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Madi Woods was on a mission.
A very important mission.
She had to make sure her tiny biker gang—a prestigious group made up of herself and her aunties—had the coolest gear in the entire neighborhood.
And that’s why, when she saw her, she knew.
The coolest person in Polis.
The artist in the mask.
With her tiny hand wrapped around her mom’s, Madi pulled her toward the forming crowd on the sidewalk, her tricycle helmet bobbing with each determined step.
"Mommy, look!" Madi insisted, tugging Lexa’s hand as they weaved through the forming crowd.
Lexa chuckled, amused by her daughter’s enthusiasm. "What exactly are we looking at, sweetheart?"
"There! She’s so cool! And her mask is so cool! And she makes things cool!"
Madi stopped right at the edge of the setup, eyes locked on the artist crouched over a skateboard deck, a spray can in hand. She was wearing a half-face respirator, sleek and futuristic-looking, as she expertly blended streaks of neon blue and red into a stunning, fluid design. Even with most of her face hidden, Lexa could see the focus in her posture—the kind that came from years of confidence in her craft.
Madi turned, looking up at her mom with her best please, Mommy expression. "Can she make my helmet cool too?"
Lexa glanced down at the slightly scuffed pink helmet in Madi’s other hand. It had been through a lot—mostly from Madi trying to prove she was the fastest, coolest tiny biker among her very competitive aunts. If getting it painted would make Madi happy (and perhaps make her a little safer by actually keeping it on), then it was worth a shot.
"Alright," Lexa agreed with a soft smile. "Let’s ask her."
Madi beamed and immediately marched up to the artist, placing the helmet on the table with the seriousness of someone making a very important business deal.
"Hi! Can you make my helmet the coolest?"
The artist turned toward them, noticing the tiny, very serious biker girl for the first time.
Lexa blinked, momentarily distracted by the bright blue eyes peering out as the artist looked up to her.
And when she pulled off her black half-face respirator, letting it hang from the straps around her neck, revealing a beaming smile, Lexa knew she was in trouble.
It was mesmerizing.
The artist, now with her mask off, revealed a slightly fond smirk, raised an eyebrow. "That depends," she said, leaning forward like she was letting Madi in on a secret. "What kind of ‘cool’ are we talking about? Rebel cool? Futuristic cool? Fastest trike in the city cool?"
Madi gasped. "Fastest trike in the city cool!"
Lexa chuckled, shaking her head. The artist grinned, flipping the helmet in her hands. "I can work with that."
"Purple and green," Lexa added helpfully.
"Got it. That’s a solid color combo." The artist gestured to the display of finished work beside her. "I’m Clarke, by the way."
Lexa nodded. "Lexa. And this is Madi."
Madi, despite being very focused on her helmet’s transformation, still remembered her manners. "Hi, Clarke!"
"Hey, Madi," Clarke replied, already pulling out a deep purple base coat. "You ready to have the best-looking helmet on the block?"
Madi nodded so seriously that Lexa had to bite back a laugh. Clarke worked quickly, layering bold strokes of neon green over the deep purple before adding sharp, lightning-like accents in white. Lexa watched, impressed by the precision and artistry in every movement. It was almost… soothing.
"You do this full-time?" Lexa asked, genuinely curious.
Clarke snorted. "Nah. Just a weekend gig. My real job keeps me busy enough."
Lexa tilted her head, intrigued. "And that is?"
Clarke grinned as she added a final touch of metallic sheen to the helmet. "Pediatrician. Polis General."
Lexa blinked. "Seriously?"
"Yep. Gotta do something fun on my days off, right?" Clarke turned the helmet to show Madi. "What do you think?"
Madi gasped dramatically, hands on her cheeks. "It’s perfect."
Lexa had to admit, it was an incredible transformation. The colors were vivid, the design sleek and energetic—Madi would be unstoppable in the neighborhood now.
"Thank you, Clarke!" Madi chirped, hugging the helmet like it was a prized possession.
Lexa smiled warmly. "Yeah. Thank you. You’ve officially made her the happiest tiny biker in the city."
Clarke laughed, slipping her mask back up. "Happy to help. Ride safe, Madi!"
As they walked away, Madi still admiring her very cool helmet, Lexa glanced back once. Clarke was already working on her next piece, but for a split second, Lexa swore she caught Clarke looking back too.
---
That night, Lexa found herself watching Madi, who was still wide awake in bed, cradling her newly painted helmet like it was made of gold.
“Mommy,” Madi whispered, tracing the sharp green streaks with her small fingers. “I look so fast in this.”
Lexa smiled, pushing Madi’s curls back from her forehead. “You are fast, sweetheart.”
Madi nodded seriously, like this was a fact, not an opinion. Then, almost as an afterthought, she asked, “Can we see the paint lady again?”
Lexa blinked, caught off guard. “You really liked her, huh?”
Madi nodded enthusiastically. “She’s cool.” Then, after a second, “And nice.”
Lexa exhaled, leaning back against Madi’s headboard. Yeah, she had noticed that too. Clarke was talented, sure, but it was the way she interacted with Madi that stuck with Lexa—the easy warmth, the genuine excitement, the way she treated Madi’s request with the same respect as any other customers. And those bright blue eyes? Lexa would be lying if she said she hadn’t thought about them more than once tonight.
She shook her head at herself. Get it together, Woods.
But as Madi finally drifted to sleep, her little hands still gripping the helmet, Lexa already knew she’d be back next weekend.
---
Meanwhile, across town, Clarke practically bounced into her apartment, still grinning like a fool.
Raven, sprawled on the couch, immediately narrowed her eyes. “Okay. What the hell has you looking like that?”
Clarke kicked off her shoes, spinning in place before flopping onto the couch beside Raven. “I met the cutest tiny biker today.”
Raven raised an eyebrow. “...You met a child?”
“Yes! And she was so serious about being the fastest biker on her tricycle, I nearly cried.” Clarke laughed, shaking her head. “Her name’s Madi, and she wanted me to make her helmet the coolest one ever.”
Raven hummed, intrigued. “And?”
Clarke smirked. “And her mom might be the hottest person I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Raven immediately sat up. “Oh. Ohhh, okay. Now I get the grin.” She waggled her eyebrows. “Tell me more.”
Clarke groaned, covering her face. “Rae, I barely talked to her, I don't even know if she is single! But she was just… warm, y’know? Reserved, but you could tell she was really paying attention. And she smiled at me.” Clarke sighed dramatically. “I think I’m in love.”
Raven rolled her eyes. “Jesus. Alright, I’m coming with you next weekend.”
Clarke peeked through her fingers. “Why?”
Raven smirked. “Because I need to see this hot mom for myself. And because I suddenly have a jacket in need of a custom paint job.”
---
The second Lexa stepped onto the sidewalk, she knew she had made a mistake.
Not because Madi was practically vibrating with excitement as she tugged her toward the growing crowd around Clarke’s pop-up spray-paint stall.
Not because Clarke—damn her—looked even more radiant in the late afternoon sun, her half-face respirator resting on top of her head, streaks of paint smudged across her gloves and forearms like battle scars.
No, Lexa’s mistake was something much, much worse.
It was the fact that Anya was here.
And she had brought her damn helmet.
Lexa sighed, already regretting every decision that had led to this moment. "Are you serious?" she muttered, glancing at her older sister.
Anya barely spared her a look. "What?"
Lexa gestured at the helmet Anya was casually carrying, like it wasn't a blatant declaration of war.
"You really couldn’t let Madi have this one?"
Anya shrugged, unbothered. "The kid can't be the only one with a custom paint job."
They arrived at the art setup. Madi had her helmet on, still pristine, a tiny jacket in her hands, while Anya followed, arms crossed, helmet hanging on her hand, already looking like she was prepared for battle.
“Alright,” Anya said, scanning Clarke’s table. “Where’s this artist Madi hasn’t shut up about?”
Before Lexa could answer, Clarke stood from behind her display, mask still hanging around her neck. And when her eyes met Lexa’s, her smile turned just a little brighter.
“Well, hey there, Madi.” Clarke crouched slightly to meet the four-year-old’s excited gaze. “Back for another paint job?”
Madi nodded with a smile, holding up a tiny leather biker jacket. “I wanna match my helmet.”
Clarke took it, inspecting the material. “Oh, we’re going full speed racer now, huh?”
Madi beamed.
Anya, however, was still sizing Clarke up. “So, you’re the artist.”
Clarke, ever the professional, grinned. “Guilty.”
"Clarke! Clarke! This is my Aunt Anya!"
Clarke’s blue eyes flickered to Anya, interest sparking as she took in the stiff posture, the sharp gaze, the crossed arms.
"Aunt Anya, huh?" Clarke said, biting back a grin. "And what does Aunt Anya do?"
Madi beamed. "She’s a cop!"
Clarke let out a low whistle, eyes dancing as she turned back to Anya. "Ah. A tough one."
Anya smirked slightly. "Something like that."
Lexa groaned, knowing exactly where this was going.
"Let's work on Madi's jacket. VIP customer first," she said winking at Madi, taking the jacket like it was a sacred artifact. Then, glancing at Anya, she added with a smirk, "That okay with you, Officer?"
Anya narrowed her eyes but gave an approving nod, arms crossed.
Lexa sighed and shook her head.
Halfway through spraying Madi’s jacket, another challenger arrived.
Clarke had just swapped out a can for a finer nozzle when a familiar voice cut in.
"Yo, Griff! Got time for another custom?"
Clarke looked up just as Raven rolled in on her motorcycle, casually parking it right behind Clarke’s setup—hidden perfectly by the canvas cover.
Lexa watched as Clarke grinned, shaking her head. "You could've waited for me at home."
Raven smirked. "Eh, where's the fun in that." She slung her leather jacket onto the table next to Anya’s. "Let’s see if you can make this as cool as my bike."
Anya, who had been standing in silent judgment up until now, snorted and raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"You ride too?" she asked, like the idea was somehow ridiculous.
Raven, ever the smug and quick-witted menace, scoffed. "Not just ride—built my own." She crossed her arms, smirking. "I’m a mechanic and an engineer. Certified genius."
Clarke, already laughing, added, "You forgot ‘pain in the butt.’"
Anya hummed, unimpressed. "Uh-huh." She tilted her head. "You got proof, genius?"
Raven smirked wider, reaching into her pocket. "Wanna see my certification, or should I just let my bike do the talking?"
Anya narrowed her eyes. "Your bike talks?"
Raven grinned. "Only when you’re losing an argument."
Lexa covered her mouth, already regretting bringing Anya along.
Clarke, meanwhile, was thriving.
Madi, completely unaware of the sarcasm war erupting around her, just sighed dreamily, watching Clarke work.
---
Clarke had just finished the final touches on Anya’s helmet when the older woman did something unforgivable.
She smirked. And—in an act of pure, calculated pettiness—she shed her own jacket and placed it on the table beside Raven’s.
“I guess since we’re here…” Anya said, utterly smug. “Might as well get mine done too.”
Raven gasped like she’d been personally betrayed.
“Oh, hell no. You did that on purpose!”
Anya shrugged, but her smirk widened. “Did I?”
Lexa pinched the bridge of her nose. “Oh my god.”
Clarke, watching the chaos unfold, just chuckled to herself. She had to admit—she liked this dynamic.
But the sun was starting to dip lower, casting a golden glow over the street, and Clarke knew she wouldn’t have enough light to finish before it got too dark.
She glanced at the growing tension between Raven and Anya, then at Madi—who looked way too entertained by the whole thing.
With a fond sigh at her best friend and a glance at Lexa, who had clear amusement in her eyes, Clarke made an offer.
“You know,” she said, “if you don’t mind following us, I’ve got a garage at home. We can finish there.”
Lexa opened her mouth—ready to refuse. She couldn’t impose on Clarke’s evening, especially after she had already done so much.
But before she could get a word out—
“YES!” Madi cheered, already grabbing onto Clarke’s hand like the deal was sealed.
Lexa exhaled, closing her eyes briefly. There was no winning against that level of enthusiasm.
“…I guess we’re going.”
---
Anya had not expected to be mind-blown today.
But as she stepped into Clarke and Raven’s huge garage, she froze.
Because holy shit.
This wasn’t just a garage—it was a mechanic’s dream.
Rows of motorcycles—ranging from pristine to mid-repair—lined one side of the space. Classic cars sat on the other. There were shelves of tools, a workbench filled with different parts, and a sleek, fully restored bike with intricate custom paint on display.
She pointed at it. “You did this?”
Clarke, distracted as she set up her work table, nodded absently.
“Yeah,” she said, handing Madi a tiny cool half-face respirator—purple, sleek, and fitted just for her.
(Clarke would never admit she bought it a few days ago—just in case Madi came back and wanted to watch.)
Madi gasped. Audibly.
“IT’S SO COOL,” she squealed, pulling it on immediately.
Lexa, watching this unfold, narrowed her eyes at Clarke.
She saw the price tag—still attached—barely peeking from the adjustable strap.
It was new.
Clarke had bought it just for Madi.
Lexa felt something dangerous stirring in her chest. Affection.
She ignored it.
Meanwhile, as Clarke focused on her work—talking to Lexa and Madi as she sprayed—Raven was working.
Because Anya?
Yeah. Anya was interested.
Raven, grinning, led her through the garage, explaining the bikes, their modifications, and—of course—bragging about her own skills.
It wasn’t long before the sarcasm between them evolved into something else—something almost respectful.
Lexa and Clarke exchanged a glance.
“I think your sister is warming up to my best friend,” Clarke murmured, still spraying.
Lexa sighed. “That’s terrifying.”
Clarke just smirked.
Madi, meanwhile, sat cross-legged beside her, watching in pure adoration.
If she had been impressed before?
She was falling in love now.
The cool paint lady was officially the coolest person in the world after her mom.
And Lexa—despite herself—was starting to think the same thing.
---
Time had a funny way of moving.
One minute, Anya was begrudgingly bringing Madi to Raven’s garage, convinced she was just indulging her niece’s obsession with cool paint jobs.
The next? She was bringing all of Madi’s biker aunts—Octavia and Echo included—on a regular basis.
The garage had become a second home, a gathering spot for loud banter, shared projects, and—for Madi—endless hours of being the coolest tiny biker in the city.
Sometimes, Clarke would come home from her shift at the hospital to find Madi perched happily on Raven’s shoulders, the two of them staring up at the ceiling Clarke had painted years ago.
Sometimes, Lexa was there too, leaning against the workbench, her lips curved in a soft, almost-smile as she watched her daughter chatter excitedly about colors and designs.
And the thing between them—Clarke and Lexa—was there.
Undeniable.
It lived in the way Clarke’s eyes lingered a second too long on Lexa’s smile.
In the way Lexa’s posture softened whenever Clarke was near.
In the quiet, stolen glances when they thought the other wasn’t looking.
And yet, they danced around it.
Clarke didn’t want to rush.
Lexa wasn’t sure if Clarke would want something serious—something long-term—with a single mom.
But Anya saw it. All of it.
And when she wasn’t dragging Madi along to Raven’s garage, she was subtly (or not so subtly) planting seeds in Lexa’s mind.
“She’s already smitten with the kid, you know,” Anya had pointed out casually one evening.
Lexa had frowned. “Clarke?”
“Yes, Clarke.” Anya rolled her eyes. “The woman literally bought boxes of kid-friendly spray paints so Madi could make her own art while hanging out here.”
Lexa had blinked. “She did?”
“Yeah.” Anya gave her a look. “So, tell me again why you’re hesitating?”
Lexa didn’t have an answer for that.
But she did have a decision to make.
---
Clarke was in the zone.
She was halfway through painting Octavia’s bike, focused entirely on the intricate details, when—
“Would you like to go on a date with me?”
Clarke jerked.
Her hand almost slipped, but she caught herself just in time, eyes wide as she turned to face Lexa.
Lexa, who looked perfectly calm.
Like she hadn’t just casually dropped a bomb in the middle of Clarke’s work session.
Clarke blinked. Once. Twice.
Then, her lips stretched into the biggest grin.
“Are you kidding? Yes!” she cheered.
And before Lexa could even react—
“YES!” Madi echoed, throwing her tiny fists in the air in victory.
Clarke and Lexa both turned just in time to see Madi high-five her aunts—who were very poorly hiding just outside the garage.
Anya, Octavia, and Echo didn’t even try to look innocent.
They just smirked.
Lexa groaned. Clarke laughed.
Madi? She just beamed.
Because, unbeknownst to everyone, the cool paint lady had just become her favorite person in the world.
And now?
Now, she was officially part of the family.
Epilogue
Madi was on top of the world.
Or, well—on top of Clarke’s shoulders, which was basically the same thing.
Armed with her tiny mask and a non-toxic spray can, she giggled as she carefully added the final touch to the mural on her bedroom wall.
It was perfect.
A blend of colors and shapes, dancing across the space in a way that made it feel like pure magic.
Her mom and Clarke had done most of it, of course. But this? This was her part.
And she was going to make it count.
“Alright, Mads,” Clarke said, holding her steady. “One last spray… and—”
Madi pressed down on the nozzle, finishing the swirl of stars at the top.
“DONE!” she cheered.
Clarke laughed, lifting Madi off her shoulders and setting her on the bed. “You, my little biker, are officially an artist.”
Madi grinned. “Like you?”
Clarke tapped her nose. “Like you.”
Lexa watched them, warmth flooding through her chest.
She had never imagined something like this—this life—for herself again.
Not after everything.
But here she was, standing in a room filled with color, love, and light.
And it was all because of Clarke.
So, before she could think twice, she stepped closer, catching Clarke’s hand.
Clarke turned, eyebrows raising just slightly—
And then Lexa stole a kiss.
Just a soft, fleeting press of lips—until Clarke sighed into it, grinning like a fool in love.
And then Lexa deepened it.
Madi groaned loudly. “Ughhh, Mom!”
Lexa chuckled against Clarke’s lips before pulling back, just enough to smirk at her daughter. “What?”
Madi scrunched up her nose. “That’s gross.”
Clarke snorted. “You weren’t saying that when you were literally high-fiving your aunts when your mom asked me out.”
Madi huffed. “That was different.”
Lexa arched an eyebrow. “Oh?”
Madi flopped onto her pillows dramatically. “I guess it’s okay… since you’re happy now.”
Clarke squeezed Lexa’s hand, meeting her gaze with something soft and sure.
Lexa exhaled, feeling that warmth settle deep in her bones. “Yeah,” she murmured, “I really am.”
Madi peeked up from her pillow, a sly smile creeping across the now five year old face. “And if I’m the coolest kid in the neighborhood now because of all this?” She gestured to the mural.
Lexa chuckled. “Bonus?”
Madi grinned, “Big bonus.”
---