As the spring wind enveloped your senses, you walked through the Polis with a leather handbag along with your dark, denim attire looking for some food to eat before continuing your travel to the City of Light. As you came closer to the core of the market, you heard a motor vehicle approaching your direction and you stepped aside, tightening the grip on your purse and waistband where your dagger laid ready.

You saw a couple of people, dressed formally, coming out of the end of the vehicle as they walked further into the market, one in particular looking around in marvel while the other looked with suspicion. A girl approached one of them and led them to a food stand that belonged to her family. You scoffed after overhearing others mentioning they were the sky people and based on their appearance, there was no way they would try foreign food they didn't recognize.

To your surprise, you saw one of them bite down on the grilled squid, chewing it contently as they gestured toward it with gratification. They perked their head and reached for their shoulder to grab a patch of their clothing to rip it off and hand it to the cook in the stand. She shook her head toward the gift but after a moment, she reluctantly grabbed it and smiled towards the customer, glad that they enjoyed the food.

Your eyes stared at the two with wonder as to why they were here and what they wanted. You walked discreetly closer to them so they wouldn't assume your presence as you overheard their conversation.

"When I dreamt of the ground, it was empty," one of them stated as they skimmed through the market for what seemed to be the thousandth time.

The other person still timid in the new environment responded nonchalant, "But it's not empty now." The two locked eyes with each other as they both turned towards the people around them, still astonished at the sight.

"The more you know, the more of a miracle this place seems to be," the other responded as their eyes seemed to finally land on the stalker that had been eavesdropping on them. You turned around and walked in the opposite direction as Lexa, the commander of the 12 clans, passed you to welcome the newcomers into the area. You overheard Indra, one of the generals, welcome the newcomers and especially embracing the one who ate the food, Marcus Kane.

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After a long day at the market, you decided to pack up your things and make way for your long journey in the morning as you settled into the camp you set up outside of Polis. You rest your body on the handmade hammock you crafted as the sun was beginning to set and you fell near close to sleep, close though.

It wasn't until some ruffling outside your tent woke you up from your slumber where you heard the sound get closer and closer. You got up quietly with your dagger in hand pacing cautiously towards the entrance of your camp. You took a breath and quickly opened up the tent to find a group of people outside, some facing your direction while others had their hands on their arms to pull them aside. They stopped in their tracks as one of them held up their weapon to target you as you reciprocated and prepared to attack.

Someone quickly held up their hand in front of the armor, yelling at the person to put it down and that they shouldn't be pointing their weapons to random grounders. You gulped as you recognized that voice and saw the face of Marcus Kane turn around to reassure that they didn't come to harm you. You looked him up and down and hesitantly put away your dagger as you spoke in their language to affirm the situation, "What were you doing rumaging around my camp?"

He sighed and smiled with what seemed like sparkles under the moonlight, "We were trying to leave when one of our people grew a little too curious and assumed you were a soldier under the commander's rule camping out to scout us."

You simply blinked at him and pondered before asking, "Why would they be searching for you?"

Marcus sighed and rested his arms on his hips as he explained why they were escaping in the first place, stating that a few of their people came in abruptly during a ceremony proclaiming false information given to them while threatening the commander and the clans. You could see the visible frustration emitting from him as he rubbed his eyes and pulled his long hair back. You grabbed ahold of his arm and looked at him with a smile, possibly making the dumbest decision in your life, "Why don't y'all stay with me for now until the sun rises?"

They all turned to each other in confusion, wondering why you would suggest a thing until Marcus abruptly agreed, "We will gladly accept your proposition."

Everyone starting clamoring to him, expressing their concern on the whole situation and how irrational it was to stop now while the commander could come around at any moment's notice and take them under custody. You loudly cleared your throat, "They know who I am and what my reputation is, they won't think twice as to come into my camp, let alone skim through it."

Your confidence comforted Marcus as he looked toward his group at the new information and after a while of them communicating, they all thanked you for the kind gesture as they entered your camp. You greeted them all generously and found Marcus staying behind to properly express his gratitude.

"Thank you very much for letting us stay here..." he paused as he waved his arm in front of him gesturing towards me. I chuckled and responded, "Y/N, and it's no problem at all, just make sure your group doesn't get too nosey in there."

You grabbed and shook his hand, recalling the interaction between Marcus and Indra at the market and confirming it was a formal greeting with his remarkable smile and tightened grip as he looked into your eyes. The longer you both stayed looking into each other's eyes, the less you two noticed the diminishing space between your hands. You looked down once you felt a symbol on his inner arm, inspecting it closer by pulling him towards you.

"You have the symbol of Coalition," you stated in awe as you admired the mark on his arm when he chuckled, "Yeah, hell of a tradition," he let out as he pulled his sleeve higher so you could witness it entirely, "but if it proves that my people will under the commander's watch and be recognized as a clan of our own, I wouldn't think twice."

You let your fingers smoothen over the mark before you heard a grimace emit from him, "Sounds like you're going to need some treatment for this harsh mark, Jefe," you proclaimed smoothly as you looked up at him with your arms still on his.

"Sounds like I do," Marcus said with light breath stringing with words as he looked at you with a certain expression you couldn't exactly put your finger.

"Well, won't help if we stay out here, now will it," you smugly said as you grabbed ahold of his hand and pulled him towards the tent. He cleared his throat and shook his head before briskly agreeing and following you into the tent, silently eyeing you up and down and praying that his heart and curiosity didn't put Abby and her daughter's group at risk.