Of Anime, Poetry and Falling in Love: Mack and Rose
Disclaimer: Yes! They're all mine…not.
Challenge: Denial
Timeframe: Between Kick into Overdrive and Face to Face. I'd like to dedicate this challenge to Kiana, whose constant babbling about Retsu inspired me for this little ficlet.
Summary: He knows she's just denying that she does, in fact, have a heart.
"So what exactly do you propose we do, Mr. Hartford, while you figure out how to reverse the effects? If we tried to defeat Flurious' goon by ourselves there's no way we could manage it," pointed out the ever-logical Rose. The pink ranger was looking from her mentor to the three sleeping bundles that had been Dax, Will, and Ronny up until an hour ago.
"Well, Rose, you and Mack are going to baby-sit. What else did you think you were going to do?" asked Mr. Hartford. "They're your teammates, after all. If you had been turned into a baby they'd certainly look after you."
"But…but…" Rose spluttered. "I don't know anything about children. I don't even like children."
"Aw, come on Rose, it'll be fun," piped up Mack. "After this we'll have gold to taunt them with. Pure gold."
"If you think it's so fun then you do it," snapped Rose irritably. "I do have other stuff to do, you know." The pink ranger's brown eyes were narrowed at her red counterpart.
"You will both do it, and that is the end of the discussion," said Andrew. "Now go. And let this be a lesson in responsibility for both of you." The elder Hartford pointed towards the three bundles on the table, and Rose and Mack picked up their sleeping teammates.
"I've always liked kids," Mack said brightly, stepping into the lounge. He looked over at Rose, who was sitting on the couch with baby Ronny in her arms. "I bet you do too. I bet you just think you come off all cold and uncaring. I know your type, Rose Ortiz. You're nothing but a big softie under all that black you wear."
"Shut up," growled Rose. "Can we just get through what's sure to be a horrible ordeal so I can move on with my life?" The red ranger chuckled at his pink ranger's outburst, smiling that damningly charming smile of his.
"If you insist, Mary Poppins," he teased. Rose looked up from the sleeping baby, glaring furiously. Mack kept smiling at her. "You just keep denying to yourself that you want kids. Fine by me. But you should know that I know that's all you're doing: deny, deny, deny." He settled in one corner of the couch, nestling Dax and Will between the cushions.
And then the red ranger gazed at his pink counterpart fondly, thinking about how…right she looked with a baby in her arms. What she told herself didn't matter. He could see her motherly instincts coming out watching her rock Ronny gently as the yellow baby fussed slightly. It wasn't until Rose asked what he was so happy about did he realize he was grinning like an idiot.
A/N: Bit of a stretch for Denial, maybe…but oh well.