Epilogue

The Anniversary

First and foremost, major props to my beta, The Real Vampire, for their efforts editing this baby! I am forever grateful for your feedback, vamps, and if you haven't checked out any of their work I highly recommend it. If you're looking for some Ninja Storm romance, try 'My Brother's Keeper' which, you know, I might have beta-ed ;D

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Amidst the subdued hubbub of friendly conversation and cheers, the milling warmth of multiple bodies crammed into a modest space and the symphony of delicious fragrances – not courtesy of Kai, for once, as Eric had requested he 'take a goddamn break' – the delicate clinking of silverware against a champagne flute managed to permeate the air.

The source, naturally, was a jovial Wes Collins who was dressed to the nines that evening, looking as at home in a suit and tie as Andros did in that KO35 uniform of his. Wes was grinning, pearly whites in easy view from ear to ear, a permanent addition ever since the merger had been announced.

Carter stood just behind the blond's shoulder, as was his preference, watching the proceedings with a look of amused fondness. It looked good on him.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Wes announced, voice ringing over the room as the din settled down into quiet murmurs. "First and foremost, I would like to take this moment to thank you all for your hard work in facilitating the Bio Labs and Lightspeed merger into our new entity, Space Patrol Delta."

"Who picked that name?!" Rocky had his hands cupped around his mouth like an impromptu megaphone, pointedly ignoring the fact everyone could hear him just fine. "Did you leave Jason alone with the paperwork?"

A few people down from the Mighty Morhpin' ranger, Andros seemed to make his impeccable posture impossibly straighter, wine glass clutched in his hand as though he were still deciding whether or not to trust the foreign thing. "The name is direct and effective," he muttered, firmly settling who had won that naming dispute.

Eric himself had stayed out of that mess. Mostly, because he knew better than to throw himself between Andros, Mr. Collins, Carter, Kai, and that new guy, Cruger. That was a battle of the minds he had gladly stayed out of, dragging a slightly unwilling Wes behind him.

Sure, it may have been fun to watch, but Eric cared enough about Wes' wellbeing to protect the dumbass from his own stupid mouth. They may be friends now – open and addressed and not in-denial friends – but sometimes Eric had to play his I-know-what's-good-for-you trump card, which Wes had come to accept with minimal grumbling.

Personally, Eric suspected that the other Silver Guardian was touched during such moments, but he had inclined not to mention anything directly. As much as Eric tried (and he was getting better), there were still baby steps he had to get before he was completely comfortable with friend-stuff.

Which was not depressing. He and Dana had talked about it; there was no shame in taking your time. Everyone had different paces for tackling difficult life transitions.

And that was what this was. It was a disservice to himself when he declared otherwise.

It had been a pretty tear-filled session the day he had discovered that.

"It's a lovely name," Wes continued, his natural charisma defusing any rising tension with comfortable ease. "And I'm glad for it. Glad for what it means for us, glad for what it will mean for future rangers." Slowly, he raised his champagne flute up, turning his head to gaze at each ranger specifically. "So thank you. Thank you for what you've done, for leading us to a brighter future."

"Here, here!" Jason whooped, one celebratory fist pumped into the air. "Couldn't have said it better myself."

"Which is why we're glad somebody else did." The murmur came from beside him, Kim grumbling into the top of her champagne flute with a fond roll of her eyes.

Didn't seem to deter Jason much, though very little seemed to throw him off his determined groove.

"Though before we get off track," Wes continued after everyone had toasted, quiet laughter spilling across the room in gentle waves. "I would also like to say that…" He narrowed his eyes, making a show of searching the room before his gaze eventually landed on Eric with subdued glee. He pointed towards the Quantum ranger, smile back at full blast. "I told you so!"

"Woo!" Leo, the traitor, cheered brightly, kicking off the response of applause and congratulations for Eric who was, for the record, merely standing next to Kai.

"Go Eric!" Leo continued, one arm happily wrapped around Damon's neck, body draped across the other ranger less out of necessity, and more in an exhibition of plain 'ole desire.

Eric wasn't sure who had been more surprised by Leo's promised double-date, Kai (who actually had no idea about Leo's sexuality crisis) or Damon, who had thought it was a group lunch. A group lunch that involved a bouquet of flowers for him at the beginning.

It had actually been pretty nice to not be the clueless one in that situation. Eric had enjoyed the feeling. He would have to try for it more often.

"And Kai!" Wes added, never one to be outdone.

It didn't matter though, once the cheers had started, they weren't going to settle down soon, leaving Eric and Kai to deal with the unending celebration in what had become their usual manner of ignoring everyone else and focusing on their shared cheese plate. Eric was pretty sure Kai had snuck it into the party somehow, but the damn thing tasted so good he wasn't going to give his boyfriend grief for it. If he needed a secure food supply arranged by his own hands, then clearly, Eric wasn't one to stop him.

In a show of rare musing, Kai cocked his head to the side, observing the joviality around them with a curious gaze. "Is it necessary to do this every reunion?"

"I think it's Wes' odd form of positive reinforcement," Eric muttered, schooling a grin off his features. No way was he adding fuel to the flames.

Kai looked thoughtful. "For us, you would suspect it would have the opposite effect."

"Maybe," Eric allowed with a shrug of his shoulders. "Or maybe that's why he picked it. Because it wouldn't be expected."

Which was just another way of saying it would never be something guys like themselves would ever risk asking for, which was why Wes gave it freely instead. Underneath the dumb blond shtick, Wes was an incredibly thoughtful individual, perceptive to a vicious extent. It was one of the things that had made Eric so wary of him, in the beginning.

And now he could really imagine a life without the guy by his side, a friend and teammate until the bitter end.

Weird, but good.

"You guys might be over-thinking it," some kid next to them noted helpfully, his curly brown hair in wild disarray, seeming to reject any attempts becoming moderately presentable. "Maybe he just likes to clap."

The kid's nametag read 'Hunter', the disorganized scrawl outlined in crimson – but the fact that it was plastered on upside down, and the kid himself seemed to be sporting a blindingly yellow button-up beneath his tan sports coat, gave Eric the impression that he must have nicked it from someone else.

Kai dipped his head slightly, a small concession. "It's not an unreasonable assumption."

"Hell no, it's not!" Another kid essentially tackle-hugged the brunette from behind, one arm hooking around his neck in a show of rough camaraderie. This guy was tall and lean and decked in a red soccer jersey underneath his dark blazer, and odd contrast to the green 'Xander' nametag slapped haphazardly across his chest. "Woo! Go you guys!"

Eric's eyes narrowed. "You don't even know why they're celebrating."

"Does it really matter?" 'Xander' asked, blue eyes sparkling with a mischievousness akin to Leo's. "There's like, forty rangers here. We should celebrate all of them!"

"Exactly!" 'Hunter' chirped. They clashed their red, plastic cups together and exited as quickly as they came, disappearing into the crowd of teen rangers that had congregated by the buffet.

"Remind me not to introduce that guy to Leo," Eric grumbled.

"Which one?"

"Both."

Either would be a nightmare of energetic fuel to Leo's particular blaze.

Well, maybe that might be worth seeing. It probably wouldn't be too bad.

Kai hummed thoughtfully, eyeing Eric with a quiet sort of fondness that warmed his chest just about every time. "A fair assessment."

"Thought as much." The repartee was simple, and in that, comforting, but Eric couldn't fight off the sudden tension in his chest as the rest of the toasts faded away into the usual ranger commiserations, leaving he and Kai to their own devices once again. If he was doing this, now would be the best moment. Before he lost his courage. "Hey, walk with me?"

If Kai sensed his anxiety, he didn't make note of it, accepting Eric's proffered arm and setting their cheese tray aside. Pretty sure they made it three steps before that 'Xander' kid pounced – no culture at all – but Eric didn't dwell on it. Couldn't, with his heart pounding fast in his chest, painful thrums that threatened to choke him, even if he knew this was right. For once, he really didn't doubt himself, and in a life that was strewn with constant social uncertainty, that was a glorious thing.

Still, there was an opportunity for things to go awry.

That was the reason for Eric leading them to a more secluded location, traveling the length of Wes' pool while the reunion continued in full force behind them, cheers and impromptu drinking songs spilling out the open patio doors and into the night, mixing with the ambient sounds of nature to provide a unique backtrack. Beside him, he could feel Kai unwind as much as he ever did, feeling the immediate connection with the water resonating with his elemental connection – the closest feeling to home they could get without planting root by the ocean, that overwhelming feeling of support and strength something Eric could never comprehend that emboldened Kai with every visit. It was a part of him; much like Eric's Quantum Defender completed himself. Missing pieces the Morphin' grid had given them.

He could have done this by the ocean, Kai would have appreciated it just the same, but even so, there was something about the mass of friends and teammates lurking in the distance that provided the perfect balance Eric was looking for, that 'Kai style' he had slowly come to manage over the years.

When they had walked the full length of the pool, Eric turned them back so they could see the warm light spilling from the mansion behind them, lighting up the night like a gentle beacon, solace and comfort and noise – but a respectable kind, the kind that Eric found himself slowly welcoming into his new life.

"Crowd overwhelming?" Kai's head was tilted ever so slightly in question, and Eric used that, used the concern and unfailing support to shake his head.

"No," he answered, hand slipping to that delicate weight in his pocket, the one he had been ignoring for most of the evening. "Had an important question to ask you, thought this would be the best place."

He didn't wait, not like Kai would have expected him to, to get down on one knee, movement swift but prominent, an open sign of his desires.

Heart lodged in his throat, Eric removed the small ring box from his pocket, opening it up with a quiet offering of everything he had for this world.

Nestled in the blue satin depths was a silver band, a simple design of tiny sapphires seemingly woven into the metal – an intricate but soft design, and everything that reminded him of Kai.

Eric took in a deep breath, and found the beginning of his speech, the one he had practiced in the mirror without once feeling stupid, rehearsed until it was near perfect, just to ensure he got it right. "We both know actions speak louder than words, and-"

His words cut off with a swift 'umf' when Kai all but tackled him to the ground, lips pressed against Eric's with such fervor that it left the Quantum ranger reeling, took him a few seconds to realize he was splayed out flat on the ground with Kai nestled on top of him, arms curling around the Silver Guardian and peppering his face with small, insistent kisses.

"I do," he huffed between movements. "Yes. Whatever."

"Whatever?" Eric couldn't help his incredulity; this was not how he had planned this. "You didn't even let me propose!"

"Then why don't you answer instead?" Kai asked, sitting back on Eric's hips with a quirk of his eyebrows. He reached into his pocket and retrieved a similar black velvet box, opening it in one easy movement to reveal an onyx ring littered with rubies, small details of white gold curled around the perimeter. "Eric Myers, will you marry me?"

"Yes." Eric was too stunned to think of a witty comeback, offering out his hand blankly as he tried to process the sudden change of events. "I do. Whatever."

"Whatever." Kai laughed, but it was a celebration, with Eric, as he slid the ring onto Eric's finger, taking a moment to marvel at his handiwork when he had finished. "You can say it now, if you'd like."

"Doesn't seem much point to it now," Eric grumbled, shifting to sit with Kai still in his lap – but it was, it was still good, this new weight resting on his hand – claimed as Kai's, for now and always. "Kai Chen, will you marry me?"

"Damn straight I will." Kai allowed Eric to slide the ring on himself, his slender fingers so much more delicate than his own calloused stubs. Different but not- they both had their strengths. They both had things that were worth appreciating. It was important to note those differences.

"You have no idea how relieved that makes me."

Kai eyed him, seeing through the sarcastic delivery for the simple truth of the statement, before leaning forward, capturing Eric's lips in an easy kiss, slow and gentle, just how he liked it.

A million times, they could do this; Eric's world would still be rearranged by that simple motion.

"You already knew though, didn't you." It wasn't a question, and Kai kept his gaze fixed to his ring as an apparent courtesy to Eric, but in truth, it was because he was, for one small moment, uncertain, and Eric knew him enough to recognize that by now.

"I did," he confirmed. "After I called Taylor, and we moved you back in, I found the books."

It had, at the time, been terrifyingly overwhelming. The discovery of calculated planners outlining potential weddings – nothing reminiscent of a schoolgirl's scrapbook, but something practical. Plans for how to handle the rangers, potential venues, the requirements for a reception, the pros and cons of having a reception. It was- to be honest; Eric had just kind of buried the books back where he found them and tried not to think about them ever again.

It took him too stupidly long to realize that they weren't anything to be afraid of. It was a gift. It was a future planned with him. It was something he had almost completely thrown away due to his own deficiencies, and Eric was long past the point of letting his own stupid self-esteem to get in the way of what he wanted.

So he took a cue from those books and decided to look towards the future, to where Kai was, to where he wanted to be.

Kai was still looking down, averting his gaze to avoid potential criticism, despite the fact that Eric had just asked and accepted his proposal for marriage.

"The small ceremony is probably unrealistic," Eric offered. "Considering how many times Wes has made that stupid speech. Wouldn't mind having something outdoors though."

"The beach." Kai's head snapped up with such quick relief it had Eric laughing, clinging to that light feeling as Kai's smile grew. "Perhaps an indoor reception, but I want to be on the beach."

"You realize, we'll need mikes then." Otherwise no one will be able to hear anything.

"Damon can figure something out." The look on Kai's face said he was already nineteen steps ahead of Eric, happily moving on with plans he had started years ago, before Eric knew how truly lucky he was. "And Wes, of course. I'll temper his contributions," Kai held a hand up to stifle the objection he knew was coming. "-but I doubt he'll stand idly by in this instance."

Eric tilted his head. Thought about it. "Fair enough."

"Indeed." Kai's gaze was brilliant, dancing with the waved reflections of light off the water, smooth and fluid and everything he was destined to be. "Though, we should-"

"Did he finally propose?!" Leo, the grand ruiner of all beautiful moments, stood posed on the stonework of Wes' back patio, hand waving enthusiastically, as though they could possibly be confused by which obnoxious asshole was shouting at them. "Was it romantic?!"

"Yes!" Kai shouted back, before Eric could offer his much more appropriate 'Go to hell, Leo'. "Would you spread the word?!"

"Hells yes, I will spread the word!" Leo was all but dancing now, manic in his cheer and almost dancing as he turned to face the rest of the reunion. "Hey Ryan, pay up! They finally did it!"

"I almost regret asking because it won that oaf money," Eric noted. He didn't mean it, and Kai's light press of lips against his cheeks showed the other man agreed, but still, it was the principle. "Thanks for saying yes, though."

"Thank you for saying yes as well," Kai replied, grinning. "Partners forever?"

Eric looked at him, looked at all the things he could have missed, the man and teammate he had gained when he had finally let go of the things that weighed him down. Looked and saw Kai, the fierce, determined, loyal fighter, the one who had been unjustly neglected, the one Eric got to show his worth every day, and would continue to do so, every day, every second, every moment, until the day they died.

He thought about that certainty, and wasn't terrified by the concept. Knew, with a truth he could not speak, that it was the only thing he truly wanted.

Eric smiled. "Agreed."

It was the only thing that mattered.

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Endnotes:

There it is, it's finally over! I've got a couple more PR stories in me, but I might be hopping fandoms for a while. Thanks to everyone who has kept up with my work, it's been a real privilege to write for and contribute to the community I love so very much :)

Until next time :D

'Life is random and unfair, life is pandemonium. That's the reason we despair, life is pandemonium. It is such a calamity, where should we begin? The best spellers, don't necessarily win' - Pandemonium from 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee'