Fractured Fates (S.P.D./inSpace Crossover/Power Rangers, prompt 10 ~ kiss
Taking a break between errands to post this, while I wait for Brother to get back. -Mops forehead-
Check the vid I'm listening to right now out, by the way, especially if you like slash. The editing is *gorgeous*, and the song's awesome. I's in love with it. ♥
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: 10 ~ kissing in the rain
Author's Notes: This is ... not what I expected either. o.O Angsty, which is good, but more so than planned. And there's a very subtle plot twist that I had *not* planned on putting in here. -Eyes ZhaneMuse-
Love and thanks to challon86 for beta and plot help.
There weren't enough stars in Newtech City, he decided. It was really too bright to see many, and the city's citizens really had no idea what they were missing out on. Space was always prettiest from far away.
Of course, the clouds could also be part of the problem, but that was beside the point.
He heard footsteps, but he didn't have to turn around to see who was behind him. He leaned against the railing instead, resting his chin against his hand. "I hate cloudy days," he remarked absently. "And cities, really. It's just not the same when you can't see the stars, you know?"
"Zhane - "
"There's something to be said for looking at them planetside," he went on thoughtfully. "I mean, there's *nothing* like space itself. But it's different when you're looking up at it from the ground. It almost seems ... smaller. And sparkly. You're so busy looking at the stars you don't really think about how dangerous it is."
"Zhane ... "
He hadn't realized he was crying until the hand gently brushed the tears from his cheek. He turned away from it, shaking his head. "I'm fine," he insisted shortly. "I'm more than fine. You don't have to worry about me."
Sky sighed quietly. "That was low," he muttered.
"Was not," he shot back. "If you worried about me, you would have thought about what you were doing *before* you volunteered for a suicide mission."
"I *did* think about you," Sky insisted.
"Don't lie," he snapped. "You volunteered half a second after Cruger said someone would have to go."
Sky grit his teeth. "I volunteered so *you* wouldn't have to."
"Sure you did."
"I did!" Sky growled. "We all know that you have the most experience fighting in space, and I didn't want it to be you, all right?"
"So it's better that it was you?" he demanded. "What exactly was I supposed to do if you were the one that didn't come back, Sky? What if it wasn't Jack? What if you *didn't* make it?"
"Then I wouldn't have had to be the one to live with it!" Sky shouted at him.
There was an awkward silence.
"Exactly," Zhane hissed.
He turned to walk away, but a hand grabbed his arm and yanked him back. His protest was cut off by Sky's lips on his. The kiss was firm, demanding, and the kind of kiss someone gave when they'd been terrified.
Several minutes passed before they came up for air. Zhane panted for breath for a moment. "I hate you," he muttered bitterly.
"You would have done the same thing," Sky returned, trying not to look as winded as he was.
"Of course I would have. That's why I hate you."
Sky rolled his eyes. "You are the most frustrating person I've ever met."
"Even more than Bridge?" he challenged. He knew Bridge was Sky's best friend, but Sky was also one of the first to lose his temper with him.
"*Way* more than Bridge," Sky grumbled.
"Thank you."
Sky looked exasperated. "It's not a compliment."
"Just because *you* don't see it that way doesn't mean it isn't," he dismissed.
Sky sighed, running a hand over his hair in agitation. "I just ... I'm not as strong as you are, okay?" he said finally. He sounded defeated.
Zhane eyed him warily. "What do you mean?"
For a moment, Sky almost seemed to fidget. "I couldn't ... If I was you ... I couldn't do it," he said finally. He was looking everywhere but at Zhane.
Zhane blinked, trying to place what Sky was saying. When it finally hit him, he stared blankly. He wasn't sure if he was flattered or offended. "And who said I can?"
*That* made Sky look at him. "You *are* doing it."
He shook his head slowly with a quiet snort. "So you never noticed how many times I get depressed or upset? How awkward I am at fitting in? How much S.P.D. isn't me?"
Sky frowned. "You fit in fine. Everyone adores you. Even the commander almost likes you now."
He laughed at him.
Sky stared. "You're serious," he said slowly. "Zhane ... "
He waved him off, not wanting to hear whatever he was trying to placate him with. "I'm *not* fine, Sky. The only thing keeping me together is you, and the team. Without you ... " he trailed off uncertainly. He hadn't meant to take the conversation this far.
Sky's hand settled lightly on his arm.
Sky wasn't the most physically demonstrative of people. He preferred to show his concern though a casual touch, or a measured look. And the look he was giving Zhane right now spoke volumes.
"I wouldn't have been able to handle it if you went, and didn't come back," he said softly. "It was selfish of me, and I'm sorry. But I couldn't stand being the one being left behind."
Zhane blinked. Hard. "What made you think I could have?" he asked, and his voice cracked.
His face was buried in Sky's shoulder before he was even aware of moving, and he wasn't sure which one of them had grabbed the other first. It didn't really matter. Sky's arms were around him, and his fists were clenched tightly in the fabric of Sky's jacket.
"Don't ever do that again," he muttered finally, his voice muffled.
"I won't," Sky said softly. "I promise."
He sniffed, and wondered when he'd become so clingy. He started to say something - the words were on the tip of his tongue - but he stopped himself. "Okay," he murmured instead.
There was a pause.
"Don't I get a promise?" Sky asked finally.
He hesitated. It's just a promise, he reminded himself. Sky doesn't know the difference.
But his mind wouldn't let him ignore what it was to *him*.
"You sure?" he asked after a moment.
He could feel Sky looking at him oddly. "Why wouldn't I be sure?"
He shook his head, pushing the thought away. "It's nothing." He took a deep breath, looking into Sky's eyes. "I promise, Sky. I will always come back to you," he swore softly.
Sky's answering smile made his breath catch.
He was waiting for the kiss when it came, and it would have been absolutely perfect if Sky understood. But Sky wasn't ready for *that*, and he didn't want to scare him. So instead he kissed Sky back with a gentleness they rarely shared, and tried to pretend to be happy instead of heartbroken.
His face was wet when they finally separated again. He panicked. "Sky, I - "
To his surprise, Sky looked upward in amusement. "What, it couldn't wait five more minutes to rain?" he asked aloud.
Zhane let out a slow breath, feeling inexplicably relieved. "Guess not," he remarked casually. He grinned abruptly. "Dance with me."
Sky turned to look at him incredulously. "Are you kidding me?"
He shook his head as the rain started to come down harder. "Nope. Dance with me," he insisted.
"You're insane," Sky retorted.
Zhane stuck his tongue out at him. "You're the one who promised to come back to me," he shot back. He turned before Sky could respond, let out a loud whoop, and jumped directly into a large puddle forming with a loud splash.
He tilted his head back to the skies above him, closing his eyes as the rain and tears streaked his face. He laughed because he was happy, and because he hurt, and because it felt right. The urge to move swept over him, and he spun around in circles.
Arms caught him as he crashed into something, and he opened his eyes at last to see Sky staring down at him in bemusement. "You're insane," he repeated, brushing some of the water from his face.
Zhane grinned at him despite the wave of dizziness. "But you love me."
Sky shook his head, chuckling softly. "Yeah. I guess I do," he admitted quietly.
Zhane's smile widened. "Dance with me," he said again. He straightened, wobbling only slightly, and held out a hand expectantly.
This time, Sky took it.
Check the vid I'm listening to right now out, by the way, especially if you like slash. The editing is *gorgeous*, and the song's awesome. I's in love with it. ♥
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: 10 ~ kissing in the rain
Author's Notes: This is ... not what I expected either. o.O Angsty, which is good, but more so than planned. And there's a very subtle plot twist that I had *not* planned on putting in here. -Eyes ZhaneMuse-
Love and thanks to challon86 for beta and plot help.
There weren't enough stars in Newtech City, he decided. It was really too bright to see many, and the city's citizens really had no idea what they were missing out on. Space was always prettiest from far away.
Of course, the clouds could also be part of the problem, but that was beside the point.
He heard footsteps, but he didn't have to turn around to see who was behind him. He leaned against the railing instead, resting his chin against his hand. "I hate cloudy days," he remarked absently. "And cities, really. It's just not the same when you can't see the stars, you know?"
"Zhane - "
"There's something to be said for looking at them planetside," he went on thoughtfully. "I mean, there's *nothing* like space itself. But it's different when you're looking up at it from the ground. It almost seems ... smaller. And sparkly. You're so busy looking at the stars you don't really think about how dangerous it is."
"Zhane ... "
He hadn't realized he was crying until the hand gently brushed the tears from his cheek. He turned away from it, shaking his head. "I'm fine," he insisted shortly. "I'm more than fine. You don't have to worry about me."
Sky sighed quietly. "That was low," he muttered.
"Was not," he shot back. "If you worried about me, you would have thought about what you were doing *before* you volunteered for a suicide mission."
"I *did* think about you," Sky insisted.
"Don't lie," he snapped. "You volunteered half a second after Cruger said someone would have to go."
Sky grit his teeth. "I volunteered so *you* wouldn't have to."
"Sure you did."
"I did!" Sky growled. "We all know that you have the most experience fighting in space, and I didn't want it to be you, all right?"
"So it's better that it was you?" he demanded. "What exactly was I supposed to do if you were the one that didn't come back, Sky? What if it wasn't Jack? What if you *didn't* make it?"
"Then I wouldn't have had to be the one to live with it!" Sky shouted at him.
There was an awkward silence.
"Exactly," Zhane hissed.
He turned to walk away, but a hand grabbed his arm and yanked him back. His protest was cut off by Sky's lips on his. The kiss was firm, demanding, and the kind of kiss someone gave when they'd been terrified.
Several minutes passed before they came up for air. Zhane panted for breath for a moment. "I hate you," he muttered bitterly.
"You would have done the same thing," Sky returned, trying not to look as winded as he was.
"Of course I would have. That's why I hate you."
Sky rolled his eyes. "You are the most frustrating person I've ever met."
"Even more than Bridge?" he challenged. He knew Bridge was Sky's best friend, but Sky was also one of the first to lose his temper with him.
"*Way* more than Bridge," Sky grumbled.
"Thank you."
Sky looked exasperated. "It's not a compliment."
"Just because *you* don't see it that way doesn't mean it isn't," he dismissed.
Sky sighed, running a hand over his hair in agitation. "I just ... I'm not as strong as you are, okay?" he said finally. He sounded defeated.
Zhane eyed him warily. "What do you mean?"
For a moment, Sky almost seemed to fidget. "I couldn't ... If I was you ... I couldn't do it," he said finally. He was looking everywhere but at Zhane.
Zhane blinked, trying to place what Sky was saying. When it finally hit him, he stared blankly. He wasn't sure if he was flattered or offended. "And who said I can?"
*That* made Sky look at him. "You *are* doing it."
He shook his head slowly with a quiet snort. "So you never noticed how many times I get depressed or upset? How awkward I am at fitting in? How much S.P.D. isn't me?"
Sky frowned. "You fit in fine. Everyone adores you. Even the commander almost likes you now."
He laughed at him.
Sky stared. "You're serious," he said slowly. "Zhane ... "
He waved him off, not wanting to hear whatever he was trying to placate him with. "I'm *not* fine, Sky. The only thing keeping me together is you, and the team. Without you ... " he trailed off uncertainly. He hadn't meant to take the conversation this far.
Sky's hand settled lightly on his arm.
Sky wasn't the most physically demonstrative of people. He preferred to show his concern though a casual touch, or a measured look. And the look he was giving Zhane right now spoke volumes.
"I wouldn't have been able to handle it if you went, and didn't come back," he said softly. "It was selfish of me, and I'm sorry. But I couldn't stand being the one being left behind."
Zhane blinked. Hard. "What made you think I could have?" he asked, and his voice cracked.
His face was buried in Sky's shoulder before he was even aware of moving, and he wasn't sure which one of them had grabbed the other first. It didn't really matter. Sky's arms were around him, and his fists were clenched tightly in the fabric of Sky's jacket.
"Don't ever do that again," he muttered finally, his voice muffled.
"I won't," Sky said softly. "I promise."
He sniffed, and wondered when he'd become so clingy. He started to say something - the words were on the tip of his tongue - but he stopped himself. "Okay," he murmured instead.
There was a pause.
"Don't I get a promise?" Sky asked finally.
He hesitated. It's just a promise, he reminded himself. Sky doesn't know the difference.
But his mind wouldn't let him ignore what it was to *him*.
"You sure?" he asked after a moment.
He could feel Sky looking at him oddly. "Why wouldn't I be sure?"
He shook his head, pushing the thought away. "It's nothing." He took a deep breath, looking into Sky's eyes. "I promise, Sky. I will always come back to you," he swore softly.
Sky's answering smile made his breath catch.
He was waiting for the kiss when it came, and it would have been absolutely perfect if Sky understood. But Sky wasn't ready for *that*, and he didn't want to scare him. So instead he kissed Sky back with a gentleness they rarely shared, and tried to pretend to be happy instead of heartbroken.
His face was wet when they finally separated again. He panicked. "Sky, I - "
To his surprise, Sky looked upward in amusement. "What, it couldn't wait five more minutes to rain?" he asked aloud.
Zhane let out a slow breath, feeling inexplicably relieved. "Guess not," he remarked casually. He grinned abruptly. "Dance with me."
Sky turned to look at him incredulously. "Are you kidding me?"
He shook his head as the rain started to come down harder. "Nope. Dance with me," he insisted.
"You're insane," Sky retorted.
Zhane stuck his tongue out at him. "You're the one who promised to come back to me," he shot back. He turned before Sky could respond, let out a loud whoop, and jumped directly into a large puddle forming with a loud splash.
He tilted his head back to the skies above him, closing his eyes as the rain and tears streaked his face. He laughed because he was happy, and because he hurt, and because it felt right. The urge to move swept over him, and he spun around in circles.
Arms caught him as he crashed into something, and he opened his eyes at last to see Sky staring down at him in bemusement. "You're insane," he repeated, brushing some of the water from his face.
Zhane grinned at him despite the wave of dizziness. "But you love me."
Sky shook his head, chuckling softly. "Yeah. I guess I do," he admitted quietly.
Zhane's smile widened. "Dance with me," he said again. He straightened, wobbling only slightly, and held out a hand expectantly.
This time, Sky took it.