1. This story is written for the Power Rangers Slash Write challenge. You can find the rules for this challenge, and all fics written for it, at the Livejournal community prsw22. Link available on my profile page.

2. This story set near the end of "Return of Thunder".

Love: to Roie, friend and beta.

Enjoy, and please review!


Jeez, can he be any more tense? thought Shane, gazing irritably at Hunter. The Crimson Ranger was leaning with his back against Ninja Ops' wall, arms crossed across his chest and shoulder hunched, tense as hell. Shane, sitting against the opposite wall, loosely holding one knee, found Hunter's attitude annoying. Blake seemed perfectly at home, sitting with Tori by the low table, chatting, every now and then turning to tease Dustin who, for his part, was hanging with Cam by the main console. Blake sure didn't look like someone who was nearly killed a few hours ago, and by his brother's hands, no less.

His brother's hands. That made Shane rethink the situation. Was it the Wind Rangers' presence that made Hunter so obviously uncomfortable – or was it something internal?

Shane's musing was cut short by Dustin – leaning over the shoulder of a surprisingly patient Cam – suddenly asking aloud "Dude, what kind of a name for a Zord is Insectizord?"

Hunter's head snapped up; Blake and Tori's conversation ceased.

"You've got a problem with my Zord?" demanded Hunter, eyes leaving his brother and Tori and locking on Dustin.

Knowing trouble when he saw it, Shane let go of his knee and sat a little straighter. The frosty anger in Hunter's eyes would've made most people duck for cover or quell where they stood, but Dustin wasn't one to be intimidated by death glares.

"I'm just saying", he said, smiling at Hunter, perfectly unaware of the danger he was in, "the rest of us have actual animals for Zord, right? Not just the Winds – Blake, too. So why are you different?"

"That's a good question, actually" said Cam. Shane shifted into a half-crouch, getting ready to move at as short a notice as possible. Hunter looked ready to snap, and Shane didn't want anyone hurt today more than they already were. Cam should've been smarter than that, and Shane had no idea what he was thinking, asking for trouble like that. Couldn't he see Hunter?

"It is indeed a curious question", agreed Sensei.

Hunter's eyes shifted, moving from Dustin across the room, towards Sensei in his habitat cart – and then beyond it, focusing on Shane's. Shane almost reeled at the intensity of that stare. Breathe, he told himself sternly. Don't let him know he's getting to you.

"It would seem that the animals of your Zords represent aspects of your true nature", continued Sensei, oblivious to the staring contest taking place literally over his head, "aspects that are relevant to your function as Rangers"

"Really?" asked Tori curiously. "You never mentioned that before, Sensei"

"The subject has never come up", answered Sensei graciously, inclining his head.

Hunter finally broke contact, eyes suddenly dropping to the floor. Shane's brows furrowed. He knows, he thought suddenly, pushing himself to his feet at the realization. Hunter already knows, and he doesn't want us to know.

"So why doesn't Hunter have a normal Zord like the rest of us?" asked Dustin.

Hunter was still looking at the floor, arms now open and resting against the wall. Ready to push himself away, thought Shane.

"It would seem the name of Hunter's Zord refers to a trait common to many kinds of insects, thus the generalized name". Couldn't Sensei ever say anything straight and to the point? "I am speaking of social insects, and the trait of utter loyalty"

Tori and Cam both straightened, perfectly alert, now; Dustin was leaning forward; Blake turned pale as a sheet. Shane didn't notice any of these reactions, though. Hunter, who'd been standing not far from the stairs all this while, had bolted up and out, and Shane had every intention of following.

He'd nearly slammed into Blake who, apparently, had the same intention.

"Let me", said Shane.

"He's my brother", said Blake. "I should go after him"

Shane hesitated, almost stepping aside. Allowing Blake to follow Hunter right now seemed just wrong. "Do you think he's ready?" he asked finally.

"What do you mean?" demanded Blake.

"Blake". Tori came up behind him, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder. Blake turned to face her. "He's still hurting about today. Maybe Shane's right. Maybe talking to you about it, right now, is still too close"

"Tori has a point", agreed Cam.

Blake hesitated, obviously torn. He turned his head towards Shane again, and Shane was struck by how much Blake was Hunter's brother. It hadn't quite occurred to him until that moment. There was very little similar between the two. But now Blake's eyes were boring into Shane's, every bit as calculating as Hunter's, even if not as intense.

Blake nodded once, tersely. "Take good care of my brother", he said, and Shane had the feeling that his words carried more meaning than the obvious. He didn't dwell on it, though, but simply said: "I will" before running out, following Hunter.


Hunter didn't go far, much to Shane's relief – and concern. He'd expected Hunter to ran as fast and as far away as he could.

Hunter didn't move, didn't so much as bat an eyelash as Shane approached him, and it made Shane all the more wary. Hunter was standing at the edge of the crater where the Academy's main building once was, staring at the sky. The total lack of tension in his posture was one more reason for Shane to worry. He slowed his approach.

Sunset was in full bloom, the shadows deep. The little light that fell on Hunter was exactly the same shade as his shirt, making the messy blond hair seem bloodstained, accenting the shadows under his eyes. Shane's heart constricted. These shadows weren't as visible in the fluorescent light in Ninja Ops. Now, though, bathed in the light of the dying day, the sight of Hunter, so obviously suffering, made Shane want to throw a right hook to Lothor's face.

He was standing right next to Hunter, now, and any words he may have wanted to say faded away. He'd never felt this helpless before, not even when Mad Magnet's blade was pressed against his neck.

"Would you please say it and get it over with?"

"Say what?"

Hunter turned to him. His eyes were red, and it wasn't just the light. "That I failed; that if the Crimson Zord means loyalty, than I should've never had that Zord"

"Don't say nonsense"

"Come on", sneered Hunter, but the sneer wasn't aimed at Shane, but at Hunter himself. "Lothor snapped his fingers, and I succumbed to the spell like that!" Hunter snapped his fingers for effect.

"No, you didn't", replied Shane hotly. "You fought it, and we all saw it"

"Yeah, right. That's why it took all day to break through the damn spell, right?"

"It took all day because, in case you failed to notice it, Lothor's pretty damn powerful. We're talking the man who wiped whole academies from the face of the Earth, man!"

"I still should've been able to fight it!" shouted Hunter, waving one arm towards the sun. "I should've…" His voice cracked, and he looked away.

The instinct was so overwhelming, the realization so powerful, so physical, that for a split second Shane felt he was falling. It wasn't – it couldn't be – but it had to be: this was why he responded to Hunter so powerfully, why he was so aware of him from the moment they first saw each other in Storm Chargers. Pushing aside what he couldn't yet handle, he quenched down the instinct, only reaching for Hunter's shoulder. Hunter spun around wildly with a punch aimed for Shane's face, but tears and exhaustion slowed him enough for Shane to catch his arm and pull him close.

"Don't you dare", he whispered into Hunter's ear, as Hunter struggled to break away. "Don't you fucking dare do this to yourself, you hear me?"

"Let go", hissed Hunter.

"The hell I would". His voice was low and hoarse, but Shane was pretty sure that Hunter would never guess the real reason for that. After all, Shane could hardly believe it himself. "Being alone is the last thing you need right now, whether you're going to admit it or not"

"Don't…"

"You listen to me", growled Shane. "That spell got such a nasty hold of you precisely because loyalty's so important to you". He had no idea where the words were coming from, but now that he said them, he knew them to be true, and he knew exactly what to say. "Why do you think Lothor's focused his control on making you think Blake betrayed you, huh? Why do you think was that? Lothor's insane, but he's no idiot. He knew that'd hurt you the most 'cause that what you care about the most. And you know what, Hunter? You proved yourself, because ultimately you broke free. So don't go telling yourself you're not loyal enough, because you are"

Hunter stopped struggling sometime during Shane's speech. He was still tense, ready to bolt, but he was letting Shane hold him, his fingers unconsciously digging through Shane's clothes and into his flesh.

"You hear me?" asked Shane. His lips grazed Hunter's hair as he spoke.

"Yeah", said Hunter into Shane's shoulder, "I hear you". He made a noise that could've just as easily been a chuckle or a sob. "I didn't know Hawks were capable of compassion"

"Yeah, well", muttered Shane. Compassion has nothing to do with this. "I guess surprise is the word of the day"