Disclaimer: I don't own the Power Rangers.
Author's Note: So. Sex. Never had it. I know lots about it thanks to the interwebs, and I feel reasonably sure that I'm capable at least of not writing them into a physically impossible situation. If I failed in that, please do let me know.
It's been one year and almost one hundred thousand words since I got myself into this mess... and I think I'm finally starting to dig myself out. I'm really hoping to wrap this up before chapter 50.
I really will update StL sometime in the next week or two, promise. Also, I can't remember the last time I managed to write most of a chapter in a day... there might be some hope for me after all.
Anyway, enjoy. :)
Chapter 31
Cassie waited. She twirled her long hair impatiently around her index finger, gazing down at her wrist. The communicator was still beeping quietly, and she tried not to feel disappointment. For all she knew, Arietis had left his ship on some mission and left it behind. It certainly would have been the smart thing to do.
"Cassie?"
His voice came out of nowhere, and she was so badly startled she nearly hit her head on the bunk above her. "It's me."
"I'm glad to hear from you again." He paused and she waited, hoping for more. He was silent.
"We've been busy," she said awkwardly when the silence stretched on. "Astronema's built some robot... things. Psycho Rangers."
"Psycho Rangers." He repeated the name slowly, and though she couldn't see his face, she knew that he was frowning. "They're powerful?"
"Very." Cassie touched her shoulder absently, still tender from the beating she had taken that morning. "As TJ put it, it's brutal."
"I will help," he promised solemnly.
She couldn't help smiling a little bit. "I don't want to pull you away from your mission," she said. "Finding Zordon is important."
"I was on my way back," he said. "The trails I've been following have all disappeared. I've sent all the information I have to Tan and Cia on Meisia, and told them that I will resume searching nearer to Earth."
"You're coming back?" she repeated.
"Yes." He stopped again, but this time there was more. "I... I have missed you, Cassie."
Her smile threatened to split her face. "I've missed you too," she whispered. "I'll be waiting."
There was a nasty bruise on his left side, all shades of purple and yellow. Careful not to touch him there, Ashley kept the motion of her hands confined to his neck and shoulders. Andros rolled his head forward, trying to relax. She smiled, leaning to press her lips to the back of his neck as she kept rubbing his shoulders.
"Feeling any better?" she asked awhile later, pausing. She didn't take her hands from his shoulders, sliding her palms forward down his arms.
"Yeah," he said quietly. He flexed his shoulders once, then again, and slowly twisted around to face her. "Thank you."
Her answer was to kiss him, her arms wound around his neck in a hug. She just held onto him, squeezing him tight until she felt him wrap his arms around her in return.
"Ash?"
"I love you." She breathed it into his ear, her eyes closed. "So much."
"I love you too, Ash." His voice came back soft and reassuring, and she hugged him harder.
When she unwound her arms from around him, Andros turned to sit beside her. Ashley leaned her head against his shoulder, eyes closed again as she sighed. "Andros?"
His fingers brushed over hers, and she just knew that he was staring her in concern. "Is something wrong?"
Their clasped hands rested on his thigh. Ashley squeezed hard and shook her head. "I'm worried about you," she admitted softly. "Psycho Red has it in for you."
Andros didn't answer her. Ashley opened her eyes and found him frowning at her thoughtfully. "The other Psychos would kill any of you in a second," he said finally. "But you've noticed it too."
"Yeah." She turned her head and pressed her lips to his shoulder, rubbing her nose against his skin.
She saw him smile. "I'll be careful," he promised her quietly. "There's nothing else I can say."
"I know." Ashley rubbed his shoulder with her free hand, her thumb slowly tracing the mark burned into his skin. He had enough scars on him already; he didn't need more. "This is what we do. I just... don't want to see you get hurt."
"I don't want to see you get hurt, either," he said.
"I'll be careful too." Ashley smiled and kissed his shoulder. "Better?"
"Not really." He sat quietly for a few minutes, then sighed. "I know you'll try, and I'll try, but we don't know what will happen."
"True," she agreed. She kissed the brand, her eyes closed as she rested her forehead on his shoulder. "But that's no reason to give up now."
"I know."
His shoulders were tense again, she realized, and wrapped her arm around his waist. "You're supposed to be relaxing," she murmured, brushing her lips over the back of his neck.
"Sorry..." His voice trailed off when she exhaled across the nape of his neck. He twisted around to face her then, arms folded over his chest. His expression unreadable, Ashley thought for a moment that she'd upset him, until a slow smile formed.
His arms fell to his sides as she leaned closer to kiss him. Ashley felt his hand touch her hair, felt his mouth warm on hers, and let him draw her close. Her lips parted and his tongue gently prodded hers, his hand pressed to the back of her neck.
Andros leaned back and Ashley slid across his lap. He hissed softly as she leaned too heavily against his tender ribs, gently nudging her back. Ashley murmured an apology as she kissed him again. One of his hands clutching at the neckline of her t-shirt, he didn't seem too bothered.
His hand slid down to her elbow, his palm warm and damp with sweat. In the dim light of the room, she could see how his face flushed and without thinking, kissed him harder. It was just so easy with him...
Her mouth trailed across his neck and she heard his breathing grow ragged. He squirmed beneath her, gripping her upper arms so tightly now that it nearly hurt. She whispered his name against his skin and his hold loosened, his arms slowly curving around her as she laid her chin down on his shoulder.
He kissed her ear. Ashley started, her surprise melting into something that made her heart pound just as hard. Andros nuzzled that soft spot between her ear and her jaw, his breath hot on her skin, and she was suddenly shivering, tingling all over.
"Andros..."
His mouth covered hers then, and whatever she had been about to say didn't matter anymore. Ashley leaned into him, in the back of her mind suddenly aware of how his hand pressed against her bare skin at small of her back, of the way the fingers of his other hand traced a slow line between her shoulder blades.
"Andros," she whispered again. He kissed her fingers when she covered his mouth with her hand, but he waited silently for her to speak. Ashley hesitated, smiling a little when he kissed her thumb. "I thought you weren't ready."
"I didn't know." Andros stared at her almost helplessly, his face flushed and his voice uncertain. "Ash... I--I..."
She kissed him before he could do anything like apologize to her, because she had a feeling that was what he was about to do, and that was the last thing in the world that she wanted right now.
"Andros." She murmured his name softly, slowly, her mouth only a fraction of an inch from his. "Is this what you want?"
She caught her breath as she felt his fingers feather-soft on her face. Slowly, Andros nodded his head yes, and Ashley turned her face to kiss his palm. His skin was warm, salty and sweat-dampened. Ashley nuzzled his fingers again distractedly, letting him stroke her cheek.
She would never have asked Deca for pills if she hadn't been sure she was ready, but--what did she do now?
"Ash." His voice was softer now, and she wondered then what her face must look like. "I... Is this really what you want?"
Ashley let out a quiet sigh and reached up to take hold of the hand still on her cheek. She held his hand between both of hers, sliding her fingers across his.
"Are you really what I want, you mean." Her palm flattened against his.
Andros was silent as she twined their fingers together. "Am I?" he asked finally, fingers tightening over hers.
"Of course you are," she murmured, and kissed him. "You're all I want."
He smiled at her words, and she knew then that he had never really doubted her. Ashley felt him warm and hard against her thigh as she leaned forward and kissed him, her hands buried in his soft hair.
Tentatively, he caressed her lower back. Ashley sucked in her breath when his touch wandered slowly higher, goosebumps rising up along her spine in the wake of his trailing fingers.
Ashley shivered as she slid off of his lap. Her hands trembled just a little nervously as she caught the hem of her t-shirt and pulled it up, Andros's fingers brushing hers as he helped her. He caught her fingers as her arms lowered, bringing them to his lips.
She smiled at the gesture, giggling a little in uncertainty. Andros kissed her fingers, her wrists, and didn't let go of her when she lay back, instead holding tightly to her fingers as he followed her. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he knelt awkwardly over her, the ends of his long hair tickling her cheeks.
Ashley pulled one hand from his to tuck hair behind his ears. She made a face when it fell back just as it was before. Andros looked suddenly like he was fighting not to laugh and she pressed a light kiss to his lips with a smile. His answering smile came readily as she laid her hand against his shoulder, her fingers beginning a slow walk down his chest.
Andros stared down at her, wide-eyed, as she traced one long scar from just below his nipple to his navel. His eyes closed, his face darkened by lingering pain. "KO-35," he whispered. "I thought I was strong enough."
"You were." She rubbed his back, her hands hesitating at his sides. "You survived and you're here now, and that's all that matters."
For a moment, she thought he would argue with her. He didn't. Andros nodded slowly and lowered his head, his lips gentle on her neck. Ashley inhaled quickly when she felt his hand slide up her ribcage, letting out a deep breath when his fingers brushed against the bottom of her breasts.
"Ash?" He drew back to look at her, worriedly biting his lip.
She felt her cheeks flush, but she couldn't keep from smiling. "I'm fine."
Her breath hitched when his thumb brushed across her nipple. Ashley's fists clenched around the waistband of his pajama pants as a shiver ran through her. He touched her hand gently and shook his head, reaching back to seize the hem of the blankets.
Andros drew the covers up over both of them. He relaxed then enough to let her touch him and she was somehow brave enough to let him undress her the rest of the way, her stomach a twisted mess of want and anxiety as he caressed her thighs.
Her bare legs rubbed against his, and she swallowed hard. She was breathing just as heavily as he was, her palms sweaty where she touched his shoulders.
"Ash," he muttered, his voice as stiff as his body suddenly was.
She reached up to stroke his cheek. "Nervous?" she murmured, and his nod only confirmed what she already knew. "Good," she whispered and slid her arms around his neck. "I didn't want to be the only one."
She saw his lips curve up into a smile at that and he leaned down to kiss her mouth softly. Ashley hugged him close, clutching at his shoulders as he slid himself inside her. It didn't hurt, exactly, but when he felt for her hands, she held on tight as they moved together in awkward rhythm that still managed somehow to be completely perfect.
Nothing mattered but this, with him, right now. All she knew was that she never wanted this to end, never wanted to have to let him go, and when his body shuddered against hers it was too soon. Ashley slid her arms around him and hugged him tight, not caring how hard she was breathing or how heavy he was. She didn't have to let him go just yet.
"Andros," she whispered his name in his ear, her voice still breathless.
Ashley thought she heard him chuckle slightly. "That's me," he murmured, still panting.
She giggled then, knowing that she didn't have the words. Andros laid his head down on her shoulder, his breathing harsh in her ear and she held onto him, just laying there with him in the darkness.
