Scars to Your Beautiful (the 100 fanfic)

Chapter 14

I woke up the next morning feeling much better and rested than the last few days. It was still an adjustment to waking up alone, but I was saddened to realize that it was getting easier already. I wasn't completely awake when I felt something tickle the side of my neck and face and I glanced to my right. Seeing the wolf's ear and part of the head, I panicked and tried to get away, slamming my head against the wall. I grabbed it, curled up into a ball as the impact woke me up completely and I remembered that I had been wearing the cloak when I fell asleep.

"Fuck," I said, as I slowly uncurled, still holding my head. "God, I am an idiot sometimes."

There was a chortle and I quickly spun around and glared at seeing Lexa sitting at the table trying to hold in her laughter.

"Dammit, Lexa," I said, exasperated. "Give a girl some warning next time. Do you have a habit of sitting quietly and watching people sleep?"

She couldn't hold it in any longer and started laughing, making me glare at her harder. I rolled and stretched out my neck because the impact had compressed it slightly. I sighed and sat up more fully, removing the cloak from around my shoulders and thankful that the wolf's head wasn't in my periphery any longer.

"I am sorry, Rook, but that was the funniest thing I've seen in ages," she said as she finally calmed down. "And no, I am not in the habit of watching people sleep. You just looked so peaceful and Sursha told me what happened last night, so I wanted to make sure that you were okay."

I bared my teeth at her making her grin wider and shook my head at her behavior, "You are something else, Lexa. That's for damn sure. You do realize that if you keep spending so much time with me, people will begin to start talking."

"And what do you think people would say," she asked, cocking her head to the side at me curiously.

"Oh, who knows. That I'm corrupting you to make Skaikru more favorable in your eyes. That we are sharing a bed. That I am luring you closer in order to kill you," I replied, raising a brow at her.

I stood up and stretched and I could feel her admiring what she saw. I looked at her knowingly and she blushed when I caught her eye, "And doing that is not helping matters."

"You are an attractive woman, Rook," she said, refusing to look apologetic. "You draw the eyes of everyone. Only the villagers know that you prefer the company of a woman."

I snorted, "Be that as it may it's not seemly for you to so openly admire me."

"I've yet to do it openly," she retorted. "There is just something about you that tells me that I can completely relax when I'm around you. That you will not judge me for my actions."

"Oh, I'll judge you," I replied with a smirk. "The only difference is that I'm not afraid to call you out on it."

"So, you're saying that you're not intimidated by me," she looked at me incredulously.

"Right now, no. You are acting your age, Lexa. You are coming to me as a young woman and not the Commander. There is a difference. You put on that armor and war paint, I'll probably play a different tune. I respect you and as I have said, I acknowledge you as my leader. As my Commander."

"That's just it. You allow me to be myself more. You make it comfortable and I like it. No one has been able to give me that since Costia."

I felt a sense of sadness and walked over to kneel in front of her. She looked at me in confusion and I only cupped her face in sympathy before I stood up again and walked over to the wash basin to freshen up.

"Why did you do that," she asked my back.

Without turning around, I answered, "You still miss her. You still bear grief over the loss of her. It's small compared to mine right now, but it's still there. It was meant as comfort only."