AN: I probably should have just done all of these stories in one story instead of making them connected shorts, but when have I ever done anything I should have? This is the first of a huge update this weekend, so be ready and keep checking back for new stuff!

Here In Your Arms

There was nothing startlingly attractive about Shane. That much he was sure of. Shane had his good features, but he wasn't a full blown hunk. Sure, he had always heard girls talking about him, but he had never really looked at Shane before.

And now that he was looking, he was beginning to like what he saw.

Dustin watched him from across the shop as he talked to Tori and Hunter over on the sofa. He didn't mean to stare, but after the torture Shane had put him through only a few weeks ago he couldn't help feeling like he owed him some payback. Shane must have felt him staring though, because once he finished talking and Hunter took over, he shot a wink over his shoulder.

Forcing himself to look back down at the bike he was working on, Dustin couldn't help the funny smile that rose to his lips. It was a strange feeling, thinking about Shane like this. Of all people, he hadn't thought his best friend of nearly 12 years could give him such a knot in his stomach.

Sneaking another glance at Shane, he was almost sorry he couldn't be over there with them and yet he was glad too because he wasn't sure he could keep him hands to himself at this particular moment in time. Shane jumped up on the couch to illustrate whatever it was they were talking about, and Dustin's breath caught. It was one of those rare days when Shane was wearing something short sleeved, and his full arms were showing.

Shane hated his arms. It was an insecurity Dustin did not understand. Because he loved them. He absolutely drooled over them, and he was so not even kidding. Shane had incredibly muscular arms, and Dustin completely loved the way they felt when wrapped around him.

Just thinking that made him blush. Because really, him and Shane? It was so weird. He couldn't say he hadn't thought about it before Shane had sprung his affections on him a few weeks ago, but he had always dismissed the thought. So when Shane had kissed him, he'd actually thought he'd imagined it. And then it was just his best friend, looking shy and really cute… and he'd wanted to kiss him again.

He still had no idea why.

As Shane headed his way with a full smile plastered on his face Dustin felt his stomach lurch a little. Because hey, that smile was for him.

So, yeah, that was why, then.

"Working hard, dude?" Shane asked, kneeling beside him. "Or hardly working?"

Dustin grinned. "I just keep getting distracted." Dustin admitted, reaching over Shane for a tool and letting his arm graze Shane's leg.

"I can see that." Shane commented quietly.

"Shut up, dude." Dustin mumbled shyly. "If you want me to get this done you should, like, leave."

Shane pouted. "Awe. Do I have to?"

"Do you want me to get this done?" Dustin fired back.

"Not really." Shane countered without missing a beat. Dustin rolled his eyes with a smile and looked back at the bike.

"Okay, well…" Shane glanced around in a conspiratorial way. "I'll just be in the store room then."

Dustin frowned. "Dude, why would you go in the-" Shane cut Dustin off by brushing some hair away from his face. When Dustin caught his eye, he saw Shane was giving him a very suggestive look. "Oh."

Shane stood with a smirk and disappeared into the store room. Dustin's heart was pounding. He really, really wanted to follow him. He just wasn't sure he could make it look inconspicuous. He took a deep breathe and smiled.

"Hey, Kel?" Dustin called across the store. "Have we got any extra 250 oil filters?" Secretly, he knew they did.

"Yeah, there should be some in back." Kelly shouted to him. Dustin gave her a thumbs up and headed to the store room.

He was just barely through the door when Shane grabbed him. His heart was beating so hard he thought it would jump out of his chest when Shane pressed him against the wall. Shane's lips were on his soon enough, and Dustin wrapped an arm around Shane's neck. Shane kissed him so hard Dustin thought he might bruise his lips, but he didn't care. It was nice, and he loved the feel of Shane's arms around his waist.

Being with Shane was like nothing he had ever known. He thought he had loved Marah, but kissing her had been nothing like kissing Shane. It hadn't affected him the same way. It hadn't made him feel like he'd never be whole again unless he was able to do it again. That's what Shane made him feel.

Just like that, he realized he had never really cared for Marah. Not like he did for Shane. He trusted Shane, knew Shane cared about him, and loved kissing him. He had trusted Marah, and she had destroyed that trust. Even if she cared for him, she'd never show it.

And to think, he'd spent all that time pinning over Marah when Shane was right here.

He really was as dense as he seemed.

Shane was still kissing him, but he couldn't help smiling into the kiss. Shane brought a hand up to his face, and he turned Dustin's head as he began kissing his neck.

"Do you think-" Shane breathe was hot against his neck "-Kelly would let you leave?"

"She always lets me leave." Dustin answered huskily.

"Then we should really go somewhere more private." Shane mumbled before he recaptured Dustin's mouth.

Quite frankly, the whole world could walk into that room and it wouldn't be enough to stop Dustin from kissing Shane. He knew all hell would break loose the first time one of their friends walked in on them like this, and he worried about it at night. Right now though, he didn't care a bit.

"Or we should stop." Shane mumbled as he pulled away. He leaned his head against Dustin's as he tried to calm down, and Dustin whined. He tilted his head to get a Shane's mouth again, but Shane moved away.

"Dude, come on." Dustin said breathlessly. "Please?"

That got Shane's attention. "You are such a beggar." Shane teased. It worked though because Shane kissed him again.

He didn't quite know what this meant for them. They'd been best friends as long as either of them could remember, and now they were something else. Dustin wasn't totally sure what. Maybe they were just best friends who sometimes kissed. He could probably live with that.

He didn't want to though, and that bothered him. He wanted more, and he knew he shouldn't. He felt something for Shane that was more than lust, and more than best friends should feel. He didn't know what, and it scared him. A lot.

What scared him more was that he didn't know how Shane felt. He didn't know if Shane was only in this for the kissing, or if he wanted more too. And there was no way in hell he was going to be the one to ask.

He supposed he'd just have to be patient. He hated being patient. He was really bad at it, too. But for Shane?

Yeah, he could wait for Shane.

Shane pulled away again. "We shouldn't do this here."

"You're the one who wanted to come back here." Dustin reminded. Shane grinned.

"What did you tell Kelly?" Shane wanted to know.

"Uh… that I needed an oil filter." Dustin answered.

"We'd better find you one then." Shane started to pull away, but Dustin grabbed him arm.

"Shane." He wasn't sure why he stopped him, exactly. But Shane was looking at him expectantly. "Well, I just…" He didn't have anything to say, so he settled for kissing Shane again instead.

This was a different kind of kiss. It was gentle, and soft, and intimate. It was the kind of kiss that made Dustin's heart stop instead of speed up. He wrapped one arm around Shane's shoulder and let the other one settle on his waist. Shane's hand came up and hooked on his shoulder, and the other cradled his cheek. It was a sweet kiss, slow and beautiful. As much as Dustin loved kissing Shane silly, he liked kissing him sane even more.

They pulled away slowly, holding onto each other even after the kiss was over. Dustin sucked on his lip, and Shane let out a slow breath.

"You're not doing anything tonight, right?" Shane whispered playfully.

"Well I am now." Dustin whispered back. Shane grinned, kissed him one last time and pulled away.

Dustin watched Shane head for the filter shelf. He ran a hand through his hair and straightened out his shirt before following. They managed to get back out to the store without drawing any attention to themselves, and Hunter called Shane away a few moments later.

Dustin set to work at changing the oil filter on the bike, work he probably didn't need to be doing, but his thoughts were somewhere else entirely.

He was really looking forward to tonight.