Chapter Text
Today was unlike any day Clarke Griffin had ever experienced. The same could be said however, for the past week. The previously laughable notion of 'love at first sight' now seemed like a wonderful truth, in which she now had some experience. She had never expected it to ever happen to her at all, least of all in her own coffee shop downtown, yet mere days ago the most beautiful woman she had ever seen had started to make her heart melt and thoughts race.
The first time the stranger appeared was glorious. The soft grace in which she glided into the small coffee shop caught everyone's eye instantly. The usual warm atmosphere of the shop seemed irrelevant, non-existent even, for the only presence worth noting had appeared through the doors so suddenly that the universe seemed unprepared of such beauty. Clarke included. However, it was the stranger's now regular appearance that seemed much better.
Clarke, now accustomed to the brunette's appearance, she was still, however, filled with awe. She now saw her in her infinite beauty, everything about her was so beautiful. From her large puppy dog eyes, her confident smile, the way she talked-in that totally hot accent (one she couldn’t seem to pin point) -to the way she had held and conducted herself. God, she was beautiful.
Internally Clarke was torn, for how was it possible, she had to ponder, for anyone to be that perfect? This is what convinced her that the stranger before her was perfect. She knew wholeheartedly, this is who she wanted in that moment. She was undeniably certain that she needed this person in her life and had to have her there regardless of anything. Her confidence however, betrayed her.
Her thoughts raced unbearably loud as her heart beat escalated with each passing second, almost threatening to burst through the cavity of her chest. The incredible feeling was so strong every time she was faced with this stranger entering her small work space. That thought both scared and excited the petite blonde. Today was like no other, after starting well and again loosing herself briefly in the glorious moments of awe...she knew, she could not sit by idle in this feeling for much longer...regardless of how perfect it was. She had yet to introduce herself, having previously told her younger brother and employee, Bellamy, to tend to the brunette beauty's orders-for fear of embarrassing herself.
Today she had finally decided to act on impulse, admittedly, only after much prompting from Bellamy. "Princess, you gotta act..do something about this or i will!" The words still echoed in the back of her mind. Her thoughts, suddenly Crystal clear, just as they were before any of this started. Her mind attentive and wonder struck, encouraged her to act -and she did, ever so willingly.
She allowed a release of breath she was unaware of holding, her thoughts controlled her actions and it seemed so perfect, like a heavenly dream-she desperately hoped she wouldn't wake anytime soon. Her gravity shifted and she closed the distance between herself and the unaware stranger sat alone at the table before her.
"So..uh, you come here often?" She chuckled softly, to herself more than anything, her face plastered with her signature boisterous lopsided grin. The woman whipped her head up with a start, seemingly unsettled by the sudden disturbance of her own thoughts. A motion of which slightly faltered Clarke's confident smile replacing it with light concern. "Oh shit, sorry did i scare you?..I didn't-I uh..sorry about that.." She was aware of a flush of heat rising in her cheeks forcing her to look away from the stranger.
"Oh no, believe me...you did not startle me..too much" she said with a wink, a smirk of her own playing across her soft, inviting, lips. The ease in which the words fell from her mouth was elegant, enthralling..almost captivating. The softness in the strangers words settled the nerves of the petite waitress. She allowed herself to settle into her usual flirtations that she adorned with many previous women that entered her store. This felt different this time though, somehow.
"Really? That's good to hear, wouldn't want to scare away the prettiest women to ever grace my store" she insinuated with a sly smirk creeping to the corner of her lips. 'Shit Clarke, can you BE anymore cheesy' Her thoughts, however, were interrupted by an awe inspiring giggle from the now blushing woman before her. It was a good look on her Clarke noted internally, which only fed her growing confidence.
"oh, thank you ..although..Prettiest? clearly you have not seen yourself right? Besides, i could not be scared away by you..ever" she said with a pronounced wink that made every hair of the blonde's body stand on end and her stomach erupt with a copious amount of butterflies. 'Holy shit, did- did she just flirt back?' Certainly, Clarke Griffin was used to receiving attention back from the women she flirted with. This however..this was different, it caught her completely off guard. Maybe it was the captivating accent that got to her, or maybe it was the fact that the words emanated from her. She couldn't be certain but something pulled her towards the small brunette.
"I uh..um..ha! I'm Clarke Griffin by the way, the owner..and uh, your waitress for today" she stuttered pathetically as she extended a nervous arm towards the blonde. "Cl-ar-ke.." The words rolled off the small woman's tongue, seemingly testing her own name, in a way that sent her into an excited flurry of shivers. "..Lexa. Enchante..Clarke Griffin" French! The woman was French. she smiled warmly, taking her hand for a brief moment, sending a rush of heat through her body-letting the electricity in the moment send yet another wave of redness to her glowing cheeks.
"So uh..may I get you your order..? Mon cher" The blonde winced at her butchering of the delicate french language through her American pronunciation, which only seemed to make the brunette giggle more. Noticing that her hand still lingered in her own, she allowed for a shy smirk to plant itself across her features making her seem somewhat like a awe struck child.
Sensing this, the blonde's eyes focused on her own; the sincerity and her own wonder evident. She grinned and cocked her head to the side slightly, leaning in as she did allowing for more privacy. "Je suis dèsolè..your, how you say?..pronunciation..it needs work" she whispered teasingly, filling Clarke with all the confidence her ego could bear, mischief pooling in her bright blue eyes. She reclaimed her hand and turned away from Lexa, lightening on her feet. "Then maybe you should teach me sometime"
Without giving Lexa time to process the thought, she strutted confidently to the front counter, slipping behind it to the kitchen and disappearing from view with intent. From behind her she heard a stuttered, quizzical, breath call out to her. "But wait!..S'il vous plaît!..I didn't..I haven't ordered anything yet" utter confusion evident in her vocal tone-and what Clarke could only perceive was disappointment, or at least she hoped. "I know" came her teasing reply after only a few moments of allowing the brunette to contemplate.
She returned from the small kitchen with rich, Kenyan blend coffee in hand, accompanied by Lexa's usual small piece of fresh chocolate cake. "You don't need to..I know the order by now" Clarke mused-somewhat teasingly. A beaming smile planted itself across Lexa's features then, causing the blonde's heart to skip a beat, almost forcing her to drop what she held.
"You..." The french woman began, finger pointed accusingly, juxtaposed by the highly contagious growing laughter deep from her throat. "You are...merde, what's the word?.." Clarke, now laughing herself, chirped back instantly to the brunette, "I'm what? Charming? Cute?..gorgeous even?" At this, a burst of laughter filled the air, consuming the place and Clarke with it. "NON! Mockery is not the product of a strong mind…Non, you are very...cheeky! Oui! That is it, you are very cheeky Clarke Griffin" at this, the petite blonde swore, she almost fainted right then and there. Her words having such a profound effect on her, making her knees grow weak and her heart explode.
'Jesus Christ, what the hell Griffin, pull yourself together!' Her thoughts, still racing in an incomprehensible blur. For the first time in what seemed like ever, an honest, sweet smile played on her own lips. This day, however unforeseeable it was, could not possibly have get much better for Clarke Griffin and she settled with that thought. "Jeez, such sweet compliments...and you haven't even offered to buy me dinner yet"
"Non? Pardon moi..Well..uh..would you like like dinner..Clarke Griffin?"