"You definitely need more yellow in your wardrobe," Kimberly told
Kyle as they made their way through the men's department at Macy's. "Not
the bright yellow that everybody seems to want to put you in, but more of
tarnished gold." She smiled at him. "It would set off your eyes."
"You mean something more like a bronze?" Kyle asked her holding up a sweater with gold and black running through it. Kimberly was surprised she'd actually found another ranger willing to shop with her. In the past only Trini and occasionally Billy were brave enough to venture into Stone Canyon Mall with her. Kyle evidently was more at home in the mall than even Trini was.
"Yeah," she said taking the sweater from him, "but not that."
"Why not?" Kyle asked.
"Not the right climate for it. Around here, you may wrap that around your shoulders, but not wear it. It's too hot." She looked around in disgust. Most of this fall stuff was not even going to be worn by most Angel Grovers. It was meant to be worn on skiing trips to north.
Kyle just sighed at her, "Well, there goes half my winter wardrobe." He gave her wicked look, "It does get cold in Kentucky you know."
"Kyle, you shouldn't NEED a winter wardrobe for the next few years. At least until you acclimatize. You're probably going to be hot most of the time." She grinned wickedly at him, "Look at this way, it's an excuse for more shopping."
To her great surprise the raven haired boy grinned back, "yeah!"
"So, what do you think of Adam?" Kimberly asked innocently.
Kyle shrugged while looking at a dark gold polo shirt, "He's nice. He at least talks to me."
"What? I talk to you," Kim protested.
"Yeah, but Adam comes over to the gym and talks to me. We usually go afterwards to the dojo, he wipes the floor up with me for a while and then for smoothies." Kyle smiled over at her, "By the way, thanks."
"For?" she asked picking up a dark pair of slack with a slight gold thread running through them to hold next to the shirt. Shaking her head at the mismatch- they were just a shade or two off from being right- she looked at him questioningly.
"Loaning Adam the LAST HERALD MAGE series," he told her.
"Why are you thanking me for that? Those are Billy's books. I just thought Adam would like the story. Billy was telling me about it, and Adam is almost as much a fantasy-phile as Billy."
Kyle raised an eyebrow and asked, "Does Billy know you're stealing his vocabulary?"
Kim held a finger to her lips and smiled, "Shhh, I only play a ditz on television." She shrugged, "besides, with Billy as friend, you tend to pick up words quickly."
"Well anyway, he said the books helped him understand what was going on between Billy, and Jason," Kyle replied, but Kim got the impression he meant more than he said.
"And what it might be like for you?" she added quietly.
Kyle nodded and chuckled, "and what it might be like for me." Turning, he was silent for long minutes as he lay out a few shirts. Kim noticed that most of them still ran toward blacks but there was a great deal of gold in them too.
"You're hurting over someone aren't you?" Kimberly finally broke the silence.
Kyle shrugged looked down, "What do you think?"
Kimberly reached across and pulled his face around to force him to look at her, "I think you're hurting, but healing, that maybe you're starting to see that life does go on."
"For an air-headed mall rat, Kimberly Hart, you're pretty astute," Kyle replied.
"It's all part of my act," she told him. "It hides the fact that I'm a straight-A student, and can understand Billy most of the time," she grinned thinking of listening to her oldest friend in the world espouse on his latest idea, "as long as he doesn't get too technical."
She saw some realization reach Kyle's eyes. He stopped and looked at her closely. "Don't take this wrong, because I know you really love Tommy." He paused a second, and rubbed his chin. "But somehow I get the feeling that if Billy was straight- and I'll bet you've known he isn't for a long time- that Tommy might just have a little competition from our Blue friend."
Kimberly felt herself blush deeply, "Now what ever would make you think that?" she asked. She held up a pair of basic black slacks. "Now these pants would go really well with those shirts."
Kyle just smiled as if realizing that he'd get neither affirmation nor denial from her, and took the slacks. "I'll try these on." He turned before entering the changing rooms, "Just how long have known that Billy's gay?"
"Oh, I've suspected since junior high school," she told him.
"What made you suspect it?" Kyle asked from in the changing rooms.
"I guess just women's intuition." She laughed quietly to herself, "Just remember, if Billy comes to you talking about electronic mind-reading devices, run. Run as far, and as fast as you can."
"Huh?" Kyle asked coming out of the dressing rooms. Kimberly couldn't help but notice that he had a particular style that was extremely attractive. Not that she would consider ever being unfaithful to Tommy, but just like the guys, she could appreciate beauty when she saw it, and right now, she was definitely seeing it. What was it Tommy was kidding Jason about? It doesn't matter where you got your appetite, just as long as you eat at home.
"It's a long story, and I'll tell you about it sometimes. Let's just say that Billy and I got a chance to see how each other lived a few years back. It's not an experience I would want to repeat, but one that really opened my eyes about our friend." She told the new Yellow Ranger, as he looked at several other articles of clothing to try on.
"I can imagine," he smiled back at her. Then as if something had just occurred to him, "Kim, why did you ask me about Adam?"
"No reason," Kimberly shrugged. "You two are just spending a lot of time together."
".And because I'm gay, you thought there might be more going on there than just friends," Kyle finished with a half-amused voice. He shook his head, "I'm not looking for a new boyfriend, Kim. I don't think it's a good idea to get romantically involved with anyone. It ends up hurting them, sometimes dead-type hurting."
Kim thought about the sadness that always seemed to hover about the raven-haired boy. She'd gotten the impression from Adam that something pretty terrible had happened to him back in Kentucky, but he had yet to mention any of it to her. "I wasn't trying to play matchmaker or anything."
He smiled at her, and she realized briefly that the smile was genuine, and for some reason that fact made her very glad. "Well, I'd appreciate it if you didn't. I like Adam too much to put him through what I went through back home." He shook his head, "Right now, I think I'll concentrate on seeing what I can do to make it easier for Jase and Billy."
"What do you mean make it easier for Jase and Billy?" Kim asked warily.
Kyle smiled at her, "Kim, you have such an open and giving heart that you don't always see the ugliness in other people. School starts back next week, and when it gets out that Billy and Jase are dating, those two are going to be in for a rough time." Kim started to come to Jase's defense, but Kyle continued before she could reply, "I know Jase is the big karate hero and football player, but I also know how people see guys like us. It doesn't matter how big we are, how mean we are or if we can whip our weight in snarks, they still see us as being weak because of our orientation. There are people who are going to think that just because Jase's is gay that he's an easy mark for physical abuse." There was a deep hurt in his voice as he rubbed his left forearm. "And I promise you, the things that will be said to him and Billy are going to be even worse." He sighed, "I just want to make sure that they know that there is at least one person who knows what they're going through."
Kimberly listened to what Kyle had to say. She found herself strangely proud to call him friend. Without even thinking she reached out and hugged him. "That's sweet."
Kyle shook his head and grinned, "Nah. It's self preservation. Stay in good with the team leader."
As they headed toward the cashier she stopped and gently put a hand on Kyle's arm. The shorter boy turned and she told him, "Just remember Kyle, this is California, not Kentucky. Things are a little more accepted here."
Kyle shrugged, "Tell that to that actor that just got hit his head busted in for being gay, in West Hollywood no less."
*****************************************************************
"She wasn't kidding!" Adam told Tommy, knowing the surprise in his voice was clear. "Here they are. It's a list of names and addresses for possible replacement rangers. My name is even on here." Tommy looked over his shoulder, and Adam couldn't help but notice the scent of the taller boy's cologne. For some reason it made his heart beat just a little faster. Shaking his head stop it! he thought to himself. You're not that way! You've been hanging around Kyle way too much! Still he couldn't deny what seemed to be happening to his body.
Tommy rubbed the side of his face, "Hmmm, notice who's name isn't on here."
Adam looked up wondering what the Green Ranger was talking about, while trying to ignore the growing tightness in his own jeans. "No,"
Tommy looked down at him and smiled, "You're newest bestest buddy, Kyle." Tommy looked back up at Zordon's list. "He's not on here. Evidently Zordon didn't think he was Ranger material."
"Well, somebody did, because there's no denying that he's holding the Yellow." Adam found himself suddenly defensive of his friend.
Tommy must have heard the tone in his voice, "Whoa there chief, I wasn't saying that he isn't a Ranger, or that he's not qualified, just that he's not on Zordon's list."
"Maybe it's because he's new to the area," Adam suggested meekly.
"You may be right," Tommy replied, but for some reason Adam wasn't sure that he believed it. "Hmmm, let's see, who all is on here, Rocky DeSantos from Stone Canyon," Tommy looked down at him, "Looks like your buddy made the cut." Turning back he continued, "Aisha Campbell, another friend of yours if I'm not mistaken, and somebody named Katherine Hillard." Tommy sat back and gave Adam a long look, his chocolate brown eyes unreadable. Finally he shook he said. "Speaking of our Yellow Ranger, how're things going with him?"
"Why you askin' me?" Adam asked defensively.
"Because you're the one spending the most time with him." He smiled, "I appreciate that too. Between my own training, and Kimberly I don't have much time to break in the new kid on the block, and I know that Jason's been busy lately, so that's sort of left it up to you to make him feel at home." Tommy put a hand on his shoulder. "Where is he by the way?"
Adam gave Tommy a wicked smile, "You mean you don't know?" Adam loved teasing Tommy.
Tommy shook his head, "No."
"He's got a date." Adam told him.
Tommy looked surprised, "Man, those farm boys move fast. Who with?"
"Kimberly," It was everything Adam could do not to snicker. "He's taking her shopping. He keeps it up and he's going to steal your girlfriend away, Oliver."
Tommy shrugged, "Not really. He just wants her for her keen fashion sense." Both boys broke out giggling. Finally, Tommy stopped snickering and looked over at Adam, "Who's buying this trip or is it just window shopping?"
Adam snickered, "I think Kyle is. He said something about a lot of his clothes being damaged during the move from back East." He smiled, "I think Kimberly is going to try to get him to wear more yellow."
Tommy chuckled, "It's funny, we all seem to do that, but for some reason Kyle is fighting it tooth and nail."
"I think he sees black as a mourning color and doesn't want to take it off just yet," Adam told him. His long talks with the new Yellow Ranger had left him with the impression that he was still hurting a great deal over the death of his- well to be honest, Adam didn't know if Kyle and the other boy had ever been actual lovers or not- 'friend'. "To be honest, I think he's afraid that if he takes off the black, it means that he's forgotten his friend, and he's not quite ready for that."
"Friend?" Tommy asked, "I got the impression that they were more than that."
Adam shrugged, unsure as to how much he should say. While what was said between him and Kyle wasn't necessarily confidential, Adam still didn't feel comfortable telling Tommy the things they'd talked about. "It's as good a term as any," Adam told him.
Tommy raised an eyebrow, "you're not still having problems with Kyle being gay are you?"
Adam smiled at him, "No, not at all. It's just that he and I talked about what happened to him back in Kentucky, and I'm not sure if they were lovers yet or not, or how Kyle would describe them. I didn't want to make any assumptions that might hurt him."
He watched Tommy sigh and lean back in one of the Command Center's plush chairs. He liked the addition of comfortable seating. It didn't make him feel like he'd been sent to the principals office all the time. "You're a good guy, you know that Adam Park?"
Adam just shrugged, "I'm just trying not to spread rumors."
"Good." Tommy smiled. "I get the feeling there's going to be enough rumors flying about all of us in a few weeks anyway."
"Why's that?" Adam asked.
"Once it gets around about Billy and Jason, I get the feeling things are going to get pretty cold for those of us who are their friends."
Adam hadn't thought about that. He remembered some of the conversations he and Rocky used to have. His friend would say some pretty nasty things about 'fags' and 'queers'. He'd only said it once around the house, and it was within earshot of Adam's dad, who made it clear that such talk was not going to be tolerated at the Park residence. Adam's uncle Sean and his life-partner Alex still spent every New Year with them, and Adam enjoyed their visits immensely. "Once Jase busts some of their heads I don't think anybody will give them too much trouble."
Tommy leaned forward, "I'm afraid it won't work quite like that. Fighting will only make it worse for them. Besides, most of it will be just little niggling things, said and done to make trouble. I'm afraid anybody that hangs around them is going to be in for some of it too." He put a hand on Adam's shoulder, "Think you can handle it?"
"Tom," Adam locked eyes with the Green Ranger, "Jase and Billy are my friends. I've stood by them fighting a giant yellow winged ape. High school bullies are nothing." He gave Tommy a joking smile, "How 'bout you? You think you're reformed bad-boy kick-ass karate dude reputation can stand up being ragged for hanging around with a couple of," he made quotation signs with his fingers, "fags".
Tommy smiled, "I think I can handle it." Adam saw something else in his eye too, and in a brief flash of insight, he realized that Tommy would be willing to kick in the gates of hell for his friends. He told Adam without reservation, "Besides, as Jason would say, it's the right thing to do." *************************************************************
"You mean something more like a bronze?" Kyle asked her holding up a sweater with gold and black running through it. Kimberly was surprised she'd actually found another ranger willing to shop with her. In the past only Trini and occasionally Billy were brave enough to venture into Stone Canyon Mall with her. Kyle evidently was more at home in the mall than even Trini was.
"Yeah," she said taking the sweater from him, "but not that."
"Why not?" Kyle asked.
"Not the right climate for it. Around here, you may wrap that around your shoulders, but not wear it. It's too hot." She looked around in disgust. Most of this fall stuff was not even going to be worn by most Angel Grovers. It was meant to be worn on skiing trips to north.
Kyle just sighed at her, "Well, there goes half my winter wardrobe." He gave her wicked look, "It does get cold in Kentucky you know."
"Kyle, you shouldn't NEED a winter wardrobe for the next few years. At least until you acclimatize. You're probably going to be hot most of the time." She grinned wickedly at him, "Look at this way, it's an excuse for more shopping."
To her great surprise the raven haired boy grinned back, "yeah!"
"So, what do you think of Adam?" Kimberly asked innocently.
Kyle shrugged while looking at a dark gold polo shirt, "He's nice. He at least talks to me."
"What? I talk to you," Kim protested.
"Yeah, but Adam comes over to the gym and talks to me. We usually go afterwards to the dojo, he wipes the floor up with me for a while and then for smoothies." Kyle smiled over at her, "By the way, thanks."
"For?" she asked picking up a dark pair of slack with a slight gold thread running through them to hold next to the shirt. Shaking her head at the mismatch- they were just a shade or two off from being right- she looked at him questioningly.
"Loaning Adam the LAST HERALD MAGE series," he told her.
"Why are you thanking me for that? Those are Billy's books. I just thought Adam would like the story. Billy was telling me about it, and Adam is almost as much a fantasy-phile as Billy."
Kyle raised an eyebrow and asked, "Does Billy know you're stealing his vocabulary?"
Kim held a finger to her lips and smiled, "Shhh, I only play a ditz on television." She shrugged, "besides, with Billy as friend, you tend to pick up words quickly."
"Well anyway, he said the books helped him understand what was going on between Billy, and Jason," Kyle replied, but Kim got the impression he meant more than he said.
"And what it might be like for you?" she added quietly.
Kyle nodded and chuckled, "and what it might be like for me." Turning, he was silent for long minutes as he lay out a few shirts. Kim noticed that most of them still ran toward blacks but there was a great deal of gold in them too.
"You're hurting over someone aren't you?" Kimberly finally broke the silence.
Kyle shrugged looked down, "What do you think?"
Kimberly reached across and pulled his face around to force him to look at her, "I think you're hurting, but healing, that maybe you're starting to see that life does go on."
"For an air-headed mall rat, Kimberly Hart, you're pretty astute," Kyle replied.
"It's all part of my act," she told him. "It hides the fact that I'm a straight-A student, and can understand Billy most of the time," she grinned thinking of listening to her oldest friend in the world espouse on his latest idea, "as long as he doesn't get too technical."
She saw some realization reach Kyle's eyes. He stopped and looked at her closely. "Don't take this wrong, because I know you really love Tommy." He paused a second, and rubbed his chin. "But somehow I get the feeling that if Billy was straight- and I'll bet you've known he isn't for a long time- that Tommy might just have a little competition from our Blue friend."
Kimberly felt herself blush deeply, "Now what ever would make you think that?" she asked. She held up a pair of basic black slacks. "Now these pants would go really well with those shirts."
Kyle just smiled as if realizing that he'd get neither affirmation nor denial from her, and took the slacks. "I'll try these on." He turned before entering the changing rooms, "Just how long have known that Billy's gay?"
"Oh, I've suspected since junior high school," she told him.
"What made you suspect it?" Kyle asked from in the changing rooms.
"I guess just women's intuition." She laughed quietly to herself, "Just remember, if Billy comes to you talking about electronic mind-reading devices, run. Run as far, and as fast as you can."
"Huh?" Kyle asked coming out of the dressing rooms. Kimberly couldn't help but notice that he had a particular style that was extremely attractive. Not that she would consider ever being unfaithful to Tommy, but just like the guys, she could appreciate beauty when she saw it, and right now, she was definitely seeing it. What was it Tommy was kidding Jason about? It doesn't matter where you got your appetite, just as long as you eat at home.
"It's a long story, and I'll tell you about it sometimes. Let's just say that Billy and I got a chance to see how each other lived a few years back. It's not an experience I would want to repeat, but one that really opened my eyes about our friend." She told the new Yellow Ranger, as he looked at several other articles of clothing to try on.
"I can imagine," he smiled back at her. Then as if something had just occurred to him, "Kim, why did you ask me about Adam?"
"No reason," Kimberly shrugged. "You two are just spending a lot of time together."
".And because I'm gay, you thought there might be more going on there than just friends," Kyle finished with a half-amused voice. He shook his head, "I'm not looking for a new boyfriend, Kim. I don't think it's a good idea to get romantically involved with anyone. It ends up hurting them, sometimes dead-type hurting."
Kim thought about the sadness that always seemed to hover about the raven-haired boy. She'd gotten the impression from Adam that something pretty terrible had happened to him back in Kentucky, but he had yet to mention any of it to her. "I wasn't trying to play matchmaker or anything."
He smiled at her, and she realized briefly that the smile was genuine, and for some reason that fact made her very glad. "Well, I'd appreciate it if you didn't. I like Adam too much to put him through what I went through back home." He shook his head, "Right now, I think I'll concentrate on seeing what I can do to make it easier for Jase and Billy."
"What do you mean make it easier for Jase and Billy?" Kim asked warily.
Kyle smiled at her, "Kim, you have such an open and giving heart that you don't always see the ugliness in other people. School starts back next week, and when it gets out that Billy and Jase are dating, those two are going to be in for a rough time." Kim started to come to Jase's defense, but Kyle continued before she could reply, "I know Jase is the big karate hero and football player, but I also know how people see guys like us. It doesn't matter how big we are, how mean we are or if we can whip our weight in snarks, they still see us as being weak because of our orientation. There are people who are going to think that just because Jase's is gay that he's an easy mark for physical abuse." There was a deep hurt in his voice as he rubbed his left forearm. "And I promise you, the things that will be said to him and Billy are going to be even worse." He sighed, "I just want to make sure that they know that there is at least one person who knows what they're going through."
Kimberly listened to what Kyle had to say. She found herself strangely proud to call him friend. Without even thinking she reached out and hugged him. "That's sweet."
Kyle shook his head and grinned, "Nah. It's self preservation. Stay in good with the team leader."
As they headed toward the cashier she stopped and gently put a hand on Kyle's arm. The shorter boy turned and she told him, "Just remember Kyle, this is California, not Kentucky. Things are a little more accepted here."
Kyle shrugged, "Tell that to that actor that just got hit his head busted in for being gay, in West Hollywood no less."
*****************************************************************
"She wasn't kidding!" Adam told Tommy, knowing the surprise in his voice was clear. "Here they are. It's a list of names and addresses for possible replacement rangers. My name is even on here." Tommy looked over his shoulder, and Adam couldn't help but notice the scent of the taller boy's cologne. For some reason it made his heart beat just a little faster. Shaking his head stop it! he thought to himself. You're not that way! You've been hanging around Kyle way too much! Still he couldn't deny what seemed to be happening to his body.
Tommy rubbed the side of his face, "Hmmm, notice who's name isn't on here."
Adam looked up wondering what the Green Ranger was talking about, while trying to ignore the growing tightness in his own jeans. "No,"
Tommy looked down at him and smiled, "You're newest bestest buddy, Kyle." Tommy looked back up at Zordon's list. "He's not on here. Evidently Zordon didn't think he was Ranger material."
"Well, somebody did, because there's no denying that he's holding the Yellow." Adam found himself suddenly defensive of his friend.
Tommy must have heard the tone in his voice, "Whoa there chief, I wasn't saying that he isn't a Ranger, or that he's not qualified, just that he's not on Zordon's list."
"Maybe it's because he's new to the area," Adam suggested meekly.
"You may be right," Tommy replied, but for some reason Adam wasn't sure that he believed it. "Hmmm, let's see, who all is on here, Rocky DeSantos from Stone Canyon," Tommy looked down at him, "Looks like your buddy made the cut." Turning back he continued, "Aisha Campbell, another friend of yours if I'm not mistaken, and somebody named Katherine Hillard." Tommy sat back and gave Adam a long look, his chocolate brown eyes unreadable. Finally he shook he said. "Speaking of our Yellow Ranger, how're things going with him?"
"Why you askin' me?" Adam asked defensively.
"Because you're the one spending the most time with him." He smiled, "I appreciate that too. Between my own training, and Kimberly I don't have much time to break in the new kid on the block, and I know that Jason's been busy lately, so that's sort of left it up to you to make him feel at home." Tommy put a hand on his shoulder. "Where is he by the way?"
Adam gave Tommy a wicked smile, "You mean you don't know?" Adam loved teasing Tommy.
Tommy shook his head, "No."
"He's got a date." Adam told him.
Tommy looked surprised, "Man, those farm boys move fast. Who with?"
"Kimberly," It was everything Adam could do not to snicker. "He's taking her shopping. He keeps it up and he's going to steal your girlfriend away, Oliver."
Tommy shrugged, "Not really. He just wants her for her keen fashion sense." Both boys broke out giggling. Finally, Tommy stopped snickering and looked over at Adam, "Who's buying this trip or is it just window shopping?"
Adam snickered, "I think Kyle is. He said something about a lot of his clothes being damaged during the move from back East." He smiled, "I think Kimberly is going to try to get him to wear more yellow."
Tommy chuckled, "It's funny, we all seem to do that, but for some reason Kyle is fighting it tooth and nail."
"I think he sees black as a mourning color and doesn't want to take it off just yet," Adam told him. His long talks with the new Yellow Ranger had left him with the impression that he was still hurting a great deal over the death of his- well to be honest, Adam didn't know if Kyle and the other boy had ever been actual lovers or not- 'friend'. "To be honest, I think he's afraid that if he takes off the black, it means that he's forgotten his friend, and he's not quite ready for that."
"Friend?" Tommy asked, "I got the impression that they were more than that."
Adam shrugged, unsure as to how much he should say. While what was said between him and Kyle wasn't necessarily confidential, Adam still didn't feel comfortable telling Tommy the things they'd talked about. "It's as good a term as any," Adam told him.
Tommy raised an eyebrow, "you're not still having problems with Kyle being gay are you?"
Adam smiled at him, "No, not at all. It's just that he and I talked about what happened to him back in Kentucky, and I'm not sure if they were lovers yet or not, or how Kyle would describe them. I didn't want to make any assumptions that might hurt him."
He watched Tommy sigh and lean back in one of the Command Center's plush chairs. He liked the addition of comfortable seating. It didn't make him feel like he'd been sent to the principals office all the time. "You're a good guy, you know that Adam Park?"
Adam just shrugged, "I'm just trying not to spread rumors."
"Good." Tommy smiled. "I get the feeling there's going to be enough rumors flying about all of us in a few weeks anyway."
"Why's that?" Adam asked.
"Once it gets around about Billy and Jason, I get the feeling things are going to get pretty cold for those of us who are their friends."
Adam hadn't thought about that. He remembered some of the conversations he and Rocky used to have. His friend would say some pretty nasty things about 'fags' and 'queers'. He'd only said it once around the house, and it was within earshot of Adam's dad, who made it clear that such talk was not going to be tolerated at the Park residence. Adam's uncle Sean and his life-partner Alex still spent every New Year with them, and Adam enjoyed their visits immensely. "Once Jase busts some of their heads I don't think anybody will give them too much trouble."
Tommy leaned forward, "I'm afraid it won't work quite like that. Fighting will only make it worse for them. Besides, most of it will be just little niggling things, said and done to make trouble. I'm afraid anybody that hangs around them is going to be in for some of it too." He put a hand on Adam's shoulder, "Think you can handle it?"
"Tom," Adam locked eyes with the Green Ranger, "Jase and Billy are my friends. I've stood by them fighting a giant yellow winged ape. High school bullies are nothing." He gave Tommy a joking smile, "How 'bout you? You think you're reformed bad-boy kick-ass karate dude reputation can stand up being ragged for hanging around with a couple of," he made quotation signs with his fingers, "fags".
Tommy smiled, "I think I can handle it." Adam saw something else in his eye too, and in a brief flash of insight, he realized that Tommy would be willing to kick in the gates of hell for his friends. He told Adam without reservation, "Besides, as Jason would say, it's the right thing to do." *************************************************************