Xena fic - The Choice
Title: The Choice
Author: Calliope
Disclaimer: Don't own Xena. If I did, we'd have a movie by now!
Rating: PG-13 (I REALLY wanted to do smutty, but just didn't have the energy for it...sad, I know.)
Pairing: Um, who the heck else 'cept Xena and Gabrielle?!
Author's Note: Per request and prompt from
pocketnympho for more Xena fics. I'm sorry it took so long, but the flu, work, and a sick baby have kind of zapped my creative energy lately.
Warning: Not beta'd.
"No, Dite!" The goddess chased Gabrielle uncharacteristically through the marketplace, her pink heels clicking on the cobblestones.
"You're as stubborn as your warrior. It's no wonder you two can't get it together," Gabrielle spun on her heel, causing the buxom blonde to stumble into her.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well, duh, chickie, exactly what it sounds like! You want her and as far more than an innocent traveling buddy, but you're afraid. You've faced down gods, demons, and thousands of bad guys but you can't even tell Xena that you love her," the bard huffed indignantly before turning to leave again.
"I've told Xena tons of times that I love her," she called over her shoulder.
Aphrodite was close on her heels, "Don't be deliberately dense with me, pumpkin. Remember who you're talking to." Gabrielle stopped dead in her tracks, hands on her hips. She must have been insane to even entertain the pink goddess' convoluted plans.
"You need to tell Xena how you feel and not only when one or both of you are close to dying or in someone else's body or hanging from a cross. If you don't, you'll regret it forever." Gabrielle turned slowly around, running her fingers through her short blonde hair. She took a deep steadying breath.
"I will, Dite, I promise, but when I'm ready. Please, I know you mean well, but don't interfere," Aphrodite crossed her arms, tapping one pink high heel, "I'm serious, Aphrodite! Don't!" Gabrielle punctuated her indignation with a finger to the goddess' shoulder.
"Ow, fine, no love potion #9. It's my specialty. I can't believe you'd turn it down."
The bard couldn't stay angry at her flighty friend for long. She knew Aphrodite meant well, but this was something she had to do on her own.
"I'm not turning your offer down, Dite. When I tell Xena I'm in love with her, I want to know that it's really her that hears me and that it's really her that's responding to me. I don't want it to be some magical mojo that's doing all the talking."
The goddess held up her hands, "Okay, I give. No fancy mumbo jumbo on Xena."
"Or me."
"Or you. Got it."
Gabrielle took Aphrodite's hands in her own, "Thanks. You're the best, you know that?"
"So I've been told numerous times," Gabrielle smiled at her before turning to head back to Xena at the inn. Aphrodite watched her walk away, a mischievous smile playing at her lips, "You may not want me putting my mojo on Xena, but you didn't say anything about anyone else, warrior babe."
********
Xena sat at a corner table, half hidden in the shadows caused by the fading daylight. Gabrielle didn't have to locate the tall warrior to know where she'd be. After years of traveling together, Gabrielle could have walked into any tavern blindfolded and still found Xena.
"We've got a room. I already took everything up."
"Thanks!" Gabrielle sat down next to Xena, taking the mug the warrior had pushed towards her. The bard rubbed the bridge of her nose trying to force Aphrodite's idea from her head. It was a stupid idea. This was something she'd have to do on her own...eventually. But not tonight. Tonight she was tired and didn't feel like thinking.
"Hungry?" The bard's stomach growled on demand. Xena laughed, "As if I need to ask." With a wave of her hand, a scantily clad barmaid came over to their table. Gabrielle watched as the young woman invaded Xena's personal space, smiling saucily at her.
"Can I get you something, sugar?" Xena visibily squirmed in her seat and chanced a glance at the bard seated next to her. Gabrielle's knuckles had turned white from her grip on her mug. In all the years of traveling with Gabrielle, the warrior had managed to keep her private endeavors from Gabrielle. She wasn't sure how the younger woman would deal with knowing Xena found women attractive.
"What's the special?" Gabrielle spoke up trying to draw the wenches eyeballs off of Xena. Instead, the girl sneered in Gabrielle's direction but her attention never wavered off of Xena. She even made a point of checking out the warrior's leather covered cleavage.
"Our special is a delicate and moist lamb steak smothered in a creamy garlic sauce," Xena couldn't help but lick her lips as much because of the food as the way it was delivered from the pouty lips of their waitress.
"It's been a while since I've had lamb. I think I'll try it," Gabrielle gawked at Xena and the obvious flirtation between the two.
"Yeah, I think I'll try it too," Gabrielle looked back and forth between the two women. As the barmaid walked away, she gave her hips a little extra sway for Xena's benefit. The bard caught the smirk on Xena's face before she could think twice.
"I don't believe this."
Xena came back to herself, realizing finally how much she'd given away. She tried to play it off, "What? I love lamb."
"Apparently, you do. That tender, young meat certainly has its appeal," Gabrielle mumbled then leaned back folding her arms over her chest.
"What does that mean?"
"Nothing," Gabrielle massaged the space between her eyes, trying desperately to alleviate the headache she could feel coming on, "Forget about it."
"Oh no, Bard-o'-Many-Words, spill it," Xena turned in her seat to look at Gabrielle directly. She could see her blonde friend fighting her desire to really light into Xena. Her cheeks were flushing with varying shades of pink and the muscles were clenching in her jaw. It was all she could do not to brush her fingers over the contracting muscles.
Gabrielle opened and closed her mouth several times before anything actually came out.
"Why her?" The hurt tone reminded Xena of the first few months of traveling with the young bard, when she was wide-eyed and innocent. It had been a long time since she'd ran into that sweet farm girl, and she realized she missed her. Xena had worried about Gabrielle knowing about her, but the crack in the blonde's voice let her know the hurt wasn't in not knowing but in not being the one.
Xena didn't hesitate to reach out to her friend. Her fingers brushed lightly at her hair.
"Why not?" Gabrielle looked up and at her with all of the hurt and confusion playing in her eyes. Xena took a deep breath and took the plunge, "Give me a good reason why it shouldn't be her. Say what we both need to hear, Gabrielle."
Xena waited, a wait long enough for her to think she had misjudged, until Gabrielle broke the silence, "Choose me. Choose me, instead of her Xena, and there won't be any need for words...ever again."
The warrior and the bard stared at each other, slowly moving closer to each other. Gabrielle felt Xena's long fingers slide through her hair until they rested gently at the base of her neck. The barmaid made a point of arriving at that moment, slamming their plates down on the table. Gabrielle jumped, but Xena refused to look away from her bard. Her eyes squinting into slits the only body language giving away her anger.
"Have the food taken to our room," Xena finally looked at the aggravated woman, standing over her, "and make sure we're not disturbed for the rest of the night." Gabrielle smirked at the waitress who promptly took the plates and stomped back to the kitchen.
Xena slid out of the booth and reached her hand out for Gabrielle, "Shall we?"
Gabrielle bit her bottom lip, nervousness finally kicking in. Xena smiled at the familiar look. Yes, she missed the innocent girl, but the mature woman looking at her with a new kind of hunger was sure to be a wonderful replacement.
******
Aphrodite watched through the window of the tavern, smiling, before pumping her fist up and down in victory, "Damn, I am the best!"