heda | clexa

twenty two

"Oh Spirits," Clarke pants at some point, physically unable to laugh any more. "I can't breathe."

"Me either. My ribs are killing me."

Clarke's eyes widen and she flips over on her stomach to look at Lexa. "Oh shit, right, you mentioned that you injured your ribs. I'm so sorry for pushing you in there in the first place, I'm an idiot. My people's definition of fun isn't yours, I fucked that up."

"Language, princess," Lexa sighs breathless and tired, staring up into the trees with a warm smile.

Clarke can't help her heart skipping a beat, can't help sucking in a breath, can't help smiling like the idiot she just proclaimed herself to be. "Would you let me look at it?"

"My ribs?"

"Mhm."

"You can't do anything."

"Depending on how they look and feel, I could give you something. I have herbs and potions."

Another beat of silence, another moment of hesitation. "Okay," Lexa eventually gives in and Clarke nods.

"I'll be careful."

Lexa nods and with another nervous glance towards Clarke, she begins unbuttoning her drenched shirt. Her breathing has changed subtly, but Clarke notices.

She notices all of it; she notices when Lexa pauses before undoing those last few buttons, she notices when Lexa takes a particularly deep breath before pulling her undershirt over her head, she notices Lexa's tight jaw and her stiff shoulders.

She notices Lexa's glance down at her own stomach, even more nervous, and then back to her own fidgeting fingers.

"I'll be careful," Clarke promises again. "As little touching as possible."

"No, it's okay. I don't mind."

So Clarke moves her shackled hands, chains rattling, careful not to hurt Lexa with the sharp iron, careful not to scare Lexa with Clarke's cold hands, careful not to make Lexa uncomfortable.

Clarke lets her hands move up, gently pushing, until Lexa signals her that it hurts. "Does it hurt when you take a deep breath?"

Lexa tries and hums uncertainly. "Not exactly hurt, but I feel it."

"Okay. Can you reach into my inner jacket pocket? I have my herbs there."

"So you're not just a demon but also a witch?" Lexa teases and Clarke raises her brows.

"What, herbs indicate witches?"

"Kind of."

Clarke laughs and hides her face in her palms. "My Gods, this place is a mess."

Lexa sits up a little and retrieves the mentioned pouch of herbs from Clarke's jacket. Clarke instructs her on which herb to take and how much of it to swallow. "Your ribs feel fine, I think you just didn't give them enough rest. I'm just giving you a pain relief. You did stay home for a few weeks, right?"

Lexa raises a brow. "A few weeks? I can't afford to take a single day off."

"Oh. Right. You said that. It's so strange to me that you have to pay to survive. That doesn't make any sense. You work to survive and then you survive to work. Where in that cycle does the living happen?"

"How do your people do it?"

"The people who sell things pay part of the money to the tribe leader, who distributes it among those who deliver services, such as hunters, healers or teachers. My people have a lot of gold and other treasures from raids, too, so that helps."