Chapter 35: Lexa

By the time I made it upstairs to the training ring, Ash was already there with Jose getting everything set up. Today was supposed to be a light training session, one because the fight was the day after tomorrow, and two, everyone would start showing up around noon for the get-together. So I looked at the two of them and said, "Good morning."

Jose smiles, "I am surprised to see you up and around this morning. Especially after yesterday and last night."

Ash looked at Jose and then me, "Why? What happened?"

I smile, "Nothing really. I just started drinking a little earlier than usual yesterday, then went out last night. I'm good, though. What did Callie say about today?"

"She was a little apprehensive about it at first, but I told her we had an excellent conversation about everything and that you wanted to show her and Clarke that we're in a good place."

"Great! I can't wait to show Asher his new room. Now let's get started."

We spent the next couple of hours training. Around ten, Clarke came up. I smile at her, but she looks uncomfortable. I decide to take a water break and see what is wrong. When I walk over to her, she stood up, and I lean in to kiss her cheek, but she steps away. Then she says, "I didn't know that Ash was here, or I wouldn't have come up. I just wanted to watch you train for a bit. Also, I wanted to thank you. I could get used to waking up to a rose every morning, but it would be even better to wake up, and you still be there."

"After this fight is over, I will work on that, I promise. It's no problem. Ash doesn't care that you are here. I told you, I want to see where things go between you and me. Besides, she's back with Callie. Give me about thirty minutes, and then I will have Petrona make us some breakfast."

"No, that's okay. I need to go home and get my swimsuit, but I will be back by noon."

"Oh, okay. Hold on and let me go with you just in case, Finn…."

She interrupts me and says, "It's fine. I just need some space. I promise I will be back in a couple of hours."

"Um, okay. Well, why don't you go ahead and pack your bag for LA and just plan on staying over again tonight? I mean…if you want to…it…it just kinda makes sense since we will be leaving in the morning."

"Ok, I will think about it. See you later."

I just shake my head. What the hell was that about? I thought things were going to be different after last night but…whatever! I walk back over to the ring. "Alright, does either of you feel like sparing?"

Jose says that he really needs to get to work so that everything is set for later today and that he still has to pack a bag for LA. That leaves just Ash and me. I look at her and say, "So, are you up for it?"

"Sure. So…Clarke…"

"She stayed over last night because Finn showed up at the Dragon's Den causing a scene, and she didn't want to go home. Nothing happened, though."

"Oh, I thought maybe if you told her about Callie and me…I thought maybe she had decided to give you a chance."

"I don't know what's going on, actually. When she realized you were here, she got all weird, saying she needed to go. I told her that you and Callie were back together, and you didn't mind her being here, but….I'm not sure what's going on. I know that the thing with Finn has her upset, but I really thought we were making some progress last night."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Are you sure you don't want me to talk to Clarke this afternoon? Maybe if she hears it from me, she will feel better."

"No, she needs to figure it out on her own."

"Do you need to go after her?"

"Maybe…No, she said she needed some space. I don't know! What do you think?"

"I have no idea. You, of all people, should know that I'm not the one to ask about relationships. But, if you need to talk, I'm here. Now let's see what you got."

Ash and I spar hard for about an hour before she has to go get Callie and Asher. Before she leaves, I say, "Why don't you all just pack a bag and plan on staying tonight. You and Callie can have my room, since Asher's room is right there, and I'll stay in one of the suites. That way, you don't have to worry about getting up and being here in the morning. Also, I can let the chef know that we will need breakfast for everyone before we leave."

"Are you sure you are okay with us staying? I don't want you to feel like you need to give up your room, though."

"It's fine. I don't mind; besides, I know Asher is going to want to stay in his room once he sees it."

"I'll ask Callie and see what she says. See you in about an hour."

Once she leaves, I head down to the spa for a cryo session and massage before everyone arrives. When I'm finished in the spa, I head to my room, throwing on a pair of board shorts, a matching sports bra, and a tank top. Next, I go down to the lower deck to make sure everything is out and ready. But, of course, I should've known that Reed and Jose would have everything set up already.

I haven't been up by the pool very long when I hear little footsteps running toward me. I sit up just in time to be tackled by Asher. I don't know why he thinks he has to pounce on me when he sees me, but he does and then laughs about it. I start tickling him, and he squirms until he falls off the chair with a thump. We are both laughing hard when Ash and Callie finally walk up. Asher jumps up and says, "We weren't doing nothing, promise."

Ash shakes her head, "It's okay, as long as Lexa is okay with whatever you are not doing."

I laugh, "He's fine. Hello Callie, how are you?"

Before she can answer, Asher is jumping up and down, saying, "Xa, can I please get in pool?"

"Yeah, buddy. It's fine with me as long as it is okay with your moms. Before you get in, though, there is something I want to show you."

Ash says, "Come here and let me put sunscreen on first."

She heads over to him, leaving Callie and me alone. Callie looks from the floor to me before saying, "Thank you for inviting us over today."

"Sure, it's no problem. I just want you to know that I am fine with you and Ash being together, and I have no hard feelings whatsoever. I just want her to be happy, and as long as you make her happy, I am fine with it, but if you ever hurt her like you did before…."

She interrupts me, "I know you will fulfill your promise and kill me. Trust me when I say that I will never do anything like that again. I would also like to get to know you better because I feel that we will see a lot of one another in the future."

"I would like that, also. Now, if you would all follow me, I would like to show my little buddy here to his room."

Asher runs over, "You mean I have my own room on boat?"

Callie looks over at Ash, who just shrugs her shoulders. I look at Asher, "You sure do, buddy. I hope you like it. I had it decorated especially for you."

As we walk down to my space, I look at Callie and say, "I hope it is okay that I had a room built for him. I obviously thought at the time that Ash and I would be together, which is why it is where it is…but I hope that as we get to know one another better, you will let him spend time here, and if you ever need a babysitter…." But, unfortunately, I don't get to finish that sentence because Asher opens the door to the room and starts yelling and running around like a crazy kid.

We all start laughing. Then he comes up to me and says, "Thank you, thank you, Xa, this is most awesome room ever. Can I please spend the night?"

I look at Callie and say, "I don't know if Ash mentioned my offer for you all to stay tonight, but you are more than welcome to stay. You can have my room so that you are close to Asher, and I'll stay in one of the suites."

She smiles, "Ash did mention it, but…let's just see how the day goes. I don't want to take your room. If everything goes well today, we'll stay but in one of the suites. Asher will be fine down here with you as long as you are okay with it."

I look over to Ash, who is smiling, "Really? You'll let him stay down here with me?"

They both laugh before Ash says, "I'm not sure who the kid is right now, but yes, he can stay with you. As long as you promise not to let him stay up all night."

Ash

Lexa had a great training session this morning until Clarke showed up. Then, after they had a conversation and she left, Lexa wanted to spar. I tried talking to her about it, but I think it's a little too soon. I don't think we are quite to that point yet, but I hope one day we'll be able to talk to one another about our relationships. At any rate, after Clarke left, we spared for about an hour, and I could tell something was bothering her, but I didn't push the issue.

When I arrived at Callie's to pick up her and Asher, I told her that Lexa had offered for us to spend the night tonight so that we wouldn't have to get up so early in the morning to leave for LA. She said she wasn't sure, but we would see how the day played out. Asher was extremely excited about spending the day not only on the boat but with 'Xa.'

Not long after we arrived on the Untouchable, Lexa said she had a surprise for Asher and showed him to his very own room. Not just any room, either. It was decorated with all sorts of UFC memorabilia, from signed posters to UFC flags. It even had his very own punching bag, not to mention a huge TV and PS5 game system with the latest UFC game. I couldn't believe how thoughtful she was toward Asher.

Asher ran around punching and kicking his bags and jumping up and down, asking if he could spend the night in his new room. Lexa told Callie that we could have her room to be close to Asher, and she would sleep in one of the suites, but Callie said that Asher would be okay down here with her. When she heard this, she had the biggest smile on her face, and then she and Asher started making plans for playing video games and watching old fights. It was hard to tell at that moment which one of them was the kid, but it was cute.

It wasn't long before people started showing up, and that seemed to put Callie at ease a little to know that it wouldn't just be the three of us. Lexa was right about inviting others over. It also helped that Jess, Callie's little sister, and Angie, her girlfriend, were part of the group. Of course, Callie and I knew almost all of the group that Lexa had become friends with.

Asher, of course, was attached to Lexa's hip. It seemed like because wherever she went so did, he. She didn't seem to mind though, it even looked like she enjoyed it. Maybe because it took her mind off of the fact that it was now one o'clock and Clarke still wasn't here. Around one fifteen, Lexa brought Asher back to the boat and said she needed to go. When I asked her what was wrong, she said she wasn't sure, but something didn't feel right, and she needed to find Clarke.

Asher wasn't happy that his 'best friend Xa,' his words, had to take a timeout. It didn't take him long to get over it, though, because there were plenty of people to entertain him.