#alternatively: writing the fair folk au is just like. hm. this is getting way more queerplatonic than was intended. cool with it though

[good--merits-accumulated]

it's all Greek Roman to me!

[thedeadflag]

Here’s more of the Oh No There Is Only One Bed What Do clanya AU

(Part 1)(Part 2)(Part 3)(Part 4)(Part 5)

Part 6 below

Content Warning: transmisogyny, transmisogynistic slurs, transphobia

"...and so that's when I jumped out of the tree." Clarke noted with a grin, one that only grew wider at Anya's dumbstruck expression, a mix of horror and amusement swirling in her eyes.

And maybe when Anya rested a hand on her thigh for the fourth time since they sat on her favourite wooden bench, maybe she allowed herself the hope that they were having a decent time. Or, that Anya was having a decent time.

"The tree by the pool? The one with bottom branches higher than your house?" Anya asked with a short laugh.

"Yep. Of course, I didn't exactly land on the trampoline like I wanted, and I took a tumble on the stone instead of a nice launch into the pool, but at least I didn't walk away empty-handed." Clarke continued, feeling her cheeks bloom as Anya lightly rubbed at her thigh. Even if there was a thin layer of lace preventing skin on skin contact, it still lit up her core something fierce.

"A scar, I imagine?" Anya asked, cocking an eyebrow and returning her hand back to her side.

"I was gonna say a story, but yeah. Most of them healed well enough that you can't tell, but there's one along my left shoulder blade, and across the back of my left calf." Clarke answered, heart bursting with adoration at how Anya's features immediately softened, concern pooling in her eyes. "Don't give me those puppy dog eyes, I was fine. My mom patched me up and put me through a gauntlet of one-sided lessons on safety and health, and gave me more chores than I knew how to handle for worrying her, but I was fine."

Anya offered a sharp nod. "Your mother sounds like a smart woman."

"Don't let her hear you say that, I'd never hear the end of it." Clarke practically groaned. She had a feeling that her mom and Anya would probably get along famously in a lot of ways, many of which could be exasperating.

Still, that was probably better than the alternative if she wanted to create something long-term with Anya, and she did.

"I know the feeling. Ever since I started working out over here in the morning, my mom and dad have been stressing how wonderful you are." Anya admitted, perking up Clarke's ears at the notion that she'd inexplicably won Anya's parents' approval despite having never actually met them. "I mean, I know that the hospital your mom works at keeps my mom on retainer, so there's already probably some sort of history and goodwill there, but still. If I have to sit through another fifteen minute conversation about how 'Columbia's such a strong school, Anya', or 'why, Clarke must be so intelligent, Anya', I'll probably slam my face into the nearest hard surface. No offense."

It was interesting to hear Anya gripe about her parents, particularly her impressions, but it was especially a relief not to hear even a tinge of bitterness in her words, just exhaustion. "None taken, but please don't rough up that pretty face of yours, even if your parents seem to love me from afar." She countered, laughing as Anya rolled her eyes. "Seriously, though, they'll probably ambush us on the occasional weekend. You'll get to see just how wild my mother can be, and I'm sure yours will have their expectations tempered once they learn I'm a real living person, flaws and all."

"Mmmh. I...hm..." Anya let out, aborting on whatever she'd considered saying, brow knitting in thought, body tensing up. Everything Clarke was reading off the other girl practically screamed hesitation as seconds ticked past, so she just waited it out. Hard as it was, as antsy as it made her, she needed to give Anya time and space. She had to be patient.

Eventually, Anya let out a sigh, head slumping forward ever so slightly, marring her previously pristine posture. "As much as I've enjoyed myself tonight...and I absolutely have...my parents are going to be insufferable over the next few months once they hear about tonight." Anya spoke, barely louder than a murmur, Clarke needing to lean closer to completely hear her. "In high school, they'd keep prodding me to join the GSA, to make friends with you. When I told them I'm only into women, well...all they saw was that my options were narrowed, but they'd point at you. You were the brilliant daughter of Arkadia Medical Center's Chief of Surgery and the lead engineer in Sinclair Aeronautics, you were bisexual, you were friends with Lexa and Costia. When we began working out, it only intensified. I can't imagine what they'll say after tonight."

On one hand, it was amusing to hear how tenacious Anya's parents were at trying to pair them up. On the other hand, it must have been frustrating after what she'd done to Anya, and Clarke knew how exhausting parental meddling could be.

Still, it did give her a little hope. "They just want to know you're happy, princess. That's probably all it is."

"Well, consider it mission accomplished. At least for tonight, I suppose." Anya said, teeth gnawing slightly at the corner of her lip, and if Clarke hadn't been watching so closely, she might not have spotted the flicker of doubt in her eyes.

"And past tonight?" She knew maybe it was pressing, that maybe Anya wasn't ready to answer that question yet, but she couldn't help herself, not when she felt so close to some sort of breakthrough on understanding how Anya felt about her.

She'd had a lot of puzzle pieces up to then, but when Anya turned her head away, swallowing hard, letting out a breath that stuttered with defeat, that puzzle suddenly found itself taking shape into something she hadn't remotely seen coming.

"I've been having such a wonderful night, Clarke. I don't want to taint this fitting bookend to the first chapter of our lives. It wouldn't be fair to you." Anya spoke, her words only confirming what she'd quickly come to understand.

It was absurd, of course, but it also wasn't the sort of thing she could laugh off. Pet names would probably have to be held back for a bit too, reluctantly. "I've had fun tonight, too, but Anya...you know this isn't just some one-night thing for me, right?"

Anya's scoff came out sharp, sending a sudden tight pain in Clarke's chest at the brave face Anya plastered on. "Clarke, you're only days away from being inundated with thousands upon thousands of peers who will have so, so much to offer. That's significant. Don't pretend it's not."

"Okay, it's true, we're moving in a few days and there'll be a lot of people our age. Lots to choose from. What of it? I like you. Don't sell yourself short." Clarke argued, taking some solace in how Anya's cheeks flushed slightly, in the tiny hint of a smile at the edges of Anya's lips.

"I know you like me, but you don't have to date me to prove anything. And I know I'm a catch, Clarke. I'm not selling myself short, I'm just being realistic. Dating me would complicate things. I'm almost certainly going to be out in New York. Anyone who's with me would have to deal with publicly dating a trans woman of colour and all the crap that can come along with it. It'd be a lot easier, and a lot less stressful to date someone else, not to mention I'm getting into the prestigious and entirely stable career of writing, while you're on track to be a doctor. That's more than enough difficulty in your life without having to maybe worry about my prospects." Anya rambled, and Clarke had to admit that some of her points were entirely true and worthy of consideration.

She hadn't dated a trans person before, or known anyone who had. She'd seen comments online and on television targeted at trans folks and the people who loved them, though, and there was a disturbing amount of vitriol. Clarke hoped in New York, that things would be better than there in Arkadia, but it wasn't a sure thing. It could make her life a little more difficult, a little more stressful, certainly.

But Anya was worth it. All things considered, Clarke knew who she wanted to be with.

"I wouldn't be dating you to prove anything, or to satisfy some lingering guilt...I like you, Anya. And I know enough about what I'd be signing up for. Sure, there's infinite possibilities off in New York, but I see someone who I care about and want to have a relationship with, and she's sitting right next to me. She's passionate and intelligent, determined and kind, and so deeply beautiful. So all that potential doesn't matter, not when you're here." Clarke laid out her case, lifting a hand to gently bring Anya to face her again, to meet those soft amber eyes brimming with tears. "I want to date you, Anya. I want something with you that'll last, and I believe we could. If you don't feel the same, then I'll respect that, I'll back off and keep working at being a better friend...but if you do? Then why couldn't we give us a chance?"

The feel of Anya ever so slightly leaning into her touch would have had her heart blooming if not for the tear track running down her left cheek. "And if I'm scared?"

"That's the only time we can be brave." She stroked her thumb across the girl's cheek.

A sharp laugh blurted out of Anya. "You're appealing to my pride and stubbornness."

"Maybe so. But...I just mean it's alright to be scared. And you'd have me to lean on, and all the other people in your life who love you. We can be brave together." Clarke asserted, shooting Anya a smile. "I love that big heart of yours. I want to keep it safe. And as much as all this change coming up scares me, it won't change that I'd fight for you. As a friend or a girlfriend, I'd be brave with you, Anya. And we can get through whatever we face."

Anya lifted a hand to cover the one caressing her cheek and leaned blatantly into her touch, letting out a soft sigh. "You can't be there every hour, Clarke. We'll be in dorms, we'll have roommates. We'll live on opposite ends of the island. We'll be busy."

"Of course we'll be busy, but we're only a half hour apart. We have phones, and Skype, and Discord. And you may live in a dorm with roommates...roommates who I hope will be good to you...but if you ever need an escape, I've got an apartment. If you ever need sanctuary, if you need alone time, it's yours. Even if we don't get together, the second bedroom is yours whenever you want it." Clarke countered, feeling a swell of confusion as Anya's features twisted.

"You got an apartment in Manhattan?" Anya asked, clear disbelief saturating her words.

Really, she could only shrug. She knew she was fortunate to be as well off as she was. "The interest I make in my trust fund every month is a little more than double what the rent would cost. My mom wants me to have somewhere I can escape to, free of the distractions of dorm life, so we got a good deal on a nice two bedroom place near Columbia. Not a huge amount of square footage, but one of the bathrooms has a big jacuzzi tub, and the other a really nice walk-in shower, and the kitchen's a good size and has a full oven and range. The second bedroom and closets aren't real big, but they're big enough. Got a gym across the road that's reasonably decent. Got a washer and dryer in the unit. It's a nice place. If you take the W from NYU up to Times Square and forty-second street, and then the three to a hundred and sixteenth street, you're practically at my doorstep in thirty minutes."

"You've really thought this through." Anya mused openly, practically emanating surprise and wonder, warm amber eyes searching her own.

"Well, summer's kind of boring. You're still bouncing around in my head most mornings after you leave, so I get to thinking. And maybe I get a little ahead of myself, but I try not to. I just figure...we'll both be in new environments, around new people, going to a new kind of school that's structured in a totally new way, and maybe having somewhere to go that's simpler, and more familiar...maybe that'd be good for us." She explained, Anya nodding along to her words.

"That...would make a lot of things about this coming year less intimidating. I promise I wouldn't stop by empty-handed, or without creating something. I bake a lot. Especially when I'm stressed." Anya started, seeming to think she'd have to do something to earn what Clarke had offered.

When, really, Clarke didn't exactly do incredibly well alone. Just having Anya near would be a huge help, although having someone to bake with would be a nice bonus. The art of pastries had always eluded her, but she was good with cobblers, cakes, pies, and squares. "You wouldn't have to do any of that. I'd be happy enough just to have you around."

"Well, tough. I like to pitch in. If that means you head to study groups with a bag full of baked goods to hand out to your classmates, then you'll just have to deal with it." Anya shot back, eyes narrowing playfully as her lips stretched into a smirk.

As if she'd ever complain about being given tasty treats. "You realize that could single-handedly make me the most popular student in class, in all likelihood."

"Which might net you a few favors along the way, and help you attract good study partners. Make you friends. The works." Anya added airily, voice melodic as she removed Clarke's hand from her cheek and clasped it between both of her own. "I give back, Clarke. I do my part, or as much as I can. That's just who I am."

Clarke let out a sigh and nodded, wondering if she'd regret giving into Anya's stubbornness. "I know, I adore that about you. It's one of your many charms."

Anya let out a sound that seemed like a snort, but she'd never dare call her on it. "I'm sure."

"Come on, it is. Maybe not as charming as your smile, but there's a lot about you that draws me closer..." Clarke noted, holding eye contact in hopes of getting through Anya's thick skull that she was wholeheartedly into her. "...a lot that makes me want to hold your hand...that makes me ache to wrap my arms around you...that has me wasting whole afternoons thinking about what it'd be like to kiss you..."

"Clarke..."

She shook her head. "I'm just really into you, and you're so beautiful, but if you don't like me back, it's fine. I'll be more than happy to be..."

In a flash, Anya was there; hand against her cheek, lips pressing against hers in a rushed, clumsy gesture that had her heartbeat mimicking a stampede as she did everything she could to return her affections and remember each and every sensation. The kiss was sweet, tinged with the hint of lemonade as Clarke tasted her over and over, gently brushing Anya's arm, slowly running a hand over her hair and gradually helping Anya let go of her urgency. She wanted Anya to know she wasn't going anywhere, that they had time, that they could just enjoy the moment.

Thankfully, Anya seemed to hold the same sentiments, slowing her kisses to a languid pace, her touches gentle but deliberate rather than frantic and fleeting. Enough so that when Anya pulled away slightly to catch her breath, Clarke could cradle Anya's head in her hands and meet her gaze, giving Anya all the time she needed to drink in how excited and exuberant she was.

But maybe Clarke needed an extra moment or two to settle her heart at all the emotions Anya was practically glowing from.

"Wow." Anya let out breathlessly, staring at her like she'd just hung the stars in the sky.

It was more than a little overwhelming, but Clarke just swallowed the heart lodged in her throat and beamed back at the girl. "That's an understatement."

"I didn't make a fool out of myself, did I?" Anya asked, apparently taking her words the wrong way, concern quickly marring her features. "Because I don't have much in the way of experience, and you slowed me down, so I wasn't sure if you don't like it fast, or if maybe I was just a mess, or..."

Clarke crossed the final two or three inches and brought their lips together, swallowing Anya's words, letting her kiss linger until she could feel some of Anya's tension wash away. "You were wonderful, please don't second guess yourself. I just wanted to slow things down so we could ease into it and enjoy the moment."

"Well, I did enjoy myself tremendously. Kissing you was divine, Clarke." Anya whispered, Clarke's heart blooming at the sight of Anya smiling bright enough to light up the evening. "But...I'm too curious not to ask again...do you not like a faster pace? Should I avoid that in the future?"

Clarke rested her forehead against Anya's, grinning at how the girl's eyes went slightly crossed to hold her gaze, thrilled over Anya being excited for the future. "It's great when the occasion calls for it. We're at a party with over a hundred people, you're wearing an incredibly pretty dress, and a corset, and a petticoat, and your hair's gorgeous...and you're not some fling to me, you're someone I care about a lot. I'd love to kiss you hard and fast, Anya, but...not here, and not now."

"Are you saying I'm too well dressed to be ravished?" Anya asked with an easy laugh.

"I'm saying that if we'd been dating for a few weeks and I had permission, and we were alone here, and my hands were strong enough...I'd tear your dress and corset off and devour you. I need certain...well, things, if I'm going to toss all my inhibitions aside, and when I do I feel a need to be close, I kind of do what I can to be skin to skin. Doesn't mean, you know, sex, but I just need to be close." Clarke explained in a loose, clumsy ramble that had Anya's eyes twinkling with nearly enough amusement to look past how crimson-hued her cheeks were. "Anyways...what I mean to say is yes, I'm super attracted to you, and how you're dressed doesn't make me want to 'ravish' you less, it's just I'm not brainless, so I can control myself. And maybe tonight...in the garden, under the stars, maybe I felt a slower kiss would be more romantic, too."

Anya's amused stare held as seconds ticked by, and maybe Clarke would be a little unnerved if Anya's thumb wasn't gently stroking at the crook of her neck. Honestly, she wasn't sure if Anya even noticed she was doing it, but it was soothing and just what she needed to calm her heart rate to a reasonable number.

"It's been a very romantic evening, Clarke. I'll certainly give you that." Anya admitted softly, sending her heart soaring at her success. Not only had she gotten to hold Anya, but she'd managed to kiss her and romance her.

The night wasn't even close to done, and she'd achieved nearly all her goals and more.

Still, there was one that she'd only received a non-verbal answer to that she really did need some clarity on. Clarke angled down for a quick kiss before getting up from the bench and walking over to the larger set of flowerbeds. With care not to disrupt the others, Clarke broke off a single daisy and returned to the bench, feeling her nerves escalate with each step no matter how much she called up the memory of their kisses, their words, to calm her heart.

"All I know is that I really like you Anya. Every step I've taken to regain your trust has only had me wanting to take another, to hurry, to get closer to you. I've really enjoyed our mornings together, and I've really enjoyed spending tonight with you, and...well, what I mean to ask is...will you be my girlfriend, Anya?" Clarke held out the flower to the girl who she'd been thoroughly enchanted by, her voice shaking, eyes brimming with tears of hope and fear.

Tears that spilled over as Anya gave a silent nod, taking the daisy and lifting it to her nose for a quick sniff before setting it aside. "I'd love to, Clarke."

Maybe it was a little childish to bounce on her toes in celebration, but she couldn't care, not when she was dating Anya, not when she had her first real girlfriend.

She hadn't noticed for the tears in her eyes, but Anya was suddenly right there, dabbing at her tears and kissing her wet, salty cheeks, and as much as she yearned to kiss her girl, she just desperately needed a hug. Which had her wondering if Anya was a mind reader when she was suddenly pulled into a delightful, cozy embrace, one arm snaking around her waist with the other hand cradling Clarke's head.

As much as she sank into Anya's arms, she was immediately reminded of her girlfriend's words from way back on their drive from the convention. How Anya yearned for contact. How maybe this was Anya feeling she might be able to freely seek it out now. First the kiss, now the hug.

Not that Clarke would want Anya to take all of the initiative.

She quickly wrapped her arms around Anya's waist and lifted her up, spinning her around, soaking in the absolute delight saturating Anya's bubbly laughter.

"Hey, there you two are! Lexa's been looking for you, we're hoping to grab some seats by the fire pit before it gets too crowded. Want to join us?" Costia called out from the garden's entrance, finally bursting the bubble they'd been living in for the past hour or so.

Clarke set Anya down, her girlfriend shooting her a soft smile before pulling away, doing a slow three hundred and sixty degree spin. It was cute, really, and had Clarke blushing.

Anya was writing their surroundings to memory, head soon tilting upwards to hopefully inscribe the sky to her long term storage. Anya wanted to remember.

Maybe a few years down the line, Clarke wouldn't recall what flowers her mother had planted, what amount of cloud coverage there was, the vines encroaching and wrapping around one of the footholds of the bench. No, that was a long shot, because she couldn't stop watching Anya.

Anya could remember the garden for the both of them. She was happy enough taking in the sheer bliss on Anya's face, the glee she exuded with every movement.

Because really, that's what mattered to her. It was the first time she really made Anya happy, and that was a milestone she'd never forget.

And if she was being honest, she had an inkling that their future would be damn bright.

(past this, I have an unfinished final Anya POV scene, when it’s done I’ll probably publish the whole thing, but yeah, like I said, it’s a WIP. Hope you enjoyed!)