**Wes's Temptation**

Prompt: Wes, the Red Time Force Ranger, receives the power to time travel independently and is tempted to use it to create a perfect life with Jen. However, with each change to the past, they encounter unexpected consequences, forcing them to confront the value of their shared experiences and the importance of their journey together.

Wes Collins gazed into the shimmering portal that pulsed with the hues of time itself. As the Red Time Force Ranger, he had seen places and moments that resonated through the fabric of history. The adventures he shared with his team, especially Jen, had forged a bond unlike any other. But with newfound abilities granted by a mysterious artifact—a crystal that allowed him to travel through time independently—Wes felt the weight of temptation settling upon him. Every day in the present was tinged with the ache of what could have been. His heart yearned for something more, a dream painted in the soft colors of a perfect life. It consisted of laughter and love, of peaceful mornings spent with Jen in a home that was their sanctuary. They had faced adversity together, united against the threats posed by the malevolent Turbans and other time anomalies. Yet no matter how many foes they vanquished, there remained that flickering shadow of the future that often pressed against the edges of Wes's mind—a future where they could be more, if only he acted on it. Wes took a deep breath, reminding himself of who he was a Ranger. "It's all for a greater good," he whispered, forcing his gaze away from the portal. But the heart doesn't heed sound reasoning when it yearns for affection. With a single leap, he crossed into the portal. The cool air shifted around him, and suddenly he was standing outside his house—one he didn't own yet, one that didn't exist yet. The vibrant sunlight filtered through lush trees. Wes could almost hear Jen's laughter, warm and inviting. In a flash, he made a decision. "What if I change a few things?" he murmured, and before he could rethink it, he stepped inside. The living room shimmered with ethereal light, just like his dreams. It was filled with soft furniture and the scent of freshly brewed coffee. He envisioned Jen walking through the door, a smile illuminating her face as she embraced him. With a spark of thought, Wes altered their life so that this vision would come to be. Days stretched into weeks as Wes crafted the perfect life. He played with details—ensuring a successful trajectory for their careers, beautifully arranging moments that would lead to the completion of their home, adjusting small events to create portraits of happiness. Each time he returned to the present, it felt better than the last; they were wrapped in happiness, holding hands as they turned corners where they once stumbled. But with each change came something unexpected. The first shock was subtle. A single choice made for the best intentions—helping Jen secure a significant promotion—came with an unforeseen rift between her and a longtime friend, forcing Jen to navigate the tricky waters of ambition and loyalty. Wes watched as the happiness they’d built began to fray at the edges. Then there was the incident with the vacation to the beach. Lindsay, their teammate, was supposed to join them. Not wanting to risk disrupting their perfect getaway, Wes modified their plans, allowing only Jen to attend. This created a lonely space for Lindsay, who felt abandoned, and when she returned from her own trip, she confronted Jen, voicing her hurt. Was their friendship not worth the sacrifice for a perfect weekend? Wes winced at the growing list of consequences that accompanied his alterations. He was fixing things, yet each fix transformed into a new scar, fracturing relationships and weaving discontent. Jen began to sense the discord, her radiant smile dimming as she realized two things: life’s imperfections drew people together, and Wes had something he was hiding from her. “Wes,” she said one evening, her voice barely above a whisper as they sat on their couch, a flickering candle casting dancing shadows. “Is everything okay? You’ve been so distant lately. It’s like you’re… trying to hide something.” A swirl of guilt wrapped around him like a cold blanket. How could he explain? Their shared journey meant everything to him, yet here he was, trying to erase what made them who they were. He took her hands, feeling the warmth of her spirit that had captivated him since the first time he laid eyes on her. “I—I have this power,” he finally admitted, shame and fear crashing around him like a tidal wave. “The crystal… it lets me change time… and I’ve been trying to create a perfect life for us.” Here it was. The truth laid bare. The unreadable look on Jen's face split into an amalgam of confusion and concern. “Wes, you can’t just rewrite our lives. Every moment, good or bad, shaped us. It’s the journey, the struggles, the laughter—and yes, even the tears—that made our love strong.” “I thought I was fixing it…” Wes muttered, seeing the depth of his foolishness reflected in her eyes. “I just wanted to give you everything. I thought… I thought that was what you deserved.” “In wanting to make it perfect, you missed the beauty in our imperfections,” Jen replied, and her hands tightened around his, grounding him as he felt so utterly lost. “Life is never perfect, Wes. It’s real.” With clarity dawning over him, Wes realized all he had done was strip their memories of meaning and significance. Each misstep, every ounce of hardship and happiness—they had overcome those together, growing stronger through love and understanding. It was an imperfect masterpiece painted in colors both vibrant and dull, and it was their shared creation. “Can we go back?” Wes asked, excitement mingling with trepidation. “Can we retrieve what I lost?” Jen gave him a soft smile, even lightening the weight in his chest. “We can. But let’s remember to cherish every step of the way from here. No matter what we face in the future, I choose to face it with you.” In the glow of the low candle light, they stood hand in hand and stepped back into time. The beauty of every shared experience awaited them, ready to be lived once more. Together. As the past concluded and the present unfolded, Wes embraced the imperfections as vital brush strokes in their lives, realizing that a perfect life wasn’t found in a flawless design but rather in the depth of love forged through every moment they dared to face together.