Long Journey Home

Dawn found Jason and Tommy well on their way from the Sacred Grounds. They had left their friends with Billy, who promised to give them the necessary instruction to stabilize the Zeo Crystal once they got home, and how to focus it on Jason to match his spiritual resonance to his own reality, so that he could go home again.
 
Tommy was slightly surprised that Jason didn’t head directly into the jungle, as they had done on their way to the Monolith. Instead, he made for the treeline, keeping in the shadows, but at the same time able to watch over the savannah. The two didn’t talk much, each lost in his own thoughts, as they walked briskly along. They took short breaks from time to time, to rest and recover, but made steady progress throughout the day. When night fell again, Jason walked deeper into the lush vegetation, until he found a small clearing next to a spring. Gratefully, they settled down, picking some fruit for dinner and drinking of the cool, clear water. As the jungle sounds around them began to die down for the night, Tommy broke the silence.
 
"How did you know this was here?"
 
"Hmm? Oh -- the spring. I don’t know, really. Somehow, it seemed right to come here."
 
The two sat side by side at the foot of a sun-warmed boulder, relaxing in the still-warm air. They had no need for a fire, since the temperatures were warm enough, and Phaedos’ two moons cast bluish-green light through the canopy of trees -- enough to illuminate the small glade. Both were lost in thought. After a while, Tommy addressed his friend once more.
 
"Jason?"
 
He got a questioning look.
 
"Have you thought about what we talked about last night?"
 
Even in the dim light, Tommy could make out the flush on Jason’s cheeks.
 
"Yeah. To be honest, I could think about little else."
 
Tommy grinned lopsidedly.
 
"Me, too. I mean -- we agreed to do it, right?"
 
"Yeah...."
 
"Well, I was wondering .... you’ve never been with another guy before .... do you want to wait until after the Crystal is ready to send you home, or ..."
 
"Or what?" Jason felt his insides churning slightly; he wasn’t sure if the cause was nervousness, or anticipation.
 
Tommy lowered his gaze and fiddled with his gauntlets. Blushing himself, he found it rather hard to meet Jason’s eyes.
 
"Well ... if it’s allright with you, we could .... experiment a little ...sort of show you beforehand what it’s all about .... if you want to, that is."
 
Jason seemed to take an inordinately long time to think about Tommy’s proposal. At last, he raised serious dark eyes to the White Ninjetti.
 
"It--it’d probably be a good idea if I knew what to expect ..."
 
Tommy released a breath he hadn’t been aware of holding. For all his ambivalence earlier, he found himself strangely eager to explore this path with Jay’s counterpart. Sitting up slightly, he touched the strong arm next to him in a gentle caress.
 
"You want to do something now?"
 
The ex-Ranger closed his eyes briefly. Giant butterflies seemed to dance in his stomach as he made himself look up. Swallowing past his suddenly dry throat, his deep voice was husky as he gave in to the tension that had sprung up between them.
 
"Yes."
 
It was all the encouragement Tommy needed. He leaned up and over and captured the dark head between both palms. His own voice was a sensual growl as he bent down to the slightly parted lips.
 
"I’ll make it good for you this time." His mouth closed over Jason’s.
 
Jason held still, stunned, as the firm lips pressed against his. When Tommy started to lick around the contours of his mouth, he opened up, just as he’d done at the Youth Center. Only this time, he had enough presence of mind not to draw away. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the taste and feel of that skilled tongue foraying for his own. As his instincts began to take over and he responded, a few things stood out with startling clarity. One, he had basically just agreed that Tommy could seduce him; the thought sent his butterflies into a veritable frenzy. Two, Tommy’s last remark showed him that the Red Ranger bore his own scars from the past -- by letting Tommy make love to him this first time with his consent, he could help dispel the shadows of that other, violent first time he’d had with Jay. Three, if he ever screwed up enough nerve to talk about his feelings to his own Tommy, this would give him the perfect opportunity to learn what he needed to know. Four -- at this point, Tommy’s tongue tip made contact with his own, and everything else vanished besides the fact that it felt pretty damn incredible. Jason’s arms came up around Tommy’s chest. The two lost themselves in the kiss, playing a gentle game of dominance which neither wanted to lose and didn’t give a damn who won. They explored each other’s mouths with everything they had, until the need to breathe forced them apart. Jason opened his eyes as Tommy licked teasingly at his lips in parting. He could feel the warm breath against his skin as he whispered a question.
 
"You want more?"
 
"Oh God, yes!"
 
"Good. So do I." With that, Tommy kissed him again, more forcefully this time. Soon, both were clutching at each other, straining against hard, muscled chests, devouring each other’s mouths. As a questing hand slipped under his tank top to glide over his pecs, Jason tore himself away. Gasping for air, he let his head fall back, exposing the sensitive skin of his neck to the sensual assault. Before he fully realized what was happening, Tommy had stripped him of his shirt and shorts, and was slipping a hand into his briefs to close around his already throbbing cock. Jason tried to get at some skin himself, but could not seem to find a way to loosen the Ninjetti uniform. Breathless, he summoned what willpower he had left and stopped the maddening hand from wandering down to his balls.
 
"Wait .... please, Tommy, wait ...!"
 
"Hmm? What?" Tommy was nuzzling down to the hard brown nubs on Jason’s chest; he was about to fasten his mouth to the nearest, when the panted plea sank into his consciousness. Reluctantly, he eased off. For a moment, he feared he had caused Jason some kind of pain, but a single glance into the blazing dark eyes took care of that. Smiling wolfishly, he nipped at the heaving chest.
 
"Do you really want me to stop?" He squeezed the straining rod slightly for emphasis.
 
Jason returned the smile with an equally feral expression, thrusting into the firm grip.
 
"Only long enough to get you out of this thing." He tugged at the collar of Tommy’s uniform. To his surprise, it seemed to melt off, leaving him in the shorts and tee he had worn the day before.
 
Laughing breathlessly, Tommy swooped in for another hot, thoroughly arousing kiss, calling forth a deep moan, before he released his friend. Both quickly stripped, flinging their clothes every which way. Finally naked, both stopped to really look at each other. The moonlight cast interesting shadows across their tanned skin, highlighting sculpted muscles and strong sinews. Their cocks were fully erect, pulsating in synch with their thundering heartbeats and the rapid rise and fall of their chests.
 
Jason reached out with a hand that wasn’t quite steady. He’d touched Tommy while he was Jess, but somehow, that had been different; it wasn’t a small, delicate hand closing around the hard shaft, but his own strong fingers. The feel was different and yet the same as when he touched himself, and he couldn’t resist the impulse to pump once. Tommy moaned. Encouraged, Jason repeated the motion, until Tommy was writhing under his hands, vocalizing his pleasure with sighs and groans.
 
Soon, they were rolling on the moss-covered ground, groping and exploring each other, hands gliding over sweat-slick skin and mouths kissing, licking, biting wherever they could. Their throbbing cocks mashed into hard abs as fingers squeezed firm asscheeks. Jason found himself on his back, clutching at Tommy’s shoulders, as the dark head moved inexorably downward, licking wet trails over his quivering muscles towards his needy manhood. His eyes were closed in anticipation as the hot wetness sent flickers of fire into his most sensitive spots. Jason moaned ecstatically as the first moist swipe moved around his flaring cap. He didn’t care that it was another man swallowing him deep into his throat, all that mattered was the rush towards orgasm which was slowly building up inside of him. He knew he was going to come soon as his hips began to pump into that deliciously hot, sucking mouth. He was about to abandon all restraint, as a last shred of rational thought suddenly penetrated his pleasure-fogged brain. *Billy .... what was it Billy had said about his shifts into different realities? They seemed linked to him having sex with Tommy?*
 
It was the hardest thing Jason had ever done; he was so close, Tommy’s hands and mouth on his sex felt so incrediblet ift if he wanted a chance of getting home soon and putting things to right, he had to stop NOW! He grabbed for the long, silky strands of hair which dusted against his skin. Barely able to think, much less move, he forced himself to speak.
 
"Tommy ... Tommy, don’t .... oh God, stop, I ...." the rest was lost in a hungry groan.
 
The White Ninjetti was only dimly aware of the frantic hands burying themselves in his hair. All his senses were concentrated on the smell and taste of his lover, whose hard, hot organ filled his throat to capacity. He couldn’t wait to feel it probing his ass! He pressed his tongue-tip to the one spot just below the velvety head which he knew would bring Jay to the point of no return, when he became aware of a difference in the straining muscles. While the slim hips still bucked slightly into his mouth, it seemed as if Jason tried very hard to stop. Not understanding, he lifted his head slightly to search out the dark eyes, sliding his lips up until he held only the very tip of the large cock inside. Jason thrashed his head around, panting, but the words he gasped out were not pleas to finish him off; it sounded more like he was begging him .... to stop?
 
Reluctantly, Tommy eased off. He had trouble breathing too, but he’d made himself a promise after Jay finally became his lover -- he’d never force him again. Crawling upwards, he pressed his own aching erection against the smooth skin and reached out with an unsteady hand to turn the sweaty face towards him.
 
"Jay?" His voice was hoarse with desire. "Jay, what is it?"
 
Jason focussed with difficulty. Part of him wanted to scream with frustration, he needed to come so badly, but he knew he couldn’t -- not now, at least.
 
"Tommy .... we can’t ..." His normally deep tones came out in a needy groan. He barely restrained himself from throwing himself at the hard, smooth body next to his.
 
"Why? Did I hurt you?"
 
"No...." Jason moaned. Dragging his eyes open, he couldn’t help but pull Tommy down into a desperate kiss. Tearing himself away, he rolled out of the heated embrace. Head swimming, he sat up, running shaky hands through his short hair. Still gasping for air, he directed a rueful smile at his teammate.
 
"Remember what I told you about Billy’s theory? I get switched as soon as you and I have sex? We’re not finished here yet -- we can’t ..."
 
"Oh, man...!" With a disappointed groan of his own, Tommy collapsed next to Jason. His body was screaming for release, but Jason was right -- they couldn’t allow themselves to continue, not if they wanted to succeed with their two-fold mission.
 
It took long minutes for both to get their raging hormones under at least nominal control. When they were finally able to move without having the overwhelming urge to just grab the other and finish what they’d started, they sat next to each other, carefully not touching. At last, Tommy directed a sheepish smile towards Jason.
 
"I’m sorry; I didn’t think ....all of a sudden, I just wanted you, as much as I’ve ever wanted Jay..."
 
"It’s okay; I wasn’t exactly thinking clearly, either. When you touched me ...." Jason shuddered pleasurably, trying to ignore his still-throbbing cock.
 
"Yeah ..." The two shared a smile that was at once apologetic and full of promise. Tommy’s voice was a sensual purr as he leaned over to brush a brief, hot kiss against Jason’s mouth. "As soon as we’re home, though ..."
 
"Mmhh..." Jason felt a delicious chill race down his spine. "Definitely." His dark eyes were still lit with a hot flame, although the fire was banked now. Tommy settled next to his friend. Sharing the silence, both tried to control their rampant anatomy, but the other’s nearness and nudity didn’t help. Tommy tried to shift his legs unobtrusively, but caught a similar movement from Jason out of the corner of his eye. A quick glance confirmed that his friend’s phallus was just as hard as his own, straining into the warm night air. He couldn’t help the small snort of laughter as he tried to picture them, sitting side by side with raging hard-ons, trying very hard not to touch.
 
"Tommy?" The deep voice, calmer now, came out of the darkness.
 
"Hm?"
 
"You ... uh ... need to ... uh ....?"
 
"Yeah," sheepishly.
 
"Me, too."
 
At that, Tommy sat up, astonished.
 
"You can do that?"
 
"Masturbate? Yes. I didn’t, while I was Jess -- it was just too weird -- but in that first reality ... Tammy got me so hot, sometimes...."
 
"And that didn’t make you switch, did it."
 
Tommy sounded a bit excited, Jason thought. *Now why...?*
 
"No. Billy thinks it’s because of the affinity we share that it has to be you who’s making me come. I don’t know if it would work with another partner, but going solo doesn’t."
 
Tommy felt his excitement rise again. Maybe he couldn’t be the one who got Jason off, but there was a way he could help him -- and himself, which would be a lot more fun than sneaking off into the bushes to take care of business alone. Kneeling up, he reached out a hand to brush against the firm lips. Slipping a fingertip inside, he gasped as a wet tongue briefly bathed his digit in moisture and white teeth bit gently on the sensitive pad.
 
Breathless, he put his plan before Jason.
 
"Maybe ... maybe we can’t do each other, but .... why don’t we do ourselves .... together?"
 
Dark eyes fastened onto his, sparkling with curiosity and renewed lust.
 
"How?"
 
Tommy stole another heated kiss.
 
"Let me show you."
 
He drew Jason up, so that they both knelt opposite each other, knees almost, but not quite touching, slightly spread for better purchase. He draped a hand around the strong neck and drew his friend into a long, slow tongue duel. His free hand wandered down the broad chest to wrap around the still-hard pole which began to throb with renewed vigour. Tommy gasped into the willing mouth as he felt Jason reciprocate. When they were both at almost the same fever pitch they had reached before, he reluctantly released both the swirling tongue and the pulsating shaft.
 
Straightening, he sat back on his haunches and watched Jason do the same. His chest heaving, he instructed him what to do, his voice a deep rumble that raised goosebumps on Jason’s skin.
 
"Watch me."
 
He started to run his hands down his own body, pinching his nipples into hardness and gliding around sculpted muscles. To his delight, he saw that the former Ranger caught on quickly and began to mimic his moves. The two young men were less than two feet apart -- barely enough to sense the heat from each other’s skin, as they avidly watched each other’s hands. Simultaneously, their hands wandered down, to cup heavy sacs and pump straining cocks. They tried to draw it out, but couldn’t -- the sight of the other pleasuring himself just as each was doing, the sound of their heavy breathing which escalated into deep moans, was too much for either of them. Their fists closed harder around their organs, stroking faster and faster, until they could stand it no more. Muscles locked, hips snapped forward, and first one, then the other came into their own hands, shouting out their release into the night air. As the last spasm faded, Tommy reached out again, only to be met halfway by Jason, and they devoured each other in a hot, wet kiss. Trembling and out of breath, they separated, staring into each other’s eyes with equal amounts of triumph and satisfaction. Tommy lifted his still-wet hand and brushed the sticky moisture coating his fingers over Jason’s mouth. His cock started to twitch with revived interest as he watched Jason’s tongue sensuously lick the come off his lips.
 
Before he was tempted to do more, he sat up again. Words were unnecessary as they both made their way to the spring to quench their thirst and clean themselves off. Drawing the unresisting body into a close embrace, Tommy kissed Jason deeply once more before theytledtled down toep. ep. Just before he dropped off, he heard a sleepy murmur rumble into his skin.
 
"Can’t wait for the real thing..." Even breaths told him his friend had fallen asleep. Smiling with delight, Tommy’s last thought before he, too, slid into the darkness, was a lustful image of the two of them entwined on his bed, doing all the things they had to deny themselves tonight.