Lexa was used to rude awakenings after a late night out. She'd experienced it all from the time Lincoln found a stray dog and let it lick her face, to when Anya let a couple of guys use their garage to rehearse for a gig but today, yeah today had to take the cake.
She could hear music blaring from the speakers in the common area, Anya's favourite - Red Hot Chili Peppers - but she'd had no intention of getting out of bed just yet so she covered her ears with her pillow and slowly started to drift back to sleep.
No less than five minutes later, she could hear someone banging what sounded like a cheese grater, in attempt to imitate the sound of a cowbell but, being Lexa, she truly believed she could sleep through it. She took a deep breath and released it slowly and continued to do so until she fell asleep again.
Despite being asleep, she picked up on the hushed voices that now occupied her room but chose to pay no attention to them until she felt her bed shift on either side of her. Her eyes shot open to reveal a smiling Lincoln and smirking Anya, they briefly exchanged a look before they started singing along to the Red Hot Chili Peppers', Hump De Bump and well, in lack of better phrasing, 'humped the bump'.
"I hate both of you so much I hope you know that." Lexa growled as the duo erupted into a fit of giggles and got off the bed.
"C'mon Lex, you love it." Lincoln laughed as he dodged a pillow that had been hauled in his direction.
"Thanks Linc." Anya says blowing him a kiss as he walks out of the room, "get out of bed, we need to go to the cafe."
"You made me go out last night, isn't that enough?" Lexa complained and Anya just rolled her eyes at her.
"If you put as much effort into doing things as you do in complaining, you'd actually get things done." She walked into the bathroom and left the shower running, "there, the water will be hot when you get in but we're leaving in fifteen minutes, if you're not ready you're leaving in whatever state you're in at the time."
Lexa mumbles an agreement and Anya walks out of the room with a proud smirk.
Lexa: 0 Anya: 1
Clarke wakes up next to Raven and sighs as she gets up to check the time 09:53.
Shit.
She gets up in a panic and starts getting dressed, calling for John, only to get no response. The commotion disturbs Raven and she looks anything but pleased about being woken up by such a ruckus.
She groans and throws a pillow over her head, "okay what the hell Clarke?"
Clarke's head whips round, "John. Grandparents. Today," and this causes Raven to groan some more and mumble insults into the pillow which only earns her a thwack to the back of the head from the flustered blonde.
"I want out of this relationship, you abuse me" she whines, rubbing the now sore spot on her head "I already took care of it. Your mum and dad came over and took him, your alarm went off but you were dead asleep so I just took care of it for you."
Clarke stilled at this, toothbrush hanging out of her foam-covered mouth, looking like a rabid dog "wait what?"
Raven sighed and pushed the covers off of her. "John is with your parents," she said, enunciating every word slowly, "but if this is what I get for helping you out then remind me never to do so again."
Clarke went to the bathroom to rinse out her mouth and Raven waited as she heard the tap being shut off and a toothbrush being put back into its cup beside the sink, "oh," was all she could say as she walked back into the room, to find a very unhappy Raven.
"Yeah, exactly." She furrows her brows, "I would say 'oh' sounds about right. I think you owe me breakfast."
Clarke smiles and hums in agreement, "only after you shower- and you know some people like to leave notes when they want someone who has just woken up to know something."
"Well some people like to be thanked with pancakes in bed not a thwack to the head," she says with a pout and Clarke kisses her cheek, "now throw a stack of pancakes on top of that and you'll be forgiven."
Raven stands and heads to the shower, "I'm going to use your fancy shampoo," and before Clarke can even think about protesting, the door is closed and the water is running as Raven – ironically – sings Frozen's 'Love Is An Open Door'.
Thirty minutes later, Raven is dressed and standing in the kitchen, "I believe I was promised pancakes."
Clarke smiles "yes, you were come on, I know a place."
Walking outside the duo immediately acknowledge the cold wind blowing, losing feeling in their glove protected fingers.
"Seriously why do I live on the East Coast?" Raven asks, rubbing her hands together desperately trying to get some feeling in them.
"Because I live here and I promise you food and love every now and then," Clarke replies with a slight smile that pulls at her dry lips, "did my parents say anything?"
This was always a heavy topic and everyone around at the time knew to tread carefully around Clarke when her parents were brought up. Which is why Clarke asked no one but Raven; because she knew that if someone was going to be honest with her it'd be the Latina.
"Your mum said she can't make it to John's birthday but she hopes to see the pictures the photographer takes, your dad said he wants to see you for coffee and they both commented on the dishes, you really should clean up the apartment Clarke," Raven laughs lightly as the blonde's fist connects with her arm, "no but really that was it."
Raven continued talking but Clarke was too lost in her thoughts and tuned all of it out.
It doesn't surprise her that her mum won't make it but she can't help but be disappointed, her mum loves John with all her heart but ever since Clarke told her about him and wanting to keep him, their relationship has never been quite the same. Still, she wishes she would put that aside to be a part of her son's life.
"Wait what did you just say?"
"Oh he cried like a little ba-"
"Before that," Clarke interrupted and watched and as confusion took over Raven's face, "when you were talking about my parents?"
"Okay first of all, I'm offended you weren't listening to my amazing story but yeah your mum can't come but she can't wait to see the pictures from the photo-"
"That. Oh crap," she cursed under her breath and took out her phone, frantically texting her dad "I completely forgot about the photographer."
"Okay you really need to stop interrupting me and don't worry about it, you have the hot girl from the mall, she's a photographer of some sort."
Clarke sighs as they arrive to their destination and take a seat "Raven, even if I could get a hold of her the chances of her saying yes are so slim, it's almost impossible to get a photographer during the holiday season."
Raven shrugs and holds up a menu, "I still think it's worth a try"
The duo walk into the cafe, finding a table immediately. Their waitress comes to the table and offers a kind smile, "my name is Cos-" she stops mid-sentence to look up and notices Clarke, her smile widening "it's nice to see you again."
Raven raises her eyebrows at her friend who turns to look at the waitress and smiles, "what are the odds huh?" she chuckles and Costia hums in agreement.
"Well it is morning so I assume you're not going to have the burger, so may I take your order?" she asked, pen in hand and notebook ready.
"Yes of course, I'll have your chocolate chip pancakes with a latte and she'll have your blueberry pancakes with a hot chocolate, with extra whipped cream." Clarke said with a smile.
Costia took their orders, "Lincoln will bring your drinks in 5 or so minutes and your food should be done in 15 minutes, is there anything else before I leave?"
"Oh yeah please could we get some more water?" Raven asked.
"Of course, coming right up." Costia replied with a smile and walked away towards the kitchen.
"Please tell me you're hitting that." Raven said and Clarke choked on her water, causing the Latina to erupt in laughter.
"Why is it that you assume I'm having sex with every girl that smiles at me?"
Raven shrugs and takes a sip of her water, "because almost every girl you smile at or vice versa, gives you 'sex me' eyes."
"Sex me ey- I actually don't want to know." She says, shaking her head wishing she could wipe off the smirk on Raven's face.
Raven inhaled sharply her nostrils and breathed out a content sigh, "this place smells like heaven feels," and Clarke nods as she remembers the first time she came here, yesterday.
"I'm surprised you haven't come here before, O is the one who recommended it to me."
A giant of a man, imposing in the weakest form of the word, armoured in thick muscles and large hands approached the table with a tray of drinks. If he didn't have such soft eyes and such a sweet smile, Clarke would associate him with a double agent but he has the air of a man who enjoys baking and keeping fit.
"Two glasses of water, a latte and a hot chocolate w-"
"With extra cream." Raven finishes for him as he puts the drinks down, flashing a smile in his direction, which he happily returns.
"Enjoy your drinks" he says, still smiling, and walks back to the bar.
Ten minutes after the drinks came and a heated conversation of blueberry pancakes versus chocolate chip pancakes later, the duo spots Costia heading towards them with a tray and two steaming stacks of pancakes and immediately clears space for their plates on the table.
"Blueberry pancakes for you and chocolate chip pancakes for you," she says placing the plates in front of them, Clarke opens her mouth to speak, "I'm guessing you would like some more drinks?"
Clarke closes her mouth, both her and Raven nodding at their waitress who only smiles and shakes her head, "coming right up and enjoy your meal, oh don't worry Clarke, I will too," she finishes off with a wink and walks towards Lincoln.
Raven raises her eyebrows and Clarke avoids her gaze, "you did it again didn't you?"
"Shut up. I wasn't built for social interaction okay?"
Raven smirks, "clearly but we can discuss your awkwardness another time, the pancakes are calling."
Clarke grins at her friend, "bon appétit." She raises her fork and clinks it against Raven's before they both cut into their pancakes and moan.
"Holy mother of Christ I think I just came." Raven moans and Clarke smiles as she enjoys her own pancakes.
"Oh look who it is?" Raven announces as a girl in a leather jacket and skinny jeans makes her way into the café and heads to the bar, where Lincoln and Costia reside.
Clarke's eyes dart up at the girl who now has her back turned to the, and she will deny this to her dying breath, but in that moment she couldn't have been any more grateful for the invention of skinny jeans, because this particular pair, hugs the girl's ass so perfectly it's unfair.
"Take a picture, it'll last longer." A girl with cheekbones so sharp they could slice glass speaks as she catches the gaze and smirks.
"She would but your friend is the photographer here," Raven answers with a wink and the other girl's smirk only widens.
"Touché, would you like to join me for a drink?" This catches Raven off-guard and she's at a loss for words at the straightforwardness.
Clarke laughs, "Would you look at that? Someone who finally got her to shut up. We just finished here and I think if she drinks or eats anything else, I'll have to wheel her out of here."
This makes the girl laugh and she picks up a serviette to write her number down, handing it to Raven, "call me when the cat gives you back your tongue." With a final wink she turns on her heel and catches up with the girl she walked in with.
Clarke watches them interact and when Lexa smiles, she can't help but feel warm inside so she gets up and approaches them, leaving behind a shell shocked Raven.
"Alexandria?" she asks and Lexa turns around to look at her with an eyebrow raised, confused at first and then a smile settles on her lips.
"That would be me but please call me Lexa"
"Lexa." She repeats. Lexa, Clarke loves the way her name flows off of her tongue.
"Have I done something wrong Princess Clarke?" she asks, a teasing smile playing at her face.
"Actually, your duties are needed but not for me but my son, John? I believe you two have met."
Lexa takes your hand and moves you into a private booth, "is this about the picture because I can have it taken down I didn't mean t-"
"Lexa," she interrupts, "you're rambling." A faint blush settles on the other girl's cheeks and Clarke can't help but think she looks adorable, "-and no it's not about the picture, I loved the picture and the caption, they were perfect this is actually about my son's birthday party."
She smiles, "go on."
"Well, I really need a photographer and I know this is a lot to ask of you, especially since it's the holiday season but I really have no other option a-"
"Who's rambling now?" she says with a playful smirk, "I'll do it. John is a great kid and I'd love to take pictures of him and his friends at his party, when is it?"
"A week on Saturday so, exactly a week before Christmas." Clarke says and Lexa nods, pulling out her phone and handing it to Clarke, "what are you doing?"
Her smile never falters, "we'll need to keep in contact and I don't have your number so I need you to type in your details and we can discuss this further when we're not preoccupied."
Clarke reaches for her own phone to reciprocate the action, the two swap phones again a minute later. "Alright, talk to you soon." she says with a smile as she gets up from the booth.
Lexa follows, "you'll be hearing from me very soon. Enjoy the rest of your day."
Clarke turns and finds Raven looking at her with a knowing smirk plastered on her face, "okay so you're not banging our waitress because you're busy banging her, I see," she says and earns herself a slap to the arm.
"Why am I friends with you?"
"Because even though you won't admit to it, you fantasise about having sex with me and I occasionally let you see me naked," she says with a shrug, "oh and I'm awesome."
Clarke settles the bill and leaves yet another generous tip, the duo exit the cafe and instantly miss the warmth, the aroma and the accompanying smooth jazz as it's replaced with icy wind, exhaust fumes and the sound of impatient drivers sitting on the horn.
When Clarke gets home, John's still not back and she takes the opportunity to finally clean up the apartment, finding an insane number of grease stains on her shirts, something she'll have to talk to Raven about later on.
As time passes by and the temperature drops, Clarke lights a fire and settles on the couch with a blanket over her legs, a book in her hand and tea on the side table next to her. She is so enthralled by the book that she starts to wonder why it took her so long to start reading it.
Forty-five minutes, five chapters and two cups of tea later, her eyes start drooping so she sets the book down and gets ready to take a nap. Just as she's losing reality, her phone lights up with a new message.
[21:32] Sexy Photographer: hello
Clarke looked at her phone and shook her head, amused. Of course she saved herself as that into her phone.
[21:33] Mall Princess: sexy photographer? really?
She didn't have to wait long for her phone to ding again, but she was only half disappointed when it was from Lexa.
[21:33] It Happened Once In A Dream: tell ur photographer chick
that she can invite her sexy friend to the party.
[21:34] Eagle One: ur rly going to use my son's party to pick up a girl?
[21:37] It Happened Once In A Dream: why do u sound surprised?
[21:37] Sexy Photographer: yes I thought it was fitting
[21:38] Mall Princess: ur disgusting
[21:38] Sexy Photographer: ?
Clarke swore that technology was out to get her and every piece of technology hated her and right now she could make a pretty convincing case.
[21:38] Mall Princess: no no no that was a mistake
I meant to send that to my friend because she wants me
to invite ur friend to John's party so she can flirt with ur friend
[21:39] It Happened Once In A Dream: heelllooooo?
[21:40] Eagle One: yes raven I will
[21:40] Sexy Photographer: oh she would've invited
herself, claimed to be 'helping' me.
[21:45] Sexy Photographer: so I guess im
bringing my friends along?
[21:52] Mall Princess: if u don't mind
[21:52] Mall Princess: sorry my parents
just brought john home and im tucking him in
[21:54] Sexy Photographer: tell him I say hi or
I guess goodnight?
[22:01] Mall Princess: he mumbled goodnight to u too so, the party
[22:02] Sexy Photographer: ah yes, duty calls
well u could come by to my studio and I could show u
some shots and u could tell me what u want?
[22:02] Mall Princess: sounds good, address?
Lexa texted her the address and the two continued texting until eventually Clarke fell asleep and woke up in the middle of the night to get into bed. As she plugged her charger into the phone she saw a message from Lexa she hadn't yet read.
[0:23] Sexy Photographer: of course you fell asleep on me
sigh this has got to stop happening :P well I hope the princess
gets her beauty rest and is up and ready at 8 for our big date
and if you only see this in the morning then get up, I don't
like waiting, even if the person im waiting for possesses
ethereal beauty.
[0:25] Sexy Photographer: day* looks like my phone hates
me too :P sleep well x
"When are you going to woman up and ask this girl out?" Costia said, coming out of Anya's bedroom.
"I really don't understand you people, you stay up so late- I want to go home." Lincoln whined as Anya prepared yet another pot of coffee.
The three girls laughed as he begrudgingly brought the cup containing his remaining coffee to his lips, pulling a face at the bitter taste.
"Are you even listening to us?" Anya asked looking at her little sister who was smiling at her phone, when she got no reply she took the phone from her hands.
"Hey!" Lexa protested, "and yes, I'm listening now give it back," she demanded, lunging towards her sister, who simply stepped out of the way.
"Ah yes, duty calls well you could come by to my studio and I could show you some shots and you could tell me what you want." Anya read out loud and Lexa's cheeks flushed red, "what are you? An awkward pubescent boy?" she sneered and threw the phone back at Lexa.
"She said yes," Lexa announced and there was a moment of silence before the celebration began.
Lincoln put his arms around Costia and Anya and wiped a faux tear, "would you look at that? Our little girl is going to get laid, they grow up so fast."
Lexa glared at them "get out of my apartment."
Costia walked up to her and pinched her nose, "technically, it's Anya's apartment and we're not leaving because you told us to," she exchanged a few words with Anya before heading to the door. Lincoln stood waiting and Costia turned around as she approached him, "have fun on your date." She said with a wink before closing the door behind her.
Lexa: 1.5 Anya: 5 Costia: 1
Anya would disagree with her scoring system but getting a 'date' with Clarke had to count for something. If it were up to her, she'd give herself 10 points but Anya would just accuse her of cheating.
"Go to bed, don't want to be late for your date," Anya jibed, "it would be a shame to keep the princess waiting."
[A/N] in my defense, I've been stressing over exam results coming out soon and could barely do anything creative but wow almost 2000 people have read this and it's honestly so overwhelming, thank you for reading I hope you keep doing so and the next chapter is pretty much 1000090990% clexa + fluff :) (also sorry for the lack of john)
talk to me on tumblr at ttoxiccity