Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize!
Author's Note: Happy now Rene? I want more of that Dance story! And Dagmar, two can play at the cliffhanger game! MWAHAH!!
By the way, this is a chapter that originally had SMUT in it. If you want to read the original version and/or any of the previous smut chapters, like chapter four which was all smut, please e-mail me at girl_in_the_red_jacket@hotmail.com
Chapter 5
Tommy absolutely hated night battles. Not only were they more exhausting than day battles, because at least for those he had gotten a few hours sleep in before hand, but tonight they had also pulled him away from a warm bed and, more importantly, Jason's warm arms. Thank god they did not happen often!
Tommy yawned hugely. The quicker he got everything wrapped up the quicker he could go back home. He was pretty sure Jason had been falling back asleep when he teleported out, it was three in the morning after all, but for a moment they had both awake and alert to hear what Zordon had to say. The communicator chime did that to them.
"Have the scanners located any life forms?" Zordon's booming voice shook Tommy from his pleasant day dream of what had gone on earlier in the night. He had done these types of scans so often he could do them in his sleep, literally.
"Six. I can bring it up on the screen..." Tommy said unable to keep all the sleep out of his voice.
A second later a cat and her litter of kittens appeared.
"I don't think we're going to find anything Zordon it's kind of late for anyone to be out." Tommy remarked.
"I know this as well, Tommy, but we must follow..."
"I know..." Tommy's yawn cut off part of his word. " 'anger policy. I'm almost done."
"I realize you are tired. It was good of you to volunteer for this." Zordon commented.
"It's my job." Tommy replied and then glanced at Zordon. "And everyone else is working tomorrow. They have to get up earlier."
"I had thought as much." Zordon smiled at his team's leader. He was humble about it now but when he became Red Ranger he matured a great deal and started to put his team in front of himself at every opportunity. It reminded him of his first chosen one...
"By the way, how is Jason?" Zordon asked a knowing smile on his face. "I have not seen him since after Muranthias."
"He's doing okay. He's having a few problems with his father right now but hopefully that will begin to work out soon." Tommy replied absently as he fiddled with the dials to adjust the reading.
"Yes, his father did take his---What is the term used? ---'coming out of the closet' rather badly." Zordon commented.
Tommy's head shot up at that. "You know about that?"
"He stayed here for the night after he told his parents. His father's unreasonable attitude made him feel the need to escape his house for a time and, not knowing where he could go, he came here." Zordon told him.
Tommy was not sure what to say. It pained him a little to know that, when he had been hurting, Jason had chosen to come to the Power Chamber instead of to his house. "Oh."
Zordon chuckled, seemingly reading his thoughts, "I believe he would have liked to come to you. Only, I do not think he was ready to tell you why he needed to get away for a time."
"So he told you, while he was here?" Tommy asked. He felt a little bad about going behind Jason's back to find out about this, but the other boy had made it clear the topic was not one he was ready to discuss and Tommy was not sure how to help him since he did not know the details.
"Yes, although, I was the one who began the conversation. I had suspected for some time that Jason was homosexual or bisexual and when I asked him what was bothering him his response led me to believe he had told his father. The conversation we had, and it was a rather long one, stemmed from there." Zordon answered.
"Why would you suspect he was gay?" Tommy asked, confused. He had not been able to tell and he was Jason's best friend before they became lovers!
"When I asked him how he had enjoyed the Peace Conference he spoke of a 'friend' named Darrius." Zordon chuckled. "You do not have the same look on your face when you talk about a friend as when you talk about a former lover. Jason had the wistful look of remembered passion on his face when he spoke of that young man. I began to suspect then."
"Oh." Tommy's voice was a little strangled. Knowing his love talked about his ex-boyfriend with 'the wistful look of remember passion' displayed nakedly on his face was a bit unsettling.
"I do believe you and Jason have since begun a relationship." Zordon commented shrewdly, hearing the discomfort in his young warrior's voice. 'It is hard to know those we love have loved others before us.'
"He told you that too!" Tommy exclaimed, shocked and a little angry. They had not agreed to tell Zordon that! Of course, they had not actually discussed it but Tommy had not wanted his mentor to know, mostly because he was not sure how Zordon would react.
"No. How could he? I have not seen him since you have decided to have a relationship, unless you made that decision before Muranthias." Zordon replied. "I sensed an attraction between the two of you from the start, though I only recently began to think you would end up lovers. I have long believed it was only a matter of time before you realized what type of bond connected you. In the last weeks you have been happier and more at peace with yourself than I have ever seen you. I strongly believed that difference in you was because you had found the mate of your soul."
Tommy blushed furiously at that. He had yet to tell Jason he loved him. Jason had whispered the words in a breathless rush a few weeks ago during their first time making love. The breathless confession had come while Tommy was buried inside his lover's body, just moments before Tommy had come.
"You really think we're soul mates?" Tommy found himself asking. He also found that he wanted, with all his heart, for the answer to be yes.
Zordon smiled at his Ranger, "Yes, Tommy. I can sense that you and Jason are connected in ways you will never fully understand."
Tommy was silent. He just did not know what to say to that.
"I believe the scans are finished, Tommy." Zordon said gently, snapping Tommy out of his whirl wind thoughts.
"Oh yeah." Tommy mumbled. He looked up at his mentor and searched for the right words. In the end he settled on, "Thank you, Zordon." Just before he teleported back home.
Zordon chuckled, glad his two protégés had found each other at last. To the empty room he murmured. "You are most welcome, Tommy. Take care of him as I know he will take care of you."
Tommy teleported into his bedroom to find Jason fast asleep, a book resting in the limp hands on his chest. He smiled slightly. His lover had tried to wait up for him after all!
Tommy gently removed the object, carefully tucked a bookmark in to keep Jason's page, and slipped into bed beside his lover. Jason reacted almost immediately to his presence, even in his sleep, by turning slightly so he could slid and arm around Tommy's waist and cuddle close to him. The action brought a smile to Tommy's face and he sighed, settling down and falling quickly into a deep sleep.
He awoke the next morning when the sun crept across his pillow to shine right in his eyes. He tried to ignore it for as long as he could, even when he realized Jason was no longer in bed with him. Groaning when he found he was not going to be able to get back to sleep and, mumbling to himself about getting new curtains, got out of bed.
He ambled to the bathroom, noting absently that both his parents had already left for work. What time was it anyway? Good thing it was a Saturday.
Tommy was about to open the bathroom door when he heard a soft sound. Listening for a moment he realized, to his surprise and amusement, that Jason was singing in the shower. If an off-key version of some song he had never heard before could be heard through the door he wondered what it would sound like inside the bathroom or, better yet, in the shower.
That in mind, Tommy opened the door quietly, trying not to let Jason know he was there. It worked, and his lover continued to belt out the tune. Suppressing his chuckles, Tommy quickly stripped his boxers, tossing them on top of Jason's. Then, with a wicked smile on his face, threw open the shower curtain.
Jason let out something between a squawk and a yelp as the shower curtain was suddenly pulled back. He turned to face whoever was in there with him too quickly and ended up slipping. Tommy grabbed him before he could fall, laughing out loud at the sight of Jason, the man infamous for his steady, calm demeanour, with his hair all soapy and messed, suds streaming down his body as the water hit him, as he was pulled half into the tub to make sure Jason got to the bottom of the bath without bashing his head on the side.
"Tommy!" Jason exclaimed. "What the hell are you doing?!"
"I didn't know you sing in the shower!" Tommy chuckled, helping Jason to his feet again.
"Yeah, well, it's not like I advertise that fact." Jason grumbled. "Don't do that again! Shit! I nearly smashed my head on the wall. Ranger reflexes aren't something that goes away quickly you know!"
"No but it sure looks like grace does!" Tommy teased.
Jason responded by pulling him completely into the shower and, stepping out of the spray himself, flicked the water to cold. It was Tommy turn to let out a surprised squawk as the water turned icy on him.
"Jason!" Tommy sputtered, reaching out to turn the heat back on. "That wasn't funny!"
Jason laughed. "Yes it was! It was about as funny as your surprising me was."
"Yeah, yeah." Tommy grumbled. "Turnabouts fair play. I don't have to like it though."
"Hey, I think I got the worse end of the bargain so don't complain." Jason smiled, leaning in to kiss his still mock-pouting lover. "I'm surprised you're up this early."
"That makes two of us." Tommy grumbled. "I need new curtains."
Jason chuckled. "Nah. Just a better day job."
"I know." Tommy sighed. He looked away, growing pensive for a moment.
"Hey." Jason turned the now shuttered face toward him. "What's the matter?"
"Nothing really." Tommy tried to reply. Jason just gave him a look. "Okay, I just think we might be replaced soon."
"As Rangers? Why?" Jason questioned. He absently picked up the soap and started washing Tommy's back, more because the gesture was soothing than anything else. Anything that had to do with losing a set of Ranger powers upset Tommy greatly.
"Zordon's been talking about it. He said we were going to have to move on soon." Tommy sighed. "I guess he's right. When we get jobs it will be kind of hard to make excuses to leave all of a sudden. But...I just never thought this would end. I mean, I knew I couldn't be a power ranger forever but I never thought about it, you know?"
"Yeah, I know." Jason replied. "I felt the same when I gave up my powers to go to Switzerland. It's hard but sometimes the right reasons come up and you just have to let go."
"It's going to be hard." Tommy admitted.
Jason smiled and leaned close to whisper seductively in Tommy's ear. "Don't worry, I'll find ways to distract you."
Tommy shivered pleasantly. "Promise?"
"Oh yeah." Jason's voice turned low and husky.
"Mmm..." Tommy nearly purred as Jason began nibbling on his neck.
Tommy pulled away slightly so he could kiss Jason. His arms slipped around Jason's back, pulling him close so their wet bodies were rubbing together. Jason moaned into his mouth at the action. The kiss started out slow but quickly grew more passionate as hands began to roam.
Jason pulled out of the kiss first, his eyes burning as he gazed at Tommy for a moment then ever so slowly started down his body. Tommy moved back a step so he could lean against the cold tile as Jason set to work.
He was lavishing attention on Tommy's nipples when the most annoying sound in the world went off. At that moment Jason wished there was a snooze button or something on their communicators.
"Fuck." Tommy muttered. He and Jason reluctantly, but quickly, separated.
"Put a towel on at least." Jason reminded Tommy of his nakedness just before he was about to teleport.
"Oh. Right." Tommy quickly wrapped a towel around his waist before morphing and teleporting to the Power Chamber. Normally he wouldn't bother morphing yet but there was no reason for him to appear half naked and obviously aroused in front of his friends. That was just inviting teasing.
He arrived to the surprise of Alpha and Zordon and the amusement of Rocky and Adam, who had been hanging around after Adam made use of the Power Chamber's stimulator, just to see if he would fall for their little prank. There amusement grew into downright hysterical laughter when they found out they had managed to get him while in the shower. He was pretty sure even Zordon and Alpha were trying not to laugh at him once he flat out refused to demorph. He was pretty sure he'd lost the towel during his morph.
'Why do we have to make those stupid hand actions anyway?' Tommy wondered sourly as he teleported back into his bathroom. His mood did not get any better when he realized Jason had finished his shower while he was gone.
"Fuck." Tommy muttered, picking up his fallen towel and heading back towards his bedroom. He was still damn horny and not to happy he and Jason had been interrupted. If it had been anyone but him it would have been a hilarious prank but come on!
Walking into his room and finding Jason still butt naked lightened his mood considerably. For a moment all he could do was stare. Even though they were now dating he did not get the opportunity to study that gorgeous backside very often. It was even better when he turned around and Tommy got another great view.
"That was fast." Jason commented, not at all ashamed of his bareness. He was just about to get dressed when Tommy arrived.
Tommy scowled even as his eyes racked over Jason's impressive body. "It was Rocky and Adam not Zordon."
Jason had too stifle his laughter. "Really? Don't worry man, Trini use to get Billy with that trick all the time. That's why I always ask what's up before teleporting out. Now, are you going to just stand there ogling me or what?"
"I should just let you stand there, you know." Tommy muttered even as he walked toward his lover. He knew his own anatomy was showing just as much life as Jason's was.
Jason grinned. "Yeah but what fun would that be?"
"Not as much as mmm..." Tommy was cut off as Jason kissed him, hard.
Much later they lay together in the aftermath of their climaxes, kissing gently Jason laughed at Tommy's smug, sated expression when they parted.
"Happy, are you?" Jason chuckled.
Tommy grinned. "Uh huh."
Jason smiled back at him. He wished they could stay like this, cuddled together, and was loath to move but... "Your mom left you a note this morning. She'll be home at 12:30."
Tommy frowned. "What time is it?"
"12."
"Aw, man." Tommy groaned.
"And I'm thinking another shower is kind of in order so..." Jason shrugged apologetically.
"Fuck." Tommy sighed. "Next time you stay over we're getting up early so we'll have the whole morning to ourselves."
"Sounds good to me! But for now..." Jason jumped out of bed and delivered a smack to Tommy's bare butt, startling an outrage yelp out of his lover. "Care to join me in the shower?"
"Jason!" Tommy grumbled, chasing after him as Jason scrambled out of the room. "That wasn't funny!"
For nearly a month everything was great, well, as great as it could be when evil beings from outer space routinely attacked you. Tommy did not have anything to worry about, not really. His parents knew and accepted his relationship with Jason. His mother even went as far as saying he made a good choice in him! Their friends were supportive and, even if they were not ready to be overtly affectionate with one another in public, it was nice not to have to hide his newfound happiness from the people he loved most.
Jason, on the other hand, was growing increasingly distressed about his situation at home. The support and acceptance he found in all his other loved ones was heartening but it just hurt so badly to live in the same house as his father and at the same time be a million miles away. Except for a few curt comments the man had not spoken to him. Tommy thought that if Jason was patient his dad would come around but Jason wasn't too sure.
For the rest of his life he would hate that he had been right.
It was around 6:30 on a simply gorgeous day when Sarah Oliver answered her front door. She had been busy making dinner...Okay, she had been about to order dinner from a nearby Thai restaurant but welcomed the distraction. Maybe while she was seeing who it was Thomas would come home and then he could barbeque instead of her ordering out...again.
It was not a surprise to find her son's boyfriend on her doorstep, though it was surprise he would bother to ring the bell. He knew he had an open invitation into their home. He had had that even before he had started dating her son. But Jason was polite and when he wasn't with Tommy when he entered the house he usually made his presence known before coming in so...
"Is Tommy here?" Jason asked softly, not looking up.
"He rushed out about an hour ago." Sarah replied, studying him carefully. Something was definitely amiss. She had always been very fond of Jason for many reasons other than the fact he made her son happy. Seeing the normally cheerful, polite young man this miserable did not bode well.
"Come inside, Jason. I'm sure he'll be home soon." Sarah invited. "You know you're always welcome here, whether Tommy's home or not."
Sarah had not intended those words to mean something, though if anything they were meant to be comforting. So it was surprising to her that Jason would shudder and avert his face even more. Something was very wrong here.
"Jason? What is it? What's wrong?" Sarah asked. She gently lifted his face so she could look in his eyes and gasped. He turned away quickly but the ugly black eye that discoloured his face shocked her completely.
"What happened to you?" Sarah exclaimed even as she was pulling him into a hug. Jason stiffened slightly as he chocked back a sob. He quickly backed out of the embrace, unwilling to let himself lose control.
"Mom? Jase? What's going on?" Tommy's confused voice asked.
Sarah looked over Jason's shoulder at her son, who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. She did not miss that Jason did not turn around and greet him as he normally would. "I think you'd better ask Jason."
Tommy's gaze flickered to his lover's back as confusion and concern seeped into his eyes. He slipped an arm around his lover's waist and pressed a kiss to the back of his neck. He purposely ignored the fact Jason did not even turn around and, when he spotted he reason why Jason was hiding his face, he stifled his own questions. He could feel the tension in Jason's body and knew forcing him to talk would not be the best course of action.
"Let's go inside." Tommy suggested as he ushered Jason into the house.
Jason made no protest as Tommy lead him into kitchen. His mother followed closely behind him, handing Jason an ice pack wordlessly as Tommy inspected the bruise himself. Jason reached for Tommy's hand and held it tightly, desperate for the contact with his boyfriend. It made it a little more difficult for Tommy to check over his black eye but neither man really cared.
"Keep that on. You don't want it to swell." Sarah instructed, gently pushing the ice pack back onto Jason's face.
"Thanks." Jason mumbled quietly.
Tommy sighed and pulled a chair close to where Jason sat, studying the table with a great intensity. "What happened, Jase? How'd you get a black eye?"
Jason sighed and dipped his head down, rubbing his forehead as if trying to relieve a headache. He opened his mouth to speak and then snapped it shut again.
Tommy's eyes softened even further in concern. "Jase, it's me. It's just me and mom. We're family. If you can't tell us who can..."
Tommy trailed off in astonishment and worry as Jason's face crumpled completely. The tears he had so far successfully managed to suppress flooded his eyes and began to slowly streak down his face. "My dad...He hit me. He actually hit me."
"What?!" Tommy exclaimed. "Why?"
"I don't know." Jason replied. "I honestly don't know. I was talking to my mom, she had asked about how we were doing and he started screaming at me. The things he was saying..."
"About what?" Tommy prompted gently when Jason trailed off.
"About me, about you, about us! God, I didn't know how to react so I just stood there for awhile and then I walked to the door. I just didn't want to hear it anymore. He grabbed my arm and when I turned around I met his fist. I..." Jason shielded his eyes with his hand as he got himself under control.
Tommy wrapped his arms around Jason, drawing him close. Jason buried his head in Tommy's shoulder, clutching at the fabric of his shirt. "I don't know what to do, Tommy. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do."
"We'll figure something out together, Jase." Tommy murmured. "It'll work out. I promise."
"I just...I knew he didn't really approve of us, of this part of me but...but I was hoping he'd come around, you know? I thought..." Jason faltered slightly. Then opened up a little more and said something not even Tommy had expected him to say. "I thought that he wouldn't stop loving me for it."
Tommy did not know what to say to that. He looked at his mother, hoping she might have some words that could comfort Jason but she was drawing a blank to. Tommy opted for hugging Jason tighter.
Jason shuddered once. He would not fall to pieces. He would not! Forcefully collecting himself, he gently withdrew from his lover's embrace, glad that Tommy was keeping an arm firmly around his waist.
"Sorry." Jason mumbled, feeling a bit embarrassed he'd broken down like that.
"Nonsense." Sarah scowled. What she wouldn't give for the chance to slap some sense into Mr. Scott! Couldn't he see what a gift his son was? "It's perfectly understandable."
"Still..." Jason began.
"No stills, buts or anything of that sort." Sarah cut him off sternly. "And you are staying here tonight. No arguments."
Jason managed a wobbly smile. "Yes, ma'am."
"Good." Sarah nodded to herself. For right now things would be okay. "What do you boys want, Thai or Pizza?"
It would be a hard night for both the Oliver family and Jason. As soon as her husband got home she had yanked him aside (Literally yanked him into the kitchen before he reached the family room where Tommy and Jason were.) and explained to him what had happened. He had walked on eggshells the whole night making sure he did not blurt out the wrong thing as he was sometimes wont to do.
Dinner was more subdued than dinner before the night of a funeral. Sarah would later remark it was if Jason was already mourning the loss of his father even though he kept up a stoic front the whole night. It did not falter in the presence of Thomas and Sarah again.
When he and Tommy crawled into bed together that night it was a different story.
Normally, when they shared a bed, they held each other and ended up snuggled close together. Tonight, for the first time in their relationship, Tommy held Jason.
Jason pressed tightly against his lover, all curled up and tense as he tried to keep the tears that wanted to fall at bay. Safe and warm in his lover's arms as he was, Jason slowly started to talk, voicing the questions that had tormented his mind since his father's fist had first connected with his body. The things Jason voiced were slightly jumbled but he just had to get them out.
Tommy slowly came to the realization that Jason would have done the same thing if he had not been there. Only instead of having Tommy to comfort him as best he could, Jason would have been voicing his fears and frustrations into the lonely night. It honoured him that Jason trusted him and loved him enough to let go like this in his presence. No matter how open Jason normally seemed he was a very shielded person and knowing he could let his shields down around him, well, that just made Tommy love him all the more.
Jason only relaxed when he finally succumbed to emotional exhaustion and fell into a restless sleep. Tommy followed him shortly, knowing that tomorrow would be nearly as hard.
He did not expect that it would be harder.
Author's Note: Happy now Rene? I want more of that Dance story! And Dagmar, two can play at the cliffhanger game! MWAHAH!!
By the way, this is a chapter that originally had SMUT in it. If you want to read the original version and/or any of the previous smut chapters, like chapter four which was all smut, please e-mail me at girl_in_the_red_jacket@hotmail.com
Chapter 5
Tommy absolutely hated night battles. Not only were they more exhausting than day battles, because at least for those he had gotten a few hours sleep in before hand, but tonight they had also pulled him away from a warm bed and, more importantly, Jason's warm arms. Thank god they did not happen often!
Tommy yawned hugely. The quicker he got everything wrapped up the quicker he could go back home. He was pretty sure Jason had been falling back asleep when he teleported out, it was three in the morning after all, but for a moment they had both awake and alert to hear what Zordon had to say. The communicator chime did that to them.
"Have the scanners located any life forms?" Zordon's booming voice shook Tommy from his pleasant day dream of what had gone on earlier in the night. He had done these types of scans so often he could do them in his sleep, literally.
"Six. I can bring it up on the screen..." Tommy said unable to keep all the sleep out of his voice.
A second later a cat and her litter of kittens appeared.
"I don't think we're going to find anything Zordon it's kind of late for anyone to be out." Tommy remarked.
"I know this as well, Tommy, but we must follow..."
"I know..." Tommy's yawn cut off part of his word. " 'anger policy. I'm almost done."
"I realize you are tired. It was good of you to volunteer for this." Zordon commented.
"It's my job." Tommy replied and then glanced at Zordon. "And everyone else is working tomorrow. They have to get up earlier."
"I had thought as much." Zordon smiled at his team's leader. He was humble about it now but when he became Red Ranger he matured a great deal and started to put his team in front of himself at every opportunity. It reminded him of his first chosen one...
"By the way, how is Jason?" Zordon asked a knowing smile on his face. "I have not seen him since after Muranthias."
"He's doing okay. He's having a few problems with his father right now but hopefully that will begin to work out soon." Tommy replied absently as he fiddled with the dials to adjust the reading.
"Yes, his father did take his---What is the term used? ---'coming out of the closet' rather badly." Zordon commented.
Tommy's head shot up at that. "You know about that?"
"He stayed here for the night after he told his parents. His father's unreasonable attitude made him feel the need to escape his house for a time and, not knowing where he could go, he came here." Zordon told him.
Tommy was not sure what to say. It pained him a little to know that, when he had been hurting, Jason had chosen to come to the Power Chamber instead of to his house. "Oh."
Zordon chuckled, seemingly reading his thoughts, "I believe he would have liked to come to you. Only, I do not think he was ready to tell you why he needed to get away for a time."
"So he told you, while he was here?" Tommy asked. He felt a little bad about going behind Jason's back to find out about this, but the other boy had made it clear the topic was not one he was ready to discuss and Tommy was not sure how to help him since he did not know the details.
"Yes, although, I was the one who began the conversation. I had suspected for some time that Jason was homosexual or bisexual and when I asked him what was bothering him his response led me to believe he had told his father. The conversation we had, and it was a rather long one, stemmed from there." Zordon answered.
"Why would you suspect he was gay?" Tommy asked, confused. He had not been able to tell and he was Jason's best friend before they became lovers!
"When I asked him how he had enjoyed the Peace Conference he spoke of a 'friend' named Darrius." Zordon chuckled. "You do not have the same look on your face when you talk about a friend as when you talk about a former lover. Jason had the wistful look of remembered passion on his face when he spoke of that young man. I began to suspect then."
"Oh." Tommy's voice was a little strangled. Knowing his love talked about his ex-boyfriend with 'the wistful look of remember passion' displayed nakedly on his face was a bit unsettling.
"I do believe you and Jason have since begun a relationship." Zordon commented shrewdly, hearing the discomfort in his young warrior's voice. 'It is hard to know those we love have loved others before us.'
"He told you that too!" Tommy exclaimed, shocked and a little angry. They had not agreed to tell Zordon that! Of course, they had not actually discussed it but Tommy had not wanted his mentor to know, mostly because he was not sure how Zordon would react.
"No. How could he? I have not seen him since you have decided to have a relationship, unless you made that decision before Muranthias." Zordon replied. "I sensed an attraction between the two of you from the start, though I only recently began to think you would end up lovers. I have long believed it was only a matter of time before you realized what type of bond connected you. In the last weeks you have been happier and more at peace with yourself than I have ever seen you. I strongly believed that difference in you was because you had found the mate of your soul."
Tommy blushed furiously at that. He had yet to tell Jason he loved him. Jason had whispered the words in a breathless rush a few weeks ago during their first time making love. The breathless confession had come while Tommy was buried inside his lover's body, just moments before Tommy had come.
"You really think we're soul mates?" Tommy found himself asking. He also found that he wanted, with all his heart, for the answer to be yes.
Zordon smiled at his Ranger, "Yes, Tommy. I can sense that you and Jason are connected in ways you will never fully understand."
Tommy was silent. He just did not know what to say to that.
"I believe the scans are finished, Tommy." Zordon said gently, snapping Tommy out of his whirl wind thoughts.
"Oh yeah." Tommy mumbled. He looked up at his mentor and searched for the right words. In the end he settled on, "Thank you, Zordon." Just before he teleported back home.
Zordon chuckled, glad his two protégés had found each other at last. To the empty room he murmured. "You are most welcome, Tommy. Take care of him as I know he will take care of you."
Tommy teleported into his bedroom to find Jason fast asleep, a book resting in the limp hands on his chest. He smiled slightly. His lover had tried to wait up for him after all!
Tommy gently removed the object, carefully tucked a bookmark in to keep Jason's page, and slipped into bed beside his lover. Jason reacted almost immediately to his presence, even in his sleep, by turning slightly so he could slid and arm around Tommy's waist and cuddle close to him. The action brought a smile to Tommy's face and he sighed, settling down and falling quickly into a deep sleep.
He awoke the next morning when the sun crept across his pillow to shine right in his eyes. He tried to ignore it for as long as he could, even when he realized Jason was no longer in bed with him. Groaning when he found he was not going to be able to get back to sleep and, mumbling to himself about getting new curtains, got out of bed.
He ambled to the bathroom, noting absently that both his parents had already left for work. What time was it anyway? Good thing it was a Saturday.
Tommy was about to open the bathroom door when he heard a soft sound. Listening for a moment he realized, to his surprise and amusement, that Jason was singing in the shower. If an off-key version of some song he had never heard before could be heard through the door he wondered what it would sound like inside the bathroom or, better yet, in the shower.
That in mind, Tommy opened the door quietly, trying not to let Jason know he was there. It worked, and his lover continued to belt out the tune. Suppressing his chuckles, Tommy quickly stripped his boxers, tossing them on top of Jason's. Then, with a wicked smile on his face, threw open the shower curtain.
Jason let out something between a squawk and a yelp as the shower curtain was suddenly pulled back. He turned to face whoever was in there with him too quickly and ended up slipping. Tommy grabbed him before he could fall, laughing out loud at the sight of Jason, the man infamous for his steady, calm demeanour, with his hair all soapy and messed, suds streaming down his body as the water hit him, as he was pulled half into the tub to make sure Jason got to the bottom of the bath without bashing his head on the side.
"Tommy!" Jason exclaimed. "What the hell are you doing?!"
"I didn't know you sing in the shower!" Tommy chuckled, helping Jason to his feet again.
"Yeah, well, it's not like I advertise that fact." Jason grumbled. "Don't do that again! Shit! I nearly smashed my head on the wall. Ranger reflexes aren't something that goes away quickly you know!"
"No but it sure looks like grace does!" Tommy teased.
Jason responded by pulling him completely into the shower and, stepping out of the spray himself, flicked the water to cold. It was Tommy turn to let out a surprised squawk as the water turned icy on him.
"Jason!" Tommy sputtered, reaching out to turn the heat back on. "That wasn't funny!"
Jason laughed. "Yes it was! It was about as funny as your surprising me was."
"Yeah, yeah." Tommy grumbled. "Turnabouts fair play. I don't have to like it though."
"Hey, I think I got the worse end of the bargain so don't complain." Jason smiled, leaning in to kiss his still mock-pouting lover. "I'm surprised you're up this early."
"That makes two of us." Tommy grumbled. "I need new curtains."
Jason chuckled. "Nah. Just a better day job."
"I know." Tommy sighed. He looked away, growing pensive for a moment.
"Hey." Jason turned the now shuttered face toward him. "What's the matter?"
"Nothing really." Tommy tried to reply. Jason just gave him a look. "Okay, I just think we might be replaced soon."
"As Rangers? Why?" Jason questioned. He absently picked up the soap and started washing Tommy's back, more because the gesture was soothing than anything else. Anything that had to do with losing a set of Ranger powers upset Tommy greatly.
"Zordon's been talking about it. He said we were going to have to move on soon." Tommy sighed. "I guess he's right. When we get jobs it will be kind of hard to make excuses to leave all of a sudden. But...I just never thought this would end. I mean, I knew I couldn't be a power ranger forever but I never thought about it, you know?"
"Yeah, I know." Jason replied. "I felt the same when I gave up my powers to go to Switzerland. It's hard but sometimes the right reasons come up and you just have to let go."
"It's going to be hard." Tommy admitted.
Jason smiled and leaned close to whisper seductively in Tommy's ear. "Don't worry, I'll find ways to distract you."
Tommy shivered pleasantly. "Promise?"
"Oh yeah." Jason's voice turned low and husky.
"Mmm..." Tommy nearly purred as Jason began nibbling on his neck.
Tommy pulled away slightly so he could kiss Jason. His arms slipped around Jason's back, pulling him close so their wet bodies were rubbing together. Jason moaned into his mouth at the action. The kiss started out slow but quickly grew more passionate as hands began to roam.
Jason pulled out of the kiss first, his eyes burning as he gazed at Tommy for a moment then ever so slowly started down his body. Tommy moved back a step so he could lean against the cold tile as Jason set to work.
He was lavishing attention on Tommy's nipples when the most annoying sound in the world went off. At that moment Jason wished there was a snooze button or something on their communicators.
"Fuck." Tommy muttered. He and Jason reluctantly, but quickly, separated.
"Put a towel on at least." Jason reminded Tommy of his nakedness just before he was about to teleport.
"Oh. Right." Tommy quickly wrapped a towel around his waist before morphing and teleporting to the Power Chamber. Normally he wouldn't bother morphing yet but there was no reason for him to appear half naked and obviously aroused in front of his friends. That was just inviting teasing.
He arrived to the surprise of Alpha and Zordon and the amusement of Rocky and Adam, who had been hanging around after Adam made use of the Power Chamber's stimulator, just to see if he would fall for their little prank. There amusement grew into downright hysterical laughter when they found out they had managed to get him while in the shower. He was pretty sure even Zordon and Alpha were trying not to laugh at him once he flat out refused to demorph. He was pretty sure he'd lost the towel during his morph.
'Why do we have to make those stupid hand actions anyway?' Tommy wondered sourly as he teleported back into his bathroom. His mood did not get any better when he realized Jason had finished his shower while he was gone.
"Fuck." Tommy muttered, picking up his fallen towel and heading back towards his bedroom. He was still damn horny and not to happy he and Jason had been interrupted. If it had been anyone but him it would have been a hilarious prank but come on!
Walking into his room and finding Jason still butt naked lightened his mood considerably. For a moment all he could do was stare. Even though they were now dating he did not get the opportunity to study that gorgeous backside very often. It was even better when he turned around and Tommy got another great view.
"That was fast." Jason commented, not at all ashamed of his bareness. He was just about to get dressed when Tommy arrived.
Tommy scowled even as his eyes racked over Jason's impressive body. "It was Rocky and Adam not Zordon."
Jason had too stifle his laughter. "Really? Don't worry man, Trini use to get Billy with that trick all the time. That's why I always ask what's up before teleporting out. Now, are you going to just stand there ogling me or what?"
"I should just let you stand there, you know." Tommy muttered even as he walked toward his lover. He knew his own anatomy was showing just as much life as Jason's was.
Jason grinned. "Yeah but what fun would that be?"
"Not as much as mmm..." Tommy was cut off as Jason kissed him, hard.
Much later they lay together in the aftermath of their climaxes, kissing gently Jason laughed at Tommy's smug, sated expression when they parted.
"Happy, are you?" Jason chuckled.
Tommy grinned. "Uh huh."
Jason smiled back at him. He wished they could stay like this, cuddled together, and was loath to move but... "Your mom left you a note this morning. She'll be home at 12:30."
Tommy frowned. "What time is it?"
"12."
"Aw, man." Tommy groaned.
"And I'm thinking another shower is kind of in order so..." Jason shrugged apologetically.
"Fuck." Tommy sighed. "Next time you stay over we're getting up early so we'll have the whole morning to ourselves."
"Sounds good to me! But for now..." Jason jumped out of bed and delivered a smack to Tommy's bare butt, startling an outrage yelp out of his lover. "Care to join me in the shower?"
"Jason!" Tommy grumbled, chasing after him as Jason scrambled out of the room. "That wasn't funny!"
For nearly a month everything was great, well, as great as it could be when evil beings from outer space routinely attacked you. Tommy did not have anything to worry about, not really. His parents knew and accepted his relationship with Jason. His mother even went as far as saying he made a good choice in him! Their friends were supportive and, even if they were not ready to be overtly affectionate with one another in public, it was nice not to have to hide his newfound happiness from the people he loved most.
Jason, on the other hand, was growing increasingly distressed about his situation at home. The support and acceptance he found in all his other loved ones was heartening but it just hurt so badly to live in the same house as his father and at the same time be a million miles away. Except for a few curt comments the man had not spoken to him. Tommy thought that if Jason was patient his dad would come around but Jason wasn't too sure.
For the rest of his life he would hate that he had been right.
It was around 6:30 on a simply gorgeous day when Sarah Oliver answered her front door. She had been busy making dinner...Okay, she had been about to order dinner from a nearby Thai restaurant but welcomed the distraction. Maybe while she was seeing who it was Thomas would come home and then he could barbeque instead of her ordering out...again.
It was not a surprise to find her son's boyfriend on her doorstep, though it was surprise he would bother to ring the bell. He knew he had an open invitation into their home. He had had that even before he had started dating her son. But Jason was polite and when he wasn't with Tommy when he entered the house he usually made his presence known before coming in so...
"Is Tommy here?" Jason asked softly, not looking up.
"He rushed out about an hour ago." Sarah replied, studying him carefully. Something was definitely amiss. She had always been very fond of Jason for many reasons other than the fact he made her son happy. Seeing the normally cheerful, polite young man this miserable did not bode well.
"Come inside, Jason. I'm sure he'll be home soon." Sarah invited. "You know you're always welcome here, whether Tommy's home or not."
Sarah had not intended those words to mean something, though if anything they were meant to be comforting. So it was surprising to her that Jason would shudder and avert his face even more. Something was very wrong here.
"Jason? What is it? What's wrong?" Sarah asked. She gently lifted his face so she could look in his eyes and gasped. He turned away quickly but the ugly black eye that discoloured his face shocked her completely.
"What happened to you?" Sarah exclaimed even as she was pulling him into a hug. Jason stiffened slightly as he chocked back a sob. He quickly backed out of the embrace, unwilling to let himself lose control.
"Mom? Jase? What's going on?" Tommy's confused voice asked.
Sarah looked over Jason's shoulder at her son, who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. She did not miss that Jason did not turn around and greet him as he normally would. "I think you'd better ask Jason."
Tommy's gaze flickered to his lover's back as confusion and concern seeped into his eyes. He slipped an arm around his lover's waist and pressed a kiss to the back of his neck. He purposely ignored the fact Jason did not even turn around and, when he spotted he reason why Jason was hiding his face, he stifled his own questions. He could feel the tension in Jason's body and knew forcing him to talk would not be the best course of action.
"Let's go inside." Tommy suggested as he ushered Jason into the house.
Jason made no protest as Tommy lead him into kitchen. His mother followed closely behind him, handing Jason an ice pack wordlessly as Tommy inspected the bruise himself. Jason reached for Tommy's hand and held it tightly, desperate for the contact with his boyfriend. It made it a little more difficult for Tommy to check over his black eye but neither man really cared.
"Keep that on. You don't want it to swell." Sarah instructed, gently pushing the ice pack back onto Jason's face.
"Thanks." Jason mumbled quietly.
Tommy sighed and pulled a chair close to where Jason sat, studying the table with a great intensity. "What happened, Jase? How'd you get a black eye?"
Jason sighed and dipped his head down, rubbing his forehead as if trying to relieve a headache. He opened his mouth to speak and then snapped it shut again.
Tommy's eyes softened even further in concern. "Jase, it's me. It's just me and mom. We're family. If you can't tell us who can..."
Tommy trailed off in astonishment and worry as Jason's face crumpled completely. The tears he had so far successfully managed to suppress flooded his eyes and began to slowly streak down his face. "My dad...He hit me. He actually hit me."
"What?!" Tommy exclaimed. "Why?"
"I don't know." Jason replied. "I honestly don't know. I was talking to my mom, she had asked about how we were doing and he started screaming at me. The things he was saying..."
"About what?" Tommy prompted gently when Jason trailed off.
"About me, about you, about us! God, I didn't know how to react so I just stood there for awhile and then I walked to the door. I just didn't want to hear it anymore. He grabbed my arm and when I turned around I met his fist. I..." Jason shielded his eyes with his hand as he got himself under control.
Tommy wrapped his arms around Jason, drawing him close. Jason buried his head in Tommy's shoulder, clutching at the fabric of his shirt. "I don't know what to do, Tommy. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do."
"We'll figure something out together, Jase." Tommy murmured. "It'll work out. I promise."
"I just...I knew he didn't really approve of us, of this part of me but...but I was hoping he'd come around, you know? I thought..." Jason faltered slightly. Then opened up a little more and said something not even Tommy had expected him to say. "I thought that he wouldn't stop loving me for it."
Tommy did not know what to say to that. He looked at his mother, hoping she might have some words that could comfort Jason but she was drawing a blank to. Tommy opted for hugging Jason tighter.
Jason shuddered once. He would not fall to pieces. He would not! Forcefully collecting himself, he gently withdrew from his lover's embrace, glad that Tommy was keeping an arm firmly around his waist.
"Sorry." Jason mumbled, feeling a bit embarrassed he'd broken down like that.
"Nonsense." Sarah scowled. What she wouldn't give for the chance to slap some sense into Mr. Scott! Couldn't he see what a gift his son was? "It's perfectly understandable."
"Still..." Jason began.
"No stills, buts or anything of that sort." Sarah cut him off sternly. "And you are staying here tonight. No arguments."
Jason managed a wobbly smile. "Yes, ma'am."
"Good." Sarah nodded to herself. For right now things would be okay. "What do you boys want, Thai or Pizza?"
It would be a hard night for both the Oliver family and Jason. As soon as her husband got home she had yanked him aside (Literally yanked him into the kitchen before he reached the family room where Tommy and Jason were.) and explained to him what had happened. He had walked on eggshells the whole night making sure he did not blurt out the wrong thing as he was sometimes wont to do.
Dinner was more subdued than dinner before the night of a funeral. Sarah would later remark it was if Jason was already mourning the loss of his father even though he kept up a stoic front the whole night. It did not falter in the presence of Thomas and Sarah again.
When he and Tommy crawled into bed together that night it was a different story.
Normally, when they shared a bed, they held each other and ended up snuggled close together. Tonight, for the first time in their relationship, Tommy held Jason.
Jason pressed tightly against his lover, all curled up and tense as he tried to keep the tears that wanted to fall at bay. Safe and warm in his lover's arms as he was, Jason slowly started to talk, voicing the questions that had tormented his mind since his father's fist had first connected with his body. The things Jason voiced were slightly jumbled but he just had to get them out.
Tommy slowly came to the realization that Jason would have done the same thing if he had not been there. Only instead of having Tommy to comfort him as best he could, Jason would have been voicing his fears and frustrations into the lonely night. It honoured him that Jason trusted him and loved him enough to let go like this in his presence. No matter how open Jason normally seemed he was a very shielded person and knowing he could let his shields down around him, well, that just made Tommy love him all the more.
Jason only relaxed when he finally succumbed to emotional exhaustion and fell into a restless sleep. Tommy followed him shortly, knowing that tomorrow would be nearly as hard.
He did not expect that it would be harder.