Thanks for all of the reviews! And sorry for the delay, I had a bit of a stumbling block when it came to this chapter. Hopefully I'll be able to update more frequently now.

Standard disclaimer.

Chapter 10: Sudden Realizations

When Sensei released the Rangers for the day, Blake suggested that Hunter go for a long run to use up the rest of the caffeine-induced energy high that he had. Hunter merely nodded, then took off. Dustin and Shane left, leaving Tori and Blake behind.

"I'll be up in a minute," Blake said, then watched as Tori ran up the steps.

"If it's about last night, don't bother," Cam noted as soon as Tori and his father left the room.

"I'll 'bother' anyway."

"It's between me and Hunter."

"If it involves Hunter, it involves me."

Cam sighed, knowing full well this was going to cause him a headache, on top of the hangover headache he still had. But he knew he deserved it to. He had just hoped it would come from Hunter and not Blake.

"What do you want from me, Blake? I know what I did last night, and I know I hurt your brother."

"Blake, I'm sure Tori is waiting for you," Sensei said when he reappeared in the room.

Blake's glare never left Cam until he turned to leave.

"Thanks dad," Cam sighed.

"Your welcome. Although you must talk to Hunter."

"I know, I will."

---

The next few days proved to be the same, with both Cam and Hunter avoiding each other as much as possible. And Cam realized that it was easier to avoid Hunter than to avoid Blake. What bothered Cam the most wasn't that Blake was making comments or dropping hints to the other Rangers. Actually, it was the opposite. Blake wouldn't talk to him, he'd only glare when no one was looking.

Exactly four days after the disaster that was Alex's party, Cam overheard Tori telling Dustin and Shane that her parents were hosting a party for her father's boss, and that she had invited Blake to keep her company. For the first time in days, Cam smiled slightly. He'd use that opportunity to visit Hunter and talk to him while Blake was out of the house. Of course he knew that was being a little underhanded, but in the end, he needed to talk to Hunter…not Blake.

Training came and went, much like it had over the past few days. And just as before, Hunter was the first out the door, followed by Blake and Tori with Shane and Dustin not too far behind. None of the Winds had asked him any questions, and he wondered if Hunter had to field any. They had to have noticed that things weren't right between him and the Bradley brothers. But he was learning that their ninja observation skills weren't used between each other. Only to others in the outside world.

"I'm going to try and talk to Hunter tonight," Cam told his father, who nodded in response.

"I hope you can work out your problems."

"Me too. I have the feeling that if things don't get better, Blake will kill me."

Cam was sure that his father was frowning, although it didn't outwardly appear so.

"Blake merely wants to protect his brother. He may see you as a threat."

Although he knew that, hearing it made him wince a little. He'd gone from taking care of Hunter to being a threat in a matter of days. Cam focused on his computer work, but wondered how long it would take to go from being a threat to being a friend.

Or to being more than just a friend?

Cam tried to shake the thought from his head, but it wouldn't budge. He tried to ignore it, and it only made itself more prominent.

"How can I lose something I never knew I had?" he muttered, not realizing that his father was still nearby.

"Son?"

Cam turned sharply, seeing that his father had indeed heard him. Before his father could see him grimace, he turned away, then shook his head.

"Nothing, just mumbling to myself."

"You now realize that your feelings for Hunter are stronger than you thought, that you feel the same as he does."

How does he do that? Oh yeah, ninja master.

"I think so."

Cam chanced a quick glance at his father, and he could tell that he was now dealing with an unhappy guinea pig.

"Cam, you do remember that it is frowned upon for a male ninja to be with another male."

"That was written how many centuries ago? Two men being together is more common now, more acceptable."

"To the outside world, perhaps."

Cam threw his hands into the air. "It doesn't matter much right now, anyway. First I have to get him to talk to me so I can apologize."

"I do not think you will have a problem."

"We'll see about that."

Cam left his father in the room while he made his way topside, then to his car. He drove slowly, trying to figure out what he was going to say when he got to the apartment. He arrived, thankfully noting the absence of the Bradleys' Jeep, something Blake would've taken to Tori's. He made his way inside, up the stairs and to the door. He raised his fist to knock, but dropped his arm. He lost his nerve.