Raven was rustling through the fridge when she felt Wells come up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her up and back into him. She felt a smile creep onto her face when his breath tickled her ear as he spoke.
"What would you be doing in there, hmmm?"
"Looking for breakfast." He chuckled and placed a quick kiss on her neck.
"Step away, then. No need to burn the pop tarts again." She spun around, feeling lighthearted.
"One time!" She protested. She saw her front door open, admitting a ruffled looking Clarke. "Griffin, back me up!" Clarke looked up at them and tilted her head, examining their position.
"Sorry, Reyes. If it's about your cooking ability, I am firmly with Wells on this one. You'd starve without me; admit it, I saved your scrawny ass from scurvy when I moved in." Raven pouted at both of them, but they caught each other's gaze and started laughing.
Raven was happy she got to see this side of Clarke: when she'd been transferred to a new platoon, she'd been extremely leery of the other woman. Clarke was serious about her position, and rarely let her guard down, even in their off time. Clarke inspired respect without trying, and took responsibility as a natural leader. They'd grown a closer on their deployment together, but Clarke had kept most of her walls up even when in close quarters. Since starting to hang out with Wells (were they dating yet? Spending Christmas with his family put them in the dating category, right?), Raven had picked up bits and pieces of information about Clarke before she joined, probably more information than Clarke may be comfortable with her knowing, to be honest.
"You both suck...but you may be right," Raven conceded.
"Did you hear that, Wells? Raven said I was right! Take note!" Raven growled good-naturedly and took a menacing step toward Clarke, who held up her hands. "Easy, I've got dinner planned with Lexa later, I need my face to stay pretty."
"So you admit that I could still kick your ass, Griffin?" Wells stepped forward quickly at this.
"Easy, ladies. No fighting on Christmas." Raven noted a flicker of something darken Clarke's eyes for the briefest moment before she smiled at both of them.
"Day of Presents." She said, and Wells laughed.
"Happy Day of Presents, Clarke." Raven was slightly confused, but figured Wells would explain it to her later.
"You, too." Wells started pull things from the fridge to cook. Clarke came over to sit on the stool by the counter.
"You going home today?" She asked quietly. He nodded, indicating Raven as he prepped the bacon.
"Raven's coming."
"Oh, cool." He hesitated before going on.
"You know both you and Lexa are welcome, right?" Raven saw Clarke's eyes tighten. Her shoulders dropped and she looked down to her hands, fiddling with her fingers.
"Thanks, Wells. I don't think this year." She paused, before looking back up. "Besides, I saw my mom last night at the party." She turned to address Raven, taking a deep breath. "Thanks for inviting her, Raven."
"Don't hurt yourself, Sarge." Raven noted it was the right thing to say, as the mood lightened up. Clarke ate breakfast with them, chatting easily before Raven and Wells got ready to go. As they headed toward the door, Clarke emerged from her room holding, of all things, two canvas'. Wells was frozen beside her as Clarke held them out.
"For your dad and my mom." Raven took the paintings as Wells reanimated and grabbed Clarke in a hug, lifting her off the ground. He gave her an exaggerated kiss on the cheek as she tried to fend him off. Raven just watched, amused. "Gross, Wells. I don't know where that mouth has been." Raven was about to answer the question when Clarke's head snapped to her, "don't elaborate, for the love of God, or I swear Reyes!" Raven just grinned and took Wells' hand, pulling him from the apartment.
"Have fun with Lexa, Griff. I may be home tomorrow!" She closed the door on Clarke's splutter, dragging Wells to the elevator. As they descended, she glanced at the paintings in her hand. One was a landscape of a cabin on a lake surrounded by a beautiful forest and mountains, and the other was a more abstract depiction of a flower.
"A lily," Wells said. "For my dad: lilies were my mom's favorite flower." He pointed to the landscape. "That's the cabin that Clarke's dad grew up in - we used to go up there every summer for a few weeks. I don't think Abby's been there since Jake died."
"It sucks that you both lost parents." Wells offered her a thin smile, but only nodded. They talked a little bit about Christmas traditions as they made their way out of the city to the Jaha house.
R.R.R.R.R.R.
Watching Abby receive the painting of the cabin made even Raven tear up. She smacked Wells in the arm. He yelped and shot her a confused look. "I'd be fine if you hadn't told me what that meant," she said, jabbing her finger at the painting. Wells didn't look the least bit apologetic, and only smiled at her, planting a kiss on her cheek and hugging her closer.
Christmas Day (Day of Presents) wrapped up with a game of Scattergories, where Raven learned that Wells' dad was a terrible cheat, and a consumption of take-out. Evidently, Wells and Clarke were the only ones who knew how to cook in the family. They decided to head back to Wells' place after Abby left for a shift at work and Thelonius headed home.
"It's kinda sad that they're alone," she said as Wells navigated the city streets carefully. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his hands tighten on the wheel for a moment before relaxing.
"Dad always said that my mom was the love of his life, and as long as I was happy, he was happy too. I think he likes you." Raven felt contentment blooming in her chest. She hadn't had the best of upbringings, and her adult life hadn't been much better, but she found herself being surrounded by a sense of safety for the first time in a long time.
"It's only because I backed him up about 'moon' being a way to get from here to there," she mumbled, and Wells laughed.
"You both were totally wrong, but Abby and I just got tired of your arguments."
"You wish you could out-logic me, Jaha," she shot back, and his smile widened.
"It's what I get for dating a genius," he stated, and she rolled her eyes. A few turns later and they were back at his apartment. It was much smaller than the one she shared with Clarke, more of an efficiency. Wells grabbed a beer for both of them, then joined Raven where she'd flopped onto the couch.
"I wish Clarke talked to Abby more. It's hard when I go in for check-ups and I have to answer questions that she should know." Wells was picking at the label on the bottle before he looked up at her.
"They've always had a...difficult relationship. It got worse when Clarke's dad died."
"Daddy's girl, huh?" Wells grimaced.
"You should really talk to Clarke about this…" he started, but Raven waved him off.
"I'm just trying to understand. Even though I spent every day with her for months, she was always...distant. Hard to read, and most of what she showed was only superficial. I did the same thing - it could be hard to be female in the Marines." At his concerned look, she went on, "there was nothing too crazy that happened, but both of us were constantly having to prove ourselves competent. Because she was in a leadership position, she had more pressure to...present only a certain part of herself."
"She's always been good at compartmentalizing." Wells looked at Raven intently. "I know I've said this already, but I really am grateful you let her stay at your place." He held up a hand before Raven could say anything. "I'm serious. I haven't seen her truly happy in a long time. You've been good for her, and I will never be able to repay you." She arched her eyebrow.
"Well, I've got a few ideas…" she noted suggestively, and he huffed but smirked slightly. As Wells pulled her beer from her hand and put it on the coffee table next to his own, Raven was able to add one more comment. "I think Clarke's happiness has more to do with Lexa than…" Wells covered her mouth with his own before pulling back and looking at her with dark eyes.
"No more speculation from you tonight."
R.R.R.R.R.R.
Raven hung her keys by the door (Clarke had put up hooks because "Raven, it's impossible to find shit in here!") before calling out for her roommate. With no answer, Raven realized that Clarke's running shoes were gone and the other woman was out for a run.
Raven limped to her room, throwing on more appropriate workout clothes before shoving things in her bag she'd need for her PT/gym session with Octavia. Rather than lounging about for the hour or so she had to spare, she decided to walk most of the way to the clinic. Locking the door once more behind her, she turned to see Lexa also stepping out of her apartment.
"Hello, Raven."
"Hey neighbor," Raven greeted, an idea coming to her mind suddenly. "What are you doing right now?" Lexa looked slightly confused at the question, before indicating at the bags in her hand.
"Groceries."
"May I walk with you?" Raven received a nod in answer, then Lexa pressed the button the elevator. Raven paused, trying to decide how to start the conversation. As the lift arrived and they entered, Raven noted Lexa glancing at her sideways. To her surprise (Lexa wasn't one Raven associated with conversation), Lexa spoke first.
"Are you heading to Octavia's for physical therapy?" Raven blinked.
"Yes. O's been great in getting me more range of motion."
"I am glad." As they stepped into the lobby, Raven waved to Miller, who waved back with a smile. They descended the steps before Raven spoke again.
"Listen, I need to talk to you."
"Is that not what we are doing?" Lexa asked, a smirk curling up one side of her mouth. Raven rolled her eyes.
"I remember the days before Griffin was around when you were the silent neighbor with no sass." Lexa colored slightly, but her smirk turned into a shy smile. "But in all seriousness, Lexa. Clarke has been through alot." Lexa's smile dropped, but she did nod in acknowledgment. Raven went on, hiking her bag further up her shoulder from where it had slipped. "I can only begin to understand what she's been through, but I am trying."
"Raven…" Lexa stopped as Raven spun to face her. They stood in the middle of the sidewalk, looking at each other. Raven was impressed that Lexa held her gaze, even if her voice had trailed off.
"I hardly know you, for all we've been neighbors for a while. Clarke is one of the most wonderful people I know, and she has been so much happier since she's been doing...whatever it is y'all are doing. But, neighbor or not, you hurt her and I'll hurt you, capiche?" Though Lexa looked slightly bemused, she was sincere in her reply.
"It is not my intention to harm Clarke. I have not felt this way about another person in a very long time. You notice that she is happier with me? Well, I am also happier with her. She challenges me, inspires me, and makes me a better person. I would never intentionally harm Clarke." Raven blinked.
"Okay. That is the most I've heard you talk at once." Lexa shrugged one shoulder, but was smiling widely again. "Now that the talk is out of the way, tell me about the company you work for." Raven weaved her arm through Lexa's elbow and they walked together as she listened to Lexa describe (vaguely) what she did for a living.
Later that night, when Clarke was already sleeping, Raven did more research on Lexa's company. The website was efficient, and just as vague as Lexa's description had been. Raven didn't exactly understand what 'International Consulting' was, but got the gist that Coalition Industries worked as an independent agency to investigate various claims.
Digging deeper, Raven surmised that Coalition was called into situations to provide an outsider's eye: they worked with businesses of various sizes and even with a few private citizens, specializing in international law. Most alarming was their partnership with various national militaries - Raven didn't know that Lexa was involved in anything with the military, and it made her slightly uneasy. When she'd looked in circles with little to no answers on specific claims Coalition investigated, Raven finally found the name of their current CEO: Lexa Willows.
Pushing her computer back and away from her, Raven stood up and moved to her window. On one hand, she was neighbors with a woman who ran a company involved in military investigation, at least as an independent researcher. On the other, Clarke was clearly falling head over heels for the woman. After a long moment of thought, Raven decided to talk more to Lexa before bringing anything up with Clarke.
