[ J&A Forever ] Pulling weight

Joe x Ahim

It was a tense night on the Gokai Galleon. The team had just finished a long battle against the Zangyack, and what's worse, Joe had received the news that Barizorg, formerly known as Cid--Joe's senpai and ex-lover--had no chance of being restored to his former self. Naturally, Joe took this quite hard, but if the blue ranger was good at one thing (besides swordplay), it was shutting out his emotions and devoting himself to his physical training to an almost obsessive degree.

Naturally, at such a late hour, everyone but Joe was either asleep or keeping lookout on the crow's nest; well, or so he thought. Much to his surprise, Ahim emerged from her quarters, wearing a frilly, rose-colored nightgown, carrying a silver tray with her tea set resting on top.

"Joe-san," Ahim called, her voice gentle and airy as ever, "It's late. You should be getting ready for bed, soon."

"I'm not tired." Joe replied, crisp and ever so slightly curt, "I need to practice the finishing move that Cid-senpai taught me. It's still not nearly up to his standard."

"That can wait." the princess answered, in an almost motherly tone. She took hold of his hands, still in his swordfighting stance, and lowered them to his sides, "Have some tea with me. It's chamomile. Gai-san said it's good for relaxation and sleep."

Joe grunted to himself, glanced to his side quickly, once again made eye contact with Ahim, and sighed, "Very well. If you insist."

The two pirates migrated towards the table near the ship's galley, and placed the tea set down on top of it as they sat down.

Ahim poured cups of tea for each of them, took a delicate sip from her cup, and asked, "So, Joe-san. Is something bothering you? You seem agitated."

The stoic swordfighter just looked away, not saying anything.

"Is this about your senpai?" Ahim inquired further, getting the feeling that the blue ranger was putting on a brave face so that he would not have to face his own heartbreak.

Just like that, Joe's hands slammed onto the table, beginning to shake, and he looked directly into the empathic princess' eyes, his own filling up with tears.

"All this time, I had thought Cid-senpai was dead! And then I learn that he is Barizorg, and I get hopeful all over again! And now...that Yellow Lion guy tells me that there's nothing he can do to bring him back...and..."

Tears slowly began to fall from Joe's eyes, creating ripples on the surface of his tea as they hit the cup. He inhaled shakily, and let out a heavy, powerful sigh on the exhale.

Ahim, her own eyes beginning to well up, bit her lower lip to keep from crying herself, stood up, walked behind Joe, and enveloped him in a tight embrace.

"Joe-san," the pink ranger breathed, feeling herself begin to fill with emotion--primarily out of empathy for her loving nakama, "I know how much you must be hurting, but I want you to know that I worry about you. We all worry about you. You always keep your feelings so guarded, and it makes it hard for us to properly mend your emotional wounds."
Joe turned around, got up out of his chair, looked at Ahim's tear-stained face, and promptly returned the hug, just as tight and just as intimate as ever.

"Thank you, Ahim." the tall, strong pirate said, using what fortitude he had left to even speak at all, "I'm sorry I worried you."

"Don't be sorry. I love you, Joe-san. We all do." Ahim assured, though still actively crying herself, "I just don't want to see you hurting yourself like this."

Then, Ahim let out a sob or two, even her slight hiccups sounding cute and dainty.

Joe placed his hand gently on the pirate princess' arm, paused for a moment, then slid his hand down her arm and grabbed her hand as he looked into her deep, brown eyes.

"I love you, too, Ahim. I can imagine just how taxing it can be to take care of us all the way that you do."

Ahim slowly lowered her head, both to nod affirmatively and to avert her gaze, her eyes still dripping with tears.

"It is not always easy, but I am more than willing to do it because I care about each and every one of you." the pink ranger replied, her head still held down.

The swordsman looked down at his tearful princess, gingerly tilted her chin upward so that she could meet his gaze, and placed his other hand on her cheek, drying her tears.

"It's okay, Ahim. Just promise me you'll let us tend to you, too. There's no reason you should have to pull all of our emotional weight."

Joe then took one of the embroidered, white cloth napkins from the top of the tea tray and handed it to Ahim. She took it with both hands, dabbed at her eyes, and softly blew her nose. She then took a deep, cleansing breath, and looked back up at Joe with a faint smile on her face.

"Joe-san," she began, "would you accompany me to my chamber tonight? I think the continued companionship would benefit us both."

Joe looked away, blushed slightly, returned his gaze to hers, and replied, "Of course."

Ahim took her partner's jacket off for him, grabbed his hand, and led him to her quarters.