1992 Valencia Rd. - Saturday, Early Afternoon

[first_sixth]

One thing that Dr. Thomas Oliver has learned in recent weeks is that as exhausting as Ranger duties can be (and no one is more qualified than he is to talk about that), attempting to control a crowd of rowdy and sugar-buzzed teenagers can quickly become ten times as bad. Normally such inappropriate, rambunctious behaviour would have landed the

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[first_sixth]

Tommy's brow furrows in annoyance when the knock comes again; there's no way anyone could have missed that. He gets to his feet with a sigh of exasperation and sets his book on a table, then brushes himself off. Grass and flecks of the pale, dusty soil have a tendency to show up on black, and while the loose khaki cargos he's wearing are fine, the black t-shirt wouldn't be.

After all, even if the company is being annoying by ignoring what he said, he'd still rather not greet them looking as if he'd just been rolling around in a hay loft or something.

"All right, I'm coming..." -Jesus Christ...-Pushing his glasses back up again, in case the "pissed off teacher" look is required as a part of this exchange, Tommy walks around the side of the house until he can see the front porch. It's at that point that most of his voluntary muscle function ceases and he just stands there staring for a long while before breaking into a huge grin

[first_sixth]

"Thank you," Tommy says quietly. "I mean that." He walks past Jason and opens the door, stepping aside in the hallways so that his friend can walk past.

"The living room is in through that way," he says with a gesture. "Just... I hope you'll pardon the mess. I haven't really gotten much better about things like that."

Even though it's his house and thus his territory, Tommy keeps his head bowed slightly, as if in deference to Jason's temper and, on some level, authority. The last thing he needs right now is for a misinterpreted look or eye contact to bring on another fit of anger, or send Jason right back outside again.

[original_red]

"I'm glad some things never change," Jason says, not realizing how this statement sounds until it's too late to take it back. He feels momentarily bad for it, and then he shrugs. Why should he? It wasn't as if he didn't have a right to be angry.

He heads into the living room, finding a place to sit quickly.

[first_sixth]

...ouch. Tommy flinches at that one, but follows Jason anyway. A week ago he would have sat comfortably next to the other man, but circumstances being what they are he chooses a seat opposite, instead.

"Before I start," he says, looking down at his hands as if they were the most fascinating things in the world, "can I at least ask how you found out?"

[original_red]

"I figured it out," Jason says. "I'm not an idiot."

He shrugs. Part of him wants to be a jerk and withhold the information of how he figured it out, but there wouldn't really be anything to gain from that. So.

"I saw a news broadcast."

[first_sixth]

"News broadcast?" It makes sense, really. Just because Cassidy utterly failed at getting Ranger footage repeatedly, other reporters were more experienced. Rather than look for the Rangers, they waited where all the chaos was unfolding - they'd inevitably get the story that they were looking for.

He's never really stopped to think about pictures of the battles being broadcast outside of the city that they occur in, but he supposes that it makes sense. Still...

"It's not like we run around without helmets..."

[original_red]

"No," Jason says. "But I fought beside you for too long to not recognize your style."

Some things really do never change.

[first_sixth]

"You remem-" Tommy begins, then trails off. Of course Jason would remember; Tommy knows that he'd recognise Jason's fighting style anywhere, whether or not he could see the man's face.

"Of course. I... hadn't counted on that, but it makes sense." -I wish you were still fighting beside me, Bro, I really do. But I couldn't risk that, not after what nearly happened when Trey gave his power to you.-

Tommy sighs and finally looks up at Jason. "I owe you an explanation. A thorough one. But I gotta say again that hurting or upsetting you never even occurred to be as a reason to do what I did."

[original_red]

"Alright," Jason says. He exhales, the sound long and loud.

He knows deep-down in his heart that he can trust Tommy, but that didn't make this hurt any less.

"What happened, then?"

[first_sixth]

-Thank you,- Tommy thinks to himself. Aloud he says, "It's complicated and simple at the same time. I mean, yeah, when the Dino Gem chose me I can't say that I was particularly surprised and I certainly wasn't unhappy. Rita picked me to become the Green Ranger; how were either of us supposed to know that I was going to fulfill some crusty old prophecy and end up as this messed up Power Rangers messiah? I mean seriously, man, that's not something you read in your horoscope."

He runs a hand back through his short hair, the wayward spikes promptly deciding to stick out at funny angles afterward. God, there's so much to explain, so much that goes into the single reason he didn't say anything.

"For Rita, I was disposable. I wasn't going to be any use to her once I eliminated you and the others; hell, I don't think she would have been interested in letting me live after that. She wasn't what you would call warm and compassionate, y'know?" Tommy sighs. "I wasn't disposable to you, though. You weren't trying to kill me on that beach, you

[original_red]

Yeah, okay. Tommy was totally buttering him up to make him less mad - but Jason isn't complaining. Because, well... it's kind of working.

But he's not ready to say that yet.

"You're still as long winded as ever," he comments. But this is accompanied by a brief smile - apparently he's ready to tease, at least.

[first_sixth]

It's not so much buttering up as a babbled explanation. Tommy's not a brown-noser, after all. The little jibe from Jason eases some of the tension, however, and Tommy hesitates a sheepish grin of his own

[original_red]

All Jason can do for a moment or two is blink, as he absorbs all of this. It probably would have been easier to abosrb if it's been stated in a sentence or two - but Tommy never really was the type.

But then, he leans forward in his chair, and curls his hand into a fist. Reaching out, he knocks his fist into Tommy's forehead - in a friendly sort of gesture.

"Idiot," he says, fondly.

[first_sixth]

Tommy relaxes visibly at that.

"Ow," he complains jokingly. "Keep that up and I'll get dumber. Kinda hard to believe I actually managed a doctorate, especially after all the knocks I took to the head in high school."

He smiles warmly, more grateful than he can really say. "I glad you know now, really. It didn't feel right, not telling you. I mean, even after I found David, you've always been my best friend and the brother I didn't have growing up. Even just saying nothing felt like lying."

The smile turns into a grin. "I should probably show you the Lab, since no one's going to be around to freak out. It's really Batman-esque. Secret entrance and everything, and a hidden exit for the bikes and ATVs. Swear to God."

[original_red]

"Batman-esque, huh?" Jason laughs. "Yeah, I'd like to see that."

He ca imagine some of the details Tommy would put in. And even if he's wrong, well -- it's certainly going to be interesting.

Jason pauses for a moment, though. "I'm sorry," he says. It just... needs to be said. Because Tommy is his best friend, and he got so pissed off at him, and doubted..

Yeah. Apologies are in order.

[first_sixth]

"Hey, it's all right." And really, it is. "You had every right to be angry, and besides, I'm the one who should be apologising to you. Y'know, for keeping it from you and all. I'd have probably gotten just as upset if things were reversed." He grins. "I'm just glad all you did was punch me, rather than break me in half or something