A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the delay, another insane Clexa idea popped into my head which I had to write (it's posted on AO3), and I got stuck part way through this part. It gets a little weird part way through, but it's all cute again by the end. The lead up to, and the start of, game night. I am going to need to change the rating at some point, though whether that is in the next part or the part after I'm not sure. Read, review and enjoy!
Chapter Six
Octavia had been quiet the whole time she was out with Clarke, other than asking how dinner had gone she didn't have any other questions, the blonde girl was expecting an interrogation or something. That's when Clarke knew that this whole thing with Raven and Lincoln was seriously getting to her.
"You okay O?" Clarke asked as they walked towards Ark Station.
"Why isn't anything ever easy?" Octavia asked as she looked down at her feet while she was walking, "I mean, I choose Raven, I hurt Lincoln, I choose Lincoln, I hurt Raven…"
"But what do you want?" Clarke asked, "It's all well and good thinking about it in terms of hurting them, but what do you want O?"
"If I say both of them, is that wrong?" Octavia asked, "I'm not talking at the same time, though that could be fun…"
Clarke laughed a little as she playfully nudged the girl next to her.
"I do have one question," Clarke said, knowing that she had to approach the situation carefully, "I know you care about Raven, and now we know that Raven cares about you, why didn't you two ever make it official?"
"Because it never really came up," Octavia said with a shrug, "neither of us were seeing anyone else, till Finn came along… I don't know… she did say something about being not worth it, you know how she gets… She wanted me to be with someone who deserved me, not some loser with a drug addicted alcoholic as a mother and no prospects for the future… her words not mine."
"Sounds like Raven…" Clarke said quietly.
"But she is worth it…" Octavia said, "She's the first person who I've been with who accepted me for me. She didn't push me into anything, she moved at the pace I wanted to go at… What if I choose Lincoln and lose her forever…?"
"I don't think you'll ever really lose her O," Clarke said, putting her arm around her friend's shoulders, "she's always going to be there…"
"But what if she's not…" Octavia said as they neared the door to Ark Station.
"Ready?" Clarke asked as she put her hand on the door.
"No…" Octavia replied, "But I don't really think I have a choice do I…"
Clarke smiled a little as she opened the door.
"Oh fun," Octavia said, "Lexa's here too…"
"She kind of works here…" Clarke said with a little laugh, "seriously, don't worry about Lexa."
Clarke noticed that Lexa was sitting with Raven, while Anya was talking to Lincoln. It surprised her a little, but then again Lexa was constantly surprising her. As Clarke and Octavia walked over to where Lexa and Raven were, Lincoln stood up and walked over to the table as well.
"Hey…" Lexa said as she stood up.
"Hey…" Clarke replied, before she looked at Raven, "you good?"
Raven nodded a little.
"Okay," Lexa said, linking her arm with Clarke's, "let's go and sit with Anya, leave them too it."
Clarke looked at Octavia who nodded a little, letting her know she was okay. Clarke and Lexa then went and sat at the table with Anya, the blonde girl was thankful that they were far enough away to not hear anything that was being said.
"I do not envy Octavia right now…" Lexa said, glancing back at the table, "two people who really care about her, it's a tough choice to make."
"She's more worried about the fact that she stands to hurt one of them," Clarke replied, "she doesn't like the idea of hurting anyone, it's just not in her nature"
"Maybe she doesn't have to…" Anya said, "Lexa and mom suggested an open relationship, that way she doesn't have to choose and neither of them stand to get hurt…"
"An open relationship usually works better if the people you are with aren't around each other all of the time." Clarke replied.
"Talking from experience there Clarke?" Anya asked with a smile.
"No," Clarke said with a laugh, "but a friend of my mom's is in an open relationship, well an open marriage actually. She lives with her husband, but she has another guy that lives about 2 hours away…"
"I think, as long as they all know where they stand, it could work…" Lexa said, "But it's not for us to decide is it."
"I don't think I could do it." Anya said with a shrug, "I mean, knowing that you're sharing your partner with someone else…"
"I don't think I could either…" Lexa replied, glancing over at Clarke.
"You just don't play well with others, Lex." Anya said with a laugh, "what about you Clarke, could you be in an open relationship?"
"I think it would depend who I was with," Clarke replied, "right now… no. Then again, if that's what Lexa wanted, then I'm sure I'd be able to accept it eventually."
"Lucky for you it isn't something I'd ever want." Lexa said with a smile.
"You two are puke worthy." Anya said as she stood up.
"Coming from you that's a compliment." Lexa replied.
"Yeah, yeah," Anya said, "you two want a drink?"
"Coffee, please." Lexa said before looking at Clarke.
"Same, thanks." The blonde said with a small smile.
As Anya walked away, Lexa leant in and kissed Clarke, before backing away a little.
"I've wanted to do that since you walked in…" Lexa said with a little smile.
"No complaints here." Clarke replied with a smile of her own, "what were you and Raven talking about, you know when O and I got here…"
"She asked me what I would do if I were in her position when it came to you," Lexa replied, looking down at Clarkes hand as she softly traced patterns over it with her fingers, "if I was about to lose you to someone else… putting aside the fact that Lincoln is my brother and if O decides to go with Raven…"
"And what did you tell her?" Clarke asked.
"I told her, if I were in her position, I'd fight for you." Lexa said, "I also told her what we talked about last night about an open relationship… it works for some people…"
"I'm not sure Raven could deal with that." Clarke replied honestly, "the very thought of O being with someone else pushed her into Bellamy's arms, I'm not sure that she'd be able to cope with knowing that she's sharing her…"
"Not even if it meant she didn't lose her?" Lexa asked.
Clarke glanced over at the table to see how it was going, Octavia was talking and both Raven and Lincoln were listening to her. The blonde could tell that Raven was fighting her instinct to run. It was her thing. When something happened that she didn't like, or that made her uncomfortable, she ran. Run from it now and hope not to have to deal with it later. She saw Raven move her chair back a little.
"Don't run Raven," Clarke said quietly, "don't run…"
Raven looked over at her and Lexa, Clarke shook her head a little and watched as her friend moved her chair back closer to the table again.
"She's a runner huh…" Lexa said quietly to Clarke.
"Big time," Clarke replied as Anya brought the drinks back over to the table, "thanks Anya."
"Do we have progress?" Anya asked, motioning over to the other table.
"Well Raven didn't run," Clarke said with a little laugh, "that's progress…"
The three of them just sat there, glancing over at the table every now and again, Lexa softly tracing patterns on Clarkes hand with her thumb. A few moments later, Lincoln stood up and walked away. He didn't look angry, he didn't look upset. Clarke looked between Anya and Lexa, trying to figure out their reactions and what they thought had just happened. She noticed Octavia reach over the table and take Raven's hand. Her friends deep in conversation but it didn't look like a very happy one.
"Give me a minute…" Lexa said as she stood up and walked in the direction Lincoln had gone.
Clarke watched Lexa as she walked away before turning her attention back to O and Raven, she saw Raven nod a little before Octavia looked over at her, her eyes pleading for Clarke to go over.
"Go…" Anya said to Clarke, "she obviously needs you over there."
"This sucks…" Clarke said quietly as she stood up.
"You have no idea Princess." Anya replied, clenching her jaw as she looked at Octavia.
Clarke walked over to the table where Raven and Octavia were sitting.
"So…" she said, not sitting down, "did you three figure it out?"
"Open relationship…" Raven replied, obviously not too happy about it.
"And everyone is okay with that?" Clarke asked in reply, looking between the two girls.
"Going to have to be," Raven said, before she checked her phone, "I need to get back to work…"
"I'll call you later okay…" Octavia said to her, to which Raven simply nodded, "Raven…"
"Yes," Raven said with a sigh and a nod, "call me later… catch you later Princess."
With that Raven walked out of Ark Station.
"Stupid idea right…" Octavia said, dropping her head down onto the cool surface of the table.
"Honestly," Clarke replied, "I don't think it's gonna last babe… She'll stick it out as long as she can, but she isn't going to be happy about it."
"That's what Lincoln said…" Octavia said, still not lifting her head to look at Clarke, "but if I chose one and not the other, someone stood to get hurt, if I chose neither… I stood to get hurt… why is my life so fucking complicated."
Clarke saw Lexa walk back out from the staff only area, as their eyes met she could tell that Lexa wasn't too happy about something, but instead of walking over to talk to her, Lexa just started serving the people who were sitting at the counter.
"Anya!" she yelled over, "my shift doesn't start for another hour, do you want to actually maybe try doing some work for once."
Clarke watched as Anya rolled her eyes before she walked over to the counter. Taking over from Lexa, the younger girl throwing the towel she had in her hand down on the counter with enough force to knock a coffee cup onto the floor, cursing as it broke into pieces.
"I've got it…" Anya said, crouching down next to Lexa, "go…"
The next thing Clarke knew, Lexa was going upstairs, not even looking back at her. She felt a hand cover hers and she looked at Octavia.
"Go…" the younger girl said, motioning to the stairs, "I'm good…"
Clarke looked between the stairs and Octavia.
"Seriously," Octavia said, "I'm good, go…"
Clarke nodded a little before she headed up the stairs after Lexa. She found the girl sitting against the wall, her legs pulled up to her chest, eyes locked on the opposite wall.
"Lexa…" Clarke said as she walked closer to the girl.
"My stupid ideas…" Lexa replied shaking her head a little, "If I hadn't suggested an open relationship then Octavia would've chosen… now Lincoln is sitting in the back office, considering walking away from her because he knows how much she means to Raven… and he doesn't want to upset anyone. Why did I have to open my big mouth with my bright ideas…"
"One of them would've thought of it already," Clarke said sitting down next to Lexa, "I mean when me and O were on our way here, she said it would be so much easier if she could have both."
"But it isn't going to last," Lexa said, "anyone with eyes can see that. Someone is going to end up getting hurt."
"Which isn't going to be your fault, Lexa…" Clarke said with a soft smile, "you can't make choices for everyone you know, their happiness does not depend on you…"
"Do you want to get out of here?" Lexa asked as she looked at Clarke.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
It didn't take Clarke long to figure out where Lexa was driving them, they were headed to the lake. As the brunette parked her car up, Clarke saw Finn and Murphy being total idiots, as usual, with another group of friends.
"Oh great…" Clarke said, "We can go somewhere else."
"No," Lexa replied as she took her keys from the ignition, "I like it here, come on…"
Both girls got out of the car, Clarke looking for a quiet spot for them to go to, preferably away from Finn. As far as she knew no one had seen him since that night outside Ark Station, even Bellamy hadn't talked to him which was weird. She swallowed hard as she saw Murphy look at her and Lexa before he nudged Finn.
"Ignore them," Lexa said quietly as she took Clarke's hand, leading her over to a quiet part of the lake, "forget they're even here."
"Pretty easy for me to do," Clarke said with a laugh, internally sighing at the feel of her hand in Lexa's, "I'm not the one who nearly pummelled his face into the sidewalk."
"Well now you're just being dramatic." Lexa said with a smirk as she gently bumped shoulders with Clarke as they we walking, "plus if I had actually wanted to 'pummel his face into the sidewalk' as you put it, I would have."
"Why did you get so angry?" Clarke asked, glancing at the other girl.
"Other than the fact he was going to hurt you," Lexa said, softly biting down on her lower lip, "and he had every intention of doing something that you really didn't want him to?"
Clarke nodded a little as Lexa looked at her.
"I can't stand the idea of someone taking the rights of someone else away," Lexa said with a sigh, "I mean, what gave him the right to do that? You'd already said you weren't interested, that should have been enough, he should have respected that whether he liked it or not. If a girl tells you they aren't interested, it isn't an invitation to do it anyway…"
Clarke smiled a little as she tightened her grip on Lexa's hand.
"Plus I really hate the word dyke," Lexa said with a laugh, "I'm a person, not a dam built to stop a river overtaking an area."
Clarke couldn't stop the laugh that escaped her as Lexa stopped them and sat down.
"I mean seriously," Lexa continued, "it's such an overused word, and yes, I do find it offensive. I'm a lesbian, call me that all you want, but the word dyke just gets me seeing red…"
"I don't get why labels are important…" Clarke said with a shrug as she sat down next to Lexa, leaning her weight into the other girl a little.
"Labels are given by people to mark out something that is different from themselves," Lexa said, "something that they don't understand. Its societies way of sticking us all in these neat little boxes so it's easier for small-minded people to make sense of the world around them. Personally, I don't fit into a box, I am who I am and if someone has a problem with that, then that's their issue, not mine."
Neither girl had noticed that Finn had made his way over to them, until he cleared his throat. Clarke stood up as she looked at him, Lexa could sense the blonde girl's immediate discomfort and stood up behind her, putting her hand on Clarkes waist, letting her know she was there.
"Er…" Finn said, looking at Lexa's hand before he looked back to Clarkes face, "Clarke, I just wanted to apologise for the other night, I was a dick."
"That's one word for it…" Lexa said, her eyes fixed on the boy, letting him know in no uncertain terms that if he tried anything again, she would stop him.
"Just what is your problem?" Finn asked looking at Lexa, "I was talking to Clarke, not you."
"You really want to know what my problem, Finn?" Lexa asked, feeling her anger start to boil up inside her.
"Lexa…" Clarke said, looking back at the brunette, the look in her eyes letting Lexa know it was okay.
Lexa just sighed, nodding her head a little.
"I don't think I can accept your apology Finn," Clarke said as she looked at him, "you knew that I wasn't interested, we've had that conversation so many times before…"
"I was drunk." He replied.
"Being drunk isn't an excuse," Clarke said, remembering what Bellamy had said to her about someone's actions when they are drunk, "being drunk isn't a reason for doing what you did. Being drunk just gives you the confidence to do what you were already thinking anyway…"
Finn nodded a little, running his hands through his hair.
"I guess I'll leave you alone then…" he said, when Clarke didn't say anything he just nodded a little and walked back over to his friends.
"And you…" Clarke said turning to face Lexa, a small smile on her lips, "I get it, I do, but I don't need you to be my protector, Lexa…"
The brunette nodded a little and just sat back down.
"I mean don't get me wrong," Clarke said sitting down next to the girl, "its all kinds of hot… but…"
"I get it," Lexa said with a small laugh, "I'm sorry…"
As Lexa went back to looking out over the lake, Clarke felt like this was going to be something that may be an issue for Lexa.
"You okay?" she asked, as the silence continued.
"Yeah," Lexa replied with a nod, "yeah… I get too protective, I just…"
"Hey," Clarke said, using her hand to softly turn Lexa's face to hers, "it's not a bad thing. But, what if something happened and you weren't there… you know, I need to be able to protect myself. You could always teach me how to fight…"
"I can do that…" Lexa nodded.
Clarke closed the small distance between their lips and softly kissed Lexa. Before either of them could get too into the moment, Lexa's phone started to ring. The brunette girl groaned as she took her phone from her pocket.
"What?" she said answering her phone, throwing an apologetic look in Clarke's direction.
"Are you forgetting you were supposed to be working this afternoon?" Indra asked.
"I'm out at the lake…" Lexa replied with a sigh, "did you talk to Anya…"
"I did, and she told me what went on earlier," Indra said, knowing that her daughter was probably not in the best frame of mind to work, "I'll let it slide this once, but you pull a double shift next Sunday to make up for it."
"Mom, I have kickboxing on Sunday…" Lexa said.
"Double shift next Sunday." Indra repeated.
"Fine…" Lexa replied with a sigh.
"Tell Clarke I said hi." Indra said with a small laugh, "and I'll see you later, remember its game night tonight, Lincoln and Anya need your help getting things sorted as you have company this time."
"Okay," Lexa said, "I'll see you later."
As she hung up the phone she looked at Clarke.
"My mom says hi…" she replied, "and also I have to do a double shift next Sunday."
"No kickboxing then." Clarke said with a little smile.
"Nope," Lexa said, "she has this massive thing about responsibility, if you agree to do something then you should do it, which obviously as I'm here with you and not at work, I'm not doing… a double shift is probably supposed to remind me of that, or something."
"I could always hang at Ark Station next Sunday," Clarke replied, her fingers softly trailing along Lexa's thigh, "if that'll help…"
"Oh that'll definitely help…" Lexa said before pulling Clarke in for another kiss.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Lexa had dropped Clarke at home before she had gone to deal with arranging game night with Lincoln and Anya. As soon as Clarke walked in the door she was met by looks from her mom.
"What?" Clarke asked as she walked into the living room.
"Was that Lexa that dropped you off?" Abby asked.
"Yes," Clarke replied, "is that a problem?"
"Of course not," Abby said, not wanting Clarke to get defensive about this, "you just seem to be spending a lot of time with her."
"That's kind of what happens when you're in a relationship with someone mom," Clarke said with a shrug, "I mean, I know all that stops when you get married…"
Her dad tried to hold in his laugh, but failed. As Abby looked at him, he held his hands up in a surrender pose.
"She does have a point," he said, still laughing a little, "let them enjoy it while they have no responsibilities."
"I just don't want her closing out her friends," Abby replied, "that's all."
"We actually all hang out together," Clarke said, "like tonight for example, its game night at Lexa's."
"What's game night?" Abby asked.
"Honestly," Clarke replied with a laugh, "no idea. She mentioned something about it being a tradition when her mom went out and there's a sports game on TV. They've invited a few of us round there."
"Like who?" Abby inquired, surprised at her daughters honesty, but in a way not surprised at all, Clarke had never been one to lie.
"Well, obviously her older brother and sister will be there, you know, the adults," Clarke said with a smirk as her dad looked at her, "Bellamy is going to be there, technically another adult, O, Raven, Monty and Jasper are also going to be there. We're all just going to hang out."
"And what time will you be home?" her mom asked, always full of questions.
"I don't know," Clarke said with a shrug, as she walked towards the door, "I might not be…"
"Clarke…" her mom said, following her out of the room.
"It depends how late it gets, designated drivers go out of the window when it gets too late," Clarke said as she stopped on the stairs, "don't you remember that time you blew up at Raven for driving me home at three in the morning that time…"
"Just don't let yourself be pushed into something you don't want to do." Abby replied from the bottom of the stairs.
"Mom," Clarke said with a sigh, "you've met Lexa, does she seem like someone who is going to force me to do something I don't want to do?"
"No… she seems like the exact opposite, actually." Abby conceded, "at least text me or your father and let us know whether to expect you home or not."
"I will, I always do." Clarke said with a small smile before she continued up the stairs to her room.
Standing in front of her closet Clarke again found herself worrying about what to wear. Grabbing her favourite pair of jeans and a tank top out of the closet she headed to the bathroom to shower. When she was finished she checked her phone, it was nearly 7pm, and she had no idea how she was getting to Lexa's. She text Raven asking if she was picking her up, it didn't take long for the other girl to reply.
Raven (18:57) : of course I am Princess, don't stress your pretty little head. Oh and make sure you're underwear matches.
Clarke laughed to herself as she sat on her bed, before texting Raven back 'Why is matching underwear important for a car ride?' she replied.
Raven (18:58) : the car ride wasn't the kind of ride I was thinking about Princess. We all know how close you and Lexa have got, it's only a question of time, and we all know it. I'm leaving now, be at yours in 10.
Clarke rolled her eyes as she stood up and grabbed her hoody from the back of the chair. Checking herself in the mirror one last time, she headed downstairs.
"Lexa picking you up?" her mom asked.
"No," Clarke said, "Raven is…"
"Maybe she can drop you home again." Her mom replied, a knowing look in her eyes.
"Maybe," Clarke replied with a sigh, "seriously mom, please stop worrying. I will text either you or dad if I'm not coming home."
"Just…" Abby said as she heard the car horn outside, "enjoy your night."
Clarke just smiled as she walked from the house and got into Raven's car.
"Matching underwear?" Raven asked.
"Black…" Clarke replied as Raven laughed, starting the car and driving them off towards Lexa's house.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x
As Raven parked up outside the address that Lincoln had given her.
"What is it with these people and old factory style buildings…" Raven said as she walked to the main door, "at least this one look vaguely like an apartment block…"
"What number?" Clarke asked as she walked over to the panel on the wall near the door.
"Top one," Raven replied, "loft apartment."
"Of course…" Clarke said with a roll of her eyes as she hit the right button.
"Yep." Came the reply.
"It's Clarke and Raven." Clarke said.
"Oh hey bitches," Anya said, "come on up."
"Did she really just call us bitches?" Raven asked as she and Clarke walked through the door and towards the elevator.
"Sounded like it to me." Clarke replied with a laugh.
After a short elevator journey they arrived at Lexa's floor. Their apartment was the only one on the floor.
"Jesus…" Raven said quietly, "how much money do these people have…"
"I have no idea," Clarke said with a laugh as she walked to the door, "you ready?"
"Always." Raven said, "now the big question is, are you?"
"And what's that supposed to me?" Clarke asked as Raven knocked on the door.
Before Raven had a chance to answer the door was open and they were both pulled inside.
"We don't knock around here." Anya said with a smile.
Anya dropped Clarkes arm as she closed the door, but kept hold of Raven as they walked into main living area of the loft. Clarke found herself looking around again. Just like at Ark Station, the loft had been stripped back to it's original brick work. There were floor to ceiling windows down the far wall, allowing for a beautiful view of the city. She noticed that there was a balcony that ran the length of the other wall. Then she saw it, pride of place over an old brick open fireplace, the picture she had drawn of Lexa. A cushion flying at her head brought her attention back to the group gathered in the living room area. She picked the cushion up from the floor, as it had missed her, and she looked at them to see which one had thrown it, noticing Lexa with a smirk on her face.
"Your hand-eye coordination is shit…" Clarke said with a laugh.
"Babe," Lexa said with a laugh, "if I meant it to hit you, it would've hit you."
Clarke laughed and walked through to the living room. She noticed that all the chairs were full, as was the sofa. Raven was sitting on the floor between Octavia's legs, and Clarke couldn't help but notice how little tension there was between her and Lincoln, who was sitting next to the other girl on the sofa.
"Two choices," Anya said looking at Clarke, "sit on the floor, or sit with Lexa."
The blonde looked at Lexa who was sitting sideways on in the chair facing the group, Clarke figured it was her favourite place to sit. Lexa smiled a little as she motioned for her to go over. Clarke knew everyone was watching her as she walked over to Lexa. The other girl moved her legs, so Clarke could sit on her lap. Ignoring the smirk on Raven's face, Clarke did just that. Turning her head a little to look at Lexa as the other girl put her arms around her waist and softly kissed her neck.
"I missed you…" Lexa said quietly.
Clarke was sure she was the only person who had heard Lexa.
"You only saw me like two hours ago,,," Clarke replied, just as quietly.
"Two hours too long." Lexa said with a small smile as she kissed her.
"Hey, you two," Anya called over, "save it for later okay."
Lexa couldn't help but laugh as Clarke blushed as she back away a little, it was going to be a long night.