Fic: Right Where I Belong (Dustin/Adam)
Title: Right Where I Belong
Fandom: Power Rangers, sometime post DT
Pairings: Adam/Dustin
Rating: Pg-15
Summery: A drunken night together leads to something more for both Adam and Dustin.
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Power Rangers and I also don’t own anything to do with the book Tommy’s Tale by Alan Cumming. I’m only doing this mostly for my own slash love and enjoyment.
A/N: Much thanks to moonlite-n-rose for not only introducing me to the fandom, but for also being nice enough to beta this. Any mistakes you find are my own. And many thanks to m14mouse for making the pretty banner. Neither Adam or Dustin know about each other's past as a Power Ranger.
Tommy had a smirk on his face. Adam frowned as Dustin whisked past him towards the baby. After proclaiming her the cutest thing in the world, and being cooed at, Dustin picked her up, carrier and all, and decided that they both needed some fresh air. Neither Adam nor Tommy had been able to get a word in edgewise and he was gone. They both took in his retreating form.
“So…” Tommy prodded as he wandered back towards the stove to frown at the spaghetti and sauce he was cooking. He peeked into the oven.
Adam dropped down into a chair at the breakfast bar, “So, um…”
Tommy started laughing, “Oh man, you are bright red.”
“I am not,” Adam protested.
“Yes, you are. Something you want to tell me?”
Adam lowered his eyes staring at his hands. How did he explain what had happened last night and this morning?
“Come on,” Tommy told him, “I already got chewed out last night for not getting you two separate cabs.”
“What?” Adam asked confused as he looked at his friend.
Tommy shrugged, “Hey, I married Hayley because she just knows these things before I do.”
“Among other reasons?”
Tommy smiled, “Can’t reveal all her secrets.”
“Oh, and you know all her secrets?”
“I knew enough to marry her.”
Adam laughed, “So what has Hayley figured out now?”
“Oh no, you were bright red. You came in with Dustin and I’m thinking that if his bike is parked outside there are two helmets on it. And since you’re not wearing the same clothes you were yesterday it means that you came together.”
“Um…” Adam trailed off, then in an attempt to divert the conversation asked, “How does a guy not own a car?”
“He has a motorcycle and friends who drive him,” Tommy answered.
“Even when it’s raining and you’re at work?”
“The elementary school is right near the high school,” Tommy told him.
“Okay, now you’ve lost me.”
Tommy smiled, “Dustin teaches kindergarten and you’re avoiding. Something you want to tell me?”
Adam peeked out the window and took in Dustin sitting under a nearby tree, cradling Kaley and talking to her. He was falling for a kindergarten teacher. He smiled. He glanced back at Tommy who was smirking again.
“What?” he asked trying to looking innocent.
Tommy raised an eyebrow.
“I’m blushing again aren’t I?” Adam groaned.
Tommy nodded.
Adam buried his head in his hands, “You’re going to kill me aren’t you?”
The phone rang, Tommy answered as he moved back towards the stove. He frowned at one of the pots on the stove as he listened into the phone. He poked the pot in annoyance.
“Conner’s going to watch them,” Tommy said into the phone, “Well he agreed. Hayley was hoping we’d have the Dino Powers up and running again by the time the Abyss of Evil opened again, but she’s hit a snag and it doesn’t look like it’ll get done.”
“It’s Rocky,” Tommy paused to tell Adam.
“No, it’ll be Zeo, then TJ and Justin as Turbo and Ninja Storm. Oh and I’ve talked to Dana from Lightspeed and both she and Aisha are going to be on hand as paramedics...In case anything happens…Yeah…Well several of the techs have gotten together and come up with devices that should trap the bad guys that the Abyss ejects so we won’t have to do this again in a few years…No, I’ll introduce you to Conner beforehand and I think he’s talking Ethan into helping…Hey, you’ve got Bobby to worry about, if you don’t think this is…If you need to sit this one out I’m sure we can handle it…I’m not a single Dad, Kaley would’ve Hayley if anything happened to me…No it’s a few months from now. As soon as they calculate an exact date I’ll let you know, but you don’t…yeah, I know, sitting it out doesn’t feel right to me either…She what?”
Adam frowned wondering what Jill had done to Rocky now. It was bad enough that a month after having a child with him she’d bailed on him, he really hoped she hadn’t added more complications to his life.
He glanced out the window again to see Dustin putting Kaley back into her carrier all the while making faces at her. He found himself smiling at the goofy looks Dustin was giving the baby when he felt a tapping on his shoulder. He glanced up at Tommy who held out the phone, one hand covering the speaker, “Talk some sense into him. Tell him to listen to Jill’s mom.”
Confused Adam took the phone, “Hi, Rocky.”
“Hi,” Rocky greeted back and that one word had Adam worried. Rocky sounded worn out. Adam wet his lips, maybe he shouldn’t have let Rocky talk him about of dropping everything and helping out when Jill had left.
“How are things?” Adam stalled as he considered how long it would take him to drop his plans with Aisha to pack up his apartment next week. He was sure he could hire movers and that Aisha would understand them not spending the time together. Even if he could get Aisha to hide anything that might reveal his past he didn’t want strangers going through his things, but if Rocky needed help then he’d just have to put up with it.
“Okay, I’m good.”
“You don’t sound good.”
Rocky laughed, “I’m fine Adam. Don’t you dare change any of your plans. I’ll see you in a few weeks when you move back here. I’ve got more than enough help with my parents, Rachel, Aisha’s parents, your parents…the list goes on dude, so stop worrying. Jason and Kim are over here nearly every other day, and you wouldn’t believe this gift box Kat sent me. It’s insane. I’m not going to have to buy diapers for awhile.”
“Then why do you sound exhausted?”
That was a stupid question, Adam told himself. Rocky was trying to take care of a baby on his own, of course he was exhausted.
“I’ve been trying to convince Rachel that I don’t need to apply for full custody of Bobby,” Rocky told him.
“Who’s Rachel?”
“Jill’s mom.”
Adam took a moment to process, before he said, “Rocky, if Jill’s mom is telling you that you need to make sure her daughter doesn’t have any custody when it comes to Bobby then I think you should listen to her.”
“She just couldn’t handle it,” Rocky defended.
“She left without a word or a note, just dropped Bobby off at your parents and skipped town. She only got a hold of her mother three days after she left and you guys were already in a panic,” Adam reminded as calmly as he could. He been visiting his parents when Jill had left and he never wanted to see Rocky that scared ever again.
“She was drunk when she called too,” Rocky added his voice going flat and apathetic.
“Yeah,” Adam said carefully before he asked gently, “Is that the kind of woman you want raising your child?”
“I…I don’t know, okay? I’ve been so busy that it’s been hard to even deal.”
“It’s been two months,” Adam reminded, “I know you’re busy and if you want I can…”
“No,” Rocky told him, “you finally got a vacation and trust me once you and Jason open this dojo you’ll be busy. You deserve this vacation and I’m not letting me be a reason that you don’t enjoy it. You’ll probably be lucky to get time off to fight these alien creatures that Tommy says are going to be ejected by that Abyss of Evil thing.”
“I think it was Hayley who said that.”
“Yeah well it’s Tommy making sure a team is put together, and that we have babysitters. Who’d have thought we’d be suiting up while some of us need babysitters?”
“Well I don’t need one.”
“Give it a few years,” Rocky told him.
Adam laughed, “So I’ll see you in a about two weeks?”
“Yep.”
“Want me to give you back to Tommy?”
“Nah, man, he’ll just try and tell me to listen to Rachel again.”
“I’m telling you to listen to her again.”
“I’ll think about it,” Rocky told him.
“You do that.”
“Bye.”
“Bye,” Adam said as he hung up the phone. As he put it back into the receiver he took in Tommy standing in front of the now set up dining room table with a frown on his face. Tommy turned and looked at him with confusion.
“What?” he asked.
“Hayley’s right, right?” Tommy asked.
“You’re going to have to explain what Hayley’s supposed to be right about in the first place.”
“Well I know you’re staying for dinner. I know Conner is coming over for dinner, but is Dustin? I mean I have enough food cooking if he does because I assumed Hayley was right and that you two…you two did right?”
“You’re trying to make me blush again.”
“Nah,” Tommy said shaking his head, “I’m second guessing my place settings. So...”
“Yes, Hayley was right. Is that okay with you?”
Tommy shrugged, “Why wouldn’t it be? I mean, it’s Dustin. He’s a good guy, you’re a good guy and he’s just starting to get over that jerk, so I’m cool.”
Jerk? What jerk?
“George?” Adam guessed.
“Yep, now he wasn’t a good guy.”
They both turned at a strange noise that sounded like a half shriek half laugh to see that Conner had Dustin over his shoulder and was spinning them both around all while saying something. Abruptly Conner put Dustin down. Dustin swayed and shook his head. Conner grabbed up Kaley in her carrier and gave Dustin a shove towards the house. Moments later they tumbled inside. Kaley was quickly set up on the breakfast bar while Dustin gave Adam a quick hug and then headed towards the stove.
“This have anything in it?” Dustin asked as he peeked at the sauce.
“Hi, Dr. O and um Dr. O’s friend,” Conner greeted.
“No, I figured you’d add some things,” Tommy told Dustin before rolling eyes, “Conner you met Adam at my wedding.”
“Dude, there were a lot of people at your wedding.”
Tommy shrugged, “You still met Adam.”
Dustin paused in taking things from the spice rack. He tilted his head at Adam, “You were at Tommy’s wedding?”
“I was in the wedding party.” Adam answered.
“Dude, I like thought you looked familiar,” Dustin smiled before he grabbed up the spices, took a spoon from the drawer and set about spicing up the sauce.
Adam frowned. Dustin had been at Tommy’s wedding? Well Conner was right, there had been a lot of people and he’d spent most of the night hanging out with Rocky and Aisha so it wasn’t like he’d gone about looking to meet new people.
“Are you staying for dinner?” Tommy asked as Dustin was putting the spices away.
“I…” Dustin frowned scratching his head before he turned to Adam, “Hey dude, are you staying for dinner?”
“Yeah.”
“Yep, I’m staying,” Dustin told Tommy before he frowned then patted at his side pockets. He tilted his head towards Conner, “Dude I think you made me drop my phone.”
With those words Dustin was out the door again. Conner looked to where Dustin had disappeared, then to Adam, then back to the door.
“Dude,” Conner finally managed as if that one word somehow explained the gravity of what he suspected.
Conner shook himself and took off after Dustin declaring loudly, “Dude you can’t indicate gossip like that and just walk away!”
Adam remained quiet until the door closed. He turned to Tommy, who only shook his head and said, “It’s normal.”
“So,” Adam ventured, “have they met Rocky?”
Tommy’s eyes widened, then with a groan he sank into a chair and dropped his head onto the breakfast bar. Adam poked him and in concern asked his name. Tommy waved him off and without lifting his head said, “If we’re careful they never will.”
Adam sat down next to Tommy, “Careful?”
Tommy looked up nodding before he went and grabbed another plate for the table, “All three of them were at my wedding and didn’t meet. It’s doable.”
Adam smiled, that would explain why he hadn’t met Dustin before last night.
Hayley walked in. As she carefully took Kaley from her carrier she asked, “What have those two done now?”
“Dustin lost his phone.”
Hayley sighed, before she opened the sliding glass door and told Dustin, “Check you’re lower left pant leg, the one with the zipper.”
Dustin unzipped his pants pocket and pulled out his cell with a grin.
“Now put it back,” Hayley instructed before she closed the door and accepted a kiss from Tommy, “Hi.”
“Hi,” Tommy greeted back, “I’m a wonderful husband, I made dinner.”
Suddenly a timer went off at the same time that the pot began to boil over. As Tommy rushed over to the stove Adam and Hayley greeted one another.