Title: Learning to Be a Team
Pairings: Andros/OMC (Lori), Zhane/multiple
Rating: PG-13
Summery: Zhane and Andros weren’t always friends. When Andros first joined the Astro team he wasn’t sure he belonged. Zhane didn’t believe so either.
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Power Rangers.
A/N: The Turbo team wasn’t the first to have the blue, yellow, pink and black Astro morphers. Andros and Zhane had a team before them. Ashah is blue, Tye is black, Lori is yellow and Tem is pink. Lori and Zhane are cousins. Tye and Andros are cousins. Kehtal is a term referring to a person who has had more than 3 colors. Took Tangarians from SPD, Mercurians from OO and Xybrian from TF. Dath is just an affectionate term for father.
AN2: Trip is introduced in this chapter. He will be going by the last name for his character, Regis, and why will be revealed in a later chapter.
Warning: There is slash and het in this story. Don’t like either, don’t read it. Zhane has two dads. Lori has two moms. Mpreg because one of Zhane’s dads got pregnant to have him, though I’m calling it Parryth. Um Zhane being rude, male pinks, Trip being from the past? Not sure what would make anyone uncomfortable.


Chapter 4:

Andros let his body go slack as Fren pushed him against the wall. He didn’t want this confrontation. He stared at the other boy, silent.

“I still don’t see any reason that he’d pick you over me?” Fren glared.

Andros tilted his head to the side and gave Fren a confused look, trying to rein in the part of him that wanted to point out that Fren’s lack of self control in regards to attacking him might have something to do with him not being a ranger.

“Do you ever talk?” Fren mocked as he shoved just that bit harder.

Andros caught the hand that had him, turned and twisted until it was Fren who was pinned to the wall, “Don’t attack me again.”

That said he took a step back, leaving Fren to turn around wide eyed. Andros glanced at a nearby timepiece and broke into a run, he might be late now.

The skyport was bustling by the time he arrived, but his teammates standing around weren’t easy to miss. They had all shown up to see him off? Andros paused at the sight. Even Zhane, who obviously didn’t want him around, had shown up?

“I don’t think you’re going to be able to avoid them,” Phantom commented as he materialized nearby.

Andros agreed when he caught Lori waving enthusiastically. He wasn’t sure he wanted to. He found he wanted to say goodbye to Lori and Tye. He also felt as though he owed the others an acknowledgement for their kindness.

At the same time he was relieved to be leaving them. KO-35 had ceased being his home years ago and it was uncomfortable trying to make connections here, to know that he had to make connections here. The idea of a short time away, even if he was returning to Earth for training, was welcomed.

“Are teams always as close as this?” Andros asked.

“I’ve yet to encounter one that didn’t grow close,” Phantom acknowledged.

Andros nodded and approached his team. Tem held out a hand and when he took it he found himself pulled into a hug, Tem leaning over to press their cheeks together.

“Come back to us stronger than you are now,” Tem told him.

Andros nodded, finding himself passed to Ashah who whispered, “We’ll do what we can to get Zhane to come around while you’re gone.”

Andros nodded having to wonder how the team would work with him leading if Zhane couldn’t stand him.

Tye pulled him in next, the hug tight. Andros closed his eyes, why had he forgotten about everyone except his immediate family when he left KO-35?

“Return to us soon,” his cousin said.

“I’ll do what I can,” Andros said, returning the hug again, feeling guilty that he’d left his cousin out of his life for so long.

Lori grabbed him next, not pulling him in, not pressing their cheeks together, it was clearly a hug.

“Learn a lot, but come back soon,” Lori told him as he tightened the hug.

Andros wanted to thank Lori for the support he’d shown him, but he wasn’t sure how to acknowledge it, how to say goodbye and that he wanted to return, that Lori made him want to come back.

Lori pulled back slightly and smiled at him. Andros blinked, startled by the sudden urge to kiss Lori goodbye. Where had that come from?

Lori touched his new earring, “You got another one.”

“The first was for my mother,” Andros managed, “This one is for my father.”

Lori nodded and hugged him again and Andros felt relieved that he wasn’t faced with the question of where the earring for his sister was. His sister wasn’t dead, he’d never been able to bring himself to believe that.

“I’m supposed to get a turn too, aren’t I?” Zhane interrupted.

“Sorry,” Lori said, pulling away and ducking his head.

Andros reached out and gave Lori’s hand a squeeze, “Thank you.”

This earned him a grin that made him want to pull Lori in again, to kiss him goodbye. He couldn’t, not with everyone watching.

Confused Andros let Zhane pull him into a stiff hug, when their cheeks touched Zhane pressed a small disk into his palm.

“They were going to bury it with your father,” Zhane told him, “I thought you should have it.”

Andros pulled away to stare at the small data file. He closed his fist around it tightly, barely able to say, “Thank you.”

It had to be the file of his sister’s disappearance. How many times had he begged his father to let him see it? How many times had he been denied?

Andros slipped the small circular file into his locket for safe keeping. It wouldn’t do to lose such an important piece of information and he wasn’t sure when he’d be allowed the time to view it.

Andros felt awkward standing there in his Astro uniform staring at his teammates. Was there anything more to be said? Should he acknowledge that he’d be returning soon?

“Training shouldn’t take long,” Phantom reassured, “but we should leave now.”

Andros took his teammates in one last time before he turned and followed the Phantom Ranger towards the Karian supply ship that he was using temporarily as his own ship was too small to carry more than one person and was being repaired. At least that is what he had told Fren when Fren had questioned him on their way to Earth.

“Be nice to the Xybrian,” Phantom told him as they approached the ship.

Andros stopped, “A Xybrian?”

“It’s his first time off his planet,” Phantom acknowledged as he kept walking.

“Is he going to Earth for Ranger training?” Andros asked.

“Yes.” Phantom answered as he paused.

“I’ve never heard of a Xybrian ranger before,” Andros said, “Shouldn’t he be going to SPD if he wants to become a ranger?”

“It’s not a matter of want,” Phantom told him.

Andros frowned as he thought. Slowly he spoke, “When Xybrian’s are born they are taken to an Elder whose visions always come true. He was told he’d be a ranger.”

Phantom inclined his head, turned and continued to the ship. Andros followed, waiting till they were alone to ask, “Is he to start a new team?”

Phantom turned, stood still for a moment, before he said, “Prince Regis was told that he would never rule his people, that he was destined to be a Power Ranger instead.”

Andros wanted to pause again, not move. He wasn’t sure what to make of the information that Phantom had just revealed to him. He didn’t know what to say. Phantom accessed the panel and Andros found himself starting at a boy, who couldn’t be more than his age, with bright green hair, who was staring out a window, hugging his knees.

Andros stood in the doorway, knowing he should enter, but aware that Phantom had left. They would be departing soon.

Regis turned, smiled and stood. Andros wanted a way to back away, would rather be exchanging a standard greeting with one of his teammates than the standard Xybrian greeting he was about to receive.

“Hi,” Regis smiled before pulling him into a kiss. Andros kissed him back, telling himself he could handle the standard Xybrian greeting. It was only as they parted that Andros realized Regis was shaking slightly, looked…he looked nervous. Andros pulled Regis back in, wrapped arms around him and pressed their cheeks together. He held on tightly till he felt Regis begin to relax against him.
.

Profile

rivulet027: (Default)
rivulet027

Most Popular Tags

Powered by Dreamwidth Studios

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags