Okay, I recently bought the movie "The Book Of Life" and let me tell you…IT IS AMAZING! I can't believe I didn't watch it before now. The colors, the music, the story…words cannot describe how amazing it is! :)

Anyway, this idea struck me towards the end of the movie where Xibalba asks La Muerte for forgiveness and she gives it to him. :)

This story is post movie and contains some movie spoilers. "The Book Of Life" belongs to 20th Century Fox. I own nothing. Please be gentle in the reviews. This is my first "The Book Of Life" story after all.

A Wager He Can Win

La Muerte chuckled again as she thought about the kids. "Children always have that curiosity," she said to herself as she found Xibalba sitting by her chair and she looked at him. "What are you doing, Balby?" she asked.

"Just watching you, mi amor," he said to her and then looked dreamy. "Bright, vibrant, beautiful."

She giggled. Ever since she had forgiven him, he seemed to decide to tell her sweet nothings every day and she now approached him, but he smiled and sprang up, catching her by surprise. "Oh!" She cried out.

"I have you, my love," he said and held her close, leaning in and she smiled.

"You silly Balby, just wanting a kiss from me?" She said sweetly.

He chuckled before suddenly swooping his face down into her neck. This not only surprised her, but what was next made her laugh. Smiling as he had known she would laugh, Xibalba kissed La Muerte's neck all over in a playful manner. "I love you! I love you! I love you!" He said to her over and over again as he didn't let up on the affectionate, ticklish kisses.

"BALBY! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" She laughed before moving her neck to trap his beard, distracting him and she moved her hands to his neck, stroking there and he squeaked. "Aww, you still squeak," she said teasingly before her fingers tickled his neck and underarms, making him break out laughing before he caught her hands.

"My love, you should remember," he said. "Tickling me only make me want to do this."

Diving his face back into her neck, he returned to kissing her neck in a quick fashion, but occasionally throwing in a few loving kisses too, making her laugh again before she kissed him deeply. "Oh, Balby," she said to him. "What makes my Balby melt, hmm?"

Xibalba chuckled and leaned her back a little into his arms, kissing her and holding her lovingly. "What makes you melt, my love?" He asked, his hands slipping into her long beautiful hair and feeling it. "Mi amor," he whispered into her ear.

La Muerte giggled as she then tickled his side, making him laugh. "Oh, my love, you are feeling too mischievous right now," he said. "That's usually my thing."

"Oh, what? I can't have any fun?" She asked with a teasing smile.

A moment later, she was laughing as Xibalba gently pinned her down to the bed and tickled her sides. "Oh, we can have fun, La Muerte," he said. "This wager I can win."

She smiled at him. "Let's see if you can," she said and began tickling him back.

Their laughter rang loud and clear, startling many of the inhabitants in the Land Of The Remembered. It even reached Candle Maker, who grew curious and the Book of Life opened up to show him what was going on. "Oh, my goodness," he said before letting out a hearty laugh. "Oh, La Muerte, I don't think Xibalba will lose this wager."

It seemed La Muerte was coming to that conclusion as Xibalba was laughing, but also showing a resistance to squirming too much under her tickling hands, while she was squirming so much it was a wonder the candles on her dress and hat didn't snuff out or that her dress didn't become a bit rumpled. Xibalba was smiling down at her as she gave up tickling him and he lifted one finger to stroke her neck, making her squeak a little, but when no more tickling happened for a bit, she looked up at him and found him gazing at her with a loving look. "That laugh of yours," he said in awe. "I'd forgotten how undone I'd become when you laughed."

La Muerte smiled up at him. "Oh? You enjoy my laughter, Balby?" She asked him.

"As much as I enjoy your kisses and your love, mi amor," he answered with an honest look in his eyes.

She giggled. "You want to hear more?" She asked with a mischievous smile.

He returned the mischievous smile. "I will hear more," he said, tickling her stomach suddenly, to which she began laughing again before she tickled his stomach and he almost fell completely on top of her as he laughed. Just like his beloved, his stomach was a major weak spot of his and he tried to lay beside her so that he didn't land all his weight on her, but she wasn't making it easy. Finally, Xibalba slipped one arm around La Muerte's waist and turned over so that he landed lightly on his back on the bed and she was snuggled to him on his chest. She blinked before looking at him sweetly.

"Did you miss cuddling with me too?" She asked, playing with his beard.

He looked at her. "I would have mussed your dress if I had landed on you from you tickling me, my love," he said.

La Muerte giggled. "Oh, I'm sure it would have been fine," she said, but inwardly was glad that he was thinking about her. He had definitely grown more affectionate and loving since she had forgiven him. "By the way, I know you went to see Manolo and Maria earlier."

He looked a bit sheepish. "I just checked up on them, but they didn't see me," he said. "Maria is pregnant again."

His love smiled. "And how is their little boy?" She asked.

Xibalba chuckled. "Growing about an inch every day," he said. "At least it seems that way and you know what? The only way he'll go to sleep is if Manolo plays his guitar and sings just like he does for Maria."

Another giggle left La Muerte. "A little musician," she said, smiling again. "I wonder if Maria will have another boy or a girl."

"I think they're hoping for a girl," he said. "So they can name her after Manolo's mother."

She smiled. "Carmen will love to hear that," she said. "Luis just about went to pieces when they named their son after him."

Her husband smiled at her. "I don't have to make a wager for that one," he said. "You'd win that one for sure."

"Maybe," she said. "But as for who is more ticklish between the two of us, you win that wager, my handsome love."

"Because the best prize comes with it," Xibalba said with another smile.

"Oh?" La Muerte said. "What prize is that?"

"Your love," he answered.

His honest answer earned him a deep, loving kiss from his wife. "Very true, Balby," she said as they cuddled together and shared more kisses.

I just had to. Who doesn't love this couple? :)

Please leave a review, but no flames!

GoldGuardian2418