Subtext Warning: This story implies a loving relationship between two consenting adult women. If you are under 18, this type of thing is illegal in the state/country in which you live, or you are offended by it, read no further.

"Xena, I've been thinking."

"Oh no…"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well Gabrielle, its just that whenever you say you've been thinking, you invariably say we have to talk." It must have been the longest sentence the warrior had spoken in a long time, on par with a soliloquy.

"Well we do."

"About?"

"Us."

"I see."

"No, I don' t think you do."

"Uh-uh Gabrielle, I see. This is where I'm supposed to get all scared and run emotionally away from you as fast as I can, right?"

"Something like that."

"It's not going to happen Gabrielle, I'm here, spit it out."

"Fine," the bard took a breath, "You know I love you don't you?"

"Hang on, you're not supposed to say that, you’re meant to um and er about it and around it for the next two candle marks."

"What?"

"You're supposed to mentally berate yourself for untold reasons while you try and figure out how to talk to me, because everyone knows I'm either emotionally challenged, blind, or just plain stupid."

"I don’t know what you're talking about."

"That's it, you're getting the hang of it," the warrior grinned.

"The hang of what?"

"Of talking around the subject for so long that you conveniently forget what it was you were going to say in the first place. It's just one of the ways you avoid aspects of intimacy." The warrior frowned and cocked her head, "Or was that something you should be saying to me?"

"I don’t believe this. I'm trying to tell you something really important here and you're carrying on like you've just been possessed by Sophocles," the bard choked.

"Uh-huh, that's it, now you can cry."

"I don’t want to cry!" the bard almost yelled.

"Of course you don’t, but it's all part of the plan Gabrielle."

"Don’t start on that one again."

"Anyway, what was it you were you saying?"

"I asked you if you knew that I loved you," the bard frowned.

"Of course I know that Gabrielle, you've told me often enough. Don’t you think I've been listening?"

That took the bard a little by surprise, she wasn't expecting to be questioned back, "Ah, I guess maybe I didn’t."

The warrior grinned and raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me what comes next, let me guess." She put on a mock Gabrielle expression. "'Xena, I have to tell you, I love you, and I mean it. It's not the love of friendship, it's something more. I've known it from the first moment I laid eyes on you. Why do you think I've hung around for so long? I could have left. Don’t run from me Xena, please, don’t be afraid of what you feel. I understand all too well the pain and anguish you must be going through, because I feel it too.' Was that a little like what you were going to say Gabrielle?" The warrior asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," the bard said simply, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"Well I have to tell you Bard from Poteidaea, I'm way ahead of you on this one."

"You are?"

"I am."

"I see."

"No, I don’t think you do…I'm about here," she said, launching herself across the narrow space separating them to push the bard to the ground. She hovered inches above the bard's shocked expression, "Are you catching up yet?"

"I think so…"

The End