AN: Notice how these things seem to come in pairs? Wierd, ain't it? So, I don't usually do "Early Relationship" fics for Cam/Hunter. I don't know why. But for some reason this is what jumped out at me, and this is what you get. I'm assuming this would take place somewhere just before the Samarai's Journey, though I suppose it really doesn't matter. Enjoy, and leave a comment for a poor starving author!
Security Cam
It was 2 fucking o'clock in the morning. So who the hell was coming in to ops now? As Cam heard the familiar whistle and the steps echoing from the doorway he clenched his fists. Who else, he thought.
He let out a sigh as the unwanted figure stopped at the doorway, leaned against it and crossed his arms. Cam could see his reflection in the computer screen, and the man in pajamas knew it.
"Do you ever sleep?" Cam asked through gritted teeth. The man behind him smirked.
"Course I do. Just usually not at night." The Crimson clad figure seemed to take this acknowledgment as an invitation and he stepped forward. He came to rest at the table in the middle of the room, sitting on it instead of the ground. "Do you ever sleep?"
Cam raised an eyebrow. "Of course not." He answered. He went back to his typing and made a very good attempt at ignoring the man behind him.
"So…" The man asked conversationally. "Did you ever fix the camera at the entrance?" He was raping his fingers on the table noncommittally, intentionally avoiding Cam's reflective gaze.
A week ago, there had been nothing wrong with that camera. But now it seemed to short out… every time Hunter came near it. Cam turned his chair around, leaning back into it to study the figure across from him.
"Yeah, that." Cam narrowed his eyes. "Are you going to tell me how you're managing that? The thing has probably 12 surge protectors on it. I don't even think you could conjure up enough electricity to short it out."
Hunter smirked at his words. "Oh you don't, do you?" Cam watched as Hunter raised his hand and a bolt of electricity shot from his pinky finger to his index finger.
"Well, that answers that question." Cam turned back around to face the computer and felt Hunter's eyes on his back. He ignored it and continued working.
Hunter could only stay silent for so long. "What are you working on?" He wanted to know. Cam didn't answer right away, and when he did it was absentminded.
"Zordbay entrance malfunctioned yesterday." Something occurred to Cam as he said that, and he turned his head over his shoulder. "I don't suppose you had anything to do with that?"
Hunter rolled his eyes, a habit he had obviously picked up from Cam. "Shorting out the security camera is one thing, but giving you excuses to stay locked up in here is so not what I'm going for." Cam heard the annoyed note in his voice, and smirked, though he didn't let Hunter see it.
"Just checking." Cam replied.
"I saw that." Hunter commented as Cam turned away.
"Saw what?" Cam asked, trying to sound annoyed.
"That smirk thing that you totally stole from me. You didn't used to do that." Hunter commented. He was sitting cross legged on the table like a five year old, and Cam couldn't help the smug look that crossed his face.
"You didn't used to spend every night in Ninja Ops harassing me." He pointed out.
"You didn't used to wait up for me." Hunter replied smugly. Cam clenched his fists.
"I wasn't waitin-" He tried to protest, but Hunter cut him off.
"Yeah, sure." He said calmly. Cam realized there was no arguing, because true or not, Hunter was going to believe what he wanted to believe. Cam rolled his eyes even though Hunter couldn't see him, but he knew he would catch the gesture. To his chagrin, Hunter's reflection smirked back at him.
"I wasn't." He said evenly. It wasn't a challenge and Hunter didn't call him on it, simply bit his lip. They were silent for another few moments as Cam typed.
The steady rhythm seemed to be making Hunter tired. It was awfully late. "Why were you so late tonight?" Cam let the question slip before he could think about it.
Hunter didn't seem to catch the flinch. "Was watching a movie with Blake. He was asleep on the couch. Didn't want to wake him when I left." Well, that answered another question too. Blake obviously had no idea where Hunter was disappearing to at night. Just as it seemed Sensei had no idea Hunter was showing up here.
It was an interesting thought really, to be sharing a secret with Hunter Bradley. Somehow, it didn't seem as odd as it sounded.
"Pretty good Motocross movie. Don't know how he fell asleep." Hunter shrugged. It seemed like he was suppressing a yawn. "Whatcha working on now?" He asked for conversation, Cam knew, but it really was good timing.
"That damn camera." He answered. Behind him Hunter let out a puff of amusement.
"Shouldn't be hard to fix. You're a wiz with all this stuff anyways." His voice sounded tired, and when Cam looked for his reflection he had to look over his shoulder to see that Hunter had lain back on the table, arms sprawled on either side of him. "You've got one of the coolest jobs. You're our security guy. Hey, you're like a Security Cam!" Hunter sat up as he said this last part, a large smile on his face, and it was apparent to Cam just how tired Hunter really was.
He turned around and rolled his eyes big enough that Hunter couldn't miss the gesture. "That was so clever, it was the stupidest thing I've ever heard." He told him.
Hunter let out a little laugh. "Maybe, but it's totally true." He was smiling at Cam, and Cam found it hard to keep his own face straight when Hunter looked at him like that.
"Don't ever call me that in front of anyone." Cam warned, but despite his words he was smiling right back at Hunter.
"I make no promises." Hunter told him. "Of course, the odds that I'll even remember this conversation in the morning are slim to none." He pointed out.
"It is the morning." Cam nodded his head toward the clock, and Hunter looked at it and wrinkled his nose.
"You know what I mean." He shrugged, but the smile was still fully present on his face. Cam sighed and shook his head.
"I'm not going to get anything else done tonight, am I?" He asked, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.
"It's morning." Hunter responded, and Cam cracked an eye open to look at him. "Not night."
"You know what I mean." Cam echoed. He closed his eyes again, slumping down into his chair.
Despite his closed eyes, he could feel the change in proximity the second Hunter silently started for him but he kept his eyes closed. He didn't realize if Hunter even knew how big that was for Cam. Cam was trusting Hunter in the dark. No, he decided, Hunter probably had no idea.
"Not if I have anything to say about it." Hunter's voice was close, and Cam didn't even have time to open his eyes before Hunter's lips descended on his own.
It was a strange sort of awkward kiss they shared. It was far too short as far as Cam was concerned, but he'd never admit that. Hunter lingered above him for a moment after they broke apart, and then backed off rather slowly. He returned to the table without a word and lay down on his side.
Cam watched him for a moment and bit his lip. He could follow him, or he could turn around and go back to work. One was definitely sounding more appealing that the other. He turned around and typed in a lock on the screen and then shut the monitor off. He let his eyes adjust to the sudden darkness for a moment and then found his way to the table.
He crawled up beside Hunter and laid down facing him, mimicking his position. Once he was there, Hunter opened his eyes. Their eyes locked briefly and the corner of Hunter's mouth twitched.
"What?" Cam whispered in the quiet darkness.
"You're picking up all of my bad habits." Hunter told him just as quietly.
Cam raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"
"A few months ago, you'd have pushed me off the table and given me a lecture about what furniture was for laying on and what wasn't." Hunter sniggered. Cam smirked back at him, fully aware that he was completely right.
"A few months ago, you were a little more annoying than you are now." Cam told him honestly. He supposed he was just getting used to it. "But only a little."
And with that he reached out his arm and shoved Hunter with whatever strength he had. He didn't get him totally off the table, but Hunter was so startled by the unexpected movement that he couldn't quite get his balance and he fell off the edge of the table anyways. Cam laughed at the startled yelp that Hunter made as he fell and then again as he hit the floor.
A moment later Hunter's head popped up from the ground and he turned a frustrated-but-amused look on Cam. Cam bit his lip, trying (but failing) not to smile.
"You see what I mean?" Hunter asked. "A few months ago you never would have done that." He repeated. He laughed and so did Cam despite himself. "You, on the other hand, are just as annoying as the first day I met you." He continued, attempting to climb back onto the table.
"Only because it took two fully morphed rangers 20 minutes to subdue one computer geek." Cam teased. Hunter had climbed back onto the table now and was giving him a look that clearly told him they had different stories.
"Well… at least it taught me never to underestimate you." Hunter said at last. He gave Cam a genuine smile, and Cam returned it.
"Funny," Cam commented. "Looks to me like you never learned that lesson."
Light crept over his eyelids and he immediately knew that was strange. Light never came into his room until he brought it there. There was something strange about where he was for another reason. Whatever was underneath him was not a bed. It was hard. And really, really uncomfortable.
Cam opened his eyes and jumped a little bit as he saw Hunters face so close to his. It took him a moment, but he then fully remembered the night before. He couldn't totally recall when he'd made the decision to stay out here instead of go back to his room where he should have gone, but he supposed he didn't need to. Definitely didn't need to, he decided as he noticed that the weight in his hand.
He and Hunter's hands were easily entwined between them and Cam seriously thought about not moving. Except that his leg was asleep and he assumed the arm he'd used as a pillow was the same way. He sat up and disentangled his hand from Hunters, looking over to the clock as blood found its way back to his extremities. It was nearly 7:00.
He looked down at Hunter, still sleeping easily. Torn between letting him rest and waking him up he looked away to his father's habitat cart. There would be an interesting thing to explain. He turned back to Hunter and reached out his hand.
"Hey, sleeping beauty, wake up." He ordered gently as he poked Hunters shoulder. Hunter grumbled something as he smacked Cam's hand away and Cam rolled his eyes.
He leaned down to Hunters face and somehow found the way to his mouth. He kissed him gently and then pulled away, watching Hunter's facial expression go from sleepy to amused.
"I'm really hoping I wake up where I remember falling asleep." Hunter said as he opened his eyes. Cam rolled his eyes again as Hunter rolled over and stretched.
"You remember falling asleep? Cause I don't." Cam told him seriously. He flexed his toes and then stood up from the table, offering Hunter a hand.
"I'm hungry." Hunter told him, taking his hand and standing. He didn't let go of his hand, Cam noticed.
"Breakfast?" Cam offered, though he wasn't sure why.
Hunter smirked at him. "That depends," he nudged Cam's arm. "You paying?"