The ground was nothing like what you’d imagined. The air was sharp and clean, every breath tinged with the dampness of trees and soil. Even if it felt dangerous, it was the first real taste of freedom after the Ark’s steel walls.

Clarke led the way with her usual determination, Finn stayed close to her shoulder, and Octavia moved like she’d been waiting her whole life to touch the Earth. Monty walked a little behind them, scanning the trees with a curious gaze. That left you and Jasper near the back of the group.

He wasn’t quiet. Nervous laughter slipped from him every few minutes, and you noticed how he swung his homemade spear as if pretending bravery.

“Think we’ll actually find food?” he asked you, his eyes darting between the trees. “Or will this just end with me, like… getting eaten by some invisible ground monster?”

You snorted, shaking your head. “There aren’t any monsters, Jasper.”

“Yeah, but you don’t know that,” he countered quickly. “Could be mutant squirrels, giant earthworms, man-eating plants—”

His voice broke on a twig snap nearby, and instinctively, he pressed closer to you. It wasn’t exactly heroic, but there was something oddly sweet about how openly scared he was.

You touched his arm lightly. “Relax. If something jumps out, we’ll fight it together.”

He blinked at you, and then his crooked grin appeared, awkward and charming. “Together, huh? Guess I could live with that.”

As the group pressed deeper into the forest, Clarke pointed out berries that looked safe, Monty analyzed them, and Octavia tried them first (reckless as always). You and Jasper ended up gathering them in silence for a while, your hands brushing occasionally as you reached for the same cluster. Each time, he’d chuckle softly, his ears turning red.

When you finally sat to rest near a stream, Jasper offered you the first handful of berries he’d collected. “For, uh… y’know. Keeping me sane back there.”

You smiled, taking them gently. “You’re not as hopeless as you think.”

His laughter softened. He leaned a little closer, his voice dropping. “If I’m not hopeless, it’s only because you’re here.”

The words hung in the air, clumsy but honest. And before either of you could overthink it, you laced your fingers with his. His palm was warm, trembling just slightly.

Above you, the trees swayed, hiding the sky. On the ground, for the first time in your lives, there was room for something new to grow—something more than survival.

And for Jasper, it started with you.