Thursday nights at Grounders never failed to draw in a crowd. Situated close enough to the Ark University campus it gained quite the reputation with the students as an affordable and decently kept bar with a constant good atmosphere. On Thursdays, whoever was brave enough to get on stage and sing their heart out earned themselves free drinks for the rest of the night. It just so happens to be that it's the same bar owned by Lexa's older cousin, Gustus, and the one she often frequents with her friends for the free drinks. Perks.

"Linc, she kicks your ass playing darts every time".

The burly guy with adorning tattoos pouts almost childishly as he slides back into the booth where the rest of the group is sitting. Lexa, wearing her usual black jeans, leather jacket and white V-neck, follows in beside him sporting a smug grin on her face and high-fives her sister Anya from across the table before reaching out for the beer she'd left earlier. Anya and the rest of the group – with the exception of her roommate, Luna – are all a year older than Lexa herself, but where one sister went, the other would surely follow; she was always welcomed by everyone even before university and it wasn't long until she fell into having a large group of friends that she could call family. She almost feels at home here in what they consider to be their booth. It's been their spot since everyone became friends and Lexa's too immediately during her first year.

"So what were you guys up to while I was busy wiping the floor with Lincoln?"

"Well Echo here," Anya starts, putting her arm around the shoulders of the brunette beside her, "was just telling us that she thinks she's finally going to agree to go on a date with that guy that lives in Mt. Weather Hall".

Echo's face scrunches up, pretending to be disgusted at the response and taking Anya's arm off of her. "Okay first of all, I only said he's not the most unattractive person I've met. Second of all, I heard he's not so great in bed, so no, that definitely doesn't make me want to date him". She begins counting points off her fingers and Lexa laughs at the ridiculousness of her friend. She's feeling the pleasant warmth of the alcohol coursing through her body. Lexa's laugh is infectious and the other brunette begins to chuckle. "Why is that funny? I want good sex, sue me. And lastly, he's the brother of that girl Lincoln's been crushing on since forever and there's no way I want to get stuck doubling with them".

"Hey, why would that be a bad thing?" Lincoln asks.

"Maybe it's because you'd make googly eyes at her all night like Lex does with that blonde from Psych".

She feels her cheeks burning and she's not sure if it's from the beer or the comment – she knows it's what Luna said because Clarke is so freaking pretty, how can anyone not stare? – but she's hoping no one has noticed the slight tinge of pink on her skin so she takes another big gulp of her drink and pretends not to be fazed.

"Aww Luna, you made little Woods blush!" Anya points to her face, only making it burn even more.

"Shut up An, don't pretend you don't get all whipped and cuddly around Reyes.

Lincoln smirks and leans over to put his hand on her shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better, you can come double with me" he says, making the rest of the friends double over laughing.

She hates them all.

Half an hour and three beers plus one tequila shot later, Lexa and Anya excuse themselves to head for the restroom. She's enjoying the tipsy feel of the alcohol as she's walking through the bar to the opposite end. They never come to the bar with the intention of getting drunk enough to forget the night, just to enjoy the company and feel the weight of school lifted off of their shoulders for a while. The sisters are almost to the door when a familiar flash of blonde comes into sight, a hand gently reaching Lexa's arm which causes her to pause her stride.

"Hey Lexa!" the blue-eyed girl calls with a bright smile before being dragged away quickly by a friend Lexa often sees her sitting beside in class – Lincoln's crush. She doesn't even get a chance to respond because her brain is too slow, still repeating the dance of Clarke's fingers on her skin. Damnit.

"So that must be Clarke, huh?" Anya smirks, prompting the brunette to finally come out of her daze and roll her eyes, marching forward again.

Lexa feels her mood change almost immediately. Pushing through the door she smiles to herself at the giddiness that has settled in now knowing that Clarke is here. Knowing that Clarke threw her that big smile with those beautiful lips. Knowing Clarke stared at her with those eyes that rival the colour of –

"Lex, hurry up and move, I really have to go". Her sister pushes past her and practically runs into one of the free stalls.

The ocean. Her eyes rival the colour of the ocean on the clearest of days and Lexa thinks that if she were to drown in them she wouldn't really mind.

The cool water feels nice on her skin, cooling it and soothing the heat that her body had been feeling because of the crowded bar…And maybe also from now knowing she'll be in the same bar as Clarke, where she can sneak glimpses of her beautiful wavy hair, and have her heart melt when she sees the girl throw her head back while laughing as she usually does.

"Feeling some karaoke tonight?"

She turns the tap off and reaches out to grab the paper towel that Anya is holding out for her. In the background from the chatter of the restroom she faintly hears the beginning of a familiar song. "Not tonight".

Closing time

Open all the doors and let you out into the world

When her sister swings the door open it's no wonder the sound was familiar. She's heard some pretty crappy drunk voices belted out through the night but whoever is up on stage right now is almost angelically singing Lexa's favourite song.

Closing time

"Why? Don't want to embarrass yourself now that you know your crush is here?"

She hates her sister.

Brushing past with a deliberate nudge to Anya's shoulder, she heads back in the direction of their booth.

Turn all of the lights on over every boy and every girl

Normally she doesn't pay any mind to the singers on stage but curiosity is getting the best of her, especially when there's a particular group of students loudly encouraging whoever it is. While making her way around the tables, she chances a look past the other standing patrons and over to where the stage is.

Closing time

Her eyes go wide when she puts the pieces together. She shouldn't have looked. She really shouldn't have. Because now she knows that Clarke fucking Griffin has something else to add on to a 'Reasons why I'm swoon worthy' list.

"Oof. Jesus Lex why'd you fucking stop".

One last call for alcohol so finish your whiskey or beer

She hears her sister and she knows she's not moving. Her converse are solidly planted on the spot but she can't even will herself to go anywhere. She can't focus on anything other than the blonde angel that's starting to really get into the song, smiling as she hears the loud cheers around her.

Closing time

"Ah, now I get it". From the corner of her eye she faintly realizes that Anya is walking away but she still doesn't move.

You don't have to go home but you can't stay here

If she wasn't already crushing on Clarke she sure as fucking hell is now. It's not creepy to stare, right? She's up there on stage in front of a bar full of people. Someone is bound to look and listen. She really can't move her damn feet anyway. How dare she be so astonishingly attractive.

I know who I want to take me home

Jesus, she's absolutely killing it. Lexa knows damn well she can't listen to this song ever again without seeing Clarke up on that stage.

I know who I want to take me home

She's pretty sure she can feel the goosebumps begin to rise on her skin. Clarke is looking around the room and clearly enjoying the fuck out of herself. The bar is suddenly loud with all of the people cheering her on. But then the blonde's gaze is getting closer to the area Lexa is standing and she's so terribly nervous with pretty girls that she doesn't want Clarke to see her staring, but she can't freaking move. Clarke's readying herself for the next line but before it comes out her blue eyes find Lexa and her smile gets impossibly bigger.

I know who I want to take me home

Take me home

She sings while keeping her eyes locked on the brunette and follows up with a playful wink. That's it. Lexa's a goner. She's really freaking into Clarke Griffin. The heat is back on her cheeks and she hopes that from where the blonde is standing she can't see the change. She makes sure to stand in that spot, with Clarke's eyes on her, for the rest of the song.

Of course when she finally makes it back to the booth where her friends are they're all ready to tease her about how immensely gay she is ("I'm pretty sure everyone in the room could feel how hugely homo you are for her") (She hates Anya).

"Wow Lex, your girl has some talent".

She swallows the last of her beer and rolls her eyes at Echo. "She's not my girl".

"Pretty sure Lexa is hoping she also has a different kind of talent".

"Luna!"

Everyone at the table – minus Lexa who has her eyes closed and head on her arms trying her hardest (and failing) to ignore the cackling bunch around her – erupts into an uncontrollable laughter but it doesn't last long because all of a sudden silence takes over. Someone kicks Lexa's shin underneath the table causing her head to whip back up. "Ow, what the –"

"Hey". Clarke is standing at the end of their booth, wide smile still on her face. Lexa feels like her senses are all overloading while she runs her eyes over Clarke's face. The slight dimple caused by her smile, the terribly attractive mark above her lip, how her –

She receives another kick and her face burns after realizing she's been staring for way too long to be considered appropriate. Someone giggles.

She hates her friends.

"Hi, Clarke". It comes out stiff and Lexa internally curses herself. Smooth, asshole. She's held conversations with her before, only they had been limited times during class hours. The brunette tries again. "You were really good up there" she settles for, smiling shyly and pointing her thumb over her shoulder in the direction of the stage.

There's a hint of pink crawling up Clarke's neck and Lexa had only assumed she'd be accustomed to hearing compliments about herself. "Oh, thank you. I don't do it often. My friends dared me".

"Octavia is here?"

"Yeah, she should be sitting with Raven". Lincoln's puppy love momentarily took Clarke's eyes off of the other girl and Lexa swears she could murder him for interrupting.

"I'm gonna go say hi".

"Me too".

Anya and Lincoln are both sliding out of the booth and Lexa is both glad for two less people to tease, but also aware she's two less people down and closer to being alone with Clarke.

"I'm gonna head over to the bar for a bit. Echo?"

"Right behind you".

She hates her friends. So. So. So much.

All through the exchange, Clarke has been tapping her fingers against the side of the table. They both watch the last of Lexa's friends leave and with every bit of growing distance they put between themselves and the booth, Lexa's heart pounds harder.

"Well then, I guess that was easier than I expected". Clarke nonchalantly drops herself on the seat across from the brunette.

"What was?"

"Getting you to myself for a bit" she grins and Lexa's cheeks burn. Damn pretty girls. "Do you usually come here?"

It's almost one of those cheesy and cliché lines and Lexa tries not to think about it too much but she feels her mouth move to form a smile. "My cousin owns it".

"Ah, so often then. I can't say the same. A lot of the time I'm content with a movie night or house party".

"I see". Back to cursing herself and the small talk she can't help but spew. She briefly looks around the room for someone to save her from embarrassing herself further but everyone is occupied.

"Looks like I'm going to have to try a little harder, huh?" the blonde laughs, obviously noticing Lexa's nerves.

"You don't have to try at all for people to notice you, Clarke. It's hard not to notice beautiful things" she offers honestly. It rolls off her tongue before she can even stop herself. Oh my gosh. She actually said that out loud. Wait. Clarke blushes in response and looks down at her hands.

She's sure Clarke's heard all of these compliments and then some, so she's taken aback by how they seem to register with her. Like these ones, the one's coming from her, seem to matter.

"And here I thought I was going to be the smooth one".

The brunette knows she's trying to brush it off, so she lets her. She makes a quick promise to herself to woman the hell up and make more time for genuinely complimenting this girl in the future. Gosh she's pretty up close. "I don't think completely being unable to move while watching you on stage could ever count as any sort of smooth points".

She watches as Clarke giggles once again. She listens to the carefree tone that it has. The kind you hear from a child on the beach, or the kind that comes when your friend makes you watch stupid videos of dogs doing stupid things (Thanks Linc). It's contagious and she can't help herself from joining.

"Maybe not, but I thought it was pretty cute". She reaches out for Lexa's hand and starts playing with her fingers. Damnit, there goes her heart again. "In general, I actually think you're pretty cute". Just take her to the ER. She's sure these heart palpitations will be the death of her. Clarke Griffin will be the death of her. Calm down.

"I'm not cute, I'm fierce and everyone is afraid of me".

"Is that so? Well, fiercely cute warrior," it earns her a playful eye roll, "I know it's almost one but I know this 24 hour dessert place and I was wondering if you'd do me the honour of joining".

She's doing it. She's drowning in Clarke's gorgeous ocean eyes and she can't stop herself. She doesn't want to. "Just the two of us?"

"There's this weird thing that people do, I think they call it going on a date. And they talk to get to know each other and sometimes have these really meaningful and gross conversations. I was wondering if maybe you'd like to make it one of those". The blonde is still touching her, but now her hand is still and holding onto Lexa's own. She's biting her lip and looking at Lexa with those damn eyes and obviously Lexa wants to say yes.

"You move quick, Griffin" she jokes. The conversation is much easier now. There's no pressure and she has a hang of the way everything seems to be naturally flowing. She can faintly – it's like her hand is on fire – feel Clarke's thumb soothingly brush across her knuckles.

"It's a twist on the lesbian U-Haul thing. The bisexual edition".

Lexa finds herself genuinely laughing once again. She's past the point of caring where her friends are. "I don't think that's a thing".

"Shh. I'm the professional here".

"Alright then".

"Was that a yes?"

"Yes, that was a yes".