Work Text:
It was just another normal day at work for Lexa Woods. To be fair, it was actually a pretty good day from the beginning. It was raining, so there was that. And the guests were generally in good moods, so Lexa was too. It was about halfway through her shift before things really started to get interesting though.
“Hey Anya did that table get up yet?” Lexa asked her coworker, and best friend as she came around the corner.
“No not yet. They’ve been sitting there for like 2 hours now haven't they?” She responded, turning around again to spy on the couple in the corner booth.
“Yeah at least. They were here when I got here. It must be a date. Look at the way they’re looking at each other. That’s what I want.” Lexa sighed leaning on the counter. Some days she felt like she was never going to find a love like that.
“Oh come on Lexa don’t worry about it. You’ll find a nice cute girl one day. I promise..”
“Easy for you to say.” Lexa said.
“Yeah okay maybe. Oh look customers!” And with that Anya ducked around the corner again. Lexa loved her, but she was famous for avoiding real work. Lexa tried not to mind though because she knew that when she needed her most she would be there. And besides, if she really wanted to she could force her to help.
Instead Lexa focused on the incoming guests. Or more specifically, the girl in the back. She quickly composed herself enough to greet them all with a big smile and a hello like always.
“How many tonight?” She asked hoping her voice was as even and calm as she imagined it to be. The older gentleman responded just two for inside, meaning the girl wasn’t with him. She grabbed two menus and motioned for the couple to follow her. Her heart was in overdrive as she walked them to her table. She had never seen someone so beautiful in her entire life. And she certainly never expected to see someone at work. Most of their clientele were teenagers, but none of them had ever appealed to Lexa the way this girl did.
“Sorry about that.” Lexa offered the dark haired girl a weak smile as she walked back up to the counter. A close-up view of those legs in those tight jeans was enough to take her breath away. She was normally very calm and collected, even around attractive girls, but there was just something about this one… And maybe Lexa was imagining it, but they way the girl was looking at her felt incredibly intimate.
“No problem.” The girl responded. The words rolled off her tongue easily. “I’m waiting for someone anyway.”
“Oh alright. Well I can get you a table still if you want? Or you can wait for them here if you’d like. I don’t mind. It gets kind of lonely up here sometimes anyway.” Lexa could feel the words spewing out of her mouth and she wished they would stop.
The girl laughed, a soft breathy noise that Lexa knew would be in her dreams tonight. “Yeah I can see how that might happen. Seems like they’re keeping you pretty busy though.”
“You could say that.” Lexa smiled shyly. It had been a pretty busy night but there had been a lot of those lately. “I can handle it on my own though.”
“Yeah?” She looked like she wanted to say something else but stopped herself. Instead she commented on the child screaming in the dining room. Something Lexa hadn’t even noticed.
“Oh yeah, pretty sure he’s been doing that since he got here. Maybe you want a table outside?”
“I might have to take you up on that. Will you walk me to my table?”
“Of course.”
Lexa picked the table just outside the window, so she could watch her from the front desk. She felt bad about doing that, but the girl probably wouldn’t think anything of it so really there was no harm done. And knowing her luck it would probably get busy now and there would be no time to even glance her way.
“Is this one alright?” She asked.
“Yeah totally.”
“Awesome. Well we have some happy hour specials going on right now if you’re interested in that. One of the servers should be right out to take care of you.” Lexa turned to walk away then, knowing the longer she stayed the more nervous she would get.
“Wait.” The girl said quickly. “You never told me your name.”
“Well you never told me yours.” Lexa said.
The girl smiled, offering Lexa her hand. “Clarke Griffin.”
Lexa couldn’t help the grin, and the blush, that spread across her face as she took Clarke’s hand. “Lexa Woods. It was very nice to meet you Ms. Griffin but I’m afraid I better get back to work.”
“Oh right. Of course. I’ll catch you on my way out then.” Clarke started to take her hand back and Lexa reluctantly let her.
“You better.” Lexa said. “Enjoy your dinner.”
Lexa walked back inside, trying to hide the growing smile on her face. Anya would never let her live it down if she saw any of that. Yet at the same time she couldn’t wait to tell her.
She tried not to pay too much attention to Clarke while she waited for her friend, though she was caught staring multiple times. Her friend arrived not long after that, a fiery brunette whom she recognized as being a fairly regular customer, though she usually came with who Lexa assumed to be her brother. After she arrived Lexa tried even harder to pretend like she wasn’t watching them.
But to no avail. Both girls caught her staring, though she caught them staring as well. It was almost like a competition to see who could stare the longest without getting caught. A competition that Lexa was losing.
Every time Clarke caught her staring she smiled. And Lexa couldn't help but smile back. She had such a beautiful smile.
“Hey,” Anya said causing Lexa to jump. She had been particularly distracted in that moment watching Clarke. She was laughing at something her friend said and the way her face crinkled up was so cute Lexa couldn't look away. “So am I supposed to pretend I haven't been watching you staring at a cute girl all night?”
“What? No I wasn't-”
“Lexa.”
“Okay so maybe I was. So what?”
“She's cute.” Anya said. “She definitely looks like your type.”
“Maybe.” Lexa said, turning her back to Clarke so shecould focus on Anya. “But you know I'm never going to see her again, so maybe you should let me stare.”
“Or maybe you should talk to her. If you're never going to see her again you have nothing to lose.”
Lexa sighed. Anya was right, but Lexa was afraid. After her relationship with Costia ended she was trying to take some time to be herself. She didn't really want to rush back into a relationship, even if Clarke was hot.
“I don't know Anya I think maybe it's best if I just let her go. If we’re really meant to become something I'll see her again.