A Little Gossip Never Hurt Anyone

By: Boxer Thief

Disclaimer: In my mind, they're mine, but my mind doesn't hold much power in the court of law.

Warnings: Yeah, definitely only putting these up on the first chapter from now on.

Chapter 5: Making Amends

Coherent thought fled from Sky's mind at the feel of Bridge's slim body against him. Nothing in the universe seemed of any importance except for the softness of Bridge's lips, the feel of Bridge's hair between his fingers, Bridge's entire essence. Sky tried to soak everything in at once, and it made his brain spin.

A growl of need reverberated in the back of Sky's throat as he tried to pull Bridge closer. Knees finally giving out on him, Sky let them fall onto his bed. He brushed his tongue against Bridge's lips as a request to enter, then froze.

In his thrill of having exactly what had been on his mind for the past week, Sky had failed to notice something. Bridge hadn't pushed him away, in fact he offered no resistance at all, but he hadn't responded either.

Sky slowly pulled away, though every part of him was screaming against this, and looked down at the green ranger.

Bridge's eyes were unfocused, and his breath was labored. His entire body seemed tense, yet his arms lay loose at his side. Sky's eyes wandered to Bridge's hair, which he had just discovered was even softer than it looked, and then to his lips, which were still slightly damp and bruised at the treatment they just underwent. Sky licked his lips as he tried to regain enough composer to speak.

"Bridge?" Bridge's gaze shot to Sky at the sound of his voice. Blue eyes filled with shock and confusion stared up at him questioningly.

Sky faltered under that look and tried to think of something to say. What could he say? No words would explain why he had just practically molested his best friend.

Bridge continued to stare at Sky, who tore his eyes away, ashamed. "I...I'm sorry," Sky whispered.

That was all Sky managed before pushing himself up and running out the door, Bridge still frozen on Sky's bed.

Jack smiled as he ruffled a towel through his damp hair. There was nothing like a long warm shower after a hard work out. Glancing at this watch, his grin widened when he realized he still had a couple of hours before his reports were due, which he, for once, had finished. His steps became more bouncy as he pictured the nap that he felt was in order.

Jack was torn from his day dream when a very solid body rammed into his shoulder. He took a step back to regain his balance and frowned as he recognized the passing blue ranger.

"Sky, what-" Jack's words died in his throat when Sky's eyes shot up and glared at him. Jack still stood frozen in place as Sky continued to storm down the hallway.

There had been anger in that look, but the anger was something Jack was plenty used to by now. Shining deep in Sky's eyes had been something that Jack had never seen in them, and never wanted to again.

Broken. That's what Sky's eyes screamed. Broken and dying.

Jack broke out of his stupor as he realized just what must have put that look in Sky's eyes. He shot down the hallway the way Sky had come until he reached the door he was looking for.

"Bridge!" Jack called out, banging on his friend's living quarters' door. "Bridge, open up! Don't make me use my rank to open this door because I so will. Bridge! Are you listening to – eep!"

Jack struggled to stay on his feel as the door he was pounding on shot open. Bridge stood in the doorway, hair and clothes ruffled, staring wide eyed at Jack. Jack studied Bridge's eyes, but couldn't pick anything out of the wide range of emotions swirling in them. "Bridge?" Jack questioned tentatively. "What happened?"

Bridge put his hand against his forehead, "I never saw if coming. I'm usually pretty good at getting some idea, but I had no clue. And then Sky just does this seemingly out of no where, which is totally un-Sky-like, but he hasn't been acting very Sky-like recently so I shouldn't be too shocked about that, but still. So I just didn't do anything! You understand, right? I don't know what to do." Bridge was pacing now, near hysterics. "I just don't want to lose Sky."

Jack grabbed Bridge's arm and forced him to look at him, "Bridge, you have to calm down, just-"

"I can't!" Bridge shouted and pulled away. "The emotion is so raw, and it just keeps coming." Bridge's face cramped and he massaged his temples. "My head is swimming. I don't know what I'm feeling and what other people's feelings are. They're all mixed up."

Jack bit his lip uncertainly. He never envied Bridge's power, and right now it seemed to be the main cause of Bridge's anxiety. "Come on," Jack said, pulling Bridge out of the room. "We need to get you some fresh air."

Bridge took a deep breath as he soaked in the silence that being on the roof brought. Jack had been right in bringing him up to the top of the academy, as he could already feel his head begin to clear.

"Better?" Bridge looked up from his sitting position to see Jack's concerned face and nodded. Jack smiled, relieved, and knelt down to be level with Bridge, "Good. Now tell me what happened."

"We were arguing," Bridge started, slowly. "Well, sort of. I felt mad, and...hurt. And then suddenly...Sky..." Bridge trailed off, fidgeting nervously. "He kissed me."

Jack let out a laugh at that, but tried to stifle it when he saw Bridge shoot him a look, "Sorry, it's just...that's just so Sky. He's not good with words, so he just resorts to the physical. But I take it you didn't respond favorably."

"That's just it," Bridge's eyes shot to the ground. "I didn't respond. I had no idea what to do."

"Well," Jack said, changing from a kneel to a sitting position. "It's not every day you find out your best friend is in love with you."

"But how does he know?" Bridge questioned. "I mean, he's only been feeling things for about a week now. Easy come easy go, right?"

Jack pursed his lips, "Bridge, you know Sky better than anyone. When he doesn't care about something, he doesn't have a problem letting it go."

"I know," Bridge sighed and glanced to the side.

Jack studied his friend, "So you know how Sky feels, what about you?"

"I have no clue what it is I'm feeling," Bridge replied honestly. "Sky was always just...Sky. He was my best friend. I could always count on him to be there, and I wanted him there. He was one of the few stable things in my life."

"Well, I don't know if this will work, but let's give it a try," Jack shrugged and stood up. "Bridge, stand on your head."

Bridge blinked confusedly at Jack, but did as he was instructed. "Now close your eyes."

"Jack, what-"

"Just do it," Bridge sighed and closed his eyes.

Jack paused, making sure that Bridge had done so, then continued, "I want you to think of a time, any time at all, where it was just you and Sky. A time when you were happy just being with him."

A memory quickly popped into Bridge's head. The first time he had made Sky laugh. He remembered being entranced by the sound of pure joy coming out of his friend's mouth, and the happiness filling him knowing that he was the cause of it.

"Now think of a time when you didn't want to let Sky go."

Jack's words prompted a scene change, and now Bridge saw him and Sky, clad in their D-squad uniforms, being stopped by a young girl, who had finally choked up the courage to confess her feelings to Sky. Bridge never understood the relief that passed through him when Sky had turned her down.

Jack spoke again, but his voice became a background noise as the memories flashed through Bridge's mind. Sky tackling him to save him from a falling tree, and the feeling of loss after he got up. Himself waiting by Sky's bed after he took a nasty hit on the field. Sky finally giving in and sharing a plate of buttered toast with him. Sky grabbing the ball right before Bridge was about to get hit, saving him from losing yet another game of light-ball. Sky standing up for him when he was being bullied his first few weeks at the academy.

Sky smiling, Sky determined, Sky concentrating, Sky sleeping. Sky, Sky, Sky. Dozens of images passed through Bridge's mind, along with emotions he remembered feeling but never thought about.

Jack stopped the flow of memories with a new request, "Now go back to today. Ignore the emotion shock and just feel it again."

Bridge concentrated. The image came quickly enough, but he focused on blocking out the emotions he sensed. He could see Sky in front of him, shifting uncertainly. He saw the fear in Sky's eyes and heard the whispered plea: 'Don't hate me.' There was a split second before Sky leaned in and pressed their lips together.

Bridge's eyes shot open and, for the first time he could remember, his arms gave out and he toppled over.

Sky fingered his rifle in his hands as he stared up at the five flying targets. Training helped him focus, and he hoped that with some shooting practice he could release some of the turmoil building in his head.

"Stupid Jack for making me think I had a remote chance," Sky took aim and watched the target explode.

"Stupid me for even listening to him," Sky continued. "Stupid rumor for existing in the first place."

Two more shots, two more targets down.

"Stupid Bridge for not doing anything," Sky didn't even look to see if he hit the target before casting his eyes downward. "Why didn't he do anything? He just sat there and let it happen. He could have pushed me away; he could have responded. Anything would have been better than just sitting there, staring at me with those bright blue eyes."

Sky clenched his gun and his eyes narrowed as he took in the last flying target and fired, "Stupid blue eyes."

Sky threw his gun to the side as the computer flashed a "PERFECT" after the target was destroyed. The practice had done nothing to calm him down; in fact it may have made his frustration grow. He exited the door, fully set to go for a run around the court, when he paused.

Bridge stood in front of him, determination written over his face, but it only slightly masked the uncertainty showing through his eyes and uncomfortable stance.

Sky eyed him, the now familiar need coursing through his body, then set his jaw and turned to go.

"Sky," Bridge's voice made him stop, but he didn't turn around. "About what just happened-"

"There's nothing you need to say," Sky interrupted. "I acted impulsively and I'm sorry. I'll get over it, and I hope we can still be friends."

"Sky, I..." Bridge said unsteadily. "I don't want to be friends anymore."

Sky struggled to swallow the large lump he now had in his throat. He had expected as much, but actually hearing the words was harder than he thought. "I understand. We'll still have to be roommates, but I'll try to stay away from you as much as possible."

"No, that's not...that's not what I meant. I just..." Bridge stumbled over his words. "Could you at least look at me while we're talking?"

Sky pondered the question before turning slightly and lifting his gaze to meet Bridge's. His breath caught when he saw the raw desperation present in his eyes. Bridge relaxed slightly at this improvement, but, despite his own request, adverted his gaze nervously.

"I'm sorry," Bridge said quietly. "It's just...I was upset. I felt like I was a puppy that got kicked but didn't know why. And everyone else knew but wouldn't tell me, and that just upset me more. But then...today happened...and you..."

Bridge trailed off and a slight blush decorated his face. Sky opened his mouth, but Bridge continued before any words came out. "Suddenly a whole new range of emotions flooded into my mind, and I wasn't even sure which ones were mine. I never expected that, and I think my brain just went into shock. I didn't know how to respond, so I just...didn't."

Bridge looked up to see if Sky was listening, or even understood. After noticing he still had Sky's attention, he took a deep breath and shifted his weight back and forth on his feet. "There's a difference, you know. Between wants and needs. A need is something you have to have, whether good or bad, while a want is something you feel like you need, but could live without. Even if it doesn't seem like it."

Sky studied Bridge, not sure where this subject change would go, but felt a surge of hope rise that he quickly tried to squash.

"And even with the differences, sometimes what you want and what you need are the same thing. Where what feels like you can't live without, you actually can't. But when it's that important, how can you even know that what you think you want is actually what you want and need? And sometimes you don't even know what you want until you are offered it, and that's something that you didn't know you always wanted. And so what you think you wanted isn't actually what you wanted so badly that you need it, and..." Bridge licked his lips and stared pleadingly at Sky. "Could you just be kissing me now?"

Sky didn't need to be asked twice, and before another word could be uttered, grabbed Bridge and leaned down into a lip-lock. His heart leapt when he felt Bridge's lips move eagerly under his own.

When Sky finally came up for air, he pulled Bridge into a tight hug and buried his face into Bridge's neck. "I love you," he whispered. "I love you so much. I thought if I gave it time I would get over it, but...I don't think I ever could."

"Jeeze, make me blush," Bridge chucked, but his own arms wrapped around Sky's body, and he let out a content sigh. "I never knew I wanted this. But I do, more than anything. I need you. I'm sorry I ever made you think I didn't."

"I think I was doing a pretty good job of that without your help," Sky said, a small smile on his lips.

The moment was broken by a small crash, which caused the two rangers to break apart and stare at a young female cadet, who apparently had just turned down the hallway that Sky and Bridge were currently occupying. She looked on them, open mouthed, and then apparently noticed the small pile of techno-pads she had dropped. "I...I'm sorry...I-" she stuttered as she tried to pick up her mess. "I'll just find another route to the lab." And before Bridge and Sky had even gotten over the shock of seeing her there, she turned and skittered away.

Bridge blinked, "Well, this will be all over the academy by morning."

"Not much good it will do, according to the rumors, we've been going out for some time now," Sky muttered.

Bridge's eyes widened in surprise, "Are you serious?" When Sky nodded Bridge laughed. "Trust the gossip circle to figure out our feelings before we do. Well, at least we don't have to worry about 'coming out' now." Bridge snickered at the thought, "Could you imagine that? I mean-"

Sky stole Bridge's words and breath away by placing a soft kiss on Bridge's lips. He smiled cockily when he pulled back, "Look at that. I finally found an effective and fun way to stop your ramblings anytime I want."

Bridge punched Sky playfully in the arm, "Ha ha, very funny. But we should really go some place where people won't be randomly walking by us. Come on."

He grabbed Sky and pulled him down the hall before Sky jerked him backwards and into another kiss.

Bridge stared confusedly up at Sky afterwards, "I wasn't talking."

"I know," Sky gave a soft smile. "That time I just wanted to."

A/N: THE END! Wow. That was the longest chapter so far. I'm terribly sorry that it took me so freaking long to get this chapter out. In my defense, I wrote an ending a while ago, and would have sworn I posted it. By the time I found out I hadn't, I was already in another country. So yeah, I had to completely rewrite this. It would have been up sooner if I didn't have such limited access to the internet here. Personally, I think I didn't post it subconsciously. I actually didn't like what I wrote. But this one, I like much better than the original.

Anyway, thank you my lovely reviewers! - That will be the last time you hear me say that in this story, so I wanted to make it count. And because of that, I would like to thank Enigmus, Sam, KuroKoneko, Star's Shadow, insanechild fanfic, Chounette, HarryPotterStarWarsGoddess, AGD, Armitage Blade, JQ-Quinn, rangerfan1994, ShadowWren, Psycho Tangerine, nishigawaw, Evil Salmon, and AngelMouse5 for reviewing for this story once. Also a huge thank you and a hug to XRachX and Hestia82 for reviewing twice. And a gianourmous thank you, a hug, and a batch of cookies for Crimsonred1989, MzDany, BridgeCrazy, and kikos ai for reviewing three times.

Lastly, we have a stupendous thank you, a giant hug, a batch of cookies, and a Sky and Bridge plush for Happymoose101, CamRan4Ever, and Patrick in a Heartbeat for reviewing for EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER! You people rule!