Title: The Gaul of Friendship
Summary: They were destined to be best friends, even if the road was rather rocky.
Rating: 10+
Main Characters: Bridge, Sky
Warning: Angst, fluff
Disclaimer: I don't own, and you don't sue.
The Gaul of Friendship:
They were the most unlikely pair, but somehow managed to stick together as if held by glue. Through thick and thin, the good and the bad, they remained loyal to each other. When times were rough, they never questioned each other, and when times were easy, they always did, finding it miraculously kept their sanity. It was a horrible, over used, unsatisfactory truth, but they were opposites, and that only intensified what drew them together.
They'd met as Cadets, both away from home for the first time, both pursuing a calling. Sky found himself enrolling in the Academy because it was expected, because it was the only way he'd follow after his father's gigantic footsteps. He saw The SPD Academy as his stepping stone to becoming a great man, and a role model for any future generations. Contrary, Bridge enrolled because every fiber of his being told him it was his place. Something radiated from the Academy, and something in Bridge was triggered. He'd always liked to help people, and SPD seemed the ultimate way to do it.
Sky was precise, articulate, confident, proud and obedient. Bridge was none of these things, if not their opposite, therefore it came as a sudden surprise when they found themselves rooming together. As lowly first year Cadets they had no rights to better rooms, and apparent poor luck had placed them together, something Sky found abysmal.
It wasn't long before each male's personality became almost too vocal, and almost too overwhelming. While Sky took proper care to keep his uniforms clean, along with his room and possessions, Bridge was a whirlwind of clutter, often resulting in many extra minutes searching for books for class, or training uniforms for the day's later class. Sky ought to have known something fishy was happening when he began waiting for Bridge.
They didn't like the same things. Sky liked reading books on past great battles and wars. He enjoyed games of strategy, puzzles for the mind, educational lectures, and properly spaced naps. Bridge liked music--loud, and his computer, and video games, and things to rot the brain. Bridge was lucky to make it to his bed before crashing for a power nap, and often wound up on the floor. Sky's second indication might have been when he started caring if his loud roommate was uncomfortable in a doubled over position.
Things moved right along as they dove into their studies. They met Sydney, a girl whom they shared multiple classes with. Sky didn't like her right away, finding her pretentious and spoiled, but Bridge urged him to give her a chance. He claimed underneath the prissy attitude they'd find a kind and caring girl, if only they nurtured her soul a little.
Afterwards Sky could balance Bridge's hyper tendencies a bit better with Syd as backup, and likewise, Bridge was soothed at night by Sky's calm state. They both benefited from Sydney, even if they were, for the most part, unaware.
Before too long Fridays were looked to with much glee. Sky learned to loosen up a bit, changing into street clothes when they left the Academy, and Bridge enjoyed having friends that accepted him for the first time. Sky wasn't ashamed to go out in public with him, even with his sudden psychic distractions.
It wasn't until years later when they'd both made B-Squad, that Sky finally realized what Bridge meant to him. He suspected upon further reflection that he'd always known, but with the promotion to B-Squad, it suddenly hit him in the chest and left little room to breathe. He found himself smiling back when Bridge did so first, and actually looking forward to the Cadet's ramblings, not that he'd ever let Bridge know. It was as if Sky was seeing him for the first time in a new light.
Bridge had known for years that Sky was bound to be a future ranger. If he himself managed to do so as well, he wanted Sky to lead him into battle. He didn't mention this to Sky of course, but tried his best to reinforce his feelings. He wasn't under any illusion or so struck by hero worship to think Sky was perfect, because there were certainly issues at hand, but to Bridge, Sky was his Red Ranger.
Their friendship was tested the week they met Z and Jack, though Bridge prayed Sky would never know. They'd been roommates for so long, and through that time Bridge's guard had slipped, which allowed Sky's moods and feelings to simply crackle in the air. By the time they gained their Ranger powers, Bridge could pick out any emotion from his friend nearly without trying. That almost killed him that first week.
It hurt Bridge just as much as Sky, that Jack was the Red Ranger. Bridge wanted to accept Jack as such, and made a clear effort to accept him as a friend, but it still hurt inside. He'd listened to Sky, late at night just before they went to bed, talk about his dream to be the Red Ranger. Bridge had felt the passion Sky held for the position, and watched day after day as he dedicated himself to getting to that level. Bridge had wanted more than anything for Sky to be the Red Ranger, not the Blue.
He had to lay in bed, suddenly, feeling the anger and contempt. He'd never felt such things from his friend, and for the first time he questioned the man Sky was. That first week, Bridge wasn't sure if he wanted to be a Ranger with Sky on his team.
But they plowed through their issues, like every other thing in their lives. Their friendship survived the strain and eventually grew stronger than before, when faced with utter annihilation.
"Hey, Bridge?"
Bridge opened his eyes, startled from his thoughts by and upside down Sky. With a small push forward he righted himself, straightened his uniform and walked the slight distance to his bed. He sat adjacent to Sky, and said, "Something the matter?" Sky usually didn't interrupt him when he was thinking, claiming it was better to keep the thoughts in, then torment him with them out.
Sky looked at him, his expression highly guarded as usual. The only give away to his unease came in his folded hands, clutched tightly on his lap.
"You know," he said, voice surprisingly accented "You know, Bridge, that you're my friend, right?"
Bridge blinked at him. "Of course, Sky, except for that time when I wasn't your friend because I didn't know you, but if I didn't know you then I couldn't have been--"
Sky held up a hand to stop him. "Good," The Blue Ranger stated. "I just wanted to be sure you knew."
"You're my friend too, Sky." The mixed waves of uncertainty, and sadness flooded Bridge's senses. "Why would you think I didn't know?"
"It's silly, really." Sky shrugged. "Never mind."
The stabbing behind Bridge's eye told him he was in for one doozey of a headache later in the day. Sky was sure feeling upset about something, enough to broadcast rather loudly. Even Bridge's attempts to block the negative feelings were failing.
"Wanna talk about it?"
It looked for a good thirty seconds as if Sky might turn the offer down, but finally he stood, mindlessly adjusting his uniform before they left their room. He jerked his head towards the door. "Come on, we'll talk over some buttery toast." He wiggled his fingers at Bridge.
Bridge wiggled back. "Buttery."
"Actually," Bridge corrected on their way to The Mess, "You're my best friend. You okay with that?"
Sky nodded once. "Always."