from the ashes (she will rise) ➸ octaven

chapter 3

Octavia manages to get an hour or so of sleep, maybe, before she's waking up again.

Her nightmares aren't anything like the ones you see on TV. She doesn't wake up screaming. She doesn't sit straight up in bed and gasp for breath with wide eyes like she's just seen a ghost. She doesn't bolt awake up in a cold sweat.

No, instead, she just fades back into consciousness, swearing that she smells smoke. It takes her a few seconds to come to, realizing where she is. Sitting up, Octavia rubs her eyes and presses her hand to her chest. Her heart is beating a mile a minute.

Taking a deep breath, she walks over to the window and leans forward, hanging her head out. She breathes in, closing her eyes. Everything feels unreal at this point. So much has changed in so little time that she hopes it's some sort of cruel joke.

She knows she won't be able to fall back asleep, so she quietly opens her door and peers out into the hallway. Tiptoeing downstairs, she rummages through the cabinets until she finds a box of cereal. She's just pouring the milk into her bowl when another set of footsteps pads down the stairs. Octavia freezes, turning around slowly.

Lexa doesn't even look at her. She's got an old quilt tugged around her shoulders and she wanders over to the TV. Octavia watches as the girl sticks a VHS tape into the slot underneath the television. Lexa hits the power button once, twice, three times before she's content. She curls up onto the couch, wrapped in her blanket, and watches intently as the Jeopardy theme song begins to play.

Octavia half-smiles with a mouthful of cereal. She leans against the counter, spooning food into her mouth and watching as Lexa calls out the answers to the game show.

"What is valence?" Lexa repeats to herself quietly. Octavia sets her empty bowl down in the sink and wanders over to the front window. The street is pitch black except for the light coming off of their front porch. It's quite eerie, actually. Her eyes move over to the front door.

She could leave right now. Disappear off into the night and never look back. It's all too appealing. Octavia takes a step toward the door.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you."

Octavia jumps, whipping her head around to look at Lexa. The girl's eyes are still fixed on the screen.

"You'll set off the alarms," Lexa glances over at her before turning back to the television. "What is The Sound of Music?" she mumbles under her breath, humming contently when the blue square on the screen reveals the right answer.

Sighing in defeat, Octavia reluctantly plops down on the couch beside Lexa, who's too entranced by the show to pay much attention to her. She hugs her legs to her chest, scooting back to the furthest corner of the couch.

She doesn't mean to fall asleep, but she does. The next thing she knows, someone's nudging her shoulder and gently coaxing her awake. When her eyes flutter open, she's face to face with Lexa, holding a piece of toast in her mouth.

"Time for school," the girl mumbles, taking another bite and standing up. Octavia rubs her eyes, looking around the room and realizing where she is. Lexa scurries back into the kitchen, already dressed and ready. Sighing, Octavia peels herself off of the couch and makes her way upstairs.

She takes her time getting dressed, digging through her things and eventually deciding on a pair of leggings, a maroon tank top, and a flannel thrown over it all. She's running a brush through her hair when she walks into the bathroom to find Raven bent over the sink, brushing her teeth.

Rinsing out her mouth, Raven spits in the sink before turning around and looking Octavia up and down as she wipes her mouth. She raises an eyebrow. "Trying to make a good first impression?"