"Are you going to obsess over this forever?"
"Have you forgotten who you're talking to, Kerone?" Leigh slid into the seat next to her, ignoring the glare those words evoked. "What doesn't he obsess over?"
"This is ridiculous," Kerone said firmly. "He saw the quantron. He freaked out. Maybe it got your attention, but--"
"He didn't freak out," her brother countered. "He yelled a warning. He saved my life."
"Do you really think so?" Rill's curiosity was polite and slightly less skeptical than that of her teammates. "You were morphed, after all. It's not like that quantron could have taken you out with a single shot."
"It only takes one," Andros insisted. "And I didn't even see it coming."
Kerone exchanged glances with Leigh. It was some indication of how distracted their leader was that he had admitted that. When was the last time he had confessed to weakness in a training sim, let alone in battle? She couldn't remember.
Velocifighters had gotten past the PD this morning, and they'd made planetfall in the Cayeron district before the Rangers could intercept them. There hadn't been any casualties, except apparently Andros' self-confidence. He was convinced some kid had saved him from certain death by disobeying the evac order.
"Got it," Kaeth announced, tossing an electronic reader on the table as he dropped into a seat across from them. "Name and ID for the kid on the beach."
Andros grabbed the reader before anyone else could, and he scanned through it with an intensity that denied the rest of the world. It took longer than it should have, but what did he care that he had made the rest of them just as curious as he was? Kerone sighed, giving Kaeth a helpless look.
Kaeth grinned sympathetically. "Vagrant," he summarized. "No regular employment, no familial connections. Primary education, surprisingly. Been in Cayeron on and off for the past three years."
"History of infractions?" Leigh wanted to know.
Kaeth shook his head. "The usual: loitering, trespassing, disorderly conduct. No major transgressions until today."
"I'm not reporting him," Andros said abruptly, and they looked at him in surprise.
"Ranger discretion," he added. "He doesn't need that on his record."
"He ignored the order," Leigh said with a frown. "We worked hard to get that authority, Andros. We can't let one kid set an example for everyone else."
"He's not a kid," Andros retorted. "He's the same age as us. And his name is Zhane."
Kerone nudged the girl beside her before she could respond. *Forgotten who you're talking to, Leigh?* she inquired wryly. *Let it go before he gets any more determined.*
The reader spun across the table toward Rill and leapt into her hand with a telekinetic flourish. "Zhane's lucky day," she remarked, studying the screen.
Warmth was seeping into him from the sand below and the sun above. The cry of the gulls pierced even the pounding surf, producing a familiar melody that had lulled him to sleep countless times before. This afternoon it was a choice between a nap and rigging maintenance, and he was ready to embrace the nap option whole-heartedly.
At least, he was until a shadow fell across his face and he cracked his eyes open curiously. They widened the rest of the way when he realized who was standing over him. There was no way this was happening. He must already be asleep. Yeah, that was it. He was going to wake up any second now.
He waited, but nothing happened. Nothing but the quirk of an eyebrow from the person blocking his sun, and the mild inquiry from a voice almost as familiar as the face: "Mind if I join you?"
Zhane was frozen in place, running through the possibilities in his mind. Rangers weren't law enforcement, so if they were going to bust him for yesterday they wouldn't be doing it in person. But they also weren't likely to be chatting up beach bums without a reason, so he'd better watch his step.
"Be my guest," he said, as nonchalantly as he could.
The Red Ranger dropped to the ground beside him, his body folding in an easy way that said strength and flexibility were a given. He did glance at the ground before he sat, but he didn't hesitate or rearrange himself once he was there. Strange: for someone so often in the spotlight, appearances were apparently not his first concern.
Stop analyzing him! a voice in the back of his mind whispered urgently.
Why? he demanded. It's what I do.
He'll know!
So? He's just the leader of the Rangers, he reminded himself.
He's just the most powerful person on the planet, the voice echoed sarcastically.
"Thank you." The Red Ranger's voice interrupted his frantic thoughts, bringing him up short for just a moment.
Then his mind raced off in a new direction, turning circles on itself as he tried to make sense of those two words. "What for?" he asked, tilting his head to look up at the figure by his side.
That was a mistake. He looked away as soon as he could casually manage it, because as unnerving as it was to have the Red Ranger sitting next to him, it was infinitely more so to see him there. It would be a miracle if he got through this inexplicable conversation without totally embarrassing himself.
"For saving my life," Andros answered, staring out at the horizon. He shouldn't have come. This kid obviously wasn't impressed by him, and if he got through this conversation without embarrassing himself it would be a miracle.
"You save lives every day." The figure lounging in the sand beside him didn't seem to think it was anything special. His tone indicated that he felt Andros was just doing his job.
"Not like that," he said awkwardly. Maybe it didn't mean anything to Zhane, but it had meant something to him and he was going to make sure someone knew. "It's not--personal, when we do it."
He winced when his brain caught up with him. He had meant that they rarely saw the faces of the people they saved, that being a Ranger was often about doing good in the abstract, but if he had said that in front of a camera... Why had Kerone been coaching him all this time if not to keep him from saying things without thinking first?
Zhane glanced up at him and away again, too quickly for Andros to catch his eye but not fast enough to hide his grin. "How did you know?"
Andros' frown deepened, trying to decide whether the kid was laughing at him or not. "Know what?" he asked at last. He could hear the wariness in his tone, and maybe Zhane heard it too because his smile faded a little.
"That it was personal," he said idly. "How'd you know I thought you were cute?"
Andros stared at him. Say nothing, he remembered Kerone telling him. If you don't know what to say, don't say anything at all. People will hear what they want to hear, and that's better for us than anything we could come up with.
Sure enough, Zhane took it upon himself to fill the silence. "Oh, come on," he said, sounding uncomfortable for the first time. "Like you don't know that half the population has a crush on at least one Ranger!"
The words tumbled out before he could stop them. Kerone would have telepathically shut him up by now if she'd been there. "You have a crush on me?"
For some reason, that brought a smile to Zhane's face. "You know, you're not half as worldly as people think you are," he remarked, closing his eyes.
"I don't have to be," he reminded the waves. "I make the rules." He didn't know where the words came from any more than he really knew what had made him return to Cayeron. But Zhane's easy confidence was catching.
A moment later, he realized the conversation had come to a halt. Glancing down, he found Zhane gazing back at him curiously. "Just when I think I know something about you," the boy mused, not looking away, "you go and say something like that."
The smile still played around the corners of his mouth, and his blue eyes were frankly admiring. Usually such an expression made Andros back off faster than armed quantrons, but this time he found himself smiling back. Maybe more than Zhane's confidence was contagious.
"Zhane!" The rest was drowned out by the roar of the floaters, and it wasn't repeated.
He lifted his head to holler, "You want something; speak up!" He went back to the nav controls without another thought, letting them soak up his concentration. Kerry was one for idle conversation, but the faster he was done with this the faster he was out.
He didn't even notice the face at the top of the hatch until Kerry shouted again. This time his name was more than audible over the suddenly surging engines, and he rolled his eyes. "What!" he demanded, looking up impatiently.
Kerry motioned, obviously wanting him to follow. "Visitor!" The boat's owner looked unusually sober, probably because the floaters still weren't reliable after two days of work. Funny, he hadn't seemed that worried about them a moment ago.
"You know," Zhane groused, ducking over to the ladder and pulling himself up, "this'd get done a lot faster if you'd stop interrupting me. If you want help with the damn floaters you could just say so and save me the trouble of--"
"Zhane." Kerry jerked his thumb at the dock, and Zhane followed his gesture absently. There wasn't anyone who should be looking for him at this time of day; it was too late for new work and too early for anything else. Maybe someone looking for help tomorrow, or...
The Red Ranger. For a moment he just stared, wondering if he was really seeing what he thought he was seeing. The Red Ranger was standing on the dock, one foot on the mooring post as he gazed around the marina. The seabreeze ruffled his long hair, shifting the blonde and brown strands across his shoulders while the sun glinted gold off the Ranger insignia on his shirt.
Zhane put one hand on the railing and vaulted over the side of the boat, landing with a thump that somehow caught Andros' attention over the sound of sputtering floaters. He put his foot down and turned curiously, lifting his chin in greeting as he caught sight of Zhane. "Hey," he said, and the word was almost lost in the noise.
Wiping his hands on his shorts self-consciously, Zhane moved close enough that he wouldn't have to strain to hear. "Hey," he echoed, trying to look casual. "What are you doing here?"
The Red Ranger shrugged. "You told me to come by sometime," he said, as though it was the most natural thing in the world. "So I did."
Zhane stared at him. Come on by sometime... Sure he'd said that. It was what you said. It was polite. He hadn't expected the leader of the Rangers to actually seek him out. Ever, in point of fact, but certainly not again.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, he affected his best uncaring grin. "So what took you so long?"
"You know how it is." Andros shrugged again, trying not to feel out of place. Zhane's cutoff shorts and bare feet seemed to be the norm around here, and his own casual tunic was probably more dressy than these people ever got. "Saving the world, making the streets safe for small children and their pets... It keeps a person busy."
Zhane's blue eyes seemed to assess him, seeing past the flippant response to the uncertainty beneath. "Bet you say that to all the guys," he replied at last.
Andros blinked, then smiled. Zhane continued to study him, adding unexpectedly, "That looks good on you. You should do it more often."
The smile faded, and Andros stared at him in confusion. "Excuse me?"
"Smile," Zhane explained. "You should smile more; it looks nice."
Andros shifted, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Nice isn't usually what I'm going for," he offered wryly.
"Sure, you don't have to be with that uniform." Zhane gestured at idly at his Ranger insignia. "The rest of us should be so lucky. We have to get by on charm or nothing."
He felt his lips quirk again. "It works for you," he remarked frankly. "The charm, I mean."
"Lots of practice," Zhane confided without missing a beat.
Another smile was threatening. "Walk with me?" he invited.
"Wish I could." Zhane gave every appearance of regret. "But I've got to finish the nav controls for Kerry, and probably fix whatever he's done to the floaters after that."
"Today?"
It was Zhane's turn to shrug self-deprecatingly. "If I want to eat tonight, yeah."
"I'll take you," Andros said, hoping he didn't sound too eager. "Wherever you want. It's the least I can do after you saved my life."
Zhane considered that for a moment, just long enough that Andros wondered if he had unknowingly violated some dockworker etiquette. If there was any. There must be, right? The marina was a culture unto itself; he could see that for himself. But in the absence of knowledge, he would just have to go with instinct.
This time, it seemed, instinct was correct. "Kerry!" Zhane shouted, breaking eye contact for the first time as he turned back to the boat he'd emerged from. "I'm done for the day--don't blow it up while I'm gone!"
"Kerry" just waved him off, giving him a grimace that didn't look particularly friendly. Any other response he made was lost under the roar of the floaters, but Zhane had a smirk on his face when he turned around again. "Let's go," he said simply.
The chiseled stone bench was rough underneath his back, and the rays of the evening sun slanted across his body. Eyes closed and face turned toward the horizon, he could feel the muted warmth of sunset on his skin. It was a much more pleasant end to the day than the one he had originally planned.
"Zhane!" The voice was familiar, and he turned away from the sun before opening his eyes. There was no mistaking the figure striding down the boardwalk toward him.
"Been a while," Taizer greeted, throwing himself down on the bench opposite and eying Zhane casually. "Where'd you go?"
"Quon." Zhane stared back at him, considering the changes in his friend since he'd seen him last. He wore a new bracelet, probably embedded with his skif registration, and he had grown his hair out some. "Caught a ride with some tourist looking for sail help."
"How d'you find these people?" Taizer demanded. "I'm twice as good-looking as you are, and I'm lucky to hire on as a guide!"
Zhane put his hands behind his head, shifting his gaze to the sky. "Telling you, it's all about the charm."
"If that's what you call it," came the grumbled reply. "You got a date?"
Glancing over at him again, he saw Taizer jerk his head at the two drinks sitting idle by the end of the bench. "Yeah," he said, since there didn't seem much point in denying it. "And no, I'm not introducing you."
"Spoilsport. Who is it? Do I know 'em?"
Zhane smiled to himself. "You might have seen him around."
"Him?" Taizer repeated. "That's new for you."
"You'll understand when you see him."
"Thought you weren't going to introduce me." Taizer sounded awfully smug, and Zhane rolled his head back to check on Andros' progress down the boardwalk.
"I wasn't," he agreed, catching his friend's eye again. "But since he's on his way back, and I can probably get points for politeness..." He let the sentence trail off.
"Polite," Taizer snorted. "That's a good one." He craned his neck around, trying to identify Zhane's mystery date by sight.
Zhane knew he'd spotted Andros when he stiffened. "Zhane," the other said urgently. "Check it out. The Red Ranger's on the boardwalk!"
"Yeah?" Zhane didn't bother to look, affecting disinterest.
"I'm not kidding!" Taizer hissed. "He's going to walk right by us!"
"Oh, I don't think so." Zhane was enjoying himself. "Bet he stops right here and offers me some ice cream."
"Fine," Taizer told him. "Don't believe me. But don't get all upset about it later."
"I won't," Zhane assured him, swinging his legs over the side of the bench as he sat up. He waved as Andros approached, and the Red Ranger lifted his chin in greeting.
"Ice cream?" Andros offered, passing him one of the cups without waiting for an answer. Zhane wished he could have caught Taizer's expression without Andros seeing. Instead he gave the Red Ranger his brightest smile, and, somewhat to his surprise, Andros smiled back.
"Thanks," Zhane mumbled, trying not to look as dazzled as he felt.
The Red Ranger put one foot on the bench and braced the hand that held the ice cream against his knee. He gave Taizer a curious glance but said nothing, and Zhane hurried to introduce them. "Taizer works with me on the docks," he explained. "He just stopped to catch up for a minute."
Andros inclined his head, all polite interest and reserved courtesy. It was his game face, Zhane realized, even as it occurred to him that Andros hadn't worn that expression once this entire evening. He didn't have time to wonder what that meant, for Taizer's reaction was priceless.
"I'd better be going," he said quickly, as uncomfortable as Zhane had ever seen him. "It was, uh... nice to meet you."
Andros nodded again, just short of dismissing him. Taizer picked himself up off the bench and headed down the boardwalk without another word. In a moment he had been completely obscured by the evening crowds.
It wasn't that he had anything against the company Zhane kept. It was just that he'd be happier if Zhane would keep it on his own time. The boy had been gone for half the season, and if his friends wanted to catch up then they could damn well wait their turn.
"Don't like him?" Zhane asked mildly, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. He dug his spoon into the side of his ice cream cup and popped it into his mouth without looking.
"Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?" The question came out of nowhere, and Andros winced. Not nowhere, exactly, but certainly nowhere they'd come close to in almost an hour of idle conversation.
Zhane seemed to consider that. "Well, it's not like I see you every day," he pointed out at last. "I don't think I'd be able to get a message to you if I tried. And I didn't try because to be honest, I didn't think you'd care."
"I did," Andros informed his ice cream. He stopped there, knowing he shouldn't sound so petulant about it. Zhane was just a kid he liked to buy ice cream for; he didn't have any claim on his affection or his time.
"Why?"
Andros looked up in surprise. There was nothing but genuine curiosity on his face--well, that and a smudge of chocolate from his ice cream. As though he had read Andros' mind, Zhane's tongue darted out to retrieve the ice cream from his lips, and Andros found himself transfixed by the sight.
It was at that moment that realization struggled up through the haze of "should be" and "can't" to present itself with startling clarity. He was attracted to Zhane. He had been ever since an unheeded evac order had led to their first meeting. That was what had made him seek the other out: not gratitude, but curiosity.
"I--I don't know," he stammered, aware that Zhane was still waiting for his answer.
Zhane just shrugged, turning back to his ice cream, and before he could stop himself Andros asked, "Zhane? Is this a date?"
Zhane looked up, glanced around as though inspecting the circumstances, then shrugged again. "Looks like one to me," he said cheerfully. He seemed to find the idea thoroughly entertaining, and Andros hoped that was a good thing.
"Isn't it traditional to kiss on a date?" he insisted, hoping he wasn't blushing when Zhane looked over at him again.
"Usually the person with the superpowers and the bodyguards decides what's 'traditional', and everyone else just smiles and nods," Zhane told him.
"If you're trying to prove this isn't a date," he added, "I'll smile and nod. But if you're asking whether I mind, the answer is no."
Andros stared at him for a moment, then said the only logical thing he could think of. "People with superpowers don't need bodyguards, you know." Then he leaned over and kissed Zhane before he could lose his nerve.
"See..." Zhane slid closer even as he pulled away. "You shouldn't say things like that to people like me, because they're likely to take advantage of it. The threat of bodyguards was keeping me on my best behavior."
Zhane's kiss was slow and lingering, warmer than his and a lot more confident. Andros barely dared to move, afraid he would ruin the moment or reveal his own uncertainty, or both. He was surprised to find he was still holding his ice cream when Zhane drew back.
"That--" He cleared his throat, looking for something to say. "That wasn't a first date kiss."
"This isn't our first date," Zhane replied, searching his gaze and almost daring him to contradict. "Want to skip to the third date kissing?"
Andros swallowed. "I haven't been on many third dates," he confessed.
"S'okay," Zhane said with a grin. "There's a trick to it."
Andros found himself struggling not to smile. "I'm almost afraid to ask."
Zhane pulled a chocolate chunk out of his ice cream before setting the cup on the ground beside the bench. "When we're done," he said, holding it up so Andros could see it, "you want to be the one with the chocolate."
So saying, he opened his mouth and put the chocolate on his tongue. He gave Andros a smirk, blue eyes daring and somehow expectant at the same time. It was a challenge, pure and simple.
Andros never backed down from a challenge.
He should be working. It was a perfect day for it, grey and windy and just cool enough to make the breeze of the ocean invigorating instead of soporific. He'd had several offers, including one he'd sought out himself, and he knew he wasn't doing his reputation any good by turning down paying jobs.
On the other hand, he wasn't who he was because he cared about his reputation. He did what felt good, what felt right at the time, and so far it hadn't gotten him into anything he couldn't get out of. Today the Keyota commons had felt right, so here he was.
The place was filled with people, residents that had turned out for the celebration and sightseers like himself who were hoping for a glimpse of Keyota's most famous inhabitants. There was no way the Rangers wouldn't attend a gathering like this. He hadn't seen Andros in several days, and as much as he hated to admit it...
Well, just because he was the Red Ranger's secret fling didn't mean the feeling was mutual. He knew when to keep his mouth shut and his expectations nonexistent, but there was no harm in looking, right? Half the people here would be doing the same thing.
He looked away from the streamer screening when a stir drew his attention to the arrivals he had been waiting for. He drifted along with the others, not exactly flocking but definitely angling for a glimpse... all right, flocking. They were definitely flocking, and he told himself he was just caught up in the crowd.
Somewhat to his surprise, the Rangers were talking. To the people around them, not just amongst themselves. They were still moving, wandering toward some mutually agreed on destination, but they all allowed themselves to be waylaid by a friendly greeting or a wave whenever it was offered. He hadn't expected them to be so familiar.
He was completely unprepared when Andros lifted his head and looked straight at him. His gaze slid away, no doubt seeing the crowd instead of individuals, but then it snapped back and he could see Andros' startled expression from here. He offered a half-smile, ready to turn away as soon as the Red Ranger moved on.
Andros didn't move. He was frozen in place, but his startled expression was fading. In its place was what looked suspiciously like a smile. As he watched, Andros lifted his chin subtly, acknowledging him and catching one of his teammates' attention at the same time.
The girl that Zhane knew to be Andros' sister followed his gaze curiously, scanning the crowd and apparently coming up empty. She wouldn't have any reason to know about him, after all. He was about to turn away when he saw Andros jerk his head in clear invitation.
Zhane glanced around, trying to ignore the immediate wild hope that he was the one Andros was gesturing to. That was ridiculous, and he hoped no one else noticed him looking around covertly for the actual recipient. It would only make his disappointment more obvious.
When he looked back at Andros, though, he found himself on the receiving end of an amused and slightly exasperated look. The Red Ranger lifted his hand and pointed directly at him. Then, turning his hand over, he crooked his finger deliberately. The intent couldn't be plainer.
Hesitantly, Zhane took a step forward, squeezing between a couple of families that seemed to be reacting exactly the same way he had. They were all looking around for whatever had caught the Red Ranger's attention, and they paid no mind to Zhane as he slipped past them. He paused, glancing at the Rangers again.
Andros nodded impatiently as soon as Zhane caught his eye, and he tried not to think about what he was doing as he pushed his way forward. The Red Ranger's sister was still the only one to have noticed something was up, but it wouldn't be long before the others realized they had fallen behind. Andros wouldn't really introduce him to one of the other Rangers... would he?
"Hey," Andros greeted him, taking his elbow to steer him out of the crowd when he hesitated. "I didn't expect to see you here.
"Kerone," he added, "this is Zhane. Zhane, this is my sister Kerone, the Yellow Ranger."
"Hi," Zhane said, giving her his most charming smile to cover his uncertainty. "You're prettier in person."
"So are you," she replied, surprising him. "Nice to meet the guy Andros has been obsessing over all this time."
He gave Andros a startled look, but the Red Ranger was giving his sister a glare that was just irritated enough to confirm her words. "We're on our way to the holoshow," he muttered quickly, glancing toward Zhane and then away as though he was uncomfortable. "Want to join us?"
Zhane's instincts took charge of his speech, which was good because otherwise he would have just stood there and stared for who knows how long while he tried to rationalize what was happening. Instead, he found himself agreeing cheerfully and falling into step with the Red Ranger in front of the entire population of Keyota.
He stared at the screen, not reading the words so much as acknowledging their existence. Not even that, so much, if he admitted the truth to himself. He was supposed to be reading. He was supposed to be at least marginally aware of the topics that had been discussed at the last Council meeting, but his mind refused to focus.
More accurately, it refused to focus on the minutes of the Council meeting. It wasn't having any trouble daydreaming, which was a kind of errant focus in and of itself. It just wasn't any help to the things he was trying to accomplish.
A tap on his open door made him look up, grateful for the intrusion. A legitimate distraction wasn't the same as wandering attention, and he smiled at his sister in welcome. "Hi, Kerone."
"Hi," she said, taking that as an invitation. Sauntering into the room, she came over to his workstation and draped her arms over the back of his chair. "Did the Council talk about anything interesting yesterday?"
He straightened up with a sigh, turning away from the screen. "I wouldn't know," he said ruefully. "I haven't gotten past the roll call yet."
"Just another exciting day for civilian government," she teased. "So have you seen the news recently?"
He glanced up at her, searching her expression. There could be nothing idle about that question, but her face was as casual as her tone. "Not since this morning. Why?"
"Zhane's on it." She was watching him as carefully as he was watching her. "With you. You should probably know what people are saying."
"What are people saying?" he asked quietly. He had known this would happen, but he had hoped the media would allow more than a couple of appearances before pouncing on them. Was it so much to ask that he be allowed to have a halfway normal relationship?
She freed her left hand and held it up, lifting one finger for each point. "That you're involved. That he's using you. That he has some kind of hold over you. That you're using him. That he's going to be the next Ranger.
"There are a lot of jokes about what he does," she added apologetically. "Things like, 'if that's all it takes to get the Red Ranger's attention,' and how he's going to start a new fashion trend. They're really slamming him."
He sighed, annoyed on Zhane's behalf but not surprised. Pushing himself away from the workstation, he went to stand up and she took a step back, releasing his chair. "I'm going to the beach."
"Andros--" She stopped when he glanced at her, a troubled expression on her face. "I know you like him. And I know you would never hurt someone on purpose. But... we deal with this stuff all the time. It's part of being in front of the cameras."
"He doesn't," Andros interrupted. "I know. It affects his life a lot more than it affects ours; I know. That's why I need to talk to him."
"What are you going to say?" she wanted to know.
He shook his head, grabbing his jacket as he headed for the door. "I don't know."
He really should get moving. He'd offered to pick up ice for the party tonight, and it wouldn't do them any good if the drinks got there before he did. With a sigh he grabbed his jacket and stood up, turning to head down off the rocks.
The Red Ranger was standing there, mouth quirked in an odd half smile as he took in Zhane's stunned expression. "Surprise."
"You're telling me," he managed, slinging his coat over his shoulder in a half-hearted attempt at casualness. "Didn't think I'd be seeing you again."
Andros' smile faded. "I'm sorry about... what they're saying." His tone was perfectly neutral, and his expression was about as readable as a blank book.
His game face. Zhane tried not to let his dismay show. "So am I," he said quietly. There was no way the Red Ranger would let himself be seen with Zhane now. "I didn't mean for this to happen."
"Neither did I," Andros said with a sigh. "If they have to report everything we do, I wish they'd keep their opinions to themselves. I never meant for you to get hurt."
Zhane snorted. "Are you kidding? It's doing wonders for my reputation around here. Even if I never see you again, I'll always be the guy who went out with the Red Ranger."
"Do you?" Andros hadn't taken his eyes off of him.
That stare was easily the most flattering thing that had happened to him all day. "What?" he asked finally, when he realized Andros was waiting for an answer.
"Do you want to see me again?" Andros might as well have been asking for the time. "Obviously I--I'll understand. Just tell me what you want."
That little stammer was the only crack in his facade, but it was enough for Zhane to suddenly see the facade for what it was. Damn, but he was good at that. With an expression like that, who needed a visor?
"I want to see you more often," he said frankly. "Is there any way to manage that?"
Something like hope flickered in Andros' eyes. "Do you?"
"Yeah," Zhane said with a grin. "You really don't have any idea, do you. Does the word 'gorgeous' mean anything to you?"
Andros just shrugged, but his gaze wandered for the first time. Staring out at the ocean, his tone was somber and quiet as he answered, "Not really."
It didn't take Zhane long to decipher that. "Andros... I'm not talking about how you look. I'm talking about how you are. And--" He shrugged too, self-conscious as Andros' gaze came to rest on him again. "I need you to believe that, because I don't know how to convince you."
Andros just looked at him for a minute, but it wasn't the impassive expression he'd worn a few moments ago. "I believe it," he said at last, smiling a little. "So... how much more often?"
The wind off the water was still warm, surprisingly so this late at night, and he leaned over the railing to collect deep breaths of the refreshing air. It tossed his hair back from his face and made the lights dance on the water as it rippled and bounced off of the hull below. Between the shifting of boats and the creak of rigging, the marina was never quiet, and he wondered sometimes how anyone could sleep here.
Especially on nights like this one. The revelry of the boat behind him had spilled out onto the dock, and the shouts and laughter must have carried for miles across the water. There was nothing at all to dampen the sound. Little, too, to contain carousing once it got started, and Andros wondered if the empty berths at the dock tonight belonged to people who had known what was coming and sought to avoid it.
He started as someone bumped his shoulder, but it was only Zhane, bracing himself with one hand as he bounced up on the railing and settled there, facing Andros. Hooking his ankles under the lower bar, he took in Andros' expression and let go of his shoulder. "Didn't mean to startle you," he offered apologetically.
Andros shook his head, dismissing it with a smile. "I'm... more jumpy in large groups of people. Harder to keep track of them all, you know?"
"Sure," Zhane agreed easily. "Warrior instinct and all that." He hesitated for just a moment. "I know this sounds like a pickup line, but--do you want to go somewhere quieter?"
He knew he shouldn't say yes. He wanted to, but everything Kerone had drilled into his head finally made him stop and think. He was already at a dock party. There weren't any media in the immediate vicinity, but word would get out. If he left the dock party, in the company of the same person he'd been seen with at the Keyota festival--
He found Zhane staring back when he glanced over at him, and the blonde blinked as though surprised to be caught watching. He looked away quickly, and Andros' mouth quirked. "Is it a pickup line?" he wondered aloud.
Zhane caught his eye, his startled expression fading when he saw Andros' smile. "Maybe," he said cheerfully. "What would you say if it was?"
"Maybe," Andros echoed, leaning on the railing again to hide his smile.
He could feel Zhane watching him again, and this time he didn't jump at the feeling of fingers in his hair. He turned his head carefully, catching Zhane's eye as the other played with the lighter colored strands of his hair. "Sorry," he said, letting his hand fall but not looking particularly repentant. "I like it."
Andros shrugged, inexplicably pleased. "Thanks."
Zhane slid off the railing without another word, keeping his gaze fixed on Andros'. His intent was clear even before he stepped closer, and Andros caught his breath in anticipation. He couldn't explain the nervous feeling that Zhane's kiss instilled in him, but he knew it had nothing to do with the cameras.
He woke with a gasp, burning up inside and aching for release. For a few seconds it was all he could think about... and then he remembered where he was. He forced himself to his feet and stumbled stiffly toward the bathroom, biting his lip to keep from making any noise.
Leaning back against the wall afterward, he tried to catch his breath. He should have just taken Taizer up on his offer. The other had made a point of proving how drunk he wasn't, which Zhane supposed was a compliment, and there were worse people to sleep with. At least he knew Taizer was clean.
Still, those were extracurricular activities that he hadn't engaged in for a long time. Longer than he cared to think about. Since last winter, really. Since before he had met...
Dream images returned to his mind unbidden. He closed his eyes, though he wasn't sure whether he was trying to block them out or see them more clearly. He couldn't help feeling guilty for thinking of the Red Ranger this way... but this was Andros.
Andros, who was easily one of the sexiest people on the planet, yet refused to acknowledge physical beauty in any way. Andros, who was at once arrogant and charmingly naive, demanding respect but giving it only in the most distant of ways. Andros, who had an entire world at his beck and call and still seemed totally unaware of his effect on others.
He sighed, running his fingers through his hair absently. He needed to get out of here. He pushed the door open and made his way through unconscious heaps of people and discarded possessions. He wasn't going back to sleep anyway, and the air would be clearer topside.
He took a deep breath as the seabreeze washed over him, and the stars spread clear to the horizon when he turned his back on the shoreline lights. The water's surface gleamed dark and impenetrable below him, and he thought about diving in. Swimming was forbidden in the marina, of course, but who would stop him at this hour?
He hovered over the railing, tempted. It would wake him up, no question. Everything that was swirling in his head would be momentarily gone, overwhelmed by the water's embrace. For one brief moment, the ocean would be more real than any impossible dream he cared to conjure up.
He turned away. Leaning back against the metal bars that encircled the deck, he wondered what Andros was doing now. He wondered what the embassy would say if he called right now and asked to speak to the Red Ranger. He wondered how he had been drawn into this bizarre fantasy life--and how long it could possibly last.
He wondered if Andros ever wondered about him.
"What do you mean, 'gone'?"
"Saw him talking to the schooner crew out of Kataisa," the man answered gruffly. "Probably shipped out with them this morning."
Andros just stared at him, lost and more than a little hurt. Zhane hadn't gone more than a few days up or down the coast in months. He'd gotten used to catching up with the dockworker whenever he had time... but Kataisa was on the other side of the ocean.
"Where was the schooner going?" he demanded at last. Maybe it wasn't headed home, but to a local port that would see Zhane back by the end of the week.
"Don't know." The man hesitated, then jerked his head toward the marina. "Try Kerry. He's drawn up contracts for Zhane before."
Andros thanked him absently, already scanning the nearest docks for Never Again II. He found the little boat nestled at the end of one of the private launches, and he wondered at that. He had gathered that Kerry ran a tourist business during the summer season, and there were weeks of good weather left yet.
Kerry must have seen him coming from the lookout, for he didn't look at all surprised when Andros paused at the bow and lifted a hand in his direction. He grabbed the sides of the ladder and slid down to the deck. Pausing to gather up the rope at the bottom of the ladder, he kicked a buoy under the bench and threw the rope on top of it before answering Andros' silent summons.
"Been expecting you, Ranger Andros." He spoke before Andros could, coming to a halt on the other side of the railing. Standing on the deck, he had a considerable height advantage over Andros on the dock, but he didn't make any move to join him or invite him aboard.
"I'm looking for Zhane," Andros informed him. And Kerry knew it, too. That knowing didn't bother him, most of the time, but when Zhane did something like this it made him uncomfortable. He was always left with the feeling that the dockworkers knew something he didn't.
"Headed for Caleigh this morning. Said if you came by, I should tell you he'll be back in a couple of weeks."
Caleigh. Farther than he'd been since Quon, but not as bad as Kataisa. Andros tried not to sigh. It was good news--really, it was. And it wasn't like it was any of his business where Zhane went anyway.
"Thanks," he told Kerry, turning away. As a Ranger, he had access to every dock log and crew manifest. And no one could cite confidentiality when answering his questions. He could track Zhane down in Caleigh if he wanted to.
He could... but he wouldn't. Zhane had told him when he was coming back, but not how to find him. The fact that he could do it anyway wasn't the point. He hadn't been invited to. So he would wait.
The waiting was getting harder every time.
The dock was solid beneath his feet, and he took a deep breath of the hot, land-warmed air. The ocean spray was already drying on his skin, the cold wind of their passage long gone since they had slowed to navigate the harbor. And it felt like summer again, with the call of the gulls welcoming him back to the beach that had been his only home for years.
A glint of red caught his eye as he swung his bag over his shoulder, and he looked again. It couldn't be--but even the thought made him grin. The thought of the Red Ranger haunting the docks in anticipation of his arrival was at once terribly funny and somewhat disconcerting. And...
If he admitted it to himself, it was also flattering. And foolish. He gave Dar a shove as the kid plowed into him from behind, steadying him and ruffling his hair as the boy stuck his tongue out and squirmed away. "Someone's gonna think that's an invitation!" Zhane yelled after him.
"Can I have one?" a familiar voice asked, so close at his shoulder that he almost dropped his bag.
"Didn't mean to startle you," Andros added. He was there after all, gold Ranger insignia embroidered into the red fabric of his shirt and his hair loose in the sun. The sparkle of amusement in his eyes belied his grave tone. "I was only curious."
"About what?" Zhane managed, finding his voice at last. Andros had paused beside him when he stopped, too surprised to think of anything but the fact that Andros was here, in the middle of the morning, when he had to have more important things to do.
"The invitation," Andros said solemnly. "Do I get one too?"
Zhane just stared at him. Did someone like Andros even know what that meant? Maybe that wasn't fair... it wasn't exactly ship slang, but it wasn't a high-class thing to say, either. Maybe he hadn't understood what Zhane was saying?
Andros took a step closer, and the look on his face said exactly the opposite. He couldn't bring himself to stick his tongue out at the Red Ranger, but it didn't look like Andros cared. There at the end of the dock, in the middle of the departing crew and the small crowd that had gathered to meet them, he pressed his mouth to Zhane's and made the world disappear.
Zhane felt his bag slide off his shoulder and he let it fall to the ground as he put his hands on Andros' shoulders and kissed him hungrily. There were days when Andros didn't kiss him like this even if they were alone... He was going to leave more often if this was the welcome he got when he came back.
He caught Zhane's hand and forced him to stop, paying no attention to the water splashing around their feet or the looks of curious beachgoers all around them. He slid the red-banded communicator under Zhane's wrist and fastened the clasp on top. Twisting it around, he let it settle into place on its own as he released the other boy's fingers and started down the beach again without a word.
"Andros--" He didn't pause, and he heard Zhane quicken his pace to catch up with him. "Andros, I can't take this."
Andros put his hands in his pockets and stared out across the water, his bare feet enjoying the feel of the sand as he walked. "Don't want it?" he inquired mildly.
"No! I mean, yes, but..." Zhane sounded nervous, and Andros smiled to himself. He wasn't sure he had ever been able to make Zhane nervous. He would have to remember this.
"It's not that I don't want it," Zhane said quickly. "I do. But I can't take it. I mean, how's it going to look if I start wearing your communicator? You can't think people aren't going to notice. And what do I tell them? They're going to ask--"
"Tell them that the Red Ranger is tired of not being able to find his boyfriend," Andros interrupted. That nervous feeling was contagious, and it was twisting itself around his stomach. But if there was one thing cameras had taught him, it was how not to let that show.
"Say that you've disappeared one time too many," he continued, staring toward the horizon. "And since you're still blaming it on not being able to get a message to me, I'm fixing that. What else do they need to know?"
Zhane didn't answer. He could hear shouts all around them, kids playing in the surf and parents trying to keep up, teenagers trying to look suave and the lifeguards not bothering. And most of them probably stealing glances at Andros and Zhane from behind sunglasses or just openly staring. He didn't care about any of them right now.
"I'm not trying to tie you down," Andros told the ocean. His stomach had clenched painfully tight, and he wondered if he had made a mistake. "If you don't want me to know where you are, don't tell me. But keep the communicator, all right? I just--I want you to be safe."
He hadn't meant to say that. He didn't think Zhane would like the implication that he couldn't take care of himself. But it worried him, having the kid out here all alone in the middle of nowhere. What if there was another attack?
"You're crazy," Zhane said at last, and the words brought him up short.
He turned to stare at Zhane, wondering whether that was a thoughtful accusation or just an automatic reaction. "Excuse me?"
Zhane held the communicator up, looking from it to Andros with a grin. "You're crazy," he repeated, shaking his head. "Every time I start to doubt, I think maybe you're just this normal guy who happened to get stuck with responsibility for the entire world, you go and pull something like this."
Andros considered that. Finally he asked, "Does that mean you'll keep it?"
"Yeah," Zhane said with a laugh. "Hell yeah, I'll keep it."