single moms are ugly... and other lies | clexa AU

twelve

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Lexa does make fantastic cocktails. The one she serves is better than any Clarke has ever had, and she's officially impressed by Lexa's cocktail-making skills.

"How did you come to learn that?" she asks, sitting on a barstool in Lexa's and Octavia's kitchen (a barstool, what a cool kitchen) and inspecting the rest of her drink.

"I mentioned I travelled the world, right? Yeah, I stayed in Hawaii in a surfer bar by the beach for several weeks and did some bartending later in Costa Rica too. I learned pretty much all the secrets."

"That's so cool. I wish I would have had the chance to see the world like that. Where else did you go?"

"Oh, everywhere. I booked a one-way ticket to Europe and backpacked there, just let myself drift. I met a few people and travelled with them, later met another few and took them up on the offer to clean on their boat for a ride. They sailed from Portugal to Brazil. I'm glad I'm still alive," Lexa laughs. "I travelled all of South America I could, then Hawaii, back to Middle America. From there, another sail boat to Japan. We were caught in a hurricane on the way, so this time, I'm really glad I'm still alive. I took a ferry from Japan to South Korea then, I needed a break from sailing. I let myself drift through South-East Asia, followed by a few really long hitchhikes through half of Asia. Then Africa, and from South Africa, I took a flight back home. Or, you know, the US."

Clarke's jaw drops. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, it was pretty cool."

"That's crazy. That's- oh my God. You just signed a contract to supply me with stories about that until I know everything.

Lexa grins. "I made some money putting some pictures and videos up on social media if you want to check that out."

"Definitely."

So Lexa gives the still completely stunned Clarke her Instagram, and Clarke already knows it's going to be good content by just seeing the most recent few posts. "I wish I could have stories like that to tell. In fact, I've never gotten outside of the states."

"You chose another life," Lexa shrugs. "The one I chose wasn't all white beaches and adventures either. But if you could go on a vacation anywhere now, where would you go?"

"I want to see everything," Clarke whispers. "I guess- I guess that's a very 33 year old American mom answer, but maybe... maybe Paris? It seems so different and yet much less overwhelming than throwing myself into a hike through the rainforest. I'd like to see the Eiffel tower, and the louvre of course."

"I've never been to Paris either."

"Not? Isn't that a kind of basic checklist-city?"

"Not for travellers who live off one dollar toast packages XXL size and public restroom sink water," Lexa grins.

"Oh. Right. Didn't you miss your life here while you were gone, though? Your parents?"

Lexa's relaxed posture stiffens a little, her jaw tightens, the grin falters.

Clarke immediately regrets that last question.

"No," Lexa says simply. "We're not- I don't have such a good relationship to them."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Clarke tries to comfort weakly, but Lexa just shrugs.

"Don't be. That's not a big deal anymore anyway." She sips her cocktail and Clarke mirrors the action. The sweet, fruity and only slightly burning taste lingers on her tongue and she hopes Lexa isn't mad for bringing up a sensitive topic.