AN: Shout out to Elona who a while back guessed correctly where the inspiration for this story came from. *Cheers*

Sorry for any mistakes. Enjoy!


"I heard about the mugging. I'm glad you're ok, Griff." Raven smiled and held back the chuckle at seeing Clarke jump in surprise.

The girl looked down from the top step of the stool, taking a break from cleaning the mirror wall as she sat down on it. "Thanks, Raven." She nodded down to the brunette. "I'm glad I lived to see your face another day."

Raven smiled arrogantly. "Lucky you." She was going to continue with more ego-centric one-liners when she spotted the bartender cleaning glasses and stashing them away for later use. She turned back to look up at the blonde. "So you're staying at Lexa's huh?" She smirked at the girl.

Heaving a sigh, Clarke rolled her eyes because she knew this was inevitable. People were bound to insinuate and assume everything, and would play twenty one questions with her. While she didn't really care what people thought, she feared the monotonous conversations would send her over the edge eventually.

Still she kept her face devoid of any expression, aside from the obvious irritation that her eye roll conveyed, and shook her head at her friend. "She was nice enough to let me crash there. You know, since the jerks have my address and all." Clarke smirked satisfied with her response.

Raven nodded slowly with a gleam in her eye. "Sure. Ok. Well, let me know how if there's anything I can do for you, though I think you're pretty much set."

Clarke took that as her cue to continue with her previous task so she stood. "Go rehearse, Rae." She shook her head again as she watched the brunette walk away.

She had successfully avoided looking at the brunette behind the bar thus far, but in a quick blur she caught her outline and her eyes refused to go anywhere else. She observed her inconspicuously for a few moments, reveling in the sudden flood of admiration and appreciation she felt. It was becoming more evident to Clarke that her feelings for the bartender were though undefinable, unshakeable and undeniable.

It was a shock, and her cheeks blushed red when Lexa looked up unexpectedly and their eyes met.

The blonde quickly brushed off the embarrassment of being caught staring and smiled down at the girl. Her heart raced when Lexa smiled in kind. She had no idea that when she moved under the counter, the brunette had done so to obscure her own flushed expression.

Before Indra gave the go to let the customers in, Lexa interrupted her with a smirk gracing her face. She had everyone sit and listen to her ideas about the upcoming script she was working on. Though she had yet to actually complete any scenes, she assured them that they would like it. The band members whistled sexily at the dancers and they in turn rolled their eyes before being cajoled into batting their eyelashes at them.

Lincoln chimed in after they all settled down, and he mentioned he wanted to spend some time with the bartender to discuss the tone of the script so he could work on writing up some pieces to go with it. They would need time to rehearse, especially the band, and he wanted to start right away.

The atmosphere was light and the group nodded excitedly before Clarke jumped in to ask the dancers who wanted to be first in line for the poster work. Several of them were excited the girl had decided to use her artistic skills to promote their cause. Lexa looked intently at the blonde, a half smile hidden from everyone except for her. Clarke made sure to smile back before looking out at the rest of them.

"Thank you all for this." Indra added. "It means a lot that you are all willing to fight for this place as much as I am." She smiled kindheartedly at them all.

There was a moment of silence as their boss walked away, but soon the arrangements were made between the two parties that were ready to start on the project.

"I can go back to my place today so you can concentrate on the script." Clarke stood next to the brunette as she waited for the drinks that her customers had ordered.

Everyone was pleased to see that the crowd was not as thin as it had been in the previous nights. They all knew it was a day when the "new place" opened later so it made sense people would venture over into their establishment for some entertainment, but the relief was there nonetheless.

Lexa looked up from the glass she was topping off and casted an unconvinced look upon the girl. "You just left your place last night, Clarke. You think you're ready to go back so soon?" She looked at her in challenge for an honest answer.

The way with which she questioned her made the blonde hold her breath in thought. She was afraid to respond and have her voice betray her. Of course she wasn't ready to go back so soon. The mere thought of someone having access to her place, and having her sense of security compromised made her shiver uneasily. She would much rather stay at Lexa's for a while longer. "I'm not ready, but I will be if you need me to be." Clarke looked hesitantly up at the green eyes next to her.

She felt the tray shake in her hands as the bartender placed the drinks on it. They locked eyes before the brunette shook her head slowly and smirked. "No need, Clarke. I'm pretty good at writing and ignoring distractions."

An easy going smile crossed Clarke's features and she sighed internally, grateful once again for the girl's ability to lighten any mood. "Are you saying I'm a distraction?" She teased.

The brunette shook her head again. "Don't keep your customers waiting, Virginia." Lexa smirked before she moved away reluctantly towards one of her regular customers and former classmate. "Hi Elona, same as always?" She eyed the girl.

"Please. I've had one a hell of a day today." The girl replied with a heavy sigh.

"School kicking your ass?" Lexa made small talk while she poured her a drink.

The girl nodded. "Had a mid-term today. It was brutal. I love writing, but that instructor is savage. We had a little over two hours to write up a fifteen page paper about iambic pentameter. Are you kidding me?" She shook her head and nodded at Lexa in thanks when she was handed the drink.

"Yikes, that is brutal. But obviously you completed the mid-term, right?" She waited for the girl's response with a knowing look.

There was a small sigh from the girl before she grinned at the bartender. "Obviously." She lifted her glass up to the brunette before she took a nice gulp of the liquid. Lexa only stared on in amusement. A small wince took over the girl's features as the strong liquor hit her taste buds and proceeded to warm her throat on the way down. "So when are you going to re-apply, Lexa? I know you left because you hated the curriculum, but you're a good writer, girl. Give it another shot."

Lexa looked down at her cleaning cloth and wiped the already spotless countertop clean. "You know, I've been thinking about it more and more. Especially since I have yet to hear back from the publishers about my book." She nodded with a quick look at Elona before Clarke made her way across her line of sight towards a table. There was a small moment of silence between the girls before the bartender looked back down at the girl. "Who knows, I might find the motivation I need."

Elona lifted her glass again. "Well I hope you do. Cheers girl." She downed the liquid before shivering once again.

"Another?" Lexa grinned at the girl. It was never any different when the girl stopped by for a drink. She always asked for the hard stuff, and despite not really having an affinity for the burning sensation, she drank away at least four shots each time. The brunette chuckled before shaking her head at the girl's silent response.

Clarke smiled wide when Raven, Octavia, and Harper took the stage. Their costumes sparkled in the spotlight as they began to whirl their arms along with the beat of the band. They made it look so effortless and suave, and though their smiles were likely added on for good measure, there was no way people could fake that kind of enjoyment.

She shook her head at one of Raven's hand gestures before she removed empty glasses from a table and placed them carefully on her tray. Her intention had been to make her way back towards the bar, especially when she saw the brunette grinning and laughing with a customer, but when she headed towards them she spotted a familiar smiling face in the crowd.

Clarke did her best to ignore her curious nature which pleaded with her to investigate the cause of Lexa's jovial mood, and moved towards the man instead.

She stopped beside the table and smiled back at the grinning customer. "You haven't called." He deadpanned with an artificial pout.

The blonde shook her head and shrugged. "Sorry."

"I thought we found some common ground. Was it my forwardness?" He questioned.

"No." She paused. "I'm just not the girl that calls a guy one conversation and a business card later." The girl grinned.

"Ouch." He touched his heart with a phony look of pain. "But you remember my name at least?"

Clarke shrugged. "I might if you remind me what kind of drink you're buying."

"Ouch again." He smiled and shook his head in disbelief. "That's all I am? A customer?"

"You're in here right?"

"Touché." He grinned. "I'll have a dry martini, Clarke." He beamed up at her as he handed her his card. "Keep a tab open, please."

The girl examined it quickly and nodded, pretending being reminded of his name by the plastic card. "Sure thing, Anthony." She replied before pivoting and walking towards the bar.

Unbeknownst to Clarke, Lexa had caught the last of the exchange as she looked up from where Elona sat. Her eyes drifted from the pair to a patron that lifted their hand up to get her attention at the end of the counter. The brunette had tried hard to snub the familiar feeling in the pit of her stomach, acting indifferent as she smiled at the person she handed a beer to.

Yet Lexa sensed it would be a long night's battle between her head and the nauseating prick of jealousy in her gut.

When Clarke approached her she resorted to wiping down the counter. She only stopped the dabbing when she felt the blonde standing close enough to whisper into her ear, the tray and empty glasses neatly deposited on the counter top. "Get ready, D.C. We're about to make some money." A wave of shuddering goosebumps decorated her skin from her neck down to her legs, and she quickly closed her eyes to regain her confident bravado to respond. She dug deep for it.

An itching desire to clear her throat forced her to swallow discreetly. "This isn't that kind of place." She taunted with her usual grin which earned her a playful smack on the shoulder. "You're so nice to want to contribute Clarke, but there's got to be another way." Lexa chuckled and recoiled from the impending second swing of the girl's palm.

Clarke glared at her playfully before she shook her head. "Fine. I get to keep the tips then." She sauntered back towards the register to stash Anthony's card in the drawer. "Dry martini. Make it extra extra, please."

Lexa got to work on the drink with a backwards glance at the blonde. She thought about shelving the topic, not wanting to start up a certain conversation just yet, but her mouth got ahead of her brain when she saw the girl looking down at her. "I see your friend is back. Is he here to convince you to be part of his inspiration entourage?" She made sure to grin as casually as always before looking back at the martini glass.

She walked up to her, her front nearly pressed up against the bartender's back when she leaned down to whisper again. "I've heard I can be a distraction, I'm trying to rectify that."

Her breath hitched, but this time she denied her body any reaction as she straightened instantly and turned around with the glass in hand. They were in each other's spaces, but neither girl budged. Instead, Clarke took the drink from Lexa and trained her gaze upon the green orbs that challenged her. "Don't sacrifice yourself on my behalf." The brunette smirked.

They stared for a while longer before Clarke shook her head to break the haze that surrounded both of them. "Thank you, Lexa." She smiled sweetly before grabbing her tray and walking away nonchalantly.

Lexa stood in place as her eyes followed her out. Her heart drummed against her ribcage and she finally let out a silent breath.

"You got it bad girl." She heard Elona yell over the music. There was no way she could argue against it.


Lincoln huffed in frustration and scratched out the progress he had made on his music sheet, yet again. It was four hours ago that he sat down in Lexa's living room to begin the collaborative effort of piecing together their play.

While the brunette had successfully completed the plot and proceeded to outline the entire play, he had been mulling over the opening and general tone of the musical numbers. Unsuccessfully. Because every time he thought he had something, he would second guess himself and scratch out the notes he had added to the paper.

Lexa laughed at him under her breath before she decided it was time for a break. "Want a beer?" She asked with a sympathetic grin before she stood. His face was painted with a pout and he nodded dolefully up at her.

"So where's Clarke?" Lincoln asked casually as he leaned back into the sofa to rest his eyes.

The brunette shrugged mostly to herself as she emerged from the kitchen with a beer in each hand. "Not sure. She's been gone most of the day." She handed Lincoln his beer before she sat back down.

They drank from the bottles simultaneously before they allowed a few minutes of silence for themselves. When they were half-way through their beverages they resumed the discussion about the musical aspect of the play.

Both had suggestions about the style of music, and what it should help convey, but neither was convinced the right feeling had yet come to them. The musician was hesitant about making it too much like a striptease, and Lexa was quick to agree. They needed to make it sexy as they barely tiptoed on the line of separation.

Lincoln jotted more notes and allowed the girl to provide the lyrics which were dialogue scenes from her outline. Together they worked on the opening number. An hour later they sighed, relieved at having successfully tackled that feat.

"Got more beer?" The guy asked with a wide smile.

Lexa nodded and headed for the fridge to retrieve their rewards.

"Oh hey, Lincoln." Clarke greeted the guy as she closed the door behind her.

He waved from his spot on the couch. "I found Clarke, Lex."

The girl rolled her eyes at the small joke as she headed out of the kitchen with their beers. She eyed Clarke carefully and nodded. "Hey. Shopping?"

"Not really." Clarke shrugged. "Just needed a quick outfit."

Lexa knitted her brows as she walked past the blonde to sit. "Going out?" She asked casually before she took a gulp of her beer.

"Not really." The blonde shrugged again. "Kind of."

"Now I'm confused." Lincoln added with a smirk.

"Anthony asked me out to dinner a couple of nights ago." She felt her face redden as the temperature seemed to spike in the room. The pair of scrutinizing green eyes made her nervous, and she diverted her gaze towards Lincoln instead. "But it's just a friendly dinner. To talk about art." Clarke added as she looked over at Lexa to defend herself. Technically there was no need, but she felt compelled to clarify the situation to the girl.

"Art." Lexa drank again. "Right."

Lincoln grinned at the pair before he drank from his own beer with a shake of his head.

"Art." Clarke nodded. "Yes." She rolled her eyes exasperatingly at the brunette. "Anyway, I'll be out of your hair for a while. Have fun with the session." She smiled and waved at them as she headed for the washroom.

They looked on as their friend left the room and eventually looked back to each other.

Silently they took a swig of their beers. In the quiet they had time to reflect on the situation. Lincoln wanted to ask questions, while Lexa wanted to pretend no one else could pick up on what she felt for the blonde.

It was a few seconds later, when Lincoln decided to poke and prod at his friend that he whispered.

"So how long have you liked her?

TBC…

Yes! Finally we have both girls contemplating what's brewing underneath it all, and others are totally catching on. I'm excited for our girls! Elona, I hope you liked your character, maybe she'll stick around. ;)