It Just Slipped Out

 "Ai hod yu in, Klark." (I love you, Clarke.) Lexa doesn't realize the words have left her lips until the entire room stares at her in a stunned silence. The ambassadors stare at her with a mix of confusion, repulsion, and shock. Abby Griffin has a mildly impressed look on her face. Even Clarke, who's expression had been stormy at best and emotionless at worst in the entire last week they had been arguing, had her jaw hanging open.

Lexa's heart pounds in her chest and her blood roars in her ears. She knows her cheeks have heated up, but doesn't look away from Clarke because she needs to at least know Clarke's reply.

"Took her long enough", Roan snickers from the other side of the room.

Clarke finally closes her mouth and then opens it again with a frown to speak. Lexa's heart drops to her stomach. Why had she let it slip like that? Clarke must think she's forcing her love on her. It was the last thing she wanted to do. Her eyes burned with tears that had yet to come. Lexa couldn't stomach hearing the actual rejection.

"Lexa..."Clarke starts. Lexa can't do it. She stands up abruptly and walks as quickly as she can out of the room, shoving the double doors out of the way. She walks and walks and walks until she is in the safety of her own room and tries desperately not to cry. It doesn't work and they come hot and heavy down her cheeks anyway. Everything pent up from the days of on and off fighting and cold silence between her and Clarke comes flooding out.

She can't stop even as the doors open and close behind her. Soft, familiar footsteps plod in and stop a respectful distance behind her. "Lexa...?" Clarke's angelically raspy voice questions.

Lexa tries not to let her emotions slip into her voice. "What do you want, Clarke?"

"To talk",Clarke answers as if it is obvious, but it hangs in the air between them awkwardly.

Lexa can't help but let out a wet chuckle. "You've wanted nothing to do with me for the past few days. I'll control myself better next time, Clarke. I apologize." Love is weakness, Lexa tries to remind herself.

She hopes for Clarke to accept her apology. Instead strong and warm arms snake around her waist. Clarke's hands clasp together over Lexa's belly button. She has missed this so badly, she can't help but collapse into Clarke's embrace. Her mouth lets out an ugly sob and tears trail down Lexa's cheeks. She thought she had messed it all up. She never thought she'd feel this again.

Clarke slowly lowers them to the ground and kisses the top of Lexa's head. "I'm right here Lexa." Lexa lifts her head to look at Clarke. The blue eyes lacks deception. These are the eyes that are Lexa's entire world.

"I thought you hated me",Lexa whimpers, turning so that she can rest her cheek on Clarke's shoulder. Clarke accepts Lexa's actions as if it is nature itself. Her hand instinctively goes to play with a loose strand of Lexa's hair.

She smiles softly. The whole of Lexa's field of vision lights up with it. "Lexa, you idiot. Everyone's been busy with the negotiations. I've been angry at Roan and all the uppity officials, not you."

Now that Lexa thought about it, Clarke had only started scowling after Roan's snide remark. That meant she had been scowling out of protectiveness. Her stomach gives a flutter at the thought.

Clarke tilts Lexa's face up so that she can wipe away the tears from her cheeks, having no care for the smudges that the now running warpaint leaves on her hands. She cups Lexa's face and kisses all over her cheeks until Lexa can't help but smile with a sniffle.

"There she is. There's my strong and beautiful commander", Clarke murmurs. Lexa never liked feeling when somebody wanted to control her, but when it is Clarke it doesn't feel controlling. The fact that she is somebody's should irk her rather than calm her.

She's going too soft. Lexa pouts, "I'm the commander, I don't need encouragement like a newborn foal."

"Oh yeah?"Clarke raises a dubious brow. "Certainly doesn't look like it when you're curled into me like this."

Lexa harrumphs and in a swift motion, wraps her arms around Clarke, picking her up in a fireman's carry. Clarke squeals in surprise. "Hey!" Lexa dumps her on her fur lined bed, crawling over Clarke on her hands and knees. The way Clarke looks up at her

"Take it back", Lexa demands playfully. She tucks a lock of Clarke's blond hair behind her ear.

"No, because I love the soft part of you as much as I love the strong part of you", Clarke answers with a sincere smile, her eyes a bright spark in the dim lighting of the candles.

"You love me?" the words are laced with wonder, hope, disbelief. Lexa can't quite believe that Clarke would. She has done so many irredeemable things. Yet the thought, just hearing the words, lights a warm fire in Lexa's heart. It doesn't burn or scathe. It is more like the one in the house fireplace that one is eager to go home to.

"I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you." Each phrase is punctuated by a peck from Clarke on Lexa's lips as if to seal the words in. "I'll say it as many times as needed for you to believe it."

Lexa's heart is soaring at the confirmation. As she looks at Clarke in this moment, she is sure there is nothing better than being loved by Clarke Griffin.