A/N: I'm having so much fun with this :)

Disclaimer: I do not own The 100 :(

CHAPTER 3

Clarke grinned happily and danced a little as she walked to work early on a Thursday morning. After her and Raven's blow up, thing shad been a little uncomfortable for a few days. Raven had eventually melted Clarke by showing up with a steaming cup of coffee every morning, complete with her favourite pastry. Added to that, Raven had cooked delicious homemade meals for her every night that week. If she was being honest with herself, Clarke had pretty much forgiven her by Monday evening, but she sure as hell wasn't going to pass up the free food.

"Good morning, Griff," Raven greeted with a big smile as they passed each other in the locker room.

"Good morning, Ray," Clarke replied, brushing a quick kiss across her cheek. "How's the jaw?"

"Pretty much all healed up, I'd say. There's some tenderness in the mornings, but other than that, no discomfort."

"Glad to hear it."

Clarke opened up her locker and pulled out her gym clothes. She didn't start until ten that morning, but often went in early to get a good workout.

She pulled her polo work shirt over her head and rolled her eyes when a cat call and accompanying whistle immediately followed.

"Damn, Griffin. Looking good."

"Give it a rest, Anya," Clarke sighed. "Don't be bitter just because I turned your proposition down."

Anya leaned against the locker next to Clarke's and smirked. "Oh, Griffin, my shoulders are way broader than that. But anyone with eyes would appreciate your beauty."

Clarke couldn't help a small flush rise into her cheeks at the compliment. If only the words were coming from her best friend…

"Back off, Rivers, she's not interested," Raven growled.

Anya chuckled and held up her hands in surrender. "Put a leash on your guard dog, Griffin. I meant no disrespect."

"You may not have meant it, but that's how it came across regardless," Clarke replied flippantly, pulling her tank top over her head. "Pick up lines don't work on me."

"The blush says otherwise."

"Who doesn't like compliments? But I know better than to fall for them when they're not genuine."

"I genuinely appreciate a beautiful woman, Griffin. And you are a beautiful woman."

Clarke closed her locker door and stood in front of Anya, disregarding any personal space. She took delight in the surprise on the other girl's face.

"Thank you for the compliment. I would probably take it and you more seriously if I didn't know that you were only appreciating my physical beauty."

"Feisty." Anya's eyes twinkled mischievously. "For the record, Griffin, you don't know much about me to make that kind of judgement fairly."

"And you yourself said that I'm not your type, so why are we even having this conversation?" Clarke retorted with an arch of her eyebrow.

"Just testing the waters."

What does that even mean? Clarke frowned.

"See ya 'round, Griffin." Anya winked and sauntered into her row.

"What the hell was that?" Raven muttered.

"I don't even know. I want to say that I think she's been flirting with me, but I know flirting and unless she has some warped idea of what social etiquette dictates flirting to be, who knows."

"She and the Commander still aren't talking. That could be why she's being all weird," Raven commented, handing Clarke a towel.

"They aren't? Why not?"

Raven lifted a shoulder. "It's been like an ice nation between them. Has been all week."

Clarke found herself wondering if Lexa was okay, and immediately corrected her thinking. While her crush was still burning under her skin, she'd had firm discussions with herself regarding her behaviour. She was not some schoolgirl who couldn't handle the sight of a beautiful woman. She had more self-control than that.

A flash of how she had often masturbated to the memory of Lexa working out entered her mind and she swallowed.

"You okay, Griff?"

"Yep!" Clarke squeaked out. "Um, I'm gonna go do some cardio."

Raven rolled her eyes and lifted Clarke's shirt to reveal the firm stomach underneath. "Like you need any more tone."

"Shut up," Clarke chuckled, pulling her shirt down. "I plan on a weekend of painting and junk food. I'm just getting a head start, is all."

"Want some company?" Raven offered, pausing at the front desk.

"Maybe tomorrow. Tonight I feel like I'm just gonna need my own creative space."

"Sounds good. I'll bring Chinese."

Clarke grinned and kissed Raven's cheek. "And this is why I love you."

"Go get sweaty, Princess," her best friend chuckled.

"Don't mind if I do," Clarke replied in a sultry tone, sending Raven an exaggerated wink.

They both laughed and Clarke spun around to head to the gym floor. Lexa was walking towards her, a blank look on her face. The blonde pulled her mouth to one side as she contemplated how serious the Commander had been the past week. Maybe something was wrong. Maybe she and Anya had a falling out and she needed a friend.

Yeah, right.

Clarke sighed and sent Lexa a small smile as they passed each other. She wasn't too surprised that it wasn't returned, let alone acknowledged.

"Lexa, you can't give me the silent treatment forever," Anya said in exasperation. "Seriously, it's been almost a week. You've kicked my ass fifty times and I've said sorry a hundred times."

"You can say sorry as many times as you like, Anya," Lexa replied, her tone quiet and stern. "Apologising does not erase what you did."

"I can't take back what I did, but I do regret it. Shouldn't that count for something?"

Lexa stood up, her eyes flashing dangerously. "You regret it? What you did brought back memories that I did not ask for, nor want. What you did set back any progress that I have made over the last six months."

To her credit, Anya did look guilty. She shuffled her feet, an uncharacteristically nervous trait for her friend.

"I thought-"

"No, you didn't. You did not think, Anya. And that is what makes me so mad."

Anya sighed. "You can't pretend that you don't feel anything anymore, Lex. She was a huge part of your life, of both of our lives, and you'd probably be doing a lot better if you just accepted the fact that you two weren't good for each other anymore."

That stung, but Lexa knew that it was the truth. It was an incredibly hard lesson that she had been forced to learn when Costia had broken up with her nine months before.

"If you knew that then what possessed you to invite them that night?"

"I invited Luna. Costia wasn't planned, but they are best friends so I knew there was a possibility that she would be there."

"And you didn't think to warn me?" Lexa hissed, her anger increasing once more.

"Why?" Anya let out a laugh. "It was difficult enough just getting you to come out and have a drink with me."

"You should have told me."

"Maybe. Either way, you need to deal with your latent anger towards Costia and your break up."

Lexa clenched her fist. More than anything, she hated people telling her how to deal with her emotions. She knew that she took time to process things, especially when it came to feelings, but she had invested ten years of her life with Costia – five of which had been romantic. She couldn't just deal with that in a few months and then pretend that everything was okay. It wasn't how she worked. She had expected Anya to know that.

"Be at the studio at eleven," Lexa muttered, straightening her shirt.

"No."

Lexa stopped short. "Excuse me?"

"I don't take orders from you, Lexa. I am your best friend. Even if I did something stupid, which yes, I did, my best friend should forgive me because that's what best friends do. We fuck up, do stupid shit, stick our heads up our asses, but we forgive each other. I forgave you for sleeping with Luna."

Lexa rolled her eyes. "You and Luna have never had a relationship. She and I were both single. I don't need to apologise for anything."

"No, you don't," Anya agreed quietly. "But you knew that I had feelings for her and slept with her anyway. You were hurting and she helped numb the pain for a bit. But, Lexa, even though you didn't ask for forgiveness, I had to grant it to you. If I hadn't, I would have been angry with you for so long." She looked down. "I probably would still be angry with you."

Lexa straightened her back. "My emotions do not have a time limit or due date. I deal with them when and how I see fit."

Anya sighed. "I'm not telling you how to feel or when to feel. I'm just trying to make you see things from a different perspective. I know you like your little Commander bubble that protects you from things you don't like, but our friendship shouldn't be something that you protect yourself from."

Lexa lifted her brows. "Our friendship may not be, but it would appear that I do need to protect myself from you."

The hurt look that Anya sent her almost shook Lexa's resolve, but she held strong and walked out of the locker room, trying her best to swallow the sudden lump in her throat.

Clarke's chest was burning, but in the best way. She could feel the sweat running down her back and chest, but it only drove her to keep up the furious pace set by the music in the studio.

"Ten reps!" the Commander called from the front. "Finish on a high and give it all you've got!"

Clarke grit her teeth and lifted herself into yet another plank. She held for an excruciating thirty seconds, counting with the Commander. There was only a five second break between each rep and Clarke found her arm muscles shaking, but she held on.

She was damned if she was going to look weak in front of the Commander.

"Hold for thirty!"

Clarke raised herself up and almost grinned at the groans coming from around her as the other gym members did the same.

It hadn't been in her plans to take the Commander's demanding morning cardio workout, but she had a fair bit of energy after circling the gym floor, and she also had the time. So instead of lounging in the sauna, she checked the availability in the class and saw that there had been a cancellation. She took it as a sign.

"Last one! Hold it for as long as you can! Push yourselves!"

Clarke didn't look up, but she knew that Lexa was doing the last plank with everyone. Her competitiveness was legendary. And okay, so it was another thing that Clarke found incredibly alluring about the Commander.

It wasn't like Lexa needed to be any more alluring than she already was.

Maybe the pent up energy is because of the lack of sex…

Clark blinked. The last thing she needed to be thinking about when she was all hot and sweaty in a room with Lexa Woods, was why she had a sudden increase in energy.

"Good job, everyone!"

Clarke dropped to the floor and rolled onto her back, trying to control her breathing even though her lungs were craving the oxygen.

She was tired, but she felt good. She felt energised for the day ahead and the excess…whatever that she'd been feeling was gone.

A cool sensation against her arm snapped her eyes open. Clarke blinked rapidly, focusing on the Commander standing over her.

"Water?" she asked.

Clarke sat up and took the bottle on offer. "Uh, thanks." She looked around. The studio was pretty much empty.

"I was worried you'd passed out," Lexa commented.

Clarke arched an eyebrow and met her gaze. "It takes more than that to tire me out."

Lexa opened her mouth to say something, but obviously changed her mind and promptly closed it. She stood up straight and Clarke marvelled at how she almost became a whole different person in the space of a few seconds.

She must have some serious walls, she determined. No one can pull on a mask that quickly without having had a serious amount of practice.

Clarke stood up and rolled out her muscles. She grabbed the bottom of her shirt and lifted it to wipe her face. She breathed out and glanced at the Commander once more, only the green eyes she loved to draw were focused on her revealed skin.

Clarke swallowed. Does that mean…

She shook her head. Nope, the Commander clearly had some issues and no matter how big Clarke's crush was, it was clear that nothing was going to come of it.

After all, hadn't she been telling Raven about how she wanted something real and lasting? There was no point in being hung up on someone who wasn't going to return the feelings.

Clarke dropped her shirt and opened the bottle of water, taking a long gulp.

"Thanks for the session, Commander."

Lexa's eyes snapped up to hers and Clarke found herself short of breath again, only this time it wasn't because she was doing minute-long squats. As they had a few times before, they held each other's gazes before Clarke had to blink.

"I should get ready," she murmured. "I'll see you, Lexa."

She quickly walked to the back of the studio and grabbed her stuff.

"Have a good day, Clarke."

Holy shit.

Clarke reckoned a cold shower may be in order.

So much for getting rid of that pent up energy. By the time Clarke was getting ready to help close up the gym, she was buzzing again. Raven had left at three already, so Clarke had been trying to keep herself occupied for the last four hours by begging Octavia to give her something to do.

"Griffin, the floor is clear. Check the locker room, would you?" Octavia called from the pool area.

"Sure thing!" Clarke grabbed a stack of towels and headed for the locker room, glad to just be moving.

What the hell is wrong with me?

She sang along to Ed Sheeran's Shape Of You as it played over the sound system in the locker room. She methodically checked every section and made sure that it was clear. Members always left things behind. Their lost and found was almost overflowing.

Clarke was walking through the showers when the stall just ahead opened and she squeaked in surprise at the sight of Lexa.

The Commander was wearing a towel.

Just a towel.

Only a towel.

Nothing underneath the towel.

Clarke swallowed and averted her eyes, willing all of the impure thoughts in her brain to cease and desist.

"We meet again, Clarke."

The blonde carefully lifted her eyes. "Um, yeah. W-Well, I was just, you know, checking you out." Fuck. "No! I mean checking everything out. Like the locker room. Not you. Nope." Kill me now. Ugh.

Lexa simply smiled and gathered her wet hair over one shoulder. "I won't be long. I know Octavia likes to get out of here as soon after seven-thirty as possible."

Clarke nodded, too afraid to speak after the word vomit that had fallen out of her mouth earlier.

Lexa walked past and Clarke tried really hard not to inhale, but goddamn did she smell good. So clean and fresh and scrumptious.

Her eyes fell to dark marks on the top of Lexa's neck. Clarke's eyes widened.

Tattoos.

Oh no.

Tattoos were a big weakness. The weakness. Clarke was an artist. Ink on skin was just beautiful to her.

"I like your tattoo," she blurted out.

"Oh. Which one?" Lexa asked, turning around.

Which one? As in she had more? Oh fuck.

"Um…the one o-on your back. On your neck, I mean."

Lexa smiled softly and lifted her hand to the spot. "Thank you."

It was then that Clarke saw the ink running underneath Lexa's collar bone. She also had black designs around her upper arm, which Clarke hadn't seen before because the Commander always wore sleeves to her elbows.

She swallowed again. Lexa's sexy level was skyrocketing and she was slowly starting to become more flustered and giddy than she knew how to handle.

"Um, I-I'll see you, Lexa," she stammered, spinning on her heel in total mortification.

So much for that pep talk earlier. Jesus, get a grip.

"Do you have any?" Lexa asked.

Clarke turned back. "Any what?"

Lexa smiled. "Tattoos?"

"Oh. Yeah. A few." She held up her wrist. "My dad's name. I also have a few on my back."

"They're meaningful to you?"

Clarke nodded. "I'm an artist. Putting any permanent artwork on my body is going to have to mean a lot to me. I don't like regret. Life's too short for it."

A flash of something crossed Lexa's face for a second and it made Clarke frown. The Commander was a total topsy turvy mess.

She hated that a big part of her really wanted to figure that mess out.

"I don't like regret. Life's too short for it."

Clarke's words resonated in Lexa's mind. She was able to school her expression almost immediately, but from the look on Clarke's face, it appeared that she had let her surprise show too much.

Regret,

It was a word that had been going around in her head all day after she'd spoken with Anya. Her friend had admitted her regret for her actions. Lexa's default setting had been to strike back while her opponent was down, which had fuelled her cruel words. Anya had forgone their sparring session that morning and Lexa hadn't seen her since.

"Lexa? Are you okay?"

She snapped out of her thoughts and focused on the blue eyes swirling with concern.

Oh no.

"Yes, I'm fine. It's been a long day, I suppose. I'll leave you to your duties, Clarke."

"Wait!"

Lexa exhaled slowly but didn't turn back around. She could feel the heat of Clarke's body close behind hers.

What are you doing?

Soft fingers brushed the nape of her neck and Lexa had to muster a lot more control than she expected to limit her body's response to that simple touch. Her heart started hammering, her skin became clammy (although that could be attributed to the fact that there was lingering steam in the shower room), her grip on her towel tightened so that her knuckles were white, her breathing was short and there was a tingling sensation left where Clarke's fingers traced.

Oh my God.

"It's beautiful," Clarke whispered, and Lexa felt like she was ghosting words into her ear. It did nothing for whatever synapse overhaul her body was undergoing.

"Thank you," she eventually whispered back.

Clarke's fingers travelled down to where Lexa's back tattoo started, which wasn't much farther down from her infinity tattoo on her neck.

"Such a unique design," the blonde murmured. "You're exquisite."

Oh my God.

"As are you, Clarke," she found herself replying.

What the hell, Lexa?

The hand dropped from her back and the difference was incredible. The tingling was still there, but a lot less. She felt like she could breathe a bit easier, but Clarke's lovely scent invaded her nostrils and it was something so wonderful that she wanted to revel in it for a little longer. She felt, rather than heard, Clarke walking around so that they were face-to-face. For a few moments, their eyes locked and stayed. Lexa could read the stars in those beautiful blue orbs. Clarke's hand lifted – Lexa could see from her peripheral vision – and came to rest just above her collar bone.

Cue the tingles once more.

"Get knocked down, get back up again."

Lexa's breath hitched. "You…you know Trigedasleng?"

Clarke smiled up at her. "I studied it in college. Something old and forgotten… What wasn't there to love?"

Uh oh.

"It is important to me," Lexa began before she knew what she was doing. "I have had some trials in life, but whenever something or someone knocked me down, I got back up and tried even harder."

"It's an admirable quote, Lexa. I think it fits you very well."

"Thank you, Clarke." She tried her best to hide how much those words meant. Coming from anyone, they would have been meaningful, but coming from Clarke Griffin, they meant so much more. Clarke was pure wonder. She was smiling and helpful, willing to do anything and help anyone.

Clarke elevated herself. She elevated herself above everyone and Lexa was the one in awe.

"I admire you, Clarke."

The smile on the blonde's face shook for a moment, but returned in full force. Lexa didn't move as Clarke stepped closer, the hand still fisting her towel brushing against Clarke's chest.

They were close. Very close. Too close.

But Lexa couldn't find the will to pull away. For the first time since Costia, she found herself not wanting to pull away, to immediately put a comfortable distance between them.

In what seemed like slow motion, Clarke moved her head closer to Lexa's. Their noses brushed and Lexa could feel Clarke's breath on her lips. That alone was enough to make her shiver.

Clarke wasn't moving any closer. Lexa swallowed. She knew why. She was waiting for Lexa to close the distance. She was putting the ball in her court, so to speak.

She wanted to.

It had been so long since she had wanted to do something as much as she wanted to kiss Clarke Griffin.

Lexa licked her lips quickly and closed her eyes, leaning forward the few centimetres needed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the gym is now closed. Please make your way to the exit and ensure that you have all your belongings with you."

Fucking Octavia.

The reality check was enough to bring Lexa to her senses. She opened her eyes and stepped back. "I, uh…"

Clarke lifted her hand as if to reach out to her. "Lexa…"

She couldn't do it. It would only end badly. What the hell had she been thinking? Without another word, Lexa walked past Clarke and into the locker room.

A/N: Does this count as a cliffhanger? The last one was pretty lacklustre anyway lol. Hope you enjoyed :)

-H