Fanfic Challenge: First Kiss between Gabrielle and Xena.
Challenged Setting: A rough storm forced Gabrielle and Xena to take shelter in the caves
Gabrielle skipped along behind Xena and Argo with a scroll and a quill in her hands, stopping momentarily to jot down her train of thoughts for the new addition to her stories.
"We got to head for shelter."
"Because...?" Gabrielle scribbled on without looking up.
"You jinxed it."
That caught her attention. "Excuse me?"
Xena turned her head without stopping her pace. "Your 'It was a dark and stormy night' opening to your story," she said, using her best, mocking voice when quoting the line. Instead of feeling insulted, Gabrielle's eyes lit up.
"I didn't think you were listening! Do you like it so far?"
"Well, I hear everything, but I also know how to block them out when I want to. And a storm is coming, it's not going to be pretty." Xena explained. "You'd better keep up if you want to be under a shelter by the time the storm hits."
At that, Gabrielle caught up with Xena and tucked her scrolls into the bag hanging off Argo's side.
"Where are we headed?"
"Don't know. Nearest solid shelter we can find; we might have to spend the night there."
Gabrielle sighed, knowing the high possibility of them sleeping on hard ground tonight.
"Please let us find an inn, please let us find an inn..." she muttered under her breathe.
****
A few more miles ahead and Xena tilted her head up in the air. She eyed the clouds, sniffed the air and changed course.
"There are no inns in that direction!" Gabrielle protested.
Xena smirked. "Who said anything about going to an inn?"
Gabrielle growled under her breath.
"Keep up..." Xena warned playfully.
"Can I at least ride Argo?"
"Nope."
****
There was no more skipping, not even a soft humming from Gabrielle's lips. She plowed at the ground with her staff and dragged herself almost unwillingly after Xena.
"Are we there yet?"
"I don't know." Xena teased.
"You better not have lost your way."
"Take me with you!" Xena mocked, giggling a little.
If looks could kill, Gabrielle would have sent a sword through Xena's back with her glare. With a "hrmf", Gabrielle quickened her pace, moving ahead of Xena and straight towards the opening of the cave ahead. Xena smiled. At least she didn't just walk pass it.
"Looks clean, looks stable, looks like we can spend the night here." Gabrielle announced with a toothy grin. "Can we stay here? Please, please, please? I'm tired, I'm hungry, my legs are sor--"
"Alright."
"Really?" Unexpectedly, Gabrielle bounced up and threw her arms around Xena for a hug. Quickly, she grabbed the furs from the bags and set them down on a clear spot in the middle of the cave as Argo's rein was tied to a protruding rock inside the cave.
"I'll give you a massage tonight if you cook dinner."
Gabrielle plopped down on the furs and closed her eyes; she stroked it with a blissful sigh. "I can live without a back massage."
"Are you sure? I'm the one giving the massage, not Argo," Xena lured, doing a playful, seductive walk towards Gabrielle. "And I, have many skills." She knelt down on the furs and leaned forward, trapping Gabrielle's body between her own and the ground. Feeling the shadow cast above her, Gabrielle pried an eye open.
"Please?" And it was Xena's turn to give a toothy grin.
"We only have onions, garlic and potato." Gabrielle said, closing her eye. Xena rolled over to her side of the furs, resting her hands on her stomach and crossed her legs. "That'll do." she said. Gabrielle groaned inwardly, hesitating.
Xena reached down and slapped Gabrielle's thigh playfully. "C'mon!"
"Alright, alright." Gabrielle grumbled. "But, you're collecting the wood for fire."
It was Xena's turn to pout. "Uh-uh, if you want food, you gotta work for it."
"Fine, but you're doing the washing up if you still want that massage."
****
Rain had started to pour outside, drops hitting mercilessly onto anything and everything. If they had headed toward the inn, they'd have been drenched before reaching shelter. Gabrielle watched as Xena slurped the stew up happily. It was one of the rare moments to see that smile on Xena's face. Feeling the gaze cast upon her, Xena wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and looked up, suddenly self-conscious.
"What?"
"Nothing," Gabrielle shook her head and looked back down at the stew in her hands, embarrassed.
Xena gave out a laugh. "Remember that day in the caves?"
"Which?"
"That one I found you in when you were high on---oh right, you won't remember." Xena said, setting her bowl aside and made herself comfortable on the furs, leaning against the cool rocks behind her.
"Tell me." Gabrielle urged, collecting the utensils for washing.
"Nah, it's embarrassing--for you."
Gabrielle took a moment to contemplate. "No, tell me."
A playful grin drew across Xena's face as she re-enacted the incident. She leaned back on her hands with her legs stretched lazily out in front of her and stared up and Gabrielle.
"By the Gods, Xena!" she mocked. Gabrielle raised and eyebrow, then frowned, rinsing the bowls with the rain at the entrance of the cave..
"You're beaaaautiful."
Gabrielle laughed. "I did not do that!" Xena joined in, nodding as she now sat crossed legged on the floor looking up as Gabrielle overturned the bowls and left it on the rocks to dry.
"And you had a whole, imaginary choir inside with you." She went on as Gabrielle positioned herself next to her. "I told you to keep an eye on them but you came after me eventually, claiming that one of the imaginary members told you that you should."
Gabrielle looked down, blushing.
"I told you you won't want to hear it."
"Well I'm glad you told me," Gabrielle confessed, sitting up so both of them are leaning their backs against the rocks. "So I can tell you this without the influence of henbane. Xena, you are beautiful. You're the most beautiful person I've ever met." She said, her hand found its way to Xena's and held on to it gently. Xena looked away, flustered. It's not often that Xena hear a genuine praise that needed no returning favor. Gabrielle leaned forward tilted Xena's face up so their eyes met.
"Beautiful on the inside, and the outside." Gabrielle said, her voice almost a whisper. Then, her eyes drifted down to Xena's lips and she closed the gap between them. Before Xena could react, Gabrielle planted her lips down onto hers with a gentle kiss. Quick, yet the passion and warmth is felt. Xena returned the kiss with more pressure than before. The kiss was then cut short when Gabrielle suddenly pushed herself away.
"Oh gods," she cried, putting a hand to her head. "I'm so sorry Xena, I don't know what I'm doing." She looked up, unsure of what to expect. "I've never done this bef--" Xena pressed two fingers against Gabrielle's lips and smiled.
"I have," she said softly and her smile widened. "Let's get some sleep."
Xena slid down into her furs and Gabrielle stared speechlessly after her friend. Xena lay on her side facing Gabrielle and closed her eyes.
"Go to sleep, Gabrielle." Xena mumbled when she didn't feel Gabrielle moving into her furs. But at that, Gabrielle slipped quietly down and drew the furs up to her shoulders. She positioned herself to face Xena, sleep still unwilling to come.
"Are we okay, Xena?"
Sensing the worry in her voice, Xena opened her eyes and met Gabrielle's. "Yes, we are." she promised. Gabrielle smiled and snuggled against Xena's body and eventually drifted off into a dreamless sleep.