Disclaimer: Buena Vista owns the Power Rangers. Spoken lyrics are courtesy of the Charlie Daniels band. No profit from or disrespect intended to Disney, the AMA, Champions, or Motel 6. WhiteZeo's sig is a quote from Sugarplum: "Per se? How did we get into per se territory? Are words like 'ergo' and 'concurrently' looming up ahead?"
"Two Out Of Three," Hunter suggested, taking a cue from Cam's excuse. "For Tori and Blake?" As soon as he said it, he wished he could take it back, and then he was annoyed with himself for thinking it.
Damn it, why did Anna Mae have to go and ask if they were together? Blake he could have ignored, because Blake was getting married and was probably just kidding anyway. But Anna Mae? Now he was second-guessing himself, wondering how his actions were going to come across in light of an assumption he hadn't expected to run into here.
"Two Out Of Three" was romantic; there was no getting around it. Whether they changed it for Tori and Blake or not, it was going to be obvious that they had done it before. And sure, they hammed it up. Play to the crowd. But that's all it was: a show.
They would know that, Hunter reminded himself. And if they didn't... who cared? Cam didn't. That was really what worried him, that Cam would get annoyed with the attention and... do something drastic. What, exactly, Hunter wasn't sure.
Cam had taken a seat, and Hunter joined him gratefully. If he had agreed, Hunter had missed it, but he was already strumming the opening chords and at least they were going to be serious about this one. Blake looked a little nervous. Hunter got some small amount of satisfaction out of that. Blake didn't know whether they were kidding or not, and it served him right.
Hunter leaned back against his chair, watching Cam's fingers on the strings until Cam turned his head. Hunter didn't have to nod. Cam switched back to D, and Hunter took a deep breath.
"I've been thinking back over my life," he said, quietly but strong enough to carry to everyone on the porch. He wouldn't vouch for the rest of the yard being able to hear it, but then, that wasn't really a bad thing. "Some of the questions I've had...
"I've thought about living," he said, listening to the chords shift back and forth. "I've thought about dying, and what makes me happy or sad."
He stopped staring straight ahead, finally, letting his gaze wander around the porch a little. He deliberately didn't look at Cam. "Most of my questions I've kept to myself, like 'why in the world was I born?'" He found Blake with his eyes, and he added, "But the number one question I'd like to ask, I ask only of you."
He paused, and Cam sang softly, "How could you love me?"
"Tori, how could you love me?" Hunter asked, trying to keep a straight face and failing miserably. Cam sang the first line of the chorus again, and Hunter added, "Cause when I had a choice between good and bad, I picked bad, two out of three."
Blake was grinning. Tori giggled, putting a hand over her mouth in apology and leaned over to rest her head against Blake's shoulder. Everyone else was perfectly quiet. It was just the guitar, his words, and Cam's backup vocals. And the cars going by out front, the sound of the wind, and someone shouting across the street.
It was a strange night. The surreal nature of it struck him in the middle of the song. This thing that had once been just between him and Cam now shared with anyone they could convince to listen. This last night before his brother's wedding, when the most important person in Blake's life would officially stop being Hunter. This sudden feeling of being uncertain when he had always known exactly what he was doing and why.
He excused himself as soon as he could after the song ended, which wasn't all that soon considering that everyone suddenly had questions and Cam didn't seem to be feeling talkative. And that was odd in and of itself, since he was usually more social when he had his guitar than at any other time. But Hunter finally got away on the pretext of getting him another drink, bypassed the kitchen, and ducked out the front door.
Everything was normal on this side of the house. He stood on the steps, staring at the street and watching the cars, the occasional pedestrian, and a cat that was napping on the stoop next door. Normal, yes. It was full of normal people doing normal things, going home or going out as the sun went down. But it wasn't his.
He had always wanted something that was his. Maybe it was one of those things a shrink would say came from losing his parents so young. But he had had the Academy to take the place of family, back then. When he lost that, he had made his home at the track. Now it was a different track every week, and the only thing he really recognized anymore--
Well, Cam probably wouldn't appreciate being called "his." But sometimes his friendship was the only thing Hunter was sure of.
He sighed, irritated with himself for being down the night before his brother's wedding. Shouldn't he be happy for Blake? What was he doing obsessing over his own life? And since when did he care about that possessive crap, anyway? He had everything he needed.
The door swung open behind him, and he turned automatically. His mouth quirked at Cam's annoyed expression, fading quickly as he took in Hunter's pensive mien. "You all right?" Cam asked, frowning a little.
Hunter hesitated, then shrugged. "Sure. Just... needed some time." It was the one excuse Cam wouldn't question. He used it himself.
Cam didn't move. "Want some company?" he asked at last.
"Sure." Hunter moved off the bottom step and sat down on the edge of it, wishing he had brought his beer. Or maybe that was the last thing he needed right now; it was hard to tell. He didn't know where this weirdness was coming from.
Cam sat down next to him. Neither of them said a word for what seemed like a long time, but Hunter suddenly found his mind empty. It was as though Cam's presence had flipped a switch. One moment he was going places he really didn't want to go, and the next he was just staring at that cat like it was about to turn into a Disney character.
"What time are we supposed to meet Blake tomorrow?" Cam asked abruptly.
"Eleven." The response was automatic. "We're gonna get lunch, get dressed, and hopefully the flowers will catch up with us at the hotel." That could be interesting, given that their grandmother was supposed to be bringing them over. Grandma wasn't so great with directions. "Then we meet Rosie at the chapel and start waiting."
Cam grunted noncommittally, like that wasn't really what he'd wanted to ask, and Hunter was getting tired of staring at the cat. "Whatcha thinking?" he wanted to know.
Cam glanced sideways at him with a smile. "That's what I was going to ask," he admitted. "You're pretty quiet."
And he had left without a word, not even bothering to get Cam's drink before he disappeared. From a party full of people he had known for years and really ought to care more about catching up with. Yeah, he could see why it looked strange.
"I dunno," he said at last. "I guess... I just think Blake's pretty lucky, that's all."
"Ah." Cam was smiling again. "Wedding envy. It's not all wine and roses, Hunter. I thought you were more of a realist than that."
"Hey," Hunter defended himself. "I'm a realist. I just think he's got it good, is all."
"And you don't?" Cam countered. "I'll admit Blake and Tori are good together. We all know that. But it's not like you're so badly off yourself."
Hunter snorted. "He graduates from college next year, Cam. What am I doing? Still fooling around at the track."
"The AMA state championship is not 'fooling around'," Cam said sharply. "Since when do you measure yourself against Blake, anyway? He's your brother, not your competition."
Hunter's mouth twisted in a smirk. Only Cam could make him feel better by yelling at him. "Spoken like a true only child," he replied wryly.
Cam let that one stand, maybe acknowledging the point, maybe just not deigning to reply.
"I'm not sure I could do it," Hunter said after a minute. "I mean... maybe there's a reason he's Blake, and I'm Hunter."
Cam gave him an odd look, and Hunter didn't blame him. "Other than the fact that that's what your parents named you?"
"I don't think I could make that kind of commitment." Hunter stared over at the cat again. It was black. A black cat on a grey stoop. "You know, to a person. Or even to school. Definitely not to school," he amended.
"You made a commitment to motocross," Cam pointed out.
Hunter shrugged it off. "That's fun."
"Not everyone thinks so," Cam retorted. "And 'fun' doesn't mean 'easy'. You work your butt off for that sport, and there's nothing about it you can't be proud of. You put in the hours, you put in the money, and you've done your time in the hospital. And you have an awful lot to show for it.
"You made a commitment, Hunter. You just made it to something else."
He focused on Cam, smiling before he looked away again. Sometimes he thought Cam liked pep talks because he got to argue someone into the ground with no hard feelings. "You're right," he conceded at last, amused and somewhat reassured. "Thanks."
Cam didn't answer, and Hunter was pretty sure that if he looked quickly enough he'd catch a smirk on his face. He didn't look. The cement walkway in front of the step was pretty interesting, when you came right down to it.
No. It wasn't. He drew in a breath, ready to stand up and get on with it, when Cam shifted at his side. "You stuck with me," Cam said, out of the blue.
Hunter glanced at him in surprise. Cam, too, was studying the cement. His expression was inscrutable, and Hunter frowned warily. "What do you mean?"
"You said you didn't think you could make that kind of commitment to a person," Cam reminded him, not looking up. "And maybe you haven't, yet. But you can. You stuck with me."
It didn't make any more sense the second time around. "What are you talking about?" Hunter repeated. "Of course I stuck with you. You're my friend."
"Blue Bay Harbor isn't exactly the center of the racing circuit," Cam said, lifting his gaze to the street. "Why do you still have an apartment there?"
He wasn't sure he liked where this might go. "Because it's my home," he told Cam. "Why else?"
"It's not where you grew up," Cam replied. "It's not where your family is. It's not where you work, and it's not where your friends are. So what about it is home, exactly?"
Hunter opened his mouth, then closed it again. Blue Bay Harbor was the place he came back to. It was just... It was where he hung out. "It just is," he said defensively. "What makes it your home?"
He knew that was a stupid question as soon as he asked, but that didn't keep Cam from answering. "My family, my friends, my job? I've lived there all my life, Hunter.
"I'm just saying," he continued, forestalling any reply Hunter might have made. "I know I've had some problems. But you've been around since the Rangers, and you've stayed around. It's really... well, it really made a difference. I don't know if I ever told you."
Hunter hesitated. He hadn't known what to say before, and Cam's sudden turnaround didn't help any. Was he implying that Hunter stayed because Cam was there? Or was he reading too much into it?
And if he wasn't? Was Cam wrong?
Sacramento would be easier. San Mateo would be more fun. Hell, even Angel Grove would be better than Blue Bay Harbor. It wasn't like he hadn't thought about it. But Blue Bay Harbor was where he came from, now. Somewhere along the line, it had become more than just a place to sleep at night.
Somewhere along the line. Somewhere between the time Blake had left and the time the Academy had finally agreed to recognize Cam's training. Somewhere between the day he graduated and the day Cam started to teach. Between the first time Cam let him use his laptop, and the day Hunter had turned over control of his bike.
Between the moment he had first yanked Cam across Ninja Ops, and now.
"Maybe I did stay for you," he said quietly. It was a startling realization, even to him. "But, y'know... not because you needed it. Just because--I wanted to. Because you're my friend," he reiterated.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cam lift his head. "Sounds like commitment to me," he remarked, his tone annoyingly smug. "Just because you don't have a boyfriend doesn't mean you don't know how to stand by someone."
Hunter shook his head, amazed at how quickly Cam had turned a revelation into a point for his argument. "Well, you did say I make a better friend than a boyfriend."
Cam's tone softened. "You just haven't found the right boyfriend."
His lips quirked, and he tried desperately to suppress a smile. He didn't succeed. He was such a sucker for Cam being nice to him. "Well, y'know." He tried to bluff his way past it. "It's hard when you're the only good one around."
Cam gave him a sharp look, and Hunter suddenly realized how that sounded. "Me, I mean," he said quickly. "Because before, I said I was the only--not that you wouldn't make a good--"
Cam started to smile, and Hunter managed to stop there. "Damn," he muttered, relaxing just a little. It was the only swear that didn't make Cam grimace, or he would have used something stronger. He was thinking it. He was going to kill Anna Mae. "You know what I mean."
The awkward moment was interrupted by the door, and for a split-second Hunter was relieved. When he glanced over his shoulder, though, he saw Blake smirking down at them and he almost groaned. This night was not going well.
"There you are," Blake said, too innocent. "I think we're gonna pick this up down at Champions. You guys wanna come?" His expression said they might have something better to do, and what Hunter wouldn't give to wipe that smirk off his face.
Cam was already shaking his head. "I'm going to try and get some sleep," he said, putting his hands on his knees. Then he glanced over at Hunter and added, "Unless you want a DD?"
Hunter rolled his eyes. "I didn't even finish the second beer," he reminded Cam.
"It's not the ride over that I'm worried about," Cam said dryly.
"I'm not drinking," Blake offered. "Neither is Anna Mae. She's going to catch up with us after she and Chantal finish the dishes, so we'll have plenty of people to get everyone home safely."
Hunter couldn't help a rueful grin. "Aren't I supposed to be looking out for you tonight, bro?"
Blake shook his head. "Nah, Tori's got it covered," he said with a grin. "We have a bet going about who can drink the least this week. So far she's winning, and I have to give her time to catch up."
Hunter had no idea what to say to that. Finally Cam voiced the thought that was on both their minds. "That's really weird," he told Blake. "But whatever works for you, I guess."
"Sure you won't come?" Blake replied, unperturbed. "Champions has the fastest internet connections in the city."
Cam smiled, but he didn't back down. "Thanks, but I really need the sleep."
"You need the sleep?" Hunter retorted. "You woke me up at five o'clock this morning. It's not like I don't have an alarm clock!"
"You don't have an alarm clock," Cam pointed out.
Hunter rolled his eyes. "You know I use the alarm on my phone. You don't have to call me to make it ring!"
"Your phone has a longer snooze than my laptop's APD," Cam countered. "There's only one way to get you out of bed."
"Just because you get up at the crack of dawn doesn't mean the rest of the world has to!" Hunter exclaimed.
"Hey, guys," Blake interrupted. He shook his head when they looked at him expectantly, adding, "You know way too much about each other. You want me to meet you at the hotel," he asked Hunter, "or are you okay getting there?"
"I can find it." Hunter glanced at Cam inquiringly. "You mind driving?"
"If that's your subtle way of getting me to go," Cam answered, "forget it. I'll drive you over, and then I'm going right back to the hotel."
"Sure," Hunter agreed easily. He didn't say another word as they filed back inside, where almost half the party had taken up residence in the kitchen. Mostly the older people... it looked like everyone who was leaving was still out on the porch.
"Are you sure we can't help you with this?" Cam asked Chantal, surveying the assorted dishes while Anna Mae shook out a couple of trash bags. "We could at least--"
"Cam," Chantal said firmly. "Go away. I already have a kitchen full of women who won't let me wash a single dish myself; the last thing I need is one more person to find chores for. Get the guys out of my hair," she added, nodding toward the porch door, "and you'll have my everlasting gratitude."
"Cause she's really beatin' the guys off with a stick," Anna Mae said dryly. "Y'all oughta go b'fore Ah ditch this get-together an' join ya."
Chantal tossed a dish towel at her. "Silence, woman! Clean!"
Anna Mae only laughed, throwing the dish towel back at her. "Clean y'self! Ah got trash t'take out!"
Hunter dragged Cam toward the back door, knowing that the next thing he tried would be saying good night to everyone in the room. That was definitely not necessary when they would be seeing all of them again tomorrow. Cam shot him an annoyed look, but otherwise he didn't protest the abuse.
It turned out that, although the girls had been invited to Champions as well, most of them were staying at the apartment. Hunter didn't ask what they were doing or where they were all going to sleep, and he got the distinct impression that he wasn't supposed to. So he just watched Cam explain repeatedly that no, he wasn't going, he was just driving one way, and Hunter kept his mouth shut and smiled.
It wasn't until they were back in the truck and on the road that he inquired casually, "Y'know those laptop things they have in cyber bars?"
He could hear Cam raise his eyebrow. "Laptop things?" he repeated, voice practically dripping with disdain.
Hunter shrugged. He did listen when Cam tried to explain the differences between computers; he just didn't remember. "Whatever," he said, brushing it off. "Can you get into game zones with those?"
Cam sounded distinctly suspicious. "Which game zone?"
"I dunno." Never let it be said that he didn't know how to push Cam's buttons. "I was just curious."
Cam didn't answer, but Hunter didn't have to look over at him to know that he was frowning. He traveled enough that he was actually pretty good with computers that weren't his own, but whenever they were together he let Cam have the keyboard. So Cam's opinion of his ability tended to be lower than was strictly accurate.
It didn't bother Hunter; he'd just as soon lean over Cam's shoulder as do it himself, and anything that got him out of extra work was fine with him. Cam had even taken to checking his e-mail for him when they were out. It amused Hunter more than anything, even if it did mean that Cam now had his password.
"You can get anywhere on the internet if you have a connection," Cam said at last. "It's just a matter of who's trying to stop you and how long you have to get around it."
"You can get anywhere on the internet," Hunter corrected. "I'm lucky to figure out that I'm being blocked, let alone what to do about it."
"Where have you been trying to go that's blocked?" Cam's tone was somewhere between puzzled and amused. "And whose computers are you using?"
"Blake told me about some game site," Hunter said vaguely. "I tried to access it from one of the library computers, but I couldn't get it to load. Crashed twice before I gave up," he added, keeping his gaze straight ahead.
"Library computers," Cam muttered. "Could have been almost anything."
There was silence for a moment. "I'll try it again tonight," Hunter remarked at last. "It can't fry every computer. They're not networked or anything, right?"
"Of course they're networked." Cam sounded exasperated, and Hunter hid a smile. "You're sure there's nothing illegal about this site?"
"Blake uses it all the time," Hunter offered.
Cam sighed. "It was probably just the computer you were on. I'll give it a try, if you want."
"Nah," Hunter said idly. "It's not that important. Besides, Blake'll be there tonight; he can tell me if I'm doing something wrong."
He could almost hear Cam bristle. "That's just what the bar needs, the two of you crashing their network with your gaming site," he retorted. "I'm driving. I'll just come in for a few minutes and make sure you don't get yourselves thrown out."
Hunter shrugged, as though it didn't matter to him one way or the other. "If you want," he agreed. Then for good measure he added, "Maybe you'll know what Blake is talking about, 'cause I couldn't really follow the play-by-play."
"I'm guessing that the fact you're still using sports analogies to explain the internet might have something to do with it," Cam said dryly.
Hunter let him have that one, knowing Cam had agreed too easily. Either he didn't really mind coming, or he knew perfectly well what Hunter was doing and retaliation would come in one form or another. He didn't really care, as long as it gave him company at Champions.
A quick survey of the parking lot as they pulled up in front of the hotel proved that they were the first ones back, which didn't surprise Hunter in the slightest. Shane and Dustin had left right before them, but when it came to Dustin's sense of direction, that just meant that they might be here before tomorrow. He waited for Cam to grab his guitar and climb out of the truck before locking the doors, and they headed back inside.
Cam stopped at the front desk, and Hunter shot him a puzzled look. "Towels," Cam said succinctly, and Hunter shook his head. Leave it to Cam to remember the one thing that didn't affect him one way or the other.
The girl with the dreads had been replaced by a woman with blue-streaked brown hair and the kind of purple eyes that only came from colored contacts. She was very friendly, though Hunter suspected she wouldn't have been as nice to him. Cam managed to extract both an apology and a promise to deliver clean towels immediately.
Their room was considerably cooler now, and the first thing Hunter did after dropping his keys on the bureau was to turn the air conditioning down. The combination of summer heat and layers of respectable clothes was not his idea of comfort, but there was no need for both of them to suffer. Cam probably hadn't been comfortable outside either. He might as well not freeze in his own room.
There was a knock on the door as he turned away from the window. Cam opened the door for towels, and Hunter wondered if the girl from the desk had brought them herself. One thing about traveling with Cam: the service was decent and fast.
"Towels are on the rack in the bathroom," Cam called a moment later, as though Hunter hadn't watched him disappear with them.
"Thanks," Hunter answered absently. The second most irritating thing about respectable clothing, after having to wear it in the first place, was storing it. The hotel room had a bar with built-in hangars whose only purpose seemed to be to get in the way of the hangars they had already brought.
He heard Cam rifling through his backpack, then the sound of running water in the bathroom and an electric toothbrush. For himself, Hunter was just glad to get back into regular clothes. All it took was cargo pants and a t-shirt to make him feel more like himself. He jammed his feet back into his sneakers and headed for the door, calling, "I'm gonna see if Dustin and Shane are back."
tbc