new beginnings
summary: clara reuniting with nora
pairing: clara x nora (duh)
word count: 1152
**unedited//i finally bring you the super secret drabble! no one asked for this but i felt compelled to write it nonetheless**
the rain came out of nowhere, clear blue skies suddenly turning into swirls of black and grey before opening up and drenching the streets. clara curses out loud, using her free arm to shield herself as she hurries down the sidewalk, tugging on the leash to spur her pet into action. the great dane easily keeps up with her, letting out a bark of excitement as they run through the downpour.
her eyes land on an open diner up ahead and she forces herself to move faster. with the rain showing no sign of letting up and being so far away from home, her only choice is seek shelter inside.
opening the door, she's immediately surrounded by the warmth and the delicious aroma of the food being made and she breathes a sigh of relief. atlas follows her in, shaking his wet fur and dripping all over the floor as she closes the door.
hearing the bell on the door announcing their presence, a voice calls out her from somewhere behind the counter. "be right with you!" a woman appears a few moments later, her greying hair pulled back into a messy braid though a few pieces have fallen out to frame her face. she wears an apron over jeans and a blouse, a pair of worn sneakers completing her outfit. despite how haggard she looks right now, clara can't help but think that she's quite beautiful.
the woman grabs a menu before walking up to her, visibly shaking herself from her thoughts before putting on a smile for her. up close, clara realises that she recognises the woman and after a brief moment of digging through her memories, she remembers from where.
"nora?" she says, the name rolling off her tongue as if it's the most natural thing on earth.
the woman blinks in surprise before a look of recognition flickers across her face. "oh! ms. serrano?"
she stifles a laugh, shifting the leash to her other hand to cover her mouth. "clara," she corrects gently.
"of course," nora replies with a soft chuckle of her own before she glances down, finally noticing the great dane who perks up at the attention. "and who's this?"
"atlas." at the sound of his name, he stands up, tongue lolling out of his mouth as his tail begins to wag, and nora smiles at him as she leans down to pet him. "i apologise for all the water he's dripped on the floor. the storm came out of nowhere."
"that's alright," the other woman says, flashing her a friendly smile. "he's too cute to get mad at." after a few more moments of her petting him, she straightens up and takes a deep breath before handing her the menu she's holding.
she looks down at it and upon seeing the mc's name printed on the front of it, a sad smile touches her lips. she remembers when she used to teach them, how much she enjoyed having them in her class and her heart clenches at the thought of them still missing. she can't imagine the pain she must feel.
she looks up back at nora, meeting her eyes. "i think that's beautiful," she says, tracing a finger over their name. she doesn’t apologise or express her condolences; all of that goes without saying. she doubts it would help in any case.
nora glances down at the menu, a momentary look of sadness flashing across her face. "thank you," she says quietly before clearing her throat, clearly hoping to move on from the topic. "you can sit anywhere you like and i'll bring over some hot coffee to get you started."
clara nods, thanking the woman as she looks around the restaurant for a place she and atlas to sit and wait out the storm. as nora returns to the counter, she walks over to a corner booth infront of the windows and takes a seat, atlas dutifully laying down on the floor next to her. she flicks through the menu, not looking for anything specific but she finds herself lingering on the dessert page. she's always had such a sweet tooth and with all the options in front of her, she doesn't know how she'll choose.
nora reappears a few minutes later with a mug and a pot of coffee, setting both down on the table before looking at clara. "is there anything you'd like to order?"
she looks over the options again, humming quietly to herself. "what would you recommend?"
nora glances at the menu, a barely contained smile on her face at some inside joke that clara isn't apart of but that she longs to be. "depends on your tastes but i'd say the tiramisu."
she smiles in response. "that sounds perfect."
nora nods and leaves to prepare the dessert, and clara takes a moment to sip her coffee in hopes of warming up some. it's nice seeing the woman after all time, even if its under less than ideal circumstances. she'd always felt like the two of them could be good friends if only they'd hung out more but there was never a right time. when opportunities to see each other had finally ceased, she felt as though she'd lost out on something great, something she'd regret not attempting to pursue. and she did for a while, until eventually her regret faded and she was able to finally move on. but now, sitting here in the woman's restaurant, she thinks she's been given a second chance. the universe is smiling down at her, telling her that she finally has her chance to go after the things she really wants.
when nora comes back a second time, it's with the plate of tiramisu and a bowl of water for atlas. the dog once again perks up, his tail thumping against the tiled floor as she places the bowl in front of him and clara feels butterflies in bloom in her stomach.
"here you go," nora tells her, setting the plate in front of her with a warm smile. "enjoy."
she's about to turn and walk away when clara finally makes the most of the opportunity she's been given. "wait," she says and the other woman looks back at her. "why don't you join me?"
nora takes a cursory glance around at the restaurant and upon seeing that it's empty besides the two of them, she looks back at her, chewing her bottom lip. "are you sure?"
clara smiles at her, doing her best to seem warm and welcoming. "of course," she says, her voice genuine. "there's nothing i'd like more."
nora glances away, flustered, the corners of her lips twitching upwards slightly. "okay," she replies softly. "yeah, i'd like that."
as she sits down, clara attempts to hide her excitement behind her cup of coffee. this is it; the moment she's always longed for.
the start of something new and beautiful.
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