Anya shifted into a more upright position and softened her voice. "Costia, right?"
Lexa froze.
Anya nodded, as if to answer her own question. That's what she assumed. It was the only thing that could scratch at Lexa's calmness, that Anya referred to as enormous self–control from time to time, since Lexa was the only person she knew, that would stay calm in every howsoever nerve–recking situation. This phenomenal patience, Anya thought, was Lexa's strength, and at the same time, it was her weakness.
She got up and walked to her friend. "What happened?" she quietly asked, laying one hand on the brunette's shoulder, inviting her to turn around, which she did.
For a long moment, Lexa stayed silent and then, finally looking at Anya, she spoke.
"I met someone." She said, her lips forming the shadow of a smile, and her friend raised her brows.
"Well that... isn't that a good thing?"
Lexa nodded, and Anya narrowed her eyes, sensing that there was more.
"And I cleaned the basement."
The other woman's jaw dropped. "You what?"
Lexa nodded again. "I cleaned it."
"Why? I mean, why now?"
The brunette hesitated before replying. "Because I... met someone. I– she is... I don't know why or what she did, but I felt like it was time now."
Anya's lips parted in an attempt to say something, but she was absolutely speechless.
"I met her at the event on Friday. Lincoln invited her and I met her outside, and then she–"
"Is there any chance her name is Clarke?" Anya put the pieces together and grinned when Lexa raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.
"I knew it! I told her you were busy but when I said her name aloud, you immediately told me to connect the call." She gently punched the brunette's shoulder. "C'mon Lex, smile for a second! That's actually awesome!"
And Lexa smiled. She had purposefully left out the part where she had told Clarke about Costia, but she did not regret it, since Anya's reaction actually gave her a comforting encouragement. She would not realize it, but it was that morning that she decided that she was ready to move on.
"When did O said she'd be here?" Raven asked, slightly annoyed already. She and Clarke had been waiting for Octavia for an hour, before they decided to start cooking. It was the fourth time the woman asked and Clarke had already given up on answering since Octavia hadn't said anything at all.
Just when their dinner was ready, Octavia entered the apartment.
"Octavia Blake! Where have you been? We missed you, it's cooking Thursday and you– oh shit." Clarke started but stopped when their friend appeared in the doorway, her eyes red and swollen. The blonde immediately got up and pulled Octavia into a tight embrace, which sent a new wave of sobbing through the short brunette.
Clarke and Raven knew though that in these situations, it was best to not directly confront Octavia by asking, instead go on with their lives until their friend opened up.
"Okay so..." Clarke began as she pulled away and pointed at the stove. "We have pasta and a stir fry and we weren't sure but we made you a steak, too. Just in case. Want some?"
Octavia snuffled and nodded. "Okay. Hang on I'll get you a plate. Sit down babe." The blonde said and swiftly kissed her friend on the cheek, before she got a plate from a cabinet and prepared it.
They sat in silence during dinner, lazily poking at their food, all previous appetite gone. Raven excused herself when she finished, and disappeared in her room, claiming there was still some work left waiting to get done, so Clarke and Octavia did the dishes.
"He broke up with me." Octavia said after a small while and Clarke sent a sad glance towards her friend.
"What, why? I thought you two were head over heels?"
"I thought so, too." Octavia replied, fighting a new wave of tears. "But apparently he doesn't have time anymore because his bitch of a boss– I mean Lexa, told him to increase his working hours, otherwise she'd fire him or something."
Clarke furrowed her brows. That did not sound like Lexa, at all. But then again, she had never really met Mrs Woods. She just knew Lexa.
"I mean why does she... can't he just..." Octavia tried between heavy sobs. Clarke sighed, put down her sponge and led her friend to the couch. "Isn't she... What the fuck is wrong with that slut?!" Octavia whined, but the anger in her voice was obvious and Clarke felt a sting in her heart when she heard the brunette's words.
Raven had never been the drama type of person, she liked to stay out of other people's businesses. Clarke was the only exception, since they had gone through the worst times together, but with Octavia, she let Clarke do the talking, and everyone accepted it.
After calming Octavia down, somewhat, Clarke had been sitting on the bed next to her friend, stroking her back, until she fell asleep.
It was past midnight when the blonde went to her room and get ready for bed. As she lay down, she sent a quick glimpse to her phone, considering to send Lexa a text but she decided against it, snuggled into her blankets, ready to fall asleep. She would pay Lexa a visit tomorrow.