Clexa One Shots

Apartment Wars (AU)

"Hey," says Lexa, reaching out and resting one of her hands over Clarke's in a gesture that would perhaps be comforting, had Clarke not decided thirty seconds ago that this girl is her new mortal enemy. "I'm genuinely sorry for getting to this apartment first. But it really is the most cost-effective option with the best transport links to get into the city centre for work."

"I know," Clarke pouts like a small child who has just been denied a new toy. "That's why we wanted it."

"Come on, Clarke," says Raven, grabbing Clarke by the hand not holding the newly acquired information papers. "We didn't get the apartment. There are plenty of others here for us to consider."

As she leaves the real estate office, Clarke calls back over her shoulder at the girl who has shattered all of her apartment-hunting dreams.

"Thanks for ruining my weekend!"

They do find another apartment, but only after two and a half months of searching and a few weeks of crashing on Octavia's living room floor after the lease runs out on their old student accommodation. And as much as Clarke is happy that they've finally found somewhere to live (her life as a new graduate isn't a complete disaster now that she actually has her own bed), she can't help but compare it to the apartment that so nearly became hers.

Because the rent on the new place is just a little bit higher, the bedrooms just a little bit smaller, the journey into the city centre just that little bit longer. And the difference might only be small, but it all adds up to a lot of resentment.

A lot of resentment directed at the girl that Clarke bumps into in the hallway outside Octavia and Lincoln's apartment.

"Oh my god, it's you."

Lexa startles when she hears Clarke's exclamation that is full of contempt, and there are a good five or so seconds of her just frowning at Clarke, until the recognition washes over her face when she realises who she's bumped into.

"Oh, hello! You're the one whose weekend I ruined a while back, right?"

Her forehead knitting into a tight frown, Clarke's scowl only intensifies with the light tone of Lexa's voice, as if it is all nothing more than a joke to her.

"You're the one who stole my apartment," Clarke grumbles bitterly.

"I signed the contract first," comes Lexa's response, her answer reminiscent of their first conversation back in the real estate office a couple of months earlier. "What are you doing in this building?"

"My old college roommate lives here," Clarke says, gesturing over her shoulder with her thumb at Octavia's front door just a few feet behind her. "One of the many reasons I wanted to move into this building was the proximity to her boyfriend's impressive collection of liquor."

Lexa smiles softly in amusement, then reaches out to lightly touch Clarke's forearm with her hand.

"Speaking of alcohol, we're throwing a party this weekend," she tells Clarke. "A celebration of finally unpacking the last box. You should come."

Clarke's eyes widen and the unexpected invitation from a girl that she doesn't even know, and she stumbles over her answer, "What? Is this so you can, like, rub it in my face that you got the apartment that I wanted?"

"No!" Lexa is quick to protest. "No, I didn't mean it like that! I was just trying to be friendly. An olive branch. My sister is the one hosting the party. She's invited a whole load of her friends because she wants the party to be "banging"." Lexa accompanies this last word with air quotes and a roll of her eyes, then continues, "Her words, not mine. There's going to be a lot of people there and I don't know many of them but the invitation is open to you too. Bring your old roommate and her boyfriend, and the girl you were with when we met. The more the merrier."