Practice Makes Perfect

Disclaimer: I do not own Xena or Gabrielle or any other television named characters in this fanfiction. Only Julia is mine.
Rating: PG-13
Description: Part One of my new series. It takes place right after the Season Finale of Season Five.
A note to my readers:

If you're shocked that I actually wrote a story with minimal sexual content, trust me, friend, you're nowhere near as shocked as I am. I wanted to try something a little more less graphic, and here it is.


And... begin!




Eve sighed as she caught her mother, Xena, stealing a glance at Gabrielle. By Eli, it is so ridiculous that she can't just come out and say she loves Gabrielle. And Gabrielle, who is so gifted with words, should tell my mom that she loves her! What the hell are they afraid of?

Gabrielle looked up and gazed into Xena's eyes, and the pair's eyes remained locked on each other. Those icy blue pools; that raven hair; that strength on the inside and the outside; I love this woman so much. If only she felt the same.

Xena felt herself getting lost in Gabrielle's green seas. No matter how much I loved Borias, Marcus, Hercules, or anyone, I'll never love anyone else with the passion I have for Gabrielle. Looking up at the road, the Warrior Princess cleared her throat, and halted Argo II, and Gabrielle and Eve halted their horses in turn. "We're right outside of Athens. Eve, have you ever been there, and if so, how long ago?"

Eve smiled. "I've been there, Mother. When I was growing up, my tutor for combat took me to Athens to see the navy. There was a demonstration, and the General sparred with one of his lieutenants. It was great!"

Xena smiled at her daughter. Ah, how I wish Gabrielle and I had been there to watch you grow up. Who knows? Maybe with Gabrielle's influence you would have had an affinity for words rather than fighting. Knowing Gabrielle, she'd have taught you all about story-telling. That bard is so precious. "I bet it was, Eve. Gabrielle and I were here quite a few times back in the day." She said, gesturing at the short-haired strawberry blonde.

Gabrielle smiled grimly. "How could I forget? I died that first time."

Xena felt a pang in her heart at the memory of the near loss of her bard. "Yes, you did, but you came back, and that's what's important."

Gabrielle's face brightened. "How could I stay away from my best friend, the glorious Xena, Warrior Princess?"

Xena felt her heart flutter at the way Gabrielle said her name. She's so perfect. "Erm. Well, thank you, I wouldn't be anything without *my* best friend, Gabrielle, Bard of Poteidaia."

Gabrielle visibly blushed. You have no idea why your approval matters to me the most. Your every complimentary word echoes in my mind, and I long to know how you feel about me. Have things changed so much since that kiss? Gabrielle often thought of the kiss the warrior and herself had shared while Xena was in Autolycus' body. Since that kiss, Gabrielle had felt that perhaps Xena shared her love, though was unsure. "Um, thank you."

Eve sighed. That's it. That is just IT! I'm getting involved here, 'cause Xena is *my* mom, Gabrielle is like an aunt to me, and they clearly were meant to be together. I mean, really. They lived together, they died together, they were resurrected together, and they were entombed in ice for twenty-five years together. That is definitely destiny.

Xena noticed her daughter's expression of exasperation. "Something wrong?"

Eve gave her mother a look. My mom is too proud to ever tell Gabrielle how she feels. Gabrielle, on the other hand, will want to talk to Xena the moment she knows of her love. Better to go to Gabrielle. "Nothing's wrong, Mom," Eve told her, and then turned to Gabrielle. "Gabrielle, can we talk when we get to Athens? There are some matters that I need to discuss with you."

Gabrielle looked surprised. "Um, sure, Eve. Absolutely."

Xena quirked an eyebrow at her brown-haired daughter. Hmmm, what's she up to? "Okay. When you two get to Athens, I'll give you some time while I stable and brush Argo. Just stay out of trouble, *Gabrielle*," Xena flashed Gabrielle a sly grin.

Gabrielle's mouth fell open in shock. "Me?! Xena, five- no, THIRTY years we've been friends, and you still think I attract trouble?"

"Well, you do," Xena teased.

"When have I caused trouble? Hmmm?" Gabrielle demanded.

Xena thought for a second. A bunch of times. I won't mention the one where Joxer died; that would be painful. Better not mention Eve's 'Livia' days either. "Well, I seem to recall *someone* thought that she might stir up trouble by trading my whip for a frying pan."

Gabrielle gaped at Xena. "That was twenty-eight years ago! Besides, you had destroyed our other frying pan, and then you used my scrolls to...clean up!"

"Yeah? Well, you used my chakram to cut fish! It reeked for weeks!" Xena shot back.

"Yes, because you had thrown our cutting knife at a warlord!" Gabrielle sputtered.

Eve burst out laughing. "You two are hilarious. You're arguing about something that happened almost thirty years ago."

Xena and Gabrielle both said in unison, "We were frozen for twenty-five years! Shut it!"

Eve shook her head and giggled. "It's still funny."

Gabrielle started giggling as well. "And then, that night, I caught Xena on the nose with my staff."

Xena mock-glowered at Gabrielle. "You want trouble, bard?"

Gabrielle giggled even more. "No, ma'am."

Xena smiled warmly at Gabrielle. "C'mon, let's get to Athens."






"So, what did you want to talk about?" Gabrielle asked Eve over a steaming cup of tea.

"Your feelings for my mom," Eve replied.

Gabrielle gulped. Oh, shit, shit, shit. She knows! She must hate me! I can understand that...she never had a father, and she doesn't want her mother's attention on me. "Eve, look, I'm really sorry, I'll leave Xena alo-," she began.

"No, no! Gabrielle, listen!" Eve interrupted. "Look, I don't mind that you love my mom; in fact, I support you," and then added with a grin, "because she loves you back."

Gabrielle gaped at Xena's daughter. Can this be true? No, no...she's lived away from her mother her whole life, she must be wrong. But I wish she was right. "Eve, I don't think Xena feels that way for me. I mean, we've known each other for a while, and she hasn't suggested anything...well, almost anything." That kiss was a surprise. But it couldn't have meant anything.

"Almost?" Eve asked, quirking her eyebrow in a manner that would make her mother proud.

"Well, there was one time. She had died, and her spirit went into the body of one of our friends, Autolycus, and he came to me, and she spoke to me through him, and she kissed me," Gabrielle told Eve. "What I don't know is if it was Xena that kissed me, or was it Autolycus?"

Eve grinned at Gabrielle. "I think it was my mom. She loves you. It's so obvious that I don't know how you could miss it."

"What makes it obvious? I haven't noticed a thing, and I spend every moment that she's not looking to look at her," Gabrielle responded.

"She does the same to you! When you're cleaning your tridents, or when you're writing a story on your scrolls, she's always watching you! She checks you out, up and down, and she wants you. Whenever you compliment her, she can keep a straight face for a moment or two, but then when she turns away, I've seen her blush and smile shyly! Trust me, Gabrielle, my mother loves you with the same passion you have for her, and I think that the two of you are destiny," Eve finished.

Oh, gods. She does love me! But if so, why has she hidden her love from me? "Well, why hasn't she told me how she feels?" Gabrielle asked her informer.

"Gabrielle, you know my mom. She's the queen of mysterious and the empress of understatements. She's too afraid that you'll reject her if she tells you."

"I'd never reject her! Gods, I love her so much! How am I going to tell her?" Gabrielle asked in confusion.

"You're the bard, write something down, memorize it, and say it to her," Eve advised.

"Eve, I could never write something this important! This is my heart we're talking about here!" Gabrielle answered in panic.

"Okay, okay. Calm down. I have an idea. Look at me and pretend I'm my mother. Tell me how you feel for her, with lots of description and a couple examples."

Gabrielle eyed Eve curiously. "You mean to practice?"

Eve smiled. "Practice makes perfect."

"Okay," Gabrielle drew in a deep breath. "Xena..."






"All right, Argo. I think you're good," Xena told her horse, and looked at Gabrielle's and Eve's horses. "You two seem happy." The Warrior Princess had stabled the three horses and brushed them down to the point that one more stroke would give them split ends. "See you three later."

Xena walked out of the stable and towards the bar she had seen Gabrielle and Eve go into. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew she was jealous that Gabrielle was spending time with Eve and not her. You old warrior...it's probably something with words that Eve was too embarassed to say in front of you, she scolded herself. Xena walked into the dark bar, and immediately saw Gabrielle and Eve sitting together. However, the bar was dark against the warrior's raven hair and bronze skin, and Xena doubted the pair could see her. She crept up to them in her usual quiet way, and overheard Gabrielle talking to Eve.

"I don't know how to tell you this. I...I'm in love with you. From the first time I saw you, I've loved you. I love the way your eyes glow. I love the way you talk. I love the way you treat me. I love your smile. Gods, I love everything about you. I know you don't want to admit it, but I know you have feelings for me, too..."

Xena's heart broke when she heard Gabrielle speak these words to her daughter. Hurt and sadness filled her heart at the idea of the woman she loved choosing her daughter instead of her. Afraid to hear anymore confessions from Gabrielle, Xena turned and left the bar, heading to the inn where Eve had rented two rooms.






"I don't know how to tell you this. I...I'm in love with you. From the first time I saw you, I've loved you. I love the way your eyes glow. I love the way you talk. I love the way you treat me. I love your smile. Gods, I love everything about you. I know you don't want to admit it, but I know you have feelings for me, too," Gabrielle paused, considering her next words. "Just, please, tell me how you feel, Xena. I love you so much, and I want to hear about what you feel for me."

Eve smiled at Gabrielle. "Not bad. Now, try saying it to my mom."

Gabrielle gulped. "What if you're wrong?"

Eve sipped her drink. "I'm not."

Gabrielle wasn't satisfied. "But what if you *are* wrong?"

Eve looked Gabrielle in the eye. "My mom loves you, Gabrielle. It's obvious in everything she says and does. She loves you with the very core of her heart."

Gabrielle sighed. "Give me time, and I'll tell her. I'll go see now if she's in our room." Gabrielle stood and walked out of the bar. As she walked down Athens' streets, she saw small children running around playing tag. The sight made her smile, for it reminded her of all the times she had played tag with Xena. Xena, we are destiny. I love you, you love me. I just hope you're not too proud to be with me.

Gabrielle reached the inn, and walked inside. She climbed the staircase and walked down the hallway. She unlocked the door to the room she was sharing with Xena, and strode in.

Xena lay on the bed, clad in her leathers. "What are you doing here, Gabrielle? I figured you'd want to room with Eve." The Warrior Princess' voice was cold.

Gabrielle immediately knew something was bothering her friend. "Xena, we always room together, silly. It's always been that way."

"Yeah, well, now that Eve's your new love and all, you probably should be rooming with her. Don't worry about me and our silly traditions," Xena replied. She was desperately trying to hide the hurt in her heart from her voice.

Gabrielle was shocked. "Xena, Eve and I aren't-,"

Xena held up her hand, silencing the bard. "It's okay, Gabrielle. I heard everything you said to Eve. You're in love with her, and she loves you back. I'm okay with that," Xena answered. "Just, please, I beg you, don't talk to me about you and her," she managed to choke out. "I-I'm just going to look around the city. Y-y-you stay here." The warrior rushed out of the room, fighting back tears.

Gabrielle sank onto the bed, and lay there in shock. Tears welled up in her eyes and flowed down her cheeks, and she sobbed, "Oh, shit."






Eve immediately noticed when Xena, red-faced and eyes puffy, strode out of the inn. "Excuse me," she told the merchant she'd been speaking to. "Mom!"

Xena turned and looked Eve in the eye. "Yes?"

Wow, she's pissed. "Have you seen Gabrielle?" Eve asked.

Xena gave a quick nod. "She's in my room, though you can have it so you can s-s-s-," she began to choke, "sleep with her."

Eve gaped at Xena. "Mom, what the hell are you talking about? Did something happen between you and Gabrielle?"

Xena groaned in self-pity. She honestly thinks she can fool me. I know all about them. "Eve, drop the act. I know all about you and Gabrielle. I heard her telling you that she loved you in the bar."

Realization hit Eve like a hammer. "Did you? What was the last thing you heard?"

Xena thought on the memory with pain. "That she knew you loved her back."

"No wonder, Mom," Eve replied, exasperated. "Mom, she was practicing on me for what she wanted to say to you!"

Xena's jaw dropped. "What?!"

"Mom, Gabrielle loves you, not me! She didn't know how to tell you, so I told her to pretend I was you! Everything you heard WAS TO YOU!" Eve exploded.

Xena was stunned. Could it be possible that Gabrielle is in love with me? We've known each other for so long now...has she fallen for me the same way I fell for her? Then it dawned on the Warrior Princess. That kiss! I loved her, and knowing that we might fail to bring me back to life, I kissed her, and she returned it! I thought it was because she missed me, but there was love in that kiss. How could I hace not noticed that right away? Gabrielle loves me! Looking Eve squarely in the eye, Xena assessed the situation. "Eve, I just made a horrible mistake. Do you think Gabrielle will be able to forgive me?"

Eve smiled at her mother. "Mom, of course she'll forgive you. She loves you. Go tell her how you feel."

Xena nodded, and dashed back inside the inn and up the stairs. Bursting open the door, she scanned the room for Gabrielle. The bard was asleep on the bed, and her tear-streaked face saddened Xena. The warrior approached the bed and lay next to Gabrielle.

"Wow," Xena said out loud, "what a day. I make you cry, and then I find out you love me." She moved to stroke Gabrielle's short locks of blonde hair. "You're so beautiful, inside and out. I was taken with you from the start. Why do you think I was so protective of you? You've always been the other half of my soul. I remember the time I first saw you in your Amazon Princess garb. Wow, Gabrielle, you're so gorgeous. Everything fit you perfectly, as though it had been made for you." Xena smiled, then laughed as she recalled another memory. "Remember Miss Amphipolis and her Countess? You were so funny with that accent, and truth be told, I felt like blushing whenever I saw you looking at me in those costumes. Haha, and remember the time that you hit me with your staff, and then kissed my forehead? I didn't mean it when I said 'get off'. It was funny even though my nose hurt. You're so sweet like that." Xena grinned. "See, this is how much I love you. I came back to you when I died because I missed you and needed you, yet I waited for a long time to tell you how I feel. I love you, Gabrielle. Why am I so afraid to tell you that? Why am I so afraid to pick things up from when I kissed you that time? I remember that kiss so well. Your lips were so soft, and I should've seen then that you love me. There is so much I should have done. Right now, I should be telling this to you while looking into your beautiful green eyes, but instead I'm talking to a sleeping bard. But you know me; just a big, dumb warrior." Then, Xena's surprise, Gabrielle stirred.

"No," muttered Gabrielle sleepily, "you're not a big, dumb warrior." She sat up and stretched her arms, and her eyes met Xena's. "You've everything to me and I love you."

Xena felt her mind drifting at Gabrielle's confession. She remembered every time the bard had told her that she loved her. I thought she loved me for the friendship... I never thought she'd love me for a lover. "Gabrielle, you weren't sleeping, were you?"

Gabrielle grinned. "To be honest, I woke up when you sat on the bed, but I wanted to see what you'd do." She reached up and intertwined her fingers with Xena's that had been stroking her hair. "You said some sweet things."

Xena blushed. "I meant all of what I said."

Gabrielle winked. "So I take it Eve told you how I feel?"

The warrior nodded. "I was being an idiot, and she saw me, and me being stupid, I told her that I was okay with you two being together."

Gabrielle regarded her Warrior Princess keenly. "Were you really okay with it?"

Xena smiled weakly. "Every time I thought of you loving her, it was like my soul was being cut away."

Gabrielle reached over with her free hand to stroke a dangling lock of Xena's raven black hair. "I could never love anyone the way I love you. I know I should've told you this sooner, but now that you know, what's so wrong about starting from here?"

Xena's face spread into a wide grin. "Gabrielle, I'd love to be with you. That would be a dream come true."

Gabrielle smiled shyly. "Yes, it would be."

Xena leaned into the hand that was stroking her hair. "I shouldn't have distanced myself from you so much after that kiss."

The bard looked at her knowingly. "Hey, it's fine. I wasn't much better. I think we both were too afraid to admit that we kissed, because it would it lead to questions."

"Questions such as the ones we just answered," Xena replied, and kissed the bard's wrist.

Gabrielle crawled closed to Xena on the bed. "One question remains to be answered, Xena."

Xena gazed into the pair of green eyes fixated on her icy blue ones. "What question is that, Gabrielle?" She whispered.

"This one," the bard whispered back, and closing her eyes, she pressed her lips to Xena's in a sweet kiss.

Xena let the rest of the world drift away as she focused on the soft mouth on her own. She felt Gabrielle's tongue probe her lips, and she opened her mouth to deepen the kiss.

Gabrielle gently explored the inside of Xena's mouth, discovering several weak spots that caused the warrior to moan into the kiss. Her back left molar. The center of her tongue. The bard gently nibbled on Xena's lower lip, delighted by the responses from her warrior.

When the kiss ended, Xena raised her eyebrow and gazed amused at Gabrielle. "Well, does that answer your question?"

"Mmm, very much so," Gabrielle replied with a smile. She licked her lips, and her smile grew. "You know, that one was better than the first one."

Xena nodded. "Indeed it was."

Gabrielle turned in her lover's arms so that Xena spooned the bard. "I love you, Xena."

"I love you, too, Gabrielle."






Eve hesitantly approached the bedroom, expecting to hear moans of passion bouncing off the walls. I do NOT want to see my mom on the job. Hearing nothing, she curiously opened the door, and smiled at the sight she saw. Her mother was holding Gabrielle and the two of them were sleeping peacefully in each other's arms. Guess they fixed things. I knew they would! Now I need to find myself someone, though I remember I had the best once... She remembered with pain an ex lover, Julia, from a year ago, when she had been tutored. She had always had deep feelings for Julia, and she was sure Julia had felt the same. They had been each other's firsts for everything before departing for different lifestyles. Julia had gone on to be a philosopher while Eve had become a warrior for Rome. I wonder what Julia's doing right now? She knew she would never forget that last time they parted.

FLASHBACK

"Livia, where are you going?" Julia called from behind me.

I turned guiltily, knowing that to admit the truth to her would destroy us both. "Julia, I'm not staying at the academy."

Julia's face formed a distraught expression that broke my heart. "What?"

I felt the tears well up from within me. "I'm not staying here. I'm going to Rome to fight for my fiance."

Julia went pale. "Fiance?"

Trying to prevent the tears from falling, I turned away from her. "I'm to marry Augustus, Emperor of Rome." I cursed Ares in my mind. My secret boyfriend he may be, but my feelings for Julia weighed over my lust for Ares like a boulder over a pebble.

I heard Julia stifle a sob. "But what about 'us'?"

I turned to face the one that had kept my heart beating for the last nine years. "Julia, there could never be an 'us' in the future, can't you see that? You- you're smart and you're destined to become a philosopher like Sappho was. Me, I'm expected to fight for Rome."

Julia gasped. "What do you mean 'there could never be an us'? You love me! You told me, and I told you! I love you, Livia!"

I tried to ignore the pangs in my heart as I heard her cry. "I need to go." I turned and walked out of her life.

Outside the palace, Ares stood waiting for me. "Hey babe, how'd it go?"

I tried to control the shaking in my voice. "It was hard."

Ares glared at me. "Are you complaining that you left some talky, smart-ass bitch for me?"

"No."

"Then why would it be hard?"

Maybe because I don't love you, and the only reason I'm with you is the power you can offer me?, I thought to myself. "It's just I've gotten used to being with her for the last nine years."

"Whatever. Come on," Ares grunted, and we departed.

END FLASHBACK

Eve winced at the memory of Julia crying out her love for her. It had been little over a year since she left her lover for Ares and his scheme. Still, her passion for Julia had remained, and had even grown when Eli reopened her eyes to love. I'll never stop loving you, Julia. Never.






Somewhere in the world, a philosopher named Julia was musing quietly. I'll never stop loving you, Livia.

To be continued...


Back to main page.