Head Over Boots (Clexa AU)

Chapter 10: Blooming

When it came to Clarke, Lexa didn't bother with subtlety. Her countdown to Clarke's graduation (and her subsequent move back to the ranch) was prominently displayed on the kitchen calendar. She had even bought a special pen to write the countdown in--none of her other markers were quite bold enough. At the beginning, writing 250 days on the calendar had been like a punch to the gut. But the number slowly (ever so slowly) shrank down. Clarke had teased her about the calendar when she had visited for Christmas, but Lexa broke the news that she had seen a similar calendar hanging on Clarke's wall in one of their video chats.

Clarke's return wasn't the only countdown that Lexa had. They had decided on a date for another milestone too: their wedding.

For months, Lexa couldn't even think the word without her heart practically beating out of her chest. It would occur to her all of a sudden and take her completely by surprise every time. She was going to marry Clarke-- actually marry Clarke! --and it would first shock her, then amaze her, then make her grin like a fool.

But there were details to work out: where they were going to have the ceremony (the ranch was an obvious choice), what their reception would look like (snacks, drinks, and dancing), who they would invite (pretty much everyone, as it turned out), color schemes and flowers and a whole list of things that Lexa had never even considered. Gratefully, even a thousand miles away, Clarke was able to take on most of the overarching planning, while Lexa handled the on-the-ground logistics. It was a good partnership, which reminded Lexa for the thousandth time how well they worked together.

After months of waiting, after crossing days off of the calendar and wondering how 250 could ever come down to zero, after missing Clarke's laugh and her smile and the warmth of her kiss more than she could ever explain, Lexa made the drive to Colorado for her graduation. When she arrived, she barely had enough time to change into a smart button-up and slacks before the ceremony. She found Clarke waiting for her outside the auditorium.

"You made it," Clarke said in obvious relief, her smile wide beneath her black graduation cap.

Lexa pulled her in by her graduation robe and let her kiss demonstrate just how much she had missed Clarke after all those months. With Clarke's lips eagerly meeting her own, it took Lexa almost no effort to ignore a woman nearby whistling and yelling "Get it, Clarke!"

But Clarke pulled away and sent a glare toward a blonde woman also wearing graduation garb. "Let me make out with my fiancee in peace, Harper."

"Sorry, right." Harper waved at Lexa. "I'm Harper. It's starting in a few minutes..."

Lexa waved back but was immediately drawn back to Clarke. She wore her hair loose underneath the cap, and quite frankly it was begging to be touched. She heard Harper clearing her throat.

"I'll just..." Harper motioned behind her to the auditorium. "Go find my girlfriend, I guess."

"I'll be there in a sec," Clarke responded as she tugged Lexa in by her belt loops.

Lexa let herself be pulled in. After five months away from her, every touch from Clarke was electric. "You shouldn't be late to your own graduation," she reminded her, even as she craved her presence.

"It means a lot to me that you're here." Clarke's eyes roamed over her face, as if they were relearning the shape of her.

Clarke's tight grip on her waist only made Lexa want to stay away from the stuffy room and ceremony all the more. "You know I wouldn't miss this," she said, feeling herself being drawn in by the swell of Clarke's lips.

But their kiss was interrupted by a voice on the loudspeaker in the room behind them, urging everyone to take their seats. Clarke gave one last nip of her lip before taking her hand and leading her into the room. "Plenty of time for that later," Clarke said, a downward flash of her eyes leaving no interpretation to what she meant.