When Sky retired from being a ranger (except retiring from the Ranger's was like retiring from the Armed Forces - you never really retired) he wasn't expecting to keep in touch with his squad members all that much. Sure, they'd gather on birthdays and holidays, but aside from their battles with Gruum, what did the five of them really have in common? So one by one they left the academy and while it was bittersweet, it wasn't the end of the world. So it took Sky a few moments longer than usual to register the fact that there was a former green ranger standing on his doorstep.
"Hey, Sky, sorry to just show up like this, but I was called to attend a conference and the hotels are all booked up so I thought maybe Z could put me up but she's out of town, but she mentioned that you weren't even a mile from her and gave me your address so, could I stay here for the week?" Bridge finished, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Sky blinked, trying to register everything that had poured out of the younger man's mouth. He was pretty sure he was hallucinating, but Bridge was looking at him expectantly, so he figured he should say something.
"Uh...sure." Sky stated, moving aside to let Bridge in. The younger man bounded into the house with a grin.
"Oh, thanks! I promise you, you won't even know I'm here!" Oh, what a lie.
The honeymoon was over at 6:00 a.m. the next morning. Sky staggered out of his bedroom with one goal in mind. Coffee. Pin-balling down the hallway, the blond entered the kitchen and bee-lined straight to his coffee pot. Except...there was no coffee. Sky stared at it for a full minute, his mind unable to comprehend the abject terror of an empty coffeepot. He pinched himself - just to make sure. Nope, still no coffee. He quickly set about brewing a new pot, wondering what had happened to the other. The solution to that question was found sprawled out on the living room floor with half a dozen blueprints around him and a half-filled coffee mug precariously balanced on the arm of his sofa. Sky grabbed the mug, setting it in the sink before grabbing his keys, locking the door behind him and going for his morning run.
Sky didn't think that Bridge could get into all that much trouble in half an hour. He was right. Unlocking the door, the scene was the exact same as when he left. He by-passed the sprawled ranger (he wasn't going to get a slipped disc trying to drag that unconscious boy back to the guest room. For as thin as Bridge was, Sky knew from experience that his friend was heavy.) and continued on to the shower. Exiting fifteen minutes later, the former blue ranger was beginning to feel human. He re-entered the kitchen with much more grace than he had earlier, and poured himself that sacred first morning cup. He estimated he had another fifteen minutes until Bridge began stirring. He was correct.
At seven o'clock, just as Sky had begun making breakfast, a small thudding noise emitted from the living room. "Ugh." Sky bit back a laugh. "Wha time'sit?" The older boy glanced over his shoulder and could just make out the top of Bridge's head over the back of his couch.
"What? Try speaking the English language." Sometimes, he just couldn't help himself from teasing the younger boy. Bridge glared at him before clambering to his feet. Catching a glance at the clock, the brown-haired boy uttered a short curse before stumbling down the hallway. A few seconds later Sky heard the shower turn on. He finished cooking breakfast - French Toast - and set a plate aside for Bridge before taking his own plate to the table. He lost a few minutes in trying to find the morning paper (sports section was halfway under his living room chair, the front page news under the sofa cushion - Sky didn't even want to know why Bridge had left them there) before pouring himself another cup of coffee and sitting down to enjoy his breakfast. He was halfway through his breakfast and the paper before Bridge came trundling down the hall, pulling his shirt on over his head.
"This mine?" he asked, a piece of French Toast already crammed in his mouth. Sky laughed in response before turning back to the paper. "Thanks again for letting me stay. Sorry about the mess. I couldn't sleep last night."
"So you went on a coffee-induced inventing spree?" Sky questioned, setting the paper aside. Bridge shrugged sheepishly. "I have to leave for work shortly. Are you going to be okay until your convention starts?"
"Yeah. I know where the basics are. I already looked up the layout of the town and everything, so I know where I have to go and how to get there."
"Alright," Sky stated, dumping his dishes into the sink. He'd take care of all the dishes after dinner tonight. "Try not to destroy my house before I get home, alright?" Bridge grinned.
"That mean I get to try and destroy it after you get home?" Sky rolled his eyes before brushing passed the younger boy, heading to his room to get ready for work.
Sky came home to a sticky note stuck to his front door. Out with some scientists from the Convention. See you tonight. -Bridge. He peeled it from his door, not able to hide a smirk at the fact that the note was green, and hip-checked the door open. And stood in the doorway blinking. There was a trail of mud (mud? It was the middle of summer and it had yet to rain, where did he find mud to trail in?) across his previously clean hardwood floor. Papers were littered across his living room and Sky was intensely glad he had stopped for groceries on his way home because judging by the pile of dishes in his sink he was almost certain that there was nothing left in his fridge. He set the groceries on the counter, deciding he could take the time to change out of his work-suit before dealing with the pandemonium Bridge left behind. Entering the bathroom, Sky took in the state of its disrepair. There was a sopping towel on the floor, clothes hanging on random surfaces, dried toothpaste hardening in the sink and what was on the mirror? Sky heaved a put upon sigh and changed before he began cleaning.
Bridge fell through the door a little after 10:00 p.m. Sky's only reaction was to inform his friend to clean up after himself while he stayed here. Bridge shot him a grin, promising that Sky wouldn't even know he was there. By the end of seven days, Sky was ready to kill him.
After Bridge left, Sky began the process of cleaning up. He had cleaned during the former green ranger's stay, but with Bridge out of the way, Sky could clean the little ditzy things he had ignored while Bridge was here. He got down on his hands and knees and scrubbed the bathroom tile, getting the dirt out of the cracks. He scrubbed out the kitchen sink, and swept under the refrigerator. He actually bothered to dust the top of the bookcase in the living room. After he finished, he put the cleaning supplies away, sat down with a cup of coffee and listened to the silence of the house. For the first two days, he hated it.
A peaceful month had passed since Bridge has first turned up on Sky's doorstep. Sky was even getting back in the normal swing of things. So it was a bit disconcerting to come home and find his friend sprawled on the couch in his living room. Especially when Sky knew he had never given the younger boy a key. He set his umbrella in the stand before turning his attention to Bridge.
"How did you get in?" he demanded, dumping his satchel inside the door. He winced when he heard it hit the ground and silently hoped that he hadn't just killed his laptop.
"You're home!" Bridge greeted cheerfully, ignoring Sky's question. "I have a favor. There's another conference -"
"No."
"It'll just be for a few-"
"No."
"And I don't have the money for a-"
"Fine." Bridge shot Sky his trademarked grin.
"Thanks, you're a true friend." Sky's gaze moved from Bridge's face to the discoloration on his couch. Bridge followed his gaze. "It'll come right out, it's water." he assured. Sky was beginning to regret his decision already.
"Why are you buying this stuff?" Bridge asked, wrinkling his nose as Sky added a head of lettuce to the shopping cart.
"Because it's healthy. You should eat more of it." He stated, pulling out the box of cookies and bag of candy Bridge had not so surreptitiously tried to add. He left the gummy worms.
"Therein lies the problem. Healthy stuff costs more than the junk I eat. It's a terrible conundrum."
"I thought scientists were supposed to make more than the average person." Sky stated, adding milk into the cart.
"Depends on what area of science you practice in. I'm a poor scientist." Bridge stated easily.
"Hence why you always wind up on my doorstep whenever you have to attend anything in the city, hmm?" Bridge grinned, trying (unsuccessfully) to sneak some more snack food into Sky's cart.
"That's why your my best friend."
"Because I lend you the guest bed at my house? Good to know your standards are that low."
Bridge had asked Sky if he could have a few of the scientists over one night for a barbecue. Since Bridge had actually asked instead of just showing up with them, Sky had gone shopping and gotten the required food. He even deigned to work the grill (though that was mostly because he didn't trust Bridge to not blow it up) while Bridge weaved in and out of the crowd, making small talk and refilling drinks. To Sky, everything was completely normal. Bridge was off socializing, he was being left alone and all was good on the friend front. It was only when he overhead one of the scientists, Sky couldn't remember her name, asking Bridge why his boyfriend was so quiet that the ranger realized that their friendship could be totally misconstrued. He paused, waiting to hear how Bridge would answer. The younger boy stuttered before laughing awkwardly. Sky tuned out whatever it was Bridge said, returning to flipping the hamburgers. He had heard what he needed to hear.
It was another four months of random visits before Sky broke down and finally gave Bridge a copy of his house key. It was another two months after that before Bridge asked Sky to help him find an apartment. His work had transferred him, and since Sky knew the area better than he did it was his obligation to help Bridge find affordable housing. That was three months ago, and Bridge was still living in his guest room. Sky was pretty sure that Bridge had moved in with him, but not sure enough to ask. It would be pretty awkward thing to be wrong about.
~Review~