Disclaimer: I don't own the Power Rangers or anything else you may recognize.

Author's Note: This is my first Syd/Sky story or, rather, collection of drabbles. I would really appreciate feedback. Try to be nice, though:)

Written in response to the Ars Amatoria Romance Themes Challenge.

Set sometime after "Walls".

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Yield

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Syd watched him out of the corner of her eye. He was sitting on the couch opposite her, engrossed in that ridiculous SPD Handbook, for all the world as if it was better than a John Grisham thriller, and he was paying absolutely no attention to anybody. Including her. And she wanted that to change. She was bored, and when Sydney Drew got bored, someone had to pay. It was always the most fun when Sky was the one who paid.

Bridge was making some minor adjustments to RIC on the carpet, lost in his own happy world of mechanics. Jack and Z were on the third couch in the common room, arm-wrestling. Z seemed unwilling to admit that Jack was stronger than her. By far.

Huffing to herself, Syd scooped a squishy ball off the table beside her and flung it across at Sky. It bounced off his chest and landed in his lap. She fought a sudden, mischievous urge to go and get it.

Sky looked up at her, dark blue eyes narrowed in a flash of annoyance. "Knock it off, Syd, I'm doing something. Go bother someone else." And he calmly went back to reading the handbook, ignoring her and the ball on his lap. Now she really wanted to go and get it. Damn it. Why did he have to be such a stick-in-the-mud?

"Come on, Sky, I'm so bo-ored," she whined. "Please play with me?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"No. I don't have time for games, Sydney. Bother Bridge."

She pouted. "But Bridge is actually busy," she said mischievously.

That got a look from him. A quick, annoyed flick upwards at her. Then a hint of sardonic humour before he went back to the handbook. Nearby, Bridge was grinning at the exchange. Z and Jack looked half-amused, half-exasperated. Jack sighed. "Oh, Sky, just play the game with her, already, or none of us will get any peace."

"That's not my problem," came the grim response.

Oooh, that was it. Syd sprang up, quicker than lightning, and pounced on him. Well, actually on the couch, but half on him, and she boldly picked the ball right off his lap. Her fingers brushed his thigh and she yanked them back quickly before she appeared too interested in what lay below the dark uniform trousers. Sky turned to face her, his blazing blue stare mesmerizingly close. Her heart skipped a beat. Oh, this would be so much easier if he wasn't so hot.

But not even half as fun.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded.

"Taking my ball back," she said, ignoring Z and Jack's snickers. "Let's spar. Come on, Sky, it's not a game. In fact, it's good training. You can't argue with that!"

"We're not supposed to spar in…"

"Unless you're afraid of being beaten by a girl?" she taunted sweetly, eyes sparkling.

Sky closed his mouth. Very calmly and very deliberately, he set the SPD Handbook aside on the table and plucked the ball out of her hand, tossing it over his shoulder as if it didn't matter one little bit. Syd expected him to stand up and calmly prepare for battle. Instead, without warning, he seized her by the shoulders and rolled, throwing them both onto the ground and plunging headlong into a close contact wrestling match on the floor. Very close contact.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Jack's voice yelled.

Bridge sounded like he was grinning. "Does anyone else think this has more layers than it might seem at first, because I don't mean to sound analytical and everything, but it definitely has the look of multi-layered-ness!"

"Good God, stand back and start cheering for your side!" Z, of course.

Syd rolled over and over with Sky. Her fists were wedged between his knees and against his chest. One of his arms was wound around her waist, trying to keep her kicking feet at bay, while the other mussed up her hair brutally. She squealed and struggled desperately, determined to get the better of him. Apart from the fact that her perfect hair was totally getting ruined, this was absolutely the most fun she had had all week.

"Do you yield?" Sky demanded, arm locked around her waist and the other around her shoulders, holding her to him in a distinctly pleasant kind of way.

"Never!" she shrieked, and whipped over so that she was on top, plastered across his chest.

"Cadets, what do you think you're doing?"

Syd and Sky both froze at the familiar canine sound of their commander's voice. Syd caught a quick glimpse of Sky's startled blue eyes, staring into hers. Electricity crackled between them, making them both draw in a sharp gasp. Then they sprang upright and faced Cruger. Syd was flushed, but she couldn't help but grin.

Sky stammered and sputtered and finally croaked: "Um… training, sir?"

Syd smiled to herself. There was no way she was ever going to yield.

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