femslash_fluff | Picture Challenge Response

Title: An Adventure in Fishing

Author: Ann

Fandom: Xena

Pairing: Xena/Gabrielle

Disclaimer: No ownership, simply fluff

The Challenge:

Xena dives into the body of water and surfaces near the waterfall. Focusing on the shoreline, she yells, “C’mon Gabrielle. You said you wanted to learn how to fish with your hands. Hurry up, I haven’t got all day.”

Gabrielle removes her skirt and pea green lace up top and mutters, “What else does she have to do? Find some village in danger or some maiden in distress? Why can’t she just relax and enjoy the day for once in her life?”

Wading out into the water, Gabrielle begins to swim toward Xena for her initial instruction. Xena smiles when she sees how serious Gabrielle seems to be about her favorite pastime.

The two stand side by side as Xena explains the proper way to hold one’s hand before plunging into the water to grab the fish. Next, she demonstrates how to stand perfectly still and lean down to put one ear to the water so that the fish can be heard.

Gabrielle places her hands in the correct position and leans down to the water. She stands perfectly still for several minutes and finally stands and says, “I don’t hear a thing. How can I scoop up a fish when I don’t have any idea if there’s one near me?”

Xena rolls her eyes and assumes the position. Ten seconds later, she reaches into the water and pulls out a good sized fish. Grinning, she replies, “You have to listen very closely and close your mind off to everything around you. There are plenty of fish swimming around you right now.”

Nodding her head, Gabrielle tries once more, and this time she grins, reaches down in the water, and triumphantly holds up a handful of kelp. Xena doubles over in laughter as Gabrielle angrily stomps away.

Stifling a chuckle, Xena approaches Gabrielle and says, “No one gets a fish the first time they try. It takes practice. You’ll get one.”

Crossing her arms across her chest, Gabrielle asks, “Did you get a fish your first time?”

Xena cockily answers, “Of course, it was so easy that I grabbed two at the same time.”

Resigned to failure, Gabrielle replies, “I’m not trying anymore. There’s no way I can do it. I’m just not any good when it comes to the water. Hades, I can barely swim.”

Xena moves closer to Gabrielle and puts her arm around her shoulder. “Hey, don’t put yourself down. You said yourself that you haven’t been around the water that much in your life. Your swimming is getting better all the time.”

Smiling, Gabrielle says, “Maybe if I swam underwater with the fish, I could learn how to hear them as well as I see them. I have been able to hold my breath and stay under the water much longer.”

Before Xena can respond, Gabrielle takes a deep breath and dives under the water. Xena just shakes her head knowing that seeing and hearing are two different things.

A couple of minutes later, Gabrielle surfaces and says, “I see them! You’re right; there are so many of them swimming all around us.”

Xena sadly replies, “I know Gabrielle, but they can see you too. You’ll never catch one underwater. You have to grab them when they least expect it. I’m afraid you’re going to have to learn how to use a pole to fish.”

Gabrielle stubbornly answers, “I am going to fish with my hands. I can learn to catch them off guard.”

Once again, Gabrielle dives under the water just as Xena attempts to let her down gently. Sighing, Xena closes her eyes and waits for her partner to resurface when suddenly something begins to suck on one nipple while pinching the other.

When another sensation moves much farther south, Xena places her right hand on her head and opens her mouth to moan in ecstasy.

Meanwhile, a submerged Gabrielle manages to take her prey by surprise and succeeds in landing a very big fish.