![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Who You Are (Power Rangers Time Force)
Summary: Usually, Trip is the one needing the self-esteem lessons, but this time it's his turn to give Wes one. (Vereco AU)
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Saban, not me.
Spoilers: A few random references to episodes up to "Calm Before the Storm".
Notes: I started this, stopped, and started it once again. While most of it was written after the fic "Willing to Remember", it takes place before that. This takes place the day after "Love Trips".
Who You Are
by Estirose
copyright 2001
"Trip, I have to tell you something," Wes said as he closed the workshop door behind him. Trip was working away on who-knew-what.
"Did it have something to do with your date last night?" Trip asked, and then started looking like he should eat his words.
"It wasn't a date," Wes told him, knowing the Xybrian had just read a little too much into the accidental get-together. "As I said before, Eric left, so we had the pizza."
Trip smiled at that, and Wes momentarily regretted telling the other that he was in love with Jen. True, he thought that he was saying goodbye for the last time to Trip, but he should have been more cautious. "So, what do you have to tell me about?" Trip asked, putting down his whatever.
"I told Jen about your theory. You know, the one where Rialtson might have imprinted Alex on me."
Trip nodded. "I've been doing a little work on that. Barring detailed tests, I think it might be true."
Wes shook his head at his friend's momentary preoccupation. "Anyway, I think she thinks that I'm in love with her because Alex was in love with her."
His friend frowned at that, and Wes wondered if the Xybrian had half an idea of what he was talking about. Or maybe Trip understood only too well. Wes sneaked a glance, and was relieved to see that the gem on Trip's forehead wasn't glowing.
"I really messed up, Trip," he said, sitting down at one of the benches. "I mean, there's no chance that she'll ever see me as me, much less as a potential boyfriend!"
He looked down as Trip continued working on his latest gadget. It felt good to confess, to tell someone about how he felt, even though he knew that Jen would never feel the same way about him as he felt about her.
And, of course, he could never tell if he was really in love with her, or if this was some thrice-accursed feeling of Alex's that drove him to go after his originator's fiancee. Ever since learning of his true heritage, of what he might be, he'd had to reevaluate all that he thought he knew about himself. Oh, the team might continue insisting that Wes was his own person, and he certainly wasn't Alex, but sometimes he felt like an inferior copy, especially when Jen was stripping his ears off about his latest wrongdoing.
"Maybe it's not as bad as you think," Trip said, continuing to work.
"You know her better than I do," Wes said, realizing that he wasn't alone in this. Maybe if he got Trip to help him win Jen's love, the way that Trip had helped him win a place on the team?
No way. Trip giving him information because Jen was too upset over her fiance was one thing. Seducing someone who still wore her engagement ring was another and something he couldn't ask Trip to do. Trip's friendship, his willingness to stand up for Wes was something Wes couldn't risk over what could be a foolish dream.
"Enough to know that she won't hold what Rialtson did against you," Trip said, finally looking up from his work. "Jen's not a bigot, Wes."
Wes rubbed his forehead, thinking of ways to explain love to the innocent Xybrian. There was a difference between the team knowing he was a clone and Jen dealing with the fact that he had Alex's feelings for her. One did not automatically assume the other. "I know that," he said.
Trip actually shook his head, but whether it was over the gadget he was putting together or Wes' words, Wes didn't know. "I don't think you do," Trip said quietly, but in a tone that he'd never heard before from his gentle friend. "If you were nothing but Alex's memories you'd know that Jen wasn't a bigot. Don't underestimate yourself. We don't."
"So, who am I?" Wes asked, curious to know how Trip felt about him.
"I don't know," Trip responded, brushing his bucket hat back a little, almost knocking it off. Then in a sudden movement, he pulled it all the way off, revealing his crown of green hair. The Xybrian never, ever did that, ever since he'd found the clothes for them. It was just too risky.
"But I know what you're not."
Trip's simple words startled him, for he had almost whispered them. Wes' friend examined his hat as if it was something to repair, or just use as a component, instead of a simple piece or two of fabric.
"I am what I am," Wes said.
His friend kept shaking his head, and Wes watched the green hair sweep back and forth. Though he wasn't talented in that direction at all, Wes had the sense that he'd disappointed his friend terribly by just telling the truth.
Well, what did Trip expect? Wes had, for once, told the truth. Weren't Trip's kind supposed to place great value on the truth?
Trip swept his hat back on his head, transforming once more into a human with dyed hair, deceiving unless you knew what he was. In a way, Wes felt like he was deceiving the world, just as Trip's hat did.
Or was he deceiving himself? His teammates accepted him. His father accepted him. Even Eric occasionally came around. Did it matter that he was what he was?
Only in love. Only in the messed-up triangle that was his love life. Science-fiction soap opera, indeed. But he was involved, and he had no choice. He had to live his life as it had become, until he found himself free.
"Trip, does she love me?" he asked, knowing that Trip would have to tell the truth. Trip never lied.
Trip shook his head. "You'll have to ask her."
A non-answer. But he doubted he'd get anything more out of Trip. Still, he couldn't bring himself to ask her. He wasn't going to feel foolish. No matter what, he guessed, some doubt remained.
Shaking his head, he got up. The mystery would have to remain unsolved. He wasn't going to pursue it.
"Thanks," he said to his friend. Trip nodded briefly, returning to his work. Shaking his head once again, Wes headed to the desk. It was his time, and he had some thinking to do.
-end
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Saban, not me.
Spoilers: A few random references to episodes up to "Calm Before the Storm".
Notes: I started this, stopped, and started it once again. While most of it was written after the fic "Willing to Remember", it takes place before that. This takes place the day after "Love Trips".
Who You Are
by Estirose
copyright 2001
"Trip, I have to tell you something," Wes said as he closed the workshop door behind him. Trip was working away on who-knew-what.
"Did it have something to do with your date last night?" Trip asked, and then started looking like he should eat his words.
"It wasn't a date," Wes told him, knowing the Xybrian had just read a little too much into the accidental get-together. "As I said before, Eric left, so we had the pizza."
Trip smiled at that, and Wes momentarily regretted telling the other that he was in love with Jen. True, he thought that he was saying goodbye for the last time to Trip, but he should have been more cautious. "So, what do you have to tell me about?" Trip asked, putting down his whatever.
"I told Jen about your theory. You know, the one where Rialtson might have imprinted Alex on me."
Trip nodded. "I've been doing a little work on that. Barring detailed tests, I think it might be true."
Wes shook his head at his friend's momentary preoccupation. "Anyway, I think she thinks that I'm in love with her because Alex was in love with her."
His friend frowned at that, and Wes wondered if the Xybrian had half an idea of what he was talking about. Or maybe Trip understood only too well. Wes sneaked a glance, and was relieved to see that the gem on Trip's forehead wasn't glowing.
"I really messed up, Trip," he said, sitting down at one of the benches. "I mean, there's no chance that she'll ever see me as me, much less as a potential boyfriend!"
He looked down as Trip continued working on his latest gadget. It felt good to confess, to tell someone about how he felt, even though he knew that Jen would never feel the same way about him as he felt about her.
And, of course, he could never tell if he was really in love with her, or if this was some thrice-accursed feeling of Alex's that drove him to go after his originator's fiancee. Ever since learning of his true heritage, of what he might be, he'd had to reevaluate all that he thought he knew about himself. Oh, the team might continue insisting that Wes was his own person, and he certainly wasn't Alex, but sometimes he felt like an inferior copy, especially when Jen was stripping his ears off about his latest wrongdoing.
"Maybe it's not as bad as you think," Trip said, continuing to work.
"You know her better than I do," Wes said, realizing that he wasn't alone in this. Maybe if he got Trip to help him win Jen's love, the way that Trip had helped him win a place on the team?
No way. Trip giving him information because Jen was too upset over her fiance was one thing. Seducing someone who still wore her engagement ring was another and something he couldn't ask Trip to do. Trip's friendship, his willingness to stand up for Wes was something Wes couldn't risk over what could be a foolish dream.
"Enough to know that she won't hold what Rialtson did against you," Trip said, finally looking up from his work. "Jen's not a bigot, Wes."
Wes rubbed his forehead, thinking of ways to explain love to the innocent Xybrian. There was a difference between the team knowing he was a clone and Jen dealing with the fact that he had Alex's feelings for her. One did not automatically assume the other. "I know that," he said.
Trip actually shook his head, but whether it was over the gadget he was putting together or Wes' words, Wes didn't know. "I don't think you do," Trip said quietly, but in a tone that he'd never heard before from his gentle friend. "If you were nothing but Alex's memories you'd know that Jen wasn't a bigot. Don't underestimate yourself. We don't."
"So, who am I?" Wes asked, curious to know how Trip felt about him.
"I don't know," Trip responded, brushing his bucket hat back a little, almost knocking it off. Then in a sudden movement, he pulled it all the way off, revealing his crown of green hair. The Xybrian never, ever did that, ever since he'd found the clothes for them. It was just too risky.
"But I know what you're not."
Trip's simple words startled him, for he had almost whispered them. Wes' friend examined his hat as if it was something to repair, or just use as a component, instead of a simple piece or two of fabric.
"I am what I am," Wes said.
His friend kept shaking his head, and Wes watched the green hair sweep back and forth. Though he wasn't talented in that direction at all, Wes had the sense that he'd disappointed his friend terribly by just telling the truth.
Well, what did Trip expect? Wes had, for once, told the truth. Weren't Trip's kind supposed to place great value on the truth?
Trip swept his hat back on his head, transforming once more into a human with dyed hair, deceiving unless you knew what he was. In a way, Wes felt like he was deceiving the world, just as Trip's hat did.
Or was he deceiving himself? His teammates accepted him. His father accepted him. Even Eric occasionally came around. Did it matter that he was what he was?
Only in love. Only in the messed-up triangle that was his love life. Science-fiction soap opera, indeed. But he was involved, and he had no choice. He had to live his life as it had become, until he found himself free.
"Trip, does she love me?" he asked, knowing that Trip would have to tell the truth. Trip never lied.
Trip shook his head. "You'll have to ask her."
A non-answer. But he doubted he'd get anything more out of Trip. Still, he couldn't bring himself to ask her. He wasn't going to feel foolish. No matter what, he guessed, some doubt remained.
Shaking his head, he got up. The mystery would have to remain unsolved. He wasn't going to pursue it.
"Thanks," he said to his friend. Trip nodded briefly, returning to his work. Shaking his head once again, Wes headed to the desk. It was his time, and he had some thinking to do.
-end