Divergence

Author's Notes: I'm doing something a little different with my Ars Amatoria set. (At least, I hope it's different…) Instead of just writing straight-up Ashley/Carlos, I'm going to take a look at why their relationship failed. So Ashley/Carlos is the focus, yes, but plenty of these shorts will end up Andros/Ashley, with a side of supportive and not-angsty Carlos.

...Okay, maybe Carlos will be angsty. (Or angry. He's good at that.) But not because Andros 'stole' his girl or anything like that.

Part One
Theme: Youth

Generally, Carlos didn't think of himself as good with kids. Didn't spend much time with them before becoming a ranger, but the end result of that was that he began spending a lot of time with one in particular. Which wasn't quite as lame he might have once thought it would be; it helped that Justin was rather intelligent and ever-so-slightly more used to this Power Rangers thing, but he was still, first and foremost, a twelve-year-old kid.

"You're really good with kids," Ashley told him, and that sounded a little suggestive in a roundabout way, but he was too surprised by the compliment (it was a compliment, right?) to really register that until later.

He remembered shaking his head and laughing it off as stupid. Squeezing the soccer ball in his hands to stave off the nervousness. "I don't spend a lot of time with them at all…"

"So it's just natural talent, then?" she suggested slyly, and did she wink at him and he was too dumbstruck by her pretty features to notice? "Either way, it's… really sweet of you to spend so much time with him. Unasked, I mean, not for ranger stuff."

"It's not like it's a chore or anything," Carlos said. It was fun, actually. Teaching Justin to play soccer brought back memories of when he was learning the game, and he was undeniably proud whenever Justin mastered a particular aspect of the game.

It was a good feeling.

"Oh, I know," she reassured him. "But it's not something every guy in the world would do, and I admire it."

She smiled at him then, bright and sunny, and she actually leaned a little closer. Actually leaned against his arm a little bit, and Carlos was exceptionally glad he was sitting down at their usual table in the Juice Bar.

"So, I was wondering," said Ashley, cheerfully, "if you want to do something on Saturday. I mean, I don't have any specific plans or ideas or anything really, it was just a split-second idea… If you wanted to do something, we could. Provided Divatox doesn't spring something, I mean."

"And you know she would…" Carlos muttered, before his brain actually managed to fully process the invitation. To… hang out. Which they did a lot, really. It was nothing new. Still…

"Ash, you know I'd love to," he wondered if she would mind him using that strong a word, "but Justin's got a game and I said I'd be there first. But why don't you come along? It's fun."

"Okay," she agreed. She didn't exactly sound heartbroken, and why should she? Justin was her friend, too. "Maybe Cassie and T.J. will come, too. And maybe we can all go out for ice cream afterwards?"

"Maybe. Will you let me buy you a sundae as an apology?" Carlos asked. "I feel kinda bad."

Ashley laughed. "Don't… but I won't discourage you trying to make it up to me."

"Cruel. But since I offered, I guess I'm stuck, huh?"

"Oh yeah, you're not getting rid of me that easily." She stood up and winked at him. "I'm not the kind of person who gives up just because there's something in her way. And for the record, that you had a prior commitment isn't something I'm going to hold against you. I just told you I admired you for it. See you Saturday?"

"I'll see you then."