Disclaimer: I do not own the iCarly show, nor am I affiliated with Nickelodeon in any way.

Author's Note: Rated M for mature themes. The story is pretty self explanatory. Just a short story between Freddie Benson and Shane.

1/ Thunderstorms

The heavy rain hit Freddie Benson's bedroom window hard. It would have woken him from his sleep if he had indeed been sleeping. On the contrary, Freddie was lying on his bed, his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. He laid there for two hours already, just daydreaming. Nothing more. He turned on his side and turned the nightstand lamp on, illuminating the room an icy blue. He gazed across the room at the spherical clock on the wall; the time was 7:47pm. He sighed and shut the lamp off before climbing off the bed and heading to the door.

Walking through the hallway, he stopped when he reached the lounge. The plasma screen television reflected the light in the kitchen, acting like a mirror. He looked at himself and sighed, he looked as miserable as he felt. It's been a week since Shane was in the hospital and day and night Freddie hoped he was all right. Dropping onto the leather couch, he turned the television on and flipped through the channels. Normally his mother Marissa Benson would have a maternal alert and run to the lounge and tell Freddie to sit up straight on the couch, but she was out of the house at her mother's for a few hours.

Freddie was about to go to the bathroom when he heard knocking on the door. Getting up, he headed over to it and unlocked it without bothering to look in the peephole. He opened the door and exhaled when he saw who the visitor was. "Hey Freddie."

"Shane. You're out of the hospital!"

"Yeah, I made a full recovery yesterday and spent today home taking it slow. I thought I'd come say hi and hang out for a little."

"Oh, that's great. Come in," he said, stepping aside. He excused himself to the bathroom and offered his video game systems in his bedroom as entertainment while he was away. Shane didn't have a clue about Freddie's feelings for him. Shane was Freddie's male best friend, and he realized that chasing after Carly wasn't getting him anywhere. He thought that maybe Shane would like Freddie the same way, especially since he was bisexual too. Freddie figured out his sexuality the minute he met Shane. Freddie knew he couldn't last much longer without telling Shane how he felt about him, especially since the fact that going all this time without him knowing and without knowing for certain if he lasted a chance with the older boy was killing him.

Freddie finished up in the bathroom and washed his hands before going to his bedroom to find Shane. He was sitting on Freddie's bed, his black and white Converses on the floor, his hoodie strewn on the bed, his feet tucked under him in a butterfly sitting position. His eyes were locked onto the television as he played a game where the main idea was about free-running, also known as parkour. His eyes glanced upward and turned back to the television quickly as he noticed Freddie enter the room.

Shane smiled at Freddie, making the younger boy exhale again. Freddie glanced at him quickly. He wore a yellow slim fit shirt with black designs, dark blue skinny jeans, his chocolate brown hair neat, yet messy at the same time covered some of his forehead and right eye. Freddie smiled to himself when he noticed he owned the same pair of socks Shane was wearing; white with a black and white checkered pattern on the front.

Freddie sat on the bed next to Shane, discreetly positioning himself so their shoulders touched. Shane shut the game off and looked at Freddie. "You have something on your mind," he noted. "What is it?"

The younger boy sighed and lowered his head. Gaining composure, he raised it and locked eyes with Shane. "I don't know how to say it."

"Just come out with it," he laughed. "That's always the best way."

Nodding, Freddie blinked. "Shane, I love you."

He raised an eyebrow in confusion, as if there was anything to be confused about. The phrase was simple enough. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm in love with you. I have been since we first met. I always wanted to tell you, but I didn't want to mess up our friendship. Then you told me you were bisexual so I thought I'd have a chance with you. But, I know what it's like to love someone who doesn't love you back. Yeah, it hurts, but I can handle it. I can understand if you don't since we're too good of friends, but just tell me if you don't."

"Freddie, I--"

"Shane, please," he whispered. "Just tell me if you don't. Tell me you don't love me and I'll just not bring this up again."

A moment passed and neither one of them spoke a word. After what seemed like forever, Freddie's eyes narrowed. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

Shane blinked. "Because I don't know how to answer you, and I don't want to lie to you."

A gong went off in Freddie's mind and he knew what Shane meant. He didn't know whether to be happy or upset; Shane loved him, that part was true and Freddie knew it. But Shane also agreed that they were too good of friends, and he didn't know what to say to Freddie. "What are you saying," Freddie asked, determined to get a straight answer.

"I'm saying that…I love you, Freddie Benson."

Shane hesitated for a second before leaning in closer. He parted his lips a little before reaching behind Freddie's neck to pull him in. Pressing their lips together, both boys exhaled at each others' touch. Freddie couldn't believe what was happening. He was kissing Shane, the love of his life. His lips were so warm and soft, hungry for him, and tasted of mint. When the kiss ended, Freddie was left wanting more, his eyes slowly opening, his mind coming back to reality.

"That was--"

"I know," Freddie answered.

Shane scooted closer to Freddie, taking his hand in his. "Freddie, do you want to go out with me?"

Freddie nodded and smiled. "Yes."

Shane breathed out with happiness and kissed Freddie again. The younger boy smiled and told Shane he'd be right back. Leaving the room, he came back five minutes or so later with a smile on his face. "My mom said you can sleep over."

The older boy smiled, but quickly frowned. "You told her about us?"

"No, of course not. I just told her you were out of the hospital, and you being my best male friend, she couldn't refuse."

Shane smiled. "I didn't expect that. I wish I had known ahead of time, I could have came prepared."

"Don't worry," Freddie smiled, "I have some clothes you can borrow."

--

Shane came out of the bathroom wearing a white t-shirt and black and white basketball shorts. "Thanks Freddie," he smiled. "These are comfy."

Freddie returned the smile. "No problem. I never wear those much anyway." He turned back to the television and smiled again when Shane sat next to him on the couch. "My mom said she's leaving her mom's house in a few hours or so."

The older boy nodded. "Where do I sleep?"

"The couch pulls out and it's spacious enough to sleep on. Unless you'd prefer to sleep in my bed. With me," he smiled.

"Would your mom think twice?"

"Definitely not. I don't think she'd even think once about it, never mind care."

Shane smiled and leaned in to kiss Freddie. Suddenly, thunder struck outside making both boys jump, startled. "I hate thunderstorms," Freddie groaned.

"I don't know, I think they're relaxing."

Freddie raised an eyebrow. "Relaxing? How can one even sleep during a thunderstorm?"

Shane shrugged his shoulders. He stretched, his arms up in the air as he yawned. His shirt lifted a little and Freddie caught a glimpse of his toned stomach and v-lines. He exhaled and quickly looked away, trying to be inconspicuous, just as the older boy glanced at him. He wore a black t-shirt with black and blue pajama pants, the drawstrings left untied.

Freddie gazed at the clock in the kitchen, the time was 8:17pm. He wrinkled his forehead and yawned. "I think I'm gonna go to bed," Freddie announced. "You can stay in here and watch TV if you want."

"Actually, I'm pretty tired too," Shane noted. "I'll be there in a few, I'm just gonna go brush my teeth."

Freddie smiled and went to his bedroom. He was happy he had brushed his teeth already, as he was too tired to do it now if he had to. Climbing into bed, he left the lamp on for Shane and pulled the covers over him. He covered his mouth as he yawned again and dropped his arm onto the bed, hitting the paperback novel that laid upon it. He grabbed it and put it on the nightstand, smiling when he remembered what he was reading.

He jumped as thunder struck again, Shane laughing as he entered the bedroom. "I've never seen a boy jump so high."

Freddie shot him a glare, not like he could see it in the minor darkness. "You know, when you get scared badly about something, I'm just going to point and laugh."

Shane climbed into bed and leaned over Freddie to shut the lamp off. Reaching to the other side, he opened the blinds of the shutters on the window, the moon shining romantic light into the bedroom. "The perfect light," Shane smiled.

Freddie nodded. "At least I can see you without having to put any lights on. I like it that way - at least some light in the room."

"Awh, is widdle Freddie afraid of the dark?"

The younger boy punched Shane in the arm, grinning. Shane rubbed his arm and cursed under his breath at the quick rush of stinging pain. It subsided, and he leaned close to Freddie, their faces close together. "Shane--," Freddie breathed out.

Shane got closer, his breath brushing across Freddie's neck making him shiver. He locked eyes with the other boy, neither one of them moving. He smiled a little and moved his right arm so it was around Freddie's waist and his head was being supported by the hand of his left arm. Shane leaned in and kissed him for the third time that night, this one more passionate than the others.

Freddie's arms went around Shane's neck as the older boy climbed on top of him, laying on top. His arms were on the left and right sides of Freddie's head respectively, the covers having moved to the midsections of the two. Despite the cold night air, the temperature of the room to them was getting warmer.

The longer the kissing went on, the more passionate it got. Freddie bit Shane's lip romantically, making him kiss the other boy harder and fiercer. Shane sat up, dragging Freddie with him with the kisses. Not a minute later, they were back down on the bed. Somehow, the next minute, they ended up on the floor, the bed sheets and covers strewn around and on top of them.

When they regained control of themselves, the two laid on the floor, Freddie's head on Shane's chest, the older boy's arm around his boyfriend's head, the other behind his own. Realizing they were falling asleep, they decided to fix the bed sheets and get back into it. Sliding back into bed, Shane pulled the covers back over them and Freddie moved so his back was toward Shane, and his boyfriend had his arm around his waist, holding him close. "Goodnight, Shane."

"Goodnight, my love."

Redone as of Feb. 9, 2009; I edited the first chapter, holding off on the intimacy until a later time. Sorry about that! Chapter One finished. Like I said, this is a short story, so it won't have more than a few chapters. Just a little craving I had to put into writing. Let me know what you think!