Always you, Only you

Chapter 13

A few days had passed since Raven's accident. They had been long and both physically and mentally tiring. Lexa was leaning forward, her hands touching the edge of the reception counter as she stretched out her back muscles. She'd just spent the last hour sparring.

"Damn," she heard Costia breathe.
Lexa smirked slightly. "See something you like?"
"I do," Costia told her, reaching her hands forward and tracing her fingers along the intricate tattoo covering Lexa's bicep.
Lexa stood upright, continuing to smirk.
"You look so damn good when you're sparring," Costia whispered as she leaned forward and placed a light, but suggestive kiss on Lexa's lips.
Lexa leaned back and glanced around the gym, shaking her head lightly at Costia, as if to slightly scold her.
Costia pouted playfully.
Lexa was about to respond to the pout when her phone went off inside the desk. Quickly she rounded the counter and pulled it out of the drawer.

Clarke: So... Does this mean I can text you again?

Lexa smirked down at the phone. Clarke was known for her random texts of nonsense and honestly, she had missed them.

Lexa: Yes, Clarke.
Clarke: :)

Lexa dropped her phone back into the drawer and looked up at Costia.

"Everything alright?" Costia asked curiously.
"It's just Clarke," Lexa replied quickly as she closed the drawer.
Costia nodded slowly. "So, you two are friends again?"
Lexa's brow furrowed slightly. Again? "I wouldn't necessarily say that we were ever not friends," she answered with a shrug.
"You've barely spoken in months," Costia reminded her.
Lexa only nodded at this as she came back from behind the counter. "I'm going to go take a shower, and then, how about we go get something to eat?" She sidestepped.
"Sure," Costia smiled pleasantly.

Lexa turned and walked toward the locker room. It wasn't that she didn't want to discuss Clarke with Costia - that wasn't it, she just simply didn't want to discuss Clarke. Things had been rough and messy and the two of them had a lot to sort through and figure out. She knew that they would, they always would, but it was going to take time.

A little while later the two of them were comfortably tucked into a booth, reading over their menus when Lexa's phone went off again.

Clarke: I think I'm being stalked by a squirrel.
Lexa: You're not being stalked by a squirrel.
Clarke: Are you sure?
Clarke: He's not leaving.
Lexa: I'm sure. Ignore him.

Lexa she shook her head and went back to looking at the menu.

"Clarke again?" Costia asked, her eyebrows going up.
Lexa answered with a nod, but continued looking at her menu.

Five minutes later, it went off again and Costia rolled her eyes lightly.

Clarke: Lexa! He stole the rest of my bagel!
Clarke: I knew he was stalking me!

Lexa tried to suppress her laughter, but when a picture came through of a large grey squirrel running off with a fair amount of Clarke's bagel, she couldn't help it.

"What's so funny?" Costia asked curiously.
"Clarke had her lunch stolen by a squirrel," Lexa replied and turned her phone so Costia could see the picture. "She'd said it was stalking her. I guess she was right."
"It would appear so," Costia agreed with a nod.

Lexa: I stand corrected.

"So, is everything just fine between you two now?" Costia questioned as she sank back into the booth and sipped her water.
"No," Lexa shook her head as she set her phone down. "We'll figure it out as we go."
"I don't think she likes me," Costia told her as the waiter set their food on the table.
"She doesn't know you," Lexa reminded her quickly.
"That's true, I guess." Costia shrugged, her dark curls bouncing at her shoulders, "When do I get to meet the rest of your friends?"
"Maybe after things calm down?" Lexa offered. "It's pretty crazy right now."
Costia nodded. "So, how about after this, we go back to my place and curl up watching movies," she said with a slight smirk, "or something."
Lexa shook her head. "I have to go see Raven," she answered. "I promised her that I'd come by today."
Costia's shoulders dropped a bit. "Okay," she sighed lightly.
Lexa didn't miss the disappointment in her tone. "But, how about I come by your place after that?" She snaked her hand across the table and slipped it into Costia's.
Costia perked up with a grin. "Deal," she nodded in agreement.

A couple of hours later Lexa poked her head into Raven's hospital room. Raven was awake, sitting slightly upright and reading a magazine. Octavia was wrapped in a blanket, sleeping in the chair right next to the bed.

"Hey," Lexa said softly as she stepped inside. "How're you feeling, Rae?"
Raven looked over at her. "Like shit," she shrugged.
"How long has Octavia been here?" Lexa asked as she scooped up a chair and set it closer to the bed.
"A couple of hours," Raven answered. "I keep telling her that she doesn't have to come back and sit with me all day."
"Good luck with that," Lexa nodded as she slipped out of her jacket and sat down. "Any word on what happens next?"
"Abby came and saw me this morning," Raven explained. "A friend of hers will be flying into see me next week. I can't remember her name, but she's developed some kind of implant that Abby thinks could really help."
"So, another surgery?" Lexa's brow furrowed. Ugh.
Raven gave a halfhearted nod. "Abby said I would probably need at least one more anyway," she shrugged.
Lexa sighed.
Raven shifted a little. "So, I hear you and Clarke are speaking again," she grinned lightly.
"Sort of," Lexa acknowledged with a nod. "She said she fucked up and I could see that really she meant it, so, we'll go from there."
"Fair enough," Raven responded as she picked up the remote and pushed a button, the top of the bed elevated slightly.
"She said that you owe her a bagel," Octavia said without opening her eyes.
Lexa smirked and shook her head lightly. That woman. "Of course."
"She really lit up when she told us about the squirrel," Raven grinned again. "Well, more when she said she'd been was texting you and you texted back."
Octavia opened her eyes. "You two are so weird," she told her.

"Hey guys," Monty's voice suddenly filled the room.
"Monty," Raven looked confused. "What are you doing here? I thought you couldn't come back until Monday?"
"I brought you something," he replied as he crossed the room and handed it over.
"My phone?" Raven perked up instantly. "You found my phone?"
"Jasper did, actually," Monty smiled as he pulled a chair next to Lexa's. "It was still in the car."
"Does it still work?" She questioned curiously.
"Yep," Monty nodded with a grin. "It's fully charged too."

Raven slid it open and wasted no time. Not a minute later, everyone's phone was buzzing.

Raven: Haha! I'm back!
Raven: Thank you for finding my phone, Jasper!!!
Jasper: Anything for you, Rae!
Clarke: Yay!!!!
Bellamy: Welcome back.
Lincoln: Nice.
Anya: You do realize that none of us are ever going to get any sleep now, right?
Finn: She's right.
Clarke: Don't even care!!!
O: She's so ridiculously happy right now – it's totally worth it.
Lexa: She really is.
Monty: :)

The four of them chatted for another hour or so, before Lexa took her leave and left the hospital. She started her car, but before pulling out of her spot, she took out her phone.

Lexa: Leaving now. I'll see you a little while.
Costia: The door will be unlocked.

Lexa tucked her phone away and started her drive. Costia's was about an hour from the hospital so she clicked on the radio and settled in, letting her thoughts go to Clarke.

Everything had been so messed up for so long and yet, there they were today, texting as though nothing had happened. How was it that they were able to just switch over like that? Was it because of how long they're known each other? Why wasn't she nearly as angry as she had been a week ago? Maybe it was because she believed what she'd seen in Clarke's eyes when they'd spoken a few days ago. Though there was a lot that Lexa didn't understand, she did believe that Clarke really was sorry. Admitting that she'd fucked up really was like a starting point, but again, there they were today, able to just slip back into the swing of things so easily. Octavia was right, they were weird.

When Lexa got to Costia's she let herself in, locking the door behind her and called out for Costia. Finding both the living room and kitchen empty, she moved through the apartment and finally found Costia in her bedroom. She was lying on her stomach with the sheets pulled up to her waist and her bare back exposed. Lexa sighed at the sight, taking it in for a moment before she stepped out of her shoes and crawled into bed. She slid herself close to Costia, dropping light kisses onto her bare shoulder and then up her neck.

"About time you got here," Costia hummed softly.
Lexa smirked as she slipped her arm around Costia's waist.

Yes. Yes, it was.