[PRNSteel] Better Late Than Never (Levi & Brody)
Title: Better Late than Never
Author: Hieiko
Category: Power Rangers Ninja Steel
Characters: Levi Weston, Brody Romero
Disclaimer: I don’t own Power Rangers Ninja Steel or any of its characters.
Word Count: 808
Summary: Post-Grave Robber. Levi still feels troubled after what happened with Cosmo Royale’s game. Brody reassures him.
“There's the Aiden that I remember! Always overthinking.”
Levi turned to look at Brody, who was standing at the doorway of his room. “Do you mean when you were eight? You couldn't have been thinking that when we were kids.”
“Well, back then I didn't know what it was called.” Brody grinned, and entered the room to sit beside his brother. “But you definitely think too much about stuff that isn’t important. That's why I always beat you during training.”
Levi narrowed his eyes. “That is so far from the truth.”
Brody smirked. “Okay, maybe not always. But definitely whenever you take too long trying to think of your next move instead of following your instincts.”
Levi scoffed.
“What, it's true!” Brody insisted. “The others probably didn’t notice, but since you got your memories back, you've become more restrained when you fight.”
Levi looked down at the floor. “Was that version of me better? Am I holding back the team now?” he asked.
“Bro, that's not what I'm saying!”
“Still true, isn't it?”
“No way! You've always had our backs, just like today.”
“That's just it... I didn't. I should've been there from the beginning.”
“This again?” Brody frowned. “I thought you were okay before we went Trick-or-Treating?”
Levi sighed. “I thought I'd learned from my mistakes but I just keep on repeating them.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Brody, remember the day of the concert… I didn't join you guys until the monster attack had gotten worse. And today, I was late again.”
“It’s not the same, bro.”
“Why not? Both times I was late because I’d been selfish.”
“When we went to investigate the earthquakes and you stayed behind, what were you thinking of back then?”
“I was thinking of the concert.”
“And why did the concert matter anyway…?”
“What do you mean? Thousands of fans had spent time, money, and effort to be there. Not to mention everyone who prepared and worked for the concert: the production crew, the band, the engineers, and so many others. Also, it's my job! I had a responsibility to be there.” Levi stopped to take a breath. “But I should have put everyone's safety first.”
“Look, I didn't agree with you back then, because you’d underestimated how serious the threat was.” Brody put a hand on Levi’s shoulder. “But you hadn't been thinking of only yourself. And after that, you made being a Ranger your priority. That's not selfish.”
Levi shook his head. “But today, I'd only been thinking of myself. I didn't play the game with you guys, even though you all stayed with me to sing.”
Brody's eyebrows rose. “Uh, we did that because we wanted to. I don't know what's going on in your head, but can you think of one time we actually did something just because you wanted to?”
Levi tried to think back on the past few weeks.
“Are you seriously thinking about an answer?” Brody rolled his eyes. “Bro, do I have news for you! There's only one of you, and there are five of us. And none of us are exactly pushovers.”
Levi just frowned.
“Okay, Preston kinda is, and Calvin too, sometimes.” Brody backtracked, then paused. “Maybe half of our team is.” He grinned. “Guess who's the third person in that half. I'll give you a clue: it isn't Sarah, Hayley, or me.”
Levi glared at him. “I'm not a pushover. And I'll tell Preston and Calvin you said that.”
Brody laughed. “Sorry bro! Maybe pushover isn't the right word. My point is that you didn't force us to do anything.” He went on, “And we all thought that board game was just an ordinary game. None of us expected to face our old enemies, so it’s not like you refused to help us fight them.”
“Isn't that what I did? I couldn’t help because I wasn’t there.”
“You want to know what I think? If you'd been there since the beginning, you’d have been forced to play by Cosmo’s crazy rules. We could still be stuck in the game until now, or even worse.”
Levi blinked. “I didn't think of it that way.”
Brody grinned. “I'm just glad you showed up when you did! What made you decide to join us anyway?”
“Mick said…” Levi started to say, then trailed off. “Never mind.”
“Right, you're not a pushover at all,” Brody teased.
“I don't remember you being this annoying.”
“Isn't that what little brothers are for?”
Levi snorted, then he smiled. “But seriously, thanks Brody.”
“Anytime, bro.” Brody looped one arm around Levi's shoulders. “But you know, if you really want to thank me…”
“Alright, you can have all the chocolate I got earlier.”
“Epic!” cheered Brody, letting go of his brother and rushing toward the candy stash in the kitchen.
Levi grinned. “There’s the Brody that I remember.”
Author: Hieiko
Category: Power Rangers Ninja Steel
Characters: Levi Weston, Brody Romero
Disclaimer: I don’t own Power Rangers Ninja Steel or any of its characters.
Word Count: 808
Summary: Post-Grave Robber. Levi still feels troubled after what happened with Cosmo Royale’s game. Brody reassures him.
“There's the Aiden that I remember! Always overthinking.”
Levi turned to look at Brody, who was standing at the doorway of his room. “Do you mean when you were eight? You couldn't have been thinking that when we were kids.”
“Well, back then I didn't know what it was called.” Brody grinned, and entered the room to sit beside his brother. “But you definitely think too much about stuff that isn’t important. That's why I always beat you during training.”
Levi narrowed his eyes. “That is so far from the truth.”
Brody smirked. “Okay, maybe not always. But definitely whenever you take too long trying to think of your next move instead of following your instincts.”
Levi scoffed.
“What, it's true!” Brody insisted. “The others probably didn’t notice, but since you got your memories back, you've become more restrained when you fight.”
Levi looked down at the floor. “Was that version of me better? Am I holding back the team now?” he asked.
“Bro, that's not what I'm saying!”
“Still true, isn't it?”
“No way! You've always had our backs, just like today.”
“That's just it... I didn't. I should've been there from the beginning.”
“This again?” Brody frowned. “I thought you were okay before we went Trick-or-Treating?”
Levi sighed. “I thought I'd learned from my mistakes but I just keep on repeating them.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Brody, remember the day of the concert… I didn't join you guys until the monster attack had gotten worse. And today, I was late again.”
“It’s not the same, bro.”
“Why not? Both times I was late because I’d been selfish.”
“When we went to investigate the earthquakes and you stayed behind, what were you thinking of back then?”
“I was thinking of the concert.”
“And why did the concert matter anyway…?”
“What do you mean? Thousands of fans had spent time, money, and effort to be there. Not to mention everyone who prepared and worked for the concert: the production crew, the band, the engineers, and so many others. Also, it's my job! I had a responsibility to be there.” Levi stopped to take a breath. “But I should have put everyone's safety first.”
“Look, I didn't agree with you back then, because you’d underestimated how serious the threat was.” Brody put a hand on Levi’s shoulder. “But you hadn't been thinking of only yourself. And after that, you made being a Ranger your priority. That's not selfish.”
Levi shook his head. “But today, I'd only been thinking of myself. I didn't play the game with you guys, even though you all stayed with me to sing.”
Brody's eyebrows rose. “Uh, we did that because we wanted to. I don't know what's going on in your head, but can you think of one time we actually did something just because you wanted to?”
Levi tried to think back on the past few weeks.
“Are you seriously thinking about an answer?” Brody rolled his eyes. “Bro, do I have news for you! There's only one of you, and there are five of us. And none of us are exactly pushovers.”
Levi just frowned.
“Okay, Preston kinda is, and Calvin too, sometimes.” Brody backtracked, then paused. “Maybe half of our team is.” He grinned. “Guess who's the third person in that half. I'll give you a clue: it isn't Sarah, Hayley, or me.”
Levi glared at him. “I'm not a pushover. And I'll tell Preston and Calvin you said that.”
Brody laughed. “Sorry bro! Maybe pushover isn't the right word. My point is that you didn't force us to do anything.” He went on, “And we all thought that board game was just an ordinary game. None of us expected to face our old enemies, so it’s not like you refused to help us fight them.”
“Isn't that what I did? I couldn’t help because I wasn’t there.”
“You want to know what I think? If you'd been there since the beginning, you’d have been forced to play by Cosmo’s crazy rules. We could still be stuck in the game until now, or even worse.”
Levi blinked. “I didn't think of it that way.”
Brody grinned. “I'm just glad you showed up when you did! What made you decide to join us anyway?”
“Mick said…” Levi started to say, then trailed off. “Never mind.”
“Right, you're not a pushover at all,” Brody teased.
“I don't remember you being this annoying.”
“Isn't that what little brothers are for?”
Levi snorted, then he smiled. “But seriously, thanks Brody.”
“Anytime, bro.” Brody looped one arm around Levi's shoulders. “But you know, if you really want to thank me…”
“Alright, you can have all the chocolate I got earlier.”
“Epic!” cheered Brody, letting go of his brother and rushing toward the candy stash in the kitchen.
Levi grinned. “There’s the Brody that I remember.”