Tactical as Fallujah
Lexa trails the much more awake blonde into the kitchen, feet shuffling along the soft carpet. “You don’t need coffee, Clarke. You need sleep.” The whites of Clarke's eyes peek from below hooded eyelids as she rolls them. What if she was just one of those people who didn’t need to have much sleep to function? However both of them knew that wasn’t the case. She worked too much and she slept too little. One day it could cost her.
The blonde stands from the bed pulling Lexa from where she was perched on the edge of the mattress. “But it’s sterile and I like the taste.” Clarke’s hands were always so soft and warm, pretty much the opposite of Lexa’s cold clammy palms rough with calluses.
A deep chuckle works its way through Lexa’s tired mind as she allows herself to be pulled into the kitchen. “I’m not sure that's the comparison you wanted to make.” She sits at the counter cool and firm below her forearms.
“Yeah, that worked better in my head.” A muffled admittance competes with the noise of the opening fridge as Clarke buries her head in search of some food. “Cut me some slack, I’m tired and don’t have a high enough blood caffeine level.”
The brunette rests her head on a hand and allows herself to watch the women wander around the kitchen searching cabinets and the pantry. Socks sliding in a sleepy shuffle across the kitchen floor. “I’m pretty sure that’s not a thing.”
“I forgot.. Where'd you go to med school?” The blonde now near the sink tosses a dish towel at Lexa’s head. An eyebrow quirked playfully to the side as she looks skeptically at Lexa with those deep blue eyes of hers. “That’s what I thought.”
“I’ll make some tea.” Lexa’s hands press into the cool counter as she stands slowly still quite sore for the morning’s workout. Reaching around Clarke, who seems to melt into the older woman’s side, she turns on the water to fill the kettle.
“Tea has caffeine too… and coffee tastes so much better.” Clarke sticks her lip out in juvenile protest.
“Chamomile calming tea… it’s like a safe space in a cup.”
Clarke snorts at the snarky woman as she gives up on finding food that is anywhere near appetizing and plants herself palms flat on the counter across from where Lexa takes her seat. She slides the tub of ice cream and 2 spoons across the smooth stone where they come to rest between her and Lexa. Hinging at the waist and leaning on her elbows over the center of the island Clarke takes the lid off and scrapes the ice cream and slowly slides the spoon from her mouth, obviously savoring her favorite ice cream. “But first… ice cream.”
Lexa pulls out her phone as she finds her core pull again with the small shake of laughter. Grabbing a spoonful for herself she raises it in the air as somewhat of a toast, to the blue eyed beauty across from her. You have to eat. You need to start preparing to take care of your people. “I’ll order real food. What you hungry for?”
“Pizza? Chinese? Moe's?”
“Are we still in college?” Clarke tosses her head side to side in a fake laugh Ha. Ha. Though the blonde was living on a little better than a college budget if college kids knew what one was. She certainly didn’t. When the blonde doesn’t answer it takes Lexa all of two minutes to make up her mind “pizza sounds good. I know just the place.”
Clarke sticks her thumb to the roof of her mouth, her eyes jumping shut. “Brain freeze?”
“Shut up. I’m dieing.” Lexa’s retort gets caught on the tip of her tongue interrupted by a knock on the door. Lexa stands and turns away from the younger woman’s antics laughing yet again.
“I highly doubt that.” Clarke flips her off with the middle finger of the hand not already reaching for another spoonful.
“Hi, ignore her.” Lexa teases just loud enough for the other woman to hear. The delivery boy drowning in his uniform and a faded black hat smiles with a nod as he hands the pizza to the tall woman.
“Just sign this please?’ He hands her the check as Lexa stands from where she had leaned into the door frame.
Knowing she paid already she decides to have a little fun. With a grimace she signs the check, hiding the tip amount. “I don’t know… forgiveness is divine but never pay full price for late pizza.” The delivery boy gets wide eyed and opens his mouth to protest. “I’m kidding, kid. Here you go.”
“Oh, uh, thanks.” He stumbles as he looks at the tip and backs away from the door.
“Don’t spend it all in one place.”
“Yeah, sure thing.” And with that the young man was gone and Lexa was closing the door when arms wrapped around her waist.
“Twenty dollars he didn’t get that reference, that movie is from before our parents where babies.”
“Still a good movie.”
“You’re an idiot.” Lexa turns so her cheek is touching Clarke’s forehead. “He wasn’t even late.”
“On time is late.” Clarke buries her nose in the back of Lexa’s shoulder.
“That what they taught you at West Point?”
“No. Fifteen minutes early is still late.” She laughs at the memories of plebe summer when there was no chance of ever being on time. Ever. Leading Clarke the short few steps to the counter is a little awkward as the blonde doesn’t let go.
She slides the box onto the counter and flips the top open to rich looking cheese, still bubbling topped with sausage cut like pepperoni and mushrooms. The second topping only added to satisfy Clarke’s demand for some sort of vegetable. “Bon a'petite.”
She reaches for a slice and pulls it up, cheese refusing to break as it forms longs strings eventually wrapped around Lexa’s finger which is quickly stuck into her mouth. The flavors earning a low moan from the back of her throat. Best. Pizza. Ever. She was so glad Anya had found this place. Lexa bites into her pizza and burns the shit out of her mouth “Son of a bitch!” She all but throws the slice down into the lid of the box as she grumbles more to herself than anything “Every damn time.”
Clarke was moving to eat her pizza folded in the middle and puts it down partially laughing at Lexa and making sure she doesn’t burn her own mouth. “Slow down killer.” She internally freezes but relaxes when Lexa doesn’t react to the killer comment. Why would she stupid? “The pizza isn’t going anywhere.” Lexa is still running her tongue on the roof of her mouth, she really did burn it. “Need me to kiss it better? I don’t think a Captain America bandaids going to do it.”
“Shut up.”
Clarke blows on the end of the pizza before taking a bite being sure not to blister her mouth. “Oh my god. This is the best pizza I’ve ever had.”
“Right?” Lexa mumbles as she takes another go at the still very hot pizza apparently impervious to the steaming sauce and cheese. “Shit, I never made the tea.”
“Wine? Wine is good.” Lexa shakes her head and walks over to the kettle with the little whistle thing open. Rookie mistake. “Fine, tea.” Clarke picks toppings off the pizza and tosses them into her mouth with a pout before eating a spoonful of ice cream and offering a spoon to Lexa.
“No I’m good.”
“Suit yourself." She stuffs a spoonful into her mouth again. Apparently not learning from before the blonde winces at a much more mild brainfreeze. “Did we - you - get Aiden anything for his birthday?”
“We did, well, not yet. I have an Army Basketball hat and was going to pick him up a basketball and some cones or something, maybe an agility ladder.”
“He is like 7, Lexa. Get him a toy.”
“Ok, so a nerf gun.”
“That would probably work better.” She teases as the two start to put the stuff away in the kitchen. Clarke cramming the pizza box into the fridge for breakfast in the morning. “Should we ask Carol though? Those darts get all over and getting shot can be annoying.”
“Na.. She’ll be fine with it. We can pick it up in the morning. You drop me off at the toy store and grab donuts or something.”
“We could have cold pizza.”
“That works too.” The brunette yawns and stretches her sore abs her hands forming to the bumps her ribs form against her skin. “Back to bed?” She doesn’t wait for a reply as she starts heading in that direction. No matter, the younger woman was already on her way as well.
Lexa curls up into Clarke’s side, Clarke’s shoulder becoming her pillow. “Night.”
“Night.”
The morning comes all together too quickly, both girls with headaches and hypersensitive eyes. Go away, Sun. Eventually they roll out of bed, taking turns in the shower, Clarke starting the coffee as Lexa finishes in about a minute and a half.
In passing the blonde wonders aloud “Holy shit. Do you even use soap?” Lexa only answers with a smile and a nod. “Unreal.” When Clarke is done two slices of pizza await her on the counter partnered with a cup of coffee.
On the way to the party the two stop at the toy store. Lexa runs in to grab the gun, at least what Clarke thought would be a singular gun, but returns with one wrapped box and an unwrapped one of similar size and extra magazines. “He needs two?”
“Nope. One for me.”
“Seriously?” Clarke doesn’t need an answer, the grin on Lexa’s face as she takes the blonde’s hand is more than enough.
When they pull up to the house kids are already running around and they go straight to the gate for the backyard. It’s only 10:30 but looks like quite the lively little bunch on the warm spring day. “You forgot the gifts in the car.”
“Na, I’ll give them to him when everyone leaves. It’ll only be like 12:30 or so.”
“Xa!” He runs up to her and gives her a wet hug on her sweat pants but backs away as Carol calls after him not to get her wet. “Hi Miss Clarke.”
“Hi Aidan.” The blonde smiles down at the little boy warming Lexa's heart.
“Sup, bud.” She ruffles the dripping mess of blonde locks as he tries to shake his way out of it. “Happy birthday.”
“Will you be on my team?”
“Your team? For what?”
“Squirt gun fight.”
“You bet.” She allows herself to be pulled away mouthing a quick sorry to the chuckling blonde making her way over to help Carol. “Remember what your dad and I taught you?”
He only nods furiously as he counts with his fingers. “Gain fire superiority. Move toward the enemy. Destroy everything in your path.”
Another high five is shared between the two as Carol shakes her head overhearing the interaction. “Good man. Let’s roll.” The kids grab their guns and split into teams when one little girl comes up to Lexa tugging on her shirt tail. “What’s up dude?”
“Mommy says guns aren’t toys.”
“It’s just a squirt gun.”
“All guns.”
“Are you f-” Lexa pauses as she hears a rather loud throat clear from Carol. “Feeling ok? You sure she said that?”
She nods in rapid reply. “She said they are dangerous.”
“That’s the most re-” another noise behind her stops the word from completing as Lexa catches a warning glare from Aiden’s mother across the back yard. “ridiculously rational thing I’ve ever heard.” Clarke laughs alongside the slightly older mother who is just shaking her head as she undoubtedly tells some story. Likely the one of when they all went to play laser tag before they left for their last deployment. Tuck, Lexa and Aiden destroyed it. You two are so damn competitive.You’re going to rub off on Aiden. “You can be the artillery girl, how bout that?” Another look from Carol screams careful, Lexa. “That means you get to use the water balloons. That ok?” the little girl nods enthusiastically. “Ok. Sick.”
/////////////////////////////////////
Carol just shakes her head as she picks up a towel to put on a chair. “Jesus christ, sometimes I wonder who the child is...”
“Who, Lexa?” Clarke leans back in a chair next to Carol to watch the fiasco starting to take place. “She’s so reserved though...”
“Oh, just you wait.” Carol smiles shaking her head slowly. Her warm hand patting the top of Clarke's almost in apology. “And when her and my Tuck are together? Unbelievable.” The woman laughs at memories of the two Clarke hopes to be a part of in the future. “It’s a good thing Nyko keeps a suture kit around. Honestly. They are ridiculous.”
“You’re telling me I should bring one home as well then?”
“I’m sure you’ll need it sooner or later.” The woman takes a sip of a pale looking beverage. “Just wait till you guys have kids.” Clarke stills at the assumption that her and Lexa would last. “Oh, honey, if I didn’t know any better I’d say this was it for both of you.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely. That girl is head over heals.” Clarke’s heart speeds, tapping rapidly against her ribcage, begging to be let loose. “Seriously though, don’t let them around the kids. They call Aiden yut-puppy for crying out loud, I vetoed devil pup. Look -”
Clarke turns to watch as she laughs along with this woman she hardly knows so happy that Lexa had people like her in her life. Other kids are running around the yard squirting each other, the little girl chucking water balloons without much success of hitting anyone.
A tall figure among midgets walks quickly hunched over super-soaker at the ready as a little one mirrors her every move. The two approach a plastic storage bin where Lexa holds up a fist, stopping the boy behind her who squats down below their newfound cover. Her and little Aiden no doubt up to something as the rest of the kids abandon all idea of any teams a few minutes ago and were just going crazy soaking each other.
Lexa presses a finger to her smile. She whispers something to the little boy motioning with her hand for him to stay low before her two fingers wiggle telling him to walk. She then peeks over the top of the barrier nodding to to Aidan as she motions that he would go around the side and she would follow behind as she hooks one hand around then points two open hands in front of her nose one after the other. He nods again and it’s a wonder to Clarke that his little head doesn’t bob right off his body. His eyes open wide taking in everything Lexa does.
“There’s no way he understands all that.”
“Just watch. I’m never taking the three of them laser tagging ever again.” She chuckles as she watches her son, a glow in her eyes suggesting she’s so glad he has Lexa and her husband. The brunette catches Clarke watching and shoots a quick wink in their direction stirring something deep in Clarke’s belly. Again her hand is up in the “ok” sign Aidan quickly returns before counting down with his fingers.
Aidan turns around no longer facing his friend and gets into a crouch to move from behind the barrier. The pair’s water guns point at the plush grass. Lexa reaches up from where she is crouched right behind him to give his shoulder a squeeze. Then with shocking swiftness the pair move from behind the bin, do doubt the home for the very squirt guns and various pool toys littering the yard.
Still crouched they approach the unsuspecting group, Lexa reaches out again and gives Aiden’s shoulder another squeeze. The mop-headed boy lets out a battle cry “YUT” and just drenches the group as Lexa follows laughing so hard her eyes go squinty.
It’s not long before their position is overrun and little ones gang up on Lexa, her own protege turning on her with the chance to soak his older friend.
“Holy shit.” Clarke watches her girlfriend play with the kids, t-shirt sticking to her formed core. If she didn’t feel it’s rhythm speed inside the cage of her chest Clarke would have thought her heart stopped for sure at the sight.
There really isn’t anything more sexy then this. Hot girl. Wet shirt clinging to her abs and arms. Playing with a bunch of kids without a care in the world.
“Told you.” Carol dips her head as she considers the blonde sitting next to her. “You ok there? You look a little flush.”
More heat rises to her cheeks and the back of her neck grows warm in the rays of the late morning sun, or embarrassment that she just got caught basically devouring her girlfriend. It’s the first, Clarke decides. Definitely the first. Except for the knowing look from all too knowledgeable brown eyes coming from the woman sitting next to her.
“Sorry, she’s just… so hot.” It’s then that Carol loses it and bends over laughing.
“It certainly isn’t ugly to see someone playing with children. I remember the first time I saw Tuck with Aiden.. Oh my..” Their conversation is cut short by the arrival of other moms returned from wherever they went after dropping their children off.
The backyard is a whirlwind of giggles and children’s shouts, splashes and cannonballs in the pool. The kids clearly having fun and somehow pushing Lexa fully clothed into deep end.
The brunette feigns offense as she swims toward Aiden standing over the edge of the pool grinning ear to ear in pride. “Oh you little” a hand reaches from below the water to grab him in such quick precision Clarke almost misses it. With out much more than a yelp the birthday boy is in the pool sending splashes in Lexa’s general direction.
Carol calls them out of the pool for cake. Aidan hadn’t wanted presents. He asked for people to donate to the wounded warriors foundation. This kid is 7. Holy shit. Tuck and Carol clearly have the parenting thing figured out.
People start filing out and Lexa is walking with her hand on a beaming Aiden’s upper back toward Clarke and Carol. Aiden’s hair nearly glowing in the sun and Lexa still dripping wet with a towel around her shoulders.
He bounces on the balls of his feet at Lexa’s side handing a stack of paper plates to his mom. “Mom! Miss Clarke! Did you see? Did you see us get ‘em?”
Lexa offers a high five. “It looked like fun.” Carol chuckles as she puts the plates into the trash bag the four were filling.
Clarke smiles down at him giving him another high five. “Looked very… um...” The word to describe
“Tactical as f-”
“Lexa!” Clarke hits her in the back of the head. Lexa wet hair cool in the warm air against Clarke’s palm. Lexa only turns to grin at Clarke while ruffling the mess of hair on Aidan’s head.
“Fallujah, I was going to say tactical as Fallujah.” The brunette shrugs, her voice going higher, almost making Clarke believe her.
“Yeah, mom, tactical as Fallujah.”
“Sure, Aidan. Can you go pick up the toys for me?”
The little boy hustles off to clean up after his friends “Yes, Ma’am.”
“Lexa, do you need a change of clothes?”
“Oh, no. I’ve got some in the car. Always prepared with this little one. He’s crazy.”
Clarke watches as Carol shakes her head in a laugh again, and her heart flutters at the love Lexa has for this little boy. “Don’t you try and act like it isn’t your fault.”
Lexa puts her hands on her chest as if Carol's words had struck her strait in the heart “Who me? It’s gotta be that husband of yours. The man is an animal.”
“You’re not wrong.” Her brown eyes shine in the sun smiling as she thinks fondly of the man she most wishes could have shared this day with them. “Thank you for coming. It means the world to him.”
“You know it’s nothing, I love that kid. You’re doing something right. He’s a great, Carol.” Lexa gives the woman’s shoulder a squeeze as she mouths a thank you back clearly a little emotional at the compliment. That little boy means the world to her. “I’m going to change and grab something for Aidan out of the car.”
“Lexa… you didn’t need to get him anything.” Lexa only tosses her hair over her shoulder as she looks back. Her green eyes catching the sun and her tan skin bright against the background of the pale house. Of course she did.
She returns to the group sitting on the porch after disappearing in the flowerbed for a second. A long box covered in camouflage paper under one arm and a small bag in the other. “Happy birthday, buddy.”
Aiden rips through the tissue paper of the bag, face lighting up at the sight of the army basketball hat. Carol gives Lexa a knowing look - you are ridiculous. And it’s all Clarke can do to just watch the interactions. She can’t help but feel so special to get to be a part of this. Aiden gives his hat to his mom for safe keeping as he opens up the next present.
His eyes go wide at the first visible part of the box. “No way.”
“I thought you might like it, but it was Miss Clarke’s idea.” Lexa smiles at Clarke, her arm snaking naturally around the table to take her hand.
“Thank you, Miss Clarke.” His tiny little fingers busy themselves trying to rip the paper away.
“Oh, you’re very welcome Aiden. Happy birthday.”
Carol returns in from the kitchen putting a tray of lemonade on the table. Aiden hands the box back to Lexa who pulls out a knife from her pocket to help get it out of the packaging. You have a knife on you? What the hell? Clarke watches perplexed as the woman hands it over to Aidan, pretending to check to see if it’s loaded and making him take it from her hands.
Carol realizes what’s happening and rolls her eyes before offering a warning to her son “Aiden if you shoot me…”
“No need.” Lexa skimpers around the side of the porch to return with her own matching nerf gun, if you could even call it that. The thing looked more like a rifle.
Carol playfully tosses her hands in the air “Are you serious, you’re just as bad as Tuck.” Clarke just chuckles, holy shit Lexa really is a child. Who woulda guessed.
As the two load their guns, Lexa helping load the extra darts into the excess magazines she bought. “Xa? Can we be tactical as Fallujah?”
Clarke swallows her lemonade quickly so she doesn’t spit it out mid laugh as Lexa snorts. Carol gets caught in a laugh as well. “Don’t break anything. Deal?” She says more toward Lexa then her son but both answer as they grab the newly loaded toys. The two move inside out of their sight but giggles and “clears” heard from the porch with clarity as the two women left sip their lemonade.
I could get used to this.
/////////////////////
“Xa, the house is clear.” Lexa smiles and nods as she holds the toy guy against her chest. “Want to play soldier now? Against each other?”
“You want to be a soldier huh?” Tuck is going to get a kick out of this, a soldier not a marine. Suck on that Keen.
“Like you and Dad.”
“Your Dad is a marine buddy. I’m a soldier.”
“Oh…” Aiden’s face twists as he goes deep into that little head of his. “Do I have to pick now?”
“Nope.”
“Ok.” He nods as he tries to hold the toy like Lexa. “Me against you though?”
“This means war.” Lexa puts the toy down and runs after the kid with a bear hug
“No, X. You have a minute to get your position and me mine, then we start. Ok?”
“Whatever you say, Sir.” Lexa gives a little salute and grabs the gun from the floor as she moves to set up on the porch. She kneels behind a footrest for one of the couches and steadies the end of the nerf gun. This poor kid has no chance.
Aiden comes around the corner of the screen just like her and Tuck had shown him when they went laser tagging. It’s no matter really, Lexa shoots Aiden before he can even get a shot of once he passes from behind the screen. The little blonde crumples on the ground as he plays dead, Lexa rushes to his side leaving the gun from her vantage on the cushion.
“Corpsman, corpsman.” Lexa tickles the little guy ruthlessly, her fingers attacking his belly and sides. “we need a corpsman over here! He’s ceasing.” She finds a spot at his hip that steals the breath from his lungs as he laughs hysterically gasping and trying to escape.
“Xa - xa st -op” Lexa sits back on her heels and looks at the still laughing boy an idea coming to mind.
“I’ll stop if you help me get miss Clarke. Deal?” He nods ferociously, anything . “Ok, here’s the plan.” Aiden sits up on his knees so he is closer to parallel with Lexa as the brunette eagerly explains to him the plan. His bright brown eyes wide in anticipation, his head bobbing up and down as he listens to his dad’s friend. She would carry him to Clarke. He would shoot her, then ask Clarke to give her CPR. It was a simple plan, Lexa just hoped it would work. “You tracking?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Alright. Let’s do this.” Aiden hops on her shoulders and her back pulls in protest. This would be worth it though. So worth it. Besides, if things didn’t hurt she wouldn’t really be living. The little man is draped across her shoulders as she has both guns in her hand, her other hand holding his wrist and ankle together in front of her chest. “Good to go?”
“Good to go.” He says with a giggle and Lexa walks outside to the grass nearest Clarke and Carol who are chatting like old friends. Her heart immediately warms in her chest. Clarke likes my friends. Carol likes Clarke.
Gently Lexa bends over and lays the boy in the grass who has gone completely limp. Good job buddy. “CLARKE, we need a doc over here! He’s been shot.” The women’s conversation stops and she can hear Carol mutter “Oh, God.. what now.” Clarke is watching quizzically from her chair as Aidan springs to life, stealing Lexa’s gun and shoots Lexa who falls over. Her hands clutching her stomach.
Aiden rolls out of the way and tosses the gun gently to the side as he kicks the other one away from a gasping Lexa’s hand. “Clarke, doc, help” she lets out a breathy plea before fake passing out.
Aiden checks her pulse just as Lexa had told her as he fights giggles. “Help miss Clarke, CPR is the only way.”
“Oh is it” The blonde woman moves forward on the lounge chair preparing to stand, clearly seeing where this was going.
He just nods and pulls her from her seat with warm little hands gripping hers. Carol only rolls her eyes as she watches - knowing where Lexa was going with this as well.
Clarke kneels in the grass beside her child of a girlfriend. Bending down she places her ear just above Lexa’s nose and mouth, checking her breathing, which tickles her skin gently. Placing a hand on Lexa’s chest to check it’s rising and falling, her head still close enough to Lexa’s face her bangs tickle Lexa’s forehead. “I don’t know, Aiden. I think you might have killed her. CPR won’t help. I’m sorry.” She smiles and winks at the little boy who is grinning from ear to ear.
Before she can make a move to get up and leave her girlfriend hanging after all the effort she put in Lexa pulls her into a kiss. Clarke’s lips are so soft on hers, tasting sweet of lemonade and birthday cake. Her hand snaking around the back of the blonde’s neck as she gives Aiden a high five with her other. Lips still connected Lexa sits up as Clarke kisses her back sweetly. Though Lexa is lost in the kiss she can hear Aiden telling his mother everything and Carol’s sweet laugh. Clarke pulls away, her forehead against Lexa’s a moment. “Should I call you Squints now or what?”
The blonde’s hands push her back down into the grass playfully before she takes her seat back on the lawn chair. “How can you blame me?” Lexa shrugs as she sits up again. Bending her knees to hug her legs to her chest. Little Aiden sitting down next to her, his warm little body pressed against her side. “Wendy Pefercorn has got nothin on you.” Lexa shoots her a wink as Clarke rolls her eyes, a sweet laugh escaping her swelling chest. That was so damn cute.
“Using my son to pick up women, G? I thought you had more game than that.” A deep voice teases from the back corner of the yard.
Aiden spins around so fast he nearly rips the grass up and sprints into tucks arms just as he bends down setting a 6 pack and a duffle bag in the grass holding flowers in his other hand.
“Hey buddy, happy birthday.” Carol stands up slowly hand going to her mouth. He puts Aiden down and wraps his wife in a hug the woman getting lost in his arms.
“Wow, I love you.” Carol whispers into his shoulder before giving him a chaste kiss as the other two woman look on.
“You two are disgusting, always have been. Get a room.” Lexa receives yet another warning look from Carol as she jerks her head to the side regarding her son and the bedroom joke he is getting old enough to pick up on. Clarke gets caught in listening to Lexa’s sweet chuckle as she teases the couple. The blonde gets the feeling that it happens often and hopes she will get to see a lot more of this.
Tuck’s arm has snaked around Carol's waist, and Aidan is standing against his leg as he ruffles his son’s hair with his free hand before it rests on his shoulder. Lexa glances at the beaming kid as she asks “What do you think buddy, gross right?” Aiden nods his head in rapid agreeance with his best pal who had just shot him a wink. “Go get your new hat to show your dad.” she encourages with a shit eating grin.
“Lexa..” an elbow connects with her ribs where Clarke was now tucked under her own arm fitting perfectly into her side. “Behave.”
“What?”
“You know what.” The blonde's body shakes against her as she laughs at the absurdity of these interactions.
Aiden sprints off, Lexa takes a step forward and Tuck swings at her before she ducks a “punch.” Clarke gasps in surprise and watches while Carol is so calm, shaking her head at the pair. Lexa’s fist connects to his much larger open hand just before his fist connects to her newly open palm in a weird handshake. “We’re good?”
“Is your head out of your ass?”
“Dick.” Lexa shoves him, still with a smile on her face, teeth showing and everything.
“Yeah, we’re good.”
Lexa takes a freshly opened beer from the man’s hand as she turns to introduce her girlfriend. “Tuck, this is Clarke.”
“Oh, I’ve gotten the gouge.” Lexa glances at Carol who just shrugs in mock innocence. He shares a firm handshake with the blonde before pulling her into a hug. “Thanks for taking care of her. She can be a little stubborn.”
Before Clarke can answer Lexa is chiming in from behind them with arms crossed over her chest as she warms playfully. “Clarke, don’t listen to a word he says.”
He leans back and gives the blonde a playful wink as he releases her so the pairs are now standing across from one another. “Midshipmen are persons of integrity. We stand for that which is right. We do not lie… “
“Spare me, Tuck. You haven’t been a mid for like 8 years.”
Aiden returns with the hat with a huge grin. The back cap reading ARMY Basketball perched proudly on his head. “WHAT THE FU--”
“TUCKER DANIEL KEAN”
“What?”
“He is 7. Language.”
"Fallujah?" Tuck shrugs as he tries to get out of some light "trouble" with his wife.
"Good try. Kean." Carol shakes her head and nods in the direction of their son. He husband looking too much like a begging puppy to really be mad anyway. Besides Marines do use the f-word as a comma or "fuckin'-uh" instead of "um". It wasn't really his fault.
“Xa got me a hat.”
“I see that.” Tuck grumbles through partially clenched teeth.
“You want a matching one Tuck? I can make it happen.”
“Not on your life.” Tucker turns Aiden’s hat around backward on his head as the kids runs off to play.
Clarke turns to Carol as the two continue to chat. “Are they always like this?”
“This is tame believe it or not.”Carol melts back into his side and he leans down a little to kiss her.
The two across from Lexa and Clarke forget they younger couple is there for a moment. “I’ve missed you. How long can you stay?”
“About two weeks.”
Lexa watches a moment before giving the two some sort of time alone after months of texts and sporadic video chats and limited phone calls. When she was in high school someone told her having a family with this life style wouldn’t be bad they have facetime now. She remembered knowing that was such a load of bull shit but now she really knew just how nuts it was. Being away for Tuck was probably the hardest part. “Clarke come help me grill some burgers and give them some time, yeah?”
Clarke hugs Lexa from behind as she flips burgers. The blonde’s chin resting on Lexa’s strong shoulder. Completely content with what her life was looking like if this whole thing worked out. Lexa turns her head as she lights the grill back up. “How pink?” Clarke still wrapped around her back. Lexa melts a little into the woman behind her.
“Medium rare please” Carol answers before tuck can chime in.
“No hockey pucks on my grill, G.” The brunette gives them a thumbs up as Clarke kisses her on the cheek before replacing her chin on Lexa’s shoulder.
Lexa turns her cheek toward the blonde again as she seasons the burgers, flames leaping from the grill as some of the seasoning misses the meet. “What was that for?
“I -” love you. Clarke’s confession gets cut off by a screaming beeper buzzing at her hip. “Fuck me. Hold on.” Clarke releases her girlfriend and Lexa wishes for nothing more than to have those arms around her again.
After a few minutes on the phone Clarke gives a huff as she hangs up. “Do you have to go in?” The blonde nods, her body language full of disappointment. Lexa turns her attention from the nearly perfect burgers for a moment as she rubs her hands over Clarke’s arms in an attempt to comfort her. She knew the young surgeon was anxious about getting back in the OR, still beating herself up for her first surgical failure. “I can drive you.”
Clarke drops her head as she internally fights, wanting Lexa to be with her on the car ride but also wanting her to stay and be with these people she cares so much for. “You’ve been drinking.”
“I’ve had one beer, it’s ok.”
“No, you stay and visit. Can I take your car though?”
“Yeah I’ll have Ayn grab me or something. Don’t crash my baby.” She gives Clarke a quick kiss soft on the lips.
“I won’t.” Clarke contemplates teasing her about her piece of junk old car, just to waste some more time in getting back. She knows though that they wouldn’t call her in for nothing. She really needed to get there ASAP.
She steals another kiss from Lexa who is flipping the burgers over and laying cheese on top of the patties. “See you tonight?”
“Yeah, I’ll cook dinner. Text me when you leave the hospital. Deal?”
“Deal.”
“You’ve got this, Clarke. Trust yourself. I’ll see you tonight.” The blonde only nods as she heads out front with a wave to the other couple now sitting on one of the lawn chairs, and little Aiden playing football with himself.Here we go.