Chapter 10: Don't You Think It's Time
Clarke and Lexa arrived at LAX after a seven-hour flight from New York, only to be met with a thunderstorm and potential flooding. The weather conditions caused a delay on their arrival by an hour, leaving a slightly frustrated Lexa.
Whatever plans she had to take Clarke to dinner were foiled by Mother Nature. She was devastated by the change of plans, having spent a good portion of the previous night planning out a date night for Clarke and herself. She wanted to spend as much time as possible with the blonde but they both knew this trip was more business than pleasure.
"There's a pizza place right by the apartment," Lexa informed Clarke as they entered the cab. If she wasn't going to get dinner date, she'd at least improvise. "I'll order now so it's ready when we get there. What would you like?"
"I'm fine with just pepperoni," Clarke said.
As Lexa made the call, Clarke stared out the window into the stormy streets of Los Angeles. Nighttime had settled on the city and she watched as people ran to take cover from the pouring rain.
"Pizza is being made," Lexa said after ending her call. She extended her hand out and placed it on Clarke's thigh, trying to get her attention. The blonde turned her head at the gesture and smiled.
They enjoyed their ride listening to the cab driver's chosen radio station, a mix of oldies and recent hits. Lucky for them, their cab driver wasn't much of a talker. When the radio turned to commercials, they discussed their previous traveling experiences.
It was the first time Clarke had ever been to the West Coast, the furthest she'd ever been from New York being Florida as a kid. Lexa had, over the years, become a frequent flyer, constantly visiting different cities to find new talent.
"Do you ever get tired of it?" Clarke asked as they sat at a red light.
"It was hard at first when it was just me and Anya," Lexa replied. "But we've grown and I have so many hard working talent scouts who can do this on a more consistent basis. With their help we've signed over fifteen artists in the last two years."
"If you have scouts, why are we doing this one?"
"Because I still enjoy getting to do it sometimes," Lexa shrugged. "Plus this artist is really important."
"Important?"
"She's an amazing singer and songwriter but unfortunately she hasn't had any luck with labels because she's gay," Lexa admitted. "No one will give her a shot."
"Are you serious? What year is it again?" Clarke asked mockingly.
"There are still people in this industry who will never change," the brunette said.
"So what's the plan to get her to want to sign with us?"
"We're meeting her at the studio tomorrow and we'll get to see her in action," Lexa said. "You and I will informally interview her just to see if she'd fit at the label."
"You want me to help interview?" Clarke asked, slightly taken aback by the mention of interviewing.
"Yes, it is why you're here after all," Lexa laughed. "Don't worry it's not as bad as you think."
The cab driver pulled up to the apartment complex and stopped the car. He turned to look at the two women in the back, his hand extended out towards both of them. "Forty dollars," he mumbled.
Lexa took out her wallet first and fished out a fifty-dollar bill. "Keep the change," she said with a smile before exiting the car. She held the door open for Clarke who slipped out almost immediately.
The two were drenched by the time they removed the bags from the cab's trunk and made their way across the street to pick up the pizza. It was pouring harder than when they arrived and neither girl had thought of buying an umbrella from the airport.
"I have a pick up order for Lexa Woods," the brunette mentioned at the front of the pizza restaurant. She took out another bill of cash and handed it to the cashier.
Clarke watched as Lexa wiped water away from her face, her make up smudging around the eyes, giving the brunette a pair of raccoon-eyes. She smiled to herself at the sight.
The restaurant employee presented them with a large pizza box tucked away in a plastic bag. "Thank you," both girls said in unison before returning out into the rain.
Minutes later they entered Lexa's small loft, dropping off their suitcases by the door. Clarke took in the apartment as Lexa disappeared into a hallway. She looked around in the living room, searching for pictures of Lexa but the room was stripped of any frames.
Lexa emerged from the hallway five minutes later dressed in an oversized t-shirt with black yoga pants. Her make-up was completely removed, a look that Clarke had never seen before. In her hands were an extra change of clothes and a white towel.
"Here," she said as she handed the items to the blonde. "So you don't have to dig through your suitcase."
Clarke thanked the other girl as she accepted the clothes and towel. "Who's is this?" she asked, noticing that Lexa had handed her a basketball jersey.
"Mine," Lexa replied.
"You're a Lakers fan?" Clarke asked, wrinkling her nose in disappointment.
"Knicks," she shook her head. "But I got it as a gift from a client."
Clarke removed the wet t-shirt from her body, not giving the brunette a warning before doing so. She threw on the jersey and stripped off her jeans, watching as Lexa looked around, avoiding eye contact. She slipped on the shorts and fixed her hair before informing the brunette that she was done.
"You know what? You can keep the jersey," Lexa said when her eyes fell on the blonde. "It looks way better on you."
Clarke blushed at the compliment. "I can rock a jersey," she joked.
"Do you want anything to drink?" Lexa asked. "And by anything I mean water since I don't have much here."
"Water is fine."
Lexa disappeared to get water while Clarke settled down on the couch. She removed the pizza box from the plastic bag that protected it and placed it on top. The strong smell of pizza filled the room and it took everything in her not to rip open the box and eat a slice.
The lights suddenly went out as Clarke sat back on the couch, waiting for the brunette. As if on cue, Lexa reappeared with two cups of water, using her phone as a flashlight to guide her.
"This would happen," she mumbled to herself as she placed the cups on the coffee table. She was already discontent with not being able to take Clarke out, and now her makeshift date was being ruined by a power outage.
"Do you need help getting supplies?" Clarke asked, noticing that the brunette was searching through a cabinet near the front of the room.
"I just found what I was looking for," Lexa said. "I have enough enough candles for the living room and the rooms," she added.
"How many rooms do you have?" Clarke asked. She could barely make Lexa out in the darkness but as soon as her eyes adjusted she could see her coming closer.
"Two," Lexa said, her voice closer to Clarke. "You can sleep in the master bedroom."
Lexa set three candles down in the center of the coffee table. Clarke smiled, a flashback to their first date consuming her thoughts.
"This is awfully romantic for a business trip," she joked as Lexa finished lighting the last candle. She took a seat next to Clarke, allowing only a few inches worth of space.
"That part of the trip doesn't start until we meet with Ashley tomorrow," Lexa replied happily.
"So what part of the trip is this?" Clarke asked, scooting closer into Lexa's space, their bodies officially touching.
Lexa leaned in and pressed her lips on Clarke's cheek. "The better part," she said as she pulled back. She reached towards the coffee table and grabbed two slices of pizza, handing one to Clarke and keeping the other for herself.
"This is a nice place," Clarke said, changing the subject. "How many more secret locations do you own?"
"If I told you I'd have to kill you," Lexa said with a smirk.
"Now I'm intrigued," Clarke winked.
"I'm just kidding," Lexa shook her head. "Just this one and a house in North Carolina."
"For your brother?"
"It's a summer house," Lexa shrugged. "But I stay there when I visit him."
"I've never been to North Carolina," Clarke admitted.
"I can take you there one day," Lexa smiled. "If you want."
"I'd like that, yeah."
Lexa shifted her body to face Clarke, putting one leg up on the couch while resting the other foot on the floor. "I'm sorry I couldn't take you anywhere today," she said.
"I like spending time with you, Lex," Clarke admitted. "We don't have to be going anywhere."
Lexa placed her half-eaten pizza on the open box and turned back to look into Clarke's eyes. She leaned forward, placing her forehead on Clarke's and smiling. "I like spending time with you too," she said.
The two stared into each other's eyes before Lexa made the first move. She leaned in slowly and pressed her lips against the blonde's. The first kiss was slow, lips brushing in unison like a pair of synchronized swimmers. With a boost of confidence, Lexa sat up and wrapped her legs around Clarke's waste, never breaking away from her lips as she straddled her. The blonde's hands found comfort on Lexa's waist, holding her steady above her.
Clarke relished every movement of Lexa's tongue against her own. It was a new side of Lexa, one that took control and drove Clarke crazy. Their pizza was forgotten as the two kissed passionately on the couch. Clarke's hands explored the inches of exposed skin on Lexa's hips, as the brunette held onto her shoulders.
With a swift movement, Clarke removed Lexa's shirt and threw it to the side. They broke off from their kiss just to let the shirt be removed but they were too hungry for each other to stop kissing and their lips drawing back to each other like magnets.
The lights returned in the midst of their embrace. Neither girl noticed the change, both far too preoccupied trying to keep themselves from exploding.
Lexa was the first to emit an audible moan. She could feel Clarke's hands caressing every inch of her sides, sneaking their way up to her back. She was so caught up in the moment, so turned on by their closeness that she didn't notice what Clarke was doing until it was too late.
Clarke unhooked Lexa's bra with a single motion but the brunette pulled away before it could fall. Her eyes were wide with surprise, pupils still dilated from attraction.
"Clarke," she said, her voice hitched. She held her arm over her chest, keeping the bra from falling and exposing herself. "I should- we should-" she stumbled on her words. She cleared her throat before continuing, getting off of Clarke in the process. "I need to go shower and go to bed."
With that, Lexa stood up from the couch, grabbed the shirt from the floor, and walked in the direction of the hallway.
"Your room is the last one down the hall," she turned and said. "There's a bathroom in it," she said before disappearing.
Clarke sat quietly and watched the brunette walk away. She blew out the candles in the middle of the coffee table and used her phone to light her way to the room Lexa mentioned was going to be hers. She was confused and considerably disappointed.
...
After finally showering and clearing her thoughts, Clarke re-entered the room in one of her own sleeping outfits, a t-shirt and boy short underwear. She lit the couple of candles Lexa had left behind, opting to use the candle light instead of the power in the event that the lights were to go out again.
She sat up against the headboard, cell phone in hand. She debated calling Raven but settled on the only person who would be useful in her situation.
"Clarke," Octavia said from the other line, her voice sounding sleepy. "Is everything okay?"
"No, O, I need your advice."
"You do realize it's 3 am, right? I work in the morning."
"Oh shit, I didn't even think about that,"
"Are you and Lexa okay?"
Clarke bit the inside of her cheek at the mention of the other girl's name. "We're fine I just... I think I screwed this up."
Clarke hears the clicking of a lamp and she imagines Octavia sitting up on her bed, ready to hear what Clarke has to say. "What happened?" She asked. The blonde could tell there was a bit of hesitance in her voice.
"We were making out like normal and I got carried away," she answered.
"Define carried away."
"I took her shirt off which she seemed to be okay with but then I went to unhook her bra and she pulled away immediately," Clarke said.
"What did she say?"
"She just made an excuse that she had to shower and go to bed"
"Clarke, can I be honest?"
"Uh, yes."
"I think you're overreacting," Octavia laughed.
"This isn't funny, O, I really like her," Clarke sighed. "Now she's going to think I don't care about how she feels."
"She probably just got nervous," Octavia said. "You're being so dramatic."
"I just don't want to fuck this up," Clarke sighed.
Octavia laughed. "Raven is so right," she said.
"About what?"
"She said you've never been so into someone like you are with Lexa, it's…" Octavia sighed. "It's nice to see."
"Do you two spend your free time talking about my love life?"
"We're just happy that you're getting over that asshole," Octavia said.
Clarke clicked her tongue and scoffed. "I've been over him," she defended.
"Whatever you say, Clarke," Octavia said. "But I know that Finn really hurt you. You can play tough girl on Raven but with me you know you have no way out."
There was a soft knock on the bedroom door, causing Clarke to jump back in response.
"I'll call you tomorrow, O," she said quickly and hung up the phone.
Clarke stood up from the bed and walked over to the door. She opened it slowly, revealing a clean Lexa in a loose tank and short shorts. The blonde noticed that she wasn't wearing a bra underneath and her eyes focused on anything but her chest.
"Hey," Clarke said, her voice soft.
"Hi," Lexa said, looking down at her hands. "Can we talk?"
Clarke stepped aside, allowing Lexa to step into the room. "What's on your mind?" Clarke asked.
"I didn't mean to dismiss you like that," Lexa said. She walked over to the bed and sat down at the edge, looking at Clarke who was walking over.
Clarke shook her head. "I'm sorry for getting carried away."
Lexa smiled softly, she reached out taking Clarke's hands in her own. "I got nervous," she admitted.
"Don't be nervous, Lexa, we're at your pace," Clarke said looking down into the green eyes she couldn't get enough of.
"I think I'm ready," Lexa said matter-of-factly.
"Are you sure? Because you just turned me down like half an hour ago and not that I'm complain-"
Lexa stood up and interrupted Clarke by placing her lips and the blonde's, "I was nervous," she said into the kiss. "But I want this just as much as you do."
She pulled her head back and looked at Clarke. The two stared at one another, eyes darting from lips to eyes and back. No words were spoken but enough was said by their gazes. "Lex-" Clarke began but she had no time to react. Lexa leaned forward and brought their lips together.
This kiss felt new to Clarke, it was passionate and full of desire. Lexa wasn't holding back at all anymore. Her hands fell on Clarke's waist, pulling her forward and closing the gap that existed between them.
Lexa sat back down at the edge of the bed, pushing her body back towards the center of it. Clarke followed her lead without ever letting their lips lose contact.
Their position didn't last long as Lexa took control again and flipped Clarke over on her back, straddling her in the process. Only the thin fabric of her underwear covered Clarke's lower half, causing her hips to jerk in response to the new position. She had never been so dominated by anyone before and she was starting to like it.
"Fuck," she said into Lexa's lips.
Driven by desire and the sight of Lexa on top of her, Clarke lifted the bottom of Lexa's tank and let her hands explore the soft skin. She rolled the edge of her shirt up inch by inch, worried that the brunette would stop her in her tracks.
"Take it off," Lexa mumbled into their kiss.
Clarke wasn't one to take orders but when Lexa instructed her to take the shirt off, she happily obliged. She threw it off to the side and pulled away from the kiss to admire the topless brunette.
"We don't have to if-" she began to say, but Lexa was back on her lips, interrupting her yet again.
"Lexa, wait," Clarke tried, pushing the brunette up enough to look her in the eyes.
"What?"
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Yes, Clarke, I'm sure," Lexa replied, slightly out of breath.
"I just want you to know that I'm okay waiting," Clarke said nervously.
"Clarke," Lexa said softly. "I am topless and straddling you. I want this."
Lexa didn't give the blonde an opportunity to respond. She captured her lips and pressed her body down into the other girl's, causing her to emit a long moan.
Clarke swallowed hard as Lexa moved down enough to grip the edge of her shirt.
"Let me," the blonde said as she sat up.
Lexa watched as she pulled the shirt over her head and tossed it aside. The blonde laid below her clad only in her underwear. Lexa's eyes were fixed on the other girl's breasts then trailing down the rest of her body. She stopped at the cluster of small stars tattooed on Clarke's right hip.
"I told you they're pretty hidden," Clarke said when she noticed Lexa's eyes fixed on her tattoo.
Lexa smiled and kissed the blonde, leaving the tattoo conversation for another time.
Clarke's hands gripped the hem of Lexa's shorts, lightly tugging at them. Lexa responded by lifting her body and allowing the blonde to roll the shorts and underwear off of her.
With a completely naked girl on top of her, Clarke mustered the courage to flip them over. She stripped out of her underwear before Lexa could even say anything.
Clarke kissed Lexa sweetly before pulling back and trailing kisses down her jawline, inching toward her neck. Her lips hovered over the brunette's pulse point, teasing her until she jerked her hips up in protest. "Clarke," she moaned.
Clarke was turned on from the minute Lexa entered the room, but the sight of her begging made the blonde feel a sudden burst of pleasure. She kissed Lexa's neck a little too hard, knowing the brunette would likely have a bruise in the morning.
Instead of protesting, Lexa moaned loudly causing Clarke to move further down her body. She inched closer and closer to her desired destination but was stopped by Lexa's hand on her chin. "Clarke," she said. "I'm not sure I'm ready for that."
There was nothing more that Clarke wanted to do than to taste Lexa, to discover the ways her tongue could made her squirm with pleasure. But she respected Lexa and she understood that there were certain things she wasn't ready to do.
She crawled back up towards Lexa, blue eyes locking with green ones in the process. Lexa could see the desire in Clarke's eyes and she knew the blonde could see it in hers too.
Clarke wasted no time in finding a new positon. She moved one hand over to feel Lexa's breasts while the other teased at the top of her thighs.
"Please," Lexa whimpered, taking Clarke's right hand and moving it to her center.
The blonde inserted two fingers into Lexa, moaning audibly at the feel of her wetness. Her thumb rubbed lightly on the brunette's clit, trying to find the perfect tempo. She watched as Lexa reacted to the different rhythms, settling with a semi-quick speed.
"Fuck," Lexa let out between breaths. "I'm so close."
Clarke kept her pace, feeling the way Lexa's walls tightened around her fingers. She continued to kiss the other girl until her body was rocking forward, overtaken by the immense pleasure the blonde had given her.
"Wow," Lexa said completely out of breath.
"That good, huh?" Clarke asked, smirking. She removed her fingers from Lexa's core and used the bed sheet to clean them off. She thought about licking her fingers in the sensual way she'd seen in videos but the fact that Lexa wasn't ready for the oral intimacy kept her from it.
Lexa waited enough to catch her breath before pushing Clarke off her and switching positions. She didn't tease much like Clarke did, knowing fully well that the blonde had enough of it.
"You don't have to if you don't want to," Clarke said.
"Sorry, what?" Lexa asked, running her fingers over Clarke's wet folds.
Clarke blushed in embarrassment at the knowledge that she was extremely wet. She had so much to be turned on about and Lexa's fingers inside her were the tipping point.
"Shit," she groaned when Lexa instantly found her rhythm. It was like the brunette knew exactly what to do and when to do it.
Clarke didn't want to be the one who came instantly but she was so worked up by getting Lexa off that it was nearly impossible. The second she felt her orgasm coming, she grabbed Lexa's hand and pushed her fingers further in.
"I'm gonna come," she announced between moans.
Lexa used that as a stimulus, rubbing Clarke and finger-fucking her hard enough that she crumbled instantly. Her moans turned into screams as she rode the wave of orgasms that were hitting her.
"I had a feeling you'd be loud," Lexa broke the silence when Clarke came down from her orgasm.
…
Lexa laid silently with her back against the blonde and minimal space between their naked bodies. Her eyes were fixed on the floor, looking down at their scattered clothes.
Her mind replayed the moments before and the brunette smiled at the thought. It had been a while, months actually, since she had been intimate with someone and although she had been scared about getting to this point with Clarke, she felt content with their progression.
The blonde was beside her, laying sideways with her head rested on her hand, the other lightly caressing Lexa's arm, fingers dancing over the soft skin and running over the brunette's intricate tattoo.
"What are you thinking about?" Clarke asked, breaking their comfortable silence. It was clear to her that the other girl was awake but something was consuming her thoughts.
Lexa turned slowly, the sheets barely covering her torso as she rolled on her back. She raised her left arm above her head then looked up at the ceiling. "Nothing important," she said with a soft smile, eyes still fixed on the ceiling. She was reserved, but still reveling in the moment.
Clarke didn't push the subject any further. She knew the other girl would often crawl back into her shell and she'd be open when she felt like it.
Her gaze landed on the small tattoo on the brunette's left bicep. She reached over and lightly brushed her fingers over the paper clip sized roman numerals painted on her skin.
"February 18, 2006," Clarke whispered to herself as she made meaning of the numbers.
Lexa grew tense under Clarke's touch at the mention of the date. The blonde's eyes darted up to her face, focusing on her tight jaw and blank stare. She could tell she'd struck a chord again.
The brunette bit the bottom of her lip in an attempt to hold back tears, but her emotions were too strong and she couldn't keep it together any longer. A single tear crept its way out, slowly streaming down Lexa's right cheek but Clarke was quick to wipe It away.
"We don't have to talk," she reassured the brunette.
"No. I need to open up to you, Clarke," Lexa replied, turning to look Clarke in the eyes. "Lack of communication is what led Costia to cheat on me."
"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to though," Clarke insisted. "I understand."
Lexa closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath in the process. "The date is the anniversary of my parent's death," she said, her voice shaky in response.
Clarke could tell this wasn't a common topic of discussion for the brunette. Lexa was tense as she spoke and her eyes focused on anything but the girl who laid beside her. "Lex," Clarke said lowly. "I'm so sorry."
Suddenly, everything was starting to make sense to her. She understood now why the mere suggestion of her family would make Lexa feel on edge, why every time Clarke said anything about it, she'd clench her jaw and quickly try to change the subject.
"Clarke," Lexa whispered, her voice gentle but still raspy from the sex.
"Yeah?"
"I want you to know things about me," Lexa said.
"You've told me enough," Clarke promised. "You really don't have to make things worse for yourself."
"Clarke, if we're going to be in a relationship-"
"I know but I can tell it pains you to talk about it," Clarke interrupted.
Lexa stared into the ocean blue eyes of the girl who laid beside her. "I was sixteen," she began. "We were living in Syracuse at that point. My baby brother was barely two when it happened."
Clarke listened attentively as Lexa spoke. "It was the night of the first round of varsity basketball playoffs and my parents came to my game, as they always did," Lexa recalled.
"They must have been so proud," Clarke smiled.
"They were. I know they were," Lexa replied.
"Please continue, I didn't mean to interrupt you," the blonde admitted.
"I got invited to a post-game party and I was trying to get with this girl who was going so I lied and told my parents that Anya wanted to do a sleepover at her place," Lexa continued.
Clarke made a mental note about Anya, surprised to know that she and Lexa had been friends for so long. The more she thought about it though, the more it made sense.
"I went to that party, drank way too much, and completely lost the little amount of battery that I had on my phone, so I never got the initial call," Lexa said, a tear forming at the corner of her eye. "The cops showed up at Anya's in the middle of the night and broke the news to her parents. They thought she was staying at my place because that's what we used to do, we'd tell each other's parents we'd be staying at the other's."
"You had to find out through Anya's parents?" Clarke asked.
"No, they called Anya and picked us up from the house we were at and drove us to the police station," Lexa responded. "I don't even remember getting told what happened. I went into a state of shock."
"That must have been so hard for you, Lex," Clarke said.
"They were on their way to pick up Aden from my aunt's house cause that's where he stayed when I played-" Lexa voice broke, "and they we t-boned by a drunk diver who ran a red light. My mom died on the scene and my dad was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead there."
Clarke felt her own eyes start to water at Lexa's revelation. This was too much for a girl, specially one as sweet as Lexa, to deal with. It was understandable to her now why the other girl was so pained. The blonde understood loss too but not in the same caliber as Lexa, not at all.
"I was so emotionally traumatized for so long I couldn't even see my brother for a few days," Lexa cried. She suddenly found herself enveloped in Clarke's arms, their naked bodies keeping one another warm and making Lexa feel protected for once. "I felt to blame like I was responsible for what happened."
Clarke let the tear she was chocking back fall at Lexa's last admission. The thought of Lexa feeling responsible for the own parent's death really hit her.
"I hope you don't still blame yourself," Clarke whispered.
"I don't," Lexa promised. "It took a long time for me to get here though.
"Lexa?" Clarke asked softly.
Lexa shifted her body to face Clarke, the blonde's arms still wrapped around her. "Yeah?" she said.
"Is that why you're sober?"
"It's complicated," Lexa sighed. "But it has something to do with it."
Clarke stayed quiet, not wanting to press the other girl more than she already had. She moved her right hand down Lexa's arm and settled on her exposed hip. Everything about this moment felt so intimate and the blonde was slightly taken aback by it.
Lexa let herself out of Clarke's embrace and sat up slowly, her hand pressing the bed sheet onto her chest to cover herself. She turned to face the blonde before speaking. "I started drinking a lot in high school. I don't know how I managed to graduate but somehow I did and I got into Mount Weather," Lexa began. "As my dad would have wanted."
"Is that where he went?" Clarke asked, looking up at the brunette who sat beside her. She raised her arm and moved a strand of hair behind Lexa's tiny ear.
"Both of my parents graduated from there and they would always tell me that's where they wanted me to go," Lexa said. "So I went there and I started off in the law school and I hated it."
"Why did you choose law?"
"The legal system sucks, Clarke, it's bullshit. After my parent's accident I wanted to do law and help out families of who experience the same thing," the brunette answered.
"What made you switch to music business?"
"My dad," Lexa said quickly.
"Your dad?" Clarke repeated.
"He was a business man and he taught me about business from a young age. When I started getting sober I realized that my passion was there and in music so I switched over to music business," the brunette said. "I worked on my sobriety on and off with Anya's help but I couldn't really commit until after I graduated from Mount Weather."
Clarke reached up, running her index finger over the four lines tattooed on Lexa's collarbone. "Four years," she said. "Now it makes sense."
"Do you remember when I interviewed you and we talked about the astronomy class?" Lexa asked.
Clarke nodded almost immediately. "You said you never went to it."
"I never went to class because when I wasn't working with Lincoln and the boys, I was drunk," the brunette admitted. "The music industry, as you'll see, is a pretty fucked up place to be in. Drugs and alcohol are easily made available to you. So of course when I started working in the industry, even with a mini label from home, I started hanging out with the wrong crowd."
Clarke placed her hand on the small of Lexa's back, causing the brunette to shiver at the touch. "What did it?" she asked.
"Anya got tired of watching me waste my life on drugs and alcohol. I was always good at playing the part when I needed to but she knows me better than anyone else and she knew if I didn't make a permanent change that I would never get to have this dream career," Lexa said. "She called me a few names but what really did it was when she told me my dad wouldn't be proud of and that-"
Lexa could vividly remember the painful conversation she had with Anya the day she finally decided to change. It was a rude awakening but exactly what she needed to hear.
Clarke stared up Lexa who had gone quiet, unable to finish her current train of thought. The blonde was mesmerized by Lexa's work ethic before their conversation but knowing now what she went through made her twice as admirable.
Just as Clarke was going to speak, Lexa laid back down beside her and sighed. "Wow," she said after letting the big breath she had been holding in. "You got all that out of me in a month of dating. I couldn't open up to Costia for a year."
"A year?" Clarke asked.
"She wasn't as easy to talk to as you are," Lexa said.
"Thank you," Clarke said, bringing her right hand to cup Lexa's cheek. "For trusting me."
Lexa placed her hand above Clarke's, running her fingers over her knuckles. "No, Clarke, thank you for listening."
"I am so sorry that you've had to endure all of this,"
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," Lexa quoted.
The two grew silent, sleep finding the both of them simultaneously. "I don't know why I'm so tired," Clarke yawned.
"We had a long flight and-"Lexa cleared her throat, "sex can be tiring."
"Speak for yourself," Clarke smirked.
The blonde turned her body to face Lexa as they laid in silence. They were comfortably laying together, neither eager to put clothes back on or make any trips to the bathroom.
"Clarke?" Lexa asked, her voice soft.
"Yeah?"
"Do you mind if I sleep here tonight?" she asked, her eyes closed as she spoke.
"This is your apartment," Clarke said with a chuckle.
"You know what I mean," Lexa opened her eyes and looked into Clarke's before closing them again.
"Yes," Clarke said happily. "I prefer you sleep with me tonight."
The blonde did not get a reply from Lexa who was quickly fast asleep. Clarke didn't blame her though. All their physical activity aside, Lexa had opened up about her entire life and that in itself can be so emotionally tiring. Clarke understood.
"Goodnight, Lex," she whispered before placing a soft kiss on the brunette's temple.
"Night, Clarke," Lexa mumbled.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Reviews are always nice, :) If you're interested to know more about Aden, it's coming. Soon.