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

Chapter 17

Despite Lexa's perfectly understandable anxiety during takeoff, she had settled quite nicely once they were in the air. Luna had fallen asleep almost instantly and Raven had retreated to her laptop, brows tightly wound in concentration. Lincoln and Octavia conversed quietly, occasionally letting out a small laugh in each others company.

Clarke glanced over to look at Lexa, who was currently lost in the movie that was playing on the screen in front of them. It was an action movie of some sorts. They had began watching it both with one earphone in, the wires hanging loosely between them, after Raven had voiced her thoughts on it. Her words were something along the lines of "It's totally badass."

Her eyes were beginning to droop, the effects of awaking up so early and rushing around for so long finally beginning to set in. To distract herself from sleep, she reached up, turning off the air con that was starting to make her a little too cold. She crossed her arms to warm herself, looking back to the screen as she sunk into her seat once more.

"Is it cold?" Lexa asked quietly, looking out of the corner of her eye at Clarke.

The blonde shrugged, stifling a yawn into the back of her hand "It's alright. I'll just put my jacket on or something."

"You're tired" Lexa observed.

"It's been a busy day. It's alright. Besides these seats aren't the most comfortable things ever" She stole a glance at Luna's sleeping form, her back facing them "I don't know how she does it. The arm rests are agony"

"Lift the arm rest up then, Clarke. You can use my blanket. It's not like I can feel the cold anyway" Lexa instructed her

"I'm not taking your blanket, Lexa" Clarke shook her head, lifting the arm rest up. Immediately it felt like there was way more room to move around

"Then we share it" Lexa rolled her eyes "You're extremely difficult at times, Clarke"

"Gee, Thanks" She said sarcastically, shuffling closer and pulling some of the blanket over her. It was still warm from Lexa's body heat, and it immediately warmed up the chilled skin of her arms. She sighed, pulling it up to warm her shoulders.

"Better?" Lexa raised a brow, earning a small hum in return.

They settled back into watching the movie, an intense scene of hand combat drawing Lexa's attention back to the screen. Clarke smiled, shifting to get comfortable. It seemed that the most comfortable places were the places closest to Lexa.

Slowly but surely, she edged her way closer. Every time, she would manage to gain a little more length of the blanket, warming up a little more of her legs. Her head kept rolling off of the headrest, and she grumbled in annoyance.

"Are you finished?" Lexa groaned at her

"I'm sorry. I'm just trying to get comfortable" Clarke winced, realising how annoying she was being.

Lexa sighed "Come here"

"What?"

"I said come here. You clearly can't get comfortable."

"I-" She paused "Okay"

Hesitantly, she nestled closer into Lexa's warmth. It was a strange feeling, being so close to Lexa. But she definitely didn't hate it. Definitely.

She leant her head on her shoulder, settling against the pillow that supported Lexa's own head. She brushed the brunette stray hairs away so she didn't lean on it. She took in Lexa's scent. An innocent decision, of course. The girl still smelled of the expensive perfume she had showered her with, along with the smell she could only describe as distinctively Lexa Woods. It happened to overpower every other scent lingering around the plane... and Clarke could safely admit to herself that she loved it.

The feeling of having her so close was comfortable, and the urge to hold her hand became almost overwhelming. She wanted to reach for her hand once more. To hold it tightly and not let go until the plane touched the ground again. Even then, she wouldn't want to.

"You know how... I use the controls with my right hand?" Lexa asked quietly, the lights around them shutting off to allow people to sleep "For my chair?"

"Mhm?"

"I can feel it" she whispered

"Yeah?" Clarke smiled

"Yeah"

Catching on, the blonde reached across, taking Lexa's other hand into her own. She felt Lexa's fingers twitch to squeeze her hand, closing their palms tighter together. Lexa breathed in deeply, biting her lower lip for a short while before releasing it from its entrapped state. Clarke watched with curious eyes in the dim light.

"Are you okay?" She whispered

"I'm more than okay" Lexa whispered back.

A small, stray tear slipped from the corner of Lexa's eye. It strolled cautiously down the soft skin of her cheek, uninterrupted until it finally pooled at the edge of her jaw. Before it had the opportunity to fall, though, it was caught by Clarke's quick thumb.

Silently, she sank into the affection they shared, resting against her and closing her eyes. She didn't need to ask to understand. They didn't have to talk about it.  Lexa had gone so long feeling nothing on the outside and yet everything so strongly on the inside. Perhaps, such a small touch felt like the largest. She did nothing but hold onto Lexa tightly until their tiredness took over, pulling them both into a light sleep.
_________________
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

After dozing in and out of sleep, declining cups of water and snacks brought along by the smiling flight attendants. She assumed they were putting in extra effort to pass by more frequently down to Lexa's condition. Raven and Lincoln weren't complaining though, as they had managed to get a new snack every single time they had passed. She could hear them muttering about pretzels and Pringles behind them.

Lexa, however, was out like a light for the most part. Her head was leant back against the headrest, lips parted in a silent breath. She looked at peace that way, mind actively dreaming about whatever worlds her imaginations lead her to.

Clarke had removed the headphones as to not disturb her as she played something else on the screen. It was a cartoon of some sort. Fun and bright and happy, yet also incredibly messed up. She had been quite the fan of it when it had first came out, but she had fallen behind on it long ago. She placed a hand over her mouth to hold back a laugh as one of the characters said something funny.

"I never imagined you to be a Rick and Morty fan, Clarke" Lexa murmured, eyes still heavy from sleep. Her voice was laced in drowsiness, a slight rasp caught within that drew Clarke's attention instantly.

"Oh there's plenty you don't know about me, Lexa" Clarke chuckled

"Yeah? Like what?" Lexa smiled

"Like how I love watching Rick and Morty" She squeezed her hand with a cocky grin.

"How intriguing, Miss Griffin" the brunette watched the character run across the screen, portal gun in hand "May I watch with you?"

"Oh!" Clarke fumbled, plucking the earphone back up for Lexa's use "Sorry"

_____________________
Yeah I know we're still travelling and it's been three chapters. I'm just trying to sink into those juicy deets you feel me. Anyways, thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed. Comment and vote and all those good things for me my dude. See you next chapter!