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"I'm just saying you could spend a little more time with your friends and a little less time with flannel ponytail." Octavia tried to explain.

"Her name is Lexa."

"…and a little less time with Lexa." Octavia corrected herself, absolutely aware of the glare that Raven shot her.

"Leave her alone, O. She likes her. Let her spend time with the girl she likes."

Octavia rolled her eyes in a final attempt of expressing her opinion, but even Octavia had to admit that she had never seen the blonde that happy. And she was genuinely happy for Clarke, too. She simply missed her friend and unlike Raven, Octavia had a hard time accepting the change.

"When do we get to meet her though? You tell us so much about her everyday and yet she's never with you." Octavia offered, trying to sooth the situation a little.

"She doesn't really like…" Clarke started but paused. She didn't know if Lexa didn't like to be around a whole bunch of people at the same time in general, especially speaking of Clarke's friends, but she had the feeling it would at least overwhelm Lexa. "She's just really shy." She said instead.

"Okay I respect that. But try to get her spend some time with at least Raven and I", Octavia tried again, "maybe that's a compromise?"

Clarke nodded. "I'll try."

She really wanted Lexa to meet her friends, and she knew they would treat her nicely, not bug or poke at her like they did with each other. But before that happened, or before she asked her, she had to get to know the quiet girl a bit better. Clarke, again, realized how little she actually knew about her. She didn't know about her family, except for the sister that wasn't her sister, at least not really, but somehow she was anyway. She also didn't know about Lexa's favorite music or movies, and she didn't know why she was so quiet and shy and always had a hint of sadness in her eyes. She went through the list in her head of questions that she wanted to ask the brunette, but after a minute or two, she gave up trying to remember them all. She simply wanted to know everything about her.

Clarke (3:11pm): Hey sunshine :) Fancy a hot chocolate after classes? x

Lexa (3:13pm): I would love that, but I have training and I don't like to skip it.

Clarke (3:14pm): That's totally fine, don't worry! :) What kind of training?

Lexa (3:16pm): Aikido

Clarke almost dropped her phone. She had expected anything but not for Lexa to do martial arts. To say she was intrigued was an understatement. She considered her answer for a moment, but then decided to just go for it.

Clarke (3:20pm): Can I watch?

"Aikido is basically a mixture of ancient Japanese fighting styles, quite brutal ones actually. But nowadays it's more like an art. It's not even about winning, really."

"What's the point then?" Clarke laughed.

Lexa smirked. "To convince your opponent that their attacks are stupid."

"Deep shit. How do you do it?"

Lexa tilted her head to the side for a moment, thinking of an explanation. "Aikido techniques consist of entering and turning movements that redirect the momentum of an opponent's attack, and a throw or joint lock that terminates the technique."

Clarke narrowed her eyes, even more confused than before. "Ah."

With a soft giggle, Lexa grabbed her gym bag. "It's really difficult to explain. It makes sense when you watch it. You'll see."

While Lexa changed into her training clothes, Clarke sat down in the gym. Except for mats covering the ground, there wasn't really much else. In the entrance hall, she had seen some pictures on the walls that showed tons of different martial arts.

The blonde was excited to see what made Lexa's eyes twinkle when she spoke about it, but as soon as the first people entered the room, she gulped. The martial art students looked, well, scary, to say the least. Muscles, mohawks and tattoos everywhere. She had never seen so many athletic bodies with so well defined muscles at once, and she couldn't help but think that Lexa would look a little out of place. Sooner than later, Clarke found out that her assumption couldn't have been more wrong. When Lexa finally entered the room, immediately shooting her a smile and a small wave when she saw the blonde, Clarke gulped again and she was embarrassed to admit that she also had to cross her legs.

The brunette was wearing black sweatpants and a tight white tank top that left nothing to imagination, and Clarke wasn't sure whether her mouth watered or went completely dry at the sight of toned arms (Oh God, that biceps. And triceps. Oh God.) and firm abs clearly visible under the tight top. Her hair was up in a high ponytail again, and when Lexa sat down on a mat in front of Clarke, she could finally see the tattoo on the back of her neck. It looked like a broken infinity sign. But there was another one right beneath it peaking out. It seemed to be a larger one, and Clarke gulped again when Lexa slightly shifted, causing her back muscles to play around the tattoo. She also had some kind of a tribal tattoo on her right arm. Tattoos, muscles and a beautiful woman – Clarke was a goner. But what else was new?

A dark–skinned woman entered the room and the students, sitting in a circle, fell silent, as she approached them. She bowed before them, and then began her greeting and finally, her eyes landed on Clarke, who awkwardly waved back. The instructor didn't bother about an introduction, and went over to separating the students into training pairs. Lexa ended up with Tristan, a fierce looking man, and Clarke wouldn't have been surprised if he was just there to break some bones.

Before she could jump up and rescue Lexa though, the training session had started and before Clarke could grasp what was happening, Tristan was on the ground, Lexa standing above him. Clarke blinked in shock. What the hell had just happened? They had moved so fast that she couldn't even see their motions. Her heart warmed when Lexa held out her hand, offering him to help him get back on his feet, which he gladly accepted. The blonde looked around but didn't see that gesture among the other pairs, and her heart felt like it would explode anytime now. Lexa actually helped her opponent get up.

The training went on, and although Tristan landed a few bad attacks on Lexa, they seemed to have an all gentle and very friendly connection. Clarke not once spotted anger in their eyes, only warmth and joy. It didn't go unnoticed by her either, how the hint of sadness that usually covered the brunette's eyes completely disappeared the minute the training started.

So that was one of the things that made Lexa happy, Clarke added to her mental list.

"Did you like it?" Lexa asked excitedly as she bounced towards Clarke after the training, her ponytail swinging with every step.

"Did I– like it?" Clarke blinked in disbelief. She was still captured by what she just had witnessed and saying she liked it was the understatement of the century, and before she realized how that must've sounded, she saw how Lexa's face fell.

"No! I mean I– let me just find the right words. I find that a bit hard right now. I– God, I just loved it. I don't think there's a better word to describe how amazing I thought it was!" Clarke chattered away, well aware of how Lexa's eyes lit up while her lips curled into the wide smile that Clarke loved so much.

"Really?"

"Absolutely!"

Lexa slightly blushed and started fiddling with the hem of her shirt again. Clarke still didn't understand how the extremely shy person in front of her, that blushed at literally every nice thing she said, was the same person that basically just kicked a giant's ass in such a badass way a minute ago.

"Glad you liked it. I um–", Lexa started and pointed to the shower room, indicating she would like to freshen up and change.

Clarke shook her head to sort her thoughts, still having difficulties to come back to reality. It didn't exactly help either that Lexa just told her she'd be naked in a minute. She cleared her throat. "Of course, take your time. I'll wait here, okay?"

The brunette happily nodded and bounced off, leaving a flustered Clarke behind.