A/N: remember in the previous chapter that Gabrielle chugged a beer? Well after I wrote that it got me thinking if I could do that. That was an absolute mistake. Let's just say... I practiced. Albeit I did teach myself how to chug without fucking dying. Good grief. Enjoy!
A week later...
Upstairs in Xena's room, Gabrielle and Xena sat up straight with their bare backs against the wall, sitting on the bed and sharing a blanket. Gabrielle rested her head on Xena's shoulder and Xena rested her head upon Gabrielle's.
They had spent the majority of the morning and afternoon apart because they had quite a disagreement/argument the night before.
Yes. You guessed it. They were indeed having make up sex. Totally good and cool.
"That was some apology." Xena commented.
"Good or?"
"Very good." Xena assured Gabrielle.
"Better then earlier when you said: I'm sorry you made me upset?" Gabrielle added so she could get Xena to feel a little lighter.
"I really said that, huh?" Xena laughed.
"Yes you did and I tried my best not to laugh at you, you know." Gabrielle moved her left hand and rested it on Xena's left forearm.
"We're quite funny when we're mad." Xena said.
Gabrielle removed her head from the tan shoulder. "Let's not do that again. Yeah?"
"Yeah, that was rough." She said quietly.
"I know we've done that before but still. Ouch." Gabrielle breathed.
"I understand." Xena said. "Sleep?"
"Definitely."
A blast of smoke appeared at the end of the bed. Their winged friend, Cupid stood with his hands on his manly hips.
"Hello ladies." He smiled. "You aren't busy are you?"
"We were a few minutes ago." Gabrielle mentioned.
"I know, I was just making sure you weren't planning on," he counted on his fingers, "round three?"
"You've been counting?" Xena asked not really disgusted but... shook.
"Hey, what can I say? I'm a god for lovers like you two, but never mind that."
Xena and Gabrielle had blank expressions.
"You're here in my bedroom because?" Xena prompted Cupid.
"Oh yeah, just checking on you both. Mom sent me down. She heard you two. Everything alright now?" Cupid leaned on his bow.
Xena took a deep breath, "Yes."
"Gabrielle?" Cupid turned to her, "are you good?"
"Very." The blonde grinned.
"Wonderful... anything you guys want to share before I skidaddle?" The god offered.
Xena immediately asked, "where is Perseus?"
Cupid rubbed his chin. "That's not really what I had in mind from you but... I could find out."
"How long will that take?" Xena asked.
"I'll come back in the morning. What's it to you, Xena?"
"I need to know if he's turned Atlas to stone."
"Atlas? Well yeah! Heck, he's as hard as an erec-," Cupid was cut off by Gabrielle.
"Okay, woo. Anyway," Gabrielle looked to Xena who was snickering.
"That's great, getting those apples back will be a little easier than I thought." Xena nodded.
"Eh, I think you're forgetting the Hesperides." Cupid pursed his lips.
"What about them? How bad can they be?"
"They're good at what they do." Cupid told her.
"And what do they do?" Gabrielle asked.
"Oh, they're farm girls." Cupid said coyly. "I know that you know something about that, Gabrielle."
"They make do?" She quipped.
"No!" He exclaimed loudly. "You're smart, you'll get it when you interact with them or whatever." He sighed.
"Is that all?" Xena lifted an eyebrow.
"For now." Cupid stretched his arms out. "I'll be back in the morning. Good night, ladies." He snapped his fingers and disappeared.
They both sat quietly until Xena had a thought.
As they were settling into the bed, from behind the blonde Xena said, "I don't get it, Gabrielle."
"Get what?"
"When you said "they make do." What do you mean by that?" Xena genuinely didn't understand.
Gabrielle began to laugh at Xena.
"What?" Xena was confused.
"Go to sleep, Xena." She turned around and gave Xena a kiss. "You'll figure it out some day."
The next morning...
Xena and Gabrielle got up feeling thankful and ready to start the day. They went down stairs to the tavern, found Cyrene and offered to help. Of course, the matriarch would never turn down help, so she sent them out with plates and promised them breakfast as soon as they came back into the kitchen.
The couple sat in the dining area, at the table in the back. Where Xena usually preferred to sit. Cyrene joined them as well.
Xena and Gabrielle apologized to Cyrene for the volume of their arguing last night. Cyrene, being the natural mother she was, shrugged it off and told them not to worry about it.
Just like he had promised, Cupid stopped by and this time he used the door instead of popping about.
Cupid sat down at the table with the three women.
"Xena, is this your mother?" He looked at Cyrene.
Xena nodded.
"What a hottie!"
Xena's jaw dropped, "excuse me?"
Cyrene looked at her daughter, "you're excused."
"I see where Xena gets her good looks from." Then the god looked and pointed at Gabrielle. "You should consider yourself lucky, Gab. You're gonna be with something like this when you both get older." He smiled and nodded.
Xena was speechless and wound up.
"Don't you say a word about it, Xena. I bet her mother is a minx too." It's good being me. Cupid stated.
Cyrene wasn't distressed by this in anyway.
"Why, thank you. I'll take that as a compliment." She grinned at the god.
"See, here now. Your mother knows what I'm talking about." He teased Xena, yet he could tell she was nearly seething. "Oh my me, Xena. I'm just trying to lighten the mood around here and I'd think you'd like to know where Percy boy is."
"Where?"
"Percy boy?" Cyrene thought aloud.
"Perseus," Cupid looked at Cyrene then back at Xena. "He's in Tiryns having a bicker battle with King Urethra." He said.
"Eurystheus. I've heard of him." Cyrene turned to her daughter. "Wasn't Hercules doing work for him?"
"Yeah, he was... I also remember that he swore that when he finished his labors he'd go back to Tiryns and kill Eurystheus." Xena turned to Cupid.
"I know for a fact that Hercules is not done. So there is that." Cupid added.
"Alright."
"So why'd you need to know anyway? Besides if he already turned Atlas to stone?" Cupid asked.
Gabrielle butted in, "Perseus is a grandfather to Hercules, right? How does all this work? Is Perseus old?"
"My dear, sweet, lovely, Gabrielle. I wouldn't think too hard about it. I don't get it either and I avoid understanding it." Cupid answered her.
Xena turned to Gabrielle, "he looks our age but he's really about the same age as mom, here." The she said to Cupid, "I saw him in Corinth three years ago. He's acts like he was born yesterday and I tell him he might as well turn Atlas to stone with the snake haired woman head."
"So you're somewhat responsible for that whole scenario," Cupid realized. "Badass, Xena. Very badass."
The god stood up and looked upon the humans around him. "I think I'm done here." He made eye contact with Xena. "I'll see you in a few."
He snapped his fingers and disappeared.
Cyrene looked to Xena and then to Gabrielle. She opened her mouth to say something but she lost her train of thought so she shut her mouth and took a deep breath.
"Speechless?" Xena cued.
"Something like that. There's always something going on when you're around and it makes life interesting. In the best way of course." Cyrene smiled. She then stood up and leaned over to give Xena a kiss on the top of her head. "My little girl." She murmured then took their dishes and walked back to the kitchen.
Gabrielle watched them and wished that her own mother were more nurturing like Xena's. But she has always been good to me. She works so hard. I hope she's okay. Gabrielle thought to herself. Am I homesick?
Xena placed her right hand over Gabrielle's left hand. "You alright? You're spacing out there."
"Yes. I'm good." She said.
No you're not. Whatever it is, I'm going to help you make it better. Xena pushed herself out of the chair and stood up. She held out her hand to Gabrielle.
"Come on, honey." Xena nodded to the door.
Gabrielle followed Xena out of the tavern. Xena and Gabrielle ended up in the stables because it seemed to be the only place they could have a moment alone.
Xena went to Argo's stall and greeted her horse. She picked up a brush and ran it through Argo's mane.
Gabrielle leaned against the stall and watched Xena who was on the other side of Argo.
"You wouldn't mind telling me what's up would you?" Xena asked nicely.
"No, I don't mind. I'm just too far into my own head I guess."
"I can't tell if it's appropriate to ask but... is it about yesterday? I mean, I can tell you're upset and I want you to feel better but I don't know, you know?" Xena said.
"I see what you mean and I appreciate you for it. It's not about yesterday."
Xena felt relieved when she heard her say that.
"I think I'm just missing home a little bit." Gabrielle divulged.
Xena stopped brushing Argo and set the brush down. She walked around the horse to Gabrielle.
"It's really hard sometimes. I remember when I was in Themyscira I'd feel the same way. I'd feel homesick and I wouldn't talk to anyone, not even Hippolyta and that made it much worse."
"Xena, I'll be alright. It's fine." Gabrielle said.
Xena still went on, "But I think the worst was when I had to go away with Alexander. You know. Help burn down Thebes."
Gabrielle became curious. "How so? You were just here like a month or so before that."
"Remember how about a week or two before, we had... you know?"
Gabrielle nodded at the said memory.
"And you know, we found out a lot about each other and our future together."
"Yeah."
"I felt homesick when I was away from you because then and now deep down I feel that you are home to me. And it's not the same for everyone. Home can be a person or place. Or maybe even a thing."
Gabrielle let that sink in. Oh my goodness. She's right. I've never thought of that before. She felt homesick because she was missing me!? My gods, I love her.
"I love you, Xena." Gabrielle went to hug Xena. Xena automatically wrapped her arms around Gabrielle's waist and held her tight.
"I love you too, Gabrielle." More than you know.
That afternoon...
Cyrene stood behind the bar and Toris sat on one of the wood stools. They were both chatting away. Their attention was pulled away when Xena and Gabrielle came in.
"Did you get that door all fixed up for Amulius?" Cyrene asked the two women.
Earlier in the day, Cyrene asked Xena and Gabrielle to go to Amulius and see if he needed any help around his little house. Amulius was old and walked with a limp so he was always grateful to have people visit and help him around.
"Yes ma'am." Xena and Gabrielle said in unison.
"Good, why don't you both come sit down over here with us." Cyrene suggested.
The women sat down at the bar next to Toris.
"Where have you been all morning?" Gabrielle asked.
"One of our guests left a freshly peeled animal hide in one of the rooms. Made that whole hallway smell like shit." Toris scrunched up his face. "I was getting rid of the smell."
"You didn't get rid of it did you?" Xena jested.
"Well actually I gave it to the tanner so he could make you a nice set of smelly leather gauntlets." He said dryly.
"Ah, shut up you old bearded lady." Xena taunted him.
"Hey, if I have it you're gonna have it. I bet that kind of stuff runs in the family, man hands." Toris Barnes his sister.
Xena hurled a spoon at her brother that went right passed his ear.
"You missed." Toris poked her.
"Nah, I just didn't want mom to come out here and baby you infront of everyone." Xena grimaced.
Gabrielle was certainly enjoying watching the sibling's buffoonery.
Then Toris had sat back down and caught his breath.
"Gabrielle, did your sister ever do this," he gestured towards Xena, "to you?"
"Oh yeah, we've done things like that to each other. But she's more of a master manipulator. And I'd be the master of falling for it every time." Gabrielle answered the question.
"Ah, I see. Mind torture." He said in a serious but goofy voice.
Gabrielle sniggered, "yeah, something like that."
"You did tell me a thing or two about her. She seemed nice when I met both of you." Xena said.
"Like I said awhile ago, she can be a real snake in the grass but she's got it where counts."
"You know, I sometimes wish I had a sister," Xena looked to Toris, "oh wait. I do!"
"Hee hee ha ha."
A week later...
In the early morning, Xena and Toris left to go hunting. Coming up with the idea to do so the night before. The tavern was running low on meat to Toris volunteered himself and his sister to go hunting.
Xena on Argo and Toris on his horse, Philon. They rode out to the edge of the village with all their necessary gear to at least get them a deer.
Or so they thought.
Gabrielle stayed behind with Cyrene and helped her around the tavern. Cyrene came to love Gabrielle just like everyone else who came upon her did. In fact, she was glad that Xena found someone as special as Gabrielle.
At the same time in the late afternoon, Toris and Xena were in a bit of a dilemma.
Half an hour ago, Xena had set up a net trap so that whatever animal put pressure on the area it'd be instantly caught.
Toris has forgotten where she had set it up. So at that point Toris was hanging from a tree in the net.
"Toris calm down. You're just going to stress yourself out more if you don't quit it. Alright?" Xena angrily told him.
"Fine! I'm calm! I am calm." Toris said back.
"Good, now I need you to be quiet because we aren't alone."
"People?" Toris guessed.
"No, it's an animal." Xena told him.
Xena drew her sword and made a stance. She listened carefully to the sound of the animal. Then she realized that it was something big.
"There's a stag around here. He's not happy either."
Toris's eyes widened out of fear. He hoped that the stag was a runt.
Xena spotted movement from the shrubs and bushes that sat far infront of her.
The rather large stag ran directly at her. It's horns angled down towards it's target. Xena quickly jumped out of the way and flipped over it.
Rapidly, the stag turned around and charged at Xena again. This time, she was facing away from the tree that Toris hung from in the net. She hadn't backed up enough or maybe she miscalculated a step and dropped her sword, but with the blink of an eye an end of the stags antler was halfway in her shoulder.
In an alarming amount of pain, Xena grabbed on to the antlers of the stag and began her attempt to push it to the ground next to her sword so she could kill it.
In her struggle, Xena was pushed all the way back to the tree. With no desire to be completely impaled, she gathered up all her strength and kicked the animal in the throat. Keeping her sturdy grip on the antlers, she forced the animal down and managed to reach her sword.
Powerfully, she brought the sword down and into the heart of the stag. Once the animal laid still, she removed her sword and threw it at the rope that held the net Toris was in.
Immediately, the man fell to the ground but he had no time to worry about himself. Toris ran to Xena hastily so he could help move her off of the antler.
"On the count of three, ready," Toris grabbed on to her. "One, two," without saying the three, he pulled her back and carefully helped her to the ground.
With her good arm, Xena whistled for her loyal horse. In seconds Argo galloped to Xena.
As slow as she would allow herself, Xena stood up.
"Xena, I need to get you back to the inn."
"Not without that son of a bitch." She spat and pointed at the dead stag.
"How?" He questioned.
"I'll help you get it on Philon. You and I ride back on Argo and Philon follows along."
A sharp crack of lighting came from the heavens above and it began to rain.
"We need to hurry, Toris." Xena informed him.
"We can do this."
At the inn...
It was quiet at the inn. Most of the noise came from the rain outside. Gabrielle was behind the bar filling up a guest's mug as Cyrene walked out of the dining area and sat down infront of Gabrielle.
"You look like you've done this before, Gabrielle. Have you?" Cyrene asked.
"Other than doing it here, no." Gabrielle responded.
"You're a natural." Cyrene complimented her.
Gabrielle smiled but inside her head her thoughts led her to Xena and Toris.
"Those two have been out for nearly the whole day. You think they're alright?" Gabrielle said to Cyrene.
"I'm not sure with those two. I bet they're fine. Don't worry, sweetheart. They'll be back." Cyrene reassured the woman.
Gabrielle couldn't wait were she was any longer, "I'll be right back." She told Cyrene as she walked out from behind the bar.
Gabrielle exited the tavern and to the road. She became rather upset at the scene infront of her.
Xena sat hunched forward on Argo while Toris got off. Gabrielle ran towards Toris and helped him get Xena off the horse.