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Title: Quiet Questions
Fandom: Power Rangers in Space
Pairings: Andros/Zhane
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Power Rangers. It's not my toy box and I'm merely playing.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Andros is ready for their downtime to be over and discusses it with Zhane.
A/N: Written for oneatatime for the Ranger Romance exchange.
Quiet Questions:
The quiet on KO-35 is different than the quiet of a ship. The smells are different too. Andros wets his lips and stares out the small window at the settling darkness outside. His fingers rest lightly against the sink. Beside him Zhane settles a plate in a cupboard before coming over and resting a chin on his shoulder. Andros closes his eyes and lets himself lean back against Zhane as he feels arms encircle his waist. He sighs. “I’m not very good at this.”
“Dishes?” Zhane teases lightly before pressing a kiss to his jaw.
“Downtime,” Andros admits.
Zhane’s soft laugh reverberates against his back. “We were never very good at it.”
Andros snorts disbelievingly.
Zhane pulls him closer, settles more firmly against him. Andros sighs again and rests his hands on Zhane’s as he stares out the window again. He can see the lights from the next house over.
“I get into trouble looking for ways to distract myself,” Zhane points out. “Just because I’m always look like I’m having fun doesn’t mean I’m any better at relaxing than you.”
Andros squeezes Zhane’s hands and closes his eyes as he reminds himself there aren’t any dangers in the small yard that he needs to watch out for. He wrinkles his nose and tells himself that Zhane is alert behind him. He sighs and opens his eyes, glancing around the yard. Zhane laughs again. Andros grumbles.
“We’re not actually needed here,” Zhane tells him.
“This used to be home.”
“That’s the problem?” Zhane asks.
Andros shrugs.
“What feels like home now?” Zhane pushes.
Andros frowns. For a brief moment he wants to push back, make a joke and then segue into changing the subject, except there’s concern in Zhane’s tone. He’s also seen how restless Zhane has been these last few days. He’s not the only one feeling like this. Andros turns so he can face Zhane. Their eyes meet. Zhane’s eyes drift down to his lips, then he shakes himself slightly and takes a short step back. Andros steps forwards. Zhane raises his eyebrows. Andros shakes his head. Zhane’s eyes meet his again and Andros breathes out slowly.
“You feel the same way,” Andros says, certain of it now that he’s put the feeling into words.
“Home was always my family, our team, the people I care about,” Zhane tells him.
“A lot of those people are here.”
“So are you,” Zhane smiles. “Well, physically. You haven’t actually told me where you want to be yet.”
“I always thought it was this planet, a place to come back to while I helped my parents and later went out on my own to try and find Karone,” Andros admits. “Then it being a Power Ranger, but that didn’t help save this planet and everyone was gone. I was alone for a long time and I though I would never be able to really come back here. We’re here now and we’re helping rebuild and yet…”
“It’s not home anymore.”
Andros shakes his head.
“You found Karone,” Zhane points out.
Andros nods. “I’m glad she’s healing and found a team of her own. I hated her for so long not knowing who she was. I’m grateful she decided to try and change after we found out.”
The words feel stilted. Andros takes a breath the steady himself.
“Before being brainwashed.”
“That was awful,” Andros agrees. They’re shifting the subject again, pointing out that he found Karone isn’t what Zhane is really asking. “She’s my sister. She’s one of the people I want to spend time with and get to know, but that doesn’t make her my home.”
Zhane nods.
Andros leans against the counter. Their eyes meet again.
“Don’t be trite and say it’s me,” Zhane admonishes.
“That wouldn’t be being trite.”
Zhane makes a considering noise. “It’s not the answer though.”
“If I was trying to be romantic it would be.”
Zhane smirks. “Or it’d be a distracting technique and I think I know you better than to let you use those on me.”
“So if I kissed you right now and dragged you upstairs,” Andros challenges.
“Oh, that’d distract both of us,” Zhane concedes, before he continues, “But it’d only be temporary. It wouldn’t do anything to solve what you’re feeling.”
“It’s just so…” Andros hesitates as he tries to find the correct words that will convey what he wants to say.
“If you use the ‘q’ word or the ‘c’ word, everything will start happening all at once there won’t be anymore quiet or calm,” Zhane warns.
“Now you’ve used those words,” Andros laughs.
“Not in the same way you were going to!”
Andros shakes his head, laughing again. He sighs. “Thanks. I think I needed that.”
Zhane smirks.
Andros rolls his eyes. “I just feel stagnant here and as much as I know I’m supposed to relax, actually take time to learn how to relax again, it’s just stressful.”
“So, part of this is that KO-35 no longer feels like home and part of it is that you’re longing for a new mission?”
“If I took on a new mission that didn’t let me make my therapy sessions, I think my therapist would come hunt me down, finish my mission without me, and come drag me back here.”
“She probably could,” Zhane agrees.
Andros grumbles. “There are rumors about remnants of the Machine Empire.”
“That wouldn’t be a whole mission,” Zhane points out. “It’d be more prevention.”
“Would you come with me?” Andros asks.
“Do you know what I’d do if you tried to leave without me?”
Andros leans in and kisses him. It’s brief, a reassurance. “I don’t want to leave you out, but I don’t want to pull you away from here if this is where you need to be.”
“I don’t need to be here. We’re supposed to be taking a break, but I think we both forgot how much taking a break doesn’t suit either of us.”
“It was nice to catch up on sleep and have time to actually cook,” Andros concedes.
“It was, but you’re right, it really is too quiet here.”
They share a smile, then head to their computer to plot.
Fandom: Power Rangers in Space
Pairings: Andros/Zhane
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Power Rangers. It's not my toy box and I'm merely playing.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Andros is ready for their downtime to be over and discusses it with Zhane.
A/N: Written for oneatatime for the Ranger Romance exchange.
Quiet Questions:
The quiet on KO-35 is different than the quiet of a ship. The smells are different too. Andros wets his lips and stares out the small window at the settling darkness outside. His fingers rest lightly against the sink. Beside him Zhane settles a plate in a cupboard before coming over and resting a chin on his shoulder. Andros closes his eyes and lets himself lean back against Zhane as he feels arms encircle his waist. He sighs. “I’m not very good at this.”
“Dishes?” Zhane teases lightly before pressing a kiss to his jaw.
“Downtime,” Andros admits.
Zhane’s soft laugh reverberates against his back. “We were never very good at it.”
Andros snorts disbelievingly.
Zhane pulls him closer, settles more firmly against him. Andros sighs again and rests his hands on Zhane’s as he stares out the window again. He can see the lights from the next house over.
“I get into trouble looking for ways to distract myself,” Zhane points out. “Just because I’m always look like I’m having fun doesn’t mean I’m any better at relaxing than you.”
Andros squeezes Zhane’s hands and closes his eyes as he reminds himself there aren’t any dangers in the small yard that he needs to watch out for. He wrinkles his nose and tells himself that Zhane is alert behind him. He sighs and opens his eyes, glancing around the yard. Zhane laughs again. Andros grumbles.
“We’re not actually needed here,” Zhane tells him.
“This used to be home.”
“That’s the problem?” Zhane asks.
Andros shrugs.
“What feels like home now?” Zhane pushes.
Andros frowns. For a brief moment he wants to push back, make a joke and then segue into changing the subject, except there’s concern in Zhane’s tone. He’s also seen how restless Zhane has been these last few days. He’s not the only one feeling like this. Andros turns so he can face Zhane. Their eyes meet. Zhane’s eyes drift down to his lips, then he shakes himself slightly and takes a short step back. Andros steps forwards. Zhane raises his eyebrows. Andros shakes his head. Zhane’s eyes meet his again and Andros breathes out slowly.
“You feel the same way,” Andros says, certain of it now that he’s put the feeling into words.
“Home was always my family, our team, the people I care about,” Zhane tells him.
“A lot of those people are here.”
“So are you,” Zhane smiles. “Well, physically. You haven’t actually told me where you want to be yet.”
“I always thought it was this planet, a place to come back to while I helped my parents and later went out on my own to try and find Karone,” Andros admits. “Then it being a Power Ranger, but that didn’t help save this planet and everyone was gone. I was alone for a long time and I though I would never be able to really come back here. We’re here now and we’re helping rebuild and yet…”
“It’s not home anymore.”
Andros shakes his head.
“You found Karone,” Zhane points out.
Andros nods. “I’m glad she’s healing and found a team of her own. I hated her for so long not knowing who she was. I’m grateful she decided to try and change after we found out.”
The words feel stilted. Andros takes a breath the steady himself.
“Before being brainwashed.”
“That was awful,” Andros agrees. They’re shifting the subject again, pointing out that he found Karone isn’t what Zhane is really asking. “She’s my sister. She’s one of the people I want to spend time with and get to know, but that doesn’t make her my home.”
Zhane nods.
Andros leans against the counter. Their eyes meet again.
“Don’t be trite and say it’s me,” Zhane admonishes.
“That wouldn’t be being trite.”
Zhane makes a considering noise. “It’s not the answer though.”
“If I was trying to be romantic it would be.”
Zhane smirks. “Or it’d be a distracting technique and I think I know you better than to let you use those on me.”
“So if I kissed you right now and dragged you upstairs,” Andros challenges.
“Oh, that’d distract both of us,” Zhane concedes, before he continues, “But it’d only be temporary. It wouldn’t do anything to solve what you’re feeling.”
“It’s just so…” Andros hesitates as he tries to find the correct words that will convey what he wants to say.
“If you use the ‘q’ word or the ‘c’ word, everything will start happening all at once there won’t be anymore quiet or calm,” Zhane warns.
“Now you’ve used those words,” Andros laughs.
“Not in the same way you were going to!”
Andros shakes his head, laughing again. He sighs. “Thanks. I think I needed that.”
Zhane smirks.
Andros rolls his eyes. “I just feel stagnant here and as much as I know I’m supposed to relax, actually take time to learn how to relax again, it’s just stressful.”
“So, part of this is that KO-35 no longer feels like home and part of it is that you’re longing for a new mission?”
“If I took on a new mission that didn’t let me make my therapy sessions, I think my therapist would come hunt me down, finish my mission without me, and come drag me back here.”
“She probably could,” Zhane agrees.
Andros grumbles. “There are rumors about remnants of the Machine Empire.”
“That wouldn’t be a whole mission,” Zhane points out. “It’d be more prevention.”
“Would you come with me?” Andros asks.
“Do you know what I’d do if you tried to leave without me?”
Andros leans in and kisses him. It’s brief, a reassurance. “I don’t want to leave you out, but I don’t want to pull you away from here if this is where you need to be.”
“I don’t need to be here. We’re supposed to be taking a break, but I think we both forgot how much taking a break doesn’t suit either of us.”
“It was nice to catch up on sleep and have time to actually cook,” Andros concedes.
“It was, but you’re right, it really is too quiet here.”
They share a smile, then head to their computer to plot.
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