Disclaimer: I don't own any recognizable characters mentioned in this non-profit Non-copyright infringement..-ing fic. If I did...Hunter and Dustin would be in my closet.
Author's Note: Okay! I am currently....30 minutes from watching Twilight and in celebration I wrote this up for you guys. It's not really a celebratory fic but...I wanted to finish this one up so I did. This is the LAST chapter! GAH! finally...well, in this...everything comes to a close. Again the idea is Whispering Ranger's and yeah. enjoi.

P a i n

Hunter woke up after his now nightly substitution sex with Dustin and he arching his back, groaning as his joints popped. The thunder ninja stared at the comforter in front of his face long enough for his vision to blur; he blinked and bit his lip. He was just about to reflect on what had happened last night, that kiss, but his ears tilted back just slightly when he heard soft muffled sobbing. Dustin? He looked over to him, he was sitting there with the crimson bed sheet pooled around his tan waist, his form was shaking slightly. Hunter's brows came together, this was a first, Dustin never stuck around this long, he usually left before he woke up and he'd never seen him cry or near tears unless he was mad. Was he mad? The sex wasn't that bad, was it? The thunder ninja sat up and reached over but stopped and looked at his hand that hung in the air wondering, since when did he care if he hurt the younger man? He didn't realize he was trying to comfort him, softly rubbing his arm, until Dustin flinched under his hand.

"I-I'm sorry," he choked, risking a glance over his shoulder then he looked back down at the sheets, "I'll go" The earth ninja moved to get out of the bed but something in Hunter spoke up.

"Wait" Where the hell did that come from? Dustin stopped, possibly needing a confirmation on what he heard maybe he was thinking. He pulled the sheet over his cheeks and sat up on the bed with his back facing Hunter and he tensed when he felt rough warm hands over his shoulders. "Are you okay?" Hunter had to wonder, again, where the hell did that come from? Maybe he didn't really care for Dustin as a substitute lover but he would always care for him as a best friend.

He nodded, "I'm fine dude, I...I just...." His words were lingering and he looked down clenching his hands, Hunter felt the muscles under his palms tense a bit, he moved his thumbs back and forth over his sharp shoulder blades. "It just...this," he sighed, "This hurts"

"What hurts?" Hunter asked, even though he knew damn well what the ninja under his hands was talking about.

"This dude, I know you don't really care about me, you're just using me because you can't get Cam. I know I'm not smart like him or whatever but sometimes I just hope, y'know but...it just gets totally smashed each time" Dustin answered, lowering his explanatory hands.

Hunter moved from behind Dustin to next to him and held his chin between his thumb and finger, tilting his head up. Those eyes, was it wrong? All of this? He thought about it last night but he was a bit distracted...but now? Hunter leaned over and placed a soft kiss on the younger man's lips then pulled back burying his fingers in thick brown hair. "I know" Does he? "and I'm trying" was he? "to feel the same for you" really? ", but I just..."

"Can't." Dustin finished for him, his voice was bitter and Hunter's eyes narrowed slightly and he shook his head.

"But if we continue this, then maybe one day I will."

"You think so?" Dustin asked.

"I know so bro." Hunter answered with a smirked and kissed his forehead. He had no fuckin' idea what the hell he felt he knew there was an emptiness inside he was trying to full with Dustin...it was like trying to fill a square with a circle, it just wasn't working. Maybe it could...Hunter just gave Dustin hope...was that wrong? Was that smart? Hope...Dustin hoped...just like he did once. They both hoped there could be something out of nothing and for the thunder ninja; his false hope had no place. Hope...but Dustin...did he just give Dustin the chance? Hunter knew things would continue the way they were and he knew he was hurting the younger man but he just never heard his heart breaking...something had to give and it was Cam or Shane, it was Dustin.

Sensei once said; "Bad things bring people closer together". Applied to training but...who gives a fuck?

T h e E n d