Title: A Change In You
Author: lkwREADer
Fandom: Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger
Pairing: Koume 'Umeko' Kodou/Banban 'Ban' Azaka. Hints at Urara/Hikaru.
Rating: PG
Warnings: Sorry if Ban seems a little more angry than usual.
Disclaimer: It doesn't belong to me, it belongs to Toei. I wish Ban belonged to me, though…
Notes: This started out as a drabble, and evolved into a fic. It's been written for a week, but haven't had time to actually type it out yet. Based off a scene from Magiranger vs. Dekaranger. Will switch between Umeko's POV and Ban's POV. Reviews are love!
The Change in You
Umeko's POV:
After meeting the Magiranger, and seeing them fight evil together, as a family, she couldn't believe how close they were, especially after Urara & Jasmine were captured. Hikaru, the somewhat older man in the gold armor, seemed especially inconsolable. Umeko could understand why he was so upset over Urara's disappearance, and she was doing his best to try and comfort him. Jasmine was another story, since Jasmine was Umeko's best friend in all of Deka. She didn't know what to do without Jasmine sometimes.
Umeko had missed Ban terribly when he'd left to join the FireSquad, but now that he was finally back, she couldn't get over the change in him. Now the loud, outspoken and funny Ban that she had known and fallen in love with at first sight, he was gone. In his place was a cold, yelling and all business, who'd lost the passion for his job and that she didn't recognize. She did not know what had happened to him since joining FireSquad, since he was reluctant to talk about. She stood there, watching Ban & Kai argue yet again, and suddenly she went over and pulled Ban away from Kai, which was no easy feat, especially since she was much shorter than he was. She could see the shock in Ban's eyes as she pulled him away by the elbows and nearly slammed him against the nearby wall.
Ban's POV:
"What's wrong with you, Ban?" she sobbed, the tears evident in his eyes, and Ban was shocked to see her crying. Even though Umeko was tough as nails, no one had ever seen Umeko cry before. Hoji, seeing Umeko's tears, made a move to come closer, as he was like an older brother figure to Umeko, but Ban held up a hand silently and Hoji stopped moving. Ban turned his eyes back to Umeko. She was still sobbing and yelled, "Has joining FireSquad changed you?" Immediately defensive, he pulled his arms from hers, and shaking his head muttered angrily "Of course not!" However, by leaning his body against the wall, he and Umeko, who had reached out a hand to touch his shoulder, were teleported instantly to a different room in the house.
Umeko's POV:
Not noticing the changed room, Ban took this as an opportunity to turn back to Umeko, and she was shocked to see the fire blazing in his eyes. Ban rarely got angry at anyone other than Hoji, and Umeko had never seen him like this before. Before she could think about what she was saying, Umeko heard herself saying, "What? Afraid to talk about the FireSquad?" She instantly wished that she could take the words back. Ban's eyes lit up and if possible, his scowl got bigger. His mouth opened and he said "You don't have any idea what you're talking about, so shut up! It's my business, not yours, so butt out!" He kept rambling and Umeko knew that she had to find a way to shut him up, so she went over to him, leaned up on her tiptoes, and kissed him squarely on the lips. After a few seconds, he pulled away and demanded "What was that?"
"A way to shut you up," she responded calmly. She grinned slightly at him and said, "Ban, you're not the same guy anymore. You're different, mean and cold to everyone. I miss you. You're not the same guy I fell in love with more than a year ago, Ban," she said softly. Ban stood silently for once, as his brain digested what she had just said. "You were in love with me?" he asked, his expression stunned and his eyes wide.
"I still am, Ban," she said, leaning up to kiss him again. He reciprocated, leaning his head down, wrapping his arms around her waist, and putting her on a ledge, where she could be level with him and not have to strain her neck trying to kiss him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, settling in his longer hair, and he tangled his hands in her usual ponytail. After breaking apart due to lack of oxygen, she leaned back and smiled at him. "All better?" she asked gently, leaning into his much taller frame.
"Yes. So does this mean we're going out now?" he asked her, a hopeful look evident in his eyes. "Maybe," she said, smiling impishly. They smiled as she got down, tucked her small hand into his huge one and found their way back to the main room. Everyone in the room was curiously staring at them, and Houka gave Umeko a questioning look. Umeko responded back with a wink, promising that she would tell her, and Jasmine & Urara, when they returned, everything that happened. She then smiled happily at Ban, who in turn squeezed her hand. Umeko was definitely looking forward to exploring this new relationship, and by the look in Ban's eyes, he was thinking the same thing.