Chapter Text
THREE | Wilde At Heart
The sun was down and the stars were brightly shining above them. The bonfire party was far from over while the counsellors played a sober game of Never Have I Ever or sat around singing camp songs.
Raven and Octavia snuggled up together on a broken pallet as they started a whole new round of the The Never Ending song.
Lexa tried enjoying herself as much as she could without understanding what was going on. She was thankful that Clarke hadn’t left her side and made sure to include her. She flinched when a couple of guys ran too close to her and she knew Clarke noticed as well. She watched as the blonde gave a small nod to the two brunettes across from them - as if they had their own signal.
Raven nodded back and pulled Octavia up with her, weaving through the crowd surrounding the fire. They started their way further down the beach and soon were out of sight from the rest of them.
“I have something I want to show you.” Clarke helped her date up and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.
Lexa wordlessly took the blonde’s offered hand and followed the path that their friends took minutes before.
It was a comfortable walk down the silent shore of the beach. Clarke was content in hearing the noise from the bonfire start to disappear. She felt Lexa finally relax the further they walked down the sandy path. She stopped them and turned to face the brunette.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you knowing you would be uncomfortable.” The blonde was genuinely upset.
Lexa shook her head and placed a hand on the side of Clarke’s face. She smiled softly, her thumbs tracing trembling lips before pulling back with just enough room to sign. “I wanted to be with you, Clarke.”
Clarke swallowed heavily, her brow furrowed slightly because her mind was stuck on ‘to kiss or not to kiss’ at that moment. The sound of Raven’s voice pulled them out of their moment, however, and Clarke pulled back, startling Lexa out of her daze. “Sorry,” she grinned sheepishly. “I heard Raven.”
Curiosity captured the brunette as she stepped back and gestured Clarke to lead the way.
“Who is the world’s faster fire starter?!” Octavia stated, beaming as she winked at the couple walking towards them.
Lexa’s eyes fluttered in astonishment at the little set up before her. There was a small fire going with a pallet of blankets and pillows neatly placed in front it. She glanced over to a nervous, yet delighted Clarke and broke out into a smile.
“You’re one kiss away from charming the pants off Commander, here.” Raven came up to Clarke and nudged her, causing the blonde to blush slightly.
Octavia grinned and managed to sign what Raven had said without butchering her hand movements too much.
Lexa’s eyes widened before she felt herself blush and let go of Clarke’s hand, scratching the back of her neck.
“Tavia! Did you really have to tell her what I said?” Raven glared at her girlfriend, raising an eyebrow. “Now look at these blushing idiots.”
“Relax,” Octavia whispered, always calming her feisty brunette down at the appropriate times, “Clarke is a big girl, she’ll know how to handle this.”
“You two can get lost now.” Clarke muttered and watched Lexa move towards the fire. “Thank you for helping me set this up earlier, Rave.”
“Just make it useful!” Raven saluted and softly smiled at her best friend. “Enjoy the quiet company.”
“And you better treat her with respect.” Octavia squinted, her voice laced with little threat.
“Get lost.” Clarke stared at her before turning on her heel and finding her way to Lexa’s side, while muttering ‘treat her with respect’ in a mocking tone. Clarke knew damn well she’d treat Lexa with nothing but respect.
“Did you plan this?” Lexa asked, her eyes still wide with astonishment.
Clarke nodded bashfully and moved to sit down next to the other woman. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest because a part of her wondered if she went overboard. “Too much?”
The smile that lit up Lexa’s face made Clarke lose her breath. The shake of Lexa’s head made Clarke’s heart flutter and the hand that gently grabbed hers made Clarke feel like she was the luckiest girl in the world.
Blue eyes searched for serenity in green eyes and she found it instantly. Orange shadows danced over their profiles as the fire crackled beside them. Thumbs caressed over the soft skin of hands, small gentle smiles splayed across relaxed faces.
Finally, Lexa broke the moment. “Thank you.”
“No thank you is needed.” Clarke shrugged and chewed her bottom lip briefly. “Seeing you smile is all I wanted tonight.”
“You have succeeded.” Lexa grinned and shuffled closer to the blonde, looping her arm through Clarke’s and resting her head against her shoulder, staring at the fire.
They took the quiet one on one time to actually get to know each other. Clarke learned that Lexa was in foster care in her early childhood and after being placed with Costia’s family for a couple of years, they officially adopted her. Lexa learned that Clarke was from a fairly wealthy yet modest family, her mother being a renowned trauma surgeon and her late father was in the engineering field.
Clarke’s favourite food was sushi while Lexa prefered a large bowl of mac and cheese. Clarke’s favourite colour was red while Lexa’s was blue. They both loved the rainy weather, reading books and coffee. Something Clarke promised they’d do together before they left Unity for Youth.
They were lost in their own world of conversation, allowing the night to get away from them. It was easy, simple, fresh and when Lexa gently took Clarke’s fingers and played with the tips of them, she felt relaxed.
Clarke was studying the brunette’s profile, watching those cute eyebrows furrow in contemplation while her fingers were being played with. She noticed Lexa had a constant need to use her hands and what made it even more charming was that Lexa would often play with Clarke’s fingers or trace the scars on her arms, absentmindedly, as a distraction.
Clarke’s heart was back to pounding hard in her chest because this beautiful woman was giving her every ounce of attention and the blonde may have felt herself slip into a place where it physically hurt her to think about what the end of summer would really mean.
Lexa felt fingers lace through her own and her eyes flickered to Clarke’s when she felt movement beside her. She swallowed when blue eyes searched her face, dropping briefly to her lips before the blonde was kneeling in the sand, in front of her. With a look of confusion, Lexa raised an eyebrow, the corner of her lip curling upwards slightly.
Clarke breathed in deeply and bit her lip, her eyes flickered from Lexa’s eyes, to her lips and back up to her eyes again. “May I kiss you?” She signed slowly, as if her hand movements represented a nervous whisper.
Lexa licked her bottom lip, feeling it tremble because it had been a long time since she was kissed - since she really wanted someone to kiss her. In fact, Lexa hadn’t been able to trust a lot of women she dated and kissing wasn’t something she gave out freely. But Clarke, her sweet Clarke was kneeling in the sand, her hands shaking slightly against her thighs, waiting patiently for an answer; asking if it was okay that she kiss her.
Without nodding, Lexa slumped to her knees in the sand as well. Her hands found their way to the back of Clarke’s neck, fingertips playing with soft fine hair. She pressed her forehead against the blonde’s before tilting her head and capturing warm lips.
Clarke gasped breathlessly because there were sudden stars behind her eyelids. Her head was light and dizzy when Lexa pressed into her with a little more force and kissed her with purpose.
A purpose of saying ‘I want this with you’ and ‘I’ve waited my whole life to experience you’.
Clarke’s hands slid underneath the hoodie of Lexa’s, fingers splayed against the skin of her lower back and she caught the barely-there moan that escaped the brunette.
The fire crackled on as the two women lost themselves in soft kisses, quiet giggles and a memory of a night they’d never forget.
Lexa felt her eyes drift up towards the sky. It had to be really late (or really early) because the sky in the east was turning lighter. She couldn’t bring herself to move though. Clarke was tucked into her side, head resting in the crook of her neck. Lexa’s fingertips trailed gently up and down the blonde’s waist while the woman in her arms slept.
The fire had long since burned out and the birds were starting to sing their good morning songs. Green eyes watched as the stars faded out slowly with each passing minute. She should’ve been tired and she probably would’ve slept but her mind was too busy.
Lexa had a great life growing up. She never knew her biological parents and she had come to terms with that the moment Costia Wilde’s family took her in. They gave her all the special care she needed as a deaf child, making sure she was always comfortable with her surroundings. They learned how to communicate before they even fostered her. The Wilde’s had become the best unexpected event to happen in Lexa’s life - up until that moment when Clarke moved her face in between her neck and collarbone, placing a soft kiss on the skin that was exposed. The arm around Lexa’s midsection tugged them closer. All Lexa wanted to do was whisper, ‘where have you been all my life?’ But settled for a well placed kiss on the top of messy blonde hair instead.
Clarke yawned sleepily and ignored the knots in her muscles that formed in her body from falling asleep in an unusual position. She shivered from the fingers that were pressed into her waist, gently holding her. Maybe the blonde would’ve felt embarrassed for losing consciousness on Lexa but the feel of their bodies pressed together perfectly made her not care. She felt lips kiss the crown of her head and she smiled, snuggling in closer.
They remained like that for a few more moments before Clarke decided she needed to stretch her body. She lifted herself up and leaned over Lexa on one elbow, her leg slightly thrown over the other woman’s. Leaning forward, she gently brushed her nose against Lexa’s with a soft smile before lowering her mouth and kissing her gently. She sighed happily when hands weaved into her hair with such tenderness, Lexa’s mouth parting slightly so she could take the blonde’s bottom lip in between her own, sucking softly.
Pulling back, Clarke grinned and bumped her nose to Lexa’s one last time before sitting up completely. “I think it’s safe to say ‘good morning’.”
“Good morning, indeed.” Lexa sat up and shyly ran a hand through her hair, brushing out all the sand, a blush appearing on her face. “Did you sleep okay?”
Clarke matched her blush, finally feeling slightly embarrassed that she did fall asleep on Lexa, figuratively and literally. They spent hours kissing, cuddling, staring up at the sky while holding hands before Clarke had felt herself feel so relaxed, her body left her no choice but to close her eyes and succumb to the heartbeat of Lexa. She dipped her head and nodded, a pink tinge appearing on her cheeks.
Lexa grinned and leaned forward, kissing the blonde on the corner of her mouth. “We should go back and grab a couple more hours of sleep.”
Clarke nodded in agreement and got up, brushing the sand off of her pants before assisting Lexa in doing the same. She giggled when the brunette stood facing the lake, allowing her to brush off any dirt and sand on the backside of her jeans and her hoodie.
After a quick look around the fire, making sure it was out completely, Clarke decided she’d go back later that evening and clean up.
Hand in hand the couple made their way back to the cabins and before Clarke could kiss Lexa on the cheek before heading to her own, Lexa tugged her up the porch stairs with a shy smile, “stay with me?”
“I'd love that.” Clarke squeezed Lexa's hand and followed her quietly.
Lexa offered Clarke a spare t-shirt and shorts to change into while she stepped into her small bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. Clarke was already propped up in the bed, her arm positioned above Lexa’s pillow, by the time the other woman finished getting ready. She nodded for the brunette to crawl in and soon, Lexa found herself wrapped in Clarke’s arms.
Placing a kiss on Lexa’s temple, Clarke laced their fingers together and closed her eyes. She made sure not to fall asleep until she knew Lexa was out first. After hearing breaths even out, Clarke smiled and allowed herself to be taken into dreamland as well.
Clarke could feel herself being pulled out of her hazy dream. It had been a warm dream. She wasn’t sure what it was about but it was making her feel warm and fuzzy. Twitching her head to the side, she felt the web of sleep start to wear away at the hushed voices filling her head.
“Don’t poke at them, god.” Came a hushed voice - one that sounded like Octavia.
“Why not? Look at them, they need to wake up.” Came a different hushed voice - Raven.
“You two, stop. Wake Clarke up first.” A third voice whispered in an exasperated tone. Anya’s authoritative sound could not be mistaken.
“What the hell?” Clarke muttered, her voice thick with sleep. She blinked several times, her eyes adjusting to the sunlight streaming through the cabin window. The weight on her arm reminded her that she wasn’t in her own bed and she had a bed buddy snuggled into her embrace.
“I told you she slept like a log when she’s content.” Octavia smugly said, leaning against the doorframe. “Wakey wakey, Clarke.”
Clarke frowned and buried her face into the back of Lexa’s neck. “Go away,” she mumbled.
“I’d love to but the families will be arriving in less than two hours and you two missed set-up duties.” Anya spoke clearly, her voice now on normal volume.
Lexa hadn’t moved from her spot, however, she was awake. She couldn’t hear what was going on but she felt Clarke’s breath against her neck and knew she was awake. She sensed people in her cabin and knew it was probably Raven or Octavia, so she ignored them. Normally, Lexa would tense and feel uncomfortable at the thought of someone hovering around her with her eyes closed, but with Clarke’s arm secured around her midsection, she felt safe.
With a squeeze to Lexa’s waist, Clarke propped herself up and glared at her best friends and Anya. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”
Anya shrugged and dug her shoe into the floorboard. “Lexa looked peaceful. I didn’t want to ruin that. But I can’t afford the shortage of hands and I need you to make sure the craft tables are all set and ready to go.”
“And I just wanted to see you two snuggled up.” Octavia winked.
“I was hoping to see more skin, but whatevs.” Raven feigned disappointment but winked at Clarke as well.
Clarke managed a light chuckle before she sat up completely. Her arm slipping from around Lexa’s midsection and quickly tossed her hair into a messy bun. “Can you please leave us? I’ll make sure she’s up.”
Anya nodded and leaned over to press a kiss to the side of Lexa’s head. “Send her to the mess hall when you’re ready?”
Clarke saluted and watched Anya usher her friends out of the cabin, much to their protests.
The blonde settled back down in behind Lexa and pressed her forehead against the back of her neck. She threw her arm back over the woman’s midsection and immediately felt fingers lace between her own. Grinning, she kissed the skin below her lips and propped herself back up while Lexa rolled over, her green eyes practically smiling.
Lexa mouthed a ‘hi’ before stealing a chaste kiss and tucking a stray of blonde hair behind Clarke’s ear.
“Hi.” Clarke whispered back and kissed Lexa gently.
It felt like they were meant to be in sync the way they moved silently throughout Lexa’s cabin. After a good morning kiss, they decided that their duties needed to come first. While Lexa had a shower, Clarke ran to the mess hall and grabbed a plate of breakfast for the two to share quickly. She dodged a few senior counsellors and made it back to Lexa’s cabin undetected. (Raven and Octavia saw her sprinting down the back path in behind the mess hall but they weren’t going to say anything.)
While Lexa ate, Clarke had a quick shower herself. She felt weirdly special seeing as she didn’t have to use a communal shower for the first time that summer. Freshly changed, Clarke stepped out of the bathroom while drying her hair with a towel and found Lexa waiting patiently at the door, her body facing the view of the lake.
Depositing the towel neatly into the hamper, Clarke walked up to Lexa and placed a delicate hand on her shoulder gently. Lexa turned to face her and slid her arms around the blonde’s waist, pulling her in for an intimate hug.
“Come on lovebirds!” Raven yelled from across the yard and Octavia signed what she had said, causing Lexa to smile.
And when Clarke kissed her, tugged her out of the cabin and steered them towards their friends, Lexa felt light and happy for the first time since becoming a Wilde.
-