Disclaimer: Saban owns Power Rangers and the characters within, not I.
"Again," Jason said as he dropped into a defensive stance.
"Okay," Kimberly replied for going on the offensive. Within seconds she had thrown several punches at him. Not designed to hurt him, not designed to even hit him. Her goal was simply to pass his defenses. Kimberly stopped and let out a sigh as he was able to deflect each one of her punches.
"What?" Jason asked as he saw her shoulders drop and heard the sigh of frustration.
"You always block them," Kimberly answered.
"Barely," Jason stated.
"Still," Kimberly insisted. "You have experience."
"Sure, but in time you'll get through it," Jason said. "You are faster than me."
"Doesn't feel like it," Kimberly said as she started to reach to unstrap one of her gloves.
"Wait," Jason said as he reached out to place his gloved hand over hers. She looked up at him and they made eye contact.
"Let's go again," Jason said as he lowered his hand from hers. Kimberly started to protest so he continued. "This time, don't think about me, don't hold back."
"What makes you think I am holding back?" Kim asked.
"I just assumed you weren't trying to knock me out," Jason said with a grin and a shrug.
"You know what happens when you assume," Kim countered. Jason chuckled and nodded.
"Just the same, I want you to go all out... If I get hit... I get hit," Jason replied. "I trust you."
"Okay... I'm sorry in advance if I hit you," Kim said with a small shrug and tightened her glove back. Both of them resumed their stances and this time Kim attempted to block out that she was sparring with Jason. She began to throw punches. Quicker punches. Harder punches. Soon she felt one connect and immediately recoiled.
"Good," Jason said as he glanced behind him to see the cracked rock wall. "Your hand okay?"
"Yeah... I thought I had hit you," Kim said as she stepped back.
"Nope, but you got past my defenses," Jason responded. "I knew you could."
"Thanks for teaching me," Kim stated with a smile at her accomplishment.
"It's been my pleasure," Jason replied as he made his way back out the middle of "the pit". Kim watched him and he turned to her.
"Jason?" Kim asked.
"Yeah? He responded.
"What are you thinking about all of this?" Kim asked with a gesture at their surroundings.
"What do you mean?" Jason asked.
"Just... we won and Rita is gone..." Kimberly began. Jason nodded for her to continue. "Do you think that's it?"
"I don't know," Jason answered.
"Are we training for a fight that may never come?" Kimberly wondered.
"Maybe... maybe not... but it's best to be prepared I think," Jason answered.
"Yeah... it's just... it's all very surreal still," Kim said.
"Agreed," Jason replied. "I still feel like I'm gonna wake up some morning and it's all gonna have been a dream... it's changed the way I look at everything."
"Me too," Kim agreed. "I guess this is our life now."
"Yeah it is," Jason said. He folded his arms and considered Kimberly. "You having regrets?"
"No," Kim answered quickly. "Meeting you... the team, all of this... I wouldn't change anything."
"Good... I feel the same," Jason said with a smile. There were a few moments of silence between them. He took notice of how attractive he found her and tried to focus on anything but that. "Feel like working on takedowns now?"
"Sure," Kim replied as she walked to stand in front of him.
"Now these I know you can do..." Jason said as he recalled getting flipped over her shoulder plenty of times in their previous training sessions. "So maybe something new today."
"New?" Kim inquired.
"Yeah... you can throw me over all day, I know this... you've got that down... but what I'm thinking today is a simple leg sweep," Jason explained.
"Show me," Kim said as he Jason moved into her. He put his hands on her shoulders.
"Grab mine," Jason said with a nod to his own arms. Kim obliged and within seconds she felt her legs going out from under her. She would have fallen if not for him holding her upright. She gathered her feet under her an straightened herself out. They were standing really close now and Kimberly took special notice of this.
"W... what did you do?" Kim asked, before clearing her throat. She glanced up to see Jason seemed distracted as well.
"This," Jason said after a moment. He repeated the action from before, except this time slower so she could see how he had used his leg to sweep hers from under her. "Now you do it to me."
"I... okay," Kim responded as they resumed their position from earlier. This time she mimicked his moves from earlier and swept Jason's legs out from under him. As he fell she did not let go and fell on top of him.
Jason opened his eyes to find his vision obscured by dark locks of hair. He felt weight on his body and movement. Within a moment or two, his vision was clear and he saw Kim lifting her head and glancing down at him. He waited for her to continue to get up and but she didn't.
"Hey," Jason said as her face hovered inches above his.
"Sorry," Kim whispered back.
"Kim..." Jason said before hesitating. Neither of them moved and time seemed to be frozen. Jason searched for his words as he tried to make sense of what was happening and voice his feelings. As he searched for words he felt her lips on his. He closed his eyes and let himself get lost in the moment.
Kimberly tried to not smile as she kissed him. This had been building for a long time. They could barely hide their attraction to each other. There had been many moments that had led her here. Lying on him with her lips pressed against his. She felt him return the kiss and she made herself comfortable and got settled into the kiss.
Jason reached up to place his hands on her thighs as her hands found his hair and began to roam through it. Finally, the kiss broke and she pulled up to look back down at him.
"I've been waiting for that," Jason confessed.
"Me too," Kim replied.
"I want to ask you out..." Jason said.
"I think you just did," Kim replied. Jason nodded.
"Are you busy tonight?" Jason asked.
"Nope," Kim answered.
"Seven?" Jason asked.
"I'll be ready," Kim responded.