DISCLAIMERS: X and G belong to Missy Good. Some folks have borrowed them to make a tv show. (like most things, the book is better).
FAKE UPDATE WARNING: This is a fake update written in response to a fake review by a woman purported to be a bakery good.
PG WARNING: Please read all ****************** as "fade to black". Ugginess is forgone in favour of a PG-14.5 rating.
SUBTEXT WARNING: Let's just say, there is no plot. Dessert of your choice is encouraged.
RAISED EYEBROW WARNING: Please read all ^ to mean one raised eyebrow. ^^ to mean two. I doubt there will be ^^^ and ^^^^ raised at a time, but I leave that to your imagination.
SPOILER WARNING: Small spoiler for HW sequel in a dream sequence.

It was raining outside. Had been for days. They had left home in a drizzle that had looked like it might let up, but instead had deepened into a hard rain. The river was up and the streams were dark and choked with flotsam from the winter forest's floor. They could have headed back home during that first day, but Xena had found them a large cave and still wishing for time alone together, they had opted to wait the storm out rather than return to the snug cabin complete with family, a small daughter and amazon baby-sitters. No, no, they'd make do with trail rations and each other. Truth be told, it was why they were out here anyway. They had been stuck in a routine necessitated by the demands of raising a small empress (she actually was only an amazon princess, but she was empress of the household). To be out on their own again was delicious if less comfortable after leading such a cushy life for the last year.

The cave was easily 50 feet deep in this chamber. Their sleeping furs were tucked into an alcove to keep any draft off them. The fire directly before them radiating heat off the walls and warming the air around them. Gabrielle was sitting facing the fire, a fur draped loosely around her otherwise naked shoulders, leaning against the reclining form of her companion. Xena's fingers were idly stroking the golden down of her partners forearm, eyes closed with a silly grin of contentment on her face.

Gabrielle turned her head and smirked at her lover's sated smile. "Xena?" Eyes stayed closed, but an eyebrow^ went up in inquiry..... "^Hmmmm??" "Where did you get that sweet, fluffy cream???" A blue eye cracked open, "You like??? Just something I whipped up......" "Oh, I like," said the sweet tongued bard.... "but I think you missed a spot." turning so that the fur fell from her shoulders, and she was leaning over her partner. Alarmed now, both of Xena's eyes were open and scanning her lovers body looking for the missed spot...."How could that be, my love, ex-warlords are very thorough!" Gab reached out to the bowl near Xena's head and dipped a finger into the whipped cream, then placing it strategically, eyed her love and raised her one brow^^. Xena, never one to fold in the face of a bet, licked her lips and leaned into her task.
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Xena fed a small log into the fire, then smiled down at her sleeping companion. She’d actually made her pass out after a few climatic moments, score one for the warrior princess. Yup, berries and whipped cream were definitely a new favourite. It felt so good to just be together, without responsibilities for a few days. Probably being stuck in this cave was the only "honeymoon" they would ever get..... belated as it was..... since trouble always seemed to find them and took them away from this decadent pleasure of just being. Her companion stirred, rolling over on her side and reaching for her bedmate. She sighed and stretched, then opened her eyes and smiled through a yawn. "Hmmm, hi..... how do you do that to me warrior princess, and don't give me the many skills line again." She nestled against the thigh near her head, throwing her arm over Xena's leg and sighed again, just as her stomach rumbled itself awake. "Your stomach sounds more awake than you are, love." "I'm awake, just drinking you in." She lifted her head and opened green eyes to gaze lovingly into blue. "I love being with you, Xena. Thank you. And before you tease me about being hungry....... yes, my stomach is awake. I was dreaming about eating a sausage on a long bun..... it was really good. You were there, but dressed funny. There were lots of people. We were on a dock or something, but it was like the shops were right on the water, instead of the ships. I mean, why have a dock full of shops, how will the boats tie up?? Anyway..... the sausage and bun thing was good, and we got it from some guy named Mr Whippy....... but that was probably all that whipped cream talking......it was lunacy."

Lucky bun, thought the warrior, but she said, "Still raining out. You want hot food this time or more from the supplies??" Xena asked. Gabrielle had perked up at the mention of hot food, so Xena rose, grabbed her chakram and headed out into the rain, "Be right back" "XENA!" Gabrielle called, half shocked, half amused, "Aren't you going to put anything on?" "Nope, it will just get wet, and I don't plan on wearing anything the whole time we are here, Gabrielle. And I don't plan on you wearing anything either." this said with a smirk. Her companion, now sitting in the furs, stuck her tongue out at the cheeky warrior. Xena laughed in response and said, "Ummm, hold that thought bard, be right back" and exited the cave.

A short time later, Xena return with a brace of rabbits and stood on the outcropping of rocks that looked down on the cave entrance. Gabrielle was standing, eyes closed, arms outstretched, face up to the rain. She had such a look of pleasure at the feeling of the warm rain sluicing over her body. Xena let out a battle cry in sheer joy, lazily flipping herself down and landing in front of the naked queen. "Oh, I was hoping you would do that!" as Gabrielle wrapped her arms around her champion. "Well, I aim to please you. What are you doing out here?" Xena inquired, not knowing what to do with her hands full of rabbits and chakram.......... "Hmmm, having a mushy moment." eyes closed, head resting against a collar bone. "Ahh," said her secretly mushy partner, "the centaur village........." Her love stared openly at her from inches away, nothing hidden, complete love bared, and nodded her head. Xena dropped what she was holding and drew her mate into her arms and kissed her with that memory and the promise of more to come. Rain always had affected Gabrielle this way since that first kiss, and rabbits forgotten, she pushed Xena up against the rock wall and began the unending task of trying to dry her skin by licking off the drops as yet more fell. Xena growled her enjoyment of this attention and began her own "drying" attempts as the clouds chuckled.
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Warmed by the fire and their enjoyment of each other, Xena licked Gabrielle's fingers after taking the offered rabbit bits. She liked eating dinner like this. Lying on her back with her head in her partners lap, being fed by hand. Being a warlord was never this good. "Good thing we didn't do that in the centaur village, the amazons eyes were about popping out of their heads as it was." Gabrielle said as a blush climbed up her neck, thinking about the power of that moment and the of this woman in her lap. Xena's eyes followed the rising blush, which started an interest of her own. She reached up and caressed the face above her and said, "I found a hot spring while I was out there. You can smell the mineral tang from outside. Want to go soak??^^" Gabrielle laughed, understanding her partner's ways too well and said, "Xena, when you ask me that with both your eyebrows raised, I know what you really have in mind is showing me how long you can hold your breath while you make me loose mine!!... and yes, I definitely want to go, um, soak! Lead on."
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Xena had practically had to carry Gab back to the sleeping furs after showing off her underwater skills. Neither of them was complaining. They were now wrapped in each other and the furs. Gabrielle was snoring softly. Xena hoped with all her might as she drifted off to sleep that it was still raining tomorrow.