2200
"Whoa." Clarke's eyes widened as she watched the flowers wilt in Lexa's hands, before Lexa dumped them in the bin. "That's so cool!"
"There's nothing 'cool' about death, Clarke." Lexa reached over to her desk, grabbing her gloves and pulling them back on quickly. "If I touch anything for more than 10 seconds, it dies."
"I don't see it that way." Clarke grabbed Lexa's gloved hands in her hands, smiling at the other girl. "When my dad died, my mom told me that life has no meaning without death. Without death, life wouldn't be able to move on. When flowers die, they become compost for other things to grow in their place." Lexa dropped her gaze from Clarke's eyes, staring down at her own hands, absorbing Clarke's words.
"Besides. We're 14. We're meant to be enjoying ourselves. So come on. You have no lessons today, and I want to play pinball. You're coming with me." She laughed and stood up, pulling Lexa up off her bed. "Stop being grumpy and help me beat Monty's high score."
"Monty can manipulate metal. That is how he wins."
"Shut up, Lex."
2201
"Lexa!" The pounding on the door continued as Lexa sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the dead flowers held in her iron grip, water no longer dripping from their dead stems. The black was mocking her, reminding her that death was the end. Clarke was wrong, life and death didn't go hand in hand. One had to make way for the other. Lexa didn't even look up when the lock clicked and her door swung open.
"Lexa." Anya stood in the doorway, looking round the room before her eyes settled on Lexa, then dropped to the flowers in the girl's hands. "Oh, Lexa…" She moved further into the room, closing the door behind her and making her way over to the bed. She grabbed the stool by Lexa's bed, dragging it in front of the brunette and sitting down on it, reaching for Lexa's gloves.
"C'mon Lex." Anya gripped the flowers and gently eased them out of Lexa's hands, dropping them into the bin next to her, offering the gloves to the girl. Lexa sniffed and looked up at Anya, who frowned and tilted her head to the side at the sight of Lexa's red-rimmed eyes looking back at her.
"What happened? Was Bellamy an ass? Want me to make roots trip him?" She asked, holding Lexa's now gloved hands in hers, like she had many times before, comforting her. Lexa was like a little sister to Anya, ever since Lexa's parents died when she was little, Anya had looked after Lexa like she was her own, even if she herself was only a teen.
"It wasn't Bellamy." Lexa sniffed again, shaking her head. "It's Clarke."
"Clarke? I thought she was your friend? What did she do?" Anya asked, eyes wide at the prospect of Clarke doing something to hurt Lexa. All the others she could imagine. Maybe not Octavia, who was the only one other than Clarke who acknowledged Lexa's existence. But Clarke doing something mean to anyone was unheard of, and Anya wouldn't stand for it.
"No." Lexa started, gripping Anya's hands harder, looking into her mentor's eyes. "She didn't do anything, she… She's a mutant." Lexa gulped, and Anya pulled Lexa in for a hug, breaking contact with her after 8 seconds. It was enough for Lexa, whose eyes had cleared up a bit.
"And there's something wrong with that? I know Costia wasn't a mutant but she-"
"She controls life." Lexa cut Anya off, and Anya's small smile dropped. If there was anything she wouldn't wish upon Lexa, it would be that. Being friends with someone completely opposite to you. The pain it would cause Lexa to know that Clarke was life, and she was death. To different to co-exist.
"Lex..."
2203
"Lexa, we're graduating soon, please talk to me." Clarke grabbed Lexa by the back of her shirt, pulling the brunette back to her. For the past 2 years, all of Lexa's lessons had become private, being taught separately to the rest of the students, expanding and controlling her mutation. Her gift, Clarke would call it. Every day, without fail, Clarke would slide a note under Lexa's door to tell her about her day and how everyone else was getting on, wishing she could see her friend again. Now, 3 weeks away from graduation, Lexa was faced with a decision.
"Clarke."
"Don't Clarke me. I needed you, Lex. You were always there for me. This is the first time I've seen you come out of your room in years. Where have you been?" Clarke demanded, crossing her arms across her chest. Her chest that Lexa had to look up from. She gulped as Clarke's gaze caught hers, and she nodded, motioning towards an empty room next to them. Clarke pushed upon the door and led Lexa in, closing the door behind them.
"I need to tell you a story." Lexa sat down, motioning for Clarke to sit opposite her. "I was 11. And I didn't know I was a mutant."
2197
"And this means that that plus that, divided by that, makes 300!" Lexa smiled, clicking the lid back on her pen and smiling widely. She bit her lip and stood tall, proud of herself. From her bed, a girl giggled, shaking her head.
"You're wrong, Lexie. It's 250." She said, holding up her workings out.
"Nu uh." Lexa crossed her arms, pouting. "It's math. I'm good at math."
"Not this math." The girl jumped off of the bed, bounding over to Lexa, sheet in hand. "See?" Lexa grabbed the page, frowning as she read what was on there.
"You must have cheated. Or read the question wrong." Lexa handed the sheet back, frowning still.
"You're such a poor loser, Lex." She said, punching the brunette lightly on the arm.
"Am not."
"Are too." She challenged, laughing as Lexa took a step towards her. "You're not scary. Just because Ryder wet his pants when you yelled at him doesn't mean you're scary!" She laughed, jumping back onto the bed, closely followed by Lexa.
"I am scary! One day, I'll rule the world! I'll command everyone." Lexa put her hands on her hips. pouting, which caused the girl to laugh.
"You couldn't harm a fly!" Lexa gasped, and jumped towards the girl, grabbing her sides to tickle her.
2203
"Anya found me, upstairs, crying. My best friend, my, my childhood girlfriend, was dead, and I didn't understand why. I was tickling her one minute, and she was dead the next. I killed Costia." Lexa stammered out, looking down at her hands, the dry tear tracks down her face biting into her skin. She didn't dare look at Clarke, afraid of what she'd see in those brilliantly blue eyes. Fear. Hate. Sympathy.
"Lex…" Clarke grabbed Lexa's arms, pulling her into a hug, careful to avoid skin contact. Lexa felt her shoulder dampen with tears falling off Clarke's face, but couldn't make herself hug back. "That's why you ignored me." Clarke pulled back, studying Lexa. "I can't bring people back, Lexa. I can heal dying people."
"Just being close to someone that holds life in their hands was too much, Clarke. I couldn't do it. You deserve more than a killer anyway."
"No. None of that. You're not a killer. You're not a freak. You're an Ark Academy graduate and you can do whatever you want to after this. Save the world, teach here, go live a normal life, whatever you want. You're not a killer, or a freak, you're Lexa. And I want Lexa back."
"You never lost me."
2203 - 3 weeks later
"Don't you look swanky in your outfit?" Clarke laughed as Lexa turned sharply, surprised at Clarke being there.
"Why aren't you with your friends?" She asked, looking over at the rest, all in their outfits too, ready for graduation.
"I am. I'm with you." Clarke dragged her eyes up and down Lexa's outfit, nodding proudly. "So all that time you weren't in your room you were at the gym, huh?"
"Oh, uh, yeah. Noticeable, huh?" Lexa grinned as Clarke grabbed her bicep, squeezing.
"Yeah. Nice." Clarke stepped back, grinning too. "It's a nice outfit."
"It's a costume." Lexa shook her head, turning around. "If it was an outfit, would I have this stupid red cape?" She asked, turning back around and lifting her right hand up. "This glove has a skeleton hand on it. For some reason they made this like a turtleneck to go up to my chin. My mask, which I am not putting on, looks like running eyeliner." Clarke laughed at Lexa's pout, pushing her hand away from her face.
"I'm sure it makes you look menacing. Not that you're scary." Clarke grinned.
"I am scary!" Lexa argued back, and Clarke briefly saw pain flash across her eyes, before Lexa blinked, and it was gone.
"No you're not." Clarke pushed Lexa gently, laughing. "My outfit isn't any better. Apparently the good outfits go to those with attacking powers, or a member of the Fantastic Four. Not a healer."
"I think your costume it great. You got a cute little blue jacket and cape. It's not a skintight catsuit like they've given me, but you look hot." Lexa's eyes widened, comically even, as she backtracked. "I mean, not hot. Well you are, but it's not, it's just-"
"Calm down, Lex. It's okay. You look hot too." Lexa smiled back at Clarke, pushing her mask onto her face. Clarke realised Lexa was right, it did look like running eyeliner. It didn't hide the blush, however.
"Members of Ark Academy, could you please take your seats?" Abby called from the stage, where Gustus and Anya were already sat. Clarke looped her arm with Lexa's and dragged her over to two free seats.
"Hey, did you know Octavia Blake and Raven Reyes are dating?"
"If you didn't write it, I wouldn't know." Lexa snarked back, and Clarke pushed her in her seat.
"Shut up. You know what you want to do after this?" Clarke asked as Kane and Jaha took their places on the stage.
"No idea. The word is my oyster. And I think I want to make a difference."
"I think you'll make a huge difference." Clarke smiled, resting her head on Lexa's shoulder as Jaha began to speak.
"Fellow gifted. You have all been here long enough now that you have completed your training. You have all learnt how to control your gifts, and how to use them to your advantage. Whether it be bursting into flames, or talking to animals, you've all come a long way. And you will continue to flourish. Each one of you will be offered a job in teaching. The job will stay open forever. You need not accept immediately. The position will be held for you for whenever you want it, even if you never do." Clarke glanced over to Lexa who was playing with the corner of her cape. She wanted to teach. Like her mother. She wanted to help people all her life, and she had this amazing chance to do just that. The only problem was Lexa. Could she stay here and leave Lexa alone? Clarke doubted she'd want to teach at Ark Academy, and even if she did, would that be what she really wanted? Clarke wanted to make a difference, just like Lexa. But Lexa wanted to get out there and make a difference. And Clarke decided that as long as they kept in contact, she'd support whatever Lexa did.
"You know you're my hero, right?" She whispered as Jaha continued, and Lexa glanced to her.
"And you are mine." She smiled, turning back to face Jaha.
"You will now get your certificate. We will go alphabetically." Jaha reached for the first certificate and Bellamy stood, hands on hips in his Fantastic Four outfit, smiling cockily.
"Alexandria Polis." Jaha read out, and Bellamy faltered, almost tripping over his own deflating ego as Lexa stood up and made her way to stage. Clarke glanced over at Bellamy, who was glaring at Lexa, and she refrained from letting herself laugh. Lexa hurried back to her seat, dropping her certificate on the floor next to her chair.
"Alexandria?" Clarke questioned, raising her eyebrow.
"Shut up Clarke." Lexa quickly answered, and Clarke laughed.
"Clarke Griffin." Jaha read, and Clarke pushed past Lexa, smiling on her way up to the stage.
This was a whole new beginning. For everyone. She was going to be a teacher. She was going to make a difference, make sure no mutant ever felt like Lexa had her last few years there. And she smiled for Lexa. Lexa was going to go out into the world and make a difference. Change the world as they knew it. Everyone was. Everyone was going to be good. They were prepared for anything. They could face anything. Do anything. They were a team.
2205
"Bellamy's dead?!"
So they graducated. The rest will make a comeback, all of them will have a chapter dedicated to them I hope. The Academy section was the smallest section, there's a lot more coming, it's not nearly over yet.
Thanks for reading, leave a comment if you like it. It really helps boost motivation :)