The first time they all go to a Con as a group, they allow Jasper to choose who everyone's going to go as. This isn't because they think he'll do the best job of choosing based on personality or who's best suited for that character, it is a decision unanimously decided solely based on his excitement level at having this responsibility.

He doesn't allow any of them to tell each other who they're going as, and all of them spend the months leading up to Comic-Con making their costumes in secret, and trying to guess the others' characters while simultaneously disguising their own behind incorrect hints and clues whenever pressed.

Finally, they arrive the morning of Comic-Con at their designated meeting spot (the Blake residence) and marvel at all of the hard work they've all put into the costumes.

Octavia, despite having one of the most intricately designed costumes, moans. "Oh my God," she complains. "Can we get any nerdier than this?"

It's Miller who first points out the major flaw in Jasper's choices. "You guys realize," he addresses to both Clarke and Bellamy, "that you two are dressed as the fandom's most popular ship."

Bellamy folds his arms across his chest and leans away from her at the same time she groans. "Ugh," she says to the group. "If I hadn't spent so much time on this costume, I'd change."

"Same here, Princess," Bellamy throws at her.

Clarke just glares at him.

For the most part, though, the experience isn't that bad. Clarke gets many compliments on the details of her costume, and Bellamy gets complemented on how much he resembles his character. They both are very proud of their creations and hardly even flinch when people catch their group together and want pictures of the two of them hugging or holding hands or any of that.

At least until one persistent girl asks them to kiss. Clarke's face flushes and Bellamy freezes. "Sorry," he says, cocky smirk in place once more. "Picture time is over."

Neither one of them will know about Octavia's photographs on her phone, and both of them will veto Jasper's nomination the next time for character chooser.

-x-

The next year, Clarke and Bellamy make sure Octavia gets the final decision on character choices. They make a point of not asking who the other person is going to be, but when the whole group is together they both often make snippy, sarcastic comments about how the other person should definitely be one character or another because of some insulting reasoning. Clarke will then throw popcorn at his face, and Bellamy will snapchat her stupid pictures of her own face all night.

Months later when they're all meeting for the Con, Clarke drives up to the Blake house and sees Bellamy through the window.

"I'm not getting out of this car," she declares to Fox, whom she carpooled with. "I'm not doing this again."

Octavia has to plead with her to get out of the car and join the rest and placate her with her reasoning. "You look exactly like her, Clarke, and you're just as badass. It's not my fault Bell's also just as much of a jerk as him and can design the historical weaponry needed for that costume."

Clarke sighs and prepares herself for the onslaught of excited fans that are going to go crazy over the two of them together with the group. Bellamy just smirks down at her when she finally joins the others.

"You do look good in armor, Princess," he says.

Clarke turns away as she shoves him so that he can't see her blush.

-x-

The third time, the group chooses Raven to pick characters for everyone. Clarke was excited about this because she knows who Raven will choose for her, and there's no way in hell she's going to choose Bellamy for her partner. Yet, for some reason, she does.

Clarke will admit that Bellamy looks damn fine in his time-period accurate royal clothing.

Raven just shrugs. "I wanted to see if he could pull it off," she offers up her reasoning.

Clarke just sighs.

Videos surface from the Con of the many times Bellamy calls her 'Princess' during the day. It's really not her fault she reacts in the exact same way as the actual Princess she's dressed up as.

But Bellamy…does he have to look at her like he wants to kiss her every time. He's dressed as a character; he isn't actually a prince in love with a princess.

-x-

The fourth time they choose Monty. He actually tells Clarke that he's sorry when he assigns her the character, and she just knows. Perhaps she should put up a fight, but they've done this enough times now that she's actually pretty comfortable acting in tandem with Bellamy at these things.

She won't admit it, but there is something fun about being half of the living embodiment of a fictional couple so adored by so many people.

So she throws her all into her outfit and walks into the Blake residence months later ready to knock everyone's socks off. Bellamy seems to have had the same idea, because the boy makes one hell of a soldier.

"You ready for this, Princess?" he whispers in her ear before they enter.

Clarke nods, a small smile on her face as she reaches for his hand.

At some point during the day, all of their friends seem to have left them alone together, and the two are swarmed by people who want pictures of them together. This isn't new to them anymore, and they embrace the spontaneous photo-op.

When their rather large audience pressures them for a kiss, Bellamy leans in close. "We gonna give it to them this time, Princess?" he asks, his voice low.

Clarke smiles as she leans in. "I think so," she whispers.

-x-

The fifth time, Bellamy and Clarke choose together. They elected themselves after getting wind of the fact that they had been set up the last four years—that the choices were deliberate in order for their friends to see them as a couple who actually gets along. Clarke found all the pictures of the two of them on Octavia's phone, and Jasper's blog about all their appearances.

"Thank God I get to make the decisions this time," Clarke yells dramatically during one of their movie nights. "I definitely don't want to be stuck with him again," she throws Bellamy a look of disgust.

"You'll miss me, Princess," Bellamy drawls.

Clarke throws a pillow, and Bellamy laughs.

The two of them know that all their friends are trying to figure out who is who (especially who Bellamy and Clarke are going to go as) but they've threatened everyone with the fact that Bellamy and Clarke are holding the tickets, so if any of them tell, they won't get a ticket.

This results in the complete surprise of their group when they walk in together, arm in arm, as this year's fandom favorite couple.