Thanks to anyone who tuned in to read this despite the horrible summary! I really stink at those things.
Clarke adjusted herself in her bar stool, straightening her posture to try to catch the attention of someone behind the bar to order her next drink. While she waited she drummed her fingers in time with the music against the mahogany before her. She had never heard the song that was playing but it was angry and fast and suited her sour mood.
None of the barkeeps seemed in any hurry to refill her whiskey so she decided to reach over and grab a cherry from behind the counter, plucking it off the stem as she popped it into her mouth. She twirled the stem between her fingers as her head moved along to the music, the words all I'm trying to do is live my motherfucking life being repeated in the song. A feeling she was overwhelmingly familiar with.
She was starting to get annoyed at the lack of service. Not that she was overly cocky but her blonde hair and blue eyes usually got the attention of men, and women, easily. She was tempted to leave though she opted for reaching for another cherry instead. There weren't many bars that a girl could go to alone without being harassed by drunken idiots and that perk alone was worth the longer wait for a refill.
As she reached for her third cherry an amused voice startled her out of her thoughts. "You know if you keep taking those we're gonna have to add them to your tab." Clarke looked in the direction of the voice and noticed a cute Latina girl behind the bar, apparently just starting her shift since she hadn't been behind the bar earlier.
"Well I wouldn't need to steal cherries if I wasn't wasting away over here waiting for a refill," the blonde quipped as she waved her empty glass around.
The girl behind the bar laughed as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail. "What'll it be then boss?" she asked as she removed the empty glass.
"Old fashioned," she answered before scrunching her eyebrows in confusion as the girl behind the bar began to laugh. "What?"
"You're like the hottest person in this bar and you're drinking like my grandpa. No one drinks this shit but old crotchety men," the girl responded as she set about making the drink anyways. "I would normally garnish this with a cherry but it seems you've already had your fill," she teased as she set the drink down before the blonde.
Clarke pouted and the girl laughed but just shook her head and walked away to assist other patrons. With a devious grin Clarke reached over the bar anyways and plucked another cherry from the pile, laughing as the dark haired girl watched her pop it into her mouth with an amused grin. She was glad she had stuck around. Maybe now that she had an interactive bartender to flirt with she could get a tab reduction and get properly obliterated like she wanted to be.
As she sipped her drink she found her eyes continually being drawn to her new favorite bartender. She noticed that she walked with a slight limp but the real feature that kept drawing her attention was the perfectly white smile the girl would flash her between customers. As soon as she'd emptied her glass the girl was before her again, clearing it away and grinning cheekily at her. "Like what you see?"
"Maybe. I think I'd like it better with another drink though," Clarke said.
"I'm pretty sure I should be offended by that. And this time I get to pick your drink. No more old white man shit," the bartender said with finality.
"Yeah that one definitely sounded a lot better in my head than it came out to be. Can we blame it on the booze?" Clarke asked sheepishly.
"Whatever you say princess," she shrugged as she set about mixing a colorful concoction.
"Princess Clarke. I think I might like that. And what do I call my alcohol providing hero?" the blonde asked as she placed her elbows on the bar and leaned over closer to watch what was going into her mystery drink.
"The one and only Raven Reyes, at your service," she answered as she placed the finished drink before Clarke.
"You seem too happy to be Raven," Clarke said as she tried her drink. "Woah. Whatever this is it's delicious but still burns like hell going down. It's perfect."
Raven did a mock bow and after a quick glance around to see if anyone else was in need of immediate attention she leaned over the bar closer to Clarke. "What do you mean too happy to be a Raven?" she asked curiously.
Clarke went on to explain the symbolism of the raven, and how many countries believed the raven to be the symbol of loss, sadness and death. Raven listened to her rambling, no one having ever actually compared her to the bird itself before. She wasn't surprised at the connection she shared with the animal, having spent the last year with her own loss and struggles after the accident that permanently injured her leg and ability to walk.
"Strike too close to home? You look like you could use a shot," Clarke teased to try to ease the serious look that had overcome Raven's features.
"That I do. But drinking is your job tonight. I am but your humble servant," she grinned, the sorrowful lines erased from her features as they returned to their lighthearted banter.
"Just one shot for me? It's your job to make your customers happy right? A shot for both of us. I need something to help me wash down this rocket fuel anyways," she pleaded with her best puppy dog eyes.
"You're lucky I've got a soft spot for pretty girls," Raven grumbled but the smile remained fixated on her face. She poured them both a shot of what she explained to Clarke was called liquid cocaine but made sure the girl had no intentions of driving before setting it before her.
"To hot bartenders," Clarke said as she held the shot glass up. She sloshed a little over the brim and giggled as she did so.
"To drunk customers," Raven winked as they clinked their glasses together before downing the shots.
As she thumped the empty shot glass back on the bar Clarke enjoyed the warmth spreading through her body and knew that she was more than buzzed at this point. Luckily in her fuzzy state she felt her anger dissipating as a different kind of fire began to burn inside her. Her eyes once again followed her new acquaintance, enjoying watching her work. Raven flirted with everyone and while Clarke knew it was just an act, part of the game to get better tips, she couldn't help but notice that Raven never lingered with any of her customers the way she did with her.
They made small talk as the night went on, getting to know each other through small tidbits of information shared in the moments of Raven's down time. Raven had been on leave, though she didn't say why, which is why Clarke had never seen her before. Clarke shared that she was a student at the nearby college, but danced around the topic of why she was at a bar alone trying her best to get plastered. They found a bond in their shared bisexuality, discovered when Raven asked if Clarke was here drinking herself silly over a stupid boy and Clarke had responded with, "Not a boy, not a girl either though they do have a tendency to hurt more than the boys do. Why is that? They're so pretty but so mean," she had rambled like so for a few moments before Raven cut her off.
"As my dear friend would say, 'That's why you fuck 'em and chuck 'em,'" she said with as serious of a face as she could.
Clarke laughed so hard she snorted. She was too far gone to even bother being embarrassed. "Now there's a way to a ladies heart," Clarke mocked as she held her hand over her chest. "Do one more shot with me," she then pleaded. She hadn't failed to notice that her drinks had steadily become weaker and weaker as the night went on, though still strong enough to keep her strong buzz going.
Raven rolled her eyes at the blonde but complied once again. She knew she wasn't supposed to be drinking while working, but oftentimes she'd seen the other bartenders do the same if it meant milking more money from their customers. And while she could care less about Clarke's money at this point, she wasn't going to complain about the distraction the eye candy in front of her was providing her with.
"So am I hot enough to be fucked or do I get chucked?" Clarke asked boldly, the haze of her drunkenness returning from the shot.
Raven's eyes widened at the question, wondering if the blonde was asking out of curiosity or genuinely interested. Without knowing a proper response she did what she did best and flirted her way around an actual answer. "Stick around til my shift ends and you'll find out," she gave a proper smile before walking away.
Clarke watched her retreating figure carefully. She noticed the limp once again, almost drunk enough to ask about it but still aware enough to know that it wasn't her business. Before she knew it her eyes were trained on the curve of Raven's ass and all serious thoughts flew out of her head. She'd come here for a distraction from the misery of her life and she'd certainly found one. Her failing grades didn't matter in this moment. Her overbearing mother didn't matter. Her father's death temporarily forgotten.
Raven herself was feeling similar. Since her accident she was painfully aware of the looks she received from people, curious and pitying. Sure she walked a little funny, but she couldn't understand why people felt the need to make that the only thing they noticed about her. Yet here this drunken goddess was, her eyes never straying below Raven's face, except for the few lustful looks she was caught sneaking. She was painfully aware that it could just be the alcohol talking for Clarke but part of her didn't care. All she wanted was to feel normal again and she would take what she could get.
She wasn't sure if she was surprised or not when Clarke was still there at last call. She knew the blonde had been drinking water for a while now and that she had at least sobered up some but the look in her eyes remained as wanting and lustful as before. She took her time wiping down the other end of the bar, warring with herself on how she should next approach the blonde. She knew she shouldn't try to take things farther. She didn't want to be that kind of person. But her body was screaming yes and her mind desperately wanted to feel wanted in that way again. She hadn't been happy with her life anyways, so she opted for throwing caution to the wind. She knew she was screwing up and risking too much but she was tired of feeling obligated to care. When she looked up and Clarke's eyes locked onto hers she was certain the blonde was indeed waiting for her. With her smirk back in place she finally headed back over to Clarke's side of the bar.
"So what do I owe my new favorite bartender?" Clarke asked when Raven stopped in front of her. She placed tab down for the blonde and went about her clean up while waiting for her to fish out her bank card. "You let me off easy Reyes," Clarke commented, noting that only about half of her drinks were actually on the bill. She would've been happy enough with that on any other night but something about the girl in front of her made her want more. "I'll be sure to make it up to you," her voice dropped in a suggestive manner.
Raven could feel the heat spreading through her cheeks. She wasn't shy or embarrassed but this was a first for her since the accident. It made her feel good in ways that she had forgotten that she could. For a split second she thought about him and she felt the tug of guilt once again looming over her consciousness. Then her eyes were lost in the dancing blue ones before her, noticing the way Clarke was shyly biting on her bottom lip as she waited to see how Raven would react. "Give me fifteen to get my share of the closing duties done?" she asked.
"I'll be waiting outside," Clarke answered as she retrieved her card and scrawled her signature onto the receipt. She had left Raven a decent tip, though admittedly not as much as she deserved for knocking all those drinks off for her. However she planned on making it up to the girl in other ways.
As she waited outside she tugged her jacket closer to herself. It wasn't quite chilly out but now that she was sobering up she was starting to wonder if this was really the best plan. Sure her life had spiraled out of control, at best she felt like she was barely hanging on by a thread, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to add sleeping with strangers to her list of poor life choices. The thought lasted all of thirty seconds and quickly vanished as she saw Raven walking out of the bar, all smiles and leather and sexy as hell.
"So whats next, Princess?" Raven asked as she slid up next to the blonde.
"Well now that drinking time is over it seems I've acquired a taste for something else," Clarke answered as her eyes flicked down to the bartender's lips.
"Your pick up lines are atrocious," she laughed in response as she looped her arm through Clarke's and began walking them down the street.
"Yet here you are. They have their desired effect," the blonde defended.
"So what is it you've got a taste for?" Raven asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You," Clarke husked, licking her lips as she stopped walking.
With permission granted Raven wasted no time, pulling the blonde closer and connecting their lips. The brunette reached up to wrap her hand around the back of Clarke's neck, fingers tangling in her blonde locks. When she felt Clarke moaning into her mouth as their tongues darted out to taste each other she felt a surge of desire unlike any other she had felt in as long as she could remember. Someone wanted her for her, not out of pity or obligation, and even if it was the alcohol or anything else initiating it her mind finally checked out as she gave into her body upon feeling Clarke's pressed into hers.
"My place?" Raven finally managed to get out between kisses. "It's just around the corner," she added when they finally broke their kiss.
"Never thought you'd ask," Clarke answered quickly, looping their arms back together.
They walked at a brisk pace, no more words being exchanged. They both knew their purpose now and all they had to do was get to their destination. The moment they stepped through Raven's door the brunette felt herself being pushed against it, the rough action catching her by surprise but only turning her on more. She wasn't being treated like delicate breakable china and she furiously attacked Clarke's lips with her own to show her appreciation.
The move worked and Clarke reciprocated by pressing her body back into the brunettes, pinning her to the back of the door. As their tongues battled it out, exploring each others mouths Raven couldn't help but find herself pushing her hips up to press herself further into Clarke. The action spurred the blonde on and she tore her lips from Raven's, trailing kisses down her jaw until she reached her neck. As she began to nip at the brunette's pulse point she slid a leg between hers and was rewarded with a moan and fingers tangling in her hair as Raven ground down on her thigh.
"Bed," Raven panted out when Clarke pulled away long enough for her to form a coherent thought. The blonde relented long enough to let Raven lead her to the bedroom but once she spied the bed she continued her relentless assault, shedding their jackets as they kissed. Raven knew she should be assisting in the removal of clothes or taking charge of the situation in some way like she always did but her mind was on sensory overload. The feeling of being wanted and taken overriding all logic.
Before she knew it her shirt was off and her back was landing hard against the mattress. The blue eyed beauty quickly descended upon her prey, pulling her own shirt off in the process. At the skin on skin contact the brunette knew she was lost and she would have to face the consequences but that was tomorrow and behind the haze of her lust tomorrow felt so far away. "Fuck Clarke," she ground out as the blonde began kissing and biting her way over her chest, tongue sliding out to taste the skin of her cleavage while fingers traced over the lace covering her breasts.
Between breathy moans and wanting whimpers neither girl heard the front door opening, much less felt the presence of the man who was entering the room. "What the fuck Rae?" he cried out as soon as he saw the sight before him.
"Finn what the fuck are you doing here?" Raven asked, panicked and nearly throwing Clarke off of the bed in her haste to compose herself.
"You weren't answering the phone, I thought maybe something happened to you," he said with a downward glance at her leg.
"I'm fine Finn," she spat, though she knew she had no right to be the angry one. Tired of his pity as she may be, he did just walk in on her cheating on him.
"Yeah, I see that," he gritted out, his voice eerily hollow.
"And that will be my queue to leave. Thanks for the fun Reyes," Clarke said with no hint of emotion in her voice but Raven could see everything in the blue eyes that looked at her sadly as she gathered her discarded top. Whatever had been eating Clarke, the brunette had just contributed to it. Probably let her down like whatever dumb fuck had led her into the bar to get drunk alone in the first place.
Raven sighed and held the bridge of her nose, trying to compose her thoughts. She wanted to call out to Clarke, to apologize or get her number or something but she knew now that Finn had to be her first priority. When she finally found the courage to look up at him the sadness in his big brown eyes nearly broke her heart.
"I guess I'll let myself out now that I know you're okay. I'll leave my key on the counter," he said solemnly as he ran his fingers through his long hair.
"Wait, Finn. Please," Raven pleaded as she jolted to her feet to try to catch up to his retreating figure. In her haste and stress she forgot herself for a moment and that she was injured after finally being treated like she wasn't and misstepped as she put more force on her leg than she should have. Just as she started to fall forward Finn was there, faithful and steady as ever to catch her in his arms.
"How could you do this?" He asked, his voice breaking. "Haven't I been good to you?"
His sadness shattered Raven's heart. Here was the boy who had stood by her side through everything. Who never faltered to catch her when she fell, literally or figuratively. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't take the pity. She didn't look at me like that and I got carried away."
"I wish that was good enough," he said as he untangled himself from her arms. "I gotta go. I need to clear my head," he told her firmly, leaving her no room for argument.
The brunette just nodded her head and watched him walk away. She took a small amount of relief that he didn't take her key and leave it, much less throw it at her. She's certain she would have done worse to him if the situation had been reversed. As soon as the door clicked shut behind him she retreated to the couch and threw herself onto it. It only took moments for the tears to fall.
She'd probably never see Clarke again, certain the blonde would find a new bar after this mortifying encounter. Finn would probably never forgive her. And she was still a gimp with a busted leg.
Raven Reyes had never hated herself so much as she did in that moment.
So, I'm kind of tired of Finn being the bad guy all the time. I wanted to try a twist. What do you guys think? Thoughts?