Archive of Our Own

Chase was so stupid.

He had screwed up, he knew it. There was no way he'd deny it.

He and Riley had gotten into an argument over how to deal with one of Sledge's monsters. It wasn't the first time this has happened, the whole Cavity business was only the first time they'd fought. As it turns out, neither of their ideas were the correct way to go and Shelby ended up saving the day.

But that didn't matter.

Chase had hurt Riley's feelings and while it was an accident, there was this gripping pain in his chest knowing that he had been the one to upset his boyfriend.
After the battle was done and over, Riley took off before his teammates realized it. Chase should've known better, but deep down he hoped Riley would show up back at the lab. And when Riley didn't show up, Chase went looking for him.

There were many places Riley could be. Chase went to the places his boyfriend frequented such as the library, local coffee shop, another bookstore and the park. When all of those places came up empty on the Riley front, Chase decided to check back at the little apartment that the two of them shared. If he wasn't there, the black ranger was just going to have to turn Amber Beach upside down looking for his little raptor.

Jamming the key into the door and quickly opening it, Chase barely let the door shut behind him when he found Riley standing in the middle of the living room. He had just flung his backpack over his shoulder and turned to face Chase when he entered the apartment. "Sorry, I was just leaving." Riley muttered as he slipped into his green converse, barely caring that he didn't even bother to lace them up.

"Riley, wait." Chase said as he let his body block Riley's only exit from the apartment. Of course he could escape through the windows but they lived on the fourth floor, that wouldn't be fun when he'd hit the ground.

Riley had no other choice but to stop and he mentally cursed at Chase for being much taller and much more bigger than he was. Even if he caught his stare lingering for a bit longer than he cared at the moment, Riley was still angry with Chase.

"Why? You thought my idea was 'ridiculous' and 'stupid'." Riley used the ever so useful air quotes to emphasize Chase's earlier choice of words.

"Only because your plan involved you being used as bait! I wasn't about to let you go out there by yourself! If something happened to you, I don't know what I'd do!" Chase hadn't realized he was yelling until he saw Riley clench his eyes shut at the sound. So he continued in a much softer tone. "Riley, love. I have to protect you." Chase instinctively reached forward, his right hand cupping the younger man's cheek. Riley opened his eyes as the pad of Chase's thumb brushed itself up and down his cheek. "So I wasn't calling you ridiculous or stupid. Because I have to be there to protect you, little raptor."

"And what," Riley began, "Your idea was better?" He let his cheek nuzzle into Chase's hand. Of course he was still annoyed, but just hearing his boyfriend's words helped him calm down a little.

"Well, blowing things to smithereens always solves the problem." Chase shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "Besides, it's a lot quicker. Gets the job done. Bam, over." He snapped his fingers together for emphasis. When he was done, he looked down to see those big eyes staring back up at him.

"What?" Chase asked, arching an eyebrow because he was obviously confused. "Is there something on my face? Are we still fighting?"

Riley shook his head. It was only normal that they fight. It was bound to happen again anyways. Chase was always doing something reckless, like that one time he almost put a fork in the microwave and Riley nearly had a heart attack over it. Oddly enough, Chase tried to put a piece of foil in there the other day. "No because let's face it, you'd be hopeless without me."

Hearing Riley forgive him was music to Chase's ears. "Good because we've got some making out, I mean making up to do." The New Zealander cleared his throat and pulled Riley up against him. "Would you be mad at me if I did this?"

"Do wha--" Riley barely had time to react when Chase picked him up and lifted him up and over his shoulder. "Chase! Put me down!"

"Nope." Chase grinned and while Riley flailed over his shoulder, he made his way towards their bedroom.