A/N: Just a note to say that this chapter's a bit more romantic than the past few. If you prefer platonic Clora, you might just want to read the first two drabbles and skip the rest. Thank you for reading!

Annoyance

"Luke, do… do you think I'm annoying?"

Flora's question catches Clive off guard. He struggles to hide his startled reaction, desperately thinking of something intelligent to say. "D-did I used to?"

"I think so." Flora laughs nervously. "At least, I feel that way sometimes. It feels like you and the professor have more fun without me. Sometimes it feels like you leave me behind on purpose." She looks away. "You've adventured together so often, and I... I just want an adventure too."

Clive's discomfort grows with every word from Flora's mouth. As much as Clive's feelings are… conflicted regarding the professor, Clive refuses to believe that he (or Luke, by extension) would purposely neglect anybody. The professor is a paragon of virtue; a saviour, who would never leave anyone behind.

(Anyone except Clive.)

Although, in this case, perhaps the professor should have left Flora behind. Flora's done nothing wrong, but now, she's involved in far more than a simple adventure.

"I'm sorry I did that to you," he finds himself saying.

Flora's eyes brighten, and she smiles with relief. "Well, at least you're not doing it now!"

Clive bites his lip, and wishes that she'd never come to Future London.

Test

Dear Big Luke

To Clive Dove

Dear Clive

I can't get it right. I don't know what I'm supposed to call you.

I didn't get the chance to talk to you before they took you away. I wish I was able to. At least we got to talk during the adventure. I told you about my family, and how I don't like being left alone, and about everything. I talk too much, but you listened. But you didn't tell me very much about you. But still, I had so much fun with you and the professor and Luke. You seemed like a true gentleman, and I believed everything you said. I really liked you. And then, it turned out you weren't Luke after all.

You really hurt me.

I want to meet you again, and get to know "Clive," but only after you say you're sorry. Please tell me that it wasn't all fake, that maybe we could actually be friends someday.

Can you just write back, "Sorry?" Just the one word; that's all I want for now. We can talk after that.

I hope you're okay. The professor said you seemed really low.

I wish you the best.

Flora

Abandoned

Flora's eyes dart frantically between the clock and the phone on the wall. She hasn't touched her teacup; it's been cold for hours now. Clive wonders if he should offer to make her some more. He needs to do something.

The phone is silent, hours after it should have rung.

The silence is excruciating, the unspoken anxiety in both of their minds screaming to be heard.

"What if the…"

Flora's voice cracks, and she shudders, slumping against the table. "He promised he'd call once he arrived, right? What if…"

What if the plane crashed?

What if the professor died? What if they're all alone now?

"He's fine," Clive hears himself say. "He's got to be. Please don't worry, Flora." He's saying the words for his own benefit as much as hers, but he has to say something, as powerless as he is.

"But what if…"

She's already lost two parents. Clive prays she won't have to feel the pain of losing a third.

"Then… then I'll be here, at least." Hesitantly, Clive lays a hand on her shoulder. "We'll get through it together."

She stays silent, but her hand slowly rises to her shoulder, resting on top of his hand.

Stripes

"Tell me you don't like it. Tell me honestly." Clive rolls the cigarette between his fingers carelessly. "I'll throw them all away if you really don't. But there has to be a good reason."

"It's kind of gross." Flora watches his hand intently. "It smells bad."

"Well, I'd do it outside."

"I hope so."

She doesn't like it.

(Even if he looks kind of handsome…)

(Stop blushing, ugh.)

Clive spirals into obsession so easily. He'll be smoking a pack a day if he gets started. "You don't have enough money to support an addiction," she says, listing reasons on her fingers.

"I wouldn't get add—"

"You would. And the professor wouldn't like it."

"Maybe we could do it together. A gentleman thing."

The professor would not approve, and Clive knows it. "That's not something gentlemen do!" Flora scolds, holding up a third finger. "Last reason: it's bad for you!"

"Do I care?"

"I do!"

Clive blinks, then he laughs, grinning. "If it bothers you that much, I'll stop. Even though you're cute when you stare."

"I wasn't staring!" squeaks Flora, her face growing hot. She looks away hurriedly, ignoring his amused expression.

( Reason number four: she's tired of constantly blushing.)

I Can't

"I can't. I'm sorry. I can't."

Even if he wants to, he can't.

Flora freezes. The hurt in her dark eyes is almost too much to bear. "I'm sorry," she says, taking a step back, but her hands stay on his shoulders, her breath warm against Clive's neck.

He owes her an explanation, but he's worried he'll burst into tears, or fall down, dead. "I'm… I'm not good enough." It's disgusting how much his voice is shaking. "Forgiveness is all I could hope for, and I don't even deserve that. You… you can't actually l-love… Flora, I…"

Maybe if he had never wanted revenge. Maybe if he'd never gone mad. Maybe, if he hadn't done everything wrong, he could have met her some other way, and he wouldn't have hurt her.

But he ruined everything. He's not good enough. He's not. He's—

"Clive."

Flora pulls him against her, and they slowly fall to their knees. He's crying now; he hates himself; he's so manipulative...

"I really do love you, though," she says softly.

She can't. He's...

She kisses his forehead. Clive's eyes fall closed, his lungs aching as he tries in vain to choke back sobs.

He doesn't deserve her.

A/N: I saw a couple of negative posts about Clora and was feeling kind of bad about it, haha... I guess at least that means people are thinking about it again! I'll resurrect the ship single-handedly if I have to. Anyway, that motivated me to write a little more out of spite and to make myself feel better. Even if not everyone likes them, they're happy (or angsty) together in my mind.

I keep seeing art with Clive smoking and liking it despite my aversion to smoking in real life, so that sort of inspired the second-last drabble.

Also, I'm running a ClivexFlora week in February! If you want to join, please look up "clivexfloraweek" on tumblr and you'll find the blog and prompts. I'm going to need all of December to get the writing done because of school, but I'm really excited.

Thank you so much for reading!