Part 2 sort of yeh you get me
It's a quality song by the way, full of feels, but the good kind.
This is the third to last chapter *buzzing*
oh, and you'll thank me eventually
"If I could end the quest for fire,
For truth, for love and my desire"
Alibi - 30 Seconds to Mars
Lexa let herself be led through the forest and higher up the mountain slope than any of her people had ever been before. Her arm sometimes brushed Clarke's but neither moved to put more space between them.
"Where are you taking me?" the taller girl asked.
"We're nearly there," said Clarke, "but you'll see."
Sure enough, less than ten minutes later the forest gave way to the soft shores of a small of water, filled with the gentle flow of a short waterfall. In the sunlight, the water glistened, reflecting the blue skies above them.
Lexa turned to Clarke, quietly in awe of the sight before her. "How did you find it?" she asks.
"I stayed here for a while. It has no creatures in it, I assure you."
"You're really going?"
Clarke nodded sadly. "We both know my people stand no chance against you. They were just seeking revenge in the only way they know how."
"You don't seek revenge?"
Clarke lifted her hand to Lexa's face and brushed her thumbs gently along the girl's cheekbones. The war paint was rough to touch. "I've found my peace," she said.
Lexa looked at her, frowning softly. She put her hands upon the curves of Clarke's hips and let her head drop as the blonde placed her hands on her shoulders.
"You really are tired," stated Clarke.
"I didn't lie to you, Clarke," Lexa replied.
Clarke hummed and moved her hands to unbuckle Lexa's armour.
"Clarke…"
"It's just me Lexa, do you trust me?"
"Yes," responded Lexa, her voice as quiet as the water's flow. "I trust you."
Clarke placed the armour on the ground before sliding the backpack off of her shoulders and putting it at her feet. "Good," she said.
The blonde nudged at Lexa's shoulder with her hand and led the brunette to the small waterfall.
"What are you doing Clarke?"
"Washing your face," replied the blonde, holding Lexa's gaze with a certainty that put goosebumps on the girl's skin.
Lexa nodded, looked to the waterfall, and then back to Clarke. Silently, she turned to face the water, shrugged her jacket off, and pulled her shirt over her head. Clarke took them out of her hand and put them out of the spray of the water.
"I should probably take my binding off too," said Lexa, turning her head to look over her shoulder at the blonde. "If I don't want it to get wet."
Clarke stepped closer and placed a hand on the binding. Without looking away from Lexa's eyes, she undid the knot and waited for the taller girl to unwrap herself.
Lexa looked forward again at the stream of water that fell from the ledge above them and took a step towards it until it ran down the bare skin of her front. It splashed on her trousers, but she didn't allow herself to care.
Hesitant fingers pulled softly at Lexa's hair as Clarke worked to undo the braids. Lexa could feel how close Clarke was against her back, but let the blonde's hands calm the worry from her mind.
"You're shy, Commander," said Clarke quietly, her voice closer to Lexa's ear than the brunette had expected it to be.
"You make me nervous Clarke," admitted Lexa. She felt Clarke's lips press against the back of her neck before turning around to face the blonde.
Clarke looked up at her with a smile in her eyes. If the water was cold, Lexa stood beneath it without showing it. The day was warm anyway. "Here," Clarke replied, moving her hands to frame Lexa's face again. She drew her thumbs gently over the girl's cheekbones as she had done before. Lexa closed her eyes as she felt the soft stroke against the skin of her face, slow against her eyelids and the bridge of her nose.
When Clarke was finished, Lexa still didn't open her eyes, and Clarke allowed herself to study the girl's face. Alone, the taller girl was no longer the stoic Commander of an army, but she was as beautiful in the calm of peace as she had been in the wild unknown of war. Her hands hung straight at her sides, but Clarke's eyes didn't stray beneath her shoulders. Slowly, she moved her hands from the girl's face and took a step back and walked away.
Lexa stepped out of the falling water and into the afternoon sun. When Clarke returned and passed her a towel she had fetched from the backpack, Lexa was almost dry.
"I'll get some firewood," said Clarke. She still didn't allow herself to look down from Lexa's eyes before leaving.
Lexa dressed and watched the blonde's departing back carefully, smiling softly to herself.
Later, when the sun had fallen and night had arrived, the two girls lay side by side. They had eaten from a small but welcome supply in Clarke's backpack, and now the blonde was breathing softly on the edge of sleep. Besides her Lexa, despite her tiredness, couldn't bring herself to close her eyes.
Instead, she stood up silently and walked to the embers of the fire the girls had built and rekindled them. She looked up at the night sky, staring at the stars and the nearly full moon.
"What are you looking at Lexa?" came the quiet voice of Clarke as she stretched and moved to stand beside the taller girl.
Lexa turned her gaze to Clarke who stood looking up at her waiting for an answer.
"The stars," said Lexa.
"I used to look at Earth," Clarke told the girl. "I used to draw what I thought it would be like."
"At least you will get to see more of it now."
"Lexa…"
The brunette sighed and looked back to the stars.
"We'll be off of your territory," Clarke whispered.
"You will be in danger as you travel."
"We may not be warriors, but we can take care of ourselves."
Lexa huffed, keeping her gaze fixed on the stars of the sky.
Clarke watched the girl closely. "I could take you down."
Before she knew it, Clarke had tackled her to the ground. For a moment Lexa was shocked, but quickly she regained control, flipping them both smoothly to pin Clarke down instead. The blonde lay beneath her, smirking up at her.
"That was not smart Clarke, this is no joke. You should stop smiling."
Clarke raised an eyebrow, staring adamantly into Lexa's eyes and rising to be closer. "Make me," she challenged.
Lexa swallowed, before surrendering and leaning down to capture Clarke's lips in a desperate kiss. It was hard and bruising and returned immediately by the blonde who was pushed back on to the ground. Clarke threw her arms around Lexa's neck, pulling the brunette even closer.
With a gasp, Lexa pulled herself away from the kiss and stared down at Clarke with panicked eyes. Both girls were breathing heavily.
Clarke removed her arms from Lexa's neck and traced the girl's jaw with a steady hand.
"Lexa…"
The brunette shook her head firmly. "Please," she said. "Clarke, please don't go." She turned her head to lean into Clarke's touch against her chin. "Please," she whispered.
Clarke looked up at Lexa through concerned eyes. Lexa was exposed, fully clothed but as vulnerable as she had ever shown to anybody.
"Clarke," Lexa begged. "Please don't leave."
"Okay," said the blonde.
Lexa collapsed into Clarke's hold, trembling.