A/N: This is the answer to CamFan's challenge from a few weeks ago. Now I have to warn you, Dannie, and everyone else…this is not very good!
But with this particular pairing, it's hard to come up with something halfway believable, so this is unfortunately only pre-slash…
This is an 'un-scene' from "Return of Thunder 4". It was the only scene I could find where 'they' came even close to something like flirting…
Persistence
By Dany
PG-13
"This is so frustrating!"
Cam's exasperated exclamation was enough to make Shane pause in his attempt to try a strictly forbidden skateboard flip onto the command table. The Red Ranger strode towards the supercomputer where the green-clad technician was just leaning back in his chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose under his glasses. On the huge screen was a rotating 3D display of the Thunder Megazord. One part was blinking continuously from a separate window. Obviously, this was the object of Cam's current irritation.
Shane crouched by the older youth's left side, instinctively drawing closer to him as he peered at the image. "Found something that you can't figure out?"
He didn't need to divert his eyes from the screen to know Cam's disapproving glance was on him. It didn't quite keep the mischievous grin off his face, though.
"No," came the prompt retort from the right. "It's just that I keep coming up with this non-functional retrofit." Cam pointed at the screen. "This piece just doesn't seem to fit anywhere." Sensei's son ran a hand through his hair. "I just wish I knew what it did," he mumbled to himself and Shane just couldn't let this perfect opportunity slip by.
"But…wouldn't that be considered something that you can't figure out?"
Cam slowly turned his head, giving the smugly grinning Red Ranger his wryest look. He knew he should at least be extremely irritated at the Air ninja's attempt at mocking his skills, but for some reason he couldn't quite work up the inner conviction. Just another teasing... he was getting used to them, especially since that seemed to be Shane's current hobby -Tease thetech guy.
Shane was so close that Cam could smell the leather of his training uniform mixed with something else he could only identify as Shane-ness. Not unpleasant, strangely enough…
Unfortunately, before he could fire off a snappy reply, the warning klaxons abruptly blared though the underground command room. All bantering instantly forgotten, Cam called up the source of the alarm.
"It's Chooboo," he exclaimed, brows furrowed in apprehension. "And it looks like he's captured Blake and Hunter."
Shane jumped up, squeezing Cam's shoulder. "On it!"
The Red Ranger took his customary position between Tori and Dustin. A moment later they were morphed and out the door, on their way to battle yet another one of Lothor's generals.
Cam was left behind to monitor the battle. As he swiveled back towards the screen, he could for some strange reason still feel Shane's hand on his shoulder. Nothing special about it, he thought, just a harmless squeeze – a purely instinctual reaction on Shane's part.
Nevertheless, it took him a moment to re-arrange his thoughts and focus on the fight playing out on the monitor.
----
The battle was long, brutal and took a surprising turn when halfway through combat, Cam – in a flash of genius – figured out that the spare part tucked away inside the Thunder Megazord was indeed a device meant to combine the two Ranger Zords into the enormous Thunderstorm Megazord. This awesome machine proved too powerful for Chooboo, and consequently, the green alien was quickly disposed of. He exploded in a fireball to the cheers of three Wind and two Thunder Rangers – and Cam.
Afterwards, a second reason for cheers ensued when Blake and Hunter finally agreed to join the Wind ninjas' team. During the celebratory round of embraces, Cam suddenly found himself on the receiving side of a bear hug from Shane – which the Red Ranger kept up just a tad bit longer than necessary. It went unnoticed by anyone – except Cam.
Later, Tori agreed to take Dustin, Blake and Hunter into town with her van, for Dustin was hoping to be able to put in a good word with Kelly to get the Bradleys hooked up with some low-paying but respectable employment at Storm Chargers. As the small procession of teens filed out of Ninja Ops, Cam breathed a sigh of relief at the ensuing silence. He turned back to the supercomputer, pulling up the specs on the Thunder Megazord yet again. Although the mystery of the extra part was now solved, there was still much work to be done for him. Now that the Storm and Thunder Megazords were able to combine, he needed to familiarize himself with every nuance of the new Thunderstorm Megazord.
The quiet and uninterrupted peace lasted for about a minute before he heard the unwelcome thumping of boots bounding down the stone steps and into the command room. Cam neither turned nor paused in his work, hoping that whoever it was took his frantic typing as a hint and left again.
No such luck. The footsteps were drawing closer until he sensed a presence right behind him. A moment later, a face appeared at the periphery of his vision. Cam sighed, turned his head to the left – and found himself looking into Shane's brown eyes.
"How come you didn't go into town with them?" he asked the Red Ranger.
Shane shrugged. "Because after a 5-0 vote, it fell to me to convince you to come and join us all at Pizza Planet in about an hour." The Air ninja raised his hand in an imaginary toast, grinning. "We're celebrating the addition of our two new team members."
"You voted for yourself?" Cam asked with a wry look.
"Yeah, so?" Shane replied innocently, although there was a strange look in his eyes that Cam couldn't quite place.
He decided not to pursue it, opting instead for a mumbled, "Well, have fun celebrating, then."
Unfortunately, Shane wasn't having it. "Sorry, I have strict orders to bring you, too."
Cam took pains to sound exasperated. "I don't have time to party, Shane. Somebody has to take care of your guys' equipment." He moved to swivel back towards his computer, but Shane's hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"Don't you ever take a break, man?"
Cam turned back to his computer, Shane's hand still lodged onto his shoulder. "If I did, you guys wouldn't last very long in the next battle."
"Aw, come on, dude, it can wait until tomorrow," Shane declared. "Otherwise Tori will hit me, and she hits pretty damn hard."
Cam jabbed his thumb over his shoulder. "Well, you know where the First Aid kit is – get yourself some supplies before you leave."
Shane took his hand off Cam's shoulder to consult his wrist watch. "All right, you want to play hard-ass…I have one hour to work on you, so I'll just sit here and nag you until you agree to come along." He promptly propped his hip onto the computer console, crossed his arms and smirked down at the green-clad technician.
"Or until I throw you out." Cam didn't have to try too hard to produce a genuine glare, but unfortunately, Shane didn't seem fazed.
"Try me; I could use a good sparring session."
Cam shook his head to himself, but something about Shane's insistence to include him in their group outing touched him for some reason. He looked up, finding the Red Ranger's eyes studying him expectantly. Shane wasn't right up in his face, but his eyes were intense nevertheless – not to mention that they were also a very nice shade of chocolate-brown…
Whoa, where did that just come from? Cam blinked, fought the urge to dislodge that disturbing thought from out of his head by means of some forceful shaking and instead quickly transferred his gaze back to the oversized computer screen, frantically thinking of something, anything to say while pretending to still be interested in the images on the screen – not to mention looking nonchalant.
"Look, I have a lot of work to do here. And besides, it's 93 degrees outside and I'm not about to risk my creamy complexion with third degree sunburns." He couldn't help himself but add, "Something you don't have to worry about."
Shane merely gave him a cheeky grin. "Cave-dweller."
"Skateboard-poser."
Deeming the conversation and the exchange of complimentsconcluded, Cam resumed his typing with renewed vigor and after a moment, Shane finally held his hands up in defeat, although the grin remained in the corners of his mouth. "All right, fine. I'll just be over there, then…" he pointed to the far side of the command room. "…working on some extra-posing skateboard moves and practicing that song I have in mind for 'Totally Talented' next week. Got an hour to kill before I have to be at the pizza place, after all."
He pushed away from the console, already humming a melody, and made his way to where his board was propped against the wall by the entrance.
Cam had not the slightest doubt that the Red Ranger would be using every last one of the next sixty minutes bouncing around Ninja Ops extra noisily, deliberately singing off-key the entire time.
Now faced with a dilemma, Cam had a decision to make: stoically suffer through Shane's crooning and skateboard clattering, or endure sitting next to him at the pizza parlor for a few hours – which for some reason he really couldn't bring himself to think of as enduring after all…
With an exaggerated sigh, Cam pushed his chair back. "All right, all right, you win." He almost grinned when he saw Shane's face light up with a victorious smile, but managed to keep his scowling expression firmly in place. He had a certain reputation to uphold, after all.
Shane grabbed his board and motioned towards the exit. "Cool. Let's go, then."
"Now?" Cam asked bewildered. "I thought we didn't have to be there until an hour from now…"
Shane pulled him fully out of his chair and slung an arm around his shoulder while steering him towards the exit. "Yeah, but if we get there early, we'll have time for a soda, just you and me." He slapped Cam lightly between the shoulder blades. "My treat. Unless soda makes you break out, or whatever other excuse you'd like to use so you won't have to be alone with me…"
"I don't mind being alone with you." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them and Cam mentally slapped himself for the slipup. That didn't come out right…
Shane regarded him sideways and the ineffable look was back on the Air ninja's face, a mixture of wariness and delight. Or hopefulness maybe. Cam desperately wished he knew how his own face looked at this very moment, what Shane could possibly be seeing, whether the younger boy noticed the mirror of his own emotions on Cam's face…
Whatever it was, it stayed on Shane's face longer than expected, for the Air ninja held Cam's gaze just a little longer than necessary before his expression turned carefully blank again.
As they trotted up the stone stairs, Cam forced himself to relax. I'm reading way too much into this, he mentally rebuked himself. We're only going for a soda, after all.
The forced lax attitude, however, was shattered with his next thought.
Maybe the others will be late…who knows? Real late…
THE END
A/N: All right, so this was pretty lame. Just pretend it could have happened…