Chapter Text
Lexa tugs awkwardly at the tight fitted skirt her mother had practically forced her to wear. She wasn't one for dressing up, even for formal occasions, but apparently this had to be perfect. Her mother, without Lexa's knowledge, had gone behind her back and set up a marriage .
According to her mom they were a wealthy family who lived in the mostly countryside of Polis. Lexa always hated that damn place, it was full of huge estates, full of rich, stuck up, snobs and Lexa didn't exactly want to marry a rich stuck up snob, in fact, the only reason she was even going along with her mom was the fact that she'd promised to lay off Lexa if she agreed to at least meet with the family.
The thing was Lexa knew nothing about them, her mom had been aloof about the whole thing, she didn't even know if her arranged marriage was with a girl or a boy - which she knew was a little stupid since her mom knew she liked girls but she wouldn't put it past her. She knew that her mom was in it for the inheritance but Lexa could care less about money, it was material thing, she didn't care that her future wife ( or husband but please god no ) was rich, she doesn’t want their money, in fact, they could keep the whole damn wedding.
Lexa shifts in her seat wanting to escape the car that her mother was driving along in the densely wooded area. Not that it mattered, she was pretty sure her mom had put the child locks on just in case Lexa decided to do a tuck and roll.
It wasn't long before they were pulling up to tall golden gates with a winding road on the other side carved into the surrounding forest like it shouldn't be there but it was. Lexa barely contains a scoff when she hears the curt voice reply to her mother's and her mom shoots her a glare. "Miss Woods, of course, follow the road all the way along and you should find the estate at the end." The voice says and Lexa found it suspiciously cheery.
The gates open and Lexa sits back in her seat letting her eyes roam over the surrounding woodlands. She did have to admit that Polis was beautiful, Lexa always did like nature, the roughness of it all. She wasn't one for tight skirts and blazers, she was tight jeans and baseball tees, she'd never felt more unlike herself since she'd been to high school - which really is just an awkward time period of one's life where you're always horny yet feel uncomfortable in your own skin to even leave the house. Lexa was the only out gay girl at her school, ending with her being outcast from her peers and her only friends being Anya and Indra which, really, turned out great because Anya could scare anyone off with a simple look and Indra was just downright intense and her advice was always the best.
She missed her friends, she missed her ripped skinny jeans, she missed her hair being loose and wild but, mostly, she just missed home . Her small apartment was a safe haven beyond comparison, a place where Lexa felt most at peace, and, since she had graduated law school, she had a steady income working as a freelance lawyer which really meant she had a bunch of free time and only a few clients but it was enough for her. She didn't need the huge apartment or the huge law firm, like Lexa had said, that didn't matter.
Finally, there's a break in the trees and Lexa sees the huge estate house dominate the previously lush forestry. The house was huge to say the least, it was stony and detailed and somehow managed to look slightly old fashioned while also looking modern. It had a large fountain in the centre and Lexa could see multiple balconies at multiple floors of the building. "Be nice Alexandria." Her mother scolds. Lexa did have to admit she was a little curious to meet the residents inside plus this mysterious person who she was betrothed to and why they would settle for anything less aka Lexa.
Lexa steps out of the car stretching her limbs before her mother fixes her clothes and tucks a strand of stray hair behind her ear. " Mom ." Lexa complains. Their car seemed a little battered and out of place in this expensive driveway, although Lexa had thought that they owned a pretty up to date model, but apparently anything that was for the middle class looked out of place - especially Lexa who was cramped and feeling a little miserable. Her mom raises her eyebrow in that totally mom way where they dare you to say something and you just know you can't so Lexa sighs giving in. "I'll get the bags."
"No need miss." Lexa almost jumps out of her skin when a guy, who she was pretty sure materialised out of nowhere, starts unloading their luggage. "Mr and Mrs Griffin are waiting for you inside." He informs them with a polite smile and Lexa's mom decides to take this one since her daughter was too busy gaping at the butler. Lexa was stunned, to say the least, and her mom would have to remind her of her manners - especially with the excessive staring. Her mom tugs her towards the front door and they enter the large house.
Lexa immediately sees the huge chandelier hanging over their heads, like a bunch of crystals hanging in the air by string, the floor was impossibly white, and obviously marble, and in the centre there was a very large winding staircase that lead to the next floor. There were three double doors leading into various other rooms that Lexa would be sure to explore later if she got the chance - if she even decided to stay that was. She'd failed to inform her mother that the only real formal thing she had packed were the clothes that she was wearing and the other things she had packed were her usual clothes.
"Ah, Miss Woods." The same voice that had come over the intercom at the gate greets them and Lexa suddenly realised that they weren't alone. Standing in the middle of the room was a woman looking casual yet smart, a kind smile on her face yet Lexa could see she was strict and hard to read. "This is Jake, my husband, and I'm Abby." Lexa glances at the man beside Abby, he seemed much more placid, defiantly laid back, his attire was closer to casual and his blue eyes were kind of beautiful, he had one of those infectious smiles and Lexa could already feel the smile tugging at the corners of her lips and the guy hadn't even spoken yet.
"It's so nice to finally meet you, this is Alexandria and I'm ." She replies with a smile. Lexa didn't even have time to roll her eyes at the Alexandria name drop as Abby turns her gaze to Lexa and the brunette tries to resist the urge to squirm. Abby was looking at her with scrutinising eyes, like she was trying to stare into Lexa's very being, and Lexa, who was usually closed off anyway, didn't like the woman's intruding eyes.
"I'm sure you're apprehensive to meet Clarke." Abby says pursing her lips but Lexa's head gets stuck on the name Clarke. Was that a guy’s name? Surely, her mom hadn't set her up to marry a guy after everything they'd been through - no way.
Lexa realises that Abby was waiting for a reply and she straightens up at the woman's raised brow. "Um, yes, Mrs Griffin, it would be my pleasure." Lexa replies stiffly and suppresses a yelp at the feeling of her mother's elbow digging into her ribs but she was just greeted with amused grins from her hosts.
"I like this one Abby, she's a keeper." Jake says with a broad smile that made Lexa laugh but she was still far too nervous for her own good.
Abby gestures over her shoulder for Lexa to follow her while Jake begins discussing details with Lexa's mom. Lexa follows Abby down a large hallway that was lined with numerous pieces of art, none of which Lexa particularly recognised but she never was much an art enthusiast. "Clarke is a little irritable about this whole situation." Abby warns and Lexa snaps to attention. "Something about it being a betrayal of free will. I'm curious as to what you think Alexandria."
"Lexa." Lexa blurts before she has a chance to stop herself. Alexandria was her full name but it just made her cringe - only her mom could pull off calling her that. Abby looks at her curiously and Lexa realises she hadn't said anything else. "You can call me Lexa, I prefer that to my full name." Lexa explains.
"Interesting." Abby comments. "Your mother told me that you're a lawyer."
"Yes ma'am, it's mostly freelance so I have a lot of free time but I earn enough money to support myself." Lexa replies. "To answer your previous question, I'm not sure how I feel about this whole situation, I kind of feel, I don't know... indifferent?" Lexa had promised to meet her future partner she hadn't agreed to marry them per say. Abby nods her head understandably and stops outside of a door.
"I'll leave you two alone, I'm sure you have a lot to talk about and having me hovering around will probably make it awkward and uncomfortable." Abby says and Lexa nods. "It was nice meeting you Lexa Woods."
"You too Mrs Griffin." Lexa replies and the woman turns around and leaves. Lexa takes a deep breath and rests her hand on the door handle. Please don't be a boy, please don't be a boy, please don't be a boy . Lexa chants over and over again in her head as she pushes the door open.
Lexa wasn't sure what she had expected, some prissy girl who was far too stuck up to even pay Lexa any attention? A butt ugly mule? Maybe even someone who was far too dense that they'd unknowingly agreed to marrying Lexa - not that they had much say in the first place but, hey, Lexa liked to think they did.
All her expectations were blown out of the water, however, when she laid eyes on the girl in front of her - yes, girl. She was dressed much like her parents, casual smart, yet somehow it seemed to suit her way better, her hair was light blonde, although it was close to golden in the sunlight that was streaming through the large open windows, it fell perfectly on her shoulders, her eyes were so blue, so very very blue, like the ocean and they looked deep and wise and Lexa could see the resemblance of Jake in her. Lexa didn't like to be disrespectful and think about bodies but damn was she hot - especially her chest area which Lexa had definitely not stared at before diverting her eyes. Clarke was fucking beautiful and Lexa suddenly felt like a foreigner in her own skin like witnessing Clarke had reminded her that she wasn't dressed like she usually was and therefore she was totally making a false first impression on her future wife that was smoking.
"So you're my bride to be? Not what I expected at all." Clarke comments and Lexa didn't know whether to be offended or flattered since Clarke was giving her a pretty curious look - nothing too sinister. "Alexandria was it? What kind of name is that?" Okay , Lexa was offended.
"You're one to talk, Clarke ." Lexa bites back and Clarke smirks at Lexa's dig. Lexa realises that's exactly what Clarke wanted, maybe to make sure Lexa wasn't some push other, or maybe Clarke liked to be challenged. "And my father named me Alexandria, not that that’s any of your business." Lexa says - except it kind of was since they were technically engaged.
"Is he the one who set this whole thing up?" Clarke questions and Lexa rolls her eyes. Something about the blonde rubbed her the wrong way but… she kind of liked it, maybe ?
"No, he's dead asshole." Lexa replies and Clarke freezes, her amused grin disappears from her face and is replaced by a horrified look. Clarke looked like she was about to apologise but Lexa quickly steps in. "It's alright, it happened a really long time ago, I guess I just forget that some people don't know that." Lexa says rubbing her neck nervously. "Let's just start again. I prefer Lexa, if that's alright with you?"
"Lexa." Clarke tests the name out on her tongue and, if the curling of her lips was anything to go by, she found the sound of Lexa's name quite pleasurable to say. "I hope you realise I'm only agreeing to this whole crazy idea to get my parents off my back." Lexa shuffles because she knew what that felt like too and Clarke doesn't miss the movement understanding that was why Lexa was going along with it too.
"I get that." Lexa replies. "I don't normally, I mean, I'm not usually dressed like this." Lexa gestures to her clothes and Clarke laughs softly.
"Yeah, I can see that." Clarke says and Lexa raises an eyebrow. "Well you keep pulling on your skirt and you look a little uncomfortable." Clarke sounded amused and Lexa was beginning to wonder if that was a permanent state of mind for the blonde. "So my mom told me you were a lawyer?" Clarke says but Lexa got the underlying hint - she did find it odd that her own mother had been so secretive when it came to Clarke yet Clarke knew Lexa's name and occupation.
"If you're implying that I'm some egotistical money crazed shark, then I'm very offended." Lexa says. "I mean, it's true, but I'm still offended." Clarke laughs getting the sense that Lexa was joking. "No, I'm serious, my ego is probably bigger than this house."
"You're funny." Clarke decides. "I didn't expect you to have a sense of humour."
"No, not a lot of people do." Lexa points out which was true: Lexa was sarcastic and had a very dry sense of humour that only certain people were able to handle. Clarke seemed to be one of those people but Lexa wasn't sure yet - she'd only just met her after all.
Clarke taps her fingers on the surface of the piano she was leaning against which Lexa hadn't even noticed. She'd been so distracted by Clarke that she hadn't noticed anything in the room and, honestly , to miss a grand piano that the blonde was leaning against really said something about just how distracting Clarke was to Lexa. "Well I assume you think I'm some stuck up snob with shit tons of money who gets everything she wants." Clarke says.
"I did have a small suspicion." Lexa admits because, yeah , that's exactly what she had first thought but now ? Clarke seemed down to earth and, judging by her appearance, she didn't care about money either. She was just a person who happened to have wealthy parents.
"I'll show you to your room." Clarke says stepping forward and out the door. Lexa follows her out a smile lighting her face.
"Shouldn't you at least by me dinner first?" Lexa teases.
" Ha-ha. " Clarke replies. "We're already engaged, I think we've skipped the dinner phase."
"I'm not so sure." Lexa says and Clarke glances over her shoulder at the brunette. "Girls gotta eat." Clarke rolls her eyes but breaks out into a grin telling Lexa that the girl, at least, found her annoyingly amusing. So far, Lexa liked Clarke Griffin.
Clarke delivers Lexa to her room with a promise to see her again at dinner. Honestly, Lexa was just happy to finally have some time alone to gather her thoughts.
Lexa enters the bedroom and freezes in the doorway. The bedroom was huge, at least three times the side of Lexa's apartment back home - maybe that was an exaggeration - she'd never been in a bedroom so big. In the centre there was a large king sized double bed sporting clean bed sheets that matched the neutral colour scheme of the room, it was decorated with a few paintings but nothing like the ones that had lined the halls and certainly none that were personal.
Her mom's room was right across the hallway so, if Lexa so desired, she could just take the short walk across the hall and see her mother but she doubted she'd ever really want to plus she wasn't sure if having her mom so close by was actually good or bad. There was a bathroom attached to the bedroom which was a relief because the image of her walking the hallways in only a towel wasn't all that appealing to her.
It was a guest bedroom, Lexa could tell, obviously not used very often - yet there didn't appear to be a speck of dust on anything - but the most impressive thing about the whole bedroom was the large glass patio doors that opened out onto a balcony overlooking the forestry out the back of the house.
Lexa steps outside taking a deep breath of pine and all things nature. She loved the outdoors and the lush green of the trees below her stretched for miles. Maybe she could get used to Polis after all, it did seem like the kind of place she would enjoy, and her room was like a little private sanctuary all to herself.
Lexa turns on her heel at the sound of someone entering her room and comes back inside to see a man dressed in a suit with greyish hair and a short beard. "Miss Woods, Miss Griffin sent me to take care of any of your needs." He informs her setting her luggage down on the ground. Lexa leans against the wall on her shoulder and looks the guy up and down.
"Shouldn't she be doing that? Since she's going to be my wife?" Lexa asks sarcastically and, to her surprise, the guy actually cracks a smile.
"Miss Griffin mentioned you had an attitude." Lexa frowns at that. "She suggested that I’d be a good fit for your service since I happen to share your sense of humour." He continues.
"What's your name?" Lexa asks standing up straight and stepping closer to him.
"Alfred, at your service." He says with a small bow and Lexa raises an eyebrow.
"As in the butler from batman?" Lexa questions clearly amassed.
"As in what my mother called me when I was born." He replies and Lexa grins. As far as butlers, went and Lexa didn't really have experience in that department, Alfred didn't seem all that bad.
"I don't know how this all works." Lexa admits feeling a little flustered and the butler smiles kindly at her.
"Just let me know if you want anything, or if you require any help, and I'd be happy to do it for you." Alfred says and Lexa nods her head though she still didn't fully understand. "Dinner will be shortly Miss Woods, is there anything else you require from me?"
"No, um, I think I'm good, thanks." Lexa says and he nods his head ready to leave. "Tell Clarke thanks, or don't, or maybe I'll just tell her, or maybe whoever sees her first tell her, but then how would we know if the other told her thanks..." Lexa trails off, realising she was ranting about nothing, and Alfred smirks at her causing Lexa to blush slightly.
"I will be happy to tell Miss Griffin of your gratitude if I see her but, to be safe, you can always tell her yourself. You will be sitting next to each other at dinner." He informs Lexa and Lexa tenses - she had assumed her mother would've claimed a seat next to her daughter but apparently not.
"I am?" Lexa asks just to clarify.
"Yes, seems only fitting to have the wives-to-be next to each other." Alfred says.
"Right, yeah, that makes sense." Lexa says shaking her head. "Do you think I could get away with faking being sick?" Lexa asks though she wasn't serious she knew her mom would kill her if she did such a thing.
"I can't say that you would." Alfred says. "Do not threat Miss Woods, I'm sure you'll be fine."
"Right." Lexa says and the butler takes his leave. Lexa would not be alright, she was never good in social situations, she always said something that made everything awkward and her mom being there would just add even more pressure.
Lexa sighs and stares at herself in the mirror pulling a face at her current look. She was debating whether undoing all her mother's hard work was a good idea. She'd much rather wear her hair down, or in braids maybe, she was itching to throw on her favourite black ripped skinny jeans and that flannel shirt that was oversized and went well with that one t-shirt she owned, but that wouldn't be a good first impression - she could hear her mom's voice in her head ‘Alexandria, what the hell are you doing? You look ridiculous.’
The thing was Lexa could deal with her current attire, she had to dress similarly for when she was in court or meeting clients but they were always quite brief since Lexa worked mainly at home. She sighs, decides it's best just to stay her mother's image of perfect for at least dinner and wait until bed to change back.
Lexa heads out her door and begins to navigate her way through the labyrinth of halls. One thing was for certain, dinner was certainly going to be interesting.
Lexa takes her seat where indicated which happened to be across from her mother with Clarke sitting on her left - or at least she would be when she arrived. Jake was sitting at the head of the table and Abby was next to him on his left with Lexa's mom on Abby's left. "Sorry I'm late." Clarke apologises as she sits down in her seat. Lexa lets her eyes linger on her for a moment but kept it short enough that it wasn't creepy or noticeable.
"Let's say grace." Abby indicates and everyone begins joining hands. Lexa hesitates at Clarke's outstretched palm and the blonde looks at her with a small frown. Lexa wasn't religious, that was some of the reason she was hesitating, she knew it was important to give thanks for everything they had but the idea of God has always been a little confusing to her. She liked to believe that a God could exist but there was little evidence to that factor, she was agnostic , so she felt like maybe she was betraying some kind of rule. And then there was Clarke, who was the other half of Lexa's hesitation, she hadn't touched the blonde yet and she was pretty sure she might just combust if she had skin on skin contact - even if was just hands.
Lexa quickly takes it feeling eyes on her and she almost jumps at the jolt of electricity she feels rip through her - even Clarke seemed a little surprised. Jake begins reciting a grace and Lexa decides to take that moment to peak. She slowly opens her eyes to see everyone had their eyes closed with their heads slightly bowed down, well, everyone except Clarke that was, who was looking at Lexa. The brunette was very aware of her hand intertwined with Clarke's and the feeling like every cell in her body was vibrating from her touch. They both stare at each other until Jake mutters ‘ Amen .’ and they instantly drop hands stumbling over their words to repeat the ending of the prayer.
Food was brought to them by the waiting staff because, why wouldn't they have waiting staff? They were into their main course when the conversation steered towards Lexa. "So, Lexa," Lexa glances at her mom who was scowling at her because she'd told Abby to call her Lexa while her mom had insisted upon Alexandria. "do you enjoy what you do?"
"It's okay." Lexa says with a shrug. "I think I'd like to do more to help people though, rather than settling divorces and civil disputes." Lexa reveals and Clarke was suddenly interested, leaning her head on her hand as she watched Lexa carefully. "Don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful I have work and clients but I'd just like to do something bigger, maybe send someone to jail for once." Clarke snorts and Abby shoots her a look but Lexa doesn't notice it.
"Is that all lawyers care about? Sending people to jail?" Clarke asks sarcastically.
"We care about keeping people out of jail too." Lexa replies. "I just mean, if someone's done something bad then I'd like to see them brought to justice for it. I wouldn't want them hurting someone else and then my client can have peace of mind." Clarke smiles slightly at Lexa's enthusiasm and she had to admit it was a little endearing how much Lexa seemed to want the world to be a better place. "So, tell me Clarke, what do you do?" Lexa asks. The parents were long since forgotten, now all that Lexa saw was Clarke, she'd like to get to know her future wife a little better.
"Depends." Clarke answers with a shrug. "I went to med school, and I'm practically a full trained doctor, but I have a special love for art." Clarke confesses and Lexa's eyebrows knit together in curiosity.
"You've certainly achieved a lot." Lexa points out and Clarke smiles.
"Clarke excels in everything she does." Abby chips in but Lexa notices Clarke's expression change to something of annoyance. There was something deeper to the blonde: she was witty and their constant back and forth was entertaining - they were practically a married couple already.
It was interesting that Clarke was a doctor, it spoke volumes for the things that Lexa hadn't had a chance to see yet: she was kind and caring. Lexa was enthralled with Clarke so far which she had not been expecting at all, she'd expected to hate this whole experience, but she, dare she say it, was actually finding it to be highly amusing and interesting. "Yeah." Clarke says dismissively obviously wanting to move the conversation away from herself.
The rest of dinner was quiet and a little awkward but somehow Lexa managed to survive. Now she was enjoying lying on her back, on her king sized bed, dressed in only a t-shirt and her underwear, her hair finally let down and her curls spread across the bedspread. She had her phone pressed firmly to her ear deciding that she needed to talk to Anya about her whole situation.
She knew Anya would be awake no matter how late it was. Since her friend had decided to delay her decision to go to college she was always awake at ungodly hours studying - the girl was crazy when it came to studying but that was something Lexa could relate to. "Hey Lex." Anya greets as soon as she answers. Lexa could hear the tiredness that was in her friend's voice and rolls her eyes.
"You should sleep you idiot." Lexa scolds and she hears Anya laugh.
"I'll sleep when I graduate college with perfect grades." Anya retorts and Lexa scoffs.
"Please, you could get straight A's in your sleep." Lexa replies which was true but Anya wouldn't listen to her.
"So what's up? Normally you only call me at this time when you have something on your mind." Anya asks and Lexa sighs.
"I didn't interrupt anything did I?" Lexa asks. She didn't want to be responsible for Anya not finishing an essay or something otherwise she'd never hear the end of it.
"Not unless you count a caffeine induced coma." Anya answers and Lexa laugh.
"I can't sleep." Lexa says. "I met her, my fiancée, my betrothed, my future wife, my whatever you want to call her."
"So it is a girl? I'm happy for you Lex." Anya says sounding way too amused for Lexa's liking and she could hear her friend shuffling around on the other end. "So what's she like? Are you falling in lo-ve ?" Anya asks her voice teasing and Lexa rolls her eyes again at her stupid tone when she said love. She chooses to ignore Anya's teasing and answer her first question.
"She's... I don't know Anya, she's a little hard to figure out, I thought I knew, I thought she was some rich chick who bought her way through life but turns out she's a fucking trained doctor, loves art and she's witty enough to be competition for even me."
"Competition for you ? No way." Anya replies because she knew just how sarcastic Lexa was and her attitude towards people was a little hard to understand if you didn't know her - it was one of the reasons Lexa only had a few close friends.
"Yes way." Lexa pauses contemplating if she should say what she wanted to. "Anya, she's hot too, like super hot, and blonde but also cute while also beautiful, she's just... I want to know her better."
"You want to know her better or her body better?" Anya questions and Lexa could practically hear the raising of her eyebrow in the question.
"Get your mind out the gutter." Lexa says scrunching her nose though the thought of what Anya had said wasn't totally wrong and she did have a excited ball of nerves in the pit of her stomach at the suggestion.
"Sounds to me like you like her." Anya says seriously. "Maybe you give this thing a shot?"
"I don't know." Lexa says hesitantly. "There's something more, something she's not telling me."
"Like what?" Anya asks.
"There's got to be a reason why she wants her parents off her back, why an arranged marriage is the only way to do that?" Lexa voices her curiosity.
"I suppose," Anya relents. "but then again you have your deep dark secret."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Lexa denies.
"Really? Blonde? Name rhymes with hostia ?" Anya hints.
"Costia is… she has nothing to do with anything anymore." Lexa says fighting the pain from seeping into her voice. "I called you to talk about Clarke not Costia."
"So her name's Clarke? Interesting." Anya muses. "So when are you making your move?"
"Shut up." Lexa mumbles.
"I'm serious Lex, it's been forever since you got some."
"Please stop." Lexa replies feeling irritated by her friend’s teasing.
"I mean, there must be cobwebs." Anya teases.
"I'm hanging up on you." Lexa warns and she could see Anya grinning even though she couldn't see her.
"If you'll bring your fingers up long enough to-" Lexa ends the call cutting off whatever disgusting comment Anya was about to make. She tosses her phones somewhere behind her and shuffles up the bed trying to get comfortable.
After a few good minutes of tossing and turning Lexa came to the conclusion she wasn't getting any sleep anytime soon so she figured she'd go for a walk. The house was big enough she doubted she'd wake anyone up plus a little walk would help settle her nerves and thoughts about Clarke.
Lexa exits her room, softly closing the door behind her, and begins walking down the long hallway bare footed. The floor beneath her feet was cold and the sound of her feet made soft padding noises. Lexa rounds the corner and of all things actually bumps into someone. Lexa jumps back in surprise, ready to apologise to whoever she had bumped into, but she's rendered speechless when she sees deep blue eyes the colour of the ocean and golden blonde hair. "Fancy seeing you here." Clarke says steadying Lexa with her arms. Lexa watches as Clarke’s eyes dart up and down her body and she realises that she’s only wearing a shirt and underwear.
"I-I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd go for a walk." Lexa explains stepping back from Clarke's grip. "I'm sorry, I'll go back to my room."
"Lexa, calm down, I'm not your mom and you're not a teenager that got caught sneaking out." Clarke says with a small smirk and Lexa feels herself relax slightly at the blonde's warm personality. "I couldn't sleep either." She confesses.
"I'm not good staying in places I don't know." Lexa admits. "And I guess this whole marriage thing is playing more on my mind then I thought." Clarke sways on her feet and Lexa realises that she too was wearing pyjamas but she was wearing more clothes then Lexa which, admittedly, was a little disappointing.
"Come with me." Clarke offers her hand to Lexa and Lexa stares at it before looking back at the blonde. "Come on, I have something to show you." Lexa takes her hand her curiosity too much to ignore. Clarke smiles and Lexa feels herself relax at the warmth of her hand before she's being pulled down the hallway towards another set of stairs that she was certain led to the top floor.
She follows Clarke willingly, which she found a little worrying since she'd only just met her, it seemed like she trusted her a little more than she probably should but there was just something about Clarke that emitted calm - something about her that made Lexa want to trust her.
They enter a room that was tucked away right at the end of the floor and which contained much more rustic looking decor. The stairs behind the door were wooden and not covered with any kind of flooring and it was narrow plus, not to mention, very dark. "I'm all for dark rooms and creepy staircases but where exactly are we going?" Lexa asks. The dark always did make her a little uneasy though she'd never admit it. Clarke squeezes her hand softly, reassuringly, and turns her blue gaze on Lexa.
"You'll find out." Clarke promises and Lexa frowns a little.
"That doesn't sound ominous at all." Lexa replies and Clarke laughs but pulls her into the doorway anyway and they begin climbing the stairs the door closing behind them and leaving them in even more darkness - the whole experience did kind of feel like they were a pair of teenagers.
Lexa was really going in headfirst, she didn't know Clarke, for all she knew the blonde was an axe murderer bringing her to her secret killing chamber, but Clarke was like one of those mermaids in the stories Lexa had been told when she was younger: beautiful, voice soothing and attractive, impossible to resist, and, for all she knew, she was going to pull her overboard and Lexa was going to drown in all things Clarke.
They reach the top of the stairs and Clarke flips the light switch on momentarily blinding Lexa until she dims them. Lexa blinks a couple of times, wondering why Clarke had bothered to drag her all the way here, when she notices the skyline above her. It was a dome of glass and Lexa drifts to the centre of the room, right under the glass, staring up at the night sky above her.
Clarke watches her with a small smile. Lexa looked stunning doused in the moonlight that was pouring in through the glass, her eyes were fixed on the stars above her and she was grinning up at them. She turns her head to the side to look back at Clarke to find the blonde staring at her intently. "This is amazing." Lexa says looking back at the stars. "It's beautiful." She adds breathlessly and Clarke nods her head in agreement.
"I come up here for inspiration." She informs Lexa. "It's my studio." Lexa raises an eyebrow in a questioning manner not understanding what exactly Clarke was talking about. "What do you think about the paintings around the house?" Clarke asks lightly and Lexa's brow furrows in confusion.
"They're paintings." Lexa had never been one for art though, she had to admit, the one's around the Griffin household were eye catching in a way that art never had been to the young lawyer and they gave the house a much more lived in feeling. "Okay, I guess they're more than just that, they're good, really good , but I don't know what artist they're by I've never seen anything like them." Clarke smiles at the compliment that Lexa had unknowingly gave her.
"Thank you." Clarke says and Lexa frowns deeper. "I painted them, I don't just like art I'm an artist myself and my parents love to showcase my pairings all over the house since I don't want to show them anywhere else."
"How come?" Lexa asks recovering from her surprise. She had never expected that Clarke had painted such beauty and why she wouldn't want to share her obvious talent.
"Because it's just another way for my parents to show off how good I am at something." Clarke replies resentment clear in her voice. "I want my art to be my own, I want to paint because I love it not because my parents wish to parade it around like I'm Picasso or something." Lexa steps out of the moonlight and towards Clarke.
"Well I think you should do whatever makes you happy." Lexa wasn't sure she was talking just about the art anymore or if she was giving Clarke an out of their arrangement and, by the looks of things, Clarke was sceptical about what Lexa was implying too. "Paint, draw, be a doctor, whatever, your life is your life after all."
"Easier said than done." Clarke replies which was true even Lexa knew that.
"Are you happy?" Clarke's tone was curious yet Lexa could hear the underlying hurt.
"Happy? I'm not sure." Lexa answers honestly. "I guess that depends but, if I had to describe my life, I’d probably say I'm content."
"Content?" Clarke raises her eyebrows and Lexa takes her hands, pulling her under the skyline, closer to the blonde then she had been any other time other than when they had crashed into one another in the hallway. Lexa points above them with a smile on her face.
"Life is a tricky son of a bitch, nothing's constant, nothing's set in stone, but the North Star," Lexa points to the brightest star in the sky and Clarke was wondering when this woman in front of her had become so philosophical. "it's always been there since the beginning of time. A constant for the human race, relied on by sailors when navigating the seas, used for lost travellers, a point of which people dare to hope and trust. Life may not be constant but if you find something that offers at least a little consistency, enough for you to feel like everything isn't out of your control, then you should hold onto it." Lexa informs Clarke. Her eyes were shining with her thoughts and Clarke almost felt herself lean in - almost - except she would never actually do that. Lexa was talking about Clarke’s art as being her constant but something flickered behind the blonde’s eyes that told Lexa that maybe she was thinking about something else.
"What about you? Do you have this constant thing in your life?" Clarke asks and they were both very aware of how close they were standing.
"Not anymore." Lexa replies, a little ambiguously, not giving Clarke much to go on. "I'm still waiting for my North Star." Lexa shrugs and Clarke laughs softly. She sighs, takes a step back from Lexa, and decides to lie on the floor staring up at the skyline above her.
Lexa pauses, watching Clarke for a moment, her eyes roaming over her soft skin that was practically glowing in the moonlight, until she decides to follow her example. The brunette lies beside Clarke, a small space between them, but not that much that Lexa could still feel the warmth Clarke emitted. "I'm glad I met you." Clarke whispers so quietly that Lexa barely just catches it but she does and she turns her head to gaze at the blonde beauty beside her. "You intrigue me Lexa, I want to figure you out." Clarke turns her head to meet Lexa's green eyes and both girls' breath hitch slightly.
"What have you got so far?" Lexa asks. She wanted to know what Clarke thought of her and she wanted her to be honest about it.
"You're smart, not just law school smart, street smart, the meaning of life smart," Lexa laughs at that but continues listening to Clarke. "you come off as having a huge ego, a sarcastic ass and a little guarded and closed off, slightly jaded, but I get the sense that secretly you're a nice person, I mean, you just took your time to reassure me that life isn't all that bad."
"I'm both offended and honoured." Lexa says lightly coaxing a small smile from Clarke.
"I kind of wish I hadn't met you this way though, as my fiancée that I'm set to marry." Clarke admits because the thought of accidentally stumbling upon Lexa in a coffee shop one day, or accidentally bumping into her like they had just a second ago, was cheesy but every girl's dream - plus Lexa would've been a mighty find.
"I'm curious, why me?" Lexa asks and Clarke rises her eyebrows.
"Your mom didn't tell you?" Clarke asks and Lexa shakes her head. "My mom thinks that an arranged marriage is the only way I'll ever find someone, even if they don't love me, she thinks I'm damaged goods and your mom thinks you're the same." Clarke explains and Lexa had to admit that stung a little.
"Damaged goods?" Lexa questions though it was more to herself than Clarke - she had an inkling as to why her mom thought such a thing. Lexa sighs and closes her eyes turning away from Clarke. Truth was, Lexa was somewhat damaged but she wasn't about to admit that out loud.
"You lost someone." It wasn't a question, not really, though it was open enough that Lexa could deny it if need be. Lexa nods her head and Clarke softens immediately. Something about Lexa made Clarke want to wear her heart on her sleeve, something about her made Clarke want to confess everything, so it was no surprise when the next words left her mouth. "I know how that feels." Lexa's eyes open instantly and she twists around to stare at Clarke.
Lexa had never felt more comfortable when around someone. Clarke made her feel naked, exposed, and this information made her squirm. She felt like Clarke could read everything about her: how her heart was bent out of shape and she was certain she was unlovable and unable to find anyone ever again.
That wasn't true of course since Lexa had her perfectly unreadable mask held firmly in place. "I'm glad I met you too." Lexa mutters wanting to change the subject back. The pair fall into comfortable silence, staring up at the stars above them and somewhere along the way Lexa's hand had found Clarke’s and they were lying side by side, under the stars, with their hands intertwined.
"About that dinner..." Clarke interrupts the silence. "I think we should get to know each other a little better." Lexa grins at the blonde and they fall into a quiet lull of talking back and forth.
They talk well into the night, their conversation becoming less frequent as each of them felt sleep creep up on them, but neither could find the strength to walk away and Lexa found she didn't want to leave Clarke’s side.
Damaged goods Lexa certainly was but she didn't feel like it when she was next to Clarke - she didn't feel whole either but she felt something . Without really knowing it, the pair fall asleep beside one another, hands intertwined and their steady heartbeats beating as one.