Commander's Redemption | Clexa

Chapter 32

Lexa watches Clarke intently as they eat buttered bread, and an assortment of fruits and berries, wanting to make sure that the blonde was doing okay and wasn't showing any signs of distress after her small breakdown from earlier.

Both women were sitting close to each other at the table, still wrapped in their towels.

Lexa had suggested getting dressed first, but Clarke had insisted she was too hungry, and the soft towel felt too nice on her skin, so now here they were, still in a state of undress, yet sitting in a comfortable silence.

Clarke chews her strawberry absentmindedly, twirling the green leafy bit between her fingers while her other hand massages Lexa's thigh over the towel, her eyes glazed over and far away.

"What are you thinking about?" Lexa asks, being the first to break the silence.

Clarke blinks a few times before her eyes are able to focus on Lexa's.

"Not much," she says, smiling softly, but genuinely at the brunette who looks at her worriedly.

Clarke squeezes Lexa's thigh, trying to comfort the brunette, whose eyebrows have a slight wrinkle to them.

"Really, Lex... My mind is emptier than it has been in a long time and it's quite nice. How are you feeling? Are you okay?" Clarke asks.

"I'm fine," Lexa responds a little too quickly.

Clarke tries to read Lexa's expression, but her eyes get distracted by a drop of water rolling from Lexa's hair over the side of her neck and into the front of the towel.

Lexa's hair was still up, but the bottom of it had dipped into the water at some point during their time together in the tub.

Clarke pulls her eyes away from the drop to meet the emerald eyes once more and she says, "Lexa, you can stop pretending with me. Aren't we past that?"

Lexa chews her plump bottom lip, and her leg starts tapping nervously before she finally responds, "I really am okay. I'm just... I am afraid this won't last, and you'll pull away again. Or I will find another way to mess it up and hurt you."

Clarke is silent for a while before responding, "You won't. I trust you," And then after another beat, she adds, "What can I do to prove to you I am not going anywhere this time?"

The Commander spends a moment contemplating that question, then she speaks barely loud enough for Clarke to hear her, "I trust you too. If you say you'll stay, I believe you."

"And I will. Stay that is," Clarke says immediately, knowing that Lexa needs to hear those words in this moment.

The corners of Lexa's mouth pull up in a tiny, grateful smile and the tapping of her leg slows down until it stops.

The blonde gets up after gathering all of their plates, bowl, utensils, and the few leftovers onto a tray, picks up the tray, and places it outside. Meanwhile, Lexa's bright eyes follow the blonde's every movement.

When Clarke walks back towards her, Lexa turns sideways on her chair, so she is facing the blonde, she reaches out her arms, coaxing Clarke to walk right into them, then she wraps her arms around the blonde's toweled waist, resting her head on the blonde's stomach.

Clarke rests one hand on Lexa's upper back while the other makes her way into Lexa's hair, first letting it fall loose, then combing her fingers through the soft, brown locks.

Once Lexa looks up at Clarke, releasing her grip somewhat, Clarke cups Lexa's cheeks in her hands, bends her body over to lean in closer, and kisses Lexa's soft, warm lips.