A fire starts with a spark

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Astrid sighed heavily as she entered the locker room and stopped in front of the locker. She usually didn't hold back any inner urges, letting her emotions run wild. She believed that this was the most correct way to be honest both with others and with herself. So why didn't she find the strength to invite this purple-haired woman to dinner?

“Why are you even thinking about it?” She asked herself, opening her locker.

However, the blonde's mind was still trying to find an answer. Her last date turned out to be such a big failure that it literally broke her heart. She always wanted to find a reliable partner, but after that incident she decided to change her priorities. Now she began to prefer relationships without any obligations. In a way, she had switched places with her best friend, Nerissa, who no longer needed such an easy relationship.

After undressing and taking a towel, Astrid headed towards the showers. Picking up a sexy woman in a bar and spending a wild night with her was no longer a problem for the Norwegian woman. It can be said that she very easily fitted into such a lifestyle. So maybe it's just the dinner invitation itself? To have sex with a random woman she doesn't need to invite her to dinner. Perhaps she didn't decide on this because deep down such a simple thing as dinner meant some obligations that she refused.

“Stop thinking about it...” she told herself more urgently.

But she didn't stop. After entering the shower stall and turning on the water, Astrid was still thinking about her indecision. No, dinner doesn't mean any obligations, so that definitely wasn't the reason. There must be something else.

“Maybe...” she murmured, enjoying the cool water.

Maybe she just wanted Sheena to take a step towards her too. After all, it was Astrid who didn't hesitate to approach the purple-haired woman and offer her help with training. The first step was on Astrid's part, and therefore perhaps she expected Sheena to take the second step.

But apparently the blonde took everything that happened too personally.

It is unlikely that she really interested this woman in any other way except as a source of experience.

“Heh...” turning off the water, she smiled sadly. “Not for the first time...”

After leaving the shower stall, Astrid dried her wild golden hair and then wrapped her body in the towel. As she headed back to the locker room, she involuntarily remembered things that she secretly regretted, because these things were very similar to today's situation.

It would be foolish to deny that her title run was very impressive. Big and unique matches that could touch even the deepest strings of the soul. The media has repeatedly called Astrid a role model and an icon of her generation. And although she was really proud of what she had achieved, she had never been able to get what she really wanted.

Going to her locker and starting to change clothes, the Norwegian woman smiled sadly. She had imagined more than once how one of the LAW fighters would approach her to say very simple words. Simple words that she had really dreamed of hearing since the day she was crowned with the title.

“You inspired me to become a better fighter, and I want to become like you one day!”

Imagining this, the champion closed her eyes. She was well aware that it can be difficult for fighters to express their emotions, and therefore it was unlikely that she would ever have heard such words.

Perhaps it was really too naive of her to hope for that.

After changing into casual clothes, Astrid slung her bag over her right shoulder. Perhaps the truth was that for everyone she should wear the mask of an unwavering champion, for whom only matches and nothing else are important. Yes, perhaps it was her duty. The duty she accepted and to which she is still giving her all.

But sometimes she would like to be just a woman.

The woman to whom someone will take the first step.

“Too naive...” Astrid told herself, closing the locker.

Not wanting to think about it anymore, she headed out of the locker room, preparing to spend another evening alone.