Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The sun had just begun to set, casting an orange gleam across the sky, when Terry pushed open the door to Antonio's room.

The sounds of the city below echoed softly through the open window, a symphony of life and activity.

Antonio was there, sprawled on the bed, his eyes closed and his fingers gently strumming the strings of his guitar.

"Antonio!" Terry exclaimed, his voice echoing in the small room. Antonio opened his eyes, his fingers pausing mid-strum. "There's a party tonight – a grand gathering of all the musicians in town. I thought you might want to come."

Antonio sat up, setting his guitar aside. "You know I can't, Terry," he said, his voice quiet. "I'm a Samurai Ranger. I have responsibilities."

Terry rolled his eyes. "Come on, Antonio. You've been in that shell for too long. Besides, we haven't performed together since that night on stage a few weeks ago. The crowd loved us!"

Just then, Jayden, Antonio's ever-present companion, entered the room with a tray of food.

Jayden carefully placed the tray on the table and stepped back as he said "Antonio don't worry about your ranger duties we'll deal the nighlok, go have fun.

Seeing Jayden, Terry had an idea as he smirked. "Why not bring Jayden along?

"Wait what?" Jayden asked as he stared between Antonio and Terry.

"It might help him come out of his shell." Terry added.

Antonio looked at Jayden, who was looking back at him, uncertainty in his eyes as Antonio smiled. "I don't know, Terry. Jayden's not much for parties."

But Terry was insistent. "It'll be good for both of you. A night off, some fun. What do you say, Jayden?"

Jayden hesitated, then nodded. "If Antonio doesn't mind it, I can accompany him."

With that settled, they took off to the party later that night. Antonio, Terry, and Jayden checked into a hotel close to the venue.

They had a few hours to spare, and Antonio wanted to rest before the big event.

In the hotel, Jayden took up his usual role, serving Antonio.

He brought him food, helped him dress, and attended to his every need. Antonio, for his part, tried to persuade Jayden to relax.

"Jayden, you're not my servant. You're my friend. You don't need to do all this," Antonio would say.

And Jayden would reply, "It is my duty, Antonio it is a vow to took on myself when i became the red ranger."

Terry watched this exchange, bemused. "You two are something else, Jayden, when we get to the party, we want you to enjoy yourself, okay? No serving. Just having fun."

Jayden nodded, though it was clear he was unsure of what 'having fun' meant.

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As the night rolled in, the three of them headed to the party. It was a lively event, filled with music, laughter, and the clinking of glasses.

Terry and Antonio mingled, talked to other musicians, and even performed a song together. The crowd loved it.

Jayden, however, stuck to Antonio's side like a shadow, observing but not participating.

He fetched drinks, found seats, and cleared plates, slipping back into his old habits.

Terry watched this from the corner of his eye, feeling a pang of sympathy for Jayden.

He decided to intervene, so pulling Jayden aside, he said, "Why don't you try talking to some people, Jayden? You might enjoy it."

Jayden shook his head, "I'm here to serve Antonio."

"But Antonio wants you to enjoy yourself. He told you that, didn't he?" Terry reminded him as Jayden hesitated, then nodded.

Terry could see the conflict in his eyes, he wanted to follow Antonio's orders, but his ingrained habit of serving was hard to break.

Seeing this, Antonio decided it was time the red ranger learned to let loose for a change as he went to Terry and Jayden as he spoke "Jayden, you're not here as a ranger. You're here to enjoy."

"But I don't know how to...enjoy," Jayden said, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes darted around the room, taking in the spectacle of the party "you should know that Antonio, out of the three of us you know how I was raised."

Antonio laughed, patting Jayden on the shoulder. "It's easy, amigo. Just do what you want, talk to people, have a drink, dance. I dont care what you do, today's about letting go and having fun."

Jayden nodded, he didn't seem convinced, but he made an effort, he tried a sip of the punch.

He made small talk with some of the musicians, and even managed a shy smile when one of the singers complimented his outfit.

Hours passed, the party was in full swing, and Antonio and Terry were absorbed in the revelry.

Jayden, on the other hand, was still hovering on the sidelines, his comfort zone.

But he was watching, learning. And slowly, he was beginning to understand the concept of 'fun.'

Suddenly, the DJ announced a dance-off. Antonio, always up for a challenge, dragged Terry onto the dance floor.

The crowd cheered as they started to move to the beat.

Jayden watched from the side, his eyes wide. He had never seen Antonio so carefree, so full of life.

And Terry was a sight to behold, his movements fluid and graceful, the crowd was clapping and cheering.

Suddenly Jayden found himself getting swept up in the excitement.

And then, to his surprise, he found himself walking towards the dance floor.

He felt a rush of adrenaline as he stepped onto the platform, the crowd's gaze on him.

He hesitated, then started to move, letting the music guide him.

The crowd gasped, then started cheering.

Antonio and Terry stopped dancing, their eyes wide as they watched Jayden.

He was not the best dancer, but he was moving with a joy and freedom they had never seen in him before.

When the song ended, Jayden was panting and laughing, a wide smile on his face.

The crowd erupted into applause, and Antonio and Terry joined in, their faces beaming with pride.

"That's my boy!" Antonio shouted, clapping Jayden on the back. "You rock bud!"

Terry nodded, a proud smile on his face. "See, Jayden, fun isn't that hard, right?"

"I...I think I understand now," he said, his voice filled with wonder. "This is what fun feels like."

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However, not everyone was thrilled by his triumph, a burly musician, the one Jayden had defeated in the dance-off, seethed with anger.

"You cheated!" he yelled, pointing an accusatory finger at Jayden. "You can't beat me! I demand a rematch!"

Antonio, always protective of his friends, stepped forward, positioning himself between the furious musician and Jayden.

"There's no need for a rematch," Antonio said calmly, trying to defuse the situation. "It was just a friendly dance-off. Let's all enjoy the party."

"No, Antonio, stay back!" Jayden called out, his voice filled with determination.

Jayden braced himself, ready to defend himself, but before any blows could land, the sound of chanting reached his ears.

With a primal yell, he lunged towards Antonio, aiming to tackle him to the ground.

Jayden's instincts kicked in, and without a second thought, he pushed Antonio out of harm's way.

The force of the impact sent Jayden crashing to the ground as the crowd erupted into chaos.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" the musicians chanted, their voices growing louder with each passing moment.

"Hey, what's going on?" Terry shouted, his voice filled with alarm as he was confused what the chanting was about.

As the musician's momentum carried him forward, he collided with Jayden, sending them both crashing to the ground.

The room grew chaotic, with some musicians shouting encouragement to the brawler, while others called for calm.

As Jayden struggled to regain his footing, the musician continued his assault, throwing punches with reckless abandon.

The crowd watched, continuing their chanting, until a group of security guards rushed in, quickly apprehending the aggressive musician and dragging him away.

Antonio and Terry, their eyes wide with shock, hurried to Jayden's side. "Jayden, are you okay?" Antonio asked, his voice filled with concern.

Jayden winced, feeling the ache in his body. "I'm fine, guys, just... got caught off guard."

Antonio glared at the musician, his voice filled with indignation. "You should be ashamed of yourself, attacking someone like that."

Terry pulled out his phone and dialed for a nurse. "We need medical assistance right away," he said urgently. "Our friend has been injured."

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Once inside the hotel room, Terry immediately called for a nurse, while Antonio gently guided Jayden to a comfortable spot to rest. Jayden's face was pale, his body trembling from the pain.

Antonio knelt beside Jayden, concern etched on his face. "I'm so sorry, Jayden," he said softly, his voice laced with guilt. "This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't dragged you to the party."

Jayden managed a weak smile. "Please, Antonio." he whispered, his voice filled with warmth. "It wasn't your fault. I made the choice to protect you. I'd do it again."

Terry returned from the balcony, a somber expression on his face.

He handed a glass of water to Jayden, who gratefully took a sip.

"I called for a nurse," Terry said, sitting down beside Antonio. He strummed his guitar absentmindedly, the soothing melody filling the room. "She should be here soon."

"Thanks Terry." Antonio simply said as he turned his gaze back to Jayden.

"You definitely showed that guy, Jayden," Terry said, his voice filled with admiration. "I've never seen anyone move like that. You were amazing!"

Jayden managed a weak smile. "Thank you, Terry. I guess the ranger senses paid off."

"Jayden I can't thank you enough for saving me." Antonio said as Jaydne shook his head.

"I couldn't let anything happen to you, Antonio. Your a civilain and I have a sense of duty towards you, even if we're friends." Jayden said as he settled back on his bed.

Terry interjected, a hint of sadness in his voice. "Jayden, it's about time you let go of that duty mentality. You've proven yourself time and time again. You're a civilain to, and a valued friend."

Jayden's gaze shifted between Antonio and Terry, uncertainty clouding his eyes. "But... it's all I've ever known. Being a protector is my purpose."

Antonio shook his head as he placed a comforting hand on Jayden's shoulder. "Your purpose is what you make it, Jayden. You've grown so much since we first met, and you have talents and strengths beyond serving. You're a part of our team, our family."

The nurse, a kind and compassionate woman, entered the room with a gentle smile she approached Jayden, her eyes filled with concern.

"Hello there," she said softly. "I heard there was an incident. Let me take a look at your injuries, young man."

Jayden's immediate response was to protest "I'm fine, really, it's just a few bruises. I don't want to be a bother."

Antonio, however, intervened with a firm but gentle tone, he said, "Jayden, let the nurse examine you. We need to make sure you're okay."

Jayden hesitated for a moment, but the unwavering authority in Antonio's voice convinced him to comply.

He nodded reluctantly, a mix of gratitude and obedience in his eyes, the nurse momentarily surprised by Jaydens submission "is he your servant?"

"No he's my friend, but sometimes he acts like one." Antonio said as he winked at the red ranger who smiled in return.

The nurse approached Jayden with a calming demeanor, her touch gentle and professional.

She carefully examined his bruises, checking for any signs of further injury.

Jayden winced occasionally, but he bore the discomfort with quiet strength.

As the nurse worked, Terry and Antonio moved to the balcony, their guitars in hand.

They strummed softly, their melodies intertwining in a harmonious duet, a soothing backdrop to the scene unfolding inside.

The nurse soon finished her examination, offering Jayden a reassuring smile. "You'll be sore for a while, but nothing serious, just rest and take it easy."

Jayden nodded gratefully, his eyes filled with appreciation. "Thank you, ma'am."

The nurse packed up her supplies and prepared to leave. "If you experience any more pain or discomfort, don't hesitate to call for medical assistance," she said, her voice warm with genuine concern.

As the nurse departed, Terry and Antonio joined Jayden's side once again.

They settled into a comfortable silence, the music from the balcony filling the room "guess trouble can find us no matter where we are."

"We are rangers after all Antonio." Jayden said as they all laughed enjoying one another's company.