Liar, Liar
Disclaimer: not for profit, just for fun… there is an enormous lack of Xena/Joxer Fics out there… and I have caught the bug because I wrote one as a challenge and now I can't stop. Xena, Joxer, Gabrielle, etc. are property of MCA Universal.
ACT I- Getting Ready
Xena Joxer and Gabrielle walked into Melodia. The town square was perfect for a concert. Xena stood at the centre and yelled to the busy town folk. "All right, listen up.
Playing music's the way for a muse to inspire. So the best-sounding band will win Terpsichore's lyre."
Gabrielle stepped up next to her and added, "If the people don't mind there's a contest for peace. We'll do it right here…"
A man piped up exited "Of course! In Melodia-- music capital of Greece." Spiro went off to spread the word. So the trio set off to scout the village.
"Gabrielle' Joxer and I are going to get the rooms for tonight, and scout out an area for the stage, see if you can make sense of who wants to participate." Xena said walking away from her friend. Joxer followed her, "Grab the stuff from Argo I'll meet you back here."
Everything was coming together really fast, and there was little time. Xena stood at a corner of the busy center. She envisioned where this contest could take place. Out of one corner she could see Gabrielle as she was mobbed. She could hear her say "But you've got it all wrong there's no talent to find!" she broke away and walked near where she stood saying. "If this concert's too big I'll go out of my mind!"
Xena smirked and turned as she heard Joxer approaching. "So where are we going to do this?"
"On the bed…" she answered teasingly.
"A concert on a bed… Oh… hehe" Joxer said with a wicked grin of his own.
She ribbed him gently and walked out onto the sqare. "So I'm figuring, this'll be a great place for a stage." Joxer nodded in agreement as Gabrielle ran up to them.
"Xena-- the word is out. The bands are coming from everywhere."
"Wow." Joxer said under his breath.
"I guess the contest is gonna be bigger than we thought." Xena said really looking around now with a sigh.
"Yeah." Gabrielle agreed as joxer nodded.
"Well-- everybody deserves a chance. Gabrielle, why don't you just-- audition each band as it comes in, and make a first cut." Xena said pointing her in the direction of the tavern. "Good girl. Joxer, get together some villagers. See if you can build a stage. I'm figuring here."
"OK." He said heading off to find people.
"Yeah." Xena sighed and began to walk towards the tavern.
"Xena!" she heard a familiar voice call her name, she stopped and turned towards her mother.
"Mom!" She reached out to her and hugged her.
Her mother looked her over; spotting what she hoped was only a rumour. "So, it's true! And when were you going to tell me?"
"Amphipolis was my very next stop." Xena wrapped protective arms over her abdomen.
"Well, you look positively radiant. When are we gonna meet your-- special someone?"
Xena immediately took a defensive stance her mother was not so forward with her anymore, but she was not willing to go back to what used to drive her insane. "If you mean the father, the answer's never. He's not in my life."
"But Xena, every child needs a father!"
"You raised me on your own."
"I a test that would have been much easier with help," her mother insisted.
"I have help, Mom."
Cyrene sighed and hugged her stubborn daughter to her. "You have now." Xena wasn't sure how to take that, but she didn't really have time to figure it out.
"I'm going to go check on Gabrielle," she said and walked into the Tavern. The most gods awful noise assaulted her ears. She nearly turned and left the building again. She peeked in. Gabrielle sat with her head on the table.
Joxer walked up behind her and wrapped an arm around her middle. "What's that awful noise?" He whispered in her ear. She leaned on him, and took advantage of this rare private moment that they got.
"Auditions," She whispered, "How are you doing today?"
"I'll need you tonight." He whispered back.
"Okay" She whispered back and kissed his cheek. She broke away and walked forward wincing at the sound of the band. "Oh, Gabrielle, sign them up."
"Kill me, please." Gabrielle said dropping her head back down on the table.
Joxer tried a little possitivity, "Aw, come on. They can't all be-- mediocre."
"No, they all suck." Gabrielle sighed frustrated; running her fingers through her hair. "Sadly, everyone in the music capital of Greece is tone deaf."
Suddenly the air was filled with the most danceable music. The trio looked amongst themselves and smiled. "Maybe not everyone…" Xena said, "Come on."
--
They walked into the square which was transformed in bright colors as a man was surrounded by beautiful scantily clad men. Xena and Gabrielle smiled at each other and Gabrielle began to bounce to the rhythm. Joxer walked forward and stopped dead in his tracks. He couldn't believe what he was seeing and soon neither would his two friends.
A man identical to Joxer turned and began to dance saying. "Everyone! Why don't you all throw up your hands—and fe-e-e-e-e-el my rhythm?"
"Another one?" Xena said looking from Joxer to the other man.
"That's my brother, Jace." Joxer said his embarrassment oozed from his pores. Xena could see the tension in him. She looked at how different these brothers were. Joxer fled the square and just as Xena was about to follow him Gabrielle pulled her into the frenzy.
"Come on!" Gabrielle said urging her pregnant friend to dance. Xena soon began to loosen up dancing to the rhythm of Jace's music.
Draco walked into the square and immediately pulled Jace to him halting the hullabaloo
"You fall off the circus wagon, boy?" He growled in Jace's face, "We don't like your kind around here, freak."
Gabrielle sprung to his defence, pulling Jace out of the way. "Draco! Let's take him."
"But, Gabrielle-- I am just trying to keep you from being infected by-- by this lily-livered panty-twist!"
Xena stepped forward, a menacing air about her. "You harm so much as a hair on Jace's head—"She paused and her look turned to smouldering, her patience beginning to wear thin already. I'll scalp you. Good luck in the contest." She walked away to find Joxer.
Xena took a deep breath and let out a moan as Joxer's hands found just the right spot of tension. "What bothers you about him?" She asked as she ran her hands over his bare thighs. The water in the tub was beginning to cool they had been there for over an hour just talking.
"I don't know," he says as she moves to straddle him, "Maybe it's the fact that he's…"
"Gay?" she finishes for him as she guides him inside of her. A soft groan is elicited from her lips. "Trust me… It shouldn't reflect on you."
"I just think… It's a waste, Just a waste… It's an embarrassment."
"Joxer," Xena said softly wrapping her arms around his neck as they moved slowly. "Give him a chance… I gave you a chance. Look at where we are now."
"I embarrassed you?" Joxer asked stopping the motion.
Xena Shivered with the restraint. "Not really, I just let you be who you were, a Goof and I love you for it."
"I'm not a Goof anymore?"
Xena grinned evily and resumed motion, "No you're a stud."
She tightened around him and Joxer head reeled from the sensation and the complete boost of ego that she had just given him. "you think I have a chance with that Amoria Chick?"
"Oh yeah…" Xena Moaned and kissed Joxer halting anything else he might have to say. She couldn't think anymore.
Joxer had absolutely nothing else to say, the only thing that could make the situation better was that Gabrielle would walk in and want to join. He was seriously willing to just be with Xena for the rest of his life. If he knew that she would settle with him, he would ask her to marry him. But he knew better, he was sure that both of the women that held his affections would be unable to part from one another. Xena never discouraged Joxer from being with Gabrielle but was it that she was sure of where Gabrielle stood within that relationship?
No the Xena he knew could not be that cruel to him. He kissed her neck as he plunged inside his partner one last time. She convulsed atop him, her loud moan telling him that she'd gone where she needed to go. Her tightening walls eliciting a burn of pleasure from his head to his toes which were thoroughly curled. They held each other for an intense minute. "Marry me." It was a whisper but it was there.
"I can't," Xena answered softly, "I'm already married remember?"
"Is that why…" He couldn't finish the question because Xena turned and kissed him.
"Yes." Xena pulled away from Joxer and shivered, "It's cold in here."
Joxer stood up and stepped out of the tub. He wrapped himself in a towel and reached for Xena's hand. "Let me help you."
Xena took his help, He doted on her which was nice to have. Borias never did. She was lucky now, she had both Joxer and Gabrielle who made sure everything with her went smoothly. "Thanks."
"Stay with me tonight?" Joxer asked hopefully.
"I'll be back, Just want to make an appearance at my room." Xena consented, she felt a bit raw, maybe it was the baby but she was growing attached to Joxer more and more every time they spent these nights together.
She wore a robe and carried off her things the few steps it took to get to the room she shared with Gabrielle.
"Hey, where have you been?" Gabrielle asked looking at her wet friend.
"Public baths," Xena said taking a seat on the bed. "You make a first cut that you are satisfied with?"
"Xena it was horrible." Gabrielle said. "But yeah I think what we have left is wonderful."
Xena nodded quietly and put on a shift. "Tomorrow is going to be a very busy day."
"yeah, let's hope Joxer doesn't mess up the stage." Gabrielle said sitting next to Xena and unlaced her boots. Xena bristled, but did not say anything as she lay in her bed. "What was his problem today anyway?"
"The same problem you have with him." Xena answered starting to feel the strain of her physical activity of moments before.
"That's ridiculous; Jace is so… not Joxer."
"No… he's not Joxer." Xena answered just before her eyes closed and she was asleep and did not wake up until a few candle marks before dawn. She picked up her things and returned to Joxer as she'd promised.
She watched him sleep. He looked so sad, the lines of his face were definitely not happy. Unrequited love tended to do that to people. She knealed beside him and caressed his face. He smiled and she wondered if he'd been dreaming of Gabrielle. She leaned forward and kissed his lips and he reached around with one hand and buried it in her raven locks. "Xena…" He whispered in between kisses.
"Mm?"
"I love you too." Xena pulled away for just a second.
"Move over," she whispered. He opened his eyes then fully awake.
"Good morning."
Xena smiled, "Hey."