Uncertainty

3rd Person, Gabrielle talks to Joxer about her feelings for Xena. Humor/Romance, Oneshot, No real time frame, before Season 5, though.

The blonde woman waved as the taller woman disappeared over the hill.

"Bye,, Xena!" She called. "See you later!" Spinning, she dashed back to the camp set up in a small clearing and sat down next to a tall, slim man, who was attempting to read a scroll upside down.

"Joxer?" The short woman began uncertainly, tapping her foot furiously. "I, um, I have to talk to you about, um, something." Her voice practically shook with anxiety.

Turning to face her, the man put down the scroll. "What's up, Gabby?"

Twirling her fingers, and looking every where but at Joxer, Gabrielle swallowed and said, "It's about Xena..."

"Okay...Go on." Joxer plopped his head into his hands, and studied Gabrielle with an intensity that he obviously thought was sincere. It just made Gabrielle antsy.

"Well, recently I've been having these...feelings, and I've never had them before, except for this one girl in Potidaea, and I don't know what to do, and if I tell her-"

Joxer raised his hand, cutting her off. "Slow down. What do you mean by feelings?"

"Well...like...you know. Feelings. Feelings."

"Let's think this out. You love Xena, right?"

"Oh yeah. Definitely. More than anything."

"Alright, that's good! Now are you attracted to her?"

"You mean, like, sexually?"

"Yep."

"Then yeah. Oh yeah. Definitely."

Joxer grinned, and chuckled. "Do you think Xena loves you, too?"

"Oh, I know she loves me. But does she love me, is the question. You know? Does she like me the way I like her?"

"There's only one way to find out."

"You mean...?"

"I mean. You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Great! I'll go ask her if she wants to fuck you, then."

"JOXER! NO, that is not what I was thinking!"

"Oh...then what were you thinking?"

"I thought I was going to go ask her. But, you can do it! Just don't, you know, mention me, or anything. Just ask how she feels about me. Alright?"

"So I can't just tell her that you want to rip her clothes off with you teeth?"

"NO!!!"

"Fine. This won't be as fun, then. But I'll do it for you. Gabrielle."

"Thank you. Now, off you go! And remember, don't mention me!"

Joxer hopped merrily down the road, humming his favorite song. (Joxer the Mighty, of course.) He came to the little town Xena had gone to, to get some supplies, and met up with her in a bar.

"Hey! Xena! Fancy seeing you here!"

The tall, dark, warrior's icy blues ices glared at him. "What are you doing here, Joxer?"

"What? Oh, nothing, I just wanted to ask you something...Ale?"

"I'm fine. What do you want?"

"Well, see..." (Joxer searched for the right way to say it, but his rather dim mind decided to forget what Gabrielle had said.) "Gabrielle wants to rip your clothes off with her teeth, but she's scared to tell you, 'cause she thinks you'll get freaked out or something."

Xena only stared, her jaw dropped in a very un-Xena-like way.

"So do you?"

"Um...Do I what?"

"Want her to rip your clothes off wi-"

"Okay, Joxer, I got it. Thank you, you don't need to say it again."

"Well? Do you think of her that way?"

"That is none of your business."

"But I have to tell Gabrielle what you think!"

Xena frowned, striding out off the tavern. "I'll talk to her myself." She tossed over her shoulder.

Gabrielle sat on her bedroll, nervously tapping her hands, and looking up at every snap, hoping it was Joxer returning with news.

A tall, dark, (gorgeous) figure strode into the clearing. Gabrielle jumped up, ready to bombard Joxer with questions, but slapped her hand over her mouth as she realized it was Xena.

Xena walked up to her, fast, as if she was in a hurry.

"Hey Xena, how'd it –" She was cut short as Xena closed the final foot between them, and swept her up in a long, passionate kiss.

Hesitating at first, Gabrielle's arms hung limp at her sides, as unsure of what to do as the rest of her body.

Gabrielle reached tentatively up to Xena's shoulders, to push her away, ask what had gotten into her. Xena's strong arms roughly pushed her hands away, and held her tighter. Gabrielle abandoned her convictions and wrapped her arms around her beloved warrior, her enthusiasm growing with each passing second.

Xena pushed the bard down onto the bedrolls, and crouched over her, kissing every inch of skin she could reach.

Gabrielle moaned, and Xena stopped suddenly, grinning wickedly into the green eyes below her.

"So, Gabrielle. Do you really want to rip my clothes off with your teeth?"

Blushing bright red, Gabrielle growled, "DAMNIT, Joxer!"

Xena, however, only chuckled. "My little tomato..." she whispered, kissing the tip of Gabrielle's nose. "How long?"

Gabrielle swallowed, and twiddled a strand of Xena's hair between her fingers, not answering. After a minute, she spoke up, "How long...what? Be specific, Xena." The gleam had returned to her eyes.

"How long have you wanted me?"

"Since...the Miss Known World contest, I think."

Xena's eyebrows rose in surprise. "That long?! Gabrielle, why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't want to ruin our friendship. You're my best friend, Xena, I never want that to change. Anyway, it's your turn."

"For what?"

"How long have you wanted me?"

Xena leaned down, and grabbed the end of one of the laces from Gabrielle's top. Slowly, she pulled until the knot came undone, then kissed Gabrielle's neck. "Since you bit me."

Now it was Gabrielle's turn to be surprised. "When I was a bacchae?" She asked disbelievingly, propping herself up on her elbows.

"What? That was hot, and you know it."

"But, didn't it...hurt?"

"Oh, no. Not at all. And, actually, I'm wrong. It was before even that."

"Before? Gods, I thought I had waited ages! How much before?"

"Do you remember when you got drugged-?"

"How could I forget?"

"And we got thrown down the well? Do you remember that part?"

"Oh, yeah. Wait, that long?"

"Yep. I really was 'loving every moment of it!"

Gabrielle smiled, and kissed Xena on the forehead. Dropping back down, Gabrielle reached her arms around the warrior's neck, pulling her into another lengthy kiss.

"I love you, Xena."

"I love you, too, Gabrielle. Now, shut up. I am literally going to rip your clothes off. With. My. Teeth."

Giggling, Gabrielle did just that, and the two women dove into each other, with such vigor, such gusto, that the sounds coming from the clearing that night scared away all the nearby animals.