After Rome
by ArdentTly
Standard Disclaimer: The characters of Xena and Gabrielle belong to the people over at Universal, MCA and Renaissance Pictures. Infringement is not intended.
Sexuality Disclaimer: This is a piece of alt fiction and so is intended for folks over the age of 18. While not terribly graphic, those of you who find lesbian love hard to understand and accept, please leave now.
Copyrighted October 1998
Xena stood at the railing of the ship, watching Gabrielle fiddling with the ring she took from Krasus. It hurt her to see the pain written on the bard's face. She kicked herself mentally. It had hurt to see the doubt in her friend's face. After all they'd been through, that hurt the most.
"So, how is the sea sickness? You getting that pinch under control?" Xena sighed deeply, seeing that her attempt at humour was falling flat. She reached out and took Gabrielle's hand, the bard finding it hard to meet her gaze.
"How many times are you gonna follow me into battle? How many times am I gonna hurt you? Gabrielle, you are the most precious, the dearest thing to me in the whole world and instead of protecting you...."
"You only did what you had to, what you thought was right, Xena."
"Yes, but it wasn't right for you. If I had to do it all over again..."
"You'd have done it the same way, Xena."
"Yeah....but I wouldn't have involved you like I did. It was wrong of me to expect you to do something that you felt wasn't right."
"I know, Xena. But I would have hated being left behind. I'm here because I want to be." "I did something I never thought I'd do, Xena. I was judge, jury and executioner. I let a man die..."
"Yes, you did. But you should take some satisfaction that a monster is dead. He was responsible for the deaths of so many, Gabrielle."
The woman swallowed deeply and just nodded her head. She blinked away the tears, knowing in her heart that Xena was right. It was so hard, though.
The warrior looked over and watched as the ring slipped out of her friend's fingers and disappears beneath the waves. She came behind the woman and wrapped her strong arms around her.
Gabrielle leaned back and inhaled slowly. She looked out at the great expanse of ocean. "I love you, Xena."
"Oh, I love you, too, Gabrielle. I....I always have." She kissed the woman's hair...her hands shaking. It was now or never... She slowly turned Gabrielle around and looked deeply into her eyes. She brought one of her strong hands up and cupped the woman's chin. Tilting it up, she slowly brought down her mouth until it covered that of her bard's. The kiss was so sweet, so gentle and so full of promise. When the kiss ended, Xena kept her eyes closed. What would the reaction be? Had she just ruined the one good thing in her life?
Gabrielle felt totally enveloped in love and warmth. Her whole heart felt as if it were wrapped in gossamer. Was this really happening or was she experiencing some weird after effects to the pinch Xena had given her for her seasickness? If she opened her eyes, perhaps this would all be just a dream.
Xena finally cracked open an eye and peered at her friend. She wasn't running away....no disgusted look on her face...her fists aren't balled up....hmmmmm....just a nice beautiful grin on her face....could I have put it there?
Gabrielle opened both her eyes and saw two lovely azure eyes staring intently at her. Was it hope she saw there? And....need??
"Xena...I...I.."
The warrior took the bard into a fierce embrace and whispered, "It's alright, Gabrielle. You don't have to say anything. I'm just so happy that you don't hate me. I can't help the way I feel...I've tried but..."
"Xena, I'm just an innocent girl from Poteideia...do you mean 'I love you, I always have, like a sister?' or is that 'I love you, I always have, because I've gotten used to you?" Or is that 'I love you, I always have, because...'"
Her mouth was seized once more and this time the kiss was more ardent, more passionate and definitely left little doubt as to how the warrior really felt.
"Oh..." Gabrielle panted between kisses.."I want you, Xena..." Gabrielle moaned as she felt the warrior's tongue gently graze across her lips…she parted them and felt a very hot stab of passion hit between her legs. Her knees felt wobbly and her heart seemed to beat three times it's normal rate.
"Oh gods, Gabrielle...." Xena gasped, then took the lower lip into her mouth, "I've wanted you..." tongue sliding in and out, "oh, so very much...", moaning with the contact, "but I never thought", hands moving up to tangle in the bard's laces, "you might want me, too..."
"Xena? Xena! Stop talking...stop talking...just do that thing...with your tongue again....yes, oh my gods!"
Xena began thrusting her tongue in and out of the bard's mouth, gently kneading the woman's shoulders. She gasped as she felt Gabrielle grinding her pelvis into her. If she didn't get them below decks....and soon... She pulled away from the bard, who opened her eyes and looked quizzically at her.
"What....did I do something wrong, Xena?"
"No, love...never, but....I think we might be more comfortable below decks....away from prying eyes.."
Gabrielle grinned and then stuck her nose between the warrior's breasts, nuzzling the previously forbidden fruit. Xena cocked her eyebrow and smirked....nice innocent girl from Poteideia, huh?
She quickly kissed Gabrielle and took her by the hand, leading her down towards the hold of the ship. She smiled as she thought about the nice cozy little area, deep in the bowels of the ship...
"Um, Xena? Can I say something about your kiss?"
Xena turned, her brow furrowed. "Oh oh...why don't I like the sound of that?"
"No. No, Xena....I just wanted to say that it feels alot better without the mustache."
The warrior grinned and then pushed the bard against the hallway..."Oh, it does, huh? How about another?" They enjoyed yet another passionate kiss and Gabrielle grinned largely.
"Oh yeah. Much better...."
Xena chuckled and pulled her soon to be lover below decks, towards their destiny.
The End