Unlawful I

It has been a long long day, they fought tirelessly for the greater good to save Vaítis from the murderous warlord Bariesous and his horde that has been terrorizing the generally breathtakingly lovely small city and its people. Both Xena and Gabrielle found themselves practically collapsing onto their bedrolls after their evening meal. Gabrielle was having a write-off with Aphrodite and Cupid somewhere halfway across the Aegean, while Xena on the other hand was dreaming about war..well, more or less. Her mind was filled with images of fishing next to a waterfall which adventure wasn't a lonely one as a half naked God of War appeared to have been following her knocking out the fishes with great joy. Snap, fishes on the dryland and a butterfly navigating towards the water, taking in the sight of Xena's clothes and armor, Ares's vest.. boots, sword and trousers .. both their footprints in the sand, matching together so beautifully. The creature flew further above the water following a low moaning sound until it saw them.. Xena and Ares lip-locked under the waterfall which made it smile widely until it started shaking and like fireworks it blew up into a thousand more butterflies that kept shaking, however, they really have been flying around in Xena's stomach and her actual keen murmurs compelled the Wargod to materialize himself next to the mortal who was his heart's deepest desire, to be able to drink in her nearness completely.

He didn't fully know how long he has been standing there mesmerized just looking at her when her eyes fluttered open. For a moment she wasn't sure whether or not she was still dreaming..

„Ares..?"

„Hello Xena." So, it is not a dream afterall, she thought.

„Ares, what are you doing here? Don't you have somewhere better to be?"

„Now Xena, is this a way to greet a friend?" Xena rolled her eyes.

„So, what brings you here at this time and hour?"

„I just.. wanted to see you."

„Well, you could have opened up a portal you didn't have to disturb my sleep."

„Oh Xena, we both know I haven't disturbed your sleep. You have been thinking about me. That's why I came."

„That's what attracted you to me?"

„Yes, THAT did. Your mind was indeed reaching out to me."

„You should learn to leave other people's subconscious mind well alone!"

„Don't be like that."

"I've had a busy day.. And maybe, just maybe I could've used your insight during the day, where the hell have you been?"

"Oh, I do have wars to attend to, as you know.."

"Aww, C'mon!"

"Really.."

"You're usually popping up everywhere I go, like you'd be growing on trees using every opportunity you get to stalk me, breathing down my neck all the time, but now you haven't shown your face in months, months! I've even been to one of your temples not too long ago.."

„So you have been.. but you didn't actually manage to call me."

„That's not the point!"

„But it is. You know, all you need to do is call out my name. You know it damn well, don't you dare blame me for doing my job, while you were too wrapped up in your crap to call out my fucking name, even in My temple that You chose to go to!" He stepped closer to her grabbing her upper arms with a burning stare in his eyes. „Now, you will say it.. I want to hear you say it out loud. Say it. Say it! Say my name."

„Ares"

„Again"

„Ares"

„Again, Xena!"

„Ares"

„One more time!"

„Ares"

„Again"

„Ares.. Ares, do you really think this is absolutely necessary?"

„Yes. Yes, it is. It is. Go ahead, continue.."

„Ares"

„Yes!" He was obviously getting excited, she could see a fireball forming in his hand and then disappearing with a blue glow.

„Ares. Ares, does this give you pleasure?"

„Oh yes, immense pleasure. But just imagine what people would think if they knew. If they knew how easily pleased I can be only by hearing you say my name."

„I should've called you, Ares."

„Well, you've said it. Now, was that really that difficult to do?" He asked and gently let go of her arms, stroking them along the way down. He walked like a dozen or so paces further from her, cirling while muttering to himself. Xena could see he was still fuming like a bull..

Xena waited for him to walk back to her on her bedroll.

"Okay, that was unfair from me..I don't know why I am so hurt by the fact that I haven't seen you in a long time.."

"Don't you?" Xena looked at him like a child caught having done something mischievous. "Missed me?"

"Me? How did you figure that? Sure, the only possible explanation is me feeling emotionally crippled, because of what? You?"

"It was just a question, Xena!" Ares was getting really frustrated with her behavior so tried to think of some tactics that could work. "Do you wanna go for a walk?"

"No, I don't want to go for a walk!"

"Damnit Xena, I can never win with you!" He bellowed.

„You're gonna wake up Gabrielle if you keep this up."

„Please, she wouldn't wake up even as the ground would open up underneath her, she's such an obnoxious little.."

„Is THIS what you came here for, Ares?!"

They were silent in the night, the only noise was a hunting owl's cry.

„Are you okay?"

„No, I'm not okay!"

„Good job doing that.."

„I've missed you alright?!"

„You did?.."

„I did. I did"

„You really did?"

„I really did, c'mon isn't it why you came?"

„I can't read your mind you know. If I really wanted to I suppose I could, find a way, but in general I can't.."

„So, you wanted to see me, about what? What could it possibly be..what is it?"

„It doesn't matter"

„Spill it!"

„I.. Just wanted to see you. Look Xena, I needed to see you."

„I needed to see you too"

„Can I please sit down?" Xena gestures with her hand, so Ares sits down and suddenly a fur appears beneath him.

„So, you just wanted to come and what? Watch over while I slept?"

„Xena.. I.. I wanna be with you Xena"

„Don't start with that again! You know we can Never be together!"

„Do you really believe that?"

„Ares, don't start."

„Why, because I am not good for you?"

„No, because We can't!"

„Because I am not good for you."

„No, if somebody is not good it's me.. Not even counting that we just shouldn't.. You know it as well as I do."

„Xena c'mon"

„Why would you wanna do that.. Torture yourself.. Torture the both of us"

„Xena, do you really think it's impossible? You and me, together."

„No.. No. Nobody can force me to do anything I don't want to or stop me from getting what I do want."

„You see?! That! That's my girl!"

„C'mon Ares, be reasonable."

„Oh, I am.. It's gonna be you and me, you and me, Baby! Us against the world" Xena gave him the 'are you insane' look. „I mean think about it."

„I think about it all the time."

„So? What's the problem?"

„That we shouldn't.."

„I know that, but I want to be with you. I can't stay away from you. All this is worth nothing if you're not with me."

„Ares please..please don't.."

„Oh Xena.." Ares layed down on his back on the fur and he just stared at the stars. „You see.. So many.. Some many lovers that have been taken away from each other.. I don't want Us to be like that."

„Do you really think..?"

„Yes, don't you want it to work?"

„I do want it to work Ares.. It's what I've always wanted."

„Then let's just.. Ahh.. Xena, hmm.. look, I.. hummm, it is a stupid rule! Some rules are just meant to be broken."

„You should just go."

„Do you really want me to go?"

„No.."

„Then I'd rather stay." Turning towards her, he propped himself up on one elbow.. just looking into her eyes. She looked away, fighting some unmakeable emotion but it was no use as his presence alone this close made her feel lightheaded, ultimately Xena bit her lip trying to keep control, yet she couldn't control her breathing but she managed to draw blood from her determined biting. Also, she felt compelled to look into his warm brown eyes. He reached out one of his hands, about to caress her with the back of his hand.

„I just wanna touch you." Xena closed her eyes and he continued, stroking from the side of her face towards her chin slightly touching her lips before going back to her cheek again.. until it became too much to bear for them, him letting his hand and fingers linger longer and longer around and touching her lips, which made Xena want to lean into his touch nudging his fingers with her lips and then kissing his thumb that he ran across her upper then lower lip. He opened his hand to actually hold her face which she moved around in his hand, kissing his palm to his wrist till he lifted her head up so they could look at eachother, meanwhile the distance between then evaporated somehow. As their noses touched they knew that it was inevitable..

„Xena.."

„Kiss me.." and with that Xena leaned towards him even more, as Ares took her lips with his own pulling her onto himself rediscovering her velvet mouth. Although their kiss was rather tender, Xena was getting out of breath and Ares continued his kiss attack on her neck. „Ares.."

„Mmmhmm?"

„Nobody can know about this."

„I know, don't worry" he stroked her shoulders and she draw circles on his chest „You and I together.. we can overcome anything. Anything." she avoided making eye contact „When will you trust me again..?"

„How about.. now." she smiled and pushed him down onto his back, placing kisses onto his chest on the exposed middle part getting closer to his neck, cherishing every inch of his skin and she had him panting under her kisses, she chuckled and pressed his head down by touching his forehead, moving on to his neck allowing her lips to make love to it gently but steadily suckling on it, he lifted his head again..

„Xena.." but she pushed his head back down.

„Shhhhh.." and soon she turned her attention to his delicious full lips waiting to be kissed. Ares took the opportunity to hold her face in his hands again, gripping at eachother thighter and thighter melting into the kiss, Xena could feel him hardening therefore started to unbutton his vest running her hand further down his chest but he gently took her hand and just shaked his head.

„Not tonight.. It's okay. We don't have to rush into anything, you didn't even want me here in the first place, remember?"

„But.. I can feel that you.."

„I know.. I do, I always want you wherever we are and you're this close to me.. or I just think of you"

„Me too." She whispered.

„Xena, how about we just.. stay like this.. for now?" He was aware of how aroused she was at this point along with himself but this was neither the right time nor the right place to break the law. „Come here" he said, as he pulled her back into a kiss, placing one hand underneath her skirt between their bodies, and another on top of her aligned with her spine, breaking their kiss only till he whispered into her ears. „I haven't forgotten about you, my Dear.." She soon understood what he meant when his hands started to glow red, lighting up their surroundings and her own desire. After he flew her into her bliss and she talked him into taking off his vest, he pulled her blankets over her body. As she lay across his chest Xena was listening to his steady heartbeat.

„Thank you Ares."

„You're very welcome. ..You know, I wonder who made up that phrase.. and why..do you think it'd have the same meaning if I were to say 'You came well'?"

„Oh, so I did, ha?"

„Yeah."

„You know you can be an insufferable bastard, right?" Xena asked him grinning.

„That's one of the reasons why you enjoy being around me so much.. You could just admit it."

„Well, I am really happy that you came tonight." She saw he could hardly hold back his laughter, then she realized why he thought what she said was funny.

„How old are you, five?" She asked laughing herself.

„Well, actually yes. Today is my birthday, the 3905th."

„Happy Birthday to the Glorious God of War!"

„Xena.. don't.. "

„Ares, only because I don't lead your armies anymore it doesn't mean that you'll ever cease to be my god.. the god I love and worship eversince I was a little girl. You'll always be my god, even if I beat you up, even if I ruin your plans, even if I want to rip your clothes off, even when I stated that I despised you because I belong to you as you belong to me, you might have chosen me, but I chose you first." ..and with that she kissed the teary-eyed wargod who was deeply touched by her words until she fell asleep in his arms.

Gabrielle woke up first the next morning, and as Xena had her back towards her she decided to walk over to see if she's awake. Before waking up Xena mumbled 'Ares' a couple of times, then she looked around if he was there, but she couldn't sense him only saw Gabrielle walking towards her.

„Hey, good morning."

„Hi."

„Oh my, aren't you cold you're completely out of your bedroll Xena, you must be frozen stiff." Then she walked over to find her not lying on the ground but the fur Ares materialized the other night. „How did That get here?" Xena sits up still kinda half asleep

„What..?" and with a whoosh she was sitting on her own roll, the fur was gone and Gabrielle was blinking at the whole phenomenon.

„Nothing.. I just thought I saw something."

„Like what?"

„A fur blanket?"

„Well, maybe it's from your dream.. mine also had one in it, I think."

After breakfast they got ready for the road, and while doing so Xena found a small piece of scroll folded in half with a curvy line on it, she turned to Gabrielle but she wasn't satisfied with her packing technique, so Xena decided to check it out alone. When she unfolded the piece of paper it was visible that the line actually formed a single heart. A heart, but why.. and who.. she touched it. She heard Ares whisper „Until next time Xena, until next time.." Xena looked around trying to figure out where the voice came from without alarming her best friend. Nothing. She couldn't feel his presence. She touched the heart again and the whisper came again „Until next time Xena, until next time..", she inhaled deeply and bit her lower lip so it's the scroll then, the scroll is doing the whispering. Xena wanted to hear his voice again, but she wanted to know first whether she's the only one who could hear him.

„Gabrielle, did you hear something?"

„No. Why, is someone approaching?"

„No, it's probably just the birds."

„Okay."

„Okay." Xena repeated to herself, it is only her then. She stroked the heart one last time before folding it. Thinking back at the night before she pressed her lips together as she heard his deeply seductive voice. Xena tucked the paper safely in between her breasts, „Until next time Xena, until next time.." and his whisper made her tingle all over as soon as it touched her skin. She smiled widely and shook her head while adding a whisper of her own „Until next time Ares, until next time.."