”Xena, come on. You always win.”

”Okay … both hands tied behind my back,” Xena offered, bringing out a large belt she often used to sling her things off the saddle of her horse. ”With this.”

”And I get to tie it?” Gabrielle teased, both hands on her hips as she thought of all the ways Xena could cheat if she tied it herself. Xena quite enjoyed cheating in their little competitions against one another – namely because she didn’t have to. Gabrielle was sure of that. She found that Xena simply liked to ’pull a fast one’ on her.

”I can tie a better knot than you,” Xena pointed out quite factually.

”But you’re sneaky, and I want to win this one.”

”Have it your way,” Xena insisted, turning as she moved both hands behind her back.

Gabrielle was too distracted with the challenge to think about the insinuations of Xena’s hands tied behind her back – and her mind didn’t often go to physical desires, because she hadn’t experienced them yet. She was a young woman, and yet had remained rather oblivious all her early adult life. She’d never even experienced herself in an intimate way, so there wasn’t much to imagine.

”Ow!” Xena teased, as if Gabrielle had hurt her tying her hands. Or even come close.

”Quiet down and quit being such a baby,” Gabrielle laughed, twisting the belt around before tangling it in the middle somewhere. But when she stepped back to look at it, she wasn’t too impressed. ”Okay, it looks pretty awful. You have to promise me you won’t try to break free, okay? Please?”

And as Xena turned to see that soft look in Gabrielle’s eyes, there was nothing she could have denied her. ”You’ve got my word.”

”And I’ll have the victory, too,” Gabrielle teased in the innocent way she often did, more precious than challenging. The joyful glow in her cheeks had Xena smiling back at her.

”We’ll see about that.”

”Oh, I’ve got you now, Warrior Princess!” Gabrielle giggled, jogging on the spot as she curled her fingers invitingly for Xena to come a little closer.

”Never invite an attack,” Xena smiled, but in a way, all of her lessons were sincere.

Gabrielle just smiled in return.