Fractured Fates (S.P.D./inSpace Crossover/Power Rangers, prompt 5 ~ dream)
I went to Sizzler for lunch with my brother and my roommate and attacked the salad bar. Afterwards, I had vanilla ice cream with butterscotch topping and M&Ms. And when we were done, Brother and I went shopping and he got me a 1 terabyte external hard drive as payment for burning stuff off his computer. Oh, and we have a new cat toy that rolls around on its own and throws this little wand with feathers on it everywhere. Rhea loves it; it's entertaining to watch. ^_^ (Morning Star on the other hand, just stares at his sister with this expression of 'What is *wrong* with you?')
I am *so* wired right now. -Bounces-
Title: Fractured Fates
Author: Tsukino Akume
Relationship: Zhane/Sky Tate, Jack Landors/Syd Drew
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers, because I probably wouldn't have done this to it even if I did. This is all purplestripe66's fault.
Warning: Character with depression/health issues
Summary: When Andros put Zhane into cryogenic stasis, he didn't wake up until he was completely healed - twenty-four years later. Zhane finds a new team, and S.P.D. tries to deal with the aftermath.
List of 22: 5 ~ dream
Author's Notes: This chapter was inspired by these pictures: Snuggle-Nikolai and Aiden and KH: Little Devils.
Warm milk, Zhane decided as he returned his glass to the synthetron, was disgusting. He'd heard Syd mention the old Earth 'remedy' for sleep trouble before, and figured it couldn't hurt to give it a try. After fifteen minutes of trying to force the stuff down, he'd given up.
He returned to the couch with a sigh, regarding his paopu juice in silent contemplation. He'd also been secretly hoping that something warm in his stomach would help shake the memories of the dream, but all it'd done was make him nauseous. So much for Earth remedies, and nothing he'd done as a child would work here. Which meant that he'd have to find some other way to pass the time.
"What are you doing up?"
"Raiding the synthetron," he answered, glancing up. "You?"
Sky shrugged. "Couldn't sleep," he muttered, wandering over to get his own glass.
Zhane gestured to the couches. "Pull up a cushion. Tell me what's on you mind," he invited.
Sky just raised his eyebrows as he sat down across from him. "Shouldn't I be asking *you* that question?"
He blinked. "You're the one who can't sleep," he pointed out. "I was just hungry."
But Sky's stare didn't change. "New uniform?" he asked finally, nodding to Zhane.
Zhane looked down and winced. "Uh ... just ... feeling nostalgic."
He'd woken up cold and trying not to scream. He'd reached his closet, pushing his way to the back, and pulled out his old Megaship uniform. He hadn't worn it since the day they'd given him his S.P.D. uniform, and to be honest, he was still a little surprised it'd survived cyrosleep intact. But wearing it, even in the middle of the night with no one else around while he sipped his favorite juice, brought him a sense of comfort.
"Nostalgic. Right," Sky said sarcastically. "For the first time in the month and a half you've been here, you suddenly felt like wearing your old uniform for no reason at all."
"Hey, at least I don't *sleep* in mine!" Zhane shot back. "I woke up and I was cold, so I grabbed the first thing I saw. You got a problem with that?"
"Apparently you do," Sky returned, oddly calm.
He glared.
Sky stared at him.
"I had a nightmare, okay?" he snapped finally. He scowled down at his paopu juice, taking a long drink before setting it down and folding his arms petulantly. "I woke up, I was cold, and I grabbed my Megaship uniform. It's not a big deal."
There was a long silence.
"I'm guessing that means you don't want to talk about it," Sky remarked.
Zhane gave him a withering look.
Sky held up his hands defensively. "Just asking. You seem like you need to."
"Your people skills need work," he grumbled, feeling unusually irritable. He wrapped his arms around himself, pulling the sleeves of his jacket over his hands and bringing his legs up to his chest. "What I *need* is to get warm."
He glared at the floor for several minutes, too annoyed and embarrassed to look at Sky. He was angry: at himself, for being so upset over a stupid dream. At Sky, for caring. At S.P.D. for being there when he woke up. At Andros, for refusing to let him die.
He was so angry he wanted to cry.
The couch shifted beside him, and an arm slowly came around his shoulders as he jumped. But Sky persisted, pulling him against his side and forcing his head down on the other teen's shoulder. A hand came up to rest briefly against his forehead before moving down to touch his cheek. "You're not cold, Zhane," he said after a moment.
"On the outside," he whispered, eyes burning.
He didn't know when the first tear finally fell. All he knew was that his face was buried against Sky's shoulder now, his hands fisting in blue t-shirt. And Sky's arms were wrapped around him, holding him close while he shuddered. Whether it was from cold or sobs, he didn't know.
For a guy with a reputation of being unemotional - and he honestly didn't understand where that had come from - Sky was surprisingly sensitive. He didn't say anything to placate him, didn't even make any soothing noises. Instead he quietly requested for the central computer to raise the room's temperature and pulled Zhane into his lap and as close to him as possible. And when Zhane's tears finally stopped, he stayed silent, and made no attempts to move.
"It was ice," Zhane mumbled finally, his head still tucked against Sky's shoulder. "I was trapped in ice, and I couldn't move. There were people ... outside, but they couldn't hear me. I kept screaming for help, but ... no one ever came."
He felt Sky swallow awkwardly. "Were you self-aware while you were in cryogenic stasis?" he asked finally.
He shrugged a shoulder. "Don't know. I think ... I might have been. Maybe a little, towards the end. I think I tried to block it from my mind, though."
"Forcing the memories to resurface in your dreams," Sky murmured understandingly. His arms tightened a little.
Zhane sighed, turning his head just enough to rest against Sky's neck. "I think I hate him sometimes," he remarked suddenly. "I shouldn't - he was trying to save my life. I mean, I get that."
"But you didn't want it to be saved," Sky finished.
He blinked harshly again, and swallowed. For some reason, saying it felt like a betrayal to Sky, and he wasn't sure why. "Yeah," he said softly.
There was a pause. "And what about the rest of the time?"
He frowned, pulling away just enough to lift his head. "Huh?"
Sky stared back at him solemnly. "You said you hate him sometimes," he repeated. "What about the rest of the time?"
Zhane started to answer and stopped, frowning deeper. "I ... " He paused and shook his head. "I don't know," he mumbled finally.
"Do you hate S.P.D.?"
"As in the Rangers, or the organization?" he asked warily.
Sky shrugged. "Either."
"The organization, sure." He shook his head. "This isn't the way Rangers are supposed to be. I understand what else it is that we do here, and I respect that. But S.P.D. shouldn't have Rangers." He paused, glancing back at Sky. "But for the Rangers themselves ... " He shrugged a little. "You're my team."
"So you like us because you have to?"
He threw a light punch against Sky's shoulder without stopping to think about it, scowling at the way Sky smirked for the weak attempt and awkward angle. "I don't like anyone because I have to," he informed him shortly. "Why do you think Cruger and I can't stand each other?"
"Because you're anti-authority, and he's your boss?" Sky asked wryly.
He rolled his eyes. "Well yes, obviously. But Cruger makes me mad because I don't like his expectations for me, especially when he doesn't meet mine. But how I feel about him has nothing to do with how I feel about you guys."
Sky frowned. "You have expectations for Cruger?"
"Of course. Don't you?" he returned flippantly. He sighed at Sky's expression. "Cruger serves as the mentor for this team, but he's also a Ranger. What I expect from him is to treat me as an equal as a Ranger, but also be supportive as a mentor. And for him to find a balance between mentor and teammate. So far all he's managed to do is drive me crazy, so I decided to return the favor."
Sky looked thoughtful for some reason. "Do you have expectations for the rest of us?" he asked.
Zhane shrugged. "I expect you to respect me and each other. I expect you to have my back. Other than that ... I guess not."
There was a long pause as Sky seemed to think this over. Zhane let him, feeling worn out from everything, even if he wasn't actually tired. He was about to put his head back on Sky's shoulder when he spoke. "Do you have expectations for me?"
He paused. Trying not to show how hard his heart was beginning to pound, he turned to give Sky a measured look. "Expectations as what?" he asked slowly.
Sky had gone stiff and awkward on him again, which was only emphasized more when he swallowed. "As me."
Zhane looked down, considering his answer. "I already told you what I expect of you as a teammate," he said finally. "As a friend, I expect you to be whatever I need you to be when I need it."
He looked up then, meeting Sky's eyes directly. "As more than a friend, I would expect you to know that I'm me, and that's not going to change anymore than I'd want you to." He hesitated when Sky just kept staring at him. "I'm not subtle, Sky," he reminded him. "If we ... if you wanted ... " He hadn't felt this awkward in years. What was *wrong* with him tonight? "I'm not going to hide it. I'm an affectionate guy."
Sky was still staring at him, which he was really hoping was a good thing. "The S.P.D. Manual - "
"Doesn't apply to Rangers," he interrupted. "And the Code of Rangers is always above the rules of everyone else."
"Code of Rangers?" Sky repeated, raising his eyebrows. "Seriously?"
He made a face, shoving lightly against Sky's chest as he felt some of the weight lift off of his shoulders. "Hey, I don't make this stuff up, okay? That's what they told me when I was still in training."
"I was going to say," Sky began, and suddenly his hand was on Zhane's cheek and he was leaning in so close he could feel warm breath against his face. "That the S.P.D. Manual states that while all types of relationships are allowed in S.P.D., they are frowned upon between members of the same squad. It also has a subtext about being discreet."
Zhane's hand closed around the front of Sky's shirt, and he smirked faintly. "Ranger Code *encourages* relationships between teammates," he murmured, his lips nearly touching Sky's. "Better another Ranger than a civilian. And Ranger Code ... " He leaned forward, lightly brushing their lips together and pulling away. "Always," he breathed, leaning in again, "Trumps - "
Sky cut him off, yanking him close for another kiss.
Sky's kisses were hot and demanding, and left Zhane feeling a bit lightheaded, like he'd just had the breath sucked out of him. It was a feeling he could *definitely* get used to, and he had no problems encouraging his ... whatever Sky was. Labels were for people who had self-image issues, anyway.
He wasn't sure when he ended up with his back on the couch and Sky leaning over him, but he wasn't exactly protesting the view. "You," he panted, trying to regain his mental footing. Man, Sky was distracting when he was feeling ambitious. "Are enjoying this, *entirely* too much."
He tilted his head as Sky leaned down to kiss the side of his neck, chuckling. "Well, you're not cold anymore, are you?"
He hit him.
****
"You love me," Syd informed Zhane as he joined her at their regular table in the mess hall.
He blinked. "Yes, I do," he said slowly. "What in particular do I love you for at this moment?"
She placed something in his hand, folding his fingers over to wrap around it. "Save it. Treasure it," she said solemnly. "And remember that if you break his heart, there will be no place in this universe for you to hide from my wrath."
With that she leaned forward to kiss his cheek, smiled brightly, and stood up. "Congratulations," she told him cheerfully, patting his head. She grabbed her tray and walked off whistling.
He sat for a moment, trying to figure out why he felt like he should spend the rest of the morning hiding from the wrath of B Squad. He dismissed the idea, and looked down at his hand to see what she'd given him.
It was a picture, probably snagged with the Polaroid camera he'd seen Z with before. He and Sky in the Rec Lounge, after the sudden make-out session had cooled, and they'd started talking until they fell asleep. Sky had nodded off more or less sitting up, slouched down on the couch in a very not-Sky position. Zhane had curled up in his lap at some point, and by the time the picture was taken, had his knees pulled up, left arm trailing along the ground. The important part of the picture however, was the fact that Sky's arms had wrapped around him protectively in the night, holding him close, while his right hand had come up to rest lightly against Sky's cheek.
He stared down at it for several minutes. Well, he had told Sky he wasn't subtle. At least he'd been able to warn him before the word got out that they were ... something. And with Syd around it undoubtedly would, if only because she wanted everyone to know that her friends were off limits to everyone else.
"Morning," Sky yawned as he and Bridge joined him, looking unusually tired. He nodded to Zhane's hand. "What's that?"
Zhane looked up, smiled, and tucked the picture into his inner jacket pocket. "Just something. Morning, Bridge." He leaned over without warning and kissed Sky directly on the lips - in front of the entire mess hall. "Morning, Blue," he said cheerfully, snagging the apple off of Sky's tray as he headed for the door. He paused to wave to Jack and Z as they stood frozen, gaping at him, and left the mess hall whistling Syd's tune to himself.
Whatever it was, it was kind of catchy.