SUMMARY: Oneshot. Kelsey tries to teach Ryan how to rollerblade, but nothing turns out according to plan... Ryan/Kelsey, with mentions of Chad/Marina, Carter/Dana and Joel/Angela.
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from PRLR or any of the Power Ranger incarnations for that fact, because if I did I would do some of my long-held dreams. For instance, I'd bring back some of my favorite characters for Ranger reunions or do short looks at what happened to past teams and couples or… okay, I'll stop and let you read on and enjoy…
A/N: Well, I must say that I wasn't expecting to write something like this. I mean, as much as I love Ryan and Kelsey, Xander and Vida are very much my favorite couple. However, this one was banging in my head to be written and I finally gave in. This is my first attempt at writing these characters, so let me know how I did. Enjoy!
"…": characters talking to each other
'…': characters talking to themselves
(…): extra facts about something in the story
Confessions on Rollerblades
Mariner Bay Marina, July 24, 2005, 2:00 pm – Mariner Bay, CA, USA
"Come on, Ryan! It's not hard!" Kelsey Winslow chirped, clothed in her rollerblading gear, complete with a yellow helmet, yellow and black gloves and black and yellow roller blades. Chad Lee, clothed in the same items except in shades of blue stifled his laughter.
Ryan Mitchell grimaced before carefully moving one foot in front of him. The Titanium Ranger was obviously uncomfortable to anyone chancing a glance at the trio, but to anyone who knew Ryan he was getting more and more frustrated.
"How is it I picked up rock-climbing and riding cross-country with absolutely no problem but I'm struggling with rollerblading?" Ryan muttered, holding his arms out to balance himself.
Chad leaned towards his best friend and commented, "Was I this bad?"
Kelsey grinned. "Nah." Chad breathed a sigh of relief. "You were worse."
Chad scowled at this. He just had to ask, didn't he?
"Ryan! Find your balance and you'll be good!" Kelsey advised, skating a circle around her friend... backwards. Ryan shot a dark glare at her.
"How did you get the hang of this, Chad?" Ryan questioned the aquatic animal trainer, who merely shrugged.
"Fell on my butt here, scraped my knee or elbow there... I am so glad that I was wearing a helmet when learning how to rollerblade," Chad reported, arms crossed.
"You weren't that bad," Kelsey remarked, skating back to her blue-clad friend. "Besides, you've improved dramatically. Show him!"
Chad sighed before uncrossing his arms. He skated towards Ryan, who had stopped moving. Chad moved slowly, hoping Ryan would see how he skated and copy it so that he could learn more quickly.
Ryan shook his head before crossing his arms and asking, "Why am I doing this again?"
Kelsey shrugged. "Because you really wanted to learn how to skate." Upon receiving an incredulous look from her two friends, she sighed. "It's because we were kicked out of the Aquabase by an irate Dana and Angela, both of whom were ready to kill their respective husbands."
"Hormones will do that to you," Chad muttered under his breath, sighing in relief when he realized that Kelsey hadn't heard him.
Ryan shook his head ruefully. "I see... and I'm here because?"
"You really wanted to stay in range of your sister's Glare of Death©?" Chad questioned skeptically, pulling his glove on tighter.
"When you put it that way," Ryan mused, smirking. He was suddenly taken off balance when something ran into him. Arms flailing he couldn't catch his balance and landed on his knees, thankful that Chad had suggested he wear knee pads due to his beginner status.
"Sorry!" a young boy shouted as he skated past, further down the Marina's sidewalk. Kelsey muttered under her breath about kids watching where they were going before moving to help her teammate to his feet.
"Come on, let me help you up," Kelsey commented, stopping just in front of Ryan. She held out a hand for the Titanium Ranger to grab, which he did, but then he tugged at it. "Ryan, stop! You're going to make me –"
Kelsey tumbled forward and into Ryan's arms, causing Chad to stifle laughter. He'd known that Ryan had had a plan for snagging Kelsey's attention but this was completely unexpected...
"... fall," Kelsey finished sheepishly, quickly getting to her feet and turning away from Ryan. She didn't want him to see her red face.
Ryan chuckled before accepting a hand from Chad, who'd skated over and carefully got back on his feet. He made sure he had his balance before reaching out a hand for Kelsey's shoulder but hesitated just above it. Kelsey chose that moment to turn around and found Ryan's arm inches from her shoulder.
Ryan remained silent, eyes locked on Kelsey's own. Chad, seeing this decided it was time to leave.
"Hey, I have to go see Marina! See you guys later!" Chad said before skating off, grinning all the while. 'If they're not together by the end of today, I'll owe Joel fifty bucks. So, you'd better do it, Ryan!'
"Ryan? Are you okay?" Kelsey asked, ignoring the position of Ryan's arm. 'If the arm was just a bit lower, he'd be touching me. Why am I nervous and yet anticipatory about that?'
Ryan shook his head and withdrew his hand, grinning sheepishly. "I'm fine. Just thinking." Looking around he saw that Chad had left. 'Traitor.'
Kelsey shrugged. "So... you still want to learn how to rollerblade?"
Ryan nodded. "Definitely, if only to give you some competition."
Kelsey smirked. "You, give me competition? What planet are you from, Ry?"
Ignoring how nice it felt to be called 'Ry' Ryan responded, "Oh, you know, that one that you won't ever be able to visit because you're the Yellow Ranger."
Kelsey ignored this barb at her ranger color before skating another circle around Ryan. She then took off down the Marina. "You coming?"
Ryan glared before slowly moving one foot in front of the other. After a few minutes of small steps, he slowly began skating as Chad had showed him. "Hey, this actually isn't so hard..."
Of course, just as Ryan said this, he was hit from behind again and fell, this time scrapping his elbow. Looking up he glared as the same boy who had hit him before skated past, moving quickly. This time the kid didn't even apologize.
"That brat," Kelsey remarked her eyes narrowing angrily at the young boy's retreat. Moving towards Ryan, she held out her hand warily, watching him to see if he was going to pull another stunt.
Deciding to go with another plan, Ryan grabbed Kelsey's outstretched hand and managed to clamper back to his feet. Getting his balance again, he began to slowly skate around Kelsey, who was grinning happily at the sudden progress her friend was making.
"That's it, Ry! You've got it!"
Ryan smirked at Kelsey, locking his eyes with hers. "Guess so." Suddenly veering off his circle around her he grabbed her around her waist and picked her up, skating down the Marina.
"Ryan! Put me down!" Kelsey demanded, fists pounding Ryan's shoulder to emphasize her point.
Ryan internally winced, having not expected Kelsey's strength. 'All that training must pay off.'
"Sorry, Kels, no can do," Ryan taunted, eyes glittering madly...not that Kelsey could see them. He began to move faster and faster, unknowingly impressing Kelsey with his quick mastery of the sport. He then gathered energy in his legs and leapt over a low dividing wall onto the Marina's pier. Ignoring the no-skating signs, he moved towards a secluded part of the pier where he knew there was a shallow stretch of water.
"Ryan! Where are we going?!" Kelsey screeched, now getting a tad scared. What was going on? Why was Ryan acting like this? Was he… was he possessed?
Ryan skidded to a stop near another small dividing wall, the wood of the pier worn down with age. Grinning, he moved slowly towards the edge of the pier and shifted the strangely silent Yellow Ranger from his shoulder to her feet. He removed her helmet then his and grinned.
"We're here."
Kelsey looked around before sending an irritated look at Ryan. "Where's here?!"
Ryan's grin widened. "Why, a favorite place of mine."
Kelsey raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Pray, do tell me, good sir."
Ryan frowned a little. "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." Ignoring Kelsey's curious look as to how he knew about William Shakespeare, much less the play Hamlet, he placed his hands on Kelsey's arms.
"Ryan?" Kelsey asked warily, having come to recognize that the look in Ryan's eyes never boded well for anyone... and right now, that someone was she.
Ryan smirked and gently moved Kelsey backwards, the wheels on her skates making it much easier. "Don't worry Kels nothing bad is going to happen to you... yet."
"Yet?! What's that me –"
Kelsey's yelp of surprise cut off her question as she fell backwards but not before grabbing Ryan's gray tank top and pulling him down with her. A large splash was heard, which most people on the pier ignored. It was those damn seals again, or just something falling into the water. Nothing to worry about at all.
As Kelsey broke to the surface, she spit water out of her mouth, anger taking up residence on her face. "Ryan Mitchell! Where the hell are you?!"
Ryan surfaced a few feet behind her, smirking. Okay, so he hadn't been expecting to be pulled in as well, but damn, if Kelsey didn't look, well, hot in a wet yellow tank top, with her hair sopping wet...
Moving slowly he came closer until he was a few inches from her. His arms moved from the water and came to encircle her, pulling her against him. Of course, he wasn't expecting the elbow to the gut, causing him to lose his breath and remove his arms.
"Oh God, Ryan, I'm so sorry!" Kelsey instantly apologized upon seeing him holding his stomach in pain. "Did I hurt you?"
Ryan grunted. "Nah, and besides, I deserved it, spooking you like I did."
Kelsey's apologetic look switched to an angry one. "Ryan, why'd you that?! Now we're both soaking wet!"
Ryan shrugged nonchalantly, hoping that Kelsey didn't catch onto his nervousness. "I thought we both needed to cool off."
Kelsey rolled her eyes. "That's why we have water bottles... which are now probably in the trash or something, considering you left them behind when you snagged me!"
Ryan shrugged again, further infuriating Kelsey. He just irritated her with his cool demeanor and ability to control his emotions... the total opposite to her, who, as Joel so blithely put it 'wore her heart on her sleeve'.
Kelsey, vowing to find out Ryan's reason for dumping them both into Mariner Bay's Marina swam closer to him, irritatingly flipping her sopping wet brown curls over her shoulder. She didn't notice Ryan's eyes following her movement before focusing on her now exposed neck.
"Ryan, I want the real reason why you decided to do this," Kelsey demanded, a finger poking Ryan's tank top-clad chest for emphasis.
Ryan's eyes moved from Kelsey's neck to her eyes, which were sparking with anger. He sucked in air, entranced by those eyes... just as he had been for the last four years of his life. Deciding to not 'beat around the bush' anymore he reached out a hand to gently push a strand of hair behind Kelsey's left ear, absently noting that her eyes had widened in surprise.
"Ryan, what are you –" Kelsey began but was cut off by Ryan's lips on hers. Kelsey froze for all of ten seconds before fiercely returning the kiss, arms moving of their own accord to wrap around Ryan's neck. The kiss was gentle, passionate, hungry, and slow, all at the same time.
Ryan's hand moved to grasp Kelsey's hair, angling her head backwards to allow him further access to her mouth... her delicious mouth that tasted of cherries and bananas. God, she tasted so good... why hadn't he done this before now?
Kelsey was wondering the same thing as she gave in to Ryan's unspoken command, giving him more access to her mouth while quickly becoming addicting to the tastes of apples and pears, with a hint of mint; a taste that was uniquely him, she decided quickly.
After a few minutes, they had to break apart for that thing called air and merely stared at each other, not saying anything. Finally, not able to take the silence any longer Kelsey asked the one question that was burning on the tip of her tongue – "Why?"
Ryan sighed deeply before lifting a hand and caressing Kelsey's cheek, the latter leaning into his touch. "Why not?" Seeing Kelsey's look he continued, "Kels, I've been in love with you for so long... and I just couldn't take it anymore. I want you and you only. I want you to be with me, and only me. Every time I saw you with someone else, I did everything in my power to keep myself from strangling him because you are mine and not his. I almost killed any bastard who hurt you... but I couldn't do that for obvious reasons. It didn't stop me from wanting to, though."
Kelsey's blue eyes stared into Ryan's chocolate ones. She couldn't remove them – even if she wanted to – but knew that she had to say something... but what? Yell at him for soaking them, for being such an idiot with not telling her how he felt before, thanking him for comforting her when past boyfriends callously broke up with her? On the other hand, should she do something?
Kelsey abruptly pulled Ryan into another kiss, and he didn't protest. Yes, actions would hopefully speak more clearly than words.
After the second kiss had ended, Kelsey lightly smacked Ryan's shoulder and, smirking said, "Ry, as much as I would love to continue kissing you I think we have company."
Ryan looked behind him and sure enough, a seal was directly in front of him, its black eyes boring into his own. Laughing, Ryan replied, "Right."
After a few minutes of struggling and veiled threats, ("You ruined my skates, Ry!" Kelsey protested before gently pushing Ryan back into the water, laughing all the while) the two Rangers were seated on the edge of the pier, skates and equipment drying behind them. Kelsey was sitting between Ryan's legs and was watching the seals play around in the water.
Ryan pressed a kiss to Kelsey's hair, not caring that it was still wet (he was soaked, for that matter), perfectly content to be with Kelsey. The Yellow Ranger felt the same but also knew that there was something off.
"Why now, Ry?" she asked and Ryan, getting the gist of her question sighed and, resting his head on hers thought for a moment.
"I couldn't stand watching you with someone else who didn't treat you correctly, who only wanted fame and glory that comes from association with a ranger, and –"
"You were jealous," Kelsey muttered, slightly disappointed. She had been expecting some declaration of love, not a confession of jealousy.
"...and," Ryan continued, moving his head until he was looking into Kelsey's eyes, "because I love you."
Kelsey grinned, before reaching up a hand to caress Ryan's face, pushing back an errant strand of his dirty-blond hair. "I see." Thinking about what to say next she paused before continuing, "I don't know if what I feel for you is love, Ry, because I haven't been thinking along that track... but I'm willing to see if it is."
Ryan's grin could have lit a dark room.
Indeed, the two rangers did work at finding the full extent of their feelings for each other, often surprising their friends with the pace and tone of their relationship – slow and relaxed. Joel especially remarked that it was odd to see Kelsey so calm... that earned him an elbow in the gut from his pregnant wife, and a glare from a pregnant Dana as well, who was currently in high spirits due to her brother and best friend's dating status. Carter wisely stayed quiet, knowing that if he said anything he was liable to be hit, or something else dastardly thought up by his pregnant wife.
When Kelsey did say that she loved Ryan it came while on a date to the pier where it had all begun... and where it would continue as a sparkling ring of dark silver and yellow diamond rested in a black velvet box in Ryan's outstretched hand. Kelsey's shriek of joy could be heard by anyone on the pier, as could the resulting splash.
Chad earned $100 dollars from Joel upon Ryan and Kelsey's engagement, and that, plus the $50 he'd earned the day of Ryan and Kelsey's impromptu dip into the water at the Marina's pier he used to buy a ring for his Marina, hoping to make her one of the happiest women in the world.