Abril: Third of the Lyric Challenge I'm doing with Shadow-ying.
It consists on sending the other a paragraph (or two) of a song for them to make in the span of 24 hours a story about anything.
P.S.: I don't know what I'm doing :)
Challenge:
I'll try to understand,
Before we lose what we have.
We just can't stop believing
Because we have to try.
–See who I am – By Within Temptation
Bridge worked, back bent and eyes focused, on a little bot; circuits like messy hair all around it as the Green Ranger tweaked and modified it. He had been at if for a few hours now, it was supposed to be a small spidery spy, but he had mainly created it because he felt Rick was sort of lonely, being one of the only sentient-ish robots on base. He was sure a little friend would do him wonders, nobody wanted to be all alone and the only one of his kind.
The door of the lab opened and as per usual, Bridge almost paid no mind to the other people who used the room. He was working and when he concentrated on his technology, things just slipped from him like water off a ducks back. The sound of some steps later and a clearing throat brought him out of his world.
Bridge knew how that was, he could feel it in the air without turning, and he most definitely didn't want to turn.
"Bridge?" The Green Ranger pretended not to hear and tried to focus even harder on the spider bot "Bridge…" Sky say softly this time. The psychometrist's shoulders were stiff and tense, hunching a little more onto himself as if to shield his person from Sky.
"Bridge, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." The Blue Ranger's voice was tired, but there was sincerity in his words. "And I really shouldn't have talked to you like that."
The younger man did not answer, there was silence; the humming of electric apparatus and machines continuing as background music. Sky sighed and just as he was about to speak again…
"No, you're not, not really. You only say you're sorry because that's the right thing to do, not because you really feel sorry." Bridge mumbled, still not looking at him.
"No, Bridge, I really am sorry. It was uncalled for and I didn't mean to say it." Sky pleaded, closing in on the Green Ranger.
"But that's just it, isn't it?" The Green Ranger stopped working, straightening his back but not turning, eyeing the bot in his hands with solemn eyes. "You didn't mean to say it but that doesn't mean that you don't think it. That it's not how you feel."
"I-" Sky tried to speak.
"No, don't say it isn't true Sky, you're not even trying to make it sound as if it isn't. 'I didn't mean to say it.' Even I can tell what that's supposed to mean. Yes, I know everyone thinks I'm bonkers -wacky or whatever- and that they probably got me out of a psychiatric ward and that I'm really not mentally fit to be a Ranger and that-that my mind is not always in the right place." The words slipped fluid from Bridges' mouth, not rushing but close to.
"Bri-"
"And I know, Sky, that some of those things, most of those things, are true, or partly true. Meant to be partly true, but not quite right. But how you said- I thought that at least you- I know you think I'm not quite right, but- but-" A small, quiet sob escaped the younger man.
"But I thought you of all people wouldn't fault me for that! Because that's not what friends do." Bridge turned, wiping at his right eye before anything could fall down.
"Bridge." Sky voice was strangled as he took another step forward and tried to reach for his teammate's arms, but Bridge flinched back, holding another tiny sob back.
"I'm…" But Sky stopped, sorry didn't really cut it. He reached again for Bridges arms, slower this time. "It's true, some of it…" Sky whispered.
The Green Ranger, hearing those words, finally let a proper cry of his lips, dropping his head to his chest, staying very still as his arms were held by Sky.
"Then why are you still here, go away, I'll ask Cruger to change m-me to another room or so-something." Bridge struggled to say, his throat constricted and not looking anywhere near Sky's face.
"Because I don't want you to!" Sky shouted, shaking his roommate making Bridge finally look at him. "I don't want you to change." He said again, more calmly now "And I don't want you to change. You know I'm... I'm a close minded persona and a dumb friend and sometimes I say stupid, hurtful shit-"
"Is just that-" Bridge tried to get off this road, which was getting even more uncomfortable that before.
"No, please, let me finish Bridge. It's my turn." Sky said firmly, kindly to the other. "I say hurtful shit, that even if I think it's true and what not, you don't deserve me saying it to you; not like that, not like I did. No, the truth is you don't deserve it. I have no right saying those things to you. And you're right, you are my friend and I should've tried to understand you better. I should try to understand that you're not like… that you're a little bit different than most people. I know that but sometimes… sometimes I get stupid and I forget." Bridge could see how hard Sky was trying to find the right words, to avoid repeating that morning's experience or just making it plain worse.
"I just… it's just I don't understand. And sometimes, things you do or say… how your mind works. I don't understand and I'm sorry. I want to and I'm sorry. And I know I can be such an asshole sometimes- most of the times." He corrected as the Green Ranger gave him a funny look. "But… sorry…" His words stopped, seemingly lost as to what to say next.
"Then don't." Bridge said after a moment, looking straight into Sky's eyes.
"What..?" The Blue Ranger inquired.
"Don't try to understand how my mind works. Just… understand that is different and that… I'm not always going to react like you guys do." They looked at each other for a silent moment "I know I'm different Sky, I'm not dumb. And I know it's not easy to understand how I am -I don't blame you, not many people do, I sometimes think nobody does-" Bridge rambled a bit. But this conversation, he was so clear and tracked that for a moment Sky was astonished by the fact.
"And that's okay." He looked at the floor a second and then back up again at his roommate "Sky, it's okay. I don't want you to understand me, I just… Accept me and… the fact that I'm a bit- well," he chuckled "A whole lot different than you." He grabbed with gloved hands those of Sky, which has slipped as the conversation went on.
"And I think it's okay, you know? To be different." He nodded to himself "I'm okay with being different, I like it -most of the times at least. Just… understand that sometimes I'm not meant to be understood." He smiled slightly at the other. "Can- can you do that?" Bridge asked, a bit wary of the answer.
"Yeah… Yes, yes I can." Sky exhaled a breath of relief. He reached up to the younger's back and hugged him, the Green Ranger standing a few inches taller than the other. "I know you don't want me to say it… But I'm sorry, Bridge."
"I know you are." The psychometrist said with a huff for a smile.
Abril: Questions, doubts or comments about the story, don't hesitate to ask, I'm always happy to answer :)