Chapter Text
There is a slow knock on the door, almost hesitant. Zack maneuvers around the dining room table and limps over, leaning most of his weight on it to catch his breath. “One second!”
The door swings open with too much force, with Zack still leaning against the frame. His mouth hangs open a little bit in surprise.
“Peace offering?” Jason raises a shopping bag, shoulders slumped forward as if bracing for rejection.
“Uh,” he hops to the side, letting the door hang open so the other can come in. Jason ducks inside and Zack takes quick stock of him; he favors one side — the knee brace doesn’t escape Zack’s scrutiny — but he looks marginably better than he did when he last saw him at the ship. Still exhausted by the looks of it, with dark bruises coloring his under eyes and dry lips that could use some moisturizing.
The door closes and Zack limps after the blond, sitting down so he can rest his ankle. Trini threatened him with terrible bodily harm if he didn’t stay off of it. “So, what brings you to my side of the woods?”
It’s very different to be standing in Zack’s home in the middle of the day, fully conscious, than it was to stumble through it in the darkness of night, barely awake. The bag gets put down, gently, on top of the table. “I—,” the blond clears his throat. “Came to say thanks. And sorry.” One eyebrow goes up in confusion and Jason presses on, before Zack can interrupt. “The thing, with the coin? You were right. I was an asshole about it. I should’ve told you.”
He hadn’t been thinking in the moment, not with everything else going on. He’d expected the coin to just show up, so worrying about it hadn’t really entered the equation. It was a shitty thing to do. It’d clearly affected Zack. The least he could’ve done was ease that worry.
“— Does this mean you aren’t quitting then?”
Jason’s quiet for a second. It’s a loaded question. He didn’t ask for this but the truth is that none of them did. If he really walks away from it, what does that say about him? He wants to be worthy of it, but on his own terms, not Zordon’s. “No.”
He’ll figure out what it means to be Red. For himself, for his team— his friends.
Zack grins, and it catches him off guard for a second. “Good, it’d get boring without you around. Jus’ one thing, yeah?” His eyes narrow and he leans forward, one arm resting on the edge of the table. “None of that self sacrificing bullshit anymore.”
“Uh, what self sacrificing bullshit?”
“Wha— what do you mean what— oh, you.. you don’t remember?” Zack’s voice thins out at the end. It was a very small possibility, he knew that. But if Jason doesn’t remember the very dumb fucking terrible idea of being a ‘distraction’, then he probably also didn’t remember the rest.
“Is this about the mines?” Jason grimaces. “Sorry, everything is just kind of a blur. Kim told me some stuff, but..” he shrugs, uncomfortable about the idea that something bad had happened and he didn’t know about it. “It’s mostly a blank.”
Zack groans as he pushes away from the chair to stand up, hobbling until he’s right in front of Jason. One finger viciously jabs the blond’s chest. “No one gets left behind, not even you.”
So something did happen.
It’s not really a promise he can make, because in a specific circumstance he would definitely do something desperate if it meant the others would be safe. Like staying behind. Jason must’ve looked conflicted about that because Zack jabs him again, even harder. Jason takes a step back instinctively. “Ow, dude.”
“Promise!”
“— I’ll try.”
“Oh, fuck you and your stupid Captain America attitude!”
“I don’t even know what that means.”
Zack groans, turning around, frustrated with the turn in conversation. Of course Jason wouldn’t remember how scared Zack had been at that moment. How terrifying it was for someone to so casually say ‘hey, you go and I’ll stay here so you can go and be safe and I’ll probably die in the process’. And Zack had yelled at him just a few days ago, insinuating that he wasn’t worth shit. “You do! You don’t get to stand there looking pretty and heroic and expect me to just be okay with it!”
“—We’re a team, right? That’s what you said! So how are we supposed to function if you throw your life away? Who’s gonna lead us then?”
You wanna lead, Zack?
No, not him. Kim, maybe. Or even Billy. But even then, it just wouldn’t be the same. It would be sad and pathetic if Zack didn’t actually find it admirable, how hard Jason tries, even when he’s buckling under pressure.
“It doesn’t work that way. It’s us with you. You’re stuck with us.”
He’s panting by the time he’s done, the faint memory of it stale on the back of his tongue. Billy died for them and it was horrible. It might be just him. Zack has a million issues, half of them are burdened by abandonment and the crippling fear of getting left behind. It’s his mom, and now it’s also the others. He doesn’t want to be the cause of it.
A hand reaches out and Zack startles badly, gasping. Fingers curl, intertwining with his and Jason’s presence envelops him like a heavy blanket—warm and comforting. “I’m sorry,” he whispers. “You know I can’t promise that,” Zack scoffs, his eyes prickling; he brings his free hand up to rub at them. “But I promise to get better, so it doesn’t get to that point.”
“Fuck,” Zack exhales. “How do you even doubt yourself when you say shit like that, man? It’s— so corny. You were like, born for this shit.”
“So were you. I’ve seen you out there. You prioritize people in danger.”
“Psh, that’s ‘cause we’re superheroes.”
“—No, I think.. that’s ‘cause you’re you.”
Zack’s heart skips a beat, face burning.
Motherfucker.
It’s just a pretty face, he’s not supposed to feel this way about him. It is a terrible idea, he knows that. Especially now that they’ve finally started to find their footing. Jason suddenly pulls away, his fingers slipping free of Zack’s and it’s mortifying that his immediate thought is that he wants them back. Zack turns, ready to make a remark about it to deny what he’s feeling but stops short.
Jason has one arm around his stomach and the other — the one that’d been holding Zack’s hand just seconds ago — covering his lower face, looking a little green. He sways on the spot and Zack grabs his shoulder, guiding him to sit down. “Dude?”
Shit. He looks around, stretching to grab the empty cereal bowl he’d used in the morning, thankful that it’d been nearby. It isn’t much but it’s better than nothing. He offers it, brow creased with concern. “You gonna throw up?” Maybe he should get something bigger. A trashcan or something.
Jason stays quiet for a while, breathing deeply and slowly, and finally murmurs, “No, I’m good.”
“Dunno, boss, your face says otherwise.”
Blue eyes close, expression pinched. “Just.. nausea, it’ll pass.”
Zack winces in sympathy. “Headache?” There’s no more blood staining Jason’s hair but there is a fading bruise peeking out of his hairline.
“Comes and goes,” Jason opens his eyes again, breathing still measured. “Alpha said it should be fine in a day or two.” His smile is weak, brittle.
“Lemme guess, you should be resting?” Zack scoffs, shaking his head. He told the same thing to Trini after she threatened him over the ankle.
“This was important,” Jason argues.
“Dude, you could’ve waited. I’ll be here all week.” He waves pathetically at his ankle brace.
“I don’t know about that,” he still looks pained, but his mouth twitches into something more real, teasingly. “I give it ten more hours before you drive yourself crazy from being stuck inside.”
Zack gasps dramatically. “I swear! You guys— first Trini, now you. Y’all suck.”
“Oh, well.. if Trini said it, then for sure.”
“The Hell does that mean?”
“She’s usually right.”
“You— you’re right. Thanks, I hate it.” He wasn’t about to admit that he’d already been limping all over their little home, trying to clean. One full day of recovery had been enough. Now he was getting impatient. He drops heavily in his previous chair, keeping a close eye on the blond in case he gets worse. “You’re no better, hypocrite. I don’t think people with brain damage should be walking around.”
Jason sighs, tiredly. “It’s just a little concussion.”
Zack snorts, muttering under his breath, “Little.” His eyes narrow with suspicion. “How’d you even get here?”
“I followed my heart.”
Zack waits for the punch line but Jason doesn’t add anything to that. “Does your heart have four wheels? Please tell me you called an Uber and didn’t drive here.”
“Uh, no. My truck’s still out of commission.”
Zack raises one eyebrow, expectant, and Jason quietly takes out something from his pocket and drops it on the table, between them. The red power coin glows steadily, in sync with some rhythm only it knows.
Crazy how they can just.. teleport to wherever they want. Though it’s not the most reliable point of transportation. Sometimes it doesn’t work. Zordon had blamed them and their lack of connection to the almighty grid. Zack hadn’t really put too much stock in it but after the mines— maybe he was right.
“Cheaper than an Uber,” Zack mutters.
Jason’s hand covers the coin and with a wince, he gets up. “I should go.”
Already?
Sometimes, Zack doesn’t think. He just moves or blurts shit out. Lizard brain says jump and he jumps. It’s how he ended up tied up with four strangers he now calls friends. His hand drops over Jason’s, still on the table. “Or— you could stay.” He shrugs, aiming for casual, despite the jackrabbit somersaulting in his chest. “We can watch a movie.. or just, hang. I could, uh, order pizza?”
Jason stands frozen and for a second, Zack thinks he’s grossly overstepped his boundaries. Totally misread the guy. There’s an awkward laugh at the tip of his tongue, ready to add a pathetic ‘y’know, as friends, ignore that I’m holding your hand’ when the blond looks at him, dry lips cracking into a faint smile. “Yeah, okay.”
Oh God.
He’s smitten, isn’t he? It’s the eyes— they’re so fucking blue.
And the smile, and the whole ‘I would kill myself to keep you safe’ that was probably not intentionally aimed at him because Jason seems like the kind of upstanding guy who would do it for anyone.
“Pepperoni?” He asks, voice coming out weak. He clears his throat, asks again. “Anything else?”
Oh hey, they’re still kind of holding hands.
“I’m good with whatever.”
“Cool, cool.”
* * *
The light of midday bleeds into the blues of early evening. It was supposed to be a quick thing, but it’s been an hour and Jason’s still there. They sit against the headboard, shoulder to shoulder, with Zack’s old sticker-ridden laptop precariously balanced between them and the box of pizza on the edge of the bed.
He was able to stomach about half a slice before the nausea returned and Zack was gracious enough not to say anything about it.
The movie is light, funny and animated. Something easy to pass the time. Jason appreciated the thought, but between the throbbing headache and the tiredness, he can’t really muster up the energy to drown in laughter, not even when Zack’s own fits of it tickle him the right way. It is contagious, but the most he can do is smile and chuckle.
His eyes are starting to drop close when Zack nudges him with an elbow. “Hey, want me to walk you home?”
“— How chivalrous of you,” Jason mutters.
He’ll overthink it later; the comments, the little slips on his looks and the touching. The brushing of his fingers while they watch the movie. But right now, that requires more brain power than he can spare.
“I’ll have you know I’m a perfect gentleman.”
“An’ here I was thinking you were the crazy bad boy.”
Zack preens, smirk sharp. “I can be both, J.”
He rolls his eyes and winces, regretting it immediately at the piercing frontal throb. His eyes close, one hand rubbing at the spot where it feels the worst, though it doesn’t help any. There’s rustling in the background, then silence. The movie stops and Zack wiggles carefully so he can get out of bed without disturbing the other body on it and without fucking up his ankle. “C’mon, pretty boy,” Zack grabs his free hand and Jason lets him drag him out of bed and upright.
Jason groans, whole body sagging and forehead dropping against Zack’s shoulder.
“Click your heels three times and think of home.”
“I’m not wearin’ shoes.”
Zack shrugs, “Home then.”
The light envelopes them, comforting and buzzling with energy.
When he opens his eyes, blinking owlishly, he’s back in his room. Zack lets go of him after pushing him gently against the edge of the bed so he can sit.
“Damn, Red,” Zack whistles, looking around. “That’s a lot of trophies.”
Jason grimaces. He took pride in them once. Not anymore, not really.
“Dude—” Zack limps over to one side of the room, and Jason glances over at him lazily. “You play the guitar?” He lifts the electric red guitar carefully, air playing for a second and looking up. “You gonna play Wonderwall for me?”
“You shouldn’t be standing,” Jason chides, seeing Zack start to list heavily to one side.
“That’s not a no,” he grins. The smile drops like a brick when he sees the prescription drugs on the night table. Just as carefully, he puts the guitar back on its stand and picks up the bottle, curiosity winning over. His mom has a bunch of little orange bottles, just like that one. He doesn’t say anything about it, putting it back down and hobbles over to Jason.
“— Thanks for the drop off.”
“Yeah, ‘course.”
“Do you wanna—”
“Are you gonna—”
They both stop, look at each other and then chuckle. Zack worms his lip between his teeth, nervously biting on it, “Sorry, what were you gonna say?”
“Nothin’ important,” Jason shakes his head. Zack deflates, shoulders dropping. “You?”
“I, uh.” He’s bouncing with nervous energy, awkwardly trying not to tap his foot and risk the precarious balance between his good leg and the aching one. Fuck it. “Do you wanna, maybe, go out—”
“— Okay,” Jason cuts him off.
Zack glances up, stuck between relief and the fluttering in his stomach. Jason’s looking at him like he’s studying him; there are lines of pain across his face but also a small crease around the eyes of something else. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” Jason nods, that little smile appearing again. “It’s a date.”
He will absolutely not fucking jump up in happiness because it will undoubtedly fuck his ankle again, but Zack grins so wide it hurts the side of his face. “Cool, cool. I’ll see you later then.” He hesitates for half a second before his brain goes ‘do it’ and he leans over, wobbling in place, to press a kiss against Jason’s cheek.
The blond’s face goes red in a way that Zack thinks, ‘Oh, I like that color.’
“Night, Red.”
A flash of black light and Zack is gone. Jason breathes out slowly, heart hammering, “Yeah, night..”
It’s a terrible idea.
But his cheek is still warm from the spot where Zack’s lip touched it so, maybe it’s not that bad.
Whatever, he’ll overthink it later.
* * *
zack attack: yooo, crazy girl!! guess wat
yellow submarine: if you broke it, i’m gonna be so mad
zack attack: i would never!
yellow submarine: what’d you do?
zack attack: why do u make it sound like i did a bad thing
yellow submarine: bc it’s you
zack attack: ouch??
yellow submarine: so. spill
zack attack: guess who got a date
yellow submarine: wait, how’d you know
yellow submarine: who told you?
zack attack: wait, what’re u talking about
yellow submarine: i asked first
yellow submarine: did Kim tell you??
zack attack: wait..
zack attack: hol up
yellow submarine: no no
yellow submarine: i can’t believe she’d tell you before i did
zack attack: h o l y s h i t, yalllll??
yellow submarine: noooooo shut up
yellow submarine: but yes
zack attack: yooooooo???
zack attack: yooooo!!! Congrats!!!
yellow submarine: ………… tnx
zack attack: a lil more excitement?? pls??
yellow submarine: shutup
yellow submarine: wait
yellow submarine: Kim didn’t tell you
zack attack: nah
yellow submarine: wait
yellow submarine: what were you talking about then
zack attack: not u and kim but wow!
yellow submarine: you and who
zack attack: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
yellow submarine: you and who!
zack attack: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
yellow submarine: oh my god