Of Anime, Poetry and Falling in Love: Mack and Rose
Disclaimer: It's called fanfiction for a reason.
Challenge: Beautiful
Timeframe: Post At All Cost
Summary: In which Rose is stressed, and Mack comes to the rescue.
Rose Ortiz was curled up on one of the couches in the den, her laptop open. The word-processing program was on the screen, the page blank and the cursor blinking at her.
She wanted to scream. She was trying to get a little bit of work done on her thesis, as was much needed, but her mind was completely empty of thought. She'd hoped that since Will and Dax were busy taunting Ronny about losing and Mack had disappeared outside to his hammock that the house would be quiet and her words would come easily.
She had no such luck. Rose sighed and closed her eyes, leaning back into the sofa cushions to try hiding from the world.
"Rose?" questioned Mack softly as he came into the room. "You look kinda stressed out. Are you going to be all right?"
Rose's brown eyes had snapped open at the sound of Mack's voice. Now she caught herself staring at him as he moved closer to the couch, his face twisted into a concerned expression. "I'm fine, Mack. Honestly."
Mack shook his head and joined her on the leather couch. "You don't look fine," he told her as he gently tucked a stray lock of silky black hair behind her ear. Rose felt shivers run down her spine at Mack's proximity and the tenderness with which he touched her.
Mack felt even more worried about his tough as nails pink ranger when she started trembling. "Put the computer away, Rosie. You're working too hard."
"I'm not working at all," protested Rose, but she did as she had been told. She let Mack wrap his arms around her and hold her tightly. Rose instantly felt more at ease.
"Shh, Rosie," Mack whispered as he made himself more comfortable on the couch. "Shh, my pretty Rosie. Relax. Go to sleep, baby. Go to sleep." He rubbed slow circles on her back, soothing her frazzled nerves.
"Mack," Rose murmured softly, "I really should work on my thesis. I haven't touched it in weeks."
"Shh, my beautiful Rose. All work and no play makes Rose a nervous, frustrated wreck. And I don't want to see you like that. So forget about your thesis and close your eyes. Come on, do it for me. That's my girl," he said as Rose's eyes slid shut again. He placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. "Sleep tight, my beautiful Rose."