Of Ladders and Lightbulbs
A/N: I've signed up to get daily writing prompts from , so expect more of these types of fanfiction more often! Just some fluff to sort my Tom/Lexi feels...
Daily Writing Prompt: Write a scene about a green pencil crayon, a glass of water, and a ladder.
Lexi watches in amusement as Tom attempts to unscrew the lightbulb from the lampshade, standing somewhat precariously on the second-to-top step of the step ladder placed in the centre of their small living room. The light flickered and died a few hours ago, and after the attempt to ransack their home searching for those damned lightbulbs... Tom was finally attempting to replace the bulb.
"Don't fall," she informs him. Tom flashes her an exasperated glance - at least she assumes it's an exasperated glance, she can't quite see his face from this angle - and drops his arms momentarily.
"I won't fall. I'm amazing at replacing light bulbs, just watch."
"Couldn't you just use your magic?" Lexi inquires.
"Nope. Dad says I can't use magic for everything. I have to 'learn things the practical way'." He makes quotation marks in the air with his fingers, nearly falling off the ladder as he does so. Lexi gets to her feet quickly, dropping the paper she had been drawing on and rushing forward, thinking he is going to drop. But he regains balance and gives her that cocky Tom Clarke smile, which he knows she finds infuriating.
"Told you I wouldn't fall."
Lexi rolls her eyes in annoyance at him and bends down, picking up the sheets that she had discarded on the floor and taking a green pencil crayon from the pile on the table before sitting back down on the small armchair that they had got cheaply from the local junk sale a few days ago.
"Whatcha drawing?" Tom asks a few moments later.
"Shouldn't you be actually looking at what you're doing instead of looking at me?"
Tom shrugs. "But it's such a pretty sight to look at!"
"Ever the flirt, Clarke. Now get on with the job. If you're so convinced that you're so amazing at replacing light bulbs."
Tom obediently looks back up at the light. "You still didn't tell me what you're drawing."
"I thought you said you were working."
Tom widens his eyes in mock horror. "I said no such thing! Me, work? Anyway, I bet you're drawing me. You are, aren't you?"
"No. I'm using a green pencil crayon, what part of you is green right now?"
"It could be stylised art?" he makes out. Lexi shakes her head.
"No. It's not. Anyway I'm not drawing you."
"So what are you drawing?"
"If I tell you, will you actually stop talking and let us both work?"
Tom contemplates this. "Yes. I suppose."
"Okay. I'm drawing the scene of the park. Grass and trees. A lot of green."
"Oh. Okay." Tom looks back at the lightbulb. Lexi continues drawing, her pencil moving back and forth across the paper, methodically, mechanically. It is actually quite therapeutic, she muses. Maybe it could be a new hobby. And green is such a nice colour.
"Can you pass me the spare lightbulb?" Tom's voice jerks her out of the reverie she is in. Lexi gives up any chance that she thought she might have at working quietly, and gets to her feet, grabbing the lightbulb. Tom has managed to unscrew the old faulty one from its holding and has it in his other hand. Lexi passes it to him silently, and takes the old one from his other hand, preparing to sit down again. But a cry from the wizard behind her sends her instinctively turning round and throwing out her arms, catching the boy in both arms. She easily supports his weight - even as a human she still has some of that Nekross strength - smiling at him.
"I won't fall -" she mimics in a laugh. Tom grins weakly.
"Yeah. You can - er - put me down now."
Lexi realises she is still holding Tom and feels her face flush red, easily letting him down. Even though they're technically together now, living in this tiny apartment, some of that old Lexi awkwardness hasn't left her.
"Thanks. I guess." Tom grins at her.
"Sit. You've proven you can't be trusted with ladders or light bulbs. I'll get you a drink."
Tom looks like he might protest but Lexi silences him by taking the lightbulb out of his hands and putting it on the table. She goes the few metres to their new kitchen, pouring water from the tap into a glass, filling it nearly to the top.
"There," she says, handing Tom the glass of water. "Drink. It's apparently good for shocks."
"I'm not sho -" Tom begins, but Lexi makes a drinking motion with her hands and he shuts up.
"Now let me do the lightbulb." She climbs up on the ladder, immediately noting all the components of the socket and easily screwing it into place. The room fills with a dim light from the old lightbulb, which Lexi figures is probably better than nothing.
"There. Easy." She climbs down the ladder and takes a sip of Tom's water, before draping a casual arm around his shoulders. "Don't know what you were making such a fuss about, Tom."
Tom grins. "My girlfriend. The only person to readily humiliate me about technology related chores."
Lexi kisses him on the cheek. "Yup. That's basically what I'm here for."