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“HURRY UP, CLARKE.” Lexa pleaded, wringing her fingers together and lifting her feet up to her knees impatiently.
“Calm down, Lex. We’ll head out soon. I just have to make sure we’ve got everything we need.”
“CLARKE. I ALREADY HAVE A CANTEEN OF JUICE FOR EACH OF US, A DOZEN COOKIES, AND SOME BOAR JERKY. WE WILL BE FINE.”
“Lexa, just hang on. I’m grabbing a few things in case it gets rainy or cold while we’re out there. Did you put your sunscreen on yet? You burn like a marshmallow.”
“Claaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrkeeeeeeeeeeeee. Of course I put my sunscreen on. I always put my sunscreen on. It’s perfectly sunny out it’s not going to rain. We’re going to be fine. I’ve lived with these woods my whole life, Clarke. I OWN these woods. We’re going to be fine LET’S GO!”
“Alright, alright.” Clarke relented, stuffing a jacket into her pack on top of the apples, water, extra sunscreen, blanket, change of socks, handkerchiefs, flashlight, compass, switchblade, and various other odds and ends she had deemed important for their excursion. She zipped it up and slung it over her shoulder before reaching out to clasp Lexa’s fluttering hand.
“Let’s go.” She smiled, planting a kiss on the brunette’s cheek.
Lexa squealed and bounced before dragging Clarke out of the room, one hand firmly knotted with Clarke’s, and the other waving next to her ear, fingers making a clicking noise as she flicked them together. She didn’t even look where she was going as she headed for the elevator. She had her eyes squinted to slits, her chin high in the air, and she spun her head from side to side in glee.
The guards pulled open the doors to the elevator as they approached and the pair stepped inside. Lexa couldn’t stand still as she waited during the long journey to the ground. The lift was slow since it was powered by a hand crank. She turned to face Clarke, grasping her other hand, and rocked back and forth, swinging their arms side to side.
“I’ve been wanting to go to the forest with you for days. I’m always so busy here with everything, and as beautiful as the forest is at night, it’s not quite the same as in the sunlight.”
“I know, hun. I’m really looking forward to it as well. I love going places with you.”
Lexa just smiled and continued to swing their arms ever higher until finally the lift came to a stop. She dropped one of Clarke’s hands and resumed flapping next to her ear while dragging Clarke outside with the other. They walked along the path to the edge of the city without speaking. Lexa took the time to wave to those that beamed at the sight of their Commander. When they reached the gate, Lexa bounced on her toes waiting for it to open. She released her grasp on Clarke for a moment to flap both of her hands in front of her face excitedly. As soon as the gate was open Lexa took off running, her hair billowing out in wild curls behind her. She threw her arms up above her head, limp at the wrists and waving along the length as she ran down to the bottom of the hill.
Clarke smiled. As much as she hated running, Lexa did make it look like fun. She trotted off after her, gaining momentum from the slope, laughing to herself as her legs struggled to keep up with her body. She caught up to Lexa who had plopped herself down in the tufty grass at the bottom of the hill. She was squinting up at the sun and grabbing on to fistfuls of the long grass, swaying gently side to side. Clarke leaned over to kiss the top of her head before sitting down next to her. Clarke looked out at the scene ahead of them, wildflowers dotting the ground amidst fresh green grass, giving way eventually to the dense forest up in the distance. She leaned back on her arms and watched the grass rolling in the breeze like waves, periodically smiling over at Lexa, who was still swaying with her face tilted to the sun. It was a gorgeous day out. There were only a few wispy clouds floating high in the atmosphere, and the sun touched everything. It was warm but with a cool breeze to keep it from being too hot. It was the perfect day to leave the city.
Clarke was torn away from her thoughts by the sound of Lexa rummaging through her bag. She pulled out two cookies, hanging onto one with her teeth and holding the other out to Clarke with an inquisitive squeak. Clarke gladly took the cookie and they both ate between grins. When they were done, Lexa pressed a kiss to Clarke’s forehead and stood up, before bending to scoop Clarke onto her feet as well.
“Let’s go!” She urged, grabbing her pack and holding her hand out for Clarke to grasp.
Clarke slung her own pack on and twisted her fingers into Lexa’s and they set off, clasped hands swinging between them. When they reached the forest, Lexa pulled them along to almost every single tree they passed, running her fingers along the bark of each one. She would sometimes stop to take a closer look at particularly interesting patterns, or ask Clarke to feel the textures she found exceptionally pleasant. Clarke obliged every time. She loved exploring the world with Lexa, getting glimpses of the way Lexa experienced every little detail. She was happy to have Lexa share that with her. It was beautiful and intense and colourful.
Lexa’s fingers drifted across every smooth leaf, prickly branch, or tree trunk that came in her path. Sometimes she would find a fuzzy plant and pluck a couple of the leaves, handing one to Clarke, and keeping the other for herself. She loved to thumb over the downy hairs, or rub them across her cheeks, or wave them in front of her eyes watching the light flicker and dance around it. When she got to a holly bush she would stop and carefully touch the tip of her finger into the points of the hard waxy leaves, giggling at the prickling sensation before shivering and moving on. Lexa bent down to pick up stones that she saw, if there was one with an interesting shape or colour, or that just caught her interest. She would turn it over in her hand, feeling all the edges and looking at all the lines, occasionally popping it in her pocket to take home.
“Look at this one, Clarke.” She urged, after picking up a particularly jaggedy rock. She held it up to the sun in front of their faces. The light passed through certain areas, glowing with a greenish tint.
“It’s the same colour as your eyes.” Clarke observed.
“It’s for you.” Lexa concluded, squinting at it one more time before pressing it into Clarke’s hand.
Clarke smiled “Thank you, it’s beautiful.”
“Carry it with you, Clarke. It will help you.”
Clarke didn’t question it, she just nodded her acceptance and held the stone up to the sun again. She twisted it around admiring how it glowed with different shades depending on the angle she held it at. Tucking it safely into her pocket, she reached back out for Lexa’s hand and they continued down the path.
They eventually reached a small clearing, filled with small flowers and ferns. Lexa wandered into the middle of it and tipped her head back. She squinted through the leaves in the canopy above, causing the sun streaming in to stretch into thin, glittering, twinkling bands of light through her eyelashes. She twisted her head side to side, watching the light flicker and dance in her eyes. She laughed and began to spin wildly, staring up through the trees until she toppled over and lay among the flowers with a sigh. Clarke came and laid down next to her, close enough that their shoulders pressed together, and gripped her hand. Lexa turned to look at Clarke and they exchanged a gentle kiss before turning back and leaning their heads together to watch the leaves fluttering in the summer breeze.
“I love you.” Clarke murmured
“I love you too.”