Gabrielle felt like she was losing her ability to contain herself as the elevator slowly, so slowly took her and Xena down from the rooftop bar to the floor their rooms were on in the Vancouver hotel. When the elevator doors opened, Xena confidently grabbed Gabrielle's hand and lead her toward her room. She pulled her inside and made sure to lock and deadbolt the door behind her.
After ensuring they would not be interrupted, Xena turned her attention back to Gabrielle. She swiftly covered the distance between them and leaned down to kiss her. Gabrielle was the one to remove all the space between them by forcing herself against Xena as hard as she could. The taller woman seemed to groan in delight as she placed her arms around Gabrielle and lifted her up before walking toward the bed and pushing her down onto it.
Gabrielle laid there breathing heavily and peering up at Xena in astonishment. Fuck me, this is actually happening, Gabrielle thought to herself as she stared up at Xena, who grasped the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head. As Xena worked on slowly and sensually undressing her, Gabrielle was becoming too hyped up and began clumsily suggesting that Xena take clothing off as well. Xena grinned as she obeyed Gabrielle's commands and in the course of a few minutes, they were both fully naked.
Xena yanked up the sheets so they covered both of them as she turned her full attention to Gabrielle. Her face was red, and she was peering up at her with a sense of anxiousness.
Xena scoffed as she leaned down and began placing kisses against her neck and slowly moving lower and lower. "Are you actually nervous about me seein' ya right now?"
Gabrielle groaned as she got closer to her chest. "Maybe a little bit. I mean," she began but lost her breath from Xena's touch. "You are you…and…and…aw fuck."
"Ya shouldn't be," Xena told her as made the kiss trail's first stop. "I've been wantin' to do this since the first day I met you."
"What?" Gabrielle asked, but Xena had placed her lips around her nipple and she very unsubtlety bucked up against her.
Xena huffed, pleased as she continued with her tongue and traced her hand down Gabrielle's body to the destination, she could feel the young woman below her nearly crying out for. She called out and pressed herself into Xena, who smirked, pleased.
"You lifted your shirt up and I got to see all this," Xena whispered into her ear pleased as she ran her hand against her ribs and down onto her muscular abdomen. "And I've been thinking about this," she told her flirtatiously as her hand reached the top of her pants, "ever since. Can I?"
Gabrielle began nodded vigorously against her, seemingly unable to speak. Xena did not give her a chance as she began taking care of the blonde's rising emotions. For the next 30 minutes to two hours Gabrielle had no idea, Xena continued stoking that flame until in engulfed them both.
Gabrielle woke up slowly and it took her a moment to realize Xena still had her arms wrapped around her. She felt a light kiss on the back of her head.
"Hey," Xena said softly.
Gabrielle leaned back against her and smiled. "Hey."
Gabrielle must have fallen back asleep, because it felt like a good amount of time had passed when she stirred again with her head on Xena's shoulder. "Hmm," she grumbled sleepily.
Xena gave a pleased laugh. "Keep sleepin', baby. I got my eyes on the alarms."
"What? You aren't tired?" Gabrielle asked, trying to keep her eyes open but she was too comfortable and too relaxed.
Xena scoffed. "I didn't have as big of a night as you did."
Gabrielle burst with laughter. "Can I redeem that next time?"
"You better," Xena replied with a sultry tone.
Gabrielle fell asleep again and was finally forced to get up an hour before the 10 a.m. team meeting they were having before everyone was scheduled to depart from Vancouver.
It was a run of the mill meeting. Athena seemed to simply want to recap the Canada game and some things to work on before they were together again in three weeks. They would be facing Costa Rica in the CONCACAF semi-final in New Jersey.
The flight to Chicago was a bit later than the flight to San Francisco, but Xena decided to go with Gabrielle to the airport.
"So, uh," Gabrielle asked as they were seated beside each other at Gabrielle's gate, drinking their coffee. "What does this mean now?"
Xena took a long sip and seemed to be seriously complementing her question. "Well, I didn't kick you out of a hotel room this morning."
Gabrielle smiled and shook her head. "No, you didn't."
"So, better than last time," Xena stated. "Probably won't go three weeks without texting again."
Gabrielle blushed slight. "Yeah, I'd say so."
They were both silent for a moment and watched a rather large plane take off through the window.
"What would ya want this to mean, Gabrielle?" Xena asked truly being serious.
Gabrielle peered over at her for a moment and then shrugged as she turned her gaze back to her coffee cup. "I don't know."
"Okay," Xena replied casually.
Gabrielle raised an eyebrow at her a bit surprised.
Xena shrugged. "We don't have to label it. Or even fully understand yet. I'm not going to be a jerk, who gets in the way again so let's see where this goes. Yeah?"
"Yeah," Gabrielle replied with a smile as she turned her head toward her.
"Okay," Xena answered smugly as she leaned over and kissed her.
Gabrielle waited at the gate as long as she could. Xena had been standing with her at the back of boarding group C. She kissed her again just before Gabrielle reached the front of the line.
"Text me when you land, and I'll text ya when I land?" Xena asked.
Gabrielle nodded. "Goodbye, Xena."
"See you soon, Gabrielle," Xena told her with a confident nod.
Gabrielle scanned her ticket and managed to get a fleeting glance of a Red Stars backpack as she walked toward her plane. She smiled to herself as she pulled her headphones out of pocket and plugged them into her ears. She texted Ngara that she didn't have to bother getting her from the airport if she didn't want to. She would just take an Uber. She then started her audiobook to try to calm herself about everything that had happened over the weekend.
They began continuously texting after exchanging their landing texts. After talking a bit with teammates and her roommates, Gabrielle decided she was going to take the quick plane ride up to Seattle for Regin FC's game the next Saturday against the Chicago Red Stars. Only Ngara and Stalonus agreed to go with her and since they also had no classes on Fridays, they would go up Friday morning. It would give them a day to do tourist things before attending the game on Saturday evening and flying back mid-day Sunday.
Gabrielle: So, can I come to your game on Saturday?
Xena: I don't control the ticket sales, Gabrielle. Especially not in Seattle's terrible stadium. Plus, I've already surprised you at a game, seems unfair for me to require permission.
G: I'd be bringing friends.
X: Technically Amarice was also at that UW game, she was just glued to the open bar in Artemis' suite
G: *sigh* So, it's okay?
X: Course, kid. I'm looking forward to it :)
"Oh my god!" Eve stated with an even tone at Xena through the Skype call from Orlando with Varia seated on the couch beside her. "You are totally dating Gabrielle."
Xena groaned really wishing she did not mention that Gabrielle was coming up for the game in Seattle.
"Just admit it," Varia called animatedly beside her.
Xena huffed. "Oh, that's fucking rich coming from you two," she jested.
"Hey!" Eve called with a glare at her cousin. "We have never confirmed nor denied anything."
Varia shrugged. "Yeah," she added with a nod. "I'm obvious, but she's too pretty and the heteronormative is strong."
Eve sighed.
"So, three years later, here we are," Varia stated as she placed an arm around Eve's shoulders and forcefully kissed her on the check.
Eve playfully pushed Varia away with a laugh. She turned her attention back to the Skype call. "I know you are, and I know I'm probably the fifteenth person to tell you this, but just be careful with this Xena. She's young and you know the trash parts of the media are not going to care…"
"Who your Lao Ma rebound is," Varia finished for Eve with a grin.
Xena huffed while shaking her head. "I'm really gonna have to deal wit' this bitch forever?" Xena questioned of Eve, while pointing of Varia.
Eve shrugged and then placed an arm around Varia's shoulder. "Sorry, Xena."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Xena replied shaking her head. "See ya guys in Jersey."
"Wait, wait, they don't sell brews in the stadium?" Stalonus questioned as the three of them reached the bottle shop/bar Gabrielle had been navigating them to since they left their Airbnb. "Do they know it's a soccer game?"
Gabrielle sighed as she pulled over the door and handle of it for her two friends.
"Oh, you sweet baby boy," Ngara told him as she walked inside behind him. "Women's soccer. The stadium is owned by the school district. No alcohol."
"What?" Stalonus questioned as they walked up to the bar to read the draft list. "That's stupid."
"Yeah," Gabrielle stated as she walked past him and hit him on the shoulder. "That is why Aphrodite suggested this place." She began walking to the L-shaped wall covered in coolers.
"Where are you going?" Ngara asked from the line at the bar.
"I want to check their Texas and wine selections."
"Snob," Stalonus called over her.
"Fuck off," she called back at him as she walked away from them.
The beers were organized by style not location, so she decided to first head to the small wine selection at the end of the wall of coolers. She audibly grasped when she saw a bottle from the winery on her parents' farm. She quickly opened the cooler door and seized a bottle without checking the price.
"Ohhh," someone loudly said from the end of beerhall style table beside the cooler. "She only selected wine."
"Well, I guess I could let that slide," another older voice stated. "Especially if it is about family."
Gabrielle froze for a moment but then peered over when she realized she recognized the first voice. "Terries?"
"Hey, Gabrielle," Terries called with a small wave.
Gabrelle anxious peered from her to who she was pretty certain was Xena's mom back to Terries.
"Why don't you go buy that bottle of wine and get a glass or two and then join us?" Terries suggested.
"Um, yes, yeah," Gabrielle uttered nervously as she rushed over to the bar.
Ngara and Stanlous were standing just off the side of the bartenders, clearly having just been handed their beers.
"Oh, they have the wine from the one on your family's land?" Ngara asked.
Gabrielle peered at her panicked for a moment before placing the bottle in front of the bartender.
"Pop this for here? It's a $2 corking fee."
Gabrielle nodded. "Could I get…four glasses?"
"Yup," the bartender stated as he turned to grabbed them and placed them on a silver tray around the bottle.
"Yo, Gabs, why ya bein' weird?" Stanlous asked as he followed her toward the back of the bar.
"Terries is here with Xena's mom and then invited us to sit with them," she frantically told them.
"Oh," Ngara stated.
Stanlous simply huffed awkwardly.
"Come now, Gabrielle," Cyrene said kindly as the three of them approached their table. "Don't be nervous, just sit."
"Dite told you to come here, right?" Terries asked.
Gabrielle nodded as she sat beside her across from Cyrene and anxious placed the wine bottle in the center of the table. After she got the tray of glasses down safely, she seized one and filled it a bite higher than it should have been.
Terries shrugged and patted Gabrielle on the shoulder, seemingly understanding how nervous and freaked out she was. "Dite played and worked for the Reign for a bit. You should have expected this."
Gabrielle nearly chocked on her first gulp of wine. "The two of you?" she questioned Terries.
The veteran player she had been replacing laughed and Xena's mother grinned as she shook her head.
"It's a Red Stars game," Terries called at them. "Ephiny is playing and her kid is playing," she added pointing across the table.
Stanlous scoffed after he lowered his lips from his beer. "But if you'd travel from the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest for a game, you'd think it'd be Portland?"
"Well, everyone goes to Portland, honey" Cyrene responded. "Our support it barely needed there."
Ngara laughed. "Hardly anyone ever shells out the money to come to Memorial."
Terries snapped and pointed at her. "You understand this league. Where you playing?"
Ngara politely smiled and pointed at Gabrielle. "Stanford."
"Do not sell yourself short," Cyrene replied. "You look too familiar. What's your national team?"
Ngara blushed for a moment. "E-E-England, but I've never made the senior team."
"Ohh," Cyrene called in realization. "U-23 World Cup. You played for England in the last U-23 World Cup. That is what I recognize you from. You played against Eve and Varia. I remember you being very good."
Ngara blushed and sank down awkwardly. "Uh, tha-thank you."
The five of them had a pleasant pre-game party experience together and then walked the few blocks to the stadium together. They opted, mostly because of Cyrene, Terries, and Gabrielle's apparel to stand with the small group of traveling Chicago fans, which put them by the stadium's west-end goal. The opposing team players, who had travelled with the team but had not made the 18 were seated on the concrete benches beside them. Two of the young Chicagoland rookies had peered at them long enough to catch Terries' attention. She limped because of her giant knee brace toward them and stopped at the edge of their section, despite there only being a yellow rope between them.
"You kids keep your mouths shut," Terries instructed them. "I know you've seen me and Cyrene, but you know who could get you kicked off the team? Xena. So, don't say a goddamn word about Gabrielle being here. Okay?"
The rookies nodded. "Okay."
The game was mostly uneventful until the 35th minute when a hard challenge by the Regin gave the Red Stars a set piece opportunity with good field position. One of the Chicago wingers stood over the ball as Xena and Ephiny were positioned within the box. Ephiny struggled against her defender but got part of her head on it and attempted to flick it back either to Xena or at the goal. One of the young international players on Regin's defense managed to block it but couldn't clear it. Xena forced the ball away and rocketed it at the goal. It took a deflection off someone within the crowded box and bounced passed the keeper into the back of the net.
The away section exploded in cheers as Xena pointed up at them and screamed excitedly. Gabrielle was so caught up in the excitement that it took her a moment to find it weird that she was hugging Xena's mom as part of her celebration. When the halftime whistle blow, Cyrene and Terries invited them and basically everyone in the section to the "beer garden" for a halftime drink.
"What is this?" Stanlous questioned as they reached what was basically a fenced in part of the walkway outside the stadium with a beer tent in it.
"The Memorial beer garden," Terries told him with a wide grin.
"What are the two lines for?" Stanlous asked.
Cyrene sighed loudly. "Do not worry about it, darling. I stocked up last time," she told him as she pulled a plastic bag filled with wooden coins out of her pocket. "Just come with me to this line."
After Cyrene somehow exchanged wooden coins for actual drinks that had to remain in the fenced in walkway area, their group gathered near the television that was broadcasting footage from the field. The bench players were warming up but there was still 10 more minutes before halftime ended.
Gabrielle' heart nearly jumped into her throat as she realized Cyrene was standing beside her and ready to ask a question of her. Gabrielle took a long drink of her cider.
"My niece thinks you are dating my daughter," Cyrene stated at Gabrielle.
Gabrielle laughed awkwardly and really wished Terries had not gone to the restroom. "Uh, um, actually ma'am, I-I am not sure what is going on between me and Xena."
"Hmm," Cyrene replied. "She has not been straightforward with you?"
Gabrielle shook her head. "No, it's not like that. She didn't want to force me into anything and…uh…said I should determine what we are."
"Oh," Cyrene answered, sounding impressed. "How grown up of her," she added in surprise.
Gabrielle laughed.
"You seem like a good kid, Gabrielle. And you are clearly an excellent right back. I guess what I am saying," she said as she leaned closer to her and began to whisper," if you start dating my daughter, I would not be disappointed."
They heard the whistle starting the second half blow loudly from the television and faintly from the field back in the stadium. They all downed their drinks and hurried back to their seats. The second half also was uneventful. The Red Stars had a few good chance but not as many as the Regin did, but thankfully Amarice was able to shut down any of the opposition's chances and the game ended 1-0 in favor to the Red Stars.
Cyrene, Terries, and Gabrielle made their way down to the fan section closest to the field where the Regin players gathered after every game to sigh autographs. A few of the Red Stars players had joined them.
Gabrielle felt incredibly awkwardly standing among the eager fans not sure what she would even say to Xena once she finally saw her. She felt eyes on her and turned to her right. A child of maybe nine or ten in a boxy Xena National Team youth jersey but ducked behind her mother when Gabrielle looked over at her.
Her mother, who was probably close to Xena's age, walked over pulling her daughter behind her.
"I'm really sorry," the mother asked. "She is very shy, but could we take a photo with you?"
Gabrielle shook her head a bit amazed that she had even asked. "Uh, yeah, of course."
The girl walked up and stood beside Gabrielle. She knelt down so her face would be level with her's.
"What's your name?" Gabrielle asked.
"Um, Madison," she told her. "Could you sign my sleeve?" Madison pulled a sharpie out of her pocket and held it out to Gabrielle.
"Sure," Gabrielle told her with a smile as she took the sharpie from her. Madison turned so her shoulder was in front of her. Gabrielle laughed. "Do you have all of Xena's friends sign you sleeve? Because that top one in Amarice's terrible handwriting, isn't it?"
She laughed. "Yeah."
Xena must have spotted Gabrielle and hopped over the railing and into the stands. "You stealin' my glory, Gabrielle?"
Madison audibly gasped at Xena's presence.
"Hey, how's it going, kid?" Xena directed at her. "My signature on that somewhere?"
Madison nodded frantically. "Yeah, but it was almost a year ago at an international friendly almost a year ago in Utah."
Xena smiled and nodded. "So…you ain't got a signed Red Stars jersey then?"
Madison shook her head. "No, I live here in Seattle, you are just my favorite player."
"Well," Xena grumbled. "Let's fix part of that." She pulled her jersey over her head and meet eyes with an astonished Madison. "Can I borrow your sharpie?"
She held it out to her with a panicked look up at her mom. Xena signed her jersey and handed it to Madison, along with the sharpie.
"Now, ya got a Red Stars one," Xena stated.
Madison looked up in amazement from the jersey to Xena. "Th-thank you!"
"Sure thing, kid."
Madison ran off back toward her mom and Gabrielle was left peering at a sweaty and now shirtless Xena.
Gabrielle peered at her for a moment and then laughed. "You know that," she stated pointing over her shoulder. "And this," she said pointing at her standing before her in only a sports bra and shorts, "is why I still have a post of you in my room—"
"And wanna go back to my hotel room with me?" Xena questioned with a smug expression.
Gabrielle laughed as she let Xena embrace her and lean down to kiss her.
"Let's go have a good fucking night," Xena told Gabrielle.
Gabrielle laughed. "That was an admittedly good pun."
Xena smirked. "Figured you'd enjoy it."
