Light filtered in through the gaps in the curtains, and Clarke’s eyes cracked open. She blinked blearily at the clock on her bedside table. 8:00am. She sighed, rolling over and nestling deeper into the pillows, taking in the image of the girl curled up next to her, her loose brown hair forming a cloud around her head. Sleep had smoothed away the careful Commander’s mask that she wore in public, leaving only the wide eyed unguardedness that never failed to knock her breath away. It was a face, Clarke reflected, that only a few people in the world had ever seen. She smiled, brushing her thumb across Lexa’s bare shoulder.
In the two months since Lexa had gone into the City of Light and with the help of Raven destroyed A.L.I.E, they’d both been caught up in maintaining alliances between their people, too busy trying to stop the war that still threatened to have anything but stolen moments to enjoy each other’s company, so days like this where they could just be, no obligations or responsibilities … Clarke never forgot to treasure them.
They hadn’t advertised the Commander’s presence here, and in dark leggings and a zip up hoodie, Lexa looked surprisingly … normal. Without her signature armour and warpaint, it was unlikely she’d be recognised. And if she was – well, Skaikru was the thirteenth clan now, Lexa could go and do what she liked. But they’d agreed it was best to keep their relationship secret for now as it would only complicate things with the other clans.
Next to her Lexa stirred, mumbling something in her sleep, and then her eyes fluttered open, as green as the rolling forests where she was raised. She smiled sleepily when she saw Clarke.
“Hey,” she murmured, pulling Clarke down to kiss her. Clarke smiled into the kiss, melting into the familiar yet never less intoxicating feeling of Lexa’s body against hers as her hand tangled in her hair, pulling her closer.
“Clarke!” There came a pounding on the door as Raven’s voice filled the room, and they broke apart with a start. “Clarke! Dammit, Clarke, why is the door locked? Open up! Octavia and Lincoln are here from TonDC, and we’re meeting Bellamy and the others by the stables, and – why is your door locked? Oh my god, is there someone in there with you?”
Clarke exchanged a panicked look with Lexa. Raven, she mouthed, and Lexa nodded. Although she’d never admit it, Clarke knew she liked the spacewalker, or at least respected her courage. “Um, no. I’ll be out in a minute,” she said, shoving Lexa towards the bathroom and chucking her clothes in after her.
Hastily pulling a sweatshirt on over the light t-shirt she’d slept in and tugging on the trousers that she’d left discarded on the floor the night before, Clarke opened the door, desperately trying to pat her hair into shape. “What’s up, Raven?”
As usual, Raven ignored the haphazardness of her appearance and didn’t once stop to consider that maybe, just maybe, she was interrupting something. “So today's Arkadia’s holiday aka first day we all have off in forever, and like I said Lincoln and Octavia are here too - Indra finally gave her a break from training or maybe Lincoln kidnapped her, I honestly don’t know - but anyway, you, me, them, Bellamy, Monty, Harper, Jasper, Miller, and I’m pretty sure Murphy and Emori too are gonna take the rover and get the hell out of here for the day.”
The mechanic blinked over shoulder at the tangled bed sheets and the indents in the pillows that clearly proved that someone else had slept there and grinned. “Damn, Clarke, you finally got some action, huh? Who is it?”
“… No?” Clarke denied uselessly, moving to block the doorway. There was a muffled thud from behind her, followed by a string of curses in Trigedasleng.
Raven narrowed her eyes, and before Clarke could stop her she shoved past her and strode into the room, yanking open the bathroom door to reveal Lexa perched on the edge of the bath, tying her shoes. For a moment they just stared at each other, and then – “Lexa?”
“Raven?” It was a testament to Lexa’s years as Heda that she kept her voice steady.
Raven looked from Lexa to Clarke and back again, her mouth open it what Clarke considered frankly offensive surprise. “Clarke, why is the Commander of the Thirteen Clans in your bedroom?” There was a pause as Raven took Lexa in in all of her just-woken-up glory, all rumpled clothes and messy hair and flushed cheeks. “Oh. Oh. That’s why.” She cackled. “I can’t wait to tell Bellamy -”
Clarke cleared her throat. “Please don’t.”
“No I’m gonna.”
“Must you?”
“Yes.”
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t. Besides, Bellamy will just be happy for you. You know he will.”
Clarke looked at Lexa, who shrugged. “We were going to tell them anyway, soon. It’s your call to make, though.”
It only took Clarke a moment to make up her mind. “Whatever, Reyes. Now scram. I need to get dressed.”
For once, Raven listened, shooting a last not so subtle look at Lexa before opening the door to leave. “Hurry up, Griffin, we’re leaving in ten.”
“I never said I was going!”
The Latina girl frowned. “What? Yes, you are!” At Clarke’s unimpressed look, her voice softened. “You’ve been working yourself to the bone maintaining alliances for months, Clarke. Give yourself a break. It’s only for a day.”
“When Raven Reyes is telling you that you need to take a break, you know it’s bad.”
“Damn right. Now …” she smiled, holding out her hand to Clarke invitingly.
No politics, no fighting, no responsibilities …
Clarke felt a smile tugging at her lips. She has to admit it sounded tempting to just drop everything and enjoy the day out with her family. It had been a while, she considered, since she’d been able to let go. She took Raven’s hand. “I’m in.”
Lexa smiled faintly, getting to her feet. “I should be getting back to Polis anyway.”
“What? No! This is our day off. Polis can do without you for a while. Come with us?”
“This is your family time. I should go.”
“You should not. Besides, I think it’s about time you met my friends.”
“I’ve met your friends. They’re all crazy,” she said with a teasing smile.
“Yeah, sure, at political events or when we were desperately trying to save the world together. Not properly. Besides,” she added, sliding an arm around Lexa’s waist, “I hate to break it to you, Lex, but you’re pretty damn crazy too.”
“After all we’ve been through, and this is the treatment I get from my beloved girlfriend?”
Clarke leaned over to kiss her cheek. “It’s a complement.”
“Aww,” Raven interjected. “You guys are so cute. It’s an insult to my intelligence that I didn’t figure this out sooner. But Lexa, you’re coming with us. It’s about time you met the gang.”
Lexa hesitated, clearly torn. “Well …”
“Come on, it’ll be fun. I promise,” Clarke said, sliding her arm around her waist.
Lexa smiled. “Okay. I’m in too.”
Raven grinned, a full Raven Reyes grin that lit up her face. “Okay. Great!”
Clarke shoved her out the door and she yelped, but didn’t resist as Clarke shut it behind her and turned to Lexa. “You sure you’re good with this?”
Lexa smiled. “Sure.”
Clarke kissed her, then reached over to the bedside table for a hairbrush. “Then get ready, Commander, because my crazy friends are about to drag us both on an adventure.”
When they exited the room a few minutes later, Raven was waiting. She slung an easy arm over both of their shoulders and propelled them out into the mess hall then through the garage, and soon the trio was blinking in the sudden sunlight.
The rover was parked by the front gate, next to the stables where Lincoln and Octavia stood a little of to the side with the horses, Helios and Selene. Bellamy was leaning against one of the doors chatting with Monty, Jasper, Harper and Miller. Murphy and Emori were still nowhere to be seen, but that wasn’t surprising.
Monty saw them coming and waved them over, hugging her and Raven before his eyes fell on Lexa and he stopped, blinking. “Uhm … who?” he asked hesitantly. The others turned at the question, and began to stare unabashedly at Lexa.
There was a pause as the others slowly connected the ruthless commander to the girl who stood somewhat awkwardly in front of them now, her hair tied up in a messy ponytail and in casual clothes.
“Is that Commander Lexa?” Lincoln demanded at last.
“Clarke’s girlfriend Lexa,” Raven said gleefully.
“Girlfriend?” It was Jasper this time, his eyebrows shooting up into his hairline. After ALIE he’d started growing it out of the vicious buzz cut he’d gotten after Maya, and now it fell over his forehead in chocolate coloured waves.
Clarke rolled her eyes. “Yes. Stop looking so surprised.” At her side, Lexa’s hand brushed hers and Clarke held it tight, grateful for the contact. It was steadying, somehow.
They continued to shamelessly gawk at them.
“You really shouldn’t be surprised,” Murphy said, popping up suddenly from behind the rover. Monty yelped, nearly falling back into the shrubbery before Harper grabbed his arm, laughing at her boyfriend.
“Stop doing that!” he exclaimed, his face bright red.
Murphy shrugged, levering himself up onto the hood. “But it’s so funny when I scare you.”
“No, it’s not!”
“You knew about Clarke and Lexa?” Octavia asked from where she was leaning against Lincoln’s chest, his arms casually wrapped around her waist. Her hair was in its signature braids, but her face, like Lexa’s, was clear of warpaint.
“I guessed. In Polis. The look on your face when your psycho flamekeeper almost shot Clarke wasn’t exactly subtle.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Clarke asked curiously.
He shrugged again. “I wanted to see how that information might benefit me one day.”
Raven smacked his shoulder lightly. “Once a cockroach, always a cockroach, huh?” But there was no anger in her voice, only amusement. “Where’s Emori? She’s the only civilised one here.” Lexa smiled slightly, and Clarke knew it was because Raven had automatically included her as one of the group. As Murphy and the others broke into indignant protest, Bellamy sidled up next to her.
“I’m glad you’re happy, Clarke. You deserve it.”
And if there was still a voice in her head that said Do I? Clarke was able to ignore it for a little while longer. She squeezed Lexa’s hand as she smiled up at her best friend. “Thanks.”
Bellamy inclined his head to Lexa. “Welcome to the family, Commander. You hurt Clarke, and I’ll -”
Clarke rolled her eyes, elbowing him playfully. “Do stop threatening my girlfriend, Bellamy. Besides, if you and Lexa went head to head I think we all know who’d walk away from that encounter.”
“Me,” Bellamy and Lexa both said at once.
“I’d pay good money to see Lexa kick your ass, Big Brother,” Octavia said from where she’d been chatting to Lincoln and Jasper.
Emori wandered over in that silent thief’s way of hers, kissing Murphy’s cheek and hopping up next to Raven who slung an arm around her shoulder. After the couple had decided to stick around in Arkadia, it had come as no surprise as anyone that the two girls had become fast friends.
“’Mori! Guess what your boyfriend’s not been telling us all these months?”
“Clarke and Lexa are boning?" Clarke nearly choked at that unapologetic description of their relationship. She glanced at Lexa, and was amused to see the blush that graced her elegant cheekbones. It was rather adorable. Emori grinned at them. Clarke knew she respected Lexa because of the work she was doing in Sangedakru towards dismantling the harsh treatments of "frikdreina".
Raven's mouth fell open. "He told you? That's so unfair."
"You do realise we can hear you talking about us, right?" Lexa put in.
She looked more entertained than offended, so Clarke laughed, whacking her gently on the back. "Welcome to Arkadia, babe. And I hope you enjoy your first real introduction to the delinquents."
"Alright everyone, get in the rover," Bellamy called out over the chatter. "Raven's driving because she's refusing to tell me where we're actually going, which I think is extremely unsexy of her."
She blew him a kiss, and Octavia swung herself up onto Helios. Bellamy told her that Helios had been the titan god of the sun, and as Clarke examined the way the sun bounced of his chestnut coat she thought it was fitting. She'd like to draw that horse, one day. Lincoln mounted Selene, his counterpart and titan god of the moon.
Lexa started towards the stables, where a third horse – a magnificent black mare, Nyx – was eyeing them mournfully over the stable door.
“Oh, no. You’re coming with me in the rover,” Clarke said, reaching out to put a hand on her arm.
“I’ve never ridden in a rover before.”
“Well you are today.” Clarke clambered up, extending a hand after to her to help Lexa up too, a grin on her face. Lexa grinned too, and accepted her hand, and damn if it didn’t kill her that unguarded joy on her face. She didn’t let go of her hand as the others piled in too, all eight of them squished together in the back on the rover, their limbs tangled together. Raven swung herself up behind the wheel and Jasper climbed in shotgun.
The shadows would linger in his eyes for a good while yet, but slowly, and with Monty’s unwavering support, Jasper was healing from what he’d endured in Mount Weather and afterwards.
The mechanic revved the engine, and they lurched out of Arkadia with a clatter, Lincoln and Octavia galloping out ahead.
“Toss,” Raven said, grinning from where she sat behind the wheel, and Jasper threw her what Clarke recognised as Maya’s old iPod which she plugged into the small speaker.
A song Clarke didn’t recognise came on, fast and upbeat, and Bellamy and Raven started singing alone almost immediately. They weren’t half bad, Clarke realised in amusement. She looked sideways at Lexa, who looked adorably confused. Most of the others joined in, chanting the words with familiarity. They were more than bad. Only Emori was silent, and Murphy was tilting his head towards her as he sang, his nose scrunched up, as she lost the battle for keeping a straight face as she giggled. The song was repetitive, and Clarke felt herself loosen as she joined in, hesitantly at first, but then louder.
And when the chorus came on, Jasper stood up out of his seat and belted out the lyrics, holding a wooden spoon in front of his mouth like a microphone and shutting his eyes as he outright wailed. Clarke's singing trailed of as she laughed at her ridiculous friend, as he stretched out his hand to the back, and called, “MONTYYYYYY!”
Monty was grinning as he stood up too, reaching over Clarke, who leaned out of his way as he grabbed Jaspers hand and they synchronised, yelling out the lyrics at the top of their voices, Monty busting out some dance moves which were truly inappropriate for such a small space.
It surprised nobody at all when the rover went over a bump and Monty went flying, sprawling over Harper and Miller, neither of whom seemed inclined to help him back up. Monty tipped his head back to grin up at his girlfriend who shook her head in amusement, reaching down to mess up his unruly black hair.
The pine scented wind rushed in through the open rover windows, and the pounding of hooves were loud over the hum of the engine and the blaring music. The delinquents were laughing, more carefree and happy than she remembered them being since they’d first landed the Dropship. Clarke’s hair blew in her mouth, so she tied it back as she laughed too, leaning into Lexa.
“You having fun yet, Heda?” she murmured into her ear, squeezing her hand where it lay on Clarke’s lap.
Lexa’s answering smile could have lit up the entirety of Polis. “Where are we even going?”
“Now that is a question only god himself could answer.”
“Or Murphy,” said Murphy. “Although he is as on tier as god that it’s an easy enough mistake to make.”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay then, O Wise Murphy, where are we headed?”
“It’s a place ‘Mori and I found when we were scavenging. Trust me. You'll like it."
Clarke was dubious that any place Murphy liked would be any good, and it must have shown up on her face because Emori called over from where she was sitting wedged between Murphy and Miller, "it's really really amazing."
And it was.