Chapter Text
Clarke stretched back on her deckchair, listening to the sound of seagulls and crashing waves. It calmed her. The push and pull of the water across the sand. The peaceful cawing of birds overhead. The summer’s top 40 playing softly on the outdoor sound system. She loved every part of it. Loved the heat, and the sun, and the beach. Not that she knew any different living in LA. She’d never experienced a white Christmas, or snowfall, or the blistering cold. But she never wanted for anything more. More than the sand, and the surf, and the weekend trips to San Monica and Malibu. LA was her home, and it was enough.
The deckchair next to Clarke creaked loudly. But Clarke didn’t open her eyes, keeping them shut against the brilliant bright sunlight.
“Who is that?"
She knew whom Raven was talking about. She could hear the gentle sound of something breaking the surface of her pool, and the quiet footsteps across sandstone pavers.
“I think my mom said their name was Alex or something,” Clarke provided, eyes still closed. “They just started last week.”
“And have you said hi yet?”
“Nope.”
“Well that’s too bad,” Raven hummed. It was a playful sound, Clarke picturing the smirk pulling at the corner of her best friend’s lips at the presumably shirtless man on the other side of the infinity pool.
“Clarke, I thought you said that your mom got a pool boy?” Octavia gaped, the younger girl laying the other side of Raven.
“She did.” Shifting higher on her chair, Clarke glanced over at her two friends. They both sported wide expressions, their jaws slightly dropped – Raven holding that smirk Clarke knew would be there.
Quirking an eyebrow, Clarke shifted her attention to the pool and to the person currently scooping stray leaves off the surface of the water. And Clarke’s mouth went dry.
The girl couldn’t have been much older than the three of them. 24 at most. And she was gorgeous; her dark hair in long braids down her back, and her skin that perfect sun-kissed colour that only came with spending countless hours at the beach or out in the crashing waves.
“All I said was my mom hired someone to clean our pool, you were the one that assumed they were of the tiny shorts and ab variety,” Clarke responded, omitting the fact that her eyes were blown wide as well at them being a she.
A really hot she.
“Okay, that’s fair,” Octavia shrugged, taking a sip of the cocktail in her hand.
“I still think O might be right, Griffin.” Raven lowered her sunglasses down the bridge of her nose. “Twenty bucks says she’s got at least a six-pack under that shirt.”
The girl across the pool wasn’t paying the three of them any mind, crouching down to check the pump near the fence line of the neighbouring house.
“You’re on, Rey,” Octavia grinned.
“Raven,” Clarke chastised. She met her with a levelled gaze. “I can see you’re lady boner from here. Don’t make me push you in the pool.”
“Maybe I’ll just get her to save me then,” Raven practically purred, wiggling her eyebrows. “A little CPR might do me some good. Or you know, if she wants to put those lips anywhere else.”
“You’re unbelievable, you know that?” Clarke rolled her eyes, slipping her aviators to the top of her head. “Scratch that. Of course you know.”
“Naww, thanks, babe.” Raven placed a mocking hand to her chest. “You know me so well.”
Raven let out a chuckle at Clarke’s deadpan expression, bringing her own straw to her lips.
They all settled back into their silence, each lazing on their deckchairs. The midmorning sun was burning across the sandstone pavers, creating brilliant ripples of white light over the surface of the pool. It bordered the lush green hills seamlessly, leading down to the sand and the ocean in the distance. It was beautiful, Clarke never truly over the view from her house, even though she’d lived there most of her life. But that was probably the artist in her, always seeing colours and the textures around her. The lines and shades of the water, and the endless sky.
She’d chosen to stay with her mother, Abby, during the summer break. The trauma surgeon lived in one of the many gated communities nestled on the hills of Newport that overlooked 180 degrees of pure ocean. Clarke’s apartment wasn’t all that far from Newport Beach, but it was enough of a drive to not want to make it each day to spend time with her friends, all of them coming home for the summer. And now that she was there she was silently thanking her decision, her eyes following the pool girl’s movements across the water.
“I am so not leaving this spot for the rest of the day,” Raven breathed, a gentle smile playing on her features.
“Agreed,” Octavia murmured, her eyes closed beneath her Ray Bans. “Clarke, we need a consensus.”
Clarke merely hummed in response.
She was now crouched down by the pool’s edge, removing the plastic cover of the filter. Clarke’s eyes flitted over full lips, and tasteful black stretchers that dotted her ears. Her open button up was rolled messily to her elbows, revealing a tight white singlet that clung to her chest, and the lightest sheen of sweat covered her skin.
Clarke knew she was staring. And she knew she should look away. But subtly and common decency had never been a strong suit. A part of her itched to draw the girl. To commit every detail to paper. Her intricate braids. Her strong jawline. The beginnings of a tattoo that peeked out from under her denim cut-offs, bright watercolours touching the bare skin of her thigh. She knew it was a bad idea. That a girl like that was a bad idea. She was the epitome her mother’s worse nightmare.
All that was missing was the motorbike.
“You are such a perv, Griffin.”
As soon as the words had left Raven’s lips those kohl-lined eyes flicked up and focused on Clarke across the pool. Clarke flushed and quickly diverted her gaze, but not before she caught the tiny smirk that hinted at the corner of full lips.
“You okay?” Raven asked innocently, Octavia trying to stifle her laughter. “You’re looking a little flustered.”
“You’re an asshole,” Clarke replied with an easy smile – she could already feel the flush creeping onto her cheeks.
“Love you, too,” Raven winked.
“Do you two want another?” Clarke gestured at their empty drinks. Raven and Octavia both nodded with matching grins, raising their glasses to her. Clarke just rolled her eyes, before sitting up and taking them from their outstretched hands. She tried to avoid looking over the far side of her pool and to the object of her early staring.
She wasn’t blushing.
She wasn’t.
Clarke began making her way across the hot pavers. She dared a glance over the other side of her terrace; quickly noticing the mystery girl was now nowhere to be seen.
“Great,” Clarke huffed, stepping through the wide double doors and into the large kitchen.
The music was quieter inside, carrying over into the indoor speakers as well. With its grand foyer, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a double garage, the house was honestly far too big for her mother alone. But Clarke suspected that she’d stayed because of how many memories were there. In the small dent on the second floor banister, and the chipped paint by the kitchen door. The slight char marks etched around the fireplace. All of them were reminders. All of them were Jake Griffin. They were her dad. Every perfect imperfection.
So Clarke didn’t blame Abby for staying after she’d left for college. And Clarke was far from being the one to dictate how her mother grieved. So she said nothing, a part of her taking comfort in being back in her old room.
Moving to the large kitchen island, Clarke set the three glasses down on the granite counter, and took the orange juice from the fridge. She began measuring out shots of tequila – a double for Raven – before grabbing the syrup from the top shelf.
“Excuse me.”
Clarke jolted in surprise at the soft voice, nearly dropping the syrup. “Holy shit.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” The girl was looking at her, those eyes watching her curiously as Clarke placed the bottle back on the counter.
“You didn’t?” Clarke jested, trying to will her heart rate to a normal level.
The answering smirk barely ghosted over her lips. “I’m finished for the day. So the pool’s all yours.”
“Thanks,” Clarke murmured.
She gave her a short nod. “I’ll be back next Thursday. Same time.”
Clarke felt a sudden nervousness around her. It buzzed low in her stomach; Clarke meeting her eye. They were a strange mix of light green and grey, the intensity of them spreading the nerves even further.
Clarke distracted herself from staring again by pushing fresh straws into the cocktails in front of her. The girl turned to leave through the front entrance, but stopped just short of the tall archway to the kitchen.
“My name is Lexa, by the way. Not Alex.”
Clarke’s jaw noticeably dropped, the words sinking deep beneath her skin and planting themselves like needles.
Oh my god.
“Have a good day, Clarke.”
And with that she was gone.
Clarke waited until she heard truck tires screech out of the driveway before allowing herself to breathe.
Clarke was in her bedroom. Loose drawings and sketches were covering walls and strewn across her comforter. They crunched gently, filling the midmorning air.
Her sketchbook was closed on her dressing table, her summer art project wedged gently between its pages. It had been two weeks. Two weeks that had seen countless road trips and afternoon sailing with her friends. Shopping sprees and lunch dates by the Pier. Two weeks that had seen her avoid starting said project. And two weeks of avoiding Lexa.
She hadn’t told her friends about their brief run in, steering clear of the subject when she had returned from the kitchen with their drinks. They’d given her curious glances, but merely thanked her and settled back into their comfortable silence, if only breaking it for the occasional teasing.
Clarke felt like a schoolgirl with a crush. A stupid silly crush. She swore she could still feel the heat on her cheeks and the nerves in her stomach that those eyes had brought, knowing that Lexa had most likely heard every single word they’d said about her. Clarke was almost 22. She shouldn’t still be feeling like this. At least not about someone she’d only had fleeting interaction with.
Clarke was pulled from her thoughts by a constant and incessant honking.
Shaking her head, she dragged a brush through her blonde hair, before pulling it up into a messy bun. She grabbed her keys and wallet, taking her stairs two at a time to be met with Raven behind the wheel of her red Jeep Wrangler, mashing the middle of the steering wheel with her palm.
“Hurry it up, Griffin,” Raven called through the driver’s side window. “I ain’t got all day.”
“Yes, you do, Raven.”
Clarke was met with another loud honk, and Raven’s trademark laughter floating into the morning air. She loved Raven. She was a little shit, but she loved her.
Clarke was just turning her key in the deadlock when Lexa’s truck pulled into the driveway. It slowed to a stop in front of the garage doors, the pavers vibrating beneath her feet as the engine cut out. And Clarke’s stomach dropped.
Lexa stepped down from her old black Ford Pickup, her attention on Clarke as she walked past. Clarke gave her a tiny smile, those nerves wreaking havoc just underneath her skin. Lexa nodded at her in greeting, before rounding the back of her truck to retrieve her bag from the tray. But in the few seconds that those eyes had been on her, Clarke felt as if they had burned her, warming every inch of her skin.
Get a grip.
Taking a breath, she hopped into the waiting Jeep, Raven’s eyebrows already raised in a silent question. “Explain.”
“Excuse me?” Clarke huffed, clipping in her seatbelt.
“Um, I don’t know, maybe the fact that I can see pool girl’s lady boner from the front seat of my car.”
“Raven.”
“You’re words, not mine.”
Clarke narrowed her eyes at her friend as she straightened up in her seat.
“I’m just saying, that girl wants to do a lot more than clean your damn pool,” Raven quipped as she turned her engine over, the Jeep rumbling to life.
“You got all that from her nodding at me?” Clarke deadpanned.
“If by nodding, you mean eye-fucking you. Then yeah, I got all that from a nod.”
“You’re insane,” Clarke mumbled, trying to dampen the heat that Raven’s words were sending to some very inconvenient areas – trying and failing miserably.
“Not my fault Alex wants to get you wet,” Raven teased, looking over her shoulder as she started backing out of the driveway.
“Lexa,” Clarke corrected, not looking at Raven.
“Oh it’s Lexa now, is it?” Her friend was grinning mischievously, her Jeep hitting the smooth black asphalt of her street. “Did you find that out before or after the hot pool sex?”
“Shut up and drive,” Clarke muttered with a shove to Raven’s shoulder. Her best friend laughed gleefully, before speeding off down the street.
By the third week Clarke had come to terms with the fact that her silly little crush wasn’t going anywhere.
She was lying face down on her comforter, her fingers gripping a stick of graphite as she attempted to get some work done. But all that seemed to come out were perfect almond eyes, and jawlines, and tattoos, and those sinful lips.
It was utterly frustrating.
She really wasn’t planning on going for a swim, or even leaving her room. She hadn’t made plans with any of her friends, just staying home with her sketchbook and Spotify, her mom away for the rest of the week at a medical conference.
But when she heard Lexa’s truck pull up, she gripped her sketchbook with both hands, deliberating for a moment before rushing to her closet to get changed.
She quickly took up her spot on a deckchair by the pool, her pad open to work on her summer project. Raven’s words were going through her head on a constant loop as Lexa came around the side of the house. It was foolish to listen her friend, but she couldn’t get those eyes or those lips far from her mind. And it was frankly hindering her creativity. She was really just thinking of her education.
Lexa placed her bag down near the garden bed, spotting Clarke lounging by the pool in her bikini, and she swore she saw Lexa falter her step.
“Good morning, Clarke.”
“Lexa,” she acknowledged.
Lexa didn’t waste time, moving to the pool cabinet to retrieve her equipment and began scooping the leaves that were floating on the surface of the water. She was wearing a loose singlet that hung low under her arms, and showed off a cherry blossom tattoo that extended down her right bicep and disappeared underneath her singlet. It was a vibrant pink, with green branches circling her shoulder and weaving through each bloom. Clarke longed to sketch it. It was amazing.
She had to force her eyes back to her homework, less she be caught staring. Again.
“What is that?”
They’d be silent for the past 10 minutes. 10 minutes that saw Clarke stealing glances, and Lexa continuing to keep her eyes on her task.
Clarke looked at her over the top of her sketchbook. Lexa’s brow was furrowed. She was looking at something at the bottom of the pool, crouching to get a better look. Clarke smiled to herself. It was a golf ball and one that Lexa couldn’t reach with her net.
“Oh, that’d be from the Kanes next door,” Clarke provided, her tone somewhat amused. “Marcus likes to see if he can hit them into the ocean from his terrace. As you can see, he’s not that good.”
Lexa sighed, giving up on using the net to retrieve the offending object. She seemed to evaluate her options, before her gaze locked onto Clarke, or more so her lack of clothing. “Would you?”
Closing her sketchbook, Clarke sat forward, a teasing smile playing on her lips.
“I’d really prefer to stay dry, if you don’t mind,” Clarke stated innocently.
“Of course,” Lexa grumbled. “I suppose that was a long shot.”
She stood reluctantly and made to pull her white singlet over her head.
Clarke couldn’t do more than just stare as Lexa continued to slip off her shoes, before pushing her denim cut-offs down her thighs. She was left in her black sports bra and tight boy shorts, looking everywhere except Clarke. And Clarke continued to stare unapologetic, making a metal note to tell Octavia that she owed Raven $20.
Clarke could now see that the cherry blossom tattoo continued down her back into a tree of life. The gnarled and twisted branches formed a Lady Justice with a sword and scales. It disappeared beneath her underwear near her hip, appearing again on her left thigh in the form of an owl. Cherry blossom petals floated around the top of the tree like they were caught on a breeze. The whole piece was bright watercolours, light blues and pinks and greens, with thick black brush stroke outlines, like the artist had splashed the ink onto her skin like a canvas.
It was incredible, Lexa reminding Clarke of a Suicide Girl model.
You’re definitely a bad idea.
Lexa took the steps at the shallow end, eyeing Clarke for the first time, as the water got deeper and deeper, moving over her hips. The water must have been a little cold, some inconvenient areas reacting to it.
Clarke tried to hide her smirk, Lexa having an exasperated look on her face as she dove down to get the ball. She resurfaced moments later, swimming over to the ledge and pulling herself out. She wiped the water from her eyes, before throwing the ball in the outdoor bin.
Clarke was smiling softly at her, trying her best not to stare at the way the small droplets of water were gathering near the dip in her neck and sliding down her perfectly toned stomach.
“Could I trouble you for a towel?”
Clarke nodded once and moved to grab one from a cabinet near the guesthouse. She turned to hand it over, but Lexa had followed and was a lot closer than Clarke had expected, pulling her up short.
“Here,” she offered thickly, holding out the white towel. Their sudden proximity brought the presence of Lexa’s perfume, making Clarke lightheaded. It was a mixture of citrus and vanilla, it gently clouding her and threatening to pull her further in.
Bad idea.
“Was that enjoyable for you?” Lexa asked, running the towel over her toned arms.
Clarke smirked at that, still a little nervous, “Most definitely.”
Lexa glared at her as she finished drying herself off, and began pulling her clothes back on.
“You do know those balls are dissolvable, right?” Clarke mentioned offhand, leaning back against the cabinet. “You could have just left it there and the filter would have sucked it up in a few days.”
“Of course they are. And you didn’t think to tell me before I jumped in?”
“No. That thought didn’t really occur to me.” Clarke paused, her gaze wandering. “I may have been a little distracted.”
Lexa’s cheeks redden at her flirting, eyes flitting away. “I should get back to work.”
Her voice had grown shy as she handed the towel back. Lexa picked the pole back up from near her feet, and began unscrewing it to store it in the cabinet. Clarke watched her for a moment.
“Lexa.”
She hummed, letting Clarke know she was listening. Clarke took in a breath before she lost her nerve. “My mother left for a medical conference this morning in DC, so I’m having a few friends over.” She bit her lip nervously. “You should come.”
Lexa’s hands stilled, turning her head toward Clarke. She stayed crouched near the open pool cabinet, her eyes dragging over her. The intense gaze made Clarke feel suddenly self-conscious, threatening to break her resolve.
“And why would I do that?”
It wasn’t said rudely. It was said almost like a challenge.
“Well, there’ll be free food and beer,” Clarke ventured, taking a step closer and watching as Lexa stiffened. “And who knows, maybe you might see something…enjoyable.”
Lexa smirked at that. It reached her eyes, Clarke noticing they were now a shade of green.
“Saturday, seven o’clock.”
“I never said yes.”
“I know you didn’t,” Clarke hummed.
She retreated back inside; feeling a jolt of electricity spark just under her ribs, knowing those eyes would be glued to her.
It was just a barbecue and drinks with a few of her friends.
Raven, Octavia, Lincoln, Wells, and Miller were all over by the pool’s edge playing poker on the outdoor table setting. Loose money and chips were scattered over the varnished wood, her friends arguing, and laughing, and throwing cards at each other.
Clarke smiled at their antics, standing by the open grill with Bellamy, a set of barbecue tongs in one hand and a beer in his other. She made light conversation with him, but she couldn’t help her eyes from wandering over to the side gate, or from looking at her watch, the minute hand inching toward the small golden seven.
“She’ll show, Princess.” Bellamy gave her his lopsided grin, which quelled some of the butterflies that buzzed lightly in her stomach. She sipped at her beer, forcing herself not to stare at her watch.
Clarke had told him about Lexa and the invitation, and she was met with a sly grin and reassuring words. Which was more than she could say for Raven and Octavia. They’d teased her endlessly, making her feel like she was back in middle school. Which wasn’t far from how she actually felt at the prospect of seeing Lexa again. It had only been two days, but already her skin was tingling and her heart was pounding at the thought of her.
It wasn’t another minute before Bellamy was nodding and indicating toward the side entrance. “Told you.”
Clarke tried to stop her smile stretching across her lips as Lexa walked over to them in a plain black singlet and denim shorts. Clarke noted the simple bikini strings visible behind her neck, grinning to herself.
“Hey, you.”
“Hello, Clarke.”
“Hey, I’m Bellamy.” He offered her his hand, Lexa taking it in her own. “Octavia’s big brother.”
“Lexa,” she replied politely.
“I’ll introduce you,” Clarke smiled, taking her wrist gently in her fingers to lead her over to the table by the pool. Her skin was warm to the touch and so very soft. Lexa didn’t pull away, following closely behind her.
Clarke released her grip as they reached the group of friends. “Guys, this is Lexa. Raven and Octavia you know.” Both girls nodded, their hands grasping their sets of cards. “And that’s Octavia’s boyfriend, Lincoln, and that’s Miller and Wells.”
Lexa murmured a hello as they all greeted her, before returning to their game. Octavia had just won the hand, and was collecting her winnings gleefully from the centre of the table. After watching a moment, Lexa stepped closer and wordlessly plucked a 20 from Octavia's fingertips and handed it to Raven.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Octavia exclaimed. “I won that hand fair and square.”
There was a heavy silence before Raven clicked a moment later, her mouth gaping open. “No shit.” She let out a loud bark of laughter as Lexa cocked her head in Octavia’s direction.
“Wait, hold up,” Octavia slowed, a hand raised. “I need receipts.”
“She’s got receipts, Octavia. Trust me.” Clarke said the last part in a hushed whisper, Octavia’s expression turning sullen.
She slumped back in her chair. But Raven just stared at Clarke. She held that look Clarke had seen countless times over the course of their friendship. The one that said you’re so busted and we’re so talking about this. Clarke just shook her head, knowing she’d be interrogated later for the details.
“Let’s get you a drink,” she murmured to Lexa.
Lexa nodded, following Clarke back over to where Bellamy was still cooking the steaks.
“What was that all about?” Clarke heard Wells ask.
“I’ll tell you when you’re older, Wells,” Raven placated, pocketing the money into her jean short pocket.
Clarke crouched in front of the open bar fridge, nestled under the countertop of the barbecue. “Is beer okay?”
“Yeah, whatever’s good,” Lexa replied, leaning on the tiled counter beside her.
Clarke used a bottle opener to take off the top and handed it to Lexa. She took a tentative sip, Clarke doing the same as they watched the poker game from afar.
“So what was that about?” Bellamy edged, taking a sip of his own beer.
“Excuse me?”
“Well if someone is squandering my sister out of rent money, I want it to be for a good cause.”
Clarke shrugged, “Raven made an offhanded bet a few weeks ago, and was just collecting.” It seemed to be the right answer, Lexa looking back at her appreciatively.
“Fair enough. And I don’t get to hear what it was?”
Lexa kept silent, eyeing Bellamy over the top of her beer.
Bellamy just shook his head with a breathy laugh, before returning his attention to the grill. “I like this one, Princess.”
They sat by the pool, their legs in the water and hands barely touching between them.
Clarke ached just to reach out and run a finger over the back of Lexa’s hand, and over the cherry blossom tattoo that was now on full display mere inches from her. It was even more beautiful up close. The dark brush strokes, and the vivid pinks.
“This is really beautiful.”
It was said as a half whisper, a part of Clarke hoping Lexa hadn’t quite caught her words. But a blush had started to tinge Lexa’s cheeks, ducking her head and avoiding Clarke’s eye.
“Thanks,” she murmured, her fingertips shifting even closer to Clarke’s on the rough pavers.
They’d all finished dinner, the night well and truly dark, and the sky littered with stars. Music was playing softly on the outdoor sound system, mixing with the low buzz of the cicadas and the gentle crashing of the waves in the distance.
It was kind of perfect.
Bellamy and Wells were clearing away the plates and cleaning the grill, while Raven and Octavia were already swimming. Raven was laying back on an inflatable mattress, resting her leg as her fingers grazed the water, Octavia guiding her from below. Miller and Lincoln were both inside. Clarke could hear the two of them laughing and joking from the guesthouse, changing into their swim trunks.
“So the pool thing,” Clarke ventured, cutting into their silence. “Is that something you want to do? Run your own business?”
Lexa laughed lightly, and she shook her head. “I’m in my first year of grad school at California State, studying law.” She kept her eyes on Clarke as she spoke. “I was on scholarship for undergrad, but not anymore. Hence the pool cleaning. The business is my uncle’s. I also bartend a few nights a week.”
“Law school,” Clarke praised. “That’s impressive.”
Lexa gave a small lift of her shoulders. “I’d really like to work with juvenile cases. Become a public defender.”
“That would explain the tattoo.” Lexa’s brow furrowed, Clarke indicating to her back. “Lady Justice?”
Lexa nodded, her eyes softening. “What about you?”
“I just have a small constellation of stars on my ribs under my right arm. It was my father’s favourite when I was a kid.”
Lexa’s lips turned up in the whisper of a smile, those eyes watching her carefully. “I meant what do you do, Clarke.”
“Oh,” Clarke blushed, averting her gaze. “I’m an art major at UCLA. I’m only undergrad, though. It was something my dad had always encouraged.”
She stole a glance at Lexa. She was still looking at her with a keen interest. Lexa didn’t pry or ask any questions, and Clarke was thankful. “My mom would love to see me go into medicine, and I’m good at it. But I just- love art.”
Lexa nodded in understanding. “I’m a firm believer in doing something you’re passionate about, over something that’s just expected of you.”
“And what is it that was expected of you, Lexa?”
She was silent for a moment, before she lowered her voice to barely above a whisper, “I don’t think I want to scare you away just yet.”
Clarke’s eyes dropped briefly to those lips and back up. She didn’t mean for the movement to appear so obvious, but it was hard when Lexa was looking at her the way she was. Those green eyes like a low fire.
The moment suddenly felt charged with something. An electricity burned beneath her fingertips as Clarke edged forward, her hand brushing over soft skin.
Lexa’s eyes seemed to darken, just as Clarke felt two strong hands grip under her arms.
“Lincoln,” Clarke shrieked, panic clear in her voice. “Don’t you dare!”
But he only paused briefly, before cool blue water enveloped them both. It was better than any cold shower, the previous heat that coated her skin completely washing away in the wake of the pool.
Clarke was laughing to herself as she resurfaced, wiping the water from her eyes.
She stripped off her now soaked dress, putting it on the pool’s edge. It left her in her light blue bikini, Clarke adjusting it under the water to make sure she was adequately covered.
Octavia was now sharing the inflatable mattress with Raven, floating gently past them, as Lexa stood and removed her singlet.
Clarke just stared open mouthed, her eyes roaming over those impossible abs and perfect hipbones, before pausing on the partial tattoo that ran down her side.
“Dammit.”
“Damn is right, O. I think I might have just died a little,” Raven squeaked, floating up to Clarke. “You better get on that, Griffin. Or I will.”
Lincoln had paddled back over by this time, grinning widely. “You’re welcome.”
After removing her denim shorts, Lexa slowly lowered herself into the water, staying by the ledge. Those eyes just watched her, Clarke feeling the heat coming back over her skin despite the coolness of the water.
Clarke waded over to her, and away from her friends. “So are you having fun yet?”
“Well I’m yet to see anything enjoyable,” Lexa mused. “So, jury’s still out.”
Clarke flicked water at her, Lexa dodging the small droplets with a smile that Clarke was beginning to realise she couldn’t resist. “There’s still time.”
Lexa looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, before slowly pushing off the edge of the pool. Clarke’s breath caught, Lexa moving in closer to her. “It takes as long as it takes.”
It was the second time that night that Clarke noticed her eyes move to those lips. She was only inches from her, Clarke feeling Lexa’s body heat radiating in the water between them.
“You’re such a bad idea.”
Clarke didn’t mean to for it slip out. It came as a breathless whisper from her lips, her eyes glued to green ones that sparked and darkened at her words.
She felt the rush of water move against her skin, before soft fingertips traced her arms and down her sides, making Clarke shiver. Lexa’s lips edged towards hers, grazing her jaw in a barely their touch, before hot breath brushed past her ear.
“You have no idea.”
“I’ve never…gone skinny dipping.”
“We could change that, Nate,” Raven winked, leaning back against Octavia on one of the deckchair. “Pool’s right there.”
The small group of friends cheered lightly, Bellamy wolf whistling as everyone else took a sip from their drinks.
“Anything for you, Raven.” Miller blew her a kiss from his chair near the water’s edge. They all chuckled, eyes moving to Lincoln, who was sitting next to Miller in one of the outdoor cane loungers.
They were playing I Never, the friends crowding the deckchairs, with some sitting on the pavers with a beer in hand. It had started as Raven’s shallow attempt at getting to know Lexa, Clarke staring daggers at her best friend through every invasive question. But it soon evolved into Octavia initiating the drinking game, calling everyone over, which was met with easy shrugs.
It certainly wasn’t the first time they’d all played, but having Lexa sitting next to her on the pavers, their thighs touching and her hand itching to thread through long fingers, added a whole new level of nerves for Clarke – especially sharing her somewhat lengthy experiences with her new crush. The return of that intoxicating perfume wasn’t helping matters either.
Lexa had promptly pulled away after their stolen moment in the pool, moving back to lean against the ledge. But those eyes had never left her, almost daring Clarke to close the distance again.
Clarke had groaned softly, submerging herself in the water, before swimming over to where Bellamy and Wells were sitting by the pool steps; needing to create a tangible distance between them before she did something stupid.
“Still glad she showed, Princess?”
Clarke had merely huffed in response, stealing a sip of Bellamy’s beer, trying to rid the tingles left behind by that touch.
“Ask me again in the morning.”
“Never have I ever, had sex in a public place,” Lincoln admitted, pulling Clarke back to the present. She watched as everyone bar Wells and Miller took a sip of their drink, Lexa taking her own mouthful from where she sat cross-legged next to her.
“Really?” Bellamy questioned.
“What can I say, I’m a simple guy.”
“Is the backseat of a cab public?” Clarke asked, that one night still vivid in her mind. Of the soft touches and whispered words, her hands and lips lost to the girl she’d met only hours before.
“I’d say so,” Miller shrugged.
“Then I have.”
“Get it, Griffin,” Raven jeered, leaning over to clink bottles with her.
Clarke grinned, before looking at Lexa. “What was yours?” she whispered while the rest of the group settled.
“Library stacks,” Lexa murmured back, a tiny smirk on those perfect lips. “Junior year of college.”
The small up turn just made Clarke want to close the short distance between them. Something she’d wanted to do countless times during the night. And by the look of Lexa, those thoughts weren’t far from her mind either. It sent butterflies to Clarke's stomach, her fingertips tingling pleasantly.
“I’ve never had a threesome,” Octavia provided.
Clarke brought her beer to her lips with Raven and Bellamy, her eyes still on Lexa as she did. Lexa just shook her head lightly, her beer staying firmly in her grasp.
“Dear god, please tell me it wasn’t the three of you?” Octavia blanched, a look of complete horror crossing her face.
“Bell wishes,” Raven teased. “So do I a little,” she mumbled as an afterthought, earning a playful nudge from Octavia. Raven settled further back against her, eyeing Octavia over her shoulder. “Never have I ever been arrested.”
Octavia groaned playfully, “I hate you.”
Bellamy and Miller both cheered, taking a drink with Octavia, Lexa sipping her beer too in the process.
“That was a good night,” Bellamy grinned, a far off look in his eyes.
“Do I want to know?” Lexa asked them lightly, her gaze shifting between the three.
Raven just shook her head, laughing with them, as Octavia rested her chin on her shoulder.
Clarke lowered her voice, “I’ll tell you later.”
Lexa smiled softly at that, as images of that night came back to the forefront. They were all involved, but it was the three friends that took the fall for it. It was one of the better nights they’d had in their long years of friendship, Clarke laughing with them, deciding to drink as well for her sizeable part in it.
“And do I want to know about yours?” Clarke asked, remembering Lexa took a sip as well.
“I’ll tell you later,” she whispered back. It was her turn, Lexa deliberating for a moment. “Never have I Netflix and Chilled.”
“Maybe someone here can fix that,” Octavia coughed, earning a hard look from Clarke as everyone took a drink. She swore her face had turned a shade of red, Octavia stifling her laughter. But Lexa didn’t comment, keeping her expression neutral, if a little flushed as well.
Clarke just shook her head and lifted her beer to the group, before her eyes settled on Bellamy, “I’ve never slept with someone more than 10 years older than me.”
Bellamy didn’t waste any time taking a drink from his spot on the other deckchair, Wells perched on the end of it. He shrugged, all eyes on him. “Older women are hot.”
“Rey?” Clarke asked, as Raven took a sip as well.
“Older woman are hot,” she agreed, raising her drink with Bellamy. “I mean, look at your mom for instance.”
“Raven,” Clarke shut down. “That’s a hard no.”
Raven just laughed, unfazed. It was a running joke between the two best friends, but it still made Clarke mentally cringe every time, knowing a part of Raven wasn’t entirely joking.
“You love it, Griffin.”
“Alright, alright," Wells quietened, Raven still grinning. "I’ve never gotten anything pierced.” He left it hanging, everyone moving to drink. “Somewhere that is not my face,” he finished, causing some to stop before they could take a sip. But Lincoln, Octavia, and Lexa continued to take their mouthfuls.
Clarke looked at Lexa, brow raised, burning with curiosity. They all knew that Lincoln had one of his nipples pierced, and Octavia had a belly bar. But it was Raven that voiced it – of course it was Raven. “Is it still pierced?”
“Took it out my second year of college,” Lexa told her evenly. “It was getting in the way.”
“That’s all we get?” Raven implored, sitting forward. “No sordid details?”
“Well it wasn’t my navel, if that’s what you’re asking.”
Clarke flushed at Lexa’s bluntness. She took a large sip of her beer to counteract her suddenly dry mouth, and the heat that was spreading rapidly over her skin.
Oh my god.
Lexa leaned a little closer on the pavers, her voice a hushed whisper, “Do you still think I’m a bad idea?”
Clarke swallowed hard. “Jury’s still out.”
Lexa bit down, white teeth pressing gently into her bottom lip, turning that heat into an inferno. Clarke had to take another sip of her drink, giving her mouth something else to do besides crave the feeling of those lips on hers.
“Well I for one have never had phone sex,” Bellamy confessed. Everyone took a sip of their beer except Wells, Clarke looking down her bottle at Lexa, her gaze not having left her.
Lexa caught her eye, reading the questioning look etched on Clarke’s brow. “Long distance relationship.”
Clarke felt a slight twinge at her admission. She didn’t expect it. Lexa was by no means hers. And for all she knew it was completely over. But it didn’t stop the ache that shot up her back and tingled at her fingertips at the sudden softening of Lexa’s features. Clarke knew all too well that feeling. Of how it lingered long after the other person had gone, and things had ended.
But Clarke forced it away, along with her own memories, looking to Miller.
“Never have I ever fantasised about someone here.”
Everyone groaned, taking a pull of his or her beer. Even Lexa. She did it casually, Clarke watching her with butterflies in her stomach, it washing away all traces of that previous ache. Lexa glanced at her, her expression unreadable. But those eyes held that fire from earlier in the pool.
“It was so me, wasn’t it, Blake?” Raven grinned.
Bellamy chuckled, “Of course, Reyes. Who else?”
“Well mine was your sister.” Raven accented her words by pressing her lips to the underside of Octavia’s jaw, earning her a giggle and a light shove.
“Okay, Lincoln’s turn,” Octavia announced, a slight flush now on her cheeks.
“Never have I ever done it in a pool.”
Only Bellamy and Clarke took sips. Lexa just watched Clarke in amusement, her eyebrows raised.
“Wait, the pool girl has never done it in a pool?” Octavia inquired after Lexa didn’t drink, her tone mocking. “Don’t mix business with pleasure?”
“I just happen to know exactly what is in pool water,” Lexa replied evenly. “So that would be a no.”
“Fair call,” Bellamy chuckled.
“Well, I got nothing,” Octavia sighed, taking a pull from her beer to forfeit her turn.
Raven paused a moment. “Never have I ever been in love.”
Clarke didn’t miss the way those eyes lingered on Octavia, or how Raven’s smile faltered for a moment when she took a drink, her attention on Lincoln.
Her stomach dropped a little for her best friend. Raven looked at her, smiling sadly with an almost non-existent shrug of her shoulder. Clarke returned it just as Octavia hugged Raven tighter, an arm circling her waist.
Clarke dropped her eye, glancing next to her to see Lexa smiling softly to herself. The smile was so beautiful and private it had Clarke wanting to taste that smile for herself. Or more so, be the cause of it, that sudden realisation jolting her at its intensity.
Nope. Bad idea.
Clarke moved quickly to take her turn. Her eyes trained on Bellamy for the second time that night, taking enjoyment out of torturing the older Blake. “Never have I ever made a sex tape.”
Bellamy just shook his head, moving to drink. But before he took a sip, he narrowed his eyes at Clarke, “You have though, Griffin."
“And kept it,” she finished.
“Gross, Bell,” Octavia chastised. Bellamy merely shrugged and finished off his beer, before cracking open another.
“What is the point in making one, if you don’t intend to keep it?” Lexa asked Clarke, her brow raised and her tone light. Clarke felt her skin flush for the umpteenth time that night – Lexa was definitely learning more than Clarke bargained for with this game.
“You don’t have to do that, Lexa.” Clarke motioned to the empty bottles she was starting to gather from around the pool area.
“I know.”
All Clarke’s friends had left in two cars with promises of lunch at the Pier the following day, Lincoln taking Octavia and Bellamy, while Wells drove Raven and Miller. It left Clarke and Lexa alone for the first time that night, and it was like it was three weeks ago, those nerves coming back.
Clarke busied herself with reposition the deckchairs and the loungers. Having her friends there as a buffer had kept her butterflies quelled and low in her stomach. But in their absence, they were back in full force, wrecking havoc inside her chest and down to her fingertips.
They worked in silence, not taking long to collect the stray bottles and cups, and move the furniture back into place. It wasn’t an awkward silence, but all too soon they were finished, Lexa retrieving her car keys from the bowl on the kitchen counter.
“I should go.”
Clarke’s stomach sunk a little at those three little words, not wanting the night to end just yet. “Are you sure you’re okay to drive?”
It was a weak argument; Clarke knew she was more or less sober. Lexa nodded, playing idly with her keys. “I only had a few.”
Clarke just watched her, or more so her hands. The question she’d wanted to ask Lexa for the past hour was on the tip of her tongue. She knew she shouldn’t pry, but she didn’t think she could let her leave without knowing.
“So are you still- I mean do you still…see them?” Lexa raised her eyebrows at the question, meeting her gaze. “The long distance thing.”
Lexa nodded in understanding, “Her.”
She was silent for a moment, her hip leaning against the kitchen counter. Lexa seemed to decide something, those green eyes roaming over Clarke’s features, before they moved down to her lips.
It was a moment before Clarke’s breath caught in her throat. Lexa had stepped forward, fingertips brushing the back of her neck and her nose grazing Clarke's gently. It took all the breath that Clarke had, before she felt soft lips capture hers.
Her eyes fluttered closed, Clarke kissing her back, as her hands gripped the belt loops of Lexa’s shorts. Her lips were so soft, and tasted of something that Clarke just thought to be Lexa; like vanilla lip balm and something salty sweet.
She pushed further into the kiss, wanting to taste more of it, changing the angle and deepening it with a swipe over Lexa’s bottom lip. Short nails scratched at the back of her neck as teeth grazed her tongue.
Breathless, Lexa pulled away, still cupping her cheek with one hand. “Does that answer your question?”
“Stay.”
The word left Clarke’s lips as a breathless whisper, her forehead pressed against the side of Lexa’s cheek. Her hands were still gripping her hips, pulling Lexa against her and not letting go.
Lexa took in a ragged breath through her nose, her jaw clenching, like her body was screaming at her to say yes. “We both know what happens if I do.”
“That’s kinda the point,” Clarke laughed softly against her lips, capturing them again in a searing kiss. She took her bottom lip into her mouth, nipping playfully.
Lexa let out a low whimper, before pulling back again. Her dark eyes were completely blown wide, her fingertips digging further into the back of Clarke’s neck. It was as if her head was waging war with her heart.
Her eyes searched Clarke’s face for a moment, before she turned away.
She didn’t move far, Clarke keeping her hold on her waist as Lexa grabbed a half empty beer sitting on the kitchen counter next to them. She brought it between them, her eyes turning shy.
“Never have I ever slept with someone on the first date.”
Clarke regarded her, loving how wistful and honest her voice had become, though a little surprised by the admission.
She took the bottle from Lexa’s fingertips, taking a sip of the warm beer in a silent confession. She placed the bottle back down, licking her lips, “So this was a date, huh?”
Lexa’s eyes softened, brushing Clarke’s fringe behind her ear. She leant down to kiss her again, this time soft and slow, Clarke tasting the answer in the press of her lips. Everything about the kiss just made Clarke want to melt, her knees going weak.
“Goodnight, Clarke.”
Clarke’s heart fluttered as she bit her bottom lip, unhooking her fingers from Lexa’s belt loops, butterflies exploding in her stomach.
“Night. Drive safe.”
Lexa took her keys, leaving Clarke alone in the kitchen.
She heard the door close behind Lexa with a soft click, as Clarke let out a breath, making a mental note to thank her mother for hiring a pool boy for the summer.
Clarke awoke the next morning to her phone buzzing near her ear.
[9:48 a.m.] Bell Blake: so, are we glad she showed?
Clarke stared at the message for a moment, a smile stretching across her lips.
[9:50 a.m.] Princess: …you have no idea