The Second Chances Saga: Chapter 2: Clash of Colors
Fandom: Power Rangers/ Alternate Universes (duh!)
Notes: This story takes place before they lose the Dinozords. Zack has
moved to Iowa, and Adam took his place. There was no Peace Conference. It
is loosely based on Karen Davis' BLUE YONDER, (I guess it's one of the five
universes Jason never made it to.) and that concept is used with her
permission.
Disclaimers: I don't own the Power Rangers, Zordon, Zords, Angel Grove, Ernie's or any of Saban's other properties. If I did, I can guarantee you it wouldn't be a kiddie show. I also don't own Storm Quest, Temblor or the Time Shard. They belong to my buddies over at Sky Comics. (Joe- Just be glad I left Seeker alone-) The rest is all from my own twisted mind, and that of my best friend Kim Nichols-Hornbuckle. This is slash fiction. If you don't like guys in love with each other- run as far and as fast as you can. I'm always open to constructive criticism. I can be reached at cobalt- blue@rocketmail.com
Jason watched as Tommy got up to leave the table. He couldn't believe what the Green Ranger had told him. He and Billy really needed to talk, but it seems like every time it looked like they were going to get a minute alone, something or someone interrupted them. He was beginning to believe there was some kind of conspiracy going on to- not keep them apart- but to keep them from spending any time alone with each other.
He'd been thinking a lot about what happened in the park that day the Kregar warriors attacked them. The day that Billy had done something so out of character that it had shocked him- the day that Billy had actually kissed him. He remembered the feelings that it had elicited from him. He'd always known he'd loved the Blue Ranger, but for some reason just how much he loved the other boy had never dawned on him. As he thought back on the past few years, he could not put a time to the point at which the feelings had gone from the love a brother he never had, to something more, something deeper.
At first, he thought it might have been last year when Revenger had hurled Billy off the top of the Kingsley Building. That monster had been looking for the notorious Black Ranger from years ago. Adam had been out of town that day, and Billy had loaned his blue flannel shirt to Trini who was cold from swimming. Underneath the shirt, Billy was wearing an old black tee, so the Revenger had thought he'd caught the Black Ranger unmorphed. Before anyone could react, he'd picked Billy up and tossed him off the building. To this day, Jason couldn't forget the feelings of anger and shock that washed over him. He and Tommy literally ripped the Revenger limb from limb before getting down to where Billy lay crumpled on the ground. The thing that had saved the unmorphed Blue Ranger from certain death was that just like in the movies, he actually managed to hit one of those cloth awnings they put in front of buildings and it broke his fall enough to let him survive. Jason had gone into shock when they'd gotten Billy to the hospital.
Jason understood that he had just started to recognize the feelings he had for Billy then, but that they'd been there for a long time. Unfortunately, at the time it took everything he had to hold it together, to keep the team from being revealed to their parents. He still couldn't believe their fantastic luck and how much their parents trusted them, that they bought the flimsy story of Billy falling off the building while helping Kim with a science project for school. Still, he realized that the feelings had been there a long time even then, he'd just refused to recognize them.
Facing Billy's near-death had forced him to reconsider a lot of things in his life, not the least of which was his own preconceptions about what masculinity was. For the longest time he denied what he was feeling: I'm a football player, not a ballet dancer, and was absolutely terrified of how Billy would react if he knew that Jason's own thoughts had crossed the line from brother to something else. Not long ago Billy had made it clear that his own thoughts had been less than platonic. But damn it, they hadn't had a minute alone together to talk about it.
Hell, Jason wasn't even sure how to go about dating, or even being with another man. He knew what he wanted, what he wanted to do, but he had no experience with it. He was scared and confused and that was a condition he didn't like to be in. Now here, Tommy had come to him to let him know that he'd talked to Billy, about the changes they'd all seen lately in the Blue Ranger.
To Jason's great surprise, Tommy informed him that Billy was afraid of losing him, so he was trying to be more- aggressive, more male. Once again, he felt the confusion rise in him about what it meant to be male. He wondered if the behavior that Billy had been exhibiting lately, the hyper-assertiveness, the sudden willingness to escalate the fight was an attempt to make Jason understand that he was still male.
Jason thought about that a minute. Did he see Billy as just a surrogate female? Was that what he was wanting- a female version of Billy? He shook his head at that thought. No, Billy was definitely male, and Jason didn't want him any other way. He thought of the way the light would play off his sandy blond hair, or the those piercing blue-green eyes peering back from behind the glasses. He remembered the other day at the Command Center the way the water in the showers would play down the finely sculpted muscles of his chest and hard abs to disappear into the .. Whoa! Where did that come from? Jason shook his head and realized that no, he definitely didn't want to see Billy as a woman. He liked him- no loved him just the way he is.
He'd managed to finally slip away from his house, finishing the attic earlier than he or his dad had expected. His father, a detective on the Angel Grove Police Force had been called away to an emergency and Jason had the rest of the day to himself. He tried to call Billy but nobody was answering the phone, so here he was at Ernie's sipping his favorite cherry smoothie and missing Billy. "Jason, we need to talk," the last voice he expected to hear interrupted his self-condemnation.
Looking up he smiled at Billy, "Sure we're going to get a chance to?" He looked around and found the place deserted, "I mean any minute now, you're dad or mine is going to come through that door and find something else for one of us to do around the house."
Billy laughed and sat down at the table, his own spinach and prune juice smoothie in hand. "I don't think so. My dad had to run up to San Francisco for his company suddenly, and I peeked into your attic, it looks empty."
Jason had an idea, "You want to slip off somewhere and talk then?" He looked around guiltily. "I thought I saw my mom and Ms. Stone here earlier, but it looks like we might actually get a little time to ourselves."
Billy nodded and smiled, remembering a line from a movie he and his dad watched together recently and replied, "wicked."
Ten minutes later, they were sitting in Billy's living room, with absolutely nothing to say. A hundred things were running through Jason's mind, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out how to put them into words. From the chagrined looks Billy was giving him from across the table, he decided he wasn't the only one in the room at a sudden loss for words. Finally, he sighed, "I'm not sure where to start."
Billy laughed, "Me either."
"Jason.,"Billy began
"Billy.,"Jason said simultaneously
They laughed and Jason realized how good it felt. Finally, Billy nodded and said, "You go first."
Jason put down his soda and smiled, "You don't have to prove anything to me, Billy. We've been friends for too long for you to suddenly start changing into something you think I want you to be." He smiled, "You should know me better than that."
Jason saw Billy blush, "I do, deep down I guess." He reached for his face, and Jason realized that Billy wasn't wearing his glasses. Looking closely, he could see the faint outline of contacts around the blue-green irises of the Blue Ranger's eyes. Reaching for his glasses was just a nervous habit. His face suddenly became serious, and Jason knew that a conflict was being resolved in that incomprehensible mind of his. He sighed deeply, and committed himself to whatever train of thought he'd decided upon. "What happened in that battle with the Kregar before we met Covenant, the one where we died has forced me to reevaluate my standing on the team." Jason began to protest, but Billy cut him off with a wave of his hand, "Hear me out, Jase. I know that you've spent half your life protecting me. In school, it was from bullies, and later from Rita and then Rita and Zedd. I know that you've always taken a few extra seconds in a fight to make sure I was okay before you handled the things you had to do." He took a deep breath, "I can't let you keep doing that, Jase. That puts you in danger, and I will not be the cause of your death a second time."
Jason was floored by what Billy said. He knew it was the truth, he'd always kept an eye out for Billy, even checking on him in a fight, but that was Jase's nature. That was what he did. He was the original Big Red Schoolboy. Okay, he knew it wasn't quite the right color for that quote, but the sentiment applied nonetheless. However, Billy was not the reason Jason had died in that battle. Billy could no more have averted it than Jason could have stopped Billy from getting killed when Kim's Pterodactyl crashed into the Triceratops. "You didn't cause my death in that fight Billy. The Kregar did."
Billy nodded, "I know Jase, but.,"
Jason held up a hand, "I heard you out, now you hear me out. I'll admit that I take a few extra seconds to make sure you're safe before a fight starts. I've always watched out for you, Bro-," he saw Billy start to protest, "no Bro's not right, Tommy's my Bro, you're something more- and heaven help me I always will be able to do that. It's what I do. I do it because I love you. I always have loved you." He shook his head, "I don't know when it shifted from being the love of the little brother I always wanted to being something more, but it did. Somewhere along the line, and I don't know when it happened, Athos and Aramis got a whole lot closer than Dumas ever meant for them to." He smiled, "I'm not complaining mind you, I'm just trying to put it into perspective." He reached across the table and touched Billy's hand. "Yes, I've watched out for you, and I want to go on watching out for you."
He watched as Billy considered what he had to say, "I know that. But I think it's about time I pulled my own weight on the team."
"What ever gave you the idea that you don't pull your weight?" Jason asked.
"I'm barely a red belt, Jase. Even Kyle is better than I am," he gave Jason a wry smile.
"Yes, Kyle is more athletic, but he's also coming from a long history of physical training. What he does as tumbler adapts very easily to combat. But as for barely being a red belt Bill," Jason purposefully used the more adult sounding name, "he's not better than you. What you lack, or think you lack in official belts, you more than make up for in sheer experience and skill. You may not know all the katas, but you surpassed most combat- style, and I'd say all tournament-style black belts a year ago. Don't look so surprised, it's true if for no other reason than, just from constantly fighting things that wanted to kill you." He got up and moved to the sofa to sit next to Billy, "As for pulling your weight, from the tapes I saw of the fight with Temblor and that bunch, you and Adam more than handled the problem. You fought well, you kept you cool, and you came up with a plan, executed it and pretty much single handedly captured them. You rebuilt the 'zords, adapted the new morphers, and hacked the new Command Center's computer systems. If anything, the rest of us aren't pulling our own weight around you."
Billy shook his head, "You don't mind that the only reason I go the karate classes is so I can spend time with you, and the rest of the gang?"
"Not at all," Jase told him, "You don't have to like everything I like." Jason smiled mischievously and lightly punched his friend in the arm, "If you did then we'd never have anything to grump about and then make up for."
Billy smiled, "There is that."
Jason continued, "But seriously, I would like you to continue with the classes though. Not because I want you to like the same things I like, and not just to spend time with me, although I like that idea. I want you to keep coming so that you'll stay in practice," he smiled at Billy, "and maybe eventually get it through that thick skull of yours that you're not just a red belt."
Billy laughed, "Okay, okay, I'll take my sensei's advice."
A thought occurred to Jason, "That can make things interesting." He pulled Billy's face around to look at him, "don't take this wrong. I love spending time with you, but I think it might be a good idea if you switched over to Tommy' class." He smiled, "That way my dad can't accuse us of groping during class."
Billy snapped his fingers and grinned mischievously, his voice dropping an octave, "drat, there go all those potential nefarious plans." He looked up Jason, his expression changing. Jase could see the old nervousness come back to Billy's demeanor, "about this boyfriend thing?" He let the words hang.
Jason moved closer and took Billy's hand in his own massive one. He could smell the spicy scent of Billy's cologne and was surprised at the reaction it was causing in him. "Yeah, about that. Do you think I could get some clarification," he tried to bring some humor to Billy's question. In reality, Jason was just as confused and nervous himself.
"Jase, I'm serious here," Billy said.
"Hey, I am too," Jase backed away just a minute to give Billy some room to think.
Billy shook his head, "I've never been a boyfriend before, much less had one. How do we go about this thing?" He smiled, "I know what I want, I know what I feel, but I lack practical experience."
Suddenly Jason realized something. He'd known Billy was inexperienced, but hadn't really considered just how inexperienced. "Are you telling me you've never kissed anyone before that day in the park?"
Billy nodded, "Only distant relatives, and then on the cheek."
Jason hoped the shock didn't show in his face, "that was your first kiss?"
"I believe I just indicated that Jason." Billy sounded hurt, "You don't have to rub my face in the fact. I haven't exactly had as many willing partners with which to experiment as you."
Jason was confused, "huh?"
Billy looked down, Jason barely heard him mutter, "how many girlfriends have you had? How many have I had?"
Suddenly it hit Jason what Billy was trying to tell him, "Oh my God! You sat there and listened to me go on about Ana, all the time wishing it was you?"
He slapped his own forehead, "I am such a jerk!"
"No, you didn't know," Billy protested.
"Oh man, that's rough," Jason reached out and put his arm around Billy, pulling him to him.
"It could have been worse," Billy said.
"I don't see how?" Jason remembering telling Billy about the night things had gotten way out of hand with him and Ana.
Billy looked over and smiled sadly, "It could have been an Andrew."
Jason took Billy's face and turned it toward him, "That, will never happen. I've been such an idiot these past few years. Until recently I hadn't realized just how much of place you took up in my heart. Even if you get tired of me, I'll always love you Billy. I'll never leave you."
Billy smiled at him, "Speaking of things that will never happen, me getting tired of you is at the top of that list."
Jason smiled back at him, "Good. That's straight now."
Billy shook his head, "No. It's cleared up. It's not straight."
It took Jase a second to realize that his friend was actually joking with him. He laughed, "Oh and by the way?" Billy gave him a questioning look as he reached up to clasp the hand Jason had at his cheek. Jason was surprised at the quite strength he felt in that hand. For the first time in his life, he understood what the term velvet coated iron meant. "Judging by that kiss in the park, you're a natural." He gave Billy a wicked smile, "You just need some practice."
"Perhaps I can find an instructor," Billy said. "Maybe Tommy?"
"Not if Kimberly wants to keep him." Jason told him. "Nah, but I know of even a better instructor that has the afternoon off. He can fit you in."
Billy raised an eyebrow at that, "Interesting choice of words." He smiled and leaned in close, his lips almost touching Jason's. Jason caught the light scent of the cinnamon Altoids Billy liked so much. "Exactly what does he want to fit in where?"
Jason leaned forward and kissed Billy, pulling the other boy to him. He felt as much as heard Billy groan, as the Blue Ranger opened his mouth to invite Jason in. At some point, Jason remembered that he needed to breath, and pulled back slightly, not quite wanting to break the kiss just yet. He could feel his pulse pound in his veins and realized that no girl he'd ever been with had elicited this kind of reaction from him. He pulled back from the kiss suddenly as he realized what that meant to him. Looking at the questioning expression on Billy's face he felt the last of his doubts crumble, and leaned back into the kiss, this time, throwing everything he had into it. To his surprise Billy matched his passion and raised the stakes.
Finally, the Blue Ranger pulled back, a look of concern on his own face. "Jase, we need to talk before this goes any further," Billy told him, slightly out of breath.
"What about?" Jason asked.
"Exactly how far we're willing to let this go right now," Billy answered.
Jason thought about what he'd been asked and realized how profound it really was. Would Jason be willing to go all the way with a girl he'd been out with this soon in a relationship? He realized that although his and Billy's relationship wasn't exactly new, but this phase of it was. He realized that out of respect for himself and Billy, as well as for what he knew he wanted to build with the Blue Ranger, they'd have to go slow. Finally, he shook his head, "Eventually all the way. But right now I don't think either of us is ready for that yet."
Billy nodded, "I concur." He smiled, "But the level of contact we were just experiencing is acceptable to me for now." He looked around and blushed deeply, "As long as there is nobody else present."
Jason smiled, "So for now, necking in your dad's living room is okay, as long as we're alone. But no swapping spit in the park."
"Jason!" Billy protested, "that is not a very attractive term to use." He shook his head, and Jason knew Billy's protests were more out of teasing than any real discomfort. He smiled up at him shyly, "But could we continue with the experiment?"
"Oh, definitely," Jason pulled Billy back to him. Just before they resumed the kiss however, something seemed to occur to Billy and the smaller boy broke off giggling. "What?" Jason asked.
"I was just thinking," Billy said.
"What about?" Jason queried.
"Your analogy earlier," Billy told him, "Aramis eventually becomes a priest." He gave Jason a long hard look, "Just wanted to let you know, that I'm not Catholic."
"Billy, I know," Jason told him.
"Just so you know I have no plans for the priesthood," Billy smiled and pulled Jason into a rather fierce kiss.
"Good," Jason mumbled just before their lips touched. ********************************************************
Disclaimers: I don't own the Power Rangers, Zordon, Zords, Angel Grove, Ernie's or any of Saban's other properties. If I did, I can guarantee you it wouldn't be a kiddie show. I also don't own Storm Quest, Temblor or the Time Shard. They belong to my buddies over at Sky Comics. (Joe- Just be glad I left Seeker alone-) The rest is all from my own twisted mind, and that of my best friend Kim Nichols-Hornbuckle. This is slash fiction. If you don't like guys in love with each other- run as far and as fast as you can. I'm always open to constructive criticism. I can be reached at cobalt- blue@rocketmail.com
Jason watched as Tommy got up to leave the table. He couldn't believe what the Green Ranger had told him. He and Billy really needed to talk, but it seems like every time it looked like they were going to get a minute alone, something or someone interrupted them. He was beginning to believe there was some kind of conspiracy going on to- not keep them apart- but to keep them from spending any time alone with each other.
He'd been thinking a lot about what happened in the park that day the Kregar warriors attacked them. The day that Billy had done something so out of character that it had shocked him- the day that Billy had actually kissed him. He remembered the feelings that it had elicited from him. He'd always known he'd loved the Blue Ranger, but for some reason just how much he loved the other boy had never dawned on him. As he thought back on the past few years, he could not put a time to the point at which the feelings had gone from the love a brother he never had, to something more, something deeper.
At first, he thought it might have been last year when Revenger had hurled Billy off the top of the Kingsley Building. That monster had been looking for the notorious Black Ranger from years ago. Adam had been out of town that day, and Billy had loaned his blue flannel shirt to Trini who was cold from swimming. Underneath the shirt, Billy was wearing an old black tee, so the Revenger had thought he'd caught the Black Ranger unmorphed. Before anyone could react, he'd picked Billy up and tossed him off the building. To this day, Jason couldn't forget the feelings of anger and shock that washed over him. He and Tommy literally ripped the Revenger limb from limb before getting down to where Billy lay crumpled on the ground. The thing that had saved the unmorphed Blue Ranger from certain death was that just like in the movies, he actually managed to hit one of those cloth awnings they put in front of buildings and it broke his fall enough to let him survive. Jason had gone into shock when they'd gotten Billy to the hospital.
Jason understood that he had just started to recognize the feelings he had for Billy then, but that they'd been there for a long time. Unfortunately, at the time it took everything he had to hold it together, to keep the team from being revealed to their parents. He still couldn't believe their fantastic luck and how much their parents trusted them, that they bought the flimsy story of Billy falling off the building while helping Kim with a science project for school. Still, he realized that the feelings had been there a long time even then, he'd just refused to recognize them.
Facing Billy's near-death had forced him to reconsider a lot of things in his life, not the least of which was his own preconceptions about what masculinity was. For the longest time he denied what he was feeling: I'm a football player, not a ballet dancer, and was absolutely terrified of how Billy would react if he knew that Jason's own thoughts had crossed the line from brother to something else. Not long ago Billy had made it clear that his own thoughts had been less than platonic. But damn it, they hadn't had a minute alone together to talk about it.
Hell, Jason wasn't even sure how to go about dating, or even being with another man. He knew what he wanted, what he wanted to do, but he had no experience with it. He was scared and confused and that was a condition he didn't like to be in. Now here, Tommy had come to him to let him know that he'd talked to Billy, about the changes they'd all seen lately in the Blue Ranger.
To Jason's great surprise, Tommy informed him that Billy was afraid of losing him, so he was trying to be more- aggressive, more male. Once again, he felt the confusion rise in him about what it meant to be male. He wondered if the behavior that Billy had been exhibiting lately, the hyper-assertiveness, the sudden willingness to escalate the fight was an attempt to make Jason understand that he was still male.
Jason thought about that a minute. Did he see Billy as just a surrogate female? Was that what he was wanting- a female version of Billy? He shook his head at that thought. No, Billy was definitely male, and Jason didn't want him any other way. He thought of the way the light would play off his sandy blond hair, or the those piercing blue-green eyes peering back from behind the glasses. He remembered the other day at the Command Center the way the water in the showers would play down the finely sculpted muscles of his chest and hard abs to disappear into the .. Whoa! Where did that come from? Jason shook his head and realized that no, he definitely didn't want to see Billy as a woman. He liked him- no loved him just the way he is.
He'd managed to finally slip away from his house, finishing the attic earlier than he or his dad had expected. His father, a detective on the Angel Grove Police Force had been called away to an emergency and Jason had the rest of the day to himself. He tried to call Billy but nobody was answering the phone, so here he was at Ernie's sipping his favorite cherry smoothie and missing Billy. "Jason, we need to talk," the last voice he expected to hear interrupted his self-condemnation.
Looking up he smiled at Billy, "Sure we're going to get a chance to?" He looked around and found the place deserted, "I mean any minute now, you're dad or mine is going to come through that door and find something else for one of us to do around the house."
Billy laughed and sat down at the table, his own spinach and prune juice smoothie in hand. "I don't think so. My dad had to run up to San Francisco for his company suddenly, and I peeked into your attic, it looks empty."
Jason had an idea, "You want to slip off somewhere and talk then?" He looked around guiltily. "I thought I saw my mom and Ms. Stone here earlier, but it looks like we might actually get a little time to ourselves."
Billy nodded and smiled, remembering a line from a movie he and his dad watched together recently and replied, "wicked."
Ten minutes later, they were sitting in Billy's living room, with absolutely nothing to say. A hundred things were running through Jason's mind, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out how to put them into words. From the chagrined looks Billy was giving him from across the table, he decided he wasn't the only one in the room at a sudden loss for words. Finally, he sighed, "I'm not sure where to start."
Billy laughed, "Me either."
"Jason.,"Billy began
"Billy.,"Jason said simultaneously
They laughed and Jason realized how good it felt. Finally, Billy nodded and said, "You go first."
Jason put down his soda and smiled, "You don't have to prove anything to me, Billy. We've been friends for too long for you to suddenly start changing into something you think I want you to be." He smiled, "You should know me better than that."
Jason saw Billy blush, "I do, deep down I guess." He reached for his face, and Jason realized that Billy wasn't wearing his glasses. Looking closely, he could see the faint outline of contacts around the blue-green irises of the Blue Ranger's eyes. Reaching for his glasses was just a nervous habit. His face suddenly became serious, and Jason knew that a conflict was being resolved in that incomprehensible mind of his. He sighed deeply, and committed himself to whatever train of thought he'd decided upon. "What happened in that battle with the Kregar before we met Covenant, the one where we died has forced me to reevaluate my standing on the team." Jason began to protest, but Billy cut him off with a wave of his hand, "Hear me out, Jase. I know that you've spent half your life protecting me. In school, it was from bullies, and later from Rita and then Rita and Zedd. I know that you've always taken a few extra seconds in a fight to make sure I was okay before you handled the things you had to do." He took a deep breath, "I can't let you keep doing that, Jase. That puts you in danger, and I will not be the cause of your death a second time."
Jason was floored by what Billy said. He knew it was the truth, he'd always kept an eye out for Billy, even checking on him in a fight, but that was Jase's nature. That was what he did. He was the original Big Red Schoolboy. Okay, he knew it wasn't quite the right color for that quote, but the sentiment applied nonetheless. However, Billy was not the reason Jason had died in that battle. Billy could no more have averted it than Jason could have stopped Billy from getting killed when Kim's Pterodactyl crashed into the Triceratops. "You didn't cause my death in that fight Billy. The Kregar did."
Billy nodded, "I know Jase, but.,"
Jason held up a hand, "I heard you out, now you hear me out. I'll admit that I take a few extra seconds to make sure you're safe before a fight starts. I've always watched out for you, Bro-," he saw Billy start to protest, "no Bro's not right, Tommy's my Bro, you're something more- and heaven help me I always will be able to do that. It's what I do. I do it because I love you. I always have loved you." He shook his head, "I don't know when it shifted from being the love of the little brother I always wanted to being something more, but it did. Somewhere along the line, and I don't know when it happened, Athos and Aramis got a whole lot closer than Dumas ever meant for them to." He smiled, "I'm not complaining mind you, I'm just trying to put it into perspective." He reached across the table and touched Billy's hand. "Yes, I've watched out for you, and I want to go on watching out for you."
He watched as Billy considered what he had to say, "I know that. But I think it's about time I pulled my own weight on the team."
"What ever gave you the idea that you don't pull your weight?" Jason asked.
"I'm barely a red belt, Jase. Even Kyle is better than I am," he gave Jason a wry smile.
"Yes, Kyle is more athletic, but he's also coming from a long history of physical training. What he does as tumbler adapts very easily to combat. But as for barely being a red belt Bill," Jason purposefully used the more adult sounding name, "he's not better than you. What you lack, or think you lack in official belts, you more than make up for in sheer experience and skill. You may not know all the katas, but you surpassed most combat- style, and I'd say all tournament-style black belts a year ago. Don't look so surprised, it's true if for no other reason than, just from constantly fighting things that wanted to kill you." He got up and moved to the sofa to sit next to Billy, "As for pulling your weight, from the tapes I saw of the fight with Temblor and that bunch, you and Adam more than handled the problem. You fought well, you kept you cool, and you came up with a plan, executed it and pretty much single handedly captured them. You rebuilt the 'zords, adapted the new morphers, and hacked the new Command Center's computer systems. If anything, the rest of us aren't pulling our own weight around you."
Billy shook his head, "You don't mind that the only reason I go the karate classes is so I can spend time with you, and the rest of the gang?"
"Not at all," Jase told him, "You don't have to like everything I like." Jason smiled mischievously and lightly punched his friend in the arm, "If you did then we'd never have anything to grump about and then make up for."
Billy smiled, "There is that."
Jason continued, "But seriously, I would like you to continue with the classes though. Not because I want you to like the same things I like, and not just to spend time with me, although I like that idea. I want you to keep coming so that you'll stay in practice," he smiled at Billy, "and maybe eventually get it through that thick skull of yours that you're not just a red belt."
Billy laughed, "Okay, okay, I'll take my sensei's advice."
A thought occurred to Jason, "That can make things interesting." He pulled Billy's face around to look at him, "don't take this wrong. I love spending time with you, but I think it might be a good idea if you switched over to Tommy' class." He smiled, "That way my dad can't accuse us of groping during class."
Billy snapped his fingers and grinned mischievously, his voice dropping an octave, "drat, there go all those potential nefarious plans." He looked up Jason, his expression changing. Jase could see the old nervousness come back to Billy's demeanor, "about this boyfriend thing?" He let the words hang.
Jason moved closer and took Billy's hand in his own massive one. He could smell the spicy scent of Billy's cologne and was surprised at the reaction it was causing in him. "Yeah, about that. Do you think I could get some clarification," he tried to bring some humor to Billy's question. In reality, Jason was just as confused and nervous himself.
"Jase, I'm serious here," Billy said.
"Hey, I am too," Jase backed away just a minute to give Billy some room to think.
Billy shook his head, "I've never been a boyfriend before, much less had one. How do we go about this thing?" He smiled, "I know what I want, I know what I feel, but I lack practical experience."
Suddenly Jason realized something. He'd known Billy was inexperienced, but hadn't really considered just how inexperienced. "Are you telling me you've never kissed anyone before that day in the park?"
Billy nodded, "Only distant relatives, and then on the cheek."
Jason hoped the shock didn't show in his face, "that was your first kiss?"
"I believe I just indicated that Jason." Billy sounded hurt, "You don't have to rub my face in the fact. I haven't exactly had as many willing partners with which to experiment as you."
Jason was confused, "huh?"
Billy looked down, Jason barely heard him mutter, "how many girlfriends have you had? How many have I had?"
Suddenly it hit Jason what Billy was trying to tell him, "Oh my God! You sat there and listened to me go on about Ana, all the time wishing it was you?"
He slapped his own forehead, "I am such a jerk!"
"No, you didn't know," Billy protested.
"Oh man, that's rough," Jason reached out and put his arm around Billy, pulling him to him.
"It could have been worse," Billy said.
"I don't see how?" Jason remembering telling Billy about the night things had gotten way out of hand with him and Ana.
Billy looked over and smiled sadly, "It could have been an Andrew."
Jason took Billy's face and turned it toward him, "That, will never happen. I've been such an idiot these past few years. Until recently I hadn't realized just how much of place you took up in my heart. Even if you get tired of me, I'll always love you Billy. I'll never leave you."
Billy smiled at him, "Speaking of things that will never happen, me getting tired of you is at the top of that list."
Jason smiled back at him, "Good. That's straight now."
Billy shook his head, "No. It's cleared up. It's not straight."
It took Jase a second to realize that his friend was actually joking with him. He laughed, "Oh and by the way?" Billy gave him a questioning look as he reached up to clasp the hand Jason had at his cheek. Jason was surprised at the quite strength he felt in that hand. For the first time in his life, he understood what the term velvet coated iron meant. "Judging by that kiss in the park, you're a natural." He gave Billy a wicked smile, "You just need some practice."
"Perhaps I can find an instructor," Billy said. "Maybe Tommy?"
"Not if Kimberly wants to keep him." Jason told him. "Nah, but I know of even a better instructor that has the afternoon off. He can fit you in."
Billy raised an eyebrow at that, "Interesting choice of words." He smiled and leaned in close, his lips almost touching Jason's. Jason caught the light scent of the cinnamon Altoids Billy liked so much. "Exactly what does he want to fit in where?"
Jason leaned forward and kissed Billy, pulling the other boy to him. He felt as much as heard Billy groan, as the Blue Ranger opened his mouth to invite Jason in. At some point, Jason remembered that he needed to breath, and pulled back slightly, not quite wanting to break the kiss just yet. He could feel his pulse pound in his veins and realized that no girl he'd ever been with had elicited this kind of reaction from him. He pulled back from the kiss suddenly as he realized what that meant to him. Looking at the questioning expression on Billy's face he felt the last of his doubts crumble, and leaned back into the kiss, this time, throwing everything he had into it. To his surprise Billy matched his passion and raised the stakes.
Finally, the Blue Ranger pulled back, a look of concern on his own face. "Jase, we need to talk before this goes any further," Billy told him, slightly out of breath.
"What about?" Jason asked.
"Exactly how far we're willing to let this go right now," Billy answered.
Jason thought about what he'd been asked and realized how profound it really was. Would Jason be willing to go all the way with a girl he'd been out with this soon in a relationship? He realized that although his and Billy's relationship wasn't exactly new, but this phase of it was. He realized that out of respect for himself and Billy, as well as for what he knew he wanted to build with the Blue Ranger, they'd have to go slow. Finally, he shook his head, "Eventually all the way. But right now I don't think either of us is ready for that yet."
Billy nodded, "I concur." He smiled, "But the level of contact we were just experiencing is acceptable to me for now." He looked around and blushed deeply, "As long as there is nobody else present."
Jason smiled, "So for now, necking in your dad's living room is okay, as long as we're alone. But no swapping spit in the park."
"Jason!" Billy protested, "that is not a very attractive term to use." He shook his head, and Jason knew Billy's protests were more out of teasing than any real discomfort. He smiled up at him shyly, "But could we continue with the experiment?"
"Oh, definitely," Jason pulled Billy back to him. Just before they resumed the kiss however, something seemed to occur to Billy and the smaller boy broke off giggling. "What?" Jason asked.
"I was just thinking," Billy said.
"What about?" Jason queried.
"Your analogy earlier," Billy told him, "Aramis eventually becomes a priest." He gave Jason a long hard look, "Just wanted to let you know, that I'm not Catholic."
"Billy, I know," Jason told him.
"Just so you know I have no plans for the priesthood," Billy smiled and pulled Jason into a rather fierce kiss.
"Good," Jason mumbled just before their lips touched. ********************************************************