Placement
I uploaded this icon expressly for this post.
And while trying to remember how to spell the Jungle Fury Rangers’ academy:
Akume: Well, Stars says it's Pai Zhua, so that's what I'm going with.
purplestipe66: Good rationalization!
Akume: -Amused- As always, my definition of the world is set by Starandrea .
Akume: It's a good way to live.
purplestripe66: [nods firmly] Yes. Yes it is
Akume: This is so going on my LiveJournal.
Behold, the R.J. Plot Bunny is complete!
Author/: Tsukino Akume
Fandom/: Power Rangers S.P.D/Jungle Fury Crossover, multiple Rangers from various seasons mentioned (Bright Skies Universe)
Characters/: R.J. and Sky
Pairings/: Wes/Eric, R.J./Vanessa
Rating/: K
Disclaimer/: I'd like to own R.J., so I could play with him. Or Sky. Or most of the characters from Power Rangers. But all I can do is write ShirtlessSky and drool over the imagery ...
Summary/: R.J. makes pizza and ponders life, work, and his family.
Warnings/: Slight spoilers for the end of Bright Skies
Author's Notes/: The explanation of Sky's spirit animal is for silverkat1620, because her reaction to it being mentioned made me laugh. Wes' spirit animal is blatantly stolen from BlackCrimsonLight, and credit for Vanessa's goes to him as well. Love to BlackCrimsonLight, weesta, m14mouse, and starandreafor help figuring out R.J.'s age and if he still has his Powers, and more love to BlackCrimsonLight for help with R.J.'s work history and where he was during Endings.
Dedicated to my brother's girlfriend and her son, who have pulled me into my own tribal family. ♥
He added a generous amount of flour to the counter he was working on. The moment his fingers touched the dough as he pulled it from the bowl he felt the tension in his shoulders begin to fade, and he let out a sigh of contentment. His hands remembered how to kneed the dough all on their own, and he closed his eyes in bliss. There were always more conventional methods of meditation that he enjoyed, but something about making pizza always brought him a level of peace he couldn't seem to find anywhere else.
He was home alone for the first time in ... well, who knew how long really? While the drama of the fight against Grumm was mostly over now, there was still plenty of reconstruction to be done at S.P.D., and Vanessa was long gone in taking charge of the Tech Department. Wes and Eric had escaped at the first chance they got along with a group of other Reds for some Color Bonding time, and he wished them well. Sky and the other S.P.D. Rangers were among those working on the manual labor and paperwork involved in rebuilding S.P.D. Earth, although Sky's shift was ending soon if he remembered correctly.
He, on the other hand, was still under house arrest by order of Vanessa, who still hadn't forgiven him. Wes had been sympathetic enough to help him out, but Eric laughed at him when he finally made it home. Sky hadn't seemed to say much of anything, but he wasn't sure if that had to do with exhaustion from the final battle, or a general apathy.
Then again, he never did seem to know what to make of Sky come to think of it, and Sky seemed to feel the same. They co-existed peacefully, for Vanessa and Wes' sake if nothing else. It wasn't that he didn't care about his step-son - of course he did - but his role in Sky's life always seemed ... uncertain.
Even when he'd first come to Newtech City after Casey's plea for him to help Wes, he'd been fascinated by Vanessa, Wes, Eric, Sky, and their complex relationships. Vanessa was easily the alpha of their strange little family, and she would do whatever she considered necessary to see her boys happy. Wes was the heart, the peacemaker, and the center all at once; he was what brought them all together. Despite what he might of thought, Eric was their protector, in the way he looked out for them all and 'mother-henned' them all, as Wes would have put it. And Sky was their pup, their reason for becoming a family. He was what kept them together, reminding them of their love for him and each other.
Watching them together had always made him a little wistful, he reflected, leaning harder on a particularly stubborn part of the dough that didn't seem to want to flatten out. He had his pack - the best he could have ever asked for, even if it *was* filled with cats - but it wasn't quite the same. His pups had grown up and his partner had found a mate. While their affection for each other hadn't changed, they didn't need him anymore. He was still part of the pack, but he didn't need to take care of them anymore.
It was a little lonely.
Running JKP had been his dream for years, but it had never been a permanent dream. He was a wolf spirit, and wolves went wherever the wind called them. They never stayed in one place for too long, because there was always something new to see and do, someone who needed them. He had initially come to Newtech City as a favor to Casey, to help Wes. But the moment he'd set foot inside the city limits and sniffed the air, he'd known that he wouldn't be leaving again.
Dom had understood immediately when he'd called his pack to tell them that he was giving Fran ownership of JKP, but then, Dom had been searching for his own place for so long. Fran accepted it more on the level that she knew she'd never understand the reasons he did things, and Theo had been of the same mind. Lily had been startled, but supportive. Casey had been shocked and outraged - until he finally made him understand that moving to Newtech City didn't mean he was leaving *them*. After that, his pack had wished him well, sending along plenty of information and references to get him firmly placed in his new home.
He never really explained to any of his new friends why he moved, and while they looked at him oddly at first, they never really asked. He'd learned early on in life that most people expected him to do random things for no real reason, and he took advantage of that whenever he could. It gave people a skewed view of the person he really was, but if they didn't care to know, he didn't see a reason to enlighten them. True enlightenment could only be found from within, after all.
He took his time stretching out the dough into the appropriate shape, giving the clock only a cursory glance. He had plenty of time. Not that he ever hurried when he was making a masterpiece, anyway.
His interest in Vanessa had taken him by surprise, but it had been a mostly pleasant one. He'd decided a long time ago that there was no point in looking for a mate, because his mate would find him when the time was right - he just hadn't planned on finding *her*. She was almost his complete opposite: fiery, temperamental, impatient, and bound and determined to have her own way.
But underneath all that, he learned that she was kind, and loving. She had taken Eric into her home for Wes' sake, and because she had seen how much he needed a purpose. She was strict with Sky, but it was only because she worried about him. A great deal of her anger and impatience came from her desire to protect others, and he admired her for that.
And somehow, she had learned to see past all of his effeminate habits and Zen-like rambling, and found who he really was. She had seen him as *R.J.*, not ... R.J. For that alone, he would have loved her. But when she found the desire to love him *back* ... that was when he knew he was lost.
Wes was a great friend to him, always had been. He admired Wes for his determination not to give up when he lost his eyesight, and his strength of purpose. They shared a sense of humor and a unique way of looking at the world, even if their views were different. Wes was someone he knew he could count on.
Eric had taken longer for him to find peace with. Eric was an excellent judge of character, but only *after* he - well, pulled his head out of his posterior and actually looked. He'd seen R.J. the same way that everyone else had: the eccentric, blatantly gay weirdo who never made any sense. His begrudging respect had only come from the fact that R.J. had made a point of acknowledging that to be a part of Vanessa's life had meant being a part of *all* of their lives.
But over time, he'd found Eric noticing the way he did things. And while openly their relationship didn't change, there was a sense of acceptance now that hadn't been before. Eric still rolled his eyes a lot, and R.J. still took a certain gleeful delight in torturing him, but they understood each other's roles.
He paused in reaching for the sauce, frowning. Well, Eric seemed to understand R.J.'s role. But *he* didn't have any clue what it was.
Their family was centered around Sky and their places in his life. Vanessa was his mother figure and disciplinarian. Eric was the one he confided in, the one he trusted to show him the ropes. Wes was Sky's emotional rock, and his ultimate picture of the sort of man he wanted to be. Together they made Sky's protective triangle: Eric as the body, Vanessa with Mind, and Wes as their heart.
Their new roles as the Newtech Rangers worked the same way. Eric, Vanessa, and Wes were one triangle, Taylor, Justin, and Chip the other. Together the two triangles made the perfect balanced team. It was the sort of ideal all Power Rangers sought to achieve, even if most of them saw it.
But then, the Newtech Rangers didn't exactly study Pai Zhua philosophy.
He sighed, setting aside the bananas and taking a large handful of blueberries. Unfortunately, this was the train of thought that got him started making pizza.
Exactly what was his role in this family? In Newtech? He knew he was needed here, but for what? He hadn't had any big, cosmic epiphanies since the day he brought Sheep home from the animal shelter he worked for, and that was less of an epiphany and more of a 'Hey, Eric could use another cat. This one even looks like him.' Well, that or he missed having a cat spirit around. He wasn't sure.
He sprinkled a few strawberries here and there, tilting his head in thought as he looked at his creation. More oranges, he decided. It needed a bit more tang before he added the kiwi.
Well, there had been the epiphany while he was in Ocean Bluff visiting the pack, but that was different.
So he was a Ranger without a team - locally, at least. And his role in the Collins/Tate/Myers family wasn't exactly clear-cut, either. The family gathered around Sky, and what was he to Sky? Step-father? Uncle? Mother's significant other?
The truth of the matter was that he and Sky weren't really close. He knew Sky didn't hate him or anything, but they just didn't really connect well. He was nature and going with the flow, Sky was so military-strict it looked painful. Sky was a cat person who liked dogs, he loved dogs and sometimes got along with certain cats. They really didn't have anything in common.
Which, when he was willing to admit to it, sort of hurt. He loved Sky. It had nothing to do with Vanessa; he loved Sky just because he was Sky. And Sky was loveable. The teen would have hated to hear it, but it was true. And while R.J. had never expected to care so much about him, the heart was one thing he'd never had much control over. Which was the way it should be, really.
He checked his time, sliding his first pizza out of the oven and setting it to cool, while putting the second in the fridge. Sky should be off duty by now. He had just enough time to clean up the kitchen and change before making himself scarce.
He glanced up, blinking, as the front door opened and Sky walked in, looking exhausted and filthy with his jacket trailing beside him in one hand.
"Okay ... Plan changed," he said slowly, looking his step-son over carefully. "I've got pizza cooling while you take a shower. Water or Juice?"
"Soda," Sky returned wearily, already stripping off his T-shirt as he headed for his room. "We still have grape?"
"Of course," R.J. promised cheerfully, mentally wincing. Well, there went the last of his soda stash ...
By the time Sky emerged clean and dressed in an old pair of hand-me-down sweats, there was a plate with two slices of cheese-tomato-and-pineapple pizza waiting for him at the breakfast bar along with a glass of grape soda with ice and a neatly folded napkin. R.J. had already re-tied his zebra-striped bandana - a leftover of his time at JKP - and was scrubbing away at the counter he'd been using. He glanced up to offer Sky a smile as the teen flopped down on a barstool, and went back to his cleaning.
Sky ate his pizza slowly and quietly, and R.J. studied him secretly. From what he could see, it had been another long day repairing the damage Grumm had done to Newtech City. Knowing Sky, he had been sent home early for a reason.
He didn't ask though. Sky would ask for help when he was ready to, and if he didn't, Eric would figure it out later and take care of the problem. Or Wes, if he found him first. And Vanessa would lecture him about hiding his injuries again as soon as she found out, threatening to do terrible things to him if he ever did it again.
He could also tell that something was bothering the teen. He didn't have the slightest idea what it was, being that there were so many possible things for Sky to be upset about right now. And again, if Sky wanted him to know, he would. There was no sense in pushing for something he didn't want to talk about.
Instead he reached over to turn up the radio a little, absently dancing to the first popular song they played as he moved. He finished cleaning his counter and washed the dishes he'd made, taking special care to hand dry the pizza stone he'd been using to bake. He hummed along to the first song he recognized as he pulled the second pizza he made out of the fridge and proceeded to slice it, sliding another plate in front of Sky.
He received a faint, tiny smile as Sky noticed the fruit pizza with extra blueberries.
He grabbed the seat beside him and absently chewed on his own slice, pondering the merits of adding blackberries the next time he made it. He offered a piece of crust to Jen when she whined at him, and sighed when Sheep turned his nose up at his own offering, only to daintily accept Sky's. "Cats," he grumbled.
Sky shot him an amused glance. "That sounds funny, coming from you."
Man, the kid even *sounded* worn out.
R.J. shrugged lightly. "I have better luck with other predators."
Sky raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you try to say Eric had a predator spirit once?"
"A Goshawk," he confirmed with a nod. "Fascinating birds."
"I would have guessed he was some kind of dinosaur, with the way he treats the Q-Rex," Sky humphed.
"Predators speak to other predators," he pointed out. "He doesn't have to have the spirit to understand the Zord."
Sky shrugged. "I guess."
Which would explain why we've never connected that well, he mused with a sigh, but he didn't say it.
"What was Mom again?" Sky asked after a pause.
"The Cat," he said immediately. "A Manx, to be specific. Wes is the Golden Retriever, and you have the spirit of the Weasel," he added, knowing what would come next.
"Why am I a weasel, anyway?" Sky grumbled. "Is that supposed to mean something?"
"Weasels are intelligent and observant. Most people underestimate them."
Sky frowned a little. "Oh."
There was another pause as R.J. reached for a second slice of fruit pizza, sliding another onto Sky's plate without being asked. He chewed thoughtfully, smiling faintly as he thought about how many animal spirits he'd come to know that his spirit would have never allowed in the wild. But then, his wolf spirit was somewhat unconventional - it was why they'd bonded. As much as they both enjoyed spending time with Billy, Merrick, Maya, and Leanbow, they felt more at home among a broader group of spirits. It was more balanced that way.
"Did Mom tell you what she's planning to do?" Sky asked abruptly.
He paused in mid-bite, eyeing his step-son as he finished chewing. "Your mother plans many things," he said warily after he swallowed. "Which one in particular are you speaking of?"
Sky stared at him, clearly annoyed. "She had her checkup with Aisha today."
Ah. That.
"She mentioned it, yes. Not before she made her decision, if that's what you mean."
Sky's stare turned incredulous. "And you're okay with it?"
He tilted his head, giving Sky a puzzled look. "Should I not be?"
"Your wife is going to have another man's baby," Sky reminded him, as if he'd forgotten. "Most people would be upset by that."
"Ah, but I'm not most people," he countered, waving a finger at him. "On the contrary, I'm excited about the prospect." He paused, considering. "Maybe I should quit working at the shelter ... " he mused.
Sky rolled his eyes with an irritated sigh. "Do you *ever* hold a job?" he demanded. "You worked at Wal-Mart for almost a year, swore up and down that you loved it, and then quit to work at the shelter out of nowhere. And now you want to quit that?"
"Working as a greeter was fun," he agreed. "But I was needed at the shelter, so I left. And I enjoy the shelter, but I'm going to be needed here now."
"How do you know?" Sky demanded. "What even makes you think you're going to be needed at home?"
R.J. shrugged, offering the teen a bright smile. "The wind told me."
Sky leveled him with an blank stare. "You say this stuff just to drive me crazy, don't you?" he asked finally.
He laughed openly, amused. "I say this stuff because it's true. Just because you don't hear something, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Seeing isn't believing, believing is seeing."
"Stop quoting old movies at me," Sky retorted, clearly annoyed. "I was being serious."
"So was I," he answered, smile fading as he regarded Sky. "I sense that I'm going to be need at home, so I'll leave the shelter. It doesn't mean I don't like working there anymore, it just means that I'm going to be needed more here."
"Why?" Sky sighed, looking tired and irritated again. "Why would you be needed?"
He studied his step-son again. "Because your parents can't take care of all of your siblings at once," he said finally. "They're going to need me to help."
" .... Sib - *lings*?" Sky asked warily.
He nodded, the corner of his mouth quirking in sympathy. "I'm not positive exactly how many, but there's going to be more than one," he confirmed.
"How do you know?"
He shrugged again. "I just do," he said simply.
Sky sighed, leaning forward to lay folded arms on the breakfast bar and bury his face in them. "The longer I know you, the less I understand you," he muttered at last, his voice muffled.
"I feel the same way," R.J. promised, reaching out to pat Sky's shoulder.
He paused when Sky flinched slightly, frowning a little. "I have a cream that can help loosen that up," he said after a moment.
A pause.
"Please?" The tone was plaintive, even as Sky didn't bother to look up.
He went to fetch it, pausing to sniff the jar as he opened it on his way back. "Sweatshirt off," he called, scooping a liberal amount of cream onto his fingers.
Sky groaned when he complied, and he winced in sympathy at the spectacular bruising that emerged. He hadn't seen that when he'd first walked by. "That's not new," he commented mildly, reaching with gentle hands to work the muscles.
" ... No."
"No matter how hard you work, there will always be others to share the burden," he pointed out quietly, ignoring the cream as he massaged Sky's back carefully. "You won't be able to share theirs if yours is too heavy."
Another pause.
"I think I actually understood that. What's in this cream?"
The corner of his mouth quirked again. "Honestly? It's body lotion. Softens your skin."
"Darn. That means you're actually rubbing off on me."
He pondered the various ways he could answer that statement and dismissed them, settling for a neutral noise as he began to dig his fingers a little more. Sky made a pained sound, and he lightened his touch again. "Sky?" he asked after a moment.
"Mmm?"
"What role do I play in your life?"
There was a long pause, and at last Sky glanced up to give him an odd look. "You're R.J.," he said simply.
He tilted his head, thinking. Huh. Yeah ... that made sense.
He kept working until Sky was nearly asleep, the muscles in his shoulder and back appropriately loosened. He added a little more body cream just to give a soothing sent that would help Sky sleep, and gently shook his uninjured shoulder. "You may want to relocate to your room," he said softly. "I'd offer to carry you, but I doubt you'd appreciate it."
" ... I don't think I care right now," Sky muttered eventually, but he pushed himself up anyway.
He supported Sky's arm as they made their way slowly toward his bedroom, careful to keep him from walking into anything. He eased Sky onto the bed, helping him to roll over onto his stomach. Sky made a noise of contentment as R.J. pulled the blankets up to his waist, leaving them loose around him. He hesitated, and leaned over to kiss the back of Sky's head.
He was partially out the door when he heard a sleepy " ... R.J.?"
He glanced back, one hand on the doorknob. "Yes?"
Sky sat up on one elbow just enough to regard him with half-slit eyes. "Did you really get arrested for punching an officer when you were trying to come back to help us?"
Technically, he'd been pulled over for speeding on his way back from visiting Ocean Bluff, after he'd sensed on the wind that his family was in danger. The cop had tried to arrest him after discovering the outstanding warrant on his record for that peace protest years ago that was totally *not* his fault that it went all wrong. He'd panicked and punched him in a desperate attempt to escape because his Pack needed him, only to be jumped from behind by the officer's partner and arrested for speeding, an outstanding warrant, resisting arrest, and assaulting an officer.
Wes had been slightly bemused at the sheepish call he'd finally managed to get through long after Grumm's final battle was over, requesting bail money.
"Yes," he said at last.
Sky gave him a slow, sleepy smile. "Thanks."
"Anytime," he promised as he gently shut the door.
Well ... hopefully not. But it was more than likely to happen again. This was him they were talking about, after all.
And while trying to remember how to spell the Jungle Fury Rangers’ academy:
Akume: Well, Stars says it's Pai Zhua, so that's what I'm going with.
purplestipe66: Good rationalization!
Akume: -Amused- As always, my definition of the world is set by Starandrea .
Akume: It's a good way to live.
purplestripe66: [nods firmly] Yes. Yes it is
Akume: This is so going on my LiveJournal.
Behold, the R.J. Plot Bunny is complete!
Author/: Tsukino Akume
Fandom/: Power Rangers S.P.D/Jungle Fury Crossover, multiple Rangers from various seasons mentioned (Bright Skies Universe)
Characters/: R.J. and Sky
Pairings/: Wes/Eric, R.J./Vanessa
Rating/: K
Disclaimer/: I'd like to own R.J., so I could play with him. Or Sky. Or most of the characters from Power Rangers. But all I can do is write ShirtlessSky and drool over the imagery ...
Summary/: R.J. makes pizza and ponders life, work, and his family.
Warnings/: Slight spoilers for the end of Bright Skies
Author's Notes/: The explanation of Sky's spirit animal is for silverkat1620, because her reaction to it being mentioned made me laugh. Wes' spirit animal is blatantly stolen from BlackCrimsonLight, and credit for Vanessa's goes to him as well. Love to BlackCrimsonLight, weesta, m14mouse, and starandreafor help figuring out R.J.'s age and if he still has his Powers, and more love to BlackCrimsonLight for help with R.J.'s work history and where he was during Endings.
Dedicated to my brother's girlfriend and her son, who have pulled me into my own tribal family. ♥
He added a generous amount of flour to the counter he was working on. The moment his fingers touched the dough as he pulled it from the bowl he felt the tension in his shoulders begin to fade, and he let out a sigh of contentment. His hands remembered how to kneed the dough all on their own, and he closed his eyes in bliss. There were always more conventional methods of meditation that he enjoyed, but something about making pizza always brought him a level of peace he couldn't seem to find anywhere else.
He was home alone for the first time in ... well, who knew how long really? While the drama of the fight against Grumm was mostly over now, there was still plenty of reconstruction to be done at S.P.D., and Vanessa was long gone in taking charge of the Tech Department. Wes and Eric had escaped at the first chance they got along with a group of other Reds for some Color Bonding time, and he wished them well. Sky and the other S.P.D. Rangers were among those working on the manual labor and paperwork involved in rebuilding S.P.D. Earth, although Sky's shift was ending soon if he remembered correctly.
He, on the other hand, was still under house arrest by order of Vanessa, who still hadn't forgiven him. Wes had been sympathetic enough to help him out, but Eric laughed at him when he finally made it home. Sky hadn't seemed to say much of anything, but he wasn't sure if that had to do with exhaustion from the final battle, or a general apathy.
Then again, he never did seem to know what to make of Sky come to think of it, and Sky seemed to feel the same. They co-existed peacefully, for Vanessa and Wes' sake if nothing else. It wasn't that he didn't care about his step-son - of course he did - but his role in Sky's life always seemed ... uncertain.
Even when he'd first come to Newtech City after Casey's plea for him to help Wes, he'd been fascinated by Vanessa, Wes, Eric, Sky, and their complex relationships. Vanessa was easily the alpha of their strange little family, and she would do whatever she considered necessary to see her boys happy. Wes was the heart, the peacemaker, and the center all at once; he was what brought them all together. Despite what he might of thought, Eric was their protector, in the way he looked out for them all and 'mother-henned' them all, as Wes would have put it. And Sky was their pup, their reason for becoming a family. He was what kept them together, reminding them of their love for him and each other.
Watching them together had always made him a little wistful, he reflected, leaning harder on a particularly stubborn part of the dough that didn't seem to want to flatten out. He had his pack - the best he could have ever asked for, even if it *was* filled with cats - but it wasn't quite the same. His pups had grown up and his partner had found a mate. While their affection for each other hadn't changed, they didn't need him anymore. He was still part of the pack, but he didn't need to take care of them anymore.
It was a little lonely.
Running JKP had been his dream for years, but it had never been a permanent dream. He was a wolf spirit, and wolves went wherever the wind called them. They never stayed in one place for too long, because there was always something new to see and do, someone who needed them. He had initially come to Newtech City as a favor to Casey, to help Wes. But the moment he'd set foot inside the city limits and sniffed the air, he'd known that he wouldn't be leaving again.
Dom had understood immediately when he'd called his pack to tell them that he was giving Fran ownership of JKP, but then, Dom had been searching for his own place for so long. Fran accepted it more on the level that she knew she'd never understand the reasons he did things, and Theo had been of the same mind. Lily had been startled, but supportive. Casey had been shocked and outraged - until he finally made him understand that moving to Newtech City didn't mean he was leaving *them*. After that, his pack had wished him well, sending along plenty of information and references to get him firmly placed in his new home.
He never really explained to any of his new friends why he moved, and while they looked at him oddly at first, they never really asked. He'd learned early on in life that most people expected him to do random things for no real reason, and he took advantage of that whenever he could. It gave people a skewed view of the person he really was, but if they didn't care to know, he didn't see a reason to enlighten them. True enlightenment could only be found from within, after all.
He took his time stretching out the dough into the appropriate shape, giving the clock only a cursory glance. He had plenty of time. Not that he ever hurried when he was making a masterpiece, anyway.
His interest in Vanessa had taken him by surprise, but it had been a mostly pleasant one. He'd decided a long time ago that there was no point in looking for a mate, because his mate would find him when the time was right - he just hadn't planned on finding *her*. She was almost his complete opposite: fiery, temperamental, impatient, and bound and determined to have her own way.
But underneath all that, he learned that she was kind, and loving. She had taken Eric into her home for Wes' sake, and because she had seen how much he needed a purpose. She was strict with Sky, but it was only because she worried about him. A great deal of her anger and impatience came from her desire to protect others, and he admired her for that.
And somehow, she had learned to see past all of his effeminate habits and Zen-like rambling, and found who he really was. She had seen him as *R.J.*, not ... R.J. For that alone, he would have loved her. But when she found the desire to love him *back* ... that was when he knew he was lost.
Wes was a great friend to him, always had been. He admired Wes for his determination not to give up when he lost his eyesight, and his strength of purpose. They shared a sense of humor and a unique way of looking at the world, even if their views were different. Wes was someone he knew he could count on.
Eric had taken longer for him to find peace with. Eric was an excellent judge of character, but only *after* he - well, pulled his head out of his posterior and actually looked. He'd seen R.J. the same way that everyone else had: the eccentric, blatantly gay weirdo who never made any sense. His begrudging respect had only come from the fact that R.J. had made a point of acknowledging that to be a part of Vanessa's life had meant being a part of *all* of their lives.
But over time, he'd found Eric noticing the way he did things. And while openly their relationship didn't change, there was a sense of acceptance now that hadn't been before. Eric still rolled his eyes a lot, and R.J. still took a certain gleeful delight in torturing him, but they understood each other's roles.
He paused in reaching for the sauce, frowning. Well, Eric seemed to understand R.J.'s role. But *he* didn't have any clue what it was.
Their family was centered around Sky and their places in his life. Vanessa was his mother figure and disciplinarian. Eric was the one he confided in, the one he trusted to show him the ropes. Wes was Sky's emotional rock, and his ultimate picture of the sort of man he wanted to be. Together they made Sky's protective triangle: Eric as the body, Vanessa with Mind, and Wes as their heart.
Their new roles as the Newtech Rangers worked the same way. Eric, Vanessa, and Wes were one triangle, Taylor, Justin, and Chip the other. Together the two triangles made the perfect balanced team. It was the sort of ideal all Power Rangers sought to achieve, even if most of them saw it.
But then, the Newtech Rangers didn't exactly study Pai Zhua philosophy.
He sighed, setting aside the bananas and taking a large handful of blueberries. Unfortunately, this was the train of thought that got him started making pizza.
Exactly what was his role in this family? In Newtech? He knew he was needed here, but for what? He hadn't had any big, cosmic epiphanies since the day he brought Sheep home from the animal shelter he worked for, and that was less of an epiphany and more of a 'Hey, Eric could use another cat. This one even looks like him.' Well, that or he missed having a cat spirit around. He wasn't sure.
He sprinkled a few strawberries here and there, tilting his head in thought as he looked at his creation. More oranges, he decided. It needed a bit more tang before he added the kiwi.
Well, there had been the epiphany while he was in Ocean Bluff visiting the pack, but that was different.
So he was a Ranger without a team - locally, at least. And his role in the Collins/Tate/Myers family wasn't exactly clear-cut, either. The family gathered around Sky, and what was he to Sky? Step-father? Uncle? Mother's significant other?
The truth of the matter was that he and Sky weren't really close. He knew Sky didn't hate him or anything, but they just didn't really connect well. He was nature and going with the flow, Sky was so military-strict it looked painful. Sky was a cat person who liked dogs, he loved dogs and sometimes got along with certain cats. They really didn't have anything in common.
Which, when he was willing to admit to it, sort of hurt. He loved Sky. It had nothing to do with Vanessa; he loved Sky just because he was Sky. And Sky was loveable. The teen would have hated to hear it, but it was true. And while R.J. had never expected to care so much about him, the heart was one thing he'd never had much control over. Which was the way it should be, really.
He checked his time, sliding his first pizza out of the oven and setting it to cool, while putting the second in the fridge. Sky should be off duty by now. He had just enough time to clean up the kitchen and change before making himself scarce.
He glanced up, blinking, as the front door opened and Sky walked in, looking exhausted and filthy with his jacket trailing beside him in one hand.
"Okay ... Plan changed," he said slowly, looking his step-son over carefully. "I've got pizza cooling while you take a shower. Water or Juice?"
"Soda," Sky returned wearily, already stripping off his T-shirt as he headed for his room. "We still have grape?"
"Of course," R.J. promised cheerfully, mentally wincing. Well, there went the last of his soda stash ...
By the time Sky emerged clean and dressed in an old pair of hand-me-down sweats, there was a plate with two slices of cheese-tomato-and-pineapple pizza waiting for him at the breakfast bar along with a glass of grape soda with ice and a neatly folded napkin. R.J. had already re-tied his zebra-striped bandana - a leftover of his time at JKP - and was scrubbing away at the counter he'd been using. He glanced up to offer Sky a smile as the teen flopped down on a barstool, and went back to his cleaning.
Sky ate his pizza slowly and quietly, and R.J. studied him secretly. From what he could see, it had been another long day repairing the damage Grumm had done to Newtech City. Knowing Sky, he had been sent home early for a reason.
He didn't ask though. Sky would ask for help when he was ready to, and if he didn't, Eric would figure it out later and take care of the problem. Or Wes, if he found him first. And Vanessa would lecture him about hiding his injuries again as soon as she found out, threatening to do terrible things to him if he ever did it again.
He could also tell that something was bothering the teen. He didn't have the slightest idea what it was, being that there were so many possible things for Sky to be upset about right now. And again, if Sky wanted him to know, he would. There was no sense in pushing for something he didn't want to talk about.
Instead he reached over to turn up the radio a little, absently dancing to the first popular song they played as he moved. He finished cleaning his counter and washed the dishes he'd made, taking special care to hand dry the pizza stone he'd been using to bake. He hummed along to the first song he recognized as he pulled the second pizza he made out of the fridge and proceeded to slice it, sliding another plate in front of Sky.
He received a faint, tiny smile as Sky noticed the fruit pizza with extra blueberries.
He grabbed the seat beside him and absently chewed on his own slice, pondering the merits of adding blackberries the next time he made it. He offered a piece of crust to Jen when she whined at him, and sighed when Sheep turned his nose up at his own offering, only to daintily accept Sky's. "Cats," he grumbled.
Sky shot him an amused glance. "That sounds funny, coming from you."
Man, the kid even *sounded* worn out.
R.J. shrugged lightly. "I have better luck with other predators."
Sky raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you try to say Eric had a predator spirit once?"
"A Goshawk," he confirmed with a nod. "Fascinating birds."
"I would have guessed he was some kind of dinosaur, with the way he treats the Q-Rex," Sky humphed.
"Predators speak to other predators," he pointed out. "He doesn't have to have the spirit to understand the Zord."
Sky shrugged. "I guess."
Which would explain why we've never connected that well, he mused with a sigh, but he didn't say it.
"What was Mom again?" Sky asked after a pause.
"The Cat," he said immediately. "A Manx, to be specific. Wes is the Golden Retriever, and you have the spirit of the Weasel," he added, knowing what would come next.
"Why am I a weasel, anyway?" Sky grumbled. "Is that supposed to mean something?"
"Weasels are intelligent and observant. Most people underestimate them."
Sky frowned a little. "Oh."
There was another pause as R.J. reached for a second slice of fruit pizza, sliding another onto Sky's plate without being asked. He chewed thoughtfully, smiling faintly as he thought about how many animal spirits he'd come to know that his spirit would have never allowed in the wild. But then, his wolf spirit was somewhat unconventional - it was why they'd bonded. As much as they both enjoyed spending time with Billy, Merrick, Maya, and Leanbow, they felt more at home among a broader group of spirits. It was more balanced that way.
"Did Mom tell you what she's planning to do?" Sky asked abruptly.
He paused in mid-bite, eyeing his step-son as he finished chewing. "Your mother plans many things," he said warily after he swallowed. "Which one in particular are you speaking of?"
Sky stared at him, clearly annoyed. "She had her checkup with Aisha today."
Ah. That.
"She mentioned it, yes. Not before she made her decision, if that's what you mean."
Sky's stare turned incredulous. "And you're okay with it?"
He tilted his head, giving Sky a puzzled look. "Should I not be?"
"Your wife is going to have another man's baby," Sky reminded him, as if he'd forgotten. "Most people would be upset by that."
"Ah, but I'm not most people," he countered, waving a finger at him. "On the contrary, I'm excited about the prospect." He paused, considering. "Maybe I should quit working at the shelter ... " he mused.
Sky rolled his eyes with an irritated sigh. "Do you *ever* hold a job?" he demanded. "You worked at Wal-Mart for almost a year, swore up and down that you loved it, and then quit to work at the shelter out of nowhere. And now you want to quit that?"
"Working as a greeter was fun," he agreed. "But I was needed at the shelter, so I left. And I enjoy the shelter, but I'm going to be needed here now."
"How do you know?" Sky demanded. "What even makes you think you're going to be needed at home?"
R.J. shrugged, offering the teen a bright smile. "The wind told me."
Sky leveled him with an blank stare. "You say this stuff just to drive me crazy, don't you?" he asked finally.
He laughed openly, amused. "I say this stuff because it's true. Just because you don't hear something, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Seeing isn't believing, believing is seeing."
"Stop quoting old movies at me," Sky retorted, clearly annoyed. "I was being serious."
"So was I," he answered, smile fading as he regarded Sky. "I sense that I'm going to be need at home, so I'll leave the shelter. It doesn't mean I don't like working there anymore, it just means that I'm going to be needed more here."
"Why?" Sky sighed, looking tired and irritated again. "Why would you be needed?"
He studied his step-son again. "Because your parents can't take care of all of your siblings at once," he said finally. "They're going to need me to help."
" .... Sib - *lings*?" Sky asked warily.
He nodded, the corner of his mouth quirking in sympathy. "I'm not positive exactly how many, but there's going to be more than one," he confirmed.
"How do you know?"
He shrugged again. "I just do," he said simply.
Sky sighed, leaning forward to lay folded arms on the breakfast bar and bury his face in them. "The longer I know you, the less I understand you," he muttered at last, his voice muffled.
"I feel the same way," R.J. promised, reaching out to pat Sky's shoulder.
He paused when Sky flinched slightly, frowning a little. "I have a cream that can help loosen that up," he said after a moment.
A pause.
"Please?" The tone was plaintive, even as Sky didn't bother to look up.
He went to fetch it, pausing to sniff the jar as he opened it on his way back. "Sweatshirt off," he called, scooping a liberal amount of cream onto his fingers.
Sky groaned when he complied, and he winced in sympathy at the spectacular bruising that emerged. He hadn't seen that when he'd first walked by. "That's not new," he commented mildly, reaching with gentle hands to work the muscles.
" ... No."
"No matter how hard you work, there will always be others to share the burden," he pointed out quietly, ignoring the cream as he massaged Sky's back carefully. "You won't be able to share theirs if yours is too heavy."
Another pause.
"I think I actually understood that. What's in this cream?"
The corner of his mouth quirked again. "Honestly? It's body lotion. Softens your skin."
"Darn. That means you're actually rubbing off on me."
He pondered the various ways he could answer that statement and dismissed them, settling for a neutral noise as he began to dig his fingers a little more. Sky made a pained sound, and he lightened his touch again. "Sky?" he asked after a moment.
"Mmm?"
"What role do I play in your life?"
There was a long pause, and at last Sky glanced up to give him an odd look. "You're R.J.," he said simply.
He tilted his head, thinking. Huh. Yeah ... that made sense.
He kept working until Sky was nearly asleep, the muscles in his shoulder and back appropriately loosened. He added a little more body cream just to give a soothing sent that would help Sky sleep, and gently shook his uninjured shoulder. "You may want to relocate to your room," he said softly. "I'd offer to carry you, but I doubt you'd appreciate it."
" ... I don't think I care right now," Sky muttered eventually, but he pushed himself up anyway.
He supported Sky's arm as they made their way slowly toward his bedroom, careful to keep him from walking into anything. He eased Sky onto the bed, helping him to roll over onto his stomach. Sky made a noise of contentment as R.J. pulled the blankets up to his waist, leaving them loose around him. He hesitated, and leaned over to kiss the back of Sky's head.
He was partially out the door when he heard a sleepy " ... R.J.?"
He glanced back, one hand on the doorknob. "Yes?"
Sky sat up on one elbow just enough to regard him with half-slit eyes. "Did you really get arrested for punching an officer when you were trying to come back to help us?"
Technically, he'd been pulled over for speeding on his way back from visiting Ocean Bluff, after he'd sensed on the wind that his family was in danger. The cop had tried to arrest him after discovering the outstanding warrant on his record for that peace protest years ago that was totally *not* his fault that it went all wrong. He'd panicked and punched him in a desperate attempt to escape because his Pack needed him, only to be jumped from behind by the officer's partner and arrested for speeding, an outstanding warrant, resisting arrest, and assaulting an officer.
Wes had been slightly bemused at the sheepish call he'd finally managed to get through long after Grumm's final battle was over, requesting bail money.
"Yes," he said at last.
Sky gave him a slow, sleepy smile. "Thanks."
"Anytime," he promised as he gently shut the door.
Well ... hopefully not. But it was more than likely to happen again. This was him they were talking about, after all.