The Grounders

Chapter 17:The Dawn of an Unbreakable Bond

Clarke rose slowly from the bed, trying to gently free herself from Lexa's arms that still held her tight in sleep. The first rays of dawn filtered through the curtains, creating an atmosphere of quiet intimacy in the room. She turned to look at Lexa for a moment, the commander's face relaxed in sleep, and felt a wave of conflicting emotions overwhelm her. The soft lines of Lexa's face, in that moment, seemed so different from her usual proud and resolute expression. Clarke felt a deep and unexpected tenderness, a desire to protect and to be protected.Shifting her gaze, Clarke noticed their clothes scattered around the room, the ones Lexa had removed with desire and passion the night before. Among those clothes, there was a particular tank top, a piece of fabric that Clarke had created especially for Lexa. She had embroidered their names, joined by a white angel wing and a heart, symbols of a deep and intense bond. Clarke took the tank top in her hands, holding it like a talisman, as if that fabric could enclose and protect all their moments together.Suddenly, Lexa opened her eyes. The commander watched her in silence, her face serious but her eyes full of an emotion that Clarke couldn't quite decipher. Without making a sound, Lexa rose from the bed and approached Clarke, embracing her from behind with surprising gentleness but also with a certain possessiveness. Clarke felt the warmth of Lexa's body against her back, and a part of her longed to completely surrender to that sensation, to let herself be enveloped and lost in that embrace."Where do you think you're going, Clarke?" murmured Lexa in a low, husky voice, her lips brushing her ear. "Are you already leaving? I'm not done with you," she added provocatively, holding her a bit tighter.Clarke stiffened, trying to stay calm. "I, on the other hand, am done, Lexa," she replied firmly, even though she trembled inside. "I gave you what you desired, now you must let me go as you promised."Lexa didn't let go, the grip of her arms remaining firm and determined. "You mean you didn't desire to make love to me? Yet it seems to me that you desired it as much as I did," she said, her voice veiled with an emotion that Clarke couldn't ignore. "We kissed, touched with ardor, you desired it as much as I did."Clarke turned slightly, seeking her eyes. "I made love to you because I love you, Lexa. You, on the other hand, made love to me to satisfy yourself."For a moment, Lexa didn't respond. Then, holding her tighter, she whispered, "Clarke, you know that's not true."Clarke sighed, feeling Lexa's arms around her like a sweet but inexorable chain. "Lexa, how can I trust you if you don't even confirm your feelings now? How can I believe you?"Lexa looked at the tank top that Clarke still held in her hands. "The tank top, Clarke. The one you hold in your hands, the one where you inscribed our names. I always wear it, I never part with it even in battle, because it smells of you, because it smells of us. And because you made it for me with your beautiful hands and with such dedication to protect me from the cold and keep me warm. When everything goes dark and I'm alone, I hold it to my chest to remind me that after every battle you are here waiting for me."Lexa paused, then continued, "The same dedication and protection that I try to give you every day, Clarke. If you weren't important to me, I wouldn't be here with you begging you to come back to bed with me and make love all day only with you. You know how stressful my duties are at this time. You understand this better than I do, Clarke. Why do you have to make everything so difficult?"Clarke didn't respond immediately, but Lexa's words touched her deeply. She felt her defenses crumble one by one. Slowly, she surrendered into Lexa's arms, seeking the warmth and security that only she could give her. She caressed Lexa's arms, pressing them against her abdomen, feeling the commander's heartbeat resonate in her own body.After a long pause, Lexa asked in a faint voice, "Are you still angry now?"

Clarke smiled weakly. "Do you want a lie or the truth?"

Lexa responded with a smile, "A lie."

Clarke laughed slightly, the sound as light as a feather. "After what you said to me, no, Lexa. You played your cards well this time."

Clarke turned to look at her, their faces so close that their breaths intertwined. "I just ask you to stay like this for a while. I want to stay like this, naked in your arms and feel your naked body next to mine. And I want you to promise me that you'll never take off my tank top and that you'll always keep it with you, no matter what happens. I want it to be yours in any case."Lexa looked at her intensely, then nodded. "I promise, Clarke." The commander held her close, kissing her shoulder with a gentleness that contrasted with her usual hardness. Clarke felt all the affection that Lexa was trying to give her in that moment, an affection that she couldn't express in words but that manifested in that simple and powerful gesture.The room was silent, filled only with the sound of their breaths and the beating of their hearts. Both knew that this moment would be the last between them before facing a storm of events and difficulties. Clarke felt a deep melancholy, but also a determination not to let go of that moment. They held each other tighter, losing themselves in one another, trying to memorize every detail, every sensation. The outside world could wait; in that moment, there was only the two of them, wrapped in an embrace that promised eternity.

"Lexa, whatever happens, remember this night," Clarke whispered. "Remember us, just as we are now."

Lexa nodded, her eyes glistening. "I will never forget, Clarke."

The dawn advanced, bringing with it a new day and new challenges. But for now, in that silent room, Clarke and Lexa were simply two souls united by love, ready to face whatever destiny had in store for them.The future was uncertain, but one thing was clear: their bond was unbreakable, an invisible thread that would keep them together, no matter what happened. And as the first ray of sunlight entered the room, illuminating their faces, they both knew that, whatever storm they had to face, the love they shared would be their guide and their strength.

After a few minutes, Clarke felt Lexa's fingers slowly run down her arm, a touch that was both reassuring and possessive. Lexa rested her chin on her shoulder, her warm breath tickling Clarke's skin."Clarke," Lexa began, her voice a barely audible whisper, "I want you to know how important you are to me. I'm not good with words, I know. My life is made of quick decisions and immediate actions. But you... you are my calm in the storm, my safe harbor."Clarke closed her eyes, savoring every word. She felt Lexa's heart beating strongly against her back, a rhythm that seemed to resonate in perfect harmony with hers. "I love you too, Lexa. And I know how difficult it is for you to show your emotions. But sometimes, I need to hear those words, to know that I'm not just a temporary refuge."Lexa nodded, holding her even tighter. "You're not, Clarke. You are much more. You are my strength, my inspiration. Every decision I make, every battle I fight, is to build a future where we can be happy together."Clarke turned slightly, looking into Lexa's eyes. There was a fierce determination in those deep green eyes, but also a vulnerability that touched her deeply. "Promise me that, no matter what happens, we will never lose sight of each other. That we will always find a way back to each other."

"I promise," Lexa replied without hesitation, her voice firm and sure. "No matter how difficult the path may be, I will always find my way back to you."The silence of the room was broken only by the sound of their hearts beating in unison, a rhythm that seemed to mark the promise of eternal love. Clarke felt a sense of peace envelop her, knowing that, whatever the future had in store for them, she would face everything with Lexa by her side.As the sun continued to rise, bringing with it the light of a new day, Clarke and Lexa remained embraced, immersed in a moment they knew was precious and unrepeatable. In that brief instant, time seemed suspended, and the only world that mattered was the one they had built together.The dawn illuminated their faces, symbolizing new hope, a new beginning. And as the light grew more intense, Clarke and Lexa knew that, whatever challenge they had to face, they would do it together, strengthened by their love and their unbreakable bond.