Chapter Text
I've Had Better Days.
January 1st 2018.
"Lexa, it's New Year's day." Clarke grumbled, her voice somewhat muffled by her pillow. "Nobody works on New Year's day!"
She knew her statement wasn't completely true. While most people would be nursing a killer hangover. Some dedicated people, such as Lexa would still have work to attend too. After all, Lexa was a major player in the hospitality industry: with two successful restaurants under her belt and a once humble hotel, that the determined brunette built up from nothing, until it had become one of the most popular and affordable lodging in the whole Polis area.
The holiday season was an extremely busy and lucrative time, for both businesses. And Clarke knew she was being unfair putting Lexa on a guilt trip. Only a few hours ago they had seen in the New Year together. Both deciding that a low-key gathering with close friends was the best plan of action. The crepe paper streamers and party decorations were still littered all around the front parlour (as well as Anya). But not long into the festivities, and Lexa had been on her phone answering an emergency work call.
"I know, Clarke. But Indra was insistent that we meet tomorrow," Lexa sighed. "You know she's practically been running things single-handedly, since my short leave of absence to be with Emma. And what with Anya taking her much needed vacation - I need to be back at the helm, where I belong." Her tired face, now wearing an even wearier expression. It had only been 2018 for only a few hours and Clarke certainly didn't want to kick start the New Year with a pointless argument.
Lexa had to return back to work. Simple as that.
"Indra would have had you working on Christmas Day if she could have." Clarke softened her tone, leaning over Lexa's side of the bed to scratch her shorts nails playfully along Lexa's toned stomach.
"Mmm, that she would," Lexa agreed with a smirk, relaxing into her wife's touch. "If you're concerned that with me back at work - you won't have any free time to work on your painting commission, then don't. Anya is literally still passed out on our sofa, and you know Emma loves spending time with her Aunty Ya-Ya."
"I suppose," Clarke pouted. "But it isn't just the painting. I guess I have just gotten use to you being here around the house."
And she had. With Lexa being home, the mogul hadn't been unintentionally showing up late for dinner, or answering any quick e-mails while they were meant to be watching a movie together. Clarke knew these things couldn't be helped. She herself understood owning and running a business was a 24/7 kind of commitment. Just like parenting.
Clarke was thankful that Lexa had decided to loosen the reins a little and hand more responsibilities over to Anya and Indra. No one could deny that Indra's dedication to 'Woods Industries' had been invaluable these last few weeks. Her loyalty to Lexa was unquestionable.
"I made you and Emma both a promise, that I would be spending more time with my two favourite girls and I intend to honor that promise," Lexa gave a firm nod, hoping her words were enough to reassure Clarke's lingering doubts. The brunette would freely admit, she was something of a workaholic.
"Yeah?" Clarke's pouting bottom lip, only seem to jut out further. "I'm still going to miss you."
"Mmm, baby," Lexa grinned, eyeing her wife with hungered appreciation. "Let me kiss those pouts away." She positioned her body over Clarke's soft form. Her wife letting out the gentlest moan as their tongues collided.
"Lex," Clarke whimpered, her nails raking S-shaped patterns along the lean slope of Lexa's muscular back.
The blonde could count the precise days and possibly the hours, since she and Lexa had found the time to be intimate. Especially with a small child in the household - they both had been too exhausted. The bed only being used primarily for sleep and a quick place to change any stinky diapers.
The artist planned to enjoy every single second of this moment.
Clarke's gray coloured night shirt was quickly deposited on the bedroom floor, and the heavy panting sounds of shared breaths filled the quiet space of their bedroom.
"Lex. Lex, please." Clarke husked, her hips rolling with more purpose.
Then the bubble around them burst. Emma's loud cries blasted over the baby monitor, causing Lexa's kisses against her wife's neck to come to an abrupt halt.
"Are you serious right now?" Clarke huffed, dragging her hand with mild force across her face. Willing her heart to stop it's loud thumping against her ribcage. Choosing instead to focus on her wife's owlish blinking. The haze of lust slowly ebbing away until dilated pupils returned to forest green.
"I'll go," Lexa let out a sigh of her own. Pecking Clarke's lips before she rolled to the side. "You OK?"
"Yeah. Peachy." Clarke's sarcastic quip was only not fair, but uncalled for, though she was wound up too tight to feel guilty about it.
"That stubborn tooth might be causing her pain again." Lexa said almost to herself, wrapping her robe around her slender frame. (many sleepless nights lately had been because of that one single tooth.)
Once Lexa had padded softly to the door - calling out once to Emma to let their adopted daughter know she'd be there in a second, Clarke spoke her wife's name. "Lex. I..?"
"It's alright, Clarke." She uttered with so much understanding that Clarke found herself clenching around nothing. God, she loved her wife.
"What time do you have to meet Indra?"
"Seven a.m."
She gave a nod, and flashed Lexa a small smile. "How about I cook your favourite dinner tonight?"
"Yeah. That sounds nice."
"Good. I love you."
"Love you too."
With her tee back on and a splash of cold water against her face, Clarke settled back under the bed covers. Reaching for the monitor, she couldn't help but smile at the grainy image. Emma's sobs had turned to sniffles, followed by a loud giggle now that she was with her Mama.
The no-nonsense mogul was making Emma's favourite snowman plushie dance, and the blonde found herself laughing along with her daughter.
This was married life, with all its inconveniences and Clarke wouldn't change it for the world.
*
Clarke awoke with a start.
Her eyes only blinking once, before her hand reached out to touch Lexa's empty side of the bed. Her bodyclock seemed set on autopilot to wake before Lexa would have to leave for work. And a glance to the bedside clock informed her that it was still early. 5 a.m in fact. So, hopefully they could still have breakfast together.
After a quick look for her in the study, she found Lexa exactly where she thought she might be. In their gym, currently running at a steady pace on the treadmill, with Emma playing safely in her portable playpen. Lifting 'Octoplush ' the blue sea creature she was given for Christmas in the air with a whooshing sound.
"That's it, Em. Let's count how many times you can lift Octo in the air. Ready?" Lexa barely sounded out of breath. "One. Can you say one, Emma?"
"Wo. Owne." Emma chirped with a beaming grin.
"Very good, baby." Clarke's voice gained the attention of both Emma and Lexa.
"Mo-Mo." Emma got to her feet, toy forgotten as she reached her arms out for her Mommy.
With a kiss on her cheek and a ruffle of soft blonde hair, Emma sat against Clarke's hip. Babbling happily about nothing in particular.
"I didn't wake you, did I?" Lexa asked, hopping off the bulky machine - reaching for the cotton soft towel to dab at her sweaty forehead.
"No babe," Clarke couldn't resist leaning forward, stealing a kiss from her wife's plump lips. "I just wanted to make sure you ate something more than a Granola bar for breakfast." The smirk Lexa gave her in return told Clarke her assumption had been correct - Granola for breakfast.
"What would I do without you?"
"Oh, I don't know? Buy shares in a snack bar company?"
"Well..." Lexa paused for a second, until Clarke stopped any sudden business idea's from forming - with a hand across her mouth. The action causing Emma to throw her head back with such jubilant laughter.
-
Breakfast was without incident. To which Clarke was more than relieved.
Emma ate every spoonful of her organic rice cereal that Lexa fed her, and with a smile no-less. Since the one-year old had first started teething, the poor little angel had been struggling to adjust to more solid foods. Today, however the teddy bear bowl hadn't ended up on the floor.
Not even the loud snoring coming from Anya's unconscious form on the sofa could direct Emma's attention away from Mama.
"What time will you be home?"
"Hopefully around five," Lexa said, taking a sip of her coffee, before she picked up her briefcase. The goodbyes were going to be a challenge for all of them. "Mama has to go to work now, sweetie. But I'll be home soon, OK?" She kissed the top of Emma's head, her voice laced with strained emotion. This was the first time she would be away from her daughter.
"Uu. Uu." Emma reached out her chubby fists to Lexa. Her legs kicking out impatiently against the foot rest of the high chair when Lexa took a small step back.
"She'll be fine, babe." Clarke reassured, swallowing down the lump in her own throat. The look of anguish on her wife's face at having to leave their child, made Clarke's heart feel like shattering. "This is just another routine she'll get use to," she cupped Lexa's cheek softly.
"You're right. I know you are," Lexa sighed, with a bow of her head. "I knew the first time leaving her would be heart-wrenching, and I know it's only for a few hours and I'm probably being stupid, but I hate the thought of her being upset." She rambled, until Clarke quieten her with a kiss, resting her forehead against Lexa's with a small smile.
"You're not being stupid. Adorable is the word I'd use, but Lex. Every parent and child has moments of separation anxiety. Remember what it said in all those parenting books you read. It's a perfectly normal part of childhood development. And with routine, she'll be fine."
"And there's always face-time." Lexa exhaled a deep breath, before pulling away.
"She'll love that," Clarke fixed her watery smile in place, her own emotions bubbling to the surface. "We'll walk you to the car."
Emma squirmed the whole time in Clarke's hold. Her little voice demanding her Mama. Her grip iron tight as she latched onto Lexa's neck, refusing to let go, when the brunette had leaned in to kiss her cheek goodbye.
"No, baby. Let Mama go." Clarke held onto her firmly, as she pried her chubby arms loose.
"See you tonight, Clarke. Love you, Emma," Lexa said, quickly getting into her car, a single tear rolling down her cheek as she did so. "Bye-bye."
The two blonde's watched the convertible back down the driveway. Emma silent before she pointed to the car disappearing from view.
" 'ere Ma-Ma go?"
"Mama had to go to work, baby," Clarke kissed her cheek. "She'll be back soon."
Emma's big blue eyes blinked in confusion before the tell-tale signs of tears began. The shrill high-pitched scream followed, cutting through Clarke's ears, as well as her heart.
The only silver lining was at least Emma's tears had started after Lexa had already left.