Out of all the activities they could be busying themselves with – and yes, sex totally counts as one. Or several, really – Lexa had to choose hiking. Of course, Clarke was given a choice, but what was she supposed to say when green eyes shone that brightly when she described everything they'd get to see while out on a trail?
"I haven't gone hiking in forever," Lexa told her with excitement. "Last time was... God, five years ago. Five years," she repeated, as if unable to believe it herself.
So, naturally, she said yes. And – she's not saying she's regretting her decision, but she's getting close to that. Dangerously close. They haven't walked a mile, it seems, and she's already tired. In her defense, she's not used to walking uphill. Or walking in general. Why would she walk when she can take the subway anywhere she needs to be?
There should be an uber for hiking. Perhaps she'll start her own business. Make millions. Will be able to take Lexa on vacations somewhere with no mountains so she wouldn't be tempted to hike.
Lexa stops the second Clarke starts having difficulty breathing. "We can rest for a bit," she says, but Clarke shakes her head.
"It's fine, I'm fine," she takes a second to get her breathing under control, which takes longer than she's expected. Lexa watches her with careful eyes.
"I don't mind stopping if you don't," she says. "I could go for a snack."
Mentioning food is a low blow, but an effective one. Clarke sighs and nods, and Lexa chuckles as she takes her hand and leads her off the trail, to the grass-covered flatter area between the trees. It really is beautiful, Clarke notes with another small sigh as she sits down. All the trees, with leaves that are starting to turn different colors, not there yet, but on their way to it. The sound of a small river running nearby and the feeling of fresh grass under her hands.
She can only imagine what the view is like up there, on the snowy peaks. They are definitely not going to climb that high. Still, she wonders.
She smiles gratefully as she accepts an apple Lexa gives her and bites into it with a crunch. Lexa plops down next to her and does the same, although with less gusto. More daintily.
"How far up do you want to go?" She asks her while they stare down at their house. It's not too far away, but far enough to make Clarke question her previous estimates of their mileage.
Lexa shrugs. "I haven't really set a goal," she says, before taking another bite and slowly chewing. She fishes a bottle of water out of her backpack next, offering it to Clarke first and then drinking herself. "A couple of miles, maybe. Not too high up, I think. It becomes steeper the higher we go."
Clarke nods, and looks at her feet. Of course Lexa packed her trekking shoes and she didn't.
In her defense, she doesn't own any.
"Okay." A couple of miles sounds reasonable. She can do it. She thinks.
"We can go back if you want," Lexa touches her arm, tentatively. "I wouldn't mind."
"What? No," Clarke shakes her head. "I'm okay. If we just... took it slow?"
Lexa grins. "That, we can do." Then, she winks. The sight is so ridiculous and knowingly exaggerated that she laughs.
"Don't I know it." She glances down at their house again, before rising to her feet. "Okay, I think I'm good to go."
The crunch of fallen leaves under their shoes is grounding, Clarke finds. Calming, just like the scenery around them. They venture closer to the small mountain river and discover that it was, indeed, almost freezing cold – Clarke's fingers begin to hurt after only several seconds of being dipped into the water. A quick splash on their heated faces is energizing, though. Even if she probably wouldn't do it again.
