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People were looking at her as if she had lost her mind. Not only was the weather near freezing, but there was snow littering the ground and the wet puddles now frozen solid. Yeah, Lexa could understand why they would look at her funny.
Lexa was sitting on a park bench, her bags down beside her and her cup of hot chocolate in grabbing distance. She had a book open, the page set, and she was reading while everyone else seemed to be hurrying away towards the nearest warmth. The playground was empty and abandoned at this time in the season, parents not wanting their children out playing in such frigid weather. It was quiet, peaceful even.
“If I didn’t know any better, I would say you have an itching to lose all of your fingers.” Lexa looked up from her book to see Clarke standing over her, her eyebrow raised and her hands in the pocket of her oversized coat. Her breathing were coming out in puffs and her cheeks were red, dry from the icy air and red from being in Lexa’s presence. “Don’t you have gloves?” Clarke asked when Lexa didn’t seem to be answering her hidden question.
“It’s hard to read with gloves on.” Clarke rolled her eyes, because - of course - that would be the reason she would sacrifice her fingers for. Clarke took a seat next to Lexa, who at this point closed the book and placed it on her lap.
“There are warmer places to read, you know.” Clarke couldn’t have seen the blush growing on Lexa’s cheeks when she took her hands, blowing hot air on them to try and thaw the icy digits. “Like the library for instance, which takes two minutes of walking from here.”
“I’m fine, Clarke.” Yet she did not move her hands away; Clarke’s presence herself was reminding her how warm she could be, and how could it really was outside. Lexa was used to the cold, reading usually helped her forget about the cold, actually. All she wanted was to be surrounded by snow, the brilliant white powder that made everything so quiet and peaceful and so very soothing. It calmed her thoughts and put her mind at ease.
Lexa loved this time of year.
“I would hope so, I don’t want these fingers falling off.” Lexa nearly choked when Clarke leaned in and kissed her frozen knuckles. Her hands were suddenly on fire. “I have plans for these fingers soon,” says Clarke with a wink.
“Clarke!”
Clarke let out a bubbly laugh that had Lexa’s insides melting, finally letting go of her hand before leaning back on the bench. She glanced around the park, seeing only people walking around it instead of through it.
“What are you doing here, Clarke?” Clarke turned her head, smiling lazily.
“I could be asking you the same thing.”
Lexa rolled her eyes, but kept her small smile. She gestured to the book on her lap. “I find the winter peaceful. I like to read during this time of day.”
“Anyone ever tell you that you’re sometimes crazy?”
Lexa let out an unexpected laugh, coming out in three puff of white air before she collected herself. “Yes, Anya - all the time, actually.” Clarke grinned.
“I was on my way to the pizza shop around the corner,” Clarke said, “Cutting through the park is the quickest way without freezing my ass off.”
“You’re crazy for going to get pizza right now; why not just order it?”
“It’s quicker this way, and I’m a college student. I have to get my weekly pizza intake before I collapse.” Lexa rolled her eyes, grinning at the thought of Clarke’s diet.
“You might just collapse just because of your diet, Clarke.”
“You’re just jealous because I’m on my way to get pizza and you’re stuck out here in the cold.
“I think you forgot that I’m out here voluntarily.”
“Details.”
They stared at each other for some time before Lexa looked around, gripping the book on her lap, her leg shaking since she no longer had a reason to forget the snow. Clarke sitting beside her was making her remember her surroundings, and the only known warmth coming from the woman beside her.
“Come with me.”
Lexa blinked, “Excuse me?”
“Come with me to get some pizza, Lexa.” Clarke was looking away, but Lexa could see the hint of color on her cheek. It was very endearing.
“Alright.” Clarke turned her head, grinning before taking Lexa’s hand and forcing her to get up along with her. Lexa had to steady herself by moving her other hand on Clarke’s shoulder, the sudden force of movement making her feet slide on the icy concrete. When she was steady, her eyes flickered up and it was then that she realize how close she was to Clarke.
Lexa was close enough that she could count each eyelash, and every speck in her soulful blue eyes. It was very hard to swallow the sudden lump in her throat.
“Lexa - ?”
Lexa leaned down and placed her lips against Clarke’s, her nose skimming over her cheek as she turned her head slightly.
The cold was forgotten and the air frozen as her body heated up against Clarke, whose hands were now at Lexa’s waist, her fingers clinging to her jacket hard as she pull her as close as possible.
Which in hindsight, wasn’t the best thing to do.
As Lexa took a step forward, her knee moving between Clarke’s legs, it caused Clarke - who was already pretty unbalanced from Lexa’s unexpected kiss - to moved backwards. This ended with their lips being removed as Clarke gasped, her hands tightening around Lexa automatically, as if it would save her, before she fell on her ass, Lexa half on top of her.
They stayed like that for a brief second before Lexa tried to scramble off of Clarke, who’s back was already freezing from landing on a patch of snow. It took a while for Lexa to get up, her hands and knees wet and deep in snow.
In the end, Lexa was the one to look at Clarke, as she pouted in the wet snow, unable to move, her jacket wet, along with the hair that escaped her beanie. Her cheeks were as red as her cold nose.
Lexa couldn’t help it - she laughed at the sight of wet Clarke, who continued to glare at her.
“Are you alright?”
“No,” Clarke grumbled, “help me up, will you?” She threw out her hand, waiting for Lexa to help her.
Lexa didn’t think about it, and before she could, she reached out and grabbed onto Clarke’s hand. She should have thought about it because soon she was also in the snow, blinking snow out of her eyes and wiping the rest off of her already numb face.
“I can’t believe you just did that,” Lexa gasped, trying to get up but couldn’t because soon Clarke was on top of her back, holding her down. “Clarke, it’s coooold.” She whined.
“Payback’s a bitch.”
“It’s not like I wanted you to fall on your ass!”
“But you still laughed at me!”
“I laughed because you looked so cute.”
A pause.
“Really?” Clarke asked in a smaller voice. “You thought I looked cute?”
“I always think you’re cute.”
“Okay,” Lexa felt the weight of Clarke leave her and she hesitantly turned around, watching Clarke wipe off the snow on her clothing. Lexa turned around, getting up slowly since her jeans were already wet and her legs numbing.
“Just so you know, you’re paying for the pizza now.” Clarke said, latching onto Lexa’s arm while placing a sloppy kiss on her cheek.
Lexa rolled her eyes, “Was there any doubt that I wasn’t going to pay for you food?” Clarke smiled brightly, her fingers entwining with Lexa’s. The feeling was already coming back to Lexa. She could feel herself warming up again.
“No.”
The next day, Clarke brought homemade soup to Lexa when she found out she was sick in bed. Lexa enjoyed the attention Clarke gave her, especially the part where she cuddled beside Clarke, snuggled up in five blankets, while she played with her hair.
The feeling of her fingers in her hair put her right to sleep.
With a smile always on her face.