A/N: Hey. I know I neglected this story last month. I didn't like the chapter I had written, so I put it off for this month. I'll likely end up putting out two this month if I can get my mojo flowing.
I hope you're okay. The world is a scary, scary place right now and I am so very grateful we all have fic as a nice cut away from reality. Thank you so much for the patronage and support to my stories and please, be safe. Be healthy. Be happy.
Busy as ever, Clarke had so many orders to fill. Her new website was proving successful and on top of that, the networking she did at her debut added to the pile. It took two weeks to order enough stock to even fill orders and none of her packages had come in so she had to make due. She ran the town looking for mailers and plastic sleeves. She had to even improvise her thank you cards. Normally they were printed en-mass but her order never came in so now she was left using generic stationery. Every order, regardless of the stationary, got a hand-written thank you. It was something she really took time on and pride in. If it weren't for the people who bought her work, she wouldn't have any income.
The sun was just low enough to make the sky look even bluer outside the window. A yellow cast of its glow touched every surface outside.
"Hey." Raven knocked on the door jamb.
Clarke peeled her tired eyes up from the little stack of notes before her. She had been customizing each one, feeling horrible for them not being custom prints of her own. It just ended up being a lot more work than it should have been. For what, thank you notes people would throw away? Her shoulder blade popped when she sat upright and it made her cringe.
"Mini-Boss cordially invited you to watch Pets with us, again." Raven sighed.
"As cute as that movie actually is, I need to get this done and sent out by tomorrow."
Raven rolled her eyes. "You work too hard."
"I love what I do." She shrugged in response.
"At least get up, get some blood flowing." Raven leaned in on the jamb and studied her.
"I should finish this." Clarke countered.
"Speaking of blood flowing…" Raven was fixated on Clarke's window, something the blond herself had done more times than she'd admit. She looked up to meet Raven's focus. Across the way, the light from inside his room was bright enough that the women could see him. "He could get more than blood flowing." Raven quipped with a lusty tone.
"Ray, you're spoken for." Clarke reminded her with a grin.
"Mhm. You're not." Raven looked over and winked before ducking out of the room and shutting the door behind her.
"Ass." Clarke mumbled at her friend, resolute in focusing on her work. Though, now that her view was made clear to her it took more of her attention than she wanted to admit. On top of the view, she couldn't help but replay the event that took place between them. The room started feeling hotter than it should have. Clarke dropped the marker on her hand and stood. Her limbs stretched out around her, breathing life back into her muscles. It felt so nice. She padded over to the window and slipped the curtain back enough to get a grip on the window itself. As she pushed to slide it open, which it stuck, she looked up.
Bellamy was looking over at her. Their eyes connected and it was unmistakable. Yet, neither of them looked away. Clarke froze, and Bellamy stood there. He didn't appear to be as mortified as she felt. Was he watching her? Or did she look up and get caught at the perfect moment. There was no way of knowing at that moment, it didn't matter because they shared the look. Normally someone would have looked away by now and played it off like an accident or like it never happened. Perhaps one of them would awkwardly wave and go about their business, but no. Instead, Bellamy seemed to challenge her. She couldn't tell but she could only imagine his jawline clenching like it did when he was thinking. Unknowingly her teeth pulled on her bottom lip. It was only seconds that went by, albeit the slowest ones in the world. But only seconds. She finally finished pushing her window open and looked down. The curtain was still drawn enough that he could clearly see her, and her him. When she looked back up, he was still there, standing in full view. His body on display, all but for the pair of what appeared to be black boxer briefs. Neither of them shared a smile or any other gesture toward one another. Bellamy dropped his hand from his hair which looked darker somehow, maybe wet. He then dropped his eyes, looking for something. She took that moment to let go of the sheer panel, obscuring his view. Her mind was reeling and when he looked up back, she could see his figure move after a moment, as if he hesitated. He disappeared from view and she caught herself in a sigh. Trying to brush it off, Clarke went back to her desk and turned her music up a little, to drown her thoughts and continue her work.
"Have fun. I'll see you Monday." Clarke kissed the top of Madi's head, who was packed up for a two-night stay with Abby. They were going to a cabin for two nights with a group. It was a 'Grand(Daughter)' get together, though Madi would never call Abby that. She wouldn't even call Clarke her mother, but she completely understood why. Titles didn't change their relationship. Clarke pouted at her kid leaving her alone for two days, but she knew how to occupy her time alone. Even Raven wasn't home, but that was just for the night.
"Let me know if you need me." Clarke nagged her mother.
"Honey," She moved in to hug her daughter. "You're starting to sound like me."
Clarke rolled her eyes. "Just let me know when you get there."
"We will. Have a fun weekend to yourself." Abby smiled at her daughter. Clarke nodded and watched Madi climb into Abby's SUV. They backed out and left, making Clarke feel the slightest bit alone. Once she was back inside, she pulled out her phone and sent a text to someone. Someone that could fill the void.
Later that evening, after cooking, cleaning, and doing miscellaneous chores around the house, her phone buzzed.
"See you in an hour." It read.
Clarke took that as an indicator to get ready. She was showered and dressed but felt a little frumpy. After refreshing herself with a face wash and fixing her hair, Clarke waited on the couch, mindlessly playing BitLife on her phone. Twenty or so minutes went by before she heard a lite knock on the door. Clarke got up off the couch and walked into the front room, opening the door when she got to it.
"Hey." Her grin was cheeky, and her posture casual.
"Clarke." The other person spoke, a voice determined and feminine. She stepped up into the home and let the screen door close behind her.
"How are you?" Clarke asked, out of habit.
"Since when do we engage in small talk?" The other woman asked.
"Good point." Clarke slid into the other woman's personal space, her hands coming to sit on the brunette's hips. She leaned in and kissed the soft pink lips before her.
"You are eager." The woman quipped.
"Lexa." Clarke's tone was scolding but playful.
"Very well." Lexa pulled Clarke in and the two kissed. They two clung to one another for a few minutes before Clarke led Lexa up the stairs. This was a routine they had gotten used to, as it was the only time the two women saw on another anymore. Once upon a time, they dated. It didn't last long because of a difference in personalities but eventually, they rekindled the more carnal side of things out of need. Tonight was one of those moments.
Once in her room, Lexa clicked the door closed behind her. The girls were back in one another's space, stealing a kiss or tender touch. Clarke was pulled out of the trance of lust she was in when Lexa started sucking on the skin of her neck. It made eyes roll hungrily, but they fixated on her window when they reopened. The panels were parted, nothing obscuring her world from the one outside. That is when she noticed him. As she felt Lexa's body and the pleasure on her neck, she secretly hoped Bellamy would look over and notice her. Maybe she wanted him to see he wasn't special, and that what happened between them meant nothing. But alas, there was nothing. No one appeared in either of the rooms so she let herself enjoy what was happening. While sleeping with Lexa was something she enjoyed in the infrequency that it happened, tonight her mind wasn't on the beautiful brunette in her bed.