Sweet Temptation

Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers, not even a little bit.

Summary: Dustin just wants to beat the heat and make an ice cream sundae. Cam and Shane would just like him to put his clothes back on…and then they don't.

Dustin/Shane/Cam, established relationship.

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There had to be explosions or fireworks or at least a solid line of sparklers set up somewhere in the kitchen that Dustin couldn't see, because otherwise Cam and Shane's ridiculous gawking made absolutely no sense. It wasn't all-out gawking, or like, super obvious gawking (they were still ninjas after all), but if the idea of gawking was put on a diet and shrunken down to like, a quarter of its original size that would be what they were doing. Twenty five percent gawking. It helped that they had pretty much stopped moving as soon as they entered the door, like they ran smack dab into an invisible wall and were stuck googling through it. Obvious signs of gawking. It would have made him feel a lot more self conscious if it weren't for the fact he had bigger things to worry about.

Like…chocolate, or caramel? What the heck, he'll just go with both. You only live once, after all.

Shane was the more obvious of the two (which wasn't saying a lot because the other guy's Cam and he pretty much ruled at appearing apathetic) and his only tell was the widening of his eyes, complete with lifted eyebrows. Cam's more subtle, but Dustin knew he was put off because he probably would have moved by now if he wasn't. They'd been like that for a good solid fifteen seconds, not saying anything, just standing there all willy nilly like there was some kind of standing still contest that Dustin wasn't invited to or something. Whatever, they can have their statue contest; Dustin wouldn't have wanted to do it anyway.

Well…maybe a little, but he's just a friendly competitive guy like that.

He furrowed his eyebrows and pushed their stupid contest out of his mind, choosing to focus on the matter at hand. The ice cream would start melting soon, and as delicious as it was like, always, it was much better in it's semi-solid, mooshy form. Ice cream soup was all right, but it wasn't really what he was going for. He wanted to beat the heat, it was baking out there (even Hunter and Blake decided it was too hot to hit the tracks), so Dustin decided to get in a little sweet treat cool down. Because ice cream was the best, and Cam always had Ninja Ops at like, sixty eight degrees.

Yes, this was a good plan.

Shane finally cleared his throat just as Dustin finished licking some of the excess caramel off of his hand (it was delicious but he hated how freaking sticky it got) throwing in the towel for he and Cam's little contest. When Dustin looked up he didn't look particularly bothered by this, they both simply look confused…still.

Maybe it was another challenge for them.

"What are you doing?" the red ranger gingerly said, clearing his throat again. Dustin spared him a concerned look, hoped he wasn't coming down with anything (if it was Summer flu that would be major suckage, no making out and, you know, it's in the summer).

He gestured to the bowl in front of him (even though he thought it was pretty obvious what he was doing) wiping away some escaping melted ice cream trails. "Sundae," he explained, and grabbed carelessly for the chocolate syrup. "It's hot outside."

They fall back into silence (because apparently that's the word of the day) and Dustin got back to work, carefully flicking horizontal patterns of chocolate across his creation.

Couldn't have too much, couldn't have too little. It had to be just right.

Cam's the one who stepped in next when the appropriate amount of not-talking happened (Dustin would have turned on the radio if he had known they were going to be so stupid today) and casually leaned around Shane in that troubled way he does whenever he's not quite sure what the social rules applied. It happened a lot between the three of them since Dustin and Cam never really know what's going on. Shane was kind've a saint for putting up with their hopelessness.

"I think he was…" the tech struggles for the words and then mentally throws in the towel, going for the blunt and direct approach that he couldn't really fight if he had to, "why aren't you wearing a shirt?"

Which also seemed pretty obvious so Dustin jerks his hand awkwardly, splashing a small trail of chocolate onto his arm. He frowned at it and set the syrup down, trying to lick it off. "It's hot outside," he repeats in between attempts, eventually giving up and deciding to wipe it off later. The ice cream was melting.

He reached for the Reddi Wip, putting a small amount on top of his desert before his taste buds got impatient and demanded satisfaction now. He gave in with a shrug, spraying a generous amount into his mouth, smiling in content at the fluffy goodness. Whip cream was never bad, like ever. It probably made everything taste good.

…except nachos. That would be an epic battle of the dairy.

Cam cleared his throat this time as Dustin finished covering the sundae, and he looked to Shane for guidance, the other teen deciding to take the lead. The red ranger pointed to the other side of the kitchen, addressing the abandoned wardrobe piece that was strewn across the back of a chair. "And your pants?"

Pants, pants, pants. He had underpants on, why bother with the over-pants? They were hot and oppressive to his free spirit that just wanted to be…free.

Yeah…free.

Dustin tried; he really did, not to look as exasperated as he felt when he answered him, lifting his spirits with more Reddi Wip. "It's hot outside," he repeats again, licking the excess off his fingers, and when he looks back up Shane's staring at the chocolate he spilled, traveling further down his arm. "You want it?" he asked, trying to play nice.

He could even make them both sundaes, if they wanted it.

Shane and Cam shared a quick look that Dustin didn't give much thought to, and then they're both on him (which he does give some thought to because it's coming between him and his chocolaty goals), Shane tossed him over his shoulder while Cam picked up the discarded condiments, casually following their leader out the kitchen.

He would be more bothered by this sudden turn of events if it weren't for the fact it happened so freaking often. Seriously, he cooks something; they want to make out with him. He paints something; they want to make out with him. He come back from the track all covered in mud, they make him take a shower.

And then they make out with him.

"Dude," Dustin grunted, gently hitting Shane's back, "my sundae." He put so much work into it; he didn't want it to melt just because Shane and Cam felt like having happy-make-out times.

Luckily, Shane's a super cool guy who has mind reading abilities and senses his distress, immediately coming to a halt and turning towards Cam. "He's right."

Dustin's not entirely sure what facial expression communication is going on up there, but he's pretty sure Cam was nodding because that was what his nodding silence sounded like. "I'll get it," he murmured, and then Shane's moving again, and Dustin kind've wished he would have at least let him put his pants back on before he decided to hoist him about.

Not that he's against the hoisting, just a little heads up would be nice.

He's not going to complain about it, Shane did send Cam to get his ice cream.

…not that he's going to get a chance to eat it. At least, not any time soon.

He'll make a new one later.

After he locked all the doors.

…and put on pants.

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Endnotes:

Written for Rogue Ranger, a fluffy little one shot to brighten up your week. I figured Dustin + chocolate syrup couldn't equal anything but win.

Apparently I had a lot of issues with tenses this story; there may be some errors in there that I missed. My apologies. Seriously, I was chatting with my sister and she was all:

"I love you Puck,"

*silence*

"But damn."

…eh, can't win em' all.

Until next time.