It will be me before it's you (And that's okay)

Chapter 16

Clarke meandered through the store, Lexa cruising along behind her, watching as she dipped her hand into a shelf or a rack every now and then to examine something that interested her. To Clarke, it all felt so casually normal, browsing the stores with a friend and sharing opinions on different odds and ends.

Clarke paused, catching sight of something and plucking it out, spinning to Lexa with a grin "What the hell are these?"

In her hand was a box, with a rubber money bank in the shape of-

"They are breasts, Clarke" Lexa stared, a smile slipping into her own face.

"Do you think they're squishy?" Clarke questioned, glancing down at the box, intrigued.

"Put it back, Clarke." Lexa instructed, gliding past her "Trust me, I'm doing you a favour."

"Fine" Clarke sighed, sliding it back into the shelf "Have you seen anything that actually interests you yet?"

"Not particularly, Clarke. So far all we've managed to see are headphones and tiny breasts" The woman stated "Maybe you can manage to woo me into buying something in another store"

"Woo you?" Clarke gaped "I'm doing no such thing. I'm just having fun!"

"If you say so"

"If I was trying to woo you, you would know about it," Clarke gave her an unhealthy amount of side eye as she passed the wheelchair bound woman "Come on, let's have a look somewhere else"

Lexa blinked, idly following Clarke out of the store. They bounced between the stores, passing some along the way without even a second glance. Clarke noticed Lexa's chair speed up relatively as they passed a women's underwear store. She rolled her eyes at her. Eventually, they ended up in a fragrance shop, sniffing and sampling all kinds of scents.

"Oh, Lexa smell this one." Clarke shoved the stick into her face, and Lexa's nose immediately curled "It stinks doesn't it?"

"Costia used to wear that" Lexa pointed out

Clarke took a deep breath, placing the cap back onto the bottle "Well, as I said. It stinks."

Lexa cackled at her as she reached for a mother bottle, her nose flaring as she sniffed it "This is definitely a you smell"

"A me smell?" She raised her brows.

"Yeah! Here, sniff." She offered the bottle. Lexa's chest lifted slightly as she took in the scent

"It's a very nice smell." Lexa nodded "I like it"

"Do you think you would wear it?" Clarke questioned

"Probably, yes. But I don't wear things like this anymore, Clarke. I don't go out"

Clarke glanced around, checking for employees before she rapidly squirted the bottle at Lexa, causing a cloud of tiny droplets to surround the woman.

"Clarke are you insane?" Lexa gagged, inhaling the pure liquid form that she had been drowned in "You could kill me!"

Clarke's heart dropped and her eyes widened. She immediately began flapping her hands in front of Lexa's face in attempt to shoo the vapours away "Oh god, oh Christ. I'm an idiot. Why didn't I think of that? Was I born under a fucking bridge?"

Her hands slowed as she caught sight of Lexa grinning at her, a small laugh in place of her gagging.

"You were joking, weren't you?" She sighed, hands retreating to slump on her hips

"Not all paralysed people have asthma, Clarke" Lexa chuckled "Your face was hilarious."

"I'm so flattered you find my face funny while I'm panicking about killing you" Clarke hissed at her. In the end, however, Lexa's bright smile encouraged her own, and she slapped Lexa on the arm "Asshole"

"You know I can't feel that Clarke"

"Well, it made me feel better" She mumbled, checking her watch "We should head back. The gates will be opening soon"
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Unlike their previous experience trying to get through the gate, getting onto the plane was a breeze. Clarke had lifted Lexa and set her into a transport chair so they could get to their seats. It wasn't as fussy, and they were out of eyesight from the other passengers. After that, Clarke had followed the flight attendant onto the plane and had got Lexa as well as the rest of the group into their seats without a hint of hassle.

The flight attendant gave Lexa an extra warm smile before she weaves herself back through to the door of the plane. Raven peaked through the gap in the seats, eyeing the woman leave.

"Wow. Seems like she might sway towards her own team if you get me" Raven grinned "Hey, Lexa. I think she likes you!"

Luna, who was seated at the window seat in front of Raven, collapsed her seat into it's sleeping position, knocking Raven back and bumping her face.

"Hey, you may be my fiancé but you can't do that. I'll... I'll... unengage you!" Raven warned

"Please do I've been waiting for an excuse all year" Luna joked.

"My poor heart" Raven massaged her chest, slumping back into her seat "Comfort me, Octavia. I can't take this anymore."

Lexa, however, was completely distracted to even notice Raven and her antics. She stared straight forward at the headrest in front of her, her throat shifting as she gulped. A small droplet of sweat rolled down her face. Clearly, she wasn't the only one to notice, as Luna bumped her arm, quietly leaning in to share a small whisper.

"She won't like planes" Her breath hardly even scraped her ear as she whispered "It's how we got to and from the war zones."

As it turned out, perhaps bringing her friends along wasn't such a bad idea. At least, bringing Luna wasn't. She seemed to have more knowledge than she did.

The engines whirred on the wings as they began to circulate, starting up for their flight. Clarke turned in her seat, gently tucking a pillow around Lexa's neck to support her. She offered her a small smile and dabbed the side of her head with a napkin to remove the sweat.

"You're going to be just fine" She whispered softly, brushing her cheek and catching her attention "You hear me?"

"Yes" Lexa said quietly

Clarke smiled, sitting back into her chair with a small nod of approval from Luna. From behind them, there was small chatter between Lincoln and Octavia, a soothing background noise no doubt. Raven was whispering through the crack to Luna, talking about all kinds of random stuff. Clarke turned around, clogging the gap in the seat and forcing Raven to go to the other side instead, ramming her head between the window and the seat.

The plane began its slow drive to the runway, charging up it's power for takeoff.

"Clarke" Lexa whispered quietly.

Immediately, Clarke snapped into action, eyes turned to Lexa in attention "Yeah?"

"Hold my hand" She spoke a little louder, voice weak as her eyes scanned the rows of seats in front of her.

"Are you-"

"Please"

Hesitantly, Clarke reached over on the arm rest, taking Lexa's warm hand in her own. She laced her fingers with the other girl's, blaming the goosebumps appearing along her arm on the air on above her.

"Thank you" Lexa whispered, glancing down at their hands, palms pressed tightly to one another "I just wish I could feel it"

"At least you know it's there" Clarke spoke softly, gently rubbing her thumb back and forth across Lexa's skin "Besides, I don't think you'll want to feel it. My hands are unbelievably sweaty"

A small slipped onto Lexa's lips, her pearly whites revealing themselves once more "Is that another attempt at wooing, Clarke?"

"Why?" Clarke wiggled her brows "Is it working?"

"Not in the slightest"

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Yoooohooooo! Hellooooo! How's it goingggg? I'm doing good. I got a cold yogurt this time. Hope everyone's doing good! Vote and comment and all that good jazz music you like to hear.