Chapters:

1. Off Guard

"Guard's too low."

Cam slammed his fist into the punching bag with unnecessary force, and all it got him was an overextended elbow. He moved closer, refusing to shake his arm out, and continued the upper body basics with single-minded determination. Lunge punch, lunge uppercut--

"Your guard's too low," the voice repeated. It was louder, as though he might not have heard the first time. "You're leaving yourself open."

He didn't turn his attention from the punching bag. "I'm not a ninja, Hunter."

"You should be able to fight like one." It was hard to tell whether the Crimson Ranger's voice was mocking or critical. "You've lived it long enough."

He wasn't going to turn this into a testosterone contest. He continued the basics without another word, ignoring his unsought audience of one. The room had been empty when he started, and Hunter hadn't offered so much as a greeting since he arrived more than half an hour ago.

Until now.

"Look, I'm just trying to keep you from getting killed. If you don't get your guard up you're going to be vulnerable to all kinds of attacks."

He didn't give up, that was for sure. Cam slid his right foot back and pivoted, coming up with a knife-heel strike to his opponent's neck. Hunter blocked without seeming to move, grabbed his shoulders and slammed a knee into his gut.

Or he tried to. Cam let himself drop, hitting the mats and taking Hunter with him. In one smooth motion, he planted his foot in the other Ranger's solar plexus and tossed him over his head. He rolled over his shoulder and came up in a defensive crouch, ready for a return volley.

Hunter just lay there on his back, staring up at the ceiling as he tried to figure out what had hit him. Cam straightened, backing off the mats and snatching his towel up off the bench. "Thanks for the tip," he remarked dryly, heading for the door.

"Hey!"

He was almost in the hallway when Hunter's voice caught up with him. He hesitated, which was probably a mistake, and that was just enough time for Hunter to scramble to his feet and call after him. "Want to teach me that move?"

"Not really." It wasn't an answer he had to think about. Hunter had been more confrontational than usual lately, and the last thing Cam felt like doing was going one on one with him on the mats.

"Look, try to be a little less standoffish, okay?" Hunter sounded annoyed, but that wasn't anything new. Hunter had never had much respect for the team's resident computer geek, and the fact that Cam had powers now had done little to improve his standing in the other's eyes.

"That was a pretty cool move," the Crimson Ranger continued, though his admiration was grudging at best. "Don't you think you owe it to the team to share?"

And that marked the first time Hunter had ever used guilt to win an argument. Cam mentally added that to the list of Hunter's Unscrupulous Tactics. The list was already long and he was sure it was far from complete.

With a sigh, he turned back to the exercise room. "Fine. If you're so eager to get thrown around, I won't stop you."

Hunter grinned, startling him. "I know how to fall. Do you?"

"You're not trying that on me until you know how it works," Cam said firmly. "It's not as easy as it looks."

"Oh, come on." Hunter's grin had faded into his trademark smirk, and he gave Cam an uncomfortably thorough onceover. "I do know the principles of jujitsu. I've just never seen someone like you use them before, that's all."

"Prove it," Cam gritted, ignoring the last comment with difficulty. He got a grim kind of satisfaction from rushing Hunter, grabbing him in the same shoulder hold the other Ranger had used on him, and braced himself to pull his attack when his opponent didn't get out of the way quickly enough.

The next thing he knew, he was off-balance with a foot in his gut and gravity doing cartwheels on him. His shoulder hit the ground first and he tucked himself into a clumsy roll, slapping the mats with his hands automatically as he crashed onto his back. He stared up at the ceiling, trying and failing to draw breath into his suddenly empty lungs.

Then Hunter's face was looming over him, that stupid smirk still firmly in place. "Proof enough for you?" he demanded smugly.

Cam curled onto his side, laboring against the panic of breathlessness. It wasn't the first time he'd had the wind knocked out of him, but repetition didn't make the sensation any less frightening. He was going to kill Hunter. Just as soon as he could move again.

Black clad knees hit the mats in front of his face, and this time Hunter's voice was tinged with worry. "You all right? What's wrong?"

Yeah, and if he could talk, those would be perfectly logical questions. Did he look all right? Hands caught at his shoulders, and he didn't have the strength to shove the other boy away as Hunter shifted him into a more or less upright position. Then an arm snaked over his stomach, and he really tried to protest but no sound came out.

"Calm down," Hunter said irritably, pressing the heel of his hand against Cam's sternum. "Used to knock the wind out of Blake all the time. You'll be fine."

His open-handed grip pressed and relaxed against Cam's chest, uncomfortably close and only vaguely reminiscent of the first aid courses he had taken. But either the warmth or the shock loosened the muscles around his ribcage, and breathless gasps slowly gave way to one shuddering breath after another. He wasn't sure whether to envy Blake or pity him.

Shoving Hunter's hands away, he pushed himself to his knees and braced his arms on the mats. "Thanks," he gasped, straightening his back with an effort. "I think."

Hunter shrugged carelessly. "Guess I need a little more practice."

"Knock the Kelzacs--" Cam struggled for another breath, then finished, "Senseless, for all I care."

"Can't use it to spar until I have better control." Hunter cocked his head, managing to make his failing sound like Cam's problem. "Give it another try?"

Getting his feet under him, Cam rose unsteadily to his feet. "You're kidding, right?"

Hunter stood with a grace that no one that lanky had any right to possess, and it was all the more annoying now. He just looked at Cam, and the amused expression on his face said it all. His condescending attitude was just another method of persuasion.

"Forget it," Cam retorted. "I didn't want to do this in the first place, remember?"

"You'd teach someone halfway?" Hunter wanted to know. "Doesn't your dad say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing?"

"No," Cam shot back. "He says a fool only convinces other fools."

Hunter chuckled, then lashed out so quickly that nothing but Ranger reflexes prevented the blow from landing. Cam blocked another punch and found himself inches from Hunter's face as the other grabbed the front of his shirt and stared him down. His eyes were surprisingly blue.

Where had that come from?

"I said no," Cam growled, pushing ineffectually at Hunter's arms. He could break the grip, of course, but that was exactly what the other Ranger wanted. "Let me go, Hunter."

"Make me," Hunter answered. There was an odd look in his eyes, and his fingers tightened on Cam's uniform, making Cam stumble forward a step before he caught himself.

The next thing he knew, Hunter was in his face, mouth pressed against Cam's and his blue eyes closed reflexively. Frozen in place, it took all of Cam's willpower not to respond. This didn't even deserve a response. This was--

Hunter was kissing him!

He broke Hunter's grip with a strength born of shock, not technique. Shoving the other Ranger back with a glare, he made a deliberate show of wiping his mouth with his hand. "What was that?!"

Hunter just blinked at him, and Cam wondered if that deer-in-the-headlights look was any reflection of what his own expression was doing right now. His voice might be a little higher than he would have liked, but no way was he letting the other Ranger get the upper hand. "You can't just go around kissing people!"

"Well you--" Hunter floundered, at a loss for words for the first time since Cam had known him. "You can't just go around letting people kiss you!"

"That's ridiculous!" The exclamation was automatic, but he took some comfort in the fact that it was also a totally reasonable thing to say in these circumstances. "Why don't you just... find someone else to work out with!"

He turned and strode purposefully toward the door, not pausing when Hunter yelled after him, "Maybe I will!"

2. Follow

"Obviously, we have to keep them under surveillance," Cam said, leaning forward to illustrate his plan in the dirt. "If we each take one of them, we can monitor every move they make."

"And maybe they'll lead us to their flag!" Shane was clearly ready to embrace this plan, but their third teammate did not look enthused.

"Maybe," Cam agreed, deliberately ignoring Hunter. "But even if they don't, we'll be able to keep them from getting ours because we'll always know where they are. We won't even have to guard it."

Hunter snorted, making his lack of participation all the more obvious. He was lounging against the base of a tree some distance away, only nominally a part of the group, and Shane finally seemed to notice his surly attitude. "You have something to say, Hunter?"

"Yeah," the Crimson Ranger sneered. He was talking to Shane, but his gaze was fixed on Cam. "I think it's a stupid plan."

Cam pivoted on his heels to glare at him. "You have a better idea?" he demanded.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Hunter put his hands behind his head, not even bothering to sit up. "I say we go find their flag and get this stupid drill over with."

"The point of the drill isn't to win," Cam informed him. "The point is to keep the other team from winning. A Ranger's purpose is not to kill the enemy, but to keep from getting killed himself."

"Oh, very insightful." Hunter's mouth twisted in a condescending smirk. "Your dad teach you that?"

"As a matter of fact, he did," Cam retorted. "If you'd paid any attention to your own sensei, maybe you would have learned something."

"If you'd ever been on your own," Hunter said, narrowing his eyes, "maybe you wouldn't have to hold your daddy's hand all the time."

"Whoa..." The tension must have gotten high enough that even Shane noticed it, because he tried to interject. "Guys--"

As one, they snapped, "Shut up, Shane."

He put up his hands and turned away, but the situation had been defused. Cam scratched out the designs he'd made in the dirt and Hunter looked away. Finally, the Crimson Ranger muttered, "If it'll get this over with, I'll follow Blake."

"There's a surprise," Cam said under his breath, dusting his hands off as he stood up. "I'll take Tori."

Hunter's head whipped around. "Why Tori?" he demanded suspiciously.

"Because I'm not following Dustin all over town while he tries to remember what he's doing," Cam shot back. "Shane, looks like you get that job. Remember to stick to Main Street, and don't use the allcall function on your morphers."

Shane was already heading for the sidewalk. "Yes Mother!" he shouted over his shoulder. "We'll be home before dark!"

Hunter snickered, unfolding himself from the base of the tree as Cam moved off in the opposite direction. "Isn't that kind of incestuous?" he wanted to know, lengthening his stride easily to catch up. "If Sensei's our dad and you're Mr. Mom?"

"What would you know about it?" Cam retorted, fishing his cell phone out of his pocket.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hunter demanded.

"Figure it out yourself." Cam dialed up the network via satellite and held out his hand absently. "Give me your morpher."

"What?" Hunter stopped in his tracks, forcing Cam to pause and look back at him. "What do you want with my morpher?"

Cam glanced around pointedly. "Well, for one, I want you to reveal your secret identity to as many people as possible. Two, I want you to stop following me, but since I don't think that's going to happen, three, I want to use your morpher to track the other Rangers."

Hunter's expression looked torn between confusion and belligerence. "Why don't you use your own?"

Cam pulled his necklace free and dangled the crystal in front of Hunter's face. "Does it look like I can hook this up to my cell phone? Try to keep up."

Hunter glared at him, but he unfastened his morpher and handed it over without further complaint. His was close enough to the wind morphers that Cam could duplicate experiments he had done before with satellite linking. Unfortunately, Hunter took his contribution as license to hang over Cam's shoulder, ostensibly monitoring the work even though he probably didn't have the slightest clue what Cam was doing.

"Hey," he said after a moment, as though it had just occurred to him. "Isn't that kind of... I don't know--cheating?"

"My father knows I can do this. And he didn't say not to," Cam pointed out. "I'm just making use of available resources."

He could practically hear Hunter smirk, but no other reply was forthcoming. Instead, the next thing he wanted to know was, "Why didn't you tell Shane?"

"Just thought of it now," Cam muttered. The network was slowly, slowly crawling the city, and he watched it turn up first Hunter's morpher and then his own. "I'll call him once I find Dustin."

"You can tell people apart on that thing?" Hunter sounded surprised. "How many times have you done this?"

Cam didn't bother to answer. "There's Blake," he said, as a third Power signature appeared on the low-resolution screen. "He's..." He frowned, turning around to reorient himself. "He's over there--behind the fountain."

Hunter chuckled. "Looks like you weren't the only one to think of following the other team." The words were more admiring than mocking, as though he had forgotten what he thought of this plan.

Cam continued to turn, partly to hide his surprise, and partly to keep from revealing the fact that they had a tracking device to Blake, who had apparently been watching them for some time. "He's the only one," he reported at last. "If we split up, he'll have to pick one or the other of us."

"Uh huh." Hunter peered over his shoulder again, showing no inclination to leave.

"Are you listening to me?" Cam inquired, staring at the tiny screen as a fourth and fifth Power signature appeared. Shane had already found Dustin, but since they were both lurking around Storm Chargers maybe that wasn't surprising. "I said, if we split up--"

"What, I'm just supposed to let you walk away with my morpher?" Hunter snorted. "Like that's going to happen."

Tori finally showed up, clear at the other end of Main Street. He didn't know the other team's strategy, but he could guess and check with the best of them. Blake and Hunter thought alike, and both Tori and Dustin would go along with anything that made sense. Therefore, he suspected they were following Hunter's original plan, and so far, their movements checked out: Blake was following them, Dustin was running interference, and Tori... Tori was probably guarding the flag.

He broke the network connection and snapped Hunter's morpher free, looking down the street as though he could see his target from here. "There you go," he said brusquely. "Go follow your brother."

He headed down the sidewalk, and for one brief moment, he dared to hope that Hunter had followed his instructions. Then footsteps behind him proved him wrong, and he sighed. "Is there a reason you're still here?" he asked, sliding his phone back into his pocket.

"I don't want you stalking my brother's girlfriend without supervision?" Hunter had folded his arms across his chest, and his gaze was scanning the street ahead as though he expected the flag to appear in front of them at any moment. The words came out as more of a question than a declaration, though, and he must have known it.

When the silence grew, his gaze flicked toward Cam and away uncomfortably. Cam didn't ask again.

3. Define Gay

He was so engrossed in zord specs that he barely noticed the perimeter breach that signaled an open door upstairs. Footsteps clattering on the stairs made him look up, though, and he frowned at the entrance log in surprise. Only belatedly did it occur to him to turn and see who it was.

Hunter sauntered into Ninja Ops, biker jacket rustling as he turned in a circle to survey the room without stopping. "Thought you'd still be up," he remarked, apparently satisfied with the emptiness of the command center.

Cam leaned back in his chair, knowing he should ignore this late-night visit and keep working. But his eyes were tired, and he might be more alert after a break. Besides, if Hunter was going to inflict his presence on unsuspecting teammates, he deserved a little harassment in return.

"What are you doing here?" Cam wanted to know, rolling his shoulders surreptitiously. He squeezed his eyes shut and open again in lieu of rubbing them, but Hunter wasn't paying any attention. "I didn't think you knew this place existed after dark."

Hunter hopped up on the nearest clear surface, and Cam opened his mouth to object. "Brought you something," Hunter said, before he could get a word in. Then there was something flying through the air toward Cam, and he caught it reflexively.

Mint mocha chip ice cream. He stared at the carton in surprise, trying to process not only the gift but the source. It was even green... it had to have been bought specifically for him. Was everyone around here obsessed with their color?

"Figured you'd need something with caffeine in it," Hunter said casually.

Cam transferred his startled gaze to Hunter, and the Crimson Ranger smirked at him. "Don't look so surprised. I hate to think of the damage you could do, working on this stuff half-asleep."

Cam folded his arms, the faintest echo of the other Ranger's smirk creeping onto his face before he realized it. "How do you know I'm not just playing computer games?"

"Are you?" Hunter looked more interested than incredulous. "Want an opponent?"

Cam just shook his head, smiling to himself. "You are so predictable."

Hunter shrugged it off. "Part of my charm," he said, straightening up and wandering over to the computer terminal. He grabbed one of the right-hand drawers, pulled it open, and started rummaging through it.

"Hey!" Cam exclaimed. His feigned relaxation evaporated the moment Hunter invaded his space. "What do you think you're doing?"

Hunter found what he was looking for, handing Cam a spoon and producing a second one a moment later. "How did you know what's in there?" Cam asked suspiciously, as Hunter reached for his ice cream.

"Don't be ridiculous," Hunter said, peeling the top off of the carton. "We've all seen you eat lunch in here. Try getting out more."

Cam ignored that remark, instead rolling his eyes when Hunter dug into the ice cream and removed a sizeable chunk. "Should have known you had an ulterior motive," he said dryly.

"Hey, I'm not that altruistic." Hunter stuck the spoon in his mouth and offered the carton to Cam.

"I didn't know you knew words like altruistic," Cam countered, laying on the sarcasm in an attempt to negate anything Hunter might read into him taking a spoonful of ice cream.

"Guess you don't know everything, then," Hunter replied. He tilted the carton back toward himself and scooped out another helping of the slightly melted ice cream.

He'd probably never get a better opening. "Yeah, speaking of that," Cam said, waiting until Hunter lifted his gaze to Cam's over his spoon. "Want to talk about this newfound gay tendency of yours?"

Hunter swallowed quickly, looking over his shoulder as though someone might have snuck up on them while he wasn't paying attention. When he was convinced the room was still empty save for them, he informed Cam, "I'm not gay!"

Cam snorted. "You kissed me, Hunter."

"So?" Hunter looked anything but convinced. "In case you hadn't noticed, you're kind of..." He trailed off, toying with his spoon.

"Kind of what?" Cam demanded, bristling.

Hunter gestured vaguely but didn't look at him. "Good-looking," he muttered at last.

At a loss, Cam could only stare at him. Finally he pointed out, "I'm a guy."

Hunter gave him an exasperated look. "You get to be the resident genius because of your amazing powers of observation?"

This obviously wasn't going anywhere. "You kissed me," he repeated. It was, after all, the only really important thing either of them had said since Hunter arrived.

"You kissed me back," Hunter retorted, poking the ice cream carton with his spoon.

"No I didn't," Cam snapped without thinking. Then he shook his head, annoyed that he'd let himself get drawn into trivial bickering. "Anyway, that's not the point."

"Oh?" Hunter gave him a skeptical look. "Enlighten me."

"The point is that you can't go around kissing guys and say you're not gay!"

"I don't go around kissing guys," Hunter shot back. "Just you."

Cam gave him an odd look. "Did you miss the part where we established that I'm a guy?"

"Look," Hunter said, clearly irritated. "I'm not exactly thrilled about this, all right? It's not like I meant to do it. I wasn't stalking you or anything. I just... I'm used to going with the flow."

"Going with the flow," Cam echoed incredulously. "What was it about sparring that made you think going with the flow involved kissing me?"

Hunter's mouth twitched in a half-smile, but he didn't say anything.

"What?" Cam demanded.

The smirk grew, and it was hard to tell whether Hunter was teasing or trying to compliment him. "You ever seen yourself spar?"

Cam gaped at him. He knew there had to be a neutral response to that question, but he couldn't think what it was. "What?" he managed at last.

Hunter's smile faded a little, and he studied the floor intently. "Look, do you want me to leave you alone? Cause if you do, just say so."

If the first question had been hard, this one was impossible. If he said no, Hunter would probably make his life miserable. If he said yes, he might very well make his own life miserable. He couldn't answer... but that wasn't an option.

"What, no snappy reply?" Hunter inquired. He had glanced up while Cam was debating with himself, and there was something in his eyes that looked suspiciously like amusement. "Never seen you speechless before."

"You never kissed me before," Cam retorted. He regretted it as soon as he said it, and Hunter didn't let the opportunity slip by.

"I should do it more often!" Hunter set the ice cream carton down and stuck his spoon in it, shrugging his coat closer over his shoulders. "You gonna stay up all night?"

Cam rolled his eyes. "What do you care?"

Hunter took his spoon away from him before he could protest, sticking it in the ice cream with the other one. "I care," he said evasively. He pushed the carton toward Cam and stood staring down at him for a moment. "Stand up."

Cam just frowned. "Why?"

Hunter shrugged. "Suit yourself." With that, he bent over and kissed Cam awkwardly. Then he was gone, crossing the room toward the stairs almost before Cam registered what he'd done.

"Hey!" He had no idea what to say when Hunter turned, so he settled for asking a question. "What would you have done if I'd said yes?"

It took Hunter a moment to figure that out. "You mean, yes you wanted me to leave you alone?"

When Cam nodded, Hunter grinned. It was an infuriatingly cocky expression, and Cam had the sinking feeling that he would be seeing a lot more of it in the future. "I'd have said too bad," the Crimson Ranger replied unrepentantly.

Cam shook his head with a sigh. "I was afraid of that."

"Think how I feel," Hunter shot back. His smirk remained in place, and it was hard to tell whether he was serious or mocking. "I'm not even gay!"

"Whatever," Cam grumbled. Some grudging sense of gratitude made him add, "Thanks for the ice cream."

"Don't mention it," Hunter said easily, backing toward the stairs.

Cam smiled a little, and that seemed to be all Hunter was waiting for. He zipped his jacket up and turned away, taking the stairs two at a time. Ninja Ops was quiet again, and maybe a little lonelier for his absence.

"Don't worry," Cam said under his breath, addressing someone who was no longer there. "I won't."

4. Reciprocity

The portal flashed behind him, casting momentary shadows across the digital readout. He ignored it, knowing that whoever had come through would call out to him if they saw him. And if they didn't, well, for once he'd be able to get some readings without being interrupted.

Another shadow fell across the readout, and he lifted his head automatically. The skin on his arms tingled, and he didn't have to look around to know who it was. "I feel like I'm being stalked," he muttered aloud.

"Not this time." Hunter's voice sounded amused. Not amused--mocking, as always. There was a difference. "Just a coincidence," the Crimson Ranger added. "I swear."

"Sure it is." He responded without thinking, most of his attention focused on the handheld monitor. The readings were almost complete, and Hunter probably didn't know that blocking the sun was making the readout clearer. "You just happened to be coming through at exactly the same time I was monitoring the portal."

"It's a door, Cam." Hunter's exasperation was obvious, but the mocking note still lurked beneath his words. "We use it all the time."

The device beeped and the readout cleared, indicating it had completed its task. He let his hand fall and turned around, startled in spite of himself by how close Hunter was. The other boy only smirked when he took an instinctive step backwards.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," Cam said, irritated.

"What?" Hunter folded his arms. "I told you, it was just a coincidence."

"Not that." Cam pushed his glasses up on his nose and changed the subject before Hunter could reply. "Look, do me a favor and go back through the portal."

"Yeah, in case you hadn't noticed? I was going the other way," Hunter informed him. "All you have to do is ask and I'll leave you alone with whatever geeky science project you're doing now."

"If you can't spare three seconds for this 'geeky science project' then you can just keep going," Cam snapped. "I didn't ask you to stop and bug me."

Hunter opened his mouth, gave him an odd look, and closed it again. He turned and walked back through the portal without another word. Cam barely got the monitor reset in time, but he managed to capture the appropriate readings when Hunter reemerged. He didn't know whether to rebuke the other Ranger or thank him.

"So?" Hunter asked, making his way back toward Cam. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to find a way to mask the effects of the portal," he muttered. He had taken these same readings before, and yet they weren't identical. What if the portal responded differently to Rangers than to regular ninjas?

"Not to point out the obvious or anything," Hunter said dryly, "but aren't the effects kind of important? Holographic projection, teleportation, that kind of thing?"

"I'm not going to shut it down." Cam frowned at the monitor in lieu of glaring at Hunter, which was what he really wanted to do. Sometimes he was sure the other Ranger misunderstood on purpose. "I'm just trying to keep other people from stumbling over it."

"Yeah, I worry about that a lot." Hunter's sarcasm couldn't have been more obvious. "This isn't even the middle of nowhere; it's the far distant outskirts of nowhere. There's nothing but logging roads for miles."

Cam didn't bother to look up. "It's called recreational land use, Hunter, I'm sure you've heard of it."

"That's funny, coming from you!" Hunter retorted.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Cam told the monitor. He had been sparring just the other day, and Hunter had seen him coding the night before. Now suddenly he didn't know how to have fun? "I'm going back inside to download these readings into the mainframe."

"That's what I'm talking about!" Hunter exclaimed. "That's exactly it! When was the last time you just hung out?"

"I don't have time to 'just hang out'," Cam informed him. "I do have work to do, you know."

"You mean you make work to do," Hunter corrected. "Who cares whether the portal is masked or not? It's never been a problem before, and now you're using the one afternoon when there aren't any zord repairs, upgrades, or morpher diagnostics to fix something that doesn't even need it!"

"You know who decides what needs to be done around here?" Cam demanded. "Me. I decide, because no one else pays any attention! So if I say the portal needs to be masked, it doesn't matter whether it's ever been a problem before. It's getting done."

"Maybe no one else pays attention because you don't bother to tell them what's going on," Hunter retorted. "The only reason you do everything is because you won't let anyone else do it!"

"No one else knows how to do it!" Cam exclaimed.

"So show us!" Hunter shot back. "We're not stupid, you know! We can learn!"

Cam waved the monitor at him. "Does this mean anything to you? Do you even know what it says?"

"Since when do you let us play with your toys?" Hunter wanted to know. "Did it ever occur to you that if something happened to you the rest of us would be screwed?"

Cam frowned. It had crossed his mind, once or twice, but there never seemed to be time to do anything about it. "There's a backup," he muttered uncomfortably.

"Programmed and operated by you," Hunter pointed out. "What would any of us be able to do if he got all weird on us again? More weird than he already is for being like you, I mean."

"Gee, thanks," Cam said, rolling his eyes. "Now you see why I haven't tried to train any of you. I'm just the one with the geeky science projects. Can you really see any of the others wanting to learn about this stuff? Would you?"

"Yeah," Hunter said, surprising him. "I would. It's only geeky 'cause I can't do it," he added, flashing a smirk in Cam's direction.

"Prove it," Cam challenged him. "Help me test some masking scenarios for the portal."

"No." Hunter folded his arms. "Come to Storm Chargers with me now, and I'll learn everything there is to know about holographic entryways and masking effects later."

"What's so great about Storm Chargers?" Cam wanted to know. "You work there; why do you always hang around when you don't have to?"

Hunter just looked at him. His expression somehow managed to be smug and long-suffering at the same time. He didn't say anything, and finally Cam got it.

"This is different," he said defensively. "The Rangers--"

"Are work," Hunter interrupted. "This isn't. Come on; my bike's at the shop."

"So?" Cam demanded. He wasn't sure he liked where this was going.

"So I hear Dustin's been teaching you to ride," Hunter replied. His gaze was just as challenging as Cam's, and he let the statement stand on its own.

"Teaching, yes," Cam grumbled, privately horrified by the idea of Hunter seeing him on the track. "Successfully, no."

Hunter actually smiled, and there was no hint of mockery in the look. "Good," he said, sounding oddly satisfied. "Might as well learn from the best."

"Could you try to be a little more arrogant?" Cam snapped. He knew there had to be a dozen ways to get out of this, and he couldn't think of a single one. "It's so disheartening to see you doubt yourself like this."

"Only if you'll try to be more sarcastic," Hunter answered. He plucked the device from Cam's fingers and gave it a disinterested look. "This coming with?"

"That's going back inside where it belongs," Cam said firmly. "Try not to break it."

Hunter backed away, waving the monitor in a casual salute. "Don't go anywhere," he called, flipping the device from one hand to the other as he turned toward the waterfall.

Watching him go, Cam could only sigh. It didn't look like that was an option.

5. Let In

His arm twinged, and he paused just outside the door to rotate his shoulder. He couldn't fail to appreciate Ranger healing ability, especially after watching the others take advantage of it for so long. It meant that his shoulder was only stiff this morning, and would probably be back to normal by tonight. In the meantime, there was no reason to let the others think there was anything wrong with him.

As his lifted his arm and dropped it again, wincing as he tried to pull it across his chest, he heard Dustin complaining from inside the room. "But dude, what if we forget our morphers? I mean, I once got all the way up here before I remembered I'd taken it off at the track, and if I'd had to go back..."

He heard his own voice interrupt Dustin, with a good deal less sarcasm than he would have used. "You won't have to, Dustin. The portal has always recognized students of the academy--no matter how dubious."

Cam snorted softly. Maybe not so much less, after all. He settled his arm back into place and rolled his head, hoping he looked as though he had just come strolling down the hallway. As he walked through the door, he was treated to the not uncommon sight of Hunter acting affronted.

"So you're saying that all of you--" Hunter gestured to the rest of the Rangers, gathered around CyberCam at the computer. "You can just walk in any time, but if Blake and I don't have our morphers we're out of luck?"

"Is everyone planning to trash their morphers at the first possible opportunity?" Cam demanded, folding his arms before he thought. His shoulder protested immediately, but he forced himself to keep a neutral expression. "Since when do you go anywhere without them anyway?"

Everyone turned to look at him, varying degrees of surprise and confusion on their faces. CyberCam swiveled around, too, and suddenly Cam realized why his shirt had looked so familiar when he put it on this morning. He'd have to be more careful about that.

Glancing from one to the other, Blake was the first to speak. "Wait a minute--"

"Dude, that's just disturbing," Dustin interrupted. "You should wear a sign or something."

Taking pity on them, he let his arms fall with a condescending smile. "I'm Cam," he told them.

"I'm Cam too," his double said with a smirk. "I'm flattered that you can tell the real thing from a computer program."

"Dude, that's not funny," Shane warned.

It was Dustin who laughed, oblivious to the dark looks Shane and Hunter were shooting him. "Yeah, actually it is," he chuckled. "He's Cam Two, get it? The second Cam!"

When the others just looked at him, he subsided a little, shrugging. "Uh... or not. I'm just saying."

"Of course we can tell you apart," Tori told his double quickly. Then, shooting a nervous look in his direction, she added, "You just surprised us, that's all."

Cam just looked at them, wondering if he should help them out. Were they really confused? Tori and Dustin seemed to get it... Shane still looked annoyed, which meant he probably had no idea who was telling the truth. Blake was neutral, but Hunter was glowering in the way he only did when he thought someone was making a fool of him.

Well, if they weren't going to ask, Cam didn't see any reason to tell them again. He joined the others at the computer terminal and, for once, let the virtual replicant stay while he looked over his shoulder. "Is there a problem with the holograpic entryway? I just recalibrated it last night."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hunter give him a sharp look. He tried to ignore it, but he could feel that gaze on him while CyberCam explained, "I put the student lock back on the portal. It won't keep out anyone who's really determined, but it's a good backup for the masking project."

Cam finally gave in and shot Hunter an exasperated look, but the Crimson Ranger's gaze had dropped to his elbow. He had his right arm braced against the back of his chair, and the bruises from yesterday were just barely visible beneath his short-sleeved shirt. When he glanced up again, their eyes met and he saw the corner of Hunter's mouth quirk in acknowledgement.

"What's the point of the masking thing anyway?" Shane demanded. "It's not like anyone comes up here, and the student lock won't keep out anyone except Hunter and Blake."

"The student lock keeps out casual trespassers," Cam said firmly. "That's why it was designed in the first place, so that only students of the Wind Ninja Academy would be able to use it."

"Didn't work so well on Lothor," Dustin commented.

"Lothor didn't use the portal," CyberCam told him. "Besides, it's not like the lock can't be broken. It just keeps people from stumbling through by accident."

"Blake and I got in, no problem," Hunter pointed out. He was clearly addressing Cam, although the virtual replicant had been the last to speak. "That 'cause we had morphers?"

Cam nodded, careful not to look at him. "The portal will admit anyone with a morpher, no matter which academy they attend."

"Or don't attend?" Blake suggested. The Navy Ranger followed his brother's lead, talking to Cam instead of his double. "Will it let you in without your morpher?"

"I live here," Cam said, rolling his eyes. "Of course it will let me in."

"Aha!" Shane pointed at him, apparently just realizing which of them was which. He dropped his hand and shrugged uncomfortably when everyone else turned to look at him. "Well, I wasn't totally sure," he muttered.

Dustin looked baffled, which wasn't an unusual expression for him. "Sure about what?"

"Which one was the replicant," Tori supplied, coming to his rescue. "Shane's just feeling a little slow today," she teased.

"Oh, like you knew," Shane scoffed.

Dustin didn't look any less confused. "But dude, he told us! Where were you?"

"I wouldn't put it past Cam to tell us something true but still... misleading," Blake said with a grin. "And no offense, man, but I can't tell you apart."

Cam sighed. "Can we get back to the point, here? As long as you have your morphers, you won't have any trouble getting through the holographic entryway. You won't even notice the difference."

"And if we don't have our morphers?" Hunter wanted to know.

"Dustin will be able to get in anyway," Cam answered.

"Hey..." Dustin frowned, as though he knew that was an insult but couldn't quite figure out why. Hunter just smirked.

"If the fact that you arrived early at Ninja Ops is supposed to offset the fact that you are late to practice," Sensei's voice broke in calmly, "then perhaps next time you will forgo the extra effort and simply be on time."

Almost no one had noticed his entrance. Shane and Blake both started, and Hunter shot a sharp look over his shoulder. Tori shifted uncomfortably, though that could just as easily have been due to the gentle reprimand. Dustin didn't so much as blink, but it was hard to tell whether he had actually seen something the others hadn't or if the sudden voice of someone he hadn't expected just didn't faze him.

Cam, feeling a little smug, didn't move. "We're just debating the merits of the student lock, Dad. Can you authorize Hunter and Blake for guest access in case something happens to their morphers?"

"Of course, Cam. I will discuss the matter with CyberCam while you and the others begin your practice."

Cam suppressed a sigh as he straightened up. There was only so much one could get away with as the sensei's son after all. As he and the others turned away from the computer and headed for the practice rooms, he tried to ignore the fact that Hunter somehow ended up beside him. That was one thing he didn't want his father in any way involved in.

"Nice trick," Hunter muttered, keeping his voice low as the others got ahead of him. His gesture at Cam's outfit left no doubt about what he meant.

"It was an accident," Cam said wryly. "Believe me, I have no desire for a twin."

"Why not?" Hunter wanted to know. "Double the sarcasm, double the fun."

Cam saw no reason to reply to that.

Blake let the door go in front of them, apparently not waiting for anyone who wasn't Tori, and Hunter caught it before it could slam. "How's your arm?" he asked, motioning for Cam to go ahead.

He did, but only because refusing would make more of a scene than accepting what could easily have been an idle gesture. "It's fine," he said shortly. The last thing he wanted to talk about before practice was an injury, especially one obtained doing something he shouldn't have let Hunter talk him into in the first place.

"Hunter!" Shane caught their attention with an offer that sounded more like a challenge. "Want to be my sparring partner?"

Hunter's face lit up with a fierce grin. Their rivalry might be muted to the point of insignificance in battle, but on the practice mats it was still going strong. "Bring it on, Hawk Boy," the Crimson Ranger taunted.

Cam watched him stride away with something like disappointment. Shaking the feeling off, he changed automatically and accepted Tori's invitation to spar without a thought. Then he caught Hunter's look from across the room. It wasn't a casual frown.

Smiling to himself, he followed Tori out onto the mats.

6. Observe

Hunter was lurking.

He tried to ignore it. He'd been trying to ignore it for the better part of an hour, actually. Ever since Hunter's Power signature had shown up on the security monitor outside the entrance to Ninja Ops, he had pretended it wasn't there. The Crimson Ranger wasn't moving, either to come in or to depart, and there was no logical explanation for his presence.

It might have been easier to accept during the day. The Rangers were in and out all day long, to hang out, to annoy him, and even, on rare occasions, to practice or train. Frequent monster attacks necessitated their return as often as not, but again, usually during the daylight hours. Now it was...

Cam checked the clock: past midnight. Now it was past midnight, and there was Hunter, outside Ninja Ops. The only explanation Cam could come up with was that he was waiting for something--or someone--and he was tempted to see how long the Crimson Ranger would linger.

But he had been tempted since Hunter first showed up, and yet there he still was. Lurking.

With a sigh, Cam pushed his chair back and got to his feet. He stretched his hands up over his head, rotating his shoulders and swinging his arms behind him. He hadn't really needed to work so late, but it drew a person in. Eventually, one got to a point where it was easier to just keep going than to stop and do anything else. Like sleep.

He crossed the room and headed up the stairs, surprised when cool air greeted him as he stepped outside. It was chillier than he had expected, and he hugged his arms across his chest as he glanced around. Hunter's Power signature had been clearer on the monitor than his form would be in the darkness...

He had half expected the Crimson Ranger to startle him. He even braced himself against it, knowing that every step he took into the night put him deeper into Hunter's territory. The other Ranger's vision would be long adjusted to the dark, and Hunter had the advantage of knowing exactly where Cam would emerge.

The night remained still and silent around him. He breathed out, whether in relief or exasperation or disappointment, he didn't know. He waited for the light shadows to dissipate from his eyes, impatient with the quiet. If Hunter was anywhere nearby, he had to have heard Cam's footsteps, but still there was no movement, no acknowledgement of any kind.

He turned slowly, trying to pierce the darkness with eyes that were slowly, slowly starting to make use of the starlight. These were shapes and shadows he knew, even by night, and he knew which ones were supposed to be there and which were not. Even after the attack, he had reacquainted himself with the grounds quickly enough that he could tell what he was looking at.

There was a shadow some twenty paces away that shouldn't be there. It was about the right distance for the security monitor to have put it at the entrance, and Cam picked his way in that direction. The ground was taking longer to learn than the shadows, and it was slow going in the darkness.

As he approached, though, he realized where Hunter was. The Crimson Ranger was kneeling in front of what had once been the reflecting pool, at the base of a stone monument that hadn't survived the attack. A monument to ninja masters that had come before--it was one thing that would stay the same from school to school.

Cam felt suddenly guilty for assuming Hunter was here to see him. He was silent for a moment, considering the motionless form in front of him. Then a breeze ghosted across his bare arms, and he shivered. Turning away as quietly as he could, he hadn't taken more than a single step before Hunter's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Cam?" The Crimson Ranger sounded distant and not particularly curious. But he probably did owe an explanation of some sort.

"Yeah," he said awkwardly, turning back. He hesitated, then offered, "I saw you on the security monitor."

"I figured." There was a hint of amusement in Hunter's voice, and finally he looked around. Only his head moved, pale hair glowing white in the minimal light. "There's only so long you can stare at the water before you start thinking about other things."

Cam refrained from pointing out that that was exactly what the reflecting pool was for, and the point of the exercise was not to think about other things. "Like what?" he asked, in spite of himself.

"Sensei."

The answer surprised him, though in retrospect he supposed it shouldn't have.

"Our sensei, I mean," Hunter continued. His tone was still contemplative as he listed off his thoughts with terse words. "The bad guys. That damn ship. You."

About to join him in front of the pool, Cam stopped abruptly. "Me?"

"Everyone," Hunter corrected. "All the Rangers."

Cam dropped down beside Hunter, considering that. Nothing insightful sprang to mind, so he chose the safe route instead. "That's a lot to think about."

Hunter sounded wry. "I've been here a long time."

Cam smiled, knowing the darkness would hide his expression from Hunter. The chill whispered in beneath his crossed arms, and his grip tightened involuntarily. He clenched his jaw against the cool air, wondering whether Hunter planned to stay out here the rest of the night.

"Cold?" It wasn't really a question, and he couldn't help being annoyed that Hunter had noticed. The other Ranger shifted, his jacket rustling before Cam realized what he meant to do.

"No," he said firmly. "I'm fine. Don't--"

"Hey, let me be the macho one this time, okay?" Hunter overrode him, ignoring his protests and managing to sound irritated as he swung his jacket over Cam's shoulders. "Just calm down already."

"I am calm," Cam snapped, glancing down automatically as Hunter tugged the jacket around in front of him. He caught the edges of the jacket himself, if only to get Hunter to let go and back off. "I just don't--"

He lifted his head and found Hunter staring back at him, the annoyance that glinted in his eyes already fading from his face. For a long moment, they just looked at each other. Hunter leaned forward incrementally, then paused, the action somehow surreal in the darkness.

"I'm gonna kiss you," he muttered, searching for something in Cam's gaze.

Cam swallowed, surprised by the warning. "I figured."

The corner of Hunter's mouth lifted, and it occurred to Cam that if he could see Hunter's expression then Hunter could certainly see his own. Then Hunter was close again, too close for comfort, mouth pressed against Cam's and his fingers curling over the zippered edges of his jacket. He wasn't going anywhere.

Cam didn't even try to push him away. The kiss was careful, restrained, nothing like the spontaneous heat of their contact on the practice mats. He told himself not to think about that, indeed had been doing a decent job of not thinking of it for days now. But when Hunter got this close, and especially when he lingered, the way he was doing now...

Hunter's hands loosened on his, drawing back too soon--not soon enough. He had no idea. He didn't know what he expected, let alone whether anything Hunter offered could measure up. But something about it made him feel good... different. Special.

Great. He tried not to sneer inwardly. Now he needed someone else to make him feel "special". That was just great.

Why was it all right to feel this way about girls, but not about guys?

"So," Hunter said quietly, interrupting his private confusion. "You going to the bike rally this weekend?"

His practical brain took over, banishing all thought of feeling and "special"-ness to someplace where it wouldn't interfere with his ability to think. In point of fact, he hadn't planned to go. He knew all the other Rangers would be there, which as far as he was concerned would keep them out of his hair and give him time to work without interruption.

On the other hand, if Hunter was going to ask...

"Maybe," he said at last. "Why?"

"Cool." Hunter sounded satisfied. "I'll get you a pit pass."

Cam tried to sigh, but it turned into a yawn. Hunter had the nerve to chuckle, and Cam did his best to glare at him. It might have been more convincing if he wasn't stifling another yawn and still shivering from the cold at the same time.

"Do me a favor," Hunter added, an odd note in his voice. "Get some sleep instead of going back to work, okay?"

Cam frowned at him, not amused by the order no matter how it was worded. "I already have a dad," he said sharply.

"Then you're lucky," Hunter retorted, and Cam wished he could take the words back. "I'm just saying, you're a lot harder to deal with when you're sarcastic and stressed out and tired than you are when you're just sarcastic and stressed out."

Cam opened his mouth, then closed it again. Finally he muttered, "The fact that I'm starting to think your jokes are funny can't be a good sign."

"You're just tired," Hunter told him.

Cam smiled a little. He watched as Hunter unfolded himself from the ground, then belatedly followed suit. They were left with the awkward moment of goodbye, neither of them really knowing how to handle it or what to say.

"You be around tomorrow afternoon?" Hunter asked abruptly.

Cam grimaced, the lateness of the hour finally catching up with him. "This afternoon, you mean?"

"Yeah." Hunter apparently took that for assent, because he added, "I'll stop by with a pit pass for Saturday. Let me know if you want to ride."

Cam just rolled his eyes at that. "I'll be here."

"'Night," Hunter offered, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he backed away.

Cam lifted his head in acknowledgement, realized Hunter might not be able to see him in the darkness, and echoed his deliberately casual good-night. He watched as the Crimson Ranger faded into the shadows, listened to his footsteps recede after the visible outline was gone. It wasn't until the portal flashed behind him that it occurred to Cam that he was still wearing Hunter's jacket.

He stood frozen in place, undecided. He could go after Hunter, but it was late and he was cold and tired. He could just keep the jacket until tomorrow, but if Hunter didn't come alone he'd be keeping it longer than he thought. And then there was his dad... but even as a guinea pig, his dad kept pretty regular hours. He'd probably been asleep hours ago.

That rationale got him all the way back into Ninja Ops before it collapsed. There was his dad after all, standing beside the computer--directly under the security monitor. And looking, it seemed, more than a little disapproving. Sometimes Cam thought his dad displayed more expression as a guinea pig than he had as a human.

"Hello, Cam." His tone was level and calm, as usual. But the impression of a frown did not abate.

Torn between indignation and embarrassment, Cam demanded, "Were you spying on me?"

"I was not." Those three words rebuked him for even considering the idea, but then his father added, "Is there something you would like to discuss with me?"

"Like what?" he shot back. It was late, and he couldn't think of anything more innocuous than that.

"I do not know. It is your own defensiveness that suggests there is something to be addressed."

Cam really didn't feel like playing this game right now. "There's not," he said shortly. "I'm going to bed."

His father didn't mention the biker jacket, the security monitor, or his own unexplained presence in the command center so late at night. He just inclined his head and said gravely, "Good night, Cam."

He walked the length of his room under his father's curious gaze. Cam muttered a "good night" as he passed, and he was allowed to leave without further interrogation. He wondered, as he made his way to the privacy of his room, just how long this grace period would last.

7. Running

He jogged along the shore, sneakers digging into the wet sand while the crash of the surf drowned out any sound more than a few feet away. Occasionally, the shouts of kids farther up the beach would reach his ears, high-pitched shrieks mingling with the cries of gulls overhead. But mostly it was just his breath in his ears, the packed intertidal beneath his feet, and a beach that seemed to go on forever.

Cam didn't usually run down by the water. Most people jogged on the boardwalk, where there were more diversions and it was easier to keep the mind occupied during a long run. Most of the time, he liked the feeling of being in the middle of things, being marginally social without actually having to put any effort into it.

Today, though, social was the last thing felt like being and he'd prefer to empty his mind rather than fill it up with new problems, whether they were his own or someone else's. So he concentrated very carefully on his feet, watching where his steps fell, where the waves were dissolving the edges of footprints that had come before his, and the drift line that filled with seaweed and shells at high tide. He didn't pay any attention to how long he'd been jogging or how far he'd come.

So he was surprised when he heard someone coming up behind him, labored breathing giving away their approach before the sound of footsteps. Though he hadn't expected to be overtaken, he didn't think much of it until the other jogger fell into step beside him. Longer legs pacing his easily, of course it had to be Hunter that sought him out on a crowded beach in the middle of the afternoon.

Aside from a glance to confirm his identity, Cam didn't bother to respond to his presence. He was here to avoid people, which should be obvious even to someone who didn't make interpersonal relations his top priority. He didn't know whether to be flattered by Hunter's persistence or irritated by his unfailing assumption that he was welcome no matter where Cam was or what he was doing.

"Stopped by Ninja Ops," Hunter said at last. He sounded remarkably casual for someone who had probably run just as far as Cam had, and fast enough to catch up with him too.

Cam didn't answer. So he'd said he would be there. Plans changed. What if he'd sat around all afternoon while Hunter was busy doing something else?

"Left your pit pass on the computer," Hunter added. "Your dad said you'd gone running."

If Cam had had any breath to spare, he would have groaned. "You asked my dad where I was?" he demanded.

"Yeah." Hunter paused to gulp a breath of air. "Why? Is that a problem?"

Disgusted, either with himself or with Hunter he didn't know, Cam just gritted his teeth and kept going. "It doesn't matter."

"Hey." Hunter caught his arm, forcing him to slow down, to stop. Panting, he squinted at Cam with a look that was just a fraction away from a frown. "What's going on?"

Cam jerked his arm away, probably harder than was necessary, but he had let Hunter stop him. He might as well assert some kind of independence here. "Nothing," he snapped, breath rasping in his throat. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"I'm getting bitched at for trying to be friendly," Hunter shot back. "What's up with you?"

"Oh, now stalking me is considered friendly?" He wanted to take back the words the moment they were out. Hunter might have invited himself into the middle of Cam's activities a time or three, but never without Cam's tacit permission.

"Look, you had your chance!" Hunter's voice was harsher than usual, though whether it was because of the running or just because he was trying to be heard over the surf, it was hard to tell. "You could have told me to leave you alone when I asked!"

"How do you know I wouldn't have?" Cam demanded, provoked by the accusatory tone in Hunter's voice. "You didn't even wait to see what I'd say!"

"You didn't say anything!" Hunter retorted. "And it's not like you haven't had a chance since then! You haven't exactly told me to get lost!"

They were face to face, close enough to hear each other over the waves, breathing harder than they were arguing. And suddenly, Cam was tempted. Just like that, tempted, and sorely so. Unfortunately, he wasn't sure whether he was tempted to tell Hunter off or just lean a little closer--

Hunter was staring at him, something fighting it out behind his eyes while the echoes of that internal battle were reflected in his gaze. They both stood there, frozen, until Hunter frowned and looked away abruptly. The moment was lost, and Cam found himself glaring at the other Ranger. Since when was Hunter the model of restraint?

"You want to tell me what's going on?" the Crimson Ranger said at last. He was still frowning out at the ocean. "I expect sarcastic and condescending, but angry and bitter is new for you."

He could argue that, but there wouldn't be any point. "It's my dad," Cam muttered.

"What?" Hunter had turned back to him with an expression that said he really hadn't heard.

"It's my dad," Cam repeated, louder. He was staring at the ocean now too, but he glanced over at Hunter when he added, "I think he saw us last night."

"So?" Hunter didn't seem alarmed by this news. "Your dad got a problem with me?"

Cam grimaced at him. "You're a guy."

"And we're back to condescending," Hunter noted. "It's better than bitter, anyway." He didn't wait for Cam's reply. "If your dad has a problem with guys, he's going to have to find a lot of new Rangers pretty fast."

Cam ignored this latest attempt at humor, gazing steadily out at the waves until Hunter got the message. This wasn't funny. This wasn't going to go away--in fact, he was pretty sure it could only get worse. And this was his dad.

"Look. Cam." Hunter didn't use his name often and it got his attention, reluctant though it was. "I don't really want to advertise this, you know? But I don't think your dad misses much."

Cam rolled his eyes at this self-evident observation. "He doesn't miss anything. Unless it has to do with computers, or zords, or basically any kind of technology, in which case he's pretty much useless."

"He knows about other things," Hunter pointed out.

"Yeah," Cam grumbled. "I just wish one of those things wasn't my social life."

Hunter gave him a deadpan look. "You have a social life?"

"It's not something I cultivate," Cam said wryly. "But occasionally people force their way in."

"Really." Hunter seemed to consider that. "They force their way in, huh? That sounds kind of rude."

"Not to mention inconvenient," Cam agreed. "I have enough to do as it is."

Hunter shook his head in mock-reproach. "Didn't you learn anything about balance at ninja school?"

"Can't balance what you don't have." He kept his tone deliberately casual, but Hunter was ready with an immediate reply.

"Most people don't have what they don't seek out. Maybe you're lucky some of us forced our way in after all."

Cam just looked at him, and Hunter offered a half-smile. "Come on, it's not all bad, right? Where would you be if you didn't have people to yell at and push away from your computer? Ninja Ops would be boring without us."

It would be a lot more boring without Hunter, he was sure of that. The Crimson Ranger hadn't made the best first impression, and he hadn't done much to make up for it since. He was outspoken, obnoxious, and occasionally right about something, which only made his attitude worse. Yet without him...

"It's not all bad," Cam admitted, as grudgingly as possible to get his point across. Then he added with a smirk, "There was the free ice cream."

"Is that all it takes?" Hunter smirked back, and the sense of a shared joke was a little bit disconcerting. "Consider it a weekly delivery."

He must have seen Cam's expression, because he added, "I'm only kidding." He paused for a moment, then asked, "You want me to stay away from Ninja Ops for a while?"

Cam sighed, knowing it sounded stupid even as Hunter offered. "No. Don't do anything you wouldn't have done anyway. My dad hasn't even said anything to me. I just got this feeling last night..."

"Like what?" Hunter wanted to know. "Like he thought something was up and wanted to know, or like he knew something was up and didn't like it?"

"I don't know," Cam said, frustrated. "And I couldn't exactly ask him. 'Hey, Dad, did you see Hunter and me--"

He broke off, at a loss, and Hunter just grinned at him. "'Hunter and me' what? I want to know how you were going to finish that sentence."

"Did you see Hunter and me making out in the dark at twelve-thirty in the morning!" Cam exclaimed. "I don't know what the signs of a heart attack in a guinea pig are, but I'm guessing we could find out pretty quickly!"

"That wasn't making out," Hunter said with infuriating calm. "This is making out."

If he had been given more than two seconds worth of warning, Cam might not have been so surprised to find Hunter's mouth on his. A tongue flicked against his lips to moisten them before withdrawing, and his lips parted involuntarily. This time he returned the kiss with some trepidation. Hunter didn't fight him for it, and they worked on the mechanics of two mouths moving against each other for several moments.

"You do know how to kiss," Hunter said thoughtfully, drawing back to take a breath. "I wasn't sure, before."

"Kissing someone out of the blue and expecting them to respond in any meaningful way isn't what I would call a fair test," Cam retorted.

Hunter just smiled a little. "Your eyes do this cool thing when you're mad," he remarked. "Speaking of which, did I tell you that you look good without your glasses?"

Cam opened his mouth to protest both observations, and found that Hunter had a new addition to his list of Unscrupulous Ways To Win An Argument. This latest was in the form of kissing his opponent, a tactic that would probably work on most members of the team but might require some explanation afterward. Cam decided to forego the explanation in favor of further research.

It was just a kiss. Well, a couple of kisses and Hunter's hand on his shoulder. And if he put a hand on Hunter's arm in return, that was only fair. But they were barely touching, they weren't surrounded by hordes of people, and it would have been perfectly acceptable if they didn't spend all day at it.

"We're in the middle of the beach," Cam muttered at last, pulling away.

"So?" This apparently didn't bother Hunter. "You embarrassed?"

"Yes," Cam said, annoyed by the challenge in Hunter's tone. "As a matter of fact, I am. I don't usually go around kissing people in public places."

"Me neither," Hunter said with a grin. "It's kind of fun."

Cam sighed half-heartedly. It was kind of fun, but nothing would make him admit it out loud. "Is there anything you won't do?"

Hunter's grin didn't fade. "You're probably gonna find out."

8. Employee Perks

He was milling. He knew he was doing it, but he couldn't help it. There was no one at the counter and he was one of a very few people on the floor, and there wasn't anything here he was really interested in. He didn't know the shop's hours well enough to say whether it was unusually empty or not.

"Hey, Cam! What's up, dude!"

Well, there hadn't been anyone at the counter a moment ago. He glanced over his shoulder, not surprised to see Dustin bounding toward him. He lifted his chin in acknowledgement, wondering what the other Ranger would make of his unaccompanied presence in the shop.

"Dustin." He made his greeting as casual as possible. "I was just passing by and I thought I'd stop in. Is it always this slow during the week?"

As he'd hoped, the question seemed to distract Dustin from his non-explanation. "Nah, man, the others are just getting ready for the rally this weekend. It's keeping a lot of people down at the track."

"The others?" Cam repeated. The rest of the staff or the rest of the Rangers, he wondered? Either way, there probably wasn't much point in him hanging around here any longer.

"Yeah, I think Shane's setting up and Tori's helping Kelly transport stuff." Dustin waved a hand vaguely when he said "stuff", as though Cam knew what he meant or it didn't matter, one or the other.

The door to the stockroom banged open, and Cam looked up automatically. Hunter backed through, turning and catching sight of them over the top of the box in his arms. He didn't hesitate, dropping the box on the floor and sauntering in their direction as though that had been his intent all along.

Dustin looked back, shooting a curious glance over his shoulder to see what Cam was looking at. "Oh, hey Hunter. Hey, did you see the new filters that came in this morning? Those things are awesome, man; they're so much easier to replace!"

"Yeah," Hunter agreed, nodding a greeting to Cam. "Did Kelly say where she wanted the rest of the tool kits?"

"Uh..." Dustin frowned faintly. "I dunno; I'll check and see if she left a floor plan."

Hunter considered Cam with interest as Dustin retreated. "Didn't expect to see you here without coercion," he drawled. "Careful. This voluntary visit might go to my head."

"I'm already regretting it," Cam said dryly. "Believe me."

The corner of Hunter's mouth quirked upward, but he didn't rise to the bait. "Want a soda?" he offered instead. "There's a machine out back."

Cam threw a look in the direction Dustin had gone, but he had been intercepted by a customer before he made it to the desk. It could be a brief question, or something that would keep him busy indefinitely. Of course, even if it was a brief question, there was no guarantee that Dustin would remember what he had been doing before he was interrupted.

"Sure," Cam said at last. "Sounds good."

Hunter jerked his head in invitation, and he led the way back to the door from which he had just emerged. Cam had never been in the stockroom before, but he supposed it was pretty much what one would expect. Cement floor, metal shelving, boxes everywhere and never a ladder where it was needed.

There was also a desk tucked into the corner, with several bulletin boards arrayed around and beside it. Some filing cabinets indicated that the area served as an auxiliary office, and a small refrigerator next to the vending machine implied that soda wasn't the only thing consumed back here. Cam wondered for the first time whether Kelly stayed until closing every day.

Hunter slapped one of the buttons on the vending machine and retrieved the can it spit out. "Help yourself," he said, gesturing at the machine. "It's free. Employee perk."

Cam refrained from pointing out that he wasn't an employee. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hunter clearing the top of the filing cabinets by the simple expedient of transferring everything on them to the floor. Then the Crimson Ranger sat down on top of one of them, the empty space beside him clearly Cam's for the taking.

Grabbing his soda, Cam tapped the top of the can absently as he joined Hunter. Before he could sit down, though, Hunter inquired, "Does that actually work? What's the point?"

Cam gave him an odd look, then glanced down at the soda. "What, tapping the can?"

Hunter nodded, making a show of moving over to make room for Cam. He didn't actually slide over at all, Cam noted, just made enough of an effort that it would have been rude to ignore it. He rolled his eyes at himself, leaning noncommittally against the second cleared filing cabinet. When had he started caring whether Hunter thought he was rude?

"It just dislodges the air bubbles from the sides of the can and makes them float to the top," he said, puncturing the top carefully and pulling the tab back. It barely hissed. "There's less soda between them and the opening, so it's less likely to spray."

Hunter grunted, though whether in acknowledgement or disbelief, it was hard to tell. "You would know that," he remarked. He popped the top on his own can and took a drink without another word.

Cam hitched one hip up on the edge of the filing cabinet, half-sitting on the metal surface. He sipped the soda, wondering whether to be relieved or annoyed that Hunter was taking his presence in stride. It was the first time he had sought the other Ranger out, and while he didn't want to make a big deal out of it, he wasn't sure he wanted Hunter to just accept it as his due, either.

"Why do you wear your watch on your left wrist?" Hunter asked abruptly.

Cam looked at the device on his wrist, then at Hunter in surprise. "Excuse me?"

Hunter shrugged. "Just curious."

Cam blinked. Giving Hunter's morpher a pointed look, he reminded him, "You wear yours on your left wrist."

"But I'm right-handed." He lifted his soda again, then seemed to think better of it. As an afterthought, he added, "Besides, it's a Ranger thing."

While that was true, Cam was more concerned that Hunter had noticed he was left-handed. It took a deliberate effort to notice which hand a person used, and the thought that Hunter had been watching him that closely was a little... unnerving. What else had Hunter noticed while Cam wasn't paying attention?

"It's not a watch," he said at last. That might not be the question, but he'd just as soon turn the conversation to something Hunter didn't know so much about.

"What is it?" Hunter leaned toward him immediately, trying to get a better look at his wrist. Cam wasn't entirely sure that Hunter would stop at a polite distance, so he transferred the soda to his other hand and held out his left arm.

"Looks like a video game," Hunter commented, tilting his head as though a different angle would make more sense of the digital display.

"It's a GPS," Cam corrected. "It's looking for satellites. It can't find them because I'm inside. It'll start working again when I leave."

Hunter grabbed his hand but didn't wrench his arm around as Cam had expected. Instead he just peered more intently at the device, as though Cam had been deliberately moving his wrist to keep Hunter from getting a good look. "It's looking for satellites?" he repeated.

The door to the stockroom swung open again. Hunter actually jumped, but Cam didn't have time to enjoy his reaction. He was too busy pulling his hand away and trying not to look guilty at the same time.

"Hey, bro," Blake was saying as he strode through the doorway. "Dustin says--

"Oh." He broke off, looking a little startled to see Hunter and Cam sitting side by side sharing sodas. "Hi, Cam. Didn't know you were here."

"I just stopped by for a minute," Cam muttered. "I was looking for... something."

"Really," Blake said, giving him an odd look.

When the Navy Ranger switched his gaze to his brother, Hunter supplied, "Cam was just showing off his watch."

"It's not a watch," Cam said testily. "It's a global positioning system."

"So it can tell time in Timbuktu," Hunter retorted. "So what?"

"It doesn't tell time," Cam snapped.

"Not a very good watch then, is it?" Hunter interrupted before he could finish.

"Whoa, chill, bro!" Blake looked half amused, half exasperated. He was clearly convinced by the childish display, and he rolled his eyes at Hunter. "If you don't lay off Cam's gonna think you like him or something."

He couldn't help it. He looked at Hunter. Unfortunately, Hunter was looking back, and for just a second their gazes locked. They both looked away immediately, but the damage had been done.

Blake was staring at them in surprise. "Hey, uh... anything you guys want to tell me?"

"Nope." Hunter slid off of his perch on the filing cabinet and headed for the door. "I'm gonna get back to work. Later, Cam."

Another advantage of being employed, Cam decided. You could always claim pressing business elsewhere. Feeling suddenly abandoned in hostile territory, he set his soda down and made for the stockroom door himself. He was almost free when Blake's voice made him pause reluctantly.

"Cam?" There was a brief hesitation, and he turned his head just enough to indicate he'd heard without actually catching Blake's eye. But all Blake said was, "See you around."

He didn't know whether that was a warning or an acknowledgement.

9. Rally

It wasn't the screaming that surprised him so much as the enthusiastic charge down the hillside. The last of the two o'clock chase races went to Blake, and Tori wouldn't have any voice left if she kept this up. She was the first one to run for the finish line, but Dustin's longer legs easily outpaced her.

Shane was right behind them, and for a few minutes none of them were paying any attention to the two Rangers that lagged behind. Cam glanced over at Hunter, who was wearing a self-satisfied smirk. "Left 'em in the dust," he declared, as smugly as though it had been his own victory.

It had been, only minutes before. They had cheered just as loudly for Hunter, and if they hadn't run him down the way they were currently swarming Blake, it was only because the finish line was off-limits until the last race of the hour. He had joined them anyway, helmet under his arm and mud splashed liberally across his racing gear. Cam couldn't figure out how he got so dirty on a dry track.

"That last corner could have been a little tighter," he remarked, his gaze drawn--or forced--back toward the Unofficial Blake Fan Club. "He went into it too quickly."

He could hear the sneer in Hunter's voice as the Crimson Ranger demanded, "A few lessons and suddenly you're an expert?"

Cam didn't answer, just continued to pick his way down the hill in silence. After a moment, Hunter admitted grudgingly, "He didn't know the guy behind him was so far back. He could have given up speed on the straightaway for control around the turn."

"But that's not what the trials are for," Cam finished for him.

This time Hunter sounded like he was smirking. "Fast learner. Didn't think you were listening."

"I wasn't the first five times you told me," Cam shot back.

Hunter was undeterred. "Points for persistence, then."

Someone bowled into him from behind, and Hunter steadied him automatically. The person who'd hit him shouted an apology over their shoulder as they continued on their way, but Cam was too busy jerking his arm away from Hunter to care. "Don't," he hissed under his breath.

"What?" Hunter was all innocence and offended dignity. "I didn't run into you!"

Cam made a show of brushing himself off. "Blake's watching."

He had the satisfaction of seeing Hunter's head whip around, staring over at the group by the finish line. Cam couldn't resist. "Made you look," he taunted.

"He is," Hunter muttered, barely audible.

"What?" Cam followed his gaze. Blake was gesturing to something on the other side of the track, apparently as oblivious as the others to their reluctant approach.

Hunter shrugged a little. "Blake was watching. Not like he saw anything, since all I did was catch you."

"You didn't catch me," Cam retorted without thinking. Then, in an effort to forestall further argument, he changed the subject quickly. "I can't help noticing that Blake isn't muddy."

He could feel Hunter's odd look, and he tried not to wince. Obvious physical comparisons could get him into as much trouble as anything, here, since it implied he was looking. But it was too late now, so he just returned Hunter's look with an even stare of his own.

"Blake was out in front the whole time," Hunter said at last, not even pretending to not understand. "Besides," he added dryly, "being neat is part of his image."

And being muddy was part of Hunter's. Cam didn't need the clarification to know that. Why that didn't bother him, though... that was a whole other question. One that he didn't feel like thinking about right now.

"Nice race, bro," Blake called, as they came up on the little group gathered around his bike. He had an arm around Tori's shoulders, giving her a squeeze when she agreed.

Hunter shifted his helmet to his other arm, slapping Blake's bike in what was probably an affectionate gesture. "Back at you," he answered. "Looked good out there."

"Hey, is anyone else hungry?" Shane wanted to know. He was clearly long past the congratulations stage and ready for the next activity. "Because I'm starving, and that barbecue is looking pretty good."

"Sure," Dustin put in. "I could definitely go for something, like, non-vegetarian and really, really--"

"Really good for you," Tori interrupted. "That's what you were going to say, right?"

Dustin looked puzzled, but Shane intervened before he could dig himself any deeper. "Yeah," the Red Ranger said quickly. "That's what he meant. We'll meet you there, okay?"

Tori just hooked her fingers in the pockets of her jeans and rolled her eyes.

"Right," Blake agreed for all of them. "We'll catch up."

The guys had barely turned away when Dustin called over his shoulder, "You coming, Cam?"

Cam hesitated, but there wasn't really any reason for him to stay. No ostensible reason. Reluctantly he headed after the Wind Rangers, annoyed all over again that he had let himself get talked into this rally. There were a lot of things he could be doing right now that didn't involve Shane and Dustin's running commentary on the relative "sick"-ness of bikes.

It was less irritating when Hunter did it, he told himself. That was the only reason he put up with it from the Crimson Ranger. That and the fact that Hunter had never once used the word "sick" to mean "good".

"Cam!"

The shout brought his head up automatically, and just ahead of him, he saw Shane and Dustin pause too. Turning, Cam caught sight of a girl that looked only vaguely familiar but clearly recognized him. He squinted, trying to figure out why she was waving at him.

"Hey Cam!" She grounded beside him, long hair flying as she stopped moving long enough to grin and greet him again. She didn't look at all flustered to be out of breath, as though she flitted about like this all the time. "How's it going?"

He waved the others off casually, hoping they got the message. He wasn't about to introduce them to someone whose name he couldn't even remember. "Fine," he said, a little warily. "You?"

To his relief, he could see Shane and Dustin moving off in the direction they'd been headed before. The girl glanced after them briefly, a sharp look that was just enough to let him know she knew they were together. Then she was smiling at him again, responding, "Great! I'm not retaking Differential Equations again, so who's complaining?"

It finally clicked. She had been in his study group last semester, determined but falling behind the moment it got abstract, as it had the second day of class. She hadn't given up, though, and he remembered personally tutoring her on several occasions. It seemed another lifetime now.

"Congratulations," he said, smiling a little at her undimmed enthusiasm. "You tutoring for the class this semester, then?"

"No!" She gave him a look of mock-horror. Or maybe real horror, with her it was hard to tell and she'd had an awfully hard time of it. "I'm staying as far away as I can! The last thing anyone needs is me in the same building while they're studying for that class.

"What are you doing this semester?" she added, switching tracks and surprising him with her sudden curiosity. "I haven't seen you anywhere, and you're always in the labs on the weekend." Giving their surroundings a pointed glance, she suggested impishly, "Taking up sports in your spare time?"

He folded his arms, reaching up to adjust his glasses uncomfortably. "I'm, uh... I'm taking some time off. My dad... he needs me at home this semester. It's sort of a family thing."

"Oh." She went from mocking to sympathetic in a single breath. "I'm sorry, Cam. If there's anything I can do, let me know."

"Sure," he said neutrally. "Thanks."

Her gaze flicked over his shoulder, the only warning he had before a familiar voice grumbled, "There you are."

He stiffened as the Crimson Ranger came just close enough to make the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Hunter did imposing and unamused like no one else Cam knew, and he didn't have to look to know that Hunter was doing it now. He didn't even bother to say anything, just waited for one of them to fill in the silence.

"This is Kirti," Cam said, forcing himself to sound casual. "We've taken some classes together. Kirti, Hunter. He's a friend of mine, from..." Here he found himself at a loss.

"Way back," Hunter supplied, reaching around Cam to offer his hand to Kirti. "We have a lot of history."

While the latter was arguably true, the former definitely was not. Kirti, however, was the picture of politeness. "Nice to meet you," she said, giving him the same unreserved smile she had bestowed upon Cam. "I guess you're the one that dragged Cam here?"

"That's right," Hunter agreed without hesitation. "Good for him to get out once in a while."

She just smiled, and Cam knew Hunter could have picked more receptive people to say that to. But Kirti was nothing if not friendly, and she stayed for a few more minutes, exchanging idle remarks with him while ignoring Hunter's subdued but unmistakable hostility. Finally, though, she excused herself and escaped back into the crowd.

"I don't need a bodyguard," Cam snapped, as soon as she was out of earshot.

Hunter didn't so much as twitch. "Who said you had one?"

"You could loom less and converse more," Cam told him irritably.

Hunter spread his hands to the side in exasperation. "Barely dating and he's already trying to change me. If I wanted self-help books I'd get a girlfriend!"

Cam ignored everything after the first two words. "We're not dating!"

"My point," Hunter agreed. Eyes fixed somewhere on the horizon, his next words stopped Cam cold. "You wanna be?"

In the middle of formulating another retort, Cam could only gape at him.

Hunter's gaze caught his and slid away again, down to the ground this time as he shifted uncomfortably. "I mean, you want to go on a date," he clarified. "You know... with me?"

Cam couldn't suppress the urge to look over his shoulder. He didn't mean to, but he found himself asking, "And do what?"

Hunter just shrugged. "Whatever."

Apparently that was all he was going to get out of Hunter. On the other hand, as far as he knew, it was more than anyone else had ever gotten out of Hunter. "Maybe," he said slowly, wondering what he was doing. His dad was going to flip.

"Cool." Hunter took that as an affirmative, as per usual. "You busy tonight?"

10. What It Means

The roar of the engines was loud in his ears as his car tore down the track with single-minded determination. Too close to one side, not close enough to the other, he managed to cut off three cars almost by accident and then #24 was back on the screen as he came screaming up behind the leaders of the pack. A bubble appeared over top of the car highlighted in red: "Hunter".

He flinched away from the wall, slamming on the acceleration even as the wheel started to drag. The car leapt forward, skidding madly across the track and knocking one of the virtual racers aside. He managed to regain control just in time to cut the corner and slide in front of the highlighted car, flooring the gas again and smirking at Hunter's shout of dismay.

The controls seized up as he sailed past the checkered flag, and #88 began its victory lap around the suddenly empty track. In the next booth, Hunter slammed his hand down on the steering wheel as his screen flashed a score with the word "second" in large letters. "That is so wrong!" he declared indignantly. "You should not be better than me at this!"

Cam laughed at his annoyance, reaching above his head to grab the simulated roll bars and stretch his shoulders out. "Guess I just pick things up quickly," he gloated, lifting himself half out of the driver's seat before settling back down. "Go again?"

"And have you beat me for the third time?" Hunter demanded, mouth twisting into a half-smile. "Yeah, maybe after we eat. I can take defeat better on a full stomach."

"Since when do you take defeat at all?" Cam scoffed. He caught the back of the booth as the screen flashed "NASCAR Thunder" and reverted to demo mode. Jumping down, he joined Hunter in the aisle. "You're not the world's most gracious loser."

"Hey!" Hunter stopped abruptly, letting Cam walk into him and leaning forward instead of stepping back. "You got a problem with my attitude?"

"Yeah," Cam sneered, returning the challenge without flinching. "Your 'attitude' pretty much sums up my problems, actually."

Hunter smirked at that, so close that Cam didn't realize what he was doing until their mouths were a breath apart. Cam turned his head and pushed past Hunter hastily. "Don't do that," he hissed over his shoulder.

"What?" Hunter demanded, dogging his footsteps as he headed for the arcade exit. "Kiss you? Since when do you mind me kissing you?"

And if that didn't draw stares, Cam didn't know what would. Ears burning, he had almost made it through the door when Hunter caught his arm and forced him to stop. "What's going on? I thought we were on a date, here."

Cam glanced around, trying not to catch anyone's eye. "I'm not talking about this in an arcade," he said stiffly.

Hunter took two steps out into the mall proper, stopped, and folded his arms expectantly.

Cam moved away from the door with a sigh, trying to keep his voice down as Hunter joined him reluctantly. "Look, do you know any of those people?" he asked, nodding back toward the arcade.

Hunter frowned, not relaxing his posture. "I don't know. Maybe. I wasn't paying attention"

"Do any of them know Blake?" Cam insisted. "Or Dustin, or Shane? You might not have been paying attention to them, but they were paying attention to us."

"So?" Hunter looked more annoyed than alarmed. "You saying you don't want to be seen with me?"

"I'm saying you're the one who didn't want to 'advertise'!" Cam shot back. "Kissing someone in the middle of the mall is a pretty good way to do that!"

"I'm not going to tell the others," Hunter said bluntly. "But I'm not going to sneak around either. If they find out, they find out."

"Great," Cam muttered. "Gay and out all in the same week."

"I'm not gay!" Hunter exclaimed.

Cam forced himself not to look over his shoulder. "Well, maybe you convinced some people on the other side of the mall. Can I redefine the word for you?"

"Look, I'm not saying I'm straight," Hunter said uneasily. His tone was quieter now, but his gaze was still fixed on Cam. "I'm just not saying I'm gay, either."

"So what is this?" Cam demanded. "Some kind of experiment, then?"

"No!" Hunter looked frustrated. "It's just--"

"Just what?" Cam wanted to know.

"It's a date, all right?" Hunter was glaring at him now. "I don't know what else to tell you. I can't help noticing that you're not rushing to call yourself gay... and I'm not the one who has a problem kissing in public!"

"I don't have a problem kissing in public," Cam snapped. The reaction was automatic, and Hunter's response was predictable.

"Prove it," he said, dropping his arms and stepping closer. "If you're so sure of yourself, then prove it."

They stared at each other for a moment, frozen in place, both waiting for the other to break the stalemate. He was not going to kiss Hunter, not now, not here. He already knew that. He opened his mouth to inform the other that he didn't need to prove anything, and Hunter surprised him again. Or maybe he surprised himself more.

Fast, close, warm, Hunter was in his face before he could pull away. He didn't bother to try. He opened his mouth and leaned into the kiss, startling Hunter if the hands gripping his shoulders were any indication, but instead of being pushed back he found himself drawn closer. He wasn't sure whether that was a good thing in and of itself, but his body flush against Hunter's felt good and for once he gave in to the feeling.

Someone whistled, one of them stepped back, and their mouths parted reluctantly. Hunter didn't take his hands off of Cam's shoulders, eyes wide as he considered the Green Ranger for a long moment. "Yeah," he said at last. "Okay. I'll be gay if you will," he quipped.

Cam couldn't suppress a smile, looking away as if he could hide the expression somehow. That was the kind of kiss he'd wanted since the first time, confident and unapologetic. Was it wrong to want it again? Now?

If not wrong, he decided finally, then at least inconvenient. "I'll date you," he countered, "as long as we clarify what it means."

Hunter let go of his shoulders, a little belatedly Cam thought, and gave him an amused look as he folded his arms. "Clarify away."

"We aren't telling the others, but we're not trying to keep them from finding out?" He paused expectantly, and after a moment Hunter nodded. "And... kissing in public."

"If that was a question," Hunter said with a smirk, "then the answer is yes."

"Kissing at Ninja Ops," Cam warned.

Hunter's expression didn't change. "I'm guessing from your tone the answer to that one's no."

"Would you really kiss me in front of your brother?" Cam pointed out. "In front of my dad?"

Hunter eyed him. "Yeah," he said frankly. "But that sort of falls into the category of telling them, which we already agreed not to do."

Cam shook his head, wondering--not for the first time--how much of Hunter's attitude was real and how much of it was because he knew he could get away with it. "What about dates? Do we tell them where we were tonight?"

"I don't care if we tell them we're doing stuff together," Hunter said with a shrug. "We don't have to say it's a date."

"They're not slow," Cam reminded him. Then he grimaced, and admitted, "Most of the time."

Hunter snorted, but chose not to respond to that. "You really want to sneak around?" he asked instead.

"No," Cam said quickly. "It's just... they will figure it out."

Hunter shrugged again. "So let's give them something to figure out," he suggested, glancing around. "You want dinner or what?"

"Yeah," Cam said after a moment. Then something occurred to him, and he narrowed his eyes at Hunter. "Don't think you're buying."

Hunter just smirked. "Who said I was offering?"