Okay, as everyone knows, none of this is mine. I don't own anything. But can you imagine owning Hunter? # drool fest #

Prinzessin: Thank you so much for all the reviews, and I appear to be vacationing in that dark corner you spoke of.

Angel Spirit: You couldn't be more right, they are totally adorable together ain't they? No fears though, I am a total Hunter/Dustin fan here.

TvRox: Thank you so much, I'm really glad you like this so much.

CamFan4Eva: Thanks for the reviews and since you like it so much, I'm turning this into a series and not just a three parter.

Thank you to everyone else who reviewed: Ais, Thunder Crimson, Melly, Freed Kyes and the person with no name what so ever. I'm glad you liked it.

Dealing with Issues

It seemed strange to be able to be affectionate with Hunter in public; Dustin was still coming to terms with the fact that the others knew. Hunter seemed to slip into the habit far too easily, the lingering touches, the smiles that everyone could see. Dustin was still worried about being caught touching Hunter; he blushed furiously every time. No one really bothered with the whole thing, even Kelly knew now. She had just smiled at them, walking away with that look on her face.

"What are you doing?" Hunter asked, looking over at the brunette. Dustin looked back at him, Hunter's blue eyes sparkling again. Dustin noticed they did that a lot, usually when Hunter was looking at him.

"Just thinking." Dustin shrugged, Hunter raised an eyebrow.

"What have we said about doing that babes? It ain't healthy for you." Dustin picked up one of the oil-covered clothes and threw it at a laughing Hunter.

"Very funny, dude." Dustin shook his head, watching Hunter slowly calm down. "Seriously, there's something up and I can't figure out what." Dustin said, frowning. Hunter cocked his head to one side.

"What is it?" The blonde left his perch and moved to sit beside his boyfriend on the other counter at the back of Storm Chargers. Dustin sighed.

"I don't really know," Dustin admitted, "it's just a general feeling. That something just isn't right." Hunter put his arm around Dustin's shoulders, giving a light squeeze.

"Don't worry about it." Hunter told him. "Anything happens we'll work it out. No worries, right?" Dustin smiled looking up at Hunter.

"Right." The brown eyed brunette managed a smile, one that looked genuine, but he still knew that something was wrong. It was like the calm before the storm, to pardon the expression. Things seemed too perfect to last.

-

Shane sat by the rocks of the beach, watching the waves crash against the stones. It was soothing, but in a way Shane didn't want to be soothed. He couldn't focus on skating at that point; he couldn't keep his mind from wandering. It had been three days since Hunter and Dustin had 'come out' about their involvement. Shane didn't want to think about it, but it was impossible not to. Dustin had been his best friend since they were eleven. They had never kept secrets, until Hunter showed up. Shane wanted to be mad at Dustin for not telling him about what was going on with him and the crimson Thunder ranger, but he couldn't. There were many reasons he couldn't.

Shane had never really been the most welcoming person with the two Thunder Ninja's, more so with Hunter than Blake. Shane didn't see any threat from Blake. The only thing that Blake was interested in was Tori; it was obvious to everyone except the Blue Wind Ninja it seemed. But Hunter posed a threat in more ways than one. He was the obvious leader of the two Thunders, even if they did both make decisions together, it showed that Blake would do whatever Hunter thought was better, and Hunter would always take into consideration what Blake thought. Shane had never really done that, he had been worried that Hunter would make a better leader than him.

Hunter was also a motorcross racer, something that he shared with Blake again, but also with Dustin. That gave them a common link to begin with. Dustin and Hunter shared interests, Dustin couldn't be bothered with skating, and Shane had never really got into motorcross. Hunter also started working at Storm Chargers, somewhere else that he could hang out with Dustin.

Shane hadn't been sure why he was so weird with Hunter and Dustin hanging out so much, it wasn't that big a deal, he was hanging out more with Cam and Blake these days too. It took a grand total of three days after Hunter had returned the first time after Lothor had been defeated. When Hunter came back there was this feeling that came back. Like the team was back, even if Blake wasn't there. Although it seemed wrong to begin with, Blake was a valuable member. That was when Shane realised what it was. The red ranger knew why he had been less welcoming to Hunter, why he had been slightly jealous of Dustin spending all his time with the Thunder ninja. It wasn't that he felt like he was losing his best friend, it was that he wanted to be in his best friend's shoes.

Shane was the one that wanted Hunter.

-

Cam enjoyed the silence in Ninja Ops; he liked it when he was alone to work on his own projects. But it wasn't always up to Cam when he got that silence. And Dustin made sure of that. Cam sighed when he heard the clattering of the scrolls Dustin was searching for. The brunette male was one of the most clumsy people known to man.

"Dustin, what are you looking for?" Cam asked, his impatient look was met with an innocent stare from the chocolate coloured orbs, his eyes almost wide with curiosity.

"Nothing really. I'm just looking for something to read." This caught Cam off guard. Why would Dustin want to read the ninja scrolls?

"Dustin, why don't you go to the track, or find Hunter?" Dustin shrugged.

"I just wanna read just now." He replied, picking up one of the fallen scrolls, tucking it under his arm and putting the other scrolls back in their own place. The brunette didn't talk to Cam again for a while, just sitting on the sofa quietly reading. Cam hadn't seen Dustin like this, he was wondering if maybe something had happened, something that caused some tension between Dustin and Hunter. Cam just watched the former ranger; he looked thoroughly engrossed in the scroll.

"Dustin, is there anything wrong?" Cam asked, getting up to walk over to the younger male. "Anything you want to talk about?" Cam stood in front of Dustin, waiting for him to look up. When Dustin did raise his gaze Cam wasn't expecting the male to fire into to a rant.

"Cam, have you noticed anything weird lately? I mean like really lately, like only a few days ago. It's just that I've had the feeling that something was wrong and I don't know what it is and it's starting to bug me. Hunter doesn't think it's anything but I know that there's something wrong, I can just tell." Cam held up his hands, eyes wide.

"Dustin, slow down." Dustin sighed, taking a breath that he seemingly needed. "I don't know about anything strange happening, there hasn't been anything detected to be…"

"No, not ranger related. It's more…personal." Dustin blushed slightly. "Cam, have any of the guys said anything to you?" Cam frowned; he didn't really understand what Dustin meant. "About me and Hunter." Suddenly it all made sense.

"Dustin, are you having second thoughts about telling everyone?" Cam asked, sitting down next to Dustin.

"No, well, kinda." Dustin put the scroll down. "It's just that, things are weird. Not with me and Hunter its just, I was used to not saying anything. And even though it's better that not I don't have to worry about you guys finding out cause you know, it's just…something's wrong." Dustin repeated. Cam sighed; Dustin looked too scared to be the same person that he knew.

"I'll look into it Dustin, I'll see if there's anything wrong with the others. But you might just be making something out of nothing. It might just be that you're getting used to the change." Dustin smiled, Cam wasn't sure how much he'd helped but he was hoping it would be enough to let the Yellow Wind ninja relax a little.

"Thanks Cam. Maybe your right." Dustin picked the scroll back up, but instead of reading it he put it back in it usual place. "Is there anything around here I can do?" Cam smiled, nodding a little.

"Maybe you can help me with the Tsunami Cycles. I want to modify them some more, since you're a motorcross racer you can help with the logistics of it." Dustin nodded.

"I have no idea what you just said dude but okay."

-

Hunter had searched everywhere. Blake and Tori hadn't seen him, and that was where he was sure that the other ninja would be found. Since Dustin had shared his worry with Hunter that morning the Thunder ranger had been set on making sure that the others were totally fine with him and Dustin being an item. Blake and Tori had told him several times they were fine with it, reassuring him that they held no hard feelings or were weird about it at all. Cam had already said he was cool with it, Hunter and Dustin had got an amazing reaction out of him and both were stunned at how easily he took the news. Hunter thought he might have just been glad he wasn't the last to know about it.

Which only left Hunter to find Shane. Which was proving much harder than he would've thought. It used to be a case of find Dustin and you'd find Shane; if that failed it was Cam or Tori. But then Shane started hanging with Blake as well, Hunter was stunned to realise Shane had started to hang out with everyone, everyone except him. Hunter frowned as he thought about it. He and Shane had hung out, but only when Blake or Dustin were around. Was that maybe what Dustin could sense? That Shane wasn't really cool with them because of Hunter? Did Shane not want his best friend to be with a guy he possibly didn't even like?

Hunter couldn't dwell on it for much longer when he noticed where he had ended up without even thinking about it. He was at the beach, and Shane was sitting on the rocks at the other end. Hunter sighed, he would just have to ask Shane what it was, and he would just do it right then.

"Hey man, what's up?" Shane asked as Hunter approached.

"Nothing much. Just doing some asking about for Dustin." Hunter said, taking a more direct approach. It was better than beating around the bush. "He's been feeling a little weird. I'm just checking to make sure your cool with me and Dustin being…together." Shane's head snapped round to Hunter, the blond knowing instantly that there was definitely something wrong now.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Shane asked, not looking Hunter in the eye.

"I don't know." Hunter shrugged. "You and I never really got along all that great. I was just a little bit worried maybe you didn't really want me being with your best friend." Shane shook his head.

"No, man if its what you guys want I'm…I'm fine with it." Hunter noticed his hesitation and knew Shane wasn't telling him the full story.

"Shane, I know we haven't been the best of buds or whatever, but dude, if there's something wrong you gotta let us know." Hunter sighed, looking out past the edge of the rocks. "Dustin's been eaten up about it."

-

Shane didn't want him there, Hunter sitting there with him, asking him questions, watching the ocean. It was too much.

"Hunter, dude, I'm serious I'm fine with Dustin and you being together, really. It's no big deal." Shane was killing himself say that. But it wasn't enough for Hunter to just go.
"Shane, if its me then just say." Shane's eyes almost popped out his head. Did Hunter know? Did he know that Shane liked him the same way Dustin did?

"What? Why…why would it be you?" Shane asked, his palms were getting sweaty, he was starting to get nervous. Any other time this happened around Hunter he would usually just kick into leader mood. Like when he had first realised he had feelings for Hunter, because of that they were battling between themselves. And although it all ended up alright Shane had still been amazed at how hard Hunter pushed himself, just to show Shane that he wasn't going to lie down and play the happy little follower. It made Shane want Hunter more. Which wasn't what the competition was supposed to do.

"Well Dustin's your best friend, you and I don't get along all that great. Like I said I was just wondering if maybe you didn't want me to be with your friend." Shane felt himself relax a little.

"You have no idea how wrong you are." Shane let the words leave his mouth before he even knew what was happening. Hunter looked over at him, eyebrows raised.

"What?" Shane knew he was blushing. Damn him and his big mouth. Shane bit his lips, looking away from the striking blond. It was all going to come rushing out if he didn't. "Shane, man, just tell me for crying out loud. What the hell is up?" Shane turned to Hunter, but was stunned when he saw the look in Hunter's eyes. His eyes were glinting in the light from the sunset, the blue being cast with a red glow. Shane threw himself on impulse, blurting out what he knew he should never utter to the boyfriend of his best friend.

"I wanted you."

-

AN: Well, as I think you can see, this is not going to end here. I think I'll have it run on for a while. Oh, drama, drama, drama.

Okay, so, I'll update as soon as possible and thank you all for the reviews. They are so sweet.