Chapter Text
Clarke was exhausted. She's been working shifts after shifts in the hospital but she finally has a day off. Scratch that, three days off. She can relax and spend time with her frustrating wild friend, Octavia and of course, her beloved parrot, Finn. She has time to paint and simply do nothing, but when she entered her shared apartment with Octavia, both she and her parrot were missing and the happy mood Clarke was in earlier vanished.
Clarke was about to go apeshit when her phone started ringing. Speaking of the devil.
"Octavia, where is my parrot?" Clarke could just about control her temper.
"Chill out buddy! Finn and I are in the park," Octavia said, like having a parrot out in the park wasn't a big deal.
"Chill out? You kidnapped my parrot!" Clarke took her keys and locked the apartment. "Why did you bring him to the park? He's a bird, for crying out loud, he could fly away."
"Precisely! He's a bird, and birds are supposed to be free!"
Clarke rolled her eyes at her friend's antics. This was not the first time Octavia did something like this.
"Look, I agreed to train him-" But Octavia interrupted her.
"I know! That's why-"
"-professionally Octavia. I agreed to get him trained professionally but I also know that I need to spend time with him more so when I come home to our apartment and see him missing, I’m not amused."
Octavia sighed at the other end of the phone. Clarke arrived at the park and could see Octavia so she hung up on her. She jogged over when she saw that Finn didn't have anything that could prevent him from flying away.
"Octavia, I can't believe you took him out without some kind of lead!" Clarke scolded.
"Clarke, he's a good boy. He knows when not to leave and look, he even knows a few words."
"Fuck you!"
Clarke's jaw quite literally fell on the floor and Octavia's face reddened.
"Give me my parrot!" Clarke went to grab Finn away from Octavia but Octavia just pulled him to herself as a reflex and took a step back. Clarke glared at Octavia and Octavia glared back.
Honestly, I could kill her right now. This is absolutely ridiculous. Clarke thought.
Meanwhile, behind the two friends and a parrot, a brunette tried her hardest from busting into laughter. The whole situation looked so surreal to her. There's a pet bird out in the park and the two friends are arguing over it. If it weren't for her high reputation of always looking stoic and unfazed, Lexa would be on the floor laughing. Beside Lexa sat Anya. Her cousin, also known as her partner in crime- who unlike Lexa, had no reputation to uphold but her high cheekbones and deathly glare- was laughing and had no qualms of controlling herself.
"Are..." Anya took a deep breath, "...you seeing..." She wiped tears from her eyes, "...this?"
Lexa rolled her eyes, "Yes, I can see it. It is quite ridiculous."
"Ridiculous?" Anya exclaimed, "This is fantastic! I want to introduce myself just because this is too hilarious to pass up." Anya tried to stand up and pat herself down to look more presentable. "In fact, I'm gonna do that now."
Lexa's eyes widened. "Anya! You cannot just go over there and introduce yourself."
"Hell yes, I can. Just because you're antisocial doesn't mean I have to be as well."
Lexa raised her eyebrow, "Excuse me, I am not antisocial. I have friends, thank you very much."
"I don't count. I'm your cousin. Besides, I have to put up with you regardless." Anya walked over to the two friends who were still fighting over the parrot.
"Oh fuck no..." Lexa shook her head. She cannot believe Anya is actually going do it. She knew Anya has balls of steal, metaphorically, but she didn't know they were this strong.
The two women stopped arguing when Anya reached them. Lexa could see Anya introduce herself and the brunette out of the two friends went to shake her hand. The parrot happened to be situated on the said hand that went to shake Anya’s hand and the parrot flew off being startled.
The blonde one started screaming and tried to catch the bird. Now that’s when Lexa lost her shit and started laughing, her face in her hands. Oh my god, I can’t breathe. She tried to stop but another glance at the blonde and her friend with Anya trying to get the bird made her laugh even harder. If only I had popcorn with me, Lexa mused.
Lexa took her phone out and took a photo; she would never let this one pass. She stood up and whistled, the parrot instantly flew over to her and she held her arm out.
***
Of course, this would happen. Of course, it would. Clarke thought as she ran about trying to catch Finn. She was about to commit homicide when there was a loud whistle and Finn flew off to the person who made the sound. Clarke watched as Finn landed on the person’s arm and her eyes gradually scanned over the figure.
Clarke halted in her steps and was sure her heart stopped beating or her brain had short circuited because the woman looked like she was sculptured by the gods themselves. She met the brunette’s eyes and her hands itched to mix the perfect shade of green and paint them. Clarke saw the brunette smirk and that was enough to break Clarke from her stupor.
Clarke finally had control of her feet and walked over eagerly albeit anxiously. She just wanted her damn parrot back but the goddess in front of her made her unusually nervous.
“I believe this little buddy is yours,” the brunette said while offering Finn back to her.
Clarke nearly fainted hearing her voice, “I… uh…” Get a hold of yourself god damn it. “Yes, he’s mine.” Clarke just took Finn from her when Octavia and the woman called Anya stopped behind Clarke, panting and out of breath from running around.
“Well, I got Finn back,” Clarke gave Octavia a pointed look, “no thanks to you.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you can do that?” Anya asked the brunette and the brunette just shrugged.
“It was nothing important.”
“Thank you,” Clarke said and held out her hand for a handshake, still quite mesmerized with the goddess in front of her. “I’m Clarke. Clarke Griffin.”
“Clarke,” the brunette repeated, and Clarke swears that she has never heard her name sound so majestic. "I'm Lexa." Lexa shook her hand with a firm grip.
What a pretty name for such a pretty lady, Clarke thought. Lexa's hand looked sturdy and strong but if felt so soft, like velvet, and Clarke can imagine herself holding it forever, she wants to hold it forever.
No, scratch that. Lexa's hand looked sturdy and strong but if felt so soft, like velvet, and Clarke can imagine herself holding it forever, she wants to hold it forever.
Octavia's snickers pulled her out of her thoughts. She was still holding Lexa's hand, who looked a little flustered. Anya just looked like she's trying not to have another laughing fit. Oh god, what did I do?
"What a pretty name for such a pretty lady!" Octavia said, "It's so soft, I want to hold it forever."
She immediately let Lexa's hand go and covered her face with it. She can’t believe she said that out loud, in front of everyone. All she had to do was dig a hole for her own grave and jump in there and then.
Clarke would like to think that she is pretty smooth with the ladies (and gents) but this, right now, is the definition of a disaster and she’d just like to run away. Run far, far away. It’s not helping that Octavia was making faces and chuckling at Clarke’s misfortune for saying her thoughts out loud. Ed Sheeran be damned for thinking out loud, it obviously doesn’t work in real life.
Lexa cleared her throat and Clarke finally had enough courage to remove her hand off face her. She could see that Lexa wasn’t deterred from her comments so Clarke thought that’s a plus side, she would really like to get to know her and her body.
Oh my god scratch that. She would really like to get to know her and her body.
Clarke really wants to facepalm at herself but she doesn’t want Octavia to know she had another humiliating thought about Lexa.
“If it makes you feel any better, Clarke,” Lexa said, softly smiling. “you have soft hands also.”
“Oh my god, you two just get it on already,” Anya suddenly said, “I’ve seen some good eye-fucking in my life but this just takes it onto another level.”
“Yup,” Octavia agreed, “you can cut the sexual tension between you two with Anya’s cheekbones.”
Clarke rolled her eyes and Lexa blushed again. Clarke gave Octavia a ‘please-don’t-make-anymore-fun-of-me’ look and Octavia, feeling sorry for Clarke with what she has done with the pet bird already, nodded at her and turned to Anya.
“Hey, so I have this genius friend mechanic that can help you,” Octavia said. Anya took the hint and winked at Lexa before walking off with Octavia.
Clarke didn’t know if she should feel grateful or annoyed at Octavia for leaving her with the beautiful Lexa. Maybe Clarke should stop thinking about embarrassing thoughts that involve Lexa in it, that’ll probably earn her a few brownie points. Or maybe a date. She’d settle for a date.
"Clarke, I think our friends just abandoned us so we can talk." Lexa cleared her throat.
She really likes saying Clarke's name. She'd also very much like to talk and know more about the blonde. From what she has seen from the earlier debacle, she is defensive of her pet and speaks her thoughts out loud without noticing. She hasn't been complimented like that since Costia and Anya would always tell her to get out there. Apparently she needs to meet more people and 'get laid already'.
"It would appear so," Clarke nodded to Lexa.
It's warm and the sun is out and it makes Clarke's blonde hair shine and her blue eyes sparkle. Yup, I'm fucked, Lexa thought. She always asks herself how a person could look that good whenever her eye catches someone attractive. But Clarke... Damn, Clarke is out of this world. She must have fallen out of the sky because no one could look that beautiful.
"Would you like to go for a walk with me?" Lexa asked.
Clarke looked taken aback. Maybe Lexa should've gone for small talk first. But then again she never was a person for small talks.
"Or not... I mean you don't need to if you don't want to. I can just -"
Clarke raised her eyebrow and gave her a small grin. Right, I'm rambling.
"Lexa, I'd love to go for a walk with you." Lexa's stomach did a little flip from hearing her name come out of Clarke's mouth. I'd like for her to scream my name while I do ungodly things with my own mouth. Lexa's ears turned red from her own thoughts. She feels betrayed by her own brain for thinking sinful things, especially since she doesn't know Clarke that well yet.
Clarke gave her a funny look and Lexa tried to straighten her face and nearly snorted because she's anything but straight. Now Clarke would definitely think I'm weird.
"Penny for your thoughts." Clarke nudged her shoulder.
"Hmm?" said Lexa halfheartedly, not really wanting to share her thoughts to Clarke.
"Come on Lex, share. What's funny." Clarke tried again.
Damn, she's stubborn. "It's nothing, my brain just sassed itself."
Clarke chuckled, "Your brain sassed itself?" Clarke started to walk away from her, "You coming? I'd like to go for that walk."
Lexa smiled to herself and followed Clarke, "Yeah, I thought of something and my brain said something sassy back."
"I get what you mean. I always have my brain sassing me." Clarke laughed and stroked her pet parrot's feathers. She looked happy even if she looked a bit exhausted. Lexa wants to find out what she does for a living, what she likes to do in her spare time, what her favourite colour is. And the most important of all, she wants to know the name of the parrot.
"Mockery is not the product of a strong mind, Clarke," she said, letting the corners of her mouth lift a little. She's surprised to be smiling this much and it's all because of one person.
"So what is the name of this bird of yours?" she asked, wanting to know why the bird was out in the park.
Clarke laughed out loud, "He's called Finn." She doesn't know how that is funny, but Lexa will go along with it because apparently it makes Clarke laugh and she likes the sound.
"And that is funny because...?"
"Long story short, Finn was my ex-boyfriend. He was a fuckboy and Octavia thought it was hilarious to name my parrot after him." Clarke explained, "Obviously, I didn't want to name him that, it wasn't funny at the time. But I guess it's pretty funny now, just thinking about it."
Lexa's eyebrows furrowed. She had a boyfriend, does that mean she's straight? But I'm pretty sure she was flirting with me before. She probably shouldn't assume that Clarke is straight. Or gay. She shouldn't assume someone's sexuality at all. She should wait till that person tells her themselves. Clarke's a nice person, she wouldn't mind being just her friend. That'd be enough for her she thinks.
"I guess that's funny." Lexa chuckled. "Although, if I had a pet, I wouldn't call it my ex-girlfriend's name." she subtly dropped in. She hopes that Clarke takes the hint and Lexa thinks that she has from the slightly elated expression on Clarke's face. It made Lexa feel a little bit better.
"Why not?"
"Honestly? Our relationship didn't end well and I'd rather not talk about it right now," Lexa said quietly. Before everything happened, thinking about Costia made her feel euphoric but now it just made her feel small and gloomy. She and Costia were supposed to live together and have a family but plans change and so do people and she doesn't want to be with someone that repeatedly broke her heart. It took a while for her to stop beating herself up over it but she did and a weight has been lifted off her shoulders and she can finally have a good night's sleep.
"Well, whatever happened, you deserve better than that," Clarke replied softly, looking at Lexa's melancholic appearance. "We both do."
Lexa nodded, "Maybe we do." she looked up and smiled faintly at Clarke. She didn't want the conversation to turn this way but it did and she's glad that she had this talk with Clarke even if Clarke is virtually a stranger to her. It seems like they understand each other and Clarke has a comfortable aura about her, pulling Lexa in. Lexa wouldn't mind getting sucked into the cozy chasm that is Clarke Griffin.
She can see Anya and Octavia walking towards them and Lexa can sense that their time together is about to end. She wants to talk to Clarke forever but reality is about to hit them again and she has this primal need to keep in contact with Clarke.
"So, um, it's been really nice speaking to you," she said.
"I really liked your company," Clarke replied. "Maybe we can do this again sometime?"
The hopeful look on Clarke's face made Lexa's tamed butterflies in her stomach feel like pterodactyls flying around in chaos. She nodded eagerly and grinned, "Yeah, I'd like that."
They were exchanging phone numbers when Anya and Octavia reached them. Anya tilted her head at Lexa with a knowing look and Lexa just raised her eyebrows and smirked back.
"Are you gonna get laid tonight? Tell me because I'll leave the apartment and crash at someone else's" Anya teased.
Octavia's smiling and jabbed Clarke's shoulder, "Do I need to leave too? Tell us which apartment you guys are gonna do it in."
Both Clarke and Lexa are blushing. "No, I am not going to get laid tonight." Lexa retorted.
Anya smirked, "How about tomorrow night?"
"Not anytime soon Anya," said Lexa. She can't believe she's getting picked on. Actually, she can, it's Anya. She shouldn't be surprised.
Octavia snickered, "Not anytime soon? Commander, you need to know something about my Clarkey over here," Octavia leaned into Lexa and whispered loudly, "She likes her sex dirty and frequently." Lexa's ears burned as naughty images flashed in her brain.
Clarke punched Octavia's arm, "Come on O, leave her alone."
"Yeah O, leave the Commander alone," Anya mocked.
"Commander? I have to know the story behind this. But it's gonna have to wait for now," Clarke grabbed Octavia. "I think this one needs a break and a good telling off for leaving with my parrot without my consent."
Clarke turned to face Anya, "It was nice to meet you, Anya," she shook her hand and Anya nodded. Clarke looked at Lexa and winked, "Hope to see you soon, Commander." She walked away with an Octavia complaining that she doesn't want to leave yet.
Lexa watched Clarke until she disappeared from her sight. She sighed and turned to walk back to the picnic blanket that she and Anya were relaxing at earlier. She can feel Anya still smirking from behind her and shook her head. She won't hear the end of this for a while and to be honest, she doesn't really mind because anything that involves Clarke she finds herself smiling.
"What's that on your face?" Anya said.
"What's what on my face?"
Anya walked very close to her face and poked it, "That, it's a smile. I haven't seen you smile for a long time."
Lexa's smile widened. It's true, she hasn't smiled this much and it feels good. She hopes it carries on for a longer time because it's true what Clarke said, they both deserve better than the shitty things that had happened in their life.
"So you and blondie huh?" teased Anya.
"Not yet but yeah," Lexa grinned smugly.
"Get in there! Proud of you Commander," Anya punched her on the shoulder softly.
"Oh I intend to," Lexa laughed with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I fully intend to."