Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers or anything resembling Power Rangers. Except for my ficcy ideas.
Well, this is a little birthday present for my friend Kelly :) Happy birthday Kells! Hope you enjoy it, and this little fic for you! -throws confetti- And who knows, maybe I'll write more of this later? I got inspired all of a sudden.
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Beginnings
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Dustin had never thought he would ever get so strong feelings for anybody. Especially not for another man. But he had, somehow.
He had tried to figure out how and when, but it had just made his head hurt, so he gave it up.
All he had figured out was that it was driving him crazy. More crazy than he already was, that is.
Who knew Hunter could do that to you?
Not him, that was for certain. Well, until now. But dude, seriously, it was as if Hunter had taken over his body. All he could think about was Hunter. Everywhere he looked he saw Hunter. It was driving him insane!
Dustin groaned, burying his head in his arms, leaning against the counter in Storm Chargers. This sucked big time.
"What's the matter, Dustin?"
Dustin's head snapped up at the voice right beside him, almost smacking his head into Kelly's chin. She smiled amused as she took a step back.
"Kelly, you look great today!" he said, grinning sheepishly. She frowned at him.
"Uh... you always look great?" he tried.
She shook her head. "What do you want?" she asked. Dustin pouted slightly, but caught himself as he realised he did.
"Uh, do you think I could take a early break? Please?"
She placed her hands on her hips.
"With sugar on top?" Dustin pleaded. Kelly shook her head. "Not today, Dustin."
"Pretty pretty pretty please!" Dustin pleaded, pouting and gazing at her with the puppy dog eyes he knew she couldn't resist.
"No." Kelly replied. Dustin's pouting lip began to tremble, and his puppy eyes grew bigger.
She sighed. "Fine," she finally agreed. "But you're working longer tomorrow."
Dustin beamed at her and gave her a hug. "You're awesome, Kel!"
With that, he raced out, leaving Kelly to look after him and shake her head. "That kid is going to be the death of me."
--
Dustin opened Kelly's van, sat in, sighed deeply, and drove to the track. When he reached the place he loved so much his good mood had already faded. It was strange for himself to get down that fast. He was like a five year old on sugarhigh more often than not.
He got out of the van and opened the backdoors, taking down the ramp and getting his bike out. He absently pulled on his gear, made sure everything was in the right place, and rolled his bike to the start. He got on, pulled in his helmet and started the bike.
As he drove lap after lap, forgetting time, forgetting place, just driving, anger started rising in him.
He had no idea what fuelled it, but now that he first had gotten angry he'd might as well do something about it.
He reared the bike, rounding a corner with dangerous speed and drove on, the dirt flying in every direction. Finally the abuse got too much for his poor bike though, and as he rounded another corner he lost control and drove straight into a hayball. He flew over the steering wheel and crashed to the ground, somehow managing to land on his butt/foot.
"Holy shi-taki mushrooms!" he growled, ripping his helmet off. His foot and butt hurt, but he didn't care right then.
"You know, hurting yourself isn't helping."
Dustin looked up and scowled. "How'd you know?"
Hunter raised a eyebrow as he kneeled down by the yellow ranger. "Dude, I've tried it enough times to know it just gives you lots of uneccesary pain."
Dustin muttered under his breath, before he sighed. But he didn't say anything.
Hunter watched him for a few seconds. "Need help?" he then asked.
"No!" Dustin snapped, immediately regretting it as he saw the look in Hunter's amazingly blue, beautiful eyes... god, he needed to get his mind out of the gutter!
"Gee, if you say so." Hunter said, standing up. "I'll just leave you to it then."
He turned around, and started to walk away from him.
Dustin groaned, and called after him. "Fine, I need help, dude."
Hunter turned around and came back, kneeling down, getting the security pads of his friend, putting Dustin's arm around his shoulders and helped him up. Dustin carefully tried to stand on his foot, but the pain shooting through it made it kinda difficult.
"You should get to a doctor." Hunter said as they started to walk, or in Dustin's case, limp, away from the track, forgetting the screwed bike and Kelly's van.
"Dude, I don't need a doctor." Dustin said. "I just hit my foot, it's not like I broke it or something."
Hunter didn't bother replying. Dustin could be damn stubborn at times.
"I'll just help you home then." was all he said and helped Dustin back to his house.
The door was locked when they got there, and Dustin got his free hand into his pants pocket and got the key out. He unlocked the door, and Hunter helped him inside.
To be honest, Dustin hated having Hunter so close. Made him want to kiss him. And that would be bad on a good day. And this was obviously not a good day for the crimson ranger. Dustin wondered what had gotten him so worked up. Was it because Dustin had hurt himself? He shrugged mentally as Hunter eased him down in the couch and started ridding him of his boot and sock.
Dustin winced as the pain grew in force again. Hunter's grip lessened at once. "Sorry," he said, carefully touching Dustin's foot, running his hand over vague purplish skin.
Dustin replied, because he knew he wouldn't be able to get a word out. Hunter's touch was so soft, so caring... He suddenly ached to have Hunter's arms around him, and have Hunter's hands on a much less decent place.
He sighed softly, and Hunter briefly looked up at him before going back to checking Dustin's foot.
"Badly sprained," he said after a while. "No ninja training for a few days."
Dustin was unable to hide a grin. Inside his head a chibi-Dustin was cheering.
Hunter snorted at the grin. "You'll get back to it soon enough." He stood up. "First aid kit?"
"In my room, under the bed." Dustin replied. Hunter frowned. Why would Dustin keep a first aid kit in his room? Wait, never mind. This was Dustin.
He walked upstairs and opened the door to Dustin's room. He'd been there before, so he didn't really have any problems finding this and that room. He kneeled down and looked under the bed. True enough, the kit was there. He grabbed it and headed back downstairs. While he was gone, Dustin had gotten of his other shoe and sock.
Hunter kneeled back down by Dustin's foot and opened the kit, taking out the bandage and a small box with lotion. He carefully massaged some cream into Dustin's foot and then bandaged it as good as he could.
He packed away the first aid kit and sat down beside Dustin. "Better?" he asked.
Dustin nodded. "Much."
They sat in silence for a while, Dustin looking out in the air with a faraway look, and Hunter looking out in the air with a thoughtfull look.
"You should probably call Kelly," he said suddenly. Dustin's eyes widened. "Oh crap!"
He was about to stand, but Hunter stopped him. "I better get the phone. You'll just end up hurting yourself again."
Dustin eyed Hunter's back suspiciously as the blond went to get the phone. Was that a insult?
Hunter soon came back and handed him the phone, and Dustin nervously called Storm Chargers.
Seconds later, Kelly was yelling at him. Dustin winced as he listened, trying to speak but always getting cut off by her.
She hang up with a click, and he hang up to, dropping the phone on the small table beside the couch.
"Didn't go so well?" Hunter asked, sympathy in his voice. Kelly could be scary when she was angry.
Dustin shook his head. "No," he said and sighed. "Oh well."
"Oh well?" Hunter asked. "She yell at you for several minutes, threatening you with this and that, and all you can say is 'oh well'?"
Dustin shrugged. Hunter sighed and shook his head. "Seriously Dustin."
Dustin grinned at him, and Hunter chuckled softly.
God, Dustin loved that laugh. He leaned back and sighed again, looking thoughtfully into the air. Hunter leaned back too, but his eyes were on the brunet.
"What's wrong? You're acting so weird." he said.
Dustin sighed, wondering if he should tell Hunter his confusing feelings about him. Hunter could react by just walking out. But he could also punch Dustin in the face. Either way, the reaction would be bad.
"Hunter?"
"Yeah?" Hunter looked quizzically at him.
"You know when you like, like someone, but you're not sure if you like them as in like like them, and you're too afraid to find out? What do you do?"
Hunter frowned. "You mean that you think you like someone, but you're not sure, and you're afraid to find out?"
Dustin nodded. Hunter noted the sudden nervousness, but decided not to comment it.
"Well, if I were that person then I'd try to talk to whoever I liked." he replied. "Why?"
Dustin opened his mouth, then closed it again. He tried again, and paused. "I..."
Hunter raised a eyebrow, tilting his head. "What?"
"The... uh... I like you!" Dustin blurted out. Hunter's jaw dropped slightly. He closed his mouth and stared at him instead.
Dustin blushed a deep red colour and looked away.
"How long?" Hunter asked finally, after a very long, awkward silence.
"I'm not sure, dude. A while." Dustin answered, shrugging uneasily. "I've never really figured out just what I feel for you. But I know I like you... more than a friend should like another friend."
Hunter nodded, not quite knowing what to say. He'd never really thought of Dustin in that way, you know? And he wasn't sure how to tell Dustin that. He took a deep breath, and decided just to tell him.
"Dustin, I..." Fuck, this was difficult. "I've never really thought of you that way. And I don't want to get your hopes up, you know?"
Dustin nodded quietly. He'd figured as much.
Hunter let out a deep sigh. "I just... I need to think, okay?"
Dustin nodded again. "Sure," he said, and Hunter almost winced at the quiet and slightly disappointed tone in the brunet's voice.
He reached out and squeezed Dustin's shoulder gently before he stood. "Will you be okay?" he asked.
Dustin wasn't sure if Hunter meant his foot or the rejection. Either way he nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine." He forced a smile.
Hunter turned around and closed his eyes for a brief second before he walked over to the door. He opened it and threw a last look back at Dustin before he walked out and closed it behind him.
Dustin looked at the closed door and felt his eyes burn. But he forced back the tears. He wasn't about to cry over the fact that he'd been rejected by someone he wasn't even having clear feelings for.
--
God, Hunter hated himself. He was such a chicken!
Oh great, now he was hungry too.
Hunter kicked the ground broodingly, muttering under his breath. Then he sighed and shook his head.
He ended up walking back to his and Blake's apartment. It was thankfully empty, Blake was working at Storm Chargers right now, so he could be alone with his thoughts.
He dumped down in a chair and closed his eyes, trying to picture himself with Dustin. He could vaguely see it, and that kind of scared him.
He rubbed his face. Maybe he should try? It wouldn't hurt, would it? Sure, he didn't really think he was gay, but... there had been times where he had seen a guy and thought that he was cute and/or hot, but he'd never really... you know, fallen in love with someone, crushed on them or whatever.
Agh, he needed a better thinking place. He stood and walked back to the door and out. He headed in a random direction and ended up on a secluded place on the beach. He sat down in the sand and pulled his feet up to his chest and hugged his knees, looking out on the water.
He'd always thought of Dustin as cute, 'cause he really was adorable. But he just... he didn't know what he just, really.
Hunter sighed and kicked of his shoes and took of his shirt and socks and laid down on his stomach. Why did it have to be so difficult?
He didn't know how long he laid there, twisting his thoughts and trying to figure out just what exactly he felt, but eventually the sun started going down, and it started to get a bit chilly.
He stood and pulled on his shirt and socks and shoes again and walked away from the beach, still thinking.
Eventually he had to admit that giving it a try wouldn't hurt. He changed direction when he was just outside his and Blake's apartment and walked to Dustin's house instead.
--
Dustin had slept since Hunter had left, and now woke up by the bell ringing. He tiredly stood up and stretched, rubbing his eyes as he found his clothes. He pulled on his jeans and limped down the stairs while pulling on his shirt. He opened the door and saw Hunter.
"Hi." Hunter said, slightly nervous.
"Hi." Dustin replied. They stood in silence for a few seconds before Dustin let him in.
Hunter hesitated. Should he do this? Just do it he thought angrily to himself. He noticed Dustin look weirdly at him, and sent him a hesitant smile.
Dustin didn't return it. Crap.
"Uh, Dustin, I've really, really been thinking," he said quickly. "And... I'm willing to give it a try."
The look of surprise on Dustin's face was almost comical. "You will?"
Hunter nodded. "But you'll have to be patient with me, okay? This is all new, I've never liked a guy before."
Dustin nodded. "I'll wait." he said, and now he smiled. And Hunter found the smile strangely... beautiful.
He slowly reached out and took Dustin's hand in his own and squeezed gently. Dustin sent him a shy smile, and Hunter smiled again, running a thumb over the palm.
Given time, maybe this could work after all.
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Yeah, uh... that was it. What do you think?
And everyone, shout out a loud happy birthday to Kelly!