Weight of the World-p.r.s

25-the shark and the wolf

"No need to thank me," Jayden stated, stammering as he tried to find the words to say. Why was this so awkward for him? He didn't really know. "You're... you're interesting." He mumbled, and Brooke let out a quiet laugh, dropping her hand to her side.

"Good interesting or bad interesting?" Brooke wondered jokingly, and then made a noise of surprise when she felt calloused hands cup her face gently.

"It depends on the day," Jayden retorted after he regained his composure (and his confidence), and Brooke pretended to pout, her eyes flashing. It was times like these that he always enjoyed, happy memories that made fighting the war not too terrible. "Mostly good, though." He added, and Brooke hummed in response.

They were more physically affectionate with each other than Brooke was with anyone she had dated- and that realization dawned on her. Did that mean anything, or was it just because they were both touch starved? It wasn't like it was bad, but it was just confusing. Maybe she was just overthinking this due to the pain, and Brooke summed it up to that. She tried to ignore the way she was straddling Jayden's lap, her cheeks burning as she thought of the implications. She didn't bring it up, because he didn't say anything, but still. It was almost three in the morning and she was sitting on his lap while he was stroking her face. It wasn't embarrassing, it was just foreign. Even for her.

"You're muttering to yourself and your face is warm. What're you thinking about?" Jayden teased, and Brooke's eyes flashed as she averted her gaze from him.

"I- I don't like it when you use my tricks against me, Red," Brooke fired back, deflecting the question. Because she didn't want to go down that road anytime soon. Especially now. "I need to take some pain meds though, that's what I need to do." She thought aloud, reaching over and flicking on the lamp.

She felt as Jayden's hands dropped from her cheeks to her hips, and the light revealed how red his face was. All the confidence he had left his body, and his gaze landed anywhere but Brooke's face. Well, now they were here. The light broke any tension- which was romantic and somewhat sexual, and it left the two just embarrassed. They just stared at each other for a moment, Brooke's eyes flashing multiple times.

"Y'know what, let's just go back to sleep," Brooke announced, getting off of Jayden's lap and sitting on her side of the bed. She reached for the bottle of painkillers and cursed silently at her shaking clawed hands. She didn't even know why- it's not like she was new to being physically affectionate with someone. It was just Jayden. "If you, uh, feel uncomfortable- you don't have to stay. It's, uh... It's up to you." She added and kicked herself for the part of her mind that wanted him to stay.

"No!" Jayden blurted, and Brooke nearly spit out her water, forcing the two painkillers down. "It's not that- I... yeah." He trailed, and she smiled. It was frazzled, like they both didn't know what they were doing.

Which they didn't, the red and silver rangers just staring at each other for a minute. "Yeah," Brooke repeated in agreement, turning off the light and laying down quickly. "G'night, Red." She mumbled as she pulled the blankets over her head, Jayden following suit.

The two laid there awkwardly for a couple of minutes, their faces burning. The tension in the air was so thick it could be cut with a spin-sword, and it stayed that way until Jayden broke the silence. "Can- can I hold you?" He stammered, cringing at the fact that his voice rose in pitch ever so slightly. Well, tonight is going great, he thought as he waited for a response.

After a painful silence that left Jayden regretting every action he's ever made, Brooke spoke. "Yeah. Please." She was barely audible and rolled over so that she was facing him. It took a couple of moments, but then they were back into their usual position, Brooke laying her head on Jayden's chest, who had an arm around her waist. His heart was pounding in his chest, and she could hear it, but this time, she didn't say anything. It was already bad enough.