Fic: Change That Severs Me
Title: Change That Severs Me
Rating: PG-13 (drinking)
Summary: The first time Adam had a drink was approximately an hour after he had handed the Turbo powers over to Carlos.
Word Count: ~600
Pairing: Gen (Adam/Rocky if you're looking for it)
Disclaimer: Power Rangers belongs to Saban!
Continuity: Passing the Torch
Challenge/Prompt/Warning: hc_bingo - Prompt of alcoholism.
Notes: Many thanks to lielabell for the beta. Title is from a Dar Williams song.
The first time Adam had a drink was approximately an hour after he had handed the Turbo powers over to Carlos. It had taken that long to offer congratulations to the new Ranger, and then find a bar that would let him drink.
He had never wanted to before - he was a Power Ranger and a role model. Underage drinking wasn't really on the list of approved activities. He wasn't a Ranger anymore, and all he really wanted was to make everything go away. If he didn't have to be perfect anymore, then there was nothing that would stop him from trying to drink his problems away.
The alcohol burned as he finished the drink and started another. He didn't know how many he'd had, but it was enough that he was feeling it. He remembered that Rocky had said there was a physical reaction from losing your powers - but he hadn't said how much it would hurt. How empty you would feel. How there was suddenly a part of you missing. He took another drink. If he drank enough, maybe the hurt would go away. If he drank enough, maybe he would forget. Maybe he would wake up in the morning and the only pain would be the hangover he was sure he would have.
"Hey," a voice said from behind him.
Adam blinked, and wondered if the drinks could have been affecting his hearing, because it sounded like Rocky was standing behind him. That was impossible, of course. Rocky had left. Rocky had left because he wasn't a Ranger anymore, and he couldn't stand to be around them and all of the reminders. Adam hadn't understood that at the time. Now he understood it all too well.
He didn't bother to turn around. Rocky couldn't be there. Rocky didn't care. Rocky had never cared.
"Hey," Rocky's voice said again, and then Adam felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around, and blinked. Rocky was there.
"I think I need another drink," he said quietly.
"You've had enough," Rocky said. "I know, I did the same thing when I first lost my... when I lost everything." He took Adam's hand, and helped him to his feet. Adam was swaying slightly, but Rocky placed a steadying arm around him, after dropping some money on the bar. "Come on," Rocky said, and Adam allowed himself to be led out of the bar, wincing as the sunlight hit his eyes.
There was a beeping noise, but it wasn't from his communicator. It should have been. But it was Rocky's cell phone instead.
"Hey, Sha," Rocky said, as he prevented Adam from stumbling. "No, I found him. I've got everything under control - can you handle Kat and Tanya on your own?" He waited for a minute. "Okay, call if you need me."
"Sha's here?" Adam asked, the words registering.
"Moved back a little while ago, when I was going through my power loss," Rocky said quietly. "Losing it is hard, and nobody should have to go through it alone." He got Adam settled into his car. It was silver. It shouldn't have been silver. Rocky was red, or he was blue. He was supposed to be in colors.
Suddenly the fact that Adam was wearing green felt wrong. He wasn't green. Not anymore.
He felt sick.
"Just breathe," Rocky told him. "I'm going to get you home, and then I promise, it will all be okay."
For the first time since Adam handed his powers over to Carlos, he could believe that. Rocky was here. Aisha was home. Everything was going to be fine.
Rating: PG-13 (drinking)
Summary: The first time Adam had a drink was approximately an hour after he had handed the Turbo powers over to Carlos.
Word Count: ~600
Pairing: Gen (Adam/Rocky if you're looking for it)
Disclaimer: Power Rangers belongs to Saban!
Continuity: Passing the Torch
Challenge/Prompt/Warning: hc_bingo - Prompt of alcoholism.
Notes: Many thanks to lielabell for the beta. Title is from a Dar Williams song.
The first time Adam had a drink was approximately an hour after he had handed the Turbo powers over to Carlos. It had taken that long to offer congratulations to the new Ranger, and then find a bar that would let him drink.
He had never wanted to before - he was a Power Ranger and a role model. Underage drinking wasn't really on the list of approved activities. He wasn't a Ranger anymore, and all he really wanted was to make everything go away. If he didn't have to be perfect anymore, then there was nothing that would stop him from trying to drink his problems away.
The alcohol burned as he finished the drink and started another. He didn't know how many he'd had, but it was enough that he was feeling it. He remembered that Rocky had said there was a physical reaction from losing your powers - but he hadn't said how much it would hurt. How empty you would feel. How there was suddenly a part of you missing. He took another drink. If he drank enough, maybe the hurt would go away. If he drank enough, maybe he would forget. Maybe he would wake up in the morning and the only pain would be the hangover he was sure he would have.
"Hey," a voice said from behind him.
Adam blinked, and wondered if the drinks could have been affecting his hearing, because it sounded like Rocky was standing behind him. That was impossible, of course. Rocky had left. Rocky had left because he wasn't a Ranger anymore, and he couldn't stand to be around them and all of the reminders. Adam hadn't understood that at the time. Now he understood it all too well.
He didn't bother to turn around. Rocky couldn't be there. Rocky didn't care. Rocky had never cared.
"Hey," Rocky's voice said again, and then Adam felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around, and blinked. Rocky was there.
"I think I need another drink," he said quietly.
"You've had enough," Rocky said. "I know, I did the same thing when I first lost my... when I lost everything." He took Adam's hand, and helped him to his feet. Adam was swaying slightly, but Rocky placed a steadying arm around him, after dropping some money on the bar. "Come on," Rocky said, and Adam allowed himself to be led out of the bar, wincing as the sunlight hit his eyes.
There was a beeping noise, but it wasn't from his communicator. It should have been. But it was Rocky's cell phone instead.
"Hey, Sha," Rocky said, as he prevented Adam from stumbling. "No, I found him. I've got everything under control - can you handle Kat and Tanya on your own?" He waited for a minute. "Okay, call if you need me."
"Sha's here?" Adam asked, the words registering.
"Moved back a little while ago, when I was going through my power loss," Rocky said quietly. "Losing it is hard, and nobody should have to go through it alone." He got Adam settled into his car. It was silver. It shouldn't have been silver. Rocky was red, or he was blue. He was supposed to be in colors.
Suddenly the fact that Adam was wearing green felt wrong. He wasn't green. Not anymore.
He felt sick.
"Just breathe," Rocky told him. "I'm going to get you home, and then I promise, it will all be okay."
For the first time since Adam handed his powers over to Carlos, he could believe that. Rocky was here. Aisha was home. Everything was going to be fine.