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His Story 2 - Solstice
by Xandria
Hercules woke up, yawning, before sitting up and stretching. Iolaus was snoring beside him and he poked him.
"What? I'm sleeping here. Can't I sleep in on Solstice Herc?" Hercules grinned and pointed. Xena and Joxer hadn't returned from their walk by the time they had gone to bed, but some time in the night they had.
Joxer lay on his back, a large smile on his face, while Xena curled up next to him, her right arm flung across his chest as they snuggled together under their sleeping furs. Iolaus grinned and they silently got up and stood on either side.
"Happy Solstice!" They yelled. Joxer shot up, eyes wide, while Xena woke up with a yell jumping up as she brought her chakram around. Iolaus and Hercules started laughing and Xena looked a little sheepish then mad.
"What did you do that for? Do you know what I could have done to you?!"
"Oh come on Xena, it was funny. And you two looked so cute together." Hercules said with a grin.
"What's going on?" Gabrielle said as she sat up, yawning.
"These two..." Xena began but Joxer interrupted her as he stood up and stretched.
"They thought it would be nice if we all got up so we wouldn't miss a minute of Solstice."
"Nah, I just thought you too looked so cute!" Hercules said happily.
"Riight. Herc? Have you been chewing funny leaves?" Joxer said worriedly as he squinted up at the demigod. Iolaus laughed and Xena smiled as Hercules blushed.
"No. It's just...Solstice, you know? I love Solstice!" Gabrielle came over and looked at Joxer and Xena seriously.
"Could we go and talk?" The three companions wandered over to the other side of the clearing and began to speak quietly to each other.
"First of all I want to apologize for the way I behaved yesterday. This time of year is hard for me
and when you said what you did I took it the wrong way." Gabrielle said, looking Joxer in the face.
"Gabby, I'm sorry. All I meant was that I no longer loved you that way, if I did. I do love you, but
you're my best friend, my sister. I've been thinking a lot and realised it was Xena I loved that way. All this time I had it mixed up. But I never thought she could love me too."
"Me too. I've been kind of thinking for a while now what a pity it was you couldn't see what I saw in
Joxer. And I was sad with him when you were blind to him, but I was glad a little too. And then last night, while Joxer was talking, I thought of all the things he has done, and how he's changed. He was Joxer. A wonderful, infuriating, clever, silly man with a lot of love. And I love him." As Xena spoke Joxer's face got redder and redder. And then he suddenly pulled her head down and kissed her, hard. He looked up at the bard, still blushing but with a determined look on his face.
"Gabby, I love her and she loves me. I love you, too, and I want you to be with us, a family."
"See, I thought you were rejecting me altogether yesterday and that's why I said what I did. I never
meant it, and you are a good story teller, better than me."
"No, you just have a different style. I could never do what you do when you write about Xena's adventures."
"She's an inspiration."
"Yeah." Joxer said, hugging the Warrior Princess to him. Gabrielle looked at them both and sighed. They looked around and gestured and she joined them, all three hugging each other.
While they talked Iolaus had started to cook flatcakes for breakfast while Hercules looked through his pack for supplies.
"So what's for breakfast?" Joxer said happily.
"I have a pot of jam somewhere and some cream and butter I picked up from a farm." Hercules said.
"Sounds good." Soon it was ready and they all sat eating Solstice breakfast. Joxer sat back with a sad look on his face and pushed his plate aside.
"What is it?
"I want my brothers. We haven't had Solstice together for years."
"Done!" Aphrodite said as she appeared suddenly in the clearing with Jett and Jace. Joxer ran straight for his brothers and hugged them.
"Aphrodite! What are you doing here?" He said happily.
"Happy Solstice Studmuffin. How are you Hercules?"
"Aphrodite. Fine. What's going on? Why are you here?"
"It's Solstice and I just realised its been a while since Joxie's family has been together."
"Aphrodite!" Joxer ducked his head. Jett smiled and began to poke him.
"Baby!" Aphrodite reached a hand back and hit him on the side of the head.
"Stop that! You do want to stay free don't you or shall I put you back in the prison? I hear the food is going to be special tonight...an extra serve of gruel."
Jett shuddered and fell silent. Gabrielle screwed her face up in sympathy. He caught her and smiled. The bard looked at him, surprised, and smiled back.
"Would you like some flatcakes? I can make up some more?" Iolaus said with a smile, holding his hand out. Aphrodite smiled back at him and took it as he led her to a log and sat her down. Joxer copied Iolaus and held his hand out to Xena, who took it and he led her back to the log they shared.
Jett and Gabrielle stared into each other's eyes, still smiling. Hercules looked at them, shrugged, then motioned Jace over with a nod of his head.
"I'm Hercules."
"Yes you are aren't you? And such a big man too. I am Jace."
"The performer?" Hercules exclaimed. Jace looked at him in surprise.
"Why yes. You 'ave 'eard of me?"
"Who hasn't? But I've never had a chance to see you. It's always, save the village from the hydra, go rescue the girl, but fun?! No. Though I did get to help Widow Twanky once or twice."
"I 'eard habout dat!" Jace said as they went and sat down nearby.
"So. My brother and Xena. Who would have thought." Jett said, staring at Gabrielle.
"I know, but they suit each other. Xena's what Joxer needs."
"Pity. I told him to go for you. You're beautiful, you have spirit..."
"You think I'm beautiful?"
"Well yeah. You must have the guys falling all over you."
"Not really. Most guys seem to think Xena and I..." Gabrielle stopped and blushed.
"That's strange. I never did." As the bard and the assassin had spoken, they had slowly drifted closer to each other until they were only a breath apart. And then they kissed, gently. And then again, a little harder. And then a third time, grabbing each other.
Cupid grinned as he looked at them. Turning, he bumped into his mother who was glaring at him.
"Okay Cupid, spill. What have you done?"
"Nothing Mom. I actually came to wish Uncle Herc a Happy Solstice but he seems pretty happy anyway."
"What?" Aphrodite looked over her sons' shoulder and giggled. Jace and Hercules were kissing each other, passionately.
"Yeah. Who woulda thought?"
"Hercules and Jace?! That would explain the Widow Twanky rumours."
"I thought that was because she looked like Iolaus?"
"Apparently not." The two gods disappeared, laughing. Xena looked over at where they had gone and smiled before turning her attention back to her family.
end