Friends or Lovers?

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes of Hazzard, not making any money, just cheap thrills


Warnings: Angst, Slash, Mild Violence


Rating: FRT


* indicates thoughts


Friends or Lovers?
Chapter 3


As soon as Cooter left the garage, Bo was back on the creeper and under the General. Looking at the underside of the car, he suddenly couldn't seem to think of what to do next. *Maybe I need some more coffee.* Hoping that another cup of coffee would help him to think, Bo headed to Cooter's office. Pouring himself a strong cup of coffee, he sat down on the couch, sipping at the hot drink. Spotting a new Hot Rod magazine laying on the desk, he picked it up and began flipping through it. Rubbing his eyes, he wondered why they suddenly felt so dry and itchy. The words on the page began to blur slightly and his eyes began to feel heavy. In a few minutes, he had nodded off, the plastic cup slipping from his hand to land on the floor.


Cooter pulled up to the garage, relieved to see the General still parked inside. Getting out of the truck, he became concerned when he didn't see or hear Bo anywhere. He wondered if maybe the younger man had decided to walk home, rather than talk to him. Sighing heavily, he headed towards his office, coming to a stop in the doorway. A soft smile crossed his face as he stood there watching Bo sleeping. Poor kid was so tired he'd fallen asleep reading, probably didn't even notice when his coffee fell to the floor.


"No...don't...please..."


"Damn!" Cooter cursed under his breath, hurrying to his friend's side. "Bo! Wake up buddyro," he called, gently shaking the blond's shoulder.


"Nooo!" Bo cried out. Waking with a start, he jerked away from Cooter before recognition set in. "Cooter?"


"Yeah it's me," Cooter confirmed. "Ya okay?"


Nodding his head, Bo looked down at his lap, "Just a bad dream. Didn't mean to fall asleep, wanted to finish up with the General before you got back."


"So you could leave? Thought we were friends Bo?" Cooter asked, obviously hurt.


"I'm sorry," Bo mumbled, unable to meet the other man's eyes. "Didn't want ya to feel like ya had to listen to my problems."


"Bo, look at me please," Cooter asked, waiting until he could see Bo's blue eyes to continue. "I wanted to tell you, well that's not exactly true. I need to tell you why I pulled away from ya the other day, but I don't want to."


"Why not?"


"Cause once I do you're probably gonna hate me and ya been through so much already...I hate to add to it."


"Cooter ya been a good friend to me, I'd like to return the favor. I promise I ain't gonna hate ya, no matter what you tell me," Bo asssured him.


"I never meant for this to happen Bo, ya got to believe that and when I realized it was, I wasn't gonna tell ya."


"Never meant for what to happen?" Bo quietly asked.


"Bo I've known for a long time that I ain't like most men...I, well the truth is I prefer the company of men." It was Cooter's turn to look away, sure that Bo would be disgusted with him.


"Cooter? I ain't sure I understand, what do ya mean exactly?"


"I mean that I'm attracted to men, not women..."


"Well what's that got to do with me? You're attracted to me?" Bo managed to ask as everything clicked into place.


"I'm sorry Bo, I can't tell ya how bad I feel for putting this on ya. I never meant for it to happen, but the other day when I hugged you, that was when I first realized how I was feeling...it's why I pulled away."


"I don't know what to say Cooter, but I don't hate ya," Bo quickly told his friend.


"You don't?" Cooter asked, amazed that the younger man wasn't running for the hills.


"Of course not! You've been my friend for as long as I can remember, and after all you did for me when I couldn't go home...ain't no way I could hate ya."


"But ya don't feel the same and never will, no that's okay Bo, I don't expect ya to. I'm just glad that ya still want to be my friend, soooooo...?"


"Huh?"


"Talk Bo, what's got you so upset that ya can't sleep?"


"Nightmares, don't know why now though," Bo replied.


"About what Delbert Penny did?"


"Yeah."


"Well did anything happen that reminded you of him?"


"Can't think of anything," Bo answered, sounding miserable. "I just want it to stop, want to quit having to live through it again and again," he moaned, leaning his head against the back of the couch.


"I know and I wish there was something I could do to help," Cooter said, reaching over and cautiously drawing the younger man into a comforting hug.


"Cooter?"


"Yeah Bo?"


"I wish he'd...." Bo trailed off, trying to pull away from his friend.


"Bo?" Cooter asked, tightening his hold. "You wish...?"


For several minutes Bo sat there in Cooter's arms, trying to decide if he should answer. "Sometimes I wish he'd just killed me," he admitted in a shaky voice.


"Bo Duke don't you ever say that again!" Cooter yelled, pulling back so he could look Bo in the eye.


"I'm sorry," Bo apologized, kicking himself for having told Cooter the truth. "I shouldn't have said anything."


"It's okay Bo, I'm sorry I snapped at ya," Cooter apologized, instinctively reaching with one hand to caress Bo's cheek. "I hate that you've been through hell and if there was anyway I could take away your pain, I would, but I'm glad he didn't kill ya. I don't know what I'd do if you were gone," Cooter softly admitted.


Bo leaned into the caress, grateful for the comfort. "Thank you Cooter, you don't know how much that helps and I'm sorry I upset ya."


"What can I do for you Bo? How can I help you?"


"You're doing it right now."


"I ain't doing anything though," Cooter protested.


"You've listened, gave me a place to stay when I couldn't face going home," Bo pointed out. "And you're still here for me whenever I need to talk, you've done a lot Cooter. I wish there was something I could do to repay you. Maybe there is," he whispered, glancing at his friend as an unexpected thought occured to him. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to Cooter's in a gentle kiss, surprised to find he enjoyed it.


Jerking back, Cooter shoved the younger man away. "What the hell are ya doing Bo? You think I want ya to be with me out of some obligation? Is that what ya think of me?"


"I didn't...Cooter I care about you...a lot, I'm sorry I offended ya," Bo aplolgized.


"Well what did ya expect Bo? I don't need your charity ya know," Cooter snarled, fighting the urge to pin Bo to the couch and kiss him senseless.


"I didn't think ya did Cooter and I know it made ya mad, but I'm glad I did it. I kind of liked it," Bo shyly admitted.


"Bo please don't tempt me like that, I know you're trying to be nice, wanting to thank me and all, but...just don't, okay?"


"I won't deny that's how it started Cooter, but I ain't lying to you...I swear," Bo replied, laying a hand on the other man's arm.


Looking into Bo's eyes, Cooter caught his breath at what he saw. "Ya...you really mean that don't ya? Ya liked it?"


"Kiss me again and find out," Bo grinned.


Cooter didn't need to hear more than that, pulling the younger man close, he pressed his lips to Bo's. When Bo's lips parted, he moaned with desire, deepening the kiss as he used his tongue to explore the younger man's mouth. " Bo, I...are you sure?" Cooter had to ask. As much as he wanted to be with Bo, as much as he cared for him, he would give him up in a minute if he didn't truly want this.


"I care about you Cooter, I want to find out where this is gonna go," Bo assured his friend.


"We're gonna take things slow, okay?"


"Yeah, slow is good," Bo whispered, leaning in for another kiss.


"I mean it Bo," Cooter cautioned, pulling back from the kiss. "I don't want you to do anything ya ain't ready for or don't want. If we got a chance in hell of making this work, you've got to be here for the right reason and gratitude ain't the right reason."


"It ain't gratitude Cooter, I swear it ain't, not now. Cooter, ya said if we can make this work, what if it don't?"


"What do ya mean?"


"Your friendship means too much to me Cooter, I don't want to lose that if this don't work out."


"As long as we're honest with each other, I think we can keep our friendship no matter what," Cooter soothed.


"Cooter?"


"Yeah?"


"Could we please quit talking now?"


"Got something else in mind?" Cooter teased, a grin spreading across his face.


"Oh yeah," Bo replied, leaning in for a kiss. Wrapping his arms around the other man, Bo felt a surge of desire race through him as Cooter's tongue delved into his mouth. Bucking his hips against the older man, Bo moaned as his lover met him with a thrust of his own.


"Bo...this ain't what I meant by slow," Cooter moaned, his desire for the blond about to overwhelm him.


"Slow's overrated Cooter," Bo whispered his reply, reaching for his lover's jeans.


"No!" Cooter snapped, grabbing Bo's wrist in a tight grip. "I meant what I said Bo, I ain't rushing this. We got time babe, I want to show you how special it can be," he quietly said in a voice thick with desire.


"I ain't no blushing virgin Cooter," Bo protested.


"Maybe not blushing, but ya are a virgin Bo, when it comes to this. I ain't gonna have you looking back on this later and regreting it. I care about ya too much to let that happen," Cooter whispered, brushing a gentle kiss across Bo's lips.


"What the hell is going on?" Luke roared.


"Lllluke, what are you doing here?" Bo stuttered out, surprised to see his cousin.


"I just came to check on things, I sure wasn't expecting to see him doing that," Luke replied.


"He wasn't doing anything I didn't want!" Bo snapped, not liking Luke's tone.


"Bo after everything you've been through, how the hell do you know what ya want? It's obvious he's taking advantage of ya and I aim to stop it." Stepping forward, Luke grabbed Cooter, spinning him away from Bo and slamming a fist into his jaw, knocking him to the floor.


"Cooter!" Bo yelled, rushing to the mechanic's side. Kneeling on the floor, he reached out to take Cooter's chin, his heart breaking when the other man flinched from him. "I'm sorry Cooter, I could've stopped him if I'd been quicker."


"Oh Bo, please babe don't, it ain't your fault," Cooter soothed.


"How could you do that Luke?" Bo yelled, turning towards his older cousin, his blue eyes flashing with anger.


"I was just protecting you Bo..."


"Bull! You was being a jerk and a bigot, that's what you were doing!" Bo yelled. "Why would I need you to protect me from Cooter? He would never do anything to hurt me, besides don't you think I could probably protect myself? It ain't like with Penny, I ain't tied down and helpless this ti..."


"Bo?" Cooter called, the blond's words sending a jolt of fear through him. "Ya said before that he just touched ya, was there more?" Cooter carefully asked, not wanting to spook the younger man.


"He...he put his fingers..." breaking off, Bo began to shake as Cooter moved to wrap him in a warm embrace.


"Why didn't ya tell me before?"


"I don't know," came the whispered reply.


"Bo? Honesty, remember?"


Nodding his head, Bo took a deep breath, "I was ashamed...I shoulda been able to stop him."


"Bo...did he rape you?"


"No, he just put his fingers in me and touched me," Bo insisted.


"It wasn't your fault Bo, ya got to believe that," Cooter soothed.


"I want to believe it Cooter, but I can't help thinking that a rrreal man would've stopped him," Bo whispered.


"You are a real man Bo Duke, don't you ever think differently, nor let anybody tell ya different." As he spoke, Cooter glared at Luke, daring him to argue.


Luke watched Cooter comforting his baby cousin, understanding now that he'd made a terrible mistake, he only hoped it wasn't too late to fix things. "Bo, Cooter, I'm sorry. I know it ain't much, but it's all I've got to offer. I honestly thought that I was protecting you Bo, I realize you don't need protection and it was stupid to think you did. Please try to understand cousin, Penny did so much to hurt you and when I saw you with Cooter, all I could see was you getting hurt again. I should've taken the time to find out what was going on instead of assuming, I just hope you can forgive me, both of you. I swear it'll never happen again," Luke promised, barely breathing as he waited for their response.


"Shoot Luke I ain't got no problem with ya, if I'd been in your shoes I probably would've done the same thing," Cooter quickly accepted the apology.


"I...apology accepted, but Luke it better not ever happen again," Bo warned. "So, um, you're okay with me and Cooter?" he nervously asked.


"I don't know Bo, I mean I never expected to see either one of you kissing another man, let alone each other," Luke admitted. "Are you sure this is what you want?"


"Luke," Bo said, the warning clearly heard.


"I didn't mean it like that Bo, but Cooter helped ya a lot, are ya sure it ain't just gratitude?"


"It ain't gratitude, I do know the difference ya know," Bo replied, glancing between them both.


"Bo, Luke's just making sure, same as I was. We both just want what's best for ya babe, I ain't gonna lie and say I don't want that to be me. Like I said before though, you got to be with me for the right reasons and we are gonna take this slow."


"Yes sir," Bo responded with his usual grin. "Um Luke, ya mind?" he asked, motioning his cousin from the room.


"Oh, um, yeah I'll just be on my way. See ya at home Bo," Luke said, leaving the office and shutting the door behind him.


"You sure ya want to move slow?" Bo tempted, leaning forward to claim another kiss.


"Nice try Bo," Cooter grinned. "Come on, help me up and then we're gonna finish the General and get you both home, by way of the tow truck."


"What? No way Cooter, I can drive just fine," Bo immediately protested.


"Sure ya can, well I ain't forgetting finding you sound asleep over a magazine. Bo ya was so exhausted that ya dropped your coffee cup and didn't even know it, ya got no business driving if you're that tired."


"Make ya a deal," Bo offered.


"What kind of deal?" Cooter asked, eyeing the blond suspiciously.


"I'll let you take me and the General home, if you stay for supper. Maybe we can go for a walk after supper," he shyly suggested.


"Won't Uncle Jesse think that's strange?"


"Nah, he knows I've been having nightmares, he'd probably just think I wanted to talk to you about that."


"Deal," Cooter agreed, sealing it with a kiss.


"Yeehaw! Let's get the General fixed," Bo enthusiastically responded, practically bouncing out of the office.


Cooter watched him go, an amused smile on his face, relieved to see the younger man so happy after the last few days. He just hoped that nothing would happen to ruin Bo's joy.


TBC

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