Chapter Text
‘Are you kidding me?!’ They step onto the lift and Lexa presses number 8.
‘Why would I joke about something like that?’ Anya is smiling but Lexa knows this isn’t a joke.
‘Why would I want an escort?’
‘Company, affection… maybe a few other things?’ Anya’s tone is playful and suggestive. Lexa rolls her eyes.
‘If I wanted casual sex, I’m pretty sure I could find without needing to pay.’
‘True,’ Anya replies, ‘but you can also get the girlfriend experience. All of the intimacy with none of the commitment.’
Lexa looks at the card. She’d never admit it, but the thing she misses most about Costia is her affection. She misses cuddling and gentle touches and those silly little things that made her feel loved. Maybe Anya was right.
‘I’m just saying it’s been a year since…’ She pauses, ‘Time can only heal so much.’ The doors ping open. ‘Think about it.’
They step off and go in opposite directions. Lexa pockets the card.
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Lexa takes a few deep breaths before pressing the button.
‘Hello?’ The voice on the other end is sweet and friendly but Lexa still needs a few moments to remember what normal human communication should be like. ‘Hi erm. It’s Lexa. Lexa Woods.’
‘Yes, come up.’
The block is modern and clean. Lexa readjusts her hair and clothes (again) before reminding herself that she doesn’t have to impress this woman, she’s paying her. The door opens to reveal possibly the most beautiful woman Lexa has ever seen.
‘Hi, it’s Lexa right? I’m Clarke.’
Lexa realises she’d been staring for an awkwardly long period of time. ‘Hi.’
‘Would you like to come in?’ Her tone acknowledges Lexa’s embarrassing behaviour but her smile is reassuring.
‘Should I pay you now?’ she says rather too quickly, immediately breaking eye contact to stare somewhere to the left of Clarke’s midriff.
‘OK.’ Lexa looks back up to see Clarke smiling reassuringly again. It makes her look so young and innocent that while Lexa relaxes a little, her heart keeps beating fast for an entirely different reason.
Lexa hands her an envelope which she goes to put in a drawer, calling behind her ‘Can I get you something to drink? Wine? Whiskey? Water?’
Yes, alcohol seems like a good idea. ‘Wine please, Clarke.’ Her name feels nice to say.
Lexa takes a moment to look around the apartment, it’s very modern and minimalistic. She perches on the edge of a black leather couch, legs firmly together, hands carefully positioned on her knees. She takes in the artwork on the walls. The furniture is fairly basic and the paintings don’t have any elaborate frames, but they show landscapes, galaxies, even one of the earth from space.
‘You can relax.’ Clarke says as she comes back into the room handing Lexa her wine. Lexa adjusts so her back is against the couch but she doesn’t relax at all, looking back at the paintings as she sipsher wine.
‘You like my artwork?’
‘You paint them yourself?’
‘As a hobby. I did try to sell some once, but they told me not to give up my day job.’ She smiles, giving Lexa a knowing look.
‘Well you shouldn’t give up on something you’re good at.’
Clarke puts down her drink and moves closer. She looks at Lexa’s lips, longingly, then back up to her eyes. The edges of her lips twitch suggestively. ‘I suppose not.’
Lexa realises what she’d said and the fear must have registered on her face because as Clarke leans in, she diverts away from Lexa’s lips, instead placing a delicate kiss on her cheek before sitting back again.
Clarke pauses for a moment, looking at Lexa as though she‘s trying to figure her out, before breaking into a sly smile. ‘Would you like to play a game?’
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‘Are you serious? A dog?’ Clarke’s incredulous look is so endearing Lexa couldn’t help but chuckle.
‘Yes. What’s wrong with that?’ The game had transformed from I’ve never, to would you rather and now to just asking each other questions.
‘Of all the animals in this world you’d most want to be a dog? Not something more exotic?’
‘Well I own a Great Dane and he always seems happy so…’ Clarke’s eyebrows raise in disdain, the explanation clearly not enough for her. ‘Well what would you choose?’ Lexa counters defensively.
‘Hmmm, something exciting. Maybe a dragon.’
Lexa laughs. ‘Dragons aren’t real.’
‘Did my question specify that they have to be real?’
‘Well in that case I choose the head of a lion, the body of a centaur, the wings of an eagle, and the happy-go-lucky attitude of a Great Dane.’
‘Fair enough’ Clarke laughs, placing her hand on Lexa’s thigh. Lexa looks down at it. Somehow they’d got a lot closer throughout the game. She places her own hand on top of Clarke’s, interlocking their fingers. Their heads turn towards each other, Clarke’s lips so close to Lexa that she can feel her breath. Lexa dips her head slightly so their noses touch and slowly grazes her own over Clarke’s.
Clarke lifts her hand from Lexa’s to place it on her neck, her thumb gently caressing Lexa’s cheek. Lexa places her own arm on the back of the couch, her hand reaching round to Clarke’s hair, the other lands on Clarke’s thigh. Lexa closes the last of the gap between their lips.
Lexa inhales sharply as her stomach flips. Clarke’s hand moves to the back of her neck, pulling her in closer as they settle into a rhythm. Suddenly, her whole body feels warmer, particularly between her legs. Clarke’s tongue brushes underneath Lexa’s top lip, resulting in noise from the back of Lexa’s throat. Lexa responds by sucking slightly on Clarke’s bottom lip before sweeping her own tongue over Clarke’s.
The kiss deepens, drawing small moans from both of them. Lexa’s hand moves up Clarke’s leg, tracing circles on her inner thigh. Clarke pulls back, breathing deeply. ‘Do you want to move to the bedroom?’
Lexa nods and Clarke takes her hand and leads her off the couch.
As soon as they step into the room it’s clear that a large amount of effort has been put into making it perfect for sex. There’s a fireplace with fake glowing coals, a sweet-smelling reed diffuser and the perfect mood lighting. But Lexa stops noticing all of this as soon as Clarke removes her shirt.
Her body is perfectly toned and her breasts could stop wars. Lexa steps forwards and strokes her fingers over Clarke’s stomach before capturing her lips again. It’s intoxicating. Clarke’s hands have found her neck once again and are pulling her in. Lexa’s hands are tracing patterns over Clarke’s back. Her fingers pause over the clasp of her bra and with one smooth motion, it’s undone.
They stumble over to the bed as Clarke shuffles out of her bra. Clarke lies down first and Lexa climbs on top of her, one thigh placed deliberately between Clarke’s legs. Their lips meet again and it’s somehow even more intense.
Clarke tugs at the bottom of Lexa’s shirt, revealing a strange shaped scar across her stomach. Lexa stops. And swallows. She looks at her stomach and pulls her shirt back down to cover it. Her expression is blank but she’s blinking a little too much. She rolls off of Clarke.
‘Are you okay?’
‘I should leave.’ Lexa gets off the bed and makes her way to the door.
‘But… You know you can stay the night?’ Clarke follows her out the bedroom.
‘I...’ Lexa takes a moment to regain her composure. ‘Thank you. I’m leaving now.’
She strides out the door but as soon as it’s shut, she struggles to hold back tears.
On the other side of the door a very confused escort does the same thing.