Title: Keep Your Friends Close
Pairing: Gaku/Ranru, implied Ryouga/Yukito
Fandom: Gaoranger/Abaranger
Rating: G
AN: See, this is what I get for doing character memes, I get hit by crazy pairing ideas that make so much sense and yet hurt my brain. This wasn't actually what I had in mind for Gaku/Ranru, but hopefully that will come later. Post-series for both shows.



Gaku kept his eyes very firmly fixed on Sanjou Yukito as the man stalked around him, arms folded, eyes flickering over him disdainfully. God, if only this guy wasn’t Ranru’s friend… if he wasn’t then Gaku wouldn’t hesitate to lash out at him. Hakua seemed okay, reminding him a bit of Kakeru with his open friendliness and easy smile, but Sanjou was a different matter altogether. He actually reminded Gaku a lot of himself.

“Just so we’re clear,” Sanjou said, voice clipped and hard, “I’m a highly trained chiropractor. I can cause you an extreme amount of pain without breaking any bones or even leaving any bruises.”

“Yukito!”
“Yukito-san!”

The dual admonitions had no effect on the man standing in front of him, all but radiating hostility. If he didn’t know better, Gaku thought, he might believe it was because the man was jealous, but that possibility didn’t feel quite right. Besides, judging by the way Hakua hovered around him, Sanjou was otherwise spoken for, so no, this wasn’t about jealousy and he was beginning to think he knew exactly what this was.

“It’s okay,” he said, holding up a hand to stop any further protests. “Sanjou and I understand each other very well.”

Sanjou’s eyebrows lifted slightly, but he didn’t comment, simply nodded, the beginnings of grudging respect in his eyes.

***

“You don’t have to take that from him,” Ranru told him crossly, her arms folded defensively. “Yukito-san can be a jerk sometimes.”

Gaku shrugged, then grinned, leaning against the nearby railing. “Nah, it’s okay. I know exactly where he was coming from.”

“So do I,” she snapped back, stalking over to stand next to him, glaring at the wall opposite them. “He’s being an overprotective idiot. He knows I can take care of myself.”

“It’s a guy thing,” Gaku explained. “You know the friends in that photo? The girl in it? She’s been training in martial arts since she was old enough and she still complains that dating’s impossible because she has five older brothers scaring everyone off.”

He didn’t mention that Sae had promised that the next time one of them interrupted her date, the interrupter and everyone else would regret it.

Ranru huffed and didn’t reply.

“I’d be more worried if one of your friends hadn’t said something,” he added, nudging her in the side with his elbow. “They don’t know me and I could be anyone, Ranru. They’re just looking out for you.”

“I know that!” she snapped. “He doesn’t have to be so obnoxious about it though.”

He shrugged again, then, cautiously, took hold of her hand and tugged gently. “Come on, forget them for now. We still have plans, right?”

Ranru frowned for a moment, then grinned back. “Sure.”

He still didn’t know what had possessed him to suggest the amusement park for a date, other than knowing that Ranru loved things that went fast, but as long as she didn’t drag him onto any rollercoasters he thought he’d be okay.

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