Chapter 34
Clarke let out a sigh as she finally pulled into Monty’s driveway. A call off at the diner had her almost pulling a full double, so she was arriving considerably later than she had planned. Glancing around she recognized the array of vehicles in the driveway and it seemed like she was the last to arrive. Grabbing her bag, she slipped out of the driver’s seat and made her way up the snowy walk. As she approached the front door, it swung open and Monty smiled at her. “Hey,” he greeted pleasantly.
“Hey,” Clarke returned the smile.
“You finally made it,” Raven said to her as she stepped inside.
“Yeah, finally.” Clarke sighed as she slipped her bag off her shoulder and held it at her side. “Longest eleven hours of my life,” she groaned.
“Ouch,” Monty winced.
Raven stepped forward and handed her a small bottle. Clarke smirked with a glance at Monty as she tipped the clear liquid into her mouth and swallowed. Her insides instantly burned as she inhaled deeply, trying to stifle a cough. “Thanks,” she nodded as she tossed the empty bottle back to Raven.
“Of course.” Raven grinned and gave her a wink. “Go drop off you’re bag. A bunch of us are in the kitchen.”
Clarke gave her a nod and made her way upstairs to the room that she normally occupied during her stays at Monty’s. She glanced around. It felt weird. The last time she was there, she had been arguing with Finn about Lexa and made some really stupid decisions. Shaking off the feeling, she stepped out of the room and made her way back downstairs. As she crossed through the living room she spotted Bellamy sitting on the couch and ruffled his hair. He called her a jerk and she stuck out her tongue at him just before turning into the kitchen where she found Anya, Raven and Octavia.
“Hey,” Clarke said as she grabbed a beer from the fridge. “Where’s Lexa?”
“Don’t know,” Anya shrugged. “Haven’t seen her since before the holiday.”
Clarke practically choked on her beer. “What do you mean?" She coughed. "Didn’t she fly out with you?”
“Nope,” Anya shook her head. “She wouldn't go. She said that she had too much work to do.”
Clarke felt her eyes narrow as an annoyance instantly built up inside of her. She had texted Lexa several times over Christmas, and the week that followed and not once did she mention that she hadn’t gone with Anya to visit their uncle. As pair of headlights reflected off of the wall, she knew instantly who it had to be and turned on her heel, walking quickly to and through the front door.
Before she even realized what she was doing, Clarke found herself storming out into the snow toward Lexa. “You asshole,” she snapped quickly.
“What?” Lexa looked at her, obviously completely confused.
“You were here?” Clarke snapped again. “You knew that I thought that you were with Anya at your uncle’s place.”
“What difference does it make?” Lexa shrugged as she pulled her bag out of the car and flung it over her shoulder.
“Lexa!” Clarke couldn’t even stop herself. “It was Christmas!”
“It’s not that big of a deal,” Lexa told her as she rubbed her eyes.
“I would have come and spent it with you,” Clarke told her firmly. “You didn’t have to be alone.”
“I was working.” Lexa responded quickly.
This only annoyed Clarke further. This fricken woman. “That’s all you’ve been doing for weeks! It was Christmas,” she practically exploded. “You shouldn’t have been working. You should have been with family.”
“I didn’t need to be with family,” Lexa bit back, now visibly annoyed as well. “I needed to be working. It was important.”
“God!” Clarke rolled her eyes before turning away. “You’re such a fucking workaholic.”
“So what if I am?” Lexa stepped forward. “How the hell do you think people get anywhere in life, Clarke? They work for it.”
“You think that I don’t know that?” Clarke practically growled. She worked her ass off, and Lexa damn well knew it.
The two eyed each other for a moment. Clarke wasn’t exactly sure whether it was that Lexa had basically lied by omission or the fact that she had spent Christmas alone that had more upset her, but either way, she was fighting again the urge to just smack the brunette upside the head. Finally Lexa’s shoulders slumped a little and she gave her an slightly apologetic look. Clarke shook her and sighed as she turned back toward the house. “Come on,” she said holding out her hand. A few seconds passed before she felt Lexa’s fingers intertwine with her own, her hand was cold.
As they made their way up the walk, Clarke glanced sideways at her. “Hi,” she said softly.
“Hi,” Lexa replied quietly.
When they crossed the threshold into Monty’s house, Clarke let go of Lexa’s hand and watched as Lexa dropped her bag by the door and slipped out of her heavy coat. Turning, Clarke pulled the bun out of her hair and ran her fingers briskly through it as she walked back into the kitchen. She knew that work was important to Lexa, she got it, she did - but still, she couldn’t help how she felt. She worked hard too, but she also understood that there was more to life than just work and sometimes you just have to take a step back. Lexa on the other hand, needed reminding of this – often. She leaned back against the counter, returning her attention to her previously abandoned beer and sighed again. She shouldn't have gone off like that, she knew it – but she couldn’t help it.
A few minutes passed before Lexa appeared in the doorway. Anya tossed her a small bottle and an apologetic look. Lexa shook her head and tipped the moonshine into her mouth. Like Clarke she swallowed it all in one go and stifled her cough before crossing the room to retrieve a beer from the fridge. As she crossed back in front of Clarke to return to the doorway, Clarke grabbed her from behind and pulled her back. “I’m sorry that I called you an asshole,” she whispered into her hair.
Lexa turned her head slightly. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you,’ she responded quietly.
Clarke nodded lightly and Lexa tried to step away, but she tightened her grip. She had noticed how tense Lexa was and she knew that if she waited just another moment or two, Lexa would surely relax some. Clarke was right. After just a minute, Lexa adjusted her stance and leaned back against her. Clarke smiled as she looped her thumb playfully into one of Lexa’s belt loops and the two of them stood there engaging in whatever randomness the conversation among the group flowed into.
As the night wore on they parted ways several times, each getting into whatever suited them at the moment. Clarke found herself unsurprisingly dominating in several rounds of cards against any random person who dared to try and beat her, while Lexa and Lincoln were getting dominated in some video game that Jasper finally got them to agree to try. Somehow it seemed that every half hour or so Bellamy or Octavia would appear with yet another tray of food, while Monty and Raven floated around making sure that no glass, can or bottle sat empty for too long. Anya had long since taken control of the music and her selections throughout the night seemed nothing but spot on to suit the mood of the moment.
“Ugh.” Clarke heard Lexa groan and looking over she saw her drop her head back onto the couch, clearly having lost again. Shaking her head, she smiled and returned her attention back to her cards.
“Better pay attention, Griffin,” Raven warned her with a grin as she took a card from the deck.
“No way you’re beating me, Rae,” Clarke grinned back.
Lexa appeared at her side and dropped down on to her lap. “Hey,” she said softly.
“Lose again?” Clarke questioned with a not so sympathetic smile.
“That game is rigged,” Lexa shook her head as she jerked a thumb in the direction of the television.
“Aw,” Clarke cooed her with a chuckle.
Lexa smiled and gave her a nudge before her eyes dropped, not so subtly, to the cards in her hand.
“Hey, hey, hey!” Clarke said suddenly as she noticed Lexa’s floating eyes. “Don’t even think about trying to sabotage my game just because you suck tonight,” she laughed and gave her a nudge.
“I would never,” Lexa feigned offence, but her grin gave her away.
“That’s it,” Clarke shook her head. “Off,” she said and bumped Lexa off of her lap.
“Harsh,” Lexa pouted playfully.
“That’s what you get,” Clarke told her as she returned her attention to the game and drew another card.
Lexa rolled her eyes, but smiled before walking over and talking to Anya.
“You two are so ridiculously gross,” Raven told her as she shook her head.
“Why?” Clarke asked as she laid her cards down, showing her hand.
“You just are.” Raven grinned as she too, showed her hand. “I win.”
Clarke’s face flushed red. “Lexa!” She yelled. “You distracted me!”
Lexa turned her head and smiled before shooting a wink at Raven.
Clarke’s jaw dropped. “Oh, you little shit!” She said before jumping to her feet and darting across the room, causing Lexa to outright squeal and try to take off toward the kitchen, but Clarke caught her around the waist. “You totally set me up,” she accused as she poked her fingers into her ribs.
“Maybe,” Lexa laughed, her green eyes sparkling as she tried to wiggle out of her grip. “You shouldn’t have said that I suck,” she told her playfully.
Clarke took in the sight. It was the most relaxed she had seen Lexa in weeks. She smiled. “Well, you do suck,” she told her as she let her go.
“Yeah well,” Lexa shrugged with a smile.
“I’m totally going to get you back for that,” Clarke smiled back.
“Can’t wait,” Lexa laughed with an accepting nod.
Clarke smiled at her again and glanced at the clock. “Twenty minutes, guys!” She announced.
“I’ll get the champagne ready,” Lexa said as she turned to walk away.
“Oh, hell no, you don’t.” Clarke shook her head as she grabbed by the arm.
“Don’t you trust me?” Lexa grinned.
“Not one even a little,” Clarke winked. “Rae?”
“Yep,” Raven laughed as she stood up and walked passed them. “I'm on it.”
Shortly thereafter, as they all stood in the living room watching the last few seconds of the year disappear, Clarke slipped her hand into Lexa’s and gave it a squeeze. “Happy New Year,” she told her softly.
Lexa turned and grinned at her. “Happy New Year, Clarke.”
When the clock struck midnight the room erupted in cheers and Lexa leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. A strange warmth suddenly spread through Clarke's chest and she couldn’t help the blush that suddenly spread across her cheeks or the smile that followed it and it was in that moment that she instantly decided that this was, without a doubt, the best way that she had ever brought in a New Year.