Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers Dino Thunder.

Author's Note: I tried to do something a little different than my usual Conner/Kira. I was just wondering how it would be like if Trent and Conner actually had a serious talk.

Dedication: To dedicate this to my boyfriend, who gladly took the time to read this and give me his honest opinion of it.

Pairing: none, mentions of Trent/Kira/Conner triangle.

Spoiler Warnings: slight reference to Copy That.

Summary: Trent and Conner have a talk.

Rainy days are not funny. That was Conner's opinion as he stood on a street corner, waiting for the city bus as rain flattened his hair against his head, soaking through his clothes.

His beloved Mustang had refused to start that morning, and his parents had already left for work. His only solution: take the bus.

"What's taking so long?" he muttered, absentmindedly shuffling his feet and accidentally spraying water onto the hem of his jeans as his feet landed in a small puddle. His usual soccer practise before school was obviously cancelled, but he had hoped to make it to first period science on time for once.

Just as he decided to walk, a white Saturn pulled to the curb. The passenger-side window rolled down. "Need a ride, Conner?"

The tall brunette hesitated as Trent Fernandez's face appeared into view. "Uh…" As if it was a sign, the rain started falling harder and he quickly opened the door and sought shelter in the dry, warm car. "Thanks," he said slowly.

"Anytime," Trent replied, pulling back onto the road. "Your Mustang wouldn't start?"

"Her name is Janet," Conner said haughtily. "But yeah, she wouldn't."

"Right." An awkward silence fell. Conner sat somewhat tensely; he didn't fully trust Trent yet, and watched his every move, just in case. Trent kept throwing quick glances in his direction.

Finally Trent broke the silence, sighing as they stopped at a red light. "Listen, Conner, I know you have feelings for Kira."

The Red Dino Ranger opened wide eyes, looking at Trent as though he'd just been burned. "What? Dude, I don't have feelings for Kira. I think Elsa dealt you one blow too many."

Trent looked at him sharply. "Don't even try to deny it. I see the look in your eyes whenever you glance at her. I know this look?"

"So what if I did?" Conner said gruffly.

"You like her, I like her. And I have the feeling that's one of the reasons why you don't trust me. Because I hurt Kira beyond everything imaginable. And I understand that. I just hope that one day you can see that the evil me is gone, and that I'm not going to hurt her ever again." Trent's face held a serious expression.

"Right," Conner muttered under his breath. "So what's the point."

"Kira isn't an object, we should ever try to treat her that way."

"I never did!" Conner protested.

"Neither of us did," Trent said. "But we could start acting that way, and it wouldn't be pretty. This can't turn into some competition where the winner gets the girl. It doesn't work that way."

"You're right," Conner admitted reluctantly.

"The only one who can solve this is Kira. It's her feelings that are decisive. Either she likes me, or either she likes you."

"Or either she likes neither of us, or both of us at the same time," the Red Dino Ranger pointed out.

Trent paused. "Right." His fingers tapped a rhythm on the steering wheel.

"So what you're trying to say is that we should give her an ultimatum, without even knowing of her feelings?"

"No!" Trent said. "Of course not. She'd probably yell at us, then leave and ignore us forever."

Conner couldn't resist cracking a tiny smile at that. "Damn right she would. Look," he continued. "we should just let it go. No ultimatum, no competition whatsoever. But it's kind of obvious that she has feelings for you," he added quietly.

"Another reason why you don't like me," Trent stated. "But I wouldn't be so sure that I'm the one she likes. I've seen the way she acts around you. It's not just a Ranger looking up to her leader, or a girl caring for her best friend. There's definitely something there."

"Ya think?" Conner said.

Trent nodded as he turned into Reefside High's parking lot. "Yup. She'll eventually come around to express her feelings towards us, whether it's friendship, love, or even… hate." Both boys shuddered at the thought. "Until then… we can only wish and wonder." Trent stopped the engine, and silence fell again.

"Thanks for the ride," Conner said, more sincerely than before.

"You're welcome." Trent reached behind his seat to retrieve his backpack. Conner reached for the doorknob, but changed his mind. "In the meantime…" he trailed off. "I think we should try to be friends," he said, taking the White Ranger by surprise. "I don't feel I can't trust you yet, but I believe you when you say you wouldn't hurt Kira again."

"Plus we have things in common," Trent said. "Rangering, Ethan, Dr. O, Hayley…"

"Kira," Conner said.

"I agree with you," Trent said. "We should give it a try, if not for Kira."

"Yeah. So… friends?" Conner held out his hand.

"Friends." Trent nodded as they shook hands. Right then and there, they silently agreed not to mention this conversation ever again.

But as the two got out of the car and ran in the rain to reach the school entrance, words surfaced from the back of his mind, words that made up another reason why Conner wouldn't even trust him fully:

I won't tell them your secret, Dad. I promise.