Of Anime, Poetry and Falling in Love: Mack and Rose
Disclaimer: I do not pretend to own Power Rangers.
Challenge: Gift
Timeframe: Somewhere after Pirate in Pink
Summary: In which Rose gives Mack a present and he returns it in a way she didn't expect.
Mack Hartford lay sprawled on his bed, doodling absently on a scrap of paper with his favorite red pen. He removed the pen from the paper and drummed it on the footboard, thinking about what to scrawl next. His mind wandered (as it often did these days) to his pink ranger, and the next thing he knew was that he'd written RO, tracing the letters over and over again.
"Knock, knock," came her voice from the other side of his door, and Mack jumped. He hastily shoved the piece of paper between the mattress and the footboard and straightened himself up.
"Come in," he called, leaning back against the wall. And then Rose entered, a green Barnes & Noble bag in one hand.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked, an almost shy quality to her tone. She tucked a section of straight black hair behind her ear, searching his face for an answer.
"Course," said Mack, patting a spot on the mattress next to him. Rose crossed the room to his bed and perched on the edge of his. She handed the bag to him.
"For you."
Mack was confused. "All right," he said slowly, opening the bookstore bag and sticking his hand inside. He found two books and took them out, finding that they were, in fact, manga. "What's this for, Rose? It's not my birthday or anything."
Rose shrugged. "I was at the store and I remembered you liked these. And you've just been so nice to me, Mack, trying to make me feel better about the whole Brownbeard thing…"
Mack frowned. "The Brownbeard thing turned out fine. We got the jewel for the crown. So what's really going on?"
Rose flushed. "Can't I just do something nice for my friends from time to time? I don't always like being the cold know-it-all." There was a tinge of anger in her voice. Mack grinned.
"All right, I'm sorry. Really I am." He looked down at the two graphic novels, examining the covers, the grin on his face reminiscent of a child opening his presents on Christmas morning.
"The guy at the store said it was a new series. I thought you probably didn't have them."
"I don't. Thanks Rose. Really. You shouldn't have done this." Mack thought for a moment. "Now I have to give you something, too."
Rose started to protest, but before she could utter a complete sentence, Mack rearranged himself on his bed, wrapping one arm around Rose's waist and pressing his lips to hers softly.
"Does that cover it?"