnight, the house quiet except for the faint sound of someone breathing in the room next door. You were just drifting off when the doorbell ringing shattered your brief sense of peace. It was late, too late for visitors, and the tired house had already settled, so you decided to just ignore the ringing. Perhaps it wasn’t even Clark, but somebody else, and they would leave.

But then it rang again. And again.

Your heart sank immediately.

You heard shuffling and muffled curses in the other rooms as people stirred from their sleep. Annoyed murmurs filled the hallway, and soon enough, you heard someone make their way to the door and pull it open. A few seconds later, one of the girls you were housing with poked her head into your room, her eyes heavy with tiredness and frustration.

“It’s Clark,” she said quietly and you froze, your pulse quickening. “He says he’s not leaving until you come outside.”

You didn’t move from your spot on the couch, only sitting up and groaning, tension spreading through your body. “I’ll just wait him out. He can’t stay out there all night.”

Your housemate gave you a weary look. “He said he’ll ring the bell until the sun comes up if he has to. You should really talk to him.”

You hesitated, but before you could decide, some of the others in the house came to your door, clearly fed up. “Please, just deal with it,” A boy muttered, rubbing his eyes. “Make sure he doesn’t actually do it.”

“Yeah, sort it out,” another added, already heading back to bed.

Without much choice, you slipped out of bed, putting on a jacket, and headed to the front door. The girl from before gave you a sympathetic nod as you walked past her and as soon as you were outside, she shut the door behind you, leaving you standing alone on the front steps, the chill of the night air biting at your skin, even with your added layer of protection.

Clark was standing on the porch, his arms crossed. When he saw you, his shoulders relaxed a little, though his expression remained unreadable in the dim light.

“Really?” you questioned, crossing your own arms defensively, irritation clear in your voice. “You were honestly going to keep up the whole house?”

Clark shifted, sounding low and desperate. “You left me no choice. You won’t talk to me, you keep avoiding me, Becca and Sam won’t let me near you... I had to do something.”

You swallowed, not sure what to say, the emotions from the past few days swirling in your chest. You didn’t want to cry, but you could feel the pressure building.

“Can we talk?” His tone was soft now, almost pleading.

You stood stiffly in the cool night air, looking anywhere but at him, trying to keep the distance between you both. “I don’t think there’s much to say, Clark. You-” Your voice caught in your throat. “You betrayed me. You betrayed all of us.”

He took a step closer, but you instinctively stepped back, your arms tightening around yourself. His face fell, but he didn’t move again.

“I can explain,” he started, but you cut him off.

“Explain what? That you stood by while Campbell took over? That you just gave up everything we were building here?” Your voice was sharper than you intended, but everything that had been festering inside you was finally bubbling over.

Clark flinched, and for a second, he looked like the boy you fell in love with — the one who was always trying to do the right thing, who had held you close in the darkness, who had comforted you when the world had changed overnight. “Campbell manipulated us,” he said quietly. “I didn’t want to, but... we thought it was for the best. Allie wasn’t-”

“I don’t care about Allie!” you interrupted him, the words tumbling out before you could stop them, tone rising in volume. “I care about what you’ve done. You helped Campbell take over, you let him take control of everything we've so painstakingly rebuilt in this town!”

Tears welled in your eyes, blurring your vision. “I’m scared, Clark. Scared of what he’ll do now that he has all this power. He’s dangerous, you know that, you saw what he did, and yet, you’re with him and didn’t stop him, not even when he threatened me. I-” Your voice cracked, and the tears you had tried so hard to hold back finally spilled over. “I don’t even know who you are anymore. You’re supposed to protect people, not let someone like Campbell run everything.”

Clark’s face twisted in pain as he watched you cry, his shoulders sagging under the burden of your words. “I know I’ve messed up. But I didn’t know what to do. Everyone was turning on Allie, and Campbell… he’s dangerous, you’re right. But if I hadn’t gone along with him, he might’ve done something worse.”

His eyes softened then and he hesitated for a second before admitting: “And I-.. I think I was scared of what he could do to all of us if we didn’t go along with what he said. And… I was scared that you were going to get hurt, too.”

You sobbed as the weight of everything came crashing down. You felt so small in that moment, so powerless in a world that was spinning out of control.

“Please… Can I-.. Can I hold you?” Clark asked and when you looked up at him, you saw him reaching out to you tentatively. “I just-... I need to know you’re okay.”

You hesitated and didn't say anything for a moment, the storm of emotions in your chest making it hard to think straight. But right now, the biggest part of you just wanted to feel safe again. So, slowly, you gave a small nod.

Clark stepped forward immediately and gently wrapped his arms around you, pulling you close. His embrace was strong, familiar, and for a few seconds, you let yourself sink into it, your cheek pressed against his chest, the steady thrum of his heartbeat grounding you, the warmth of his body calming the storm inside you just a little.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered into your hair. “I know I hurt you. I know I screwed up. But I’m not going to let Campbell hurt you. I swear, I won’t let it get that far. You’re the most important thing to me, and I’ll protect you.”

You closed your eyes, letting his words wash over you, though part of you still felt unsure. You wanted to believe him, wanted to trust that he could protect you from Campbell’s growing influence. But after everything that had happened, trust was fragile.

Clark’s grip tightened slightly, as if he could feel your hesitation. “I swear I'll find a way to fix this,” he promised, his voice steady now. “I don’t know how yet, but I will do whatever it takes. You don’t have to be afraid. Not of him, not of anything. I won’t let him touch you.”

You stood there in the cold, wrapped in Clark’s arms, the night stretching on around you, and for the first time in days, the fear inside you began to loosen, just a little bit.

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