Xena gently shook the shoulder of the small woman laying next to her. When she got only a low moan for her troubles, she grinned wryly and let her fingers slide ever so slowly down the bard's body. Finding the correct spot, she hesitated a moment. Should I? Hmm...it is a bit early, but...oh give yourself a treat, Xena. You know you want to, she thought silently to herself.

Xena's eyes twinkled as she moved the tips of her fingers briskly. At first there was no reaction, but the warrior knew that wouldn't last long.

Gabrielle's eyes few open in shock and she groaned.

"Ugggg...stop that! Xena! Quit!" she gasped for breath.

Xena ignored her protests and continued her onslaught. Soon the bard was a writhing, gasping mass at the warrior's touch. Finally Xena stopped when she knew Gabrielle could take no more.

The bard lay there gasping for air, under the laughing blue eyes of her companion. After several long moments she turned to Xena.

"You are evil," she stated simply.

"Who me? I tried to wake you normally. It's not my fault you sleep sounder than a bear in winter." Xena laughed, her head thrown back at the thought.

Gabrielle playfully slapped Xena on the arm. "OK..so I'm a terrible riser. But really Xena...there was no call for that kind of wake up. If you had tickled me any longer I would have wet myself." The bard's eyes softened the words. You little sneak. You probably didn't make much effort to wake me up before you decided to torture me.

Xena brought her head back towards her companion, still chuckling. "You loved it and you know it. Admit it," she demanded.

Gabrielle poke out her bottom lip a bit and refused to look at Xena. "Nope."

A silken touch played along the bard's side, threatening to find her vulnerable spot again.

"Admit it," came the low sultry whisper.

Gabrielle twitch. "Umm...stop that." She blindly swatted at the hand.

A throaty chuckle was her answer, as Xena dodged the slim hand and continued closer to the ticklish flesh. Grinning mischievously she run a lean finger lightly down the bard's ribs.

Gabrielle jerked and automatically turned towards her tormentor, looking up into eyes that she suddenly realized, never ceased to startle her. Hmmm..wow. She peered silently for what seemed like eons into those blue eyes, and watched with awe as they gazed into her own.

"Fields of indigo," she barely whispered.

An eyebrow rose. "What?"

Gabrielle blushed deeply. "Umm...I was just thinking of words to describe them."

"Them?" Xena's voice was low as a purr, sending a shiver up Gabrielle's spine, that had nothing to do with the lean fingers still resting on her side.

"Your eyes."

"Tell me." The warrior's eyes still looked into Gabrielle's, the two refusing to look away.

Gabrielle smiled softly, "OK...give me a moment..hmm." The woman's mind raced as she considered the color before her. But it's not just color I want to convey, but the feeling of that shade. Ahhh...yes. She cleared her throat.

"pale wildflowers

moon dazzled ice

clear winter skies

fields of indigo"

At those words the morning chill seemed to go unnoticed as the two women just lay there, their eyes intently gazing into the others'.

The whisper came, like the wind caressing sun warmed skin, soft and barely felt, but noticed just the same.

"sun dappled grass

dew sprinkled moss

spring leaves

fresh clover"

Gabrielle's eyes grew cloudy as they misted at the words Xena had spoken. "That's beautiful. You never cease to amaze me."

Xena smiled crookedly. "Yeah well...I have to work at words harder than you do, you make it seem so easy."

The bard chuckled, then scooted closer, her arm snaking around the warrior's waist.

"Mmm..you can wake me up anytime by tickling me, as long as it ends up like this."

"Like what?"

Their eyes still locked, both refusing or wanting to look away, Gabrielle leaned close and whispered. "Like this."

The End

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