On Fire (Power Rangers Samurai)

93 - Dear / Yap

"Hey Lauren." Antonio noticed her standing by a bookshelf, watching him work on a desk in the little library.

It was the next afternoon and the sun had begun to set early.

"You're making your samuraizer from scratch?" Lauren thought he would just put the broken pieces together rather than starting anew. But it was probably more complicated than it seemed.

"Yeah, it literally exploded so it's too messed up to put back together. But I am using some of the same pieces." Antonio took his eyes off of his work to look at her. "Come over here."

"Do you need my help?" Lauren wondered as she took a seat next to him on the bench.

"Nope. I'm good." Antonio just wanted her company.

He continued to structure the inner works of his samuraizer, looking through a magnifying glass as he put tiny pieces together. His octopus zord floated by his side.

Lauren wasn't very interested in what he was doing, but she still watched him closely. His concentration was immaculate and his hands were as steady as a surgeon.

He must have had a ton of experience with technology, but it was quite a strange talent to pair with fishing.

"Are you still training your symbol power?" Antonio asked as he operated. He was curious whether Lauren was still working as hard as she was before.

"Not as much as I used to... I still need to maintain the power I have." Lauren kicked her feet under the table. "We don't know when I have to use it again."

Antonio hummed solemnly. "I hope you've been resting well." He turned to give Lauren a tiny kiss on the side of her head.

Though his affection made her happy, an unsettling feeling loomed in her gut as if it was all wrong.

Lauren wanted to be close to him, but wouldn't it be too painful to be together.. only to part so soon?

"Lauren?" Antonio snapped her out of her thoughts. "You were really spacing out there."

She nodded in response.

"Want a hug?" Antonio asked out of the blue.

It was a simple question, but the most complicated to Lauren.

It was a choice whether to hold Antonio dear in the time that she had or avoid deepening their connection. Of course, she hesitated.

"You seem tired." Antonio patted her head after she didn't respond for a while, taking the hint and hiding his disappointment.

Lauren inched closer to him, laying her head by the nook of his neck. She didn't expect him to feel cold, prompting her to share her warmth.

It was a matter of following her head or her heart. Maybe following her heart was selfish, but she wanted to be with him.

Antonio smiled, wrapping his arms around her.

He gently ran his hand through her hair with his cold hands. His frosty fingertips sent a shiver down Lauren's spine.