You Can Leave Your Hat On

They hung out most of the day and managed to avoid any further talk of sexual preferences. Lucas left to give his mother a hand at the café before getting ready for work that night. Nathan spent the remaining hours ironing out the kinks in his new dance and catching an hour of sleep before heading out to pick up his brother.

The Saturday night crowd was more lively and Lucas was wishing he’d purchased on of those fanny pads women wore to accentuate their derrières. He knew his ass was in for some major pinching before the night was over.

He quickly changed into his costume, briefly joining in with the other wait staff about what a rough night it was going to be. Tonight, Maurice had reassigned Lucas to table closer to the stage. There was a large party of ten or so sitting at two tables pushed together. Maurice had been impressed with Lucas’s skills at taking orders and delivering then accurately. Plus he was no dummy. He knew cute waiters meant more orders.

Nathan peaked out from behind the curtain. The club was already packed and he saw his brother dodging hands while making nice with the patrons. His blood was already boiling but Lucas seemed to be holding his own. Nathan had thought a lot about what Lucas said. As he changed into his costume, he thought about he and Lucas living together. Spending the morning with his brother had been nice. Lucas seemed to be the only one who saw him as something more than a jock or a screw up. He appreciated Lucas for that; for seeing beyond the façade he showed to his school mates. It was just that lately, he’d been masking something else from his brother.

When Dante threatened to hurt Lucas, feelings bottled up bubbled to the surface. He hadn’t realized just how much he cared for his older brother. Then earlier in the day, when Lucas had watched him dancing, he began to understand just what those feelings were and how deep they ran. So while Lucas moving in would be an answer to his financial woes, it would also be the beginning of a whole other set of problems.

Nathan tried not to think about it as he adjusted his costume. He’d never identified why Tim’s infatuation with Lucas bothered him so much. As it suddenly became clearer and clearer to him, it also became more apparent why Lucas and he under one roof was not a good idea.

Nathan was set to go on first. He got the opening spot because he was new. The more experienced acts went after, with the featured stripper going on last. Even as he waited for showtime, Nathan weighed his options. He definitely didn’t want a lifetime of stripping for a living no matter how good the money was, but he didn’t want to jeopardize the friendship he and Lucas were mending by inviting the blond to live with him and then messing up and somehow making his feelings known.

Nathan wondered how he could even feel the way he felt. He wanted to blame Tim for putting those crazy thoughts in his head but the truth was, maybe he’d always known how he felt and had managed to lie to himself all this time. Whatever the explanation, Nathan knew one thing for sure; he would not under any circumstances act on his feelings.

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It all happened so fast, that Lucas still didn’t know what exactly had happened. One minute Nathan was dancing. The crowd was eating up his sexy Latin dance. The next thing Lucas knew, a hand was shoved down the waistband of his spandex pants and then Nathan was there, twisting that very hand until the man actually called for his mommy.

When the dust settled, Nathan and he were being escorted out. Lucas did manage to plead for their belongings. Now they were headed for Nathan’s car, Nathan wearing his sweatshirt and a speedo and Lucas still in his shirtless waiter’s uniform. He had both his and his brother’s bags on one shoulder. Both boys ignored the looks they were getting as Lucas fumbled through pants pockets and zipped bag compartments for the car keys.

Nathan shivered, keeping his head down while Lucas struggled with the key. He slid in the driver’s side and popped the latch for the passenger side. With the bags between them, Lucas dumped a tee shirt and running pants into Nathan’s lap and tossed the bags into the back seat.

“Thanks,” Nate mumbled, slipping awkwardly into the top and then bottoms.

Lucas started the car and drove silently to Nathan’s place. He wasn’t exactly mad at Nathan; he just wished his brother would think before acting for once in his life. Nathan seemed surprised to find Lucas following him up the stairs to his apartment, bags in tow. He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

“Can go home like this,” the blond explained.

“Oh,” Nathan answered, somewhat disappointed.

Nathan opened the door, stepping aside to let his brother in first. Instead of taking his bag and changing, Lucas dropped them on the floor by the door and headed straight for the sofa and collapsed. Nathan closed and locked the door behind them and joined his brother on the sofa, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, head buried in his hands.

He nearly jumped out his skin when he felt his brother’s warm hand on his back.

“Thanks,” Lucas said wearily.

“For what? Getting us fired?” Nathan ran his hands through his hair before sitting back, capturing Lucas’s hand between his body and the sofa. He relaxed against the short strokes the hand continued up and down his spine.

“For helping me out. Nate, I’m not happy about losing the job but I understand why you did it.”

“No,” Nathan sighed miserably, “you don’t.” Nate moved to stand up but his brother pulled him back down next to him.

“I do,” Lucas said softly, slipping his hand under the fabric of Nathan’s tee.

“Lucas,” was all Nathan managed, turning his head to face his brother and coming face to face with ice blue eyes watching him. “I can’t do this.”

Nathan tried to move again but Lucas tugged him back down.

“Do what?”

“Be here with you like this,” Nathan answered, He shut his eyes, humiliated that he’d said as much as he did.

“Nate,” Lucas soothed, using his free and to caress his brother’s face.

“Don’t.”

“When that guy grabbed me,” Lucas rested his head against Nathan’s, “it was awful. I’m glad you stepped in. I’m glad you cared enough to…”

“I wanted to kill him,” Nathan growled. “No one hurts you again…ever.”

Lucas used his thumb to wipe the tear the trickled down his brother’s face. “Well, I guess if you’re going to watch over me, I’d better move in. It will make things easier.”

“Luke,” Nathan shook his head, “you don’t have to,”

“I want to. I’ve always wanted to. I used to be so angry at Tim for getting all your attention.”

“I used to be angry at Tim for giving you all his attention, even if you didn’t know it.”

“Why don’t we make a deal?” Lucas smiled, still caressing his brother’s face. “Why don’t we pay attention to each other.”

“Deal,” Nathan smiled sadly.

“Good. Let me call my mom and tell her that I’m staying over here tonight.”

“Lucas, are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. Besides, your act got interrupted and I want to see you dance.”

Nathan felt his face flush. His brother made a quick call to his mom and then turned his attention back to his brother.

“Is your cd player still in your bedroom?”

Nathan nodded, afraid if he spoke his voice might squeak.

“Okay, go put on your gold thong and sweatshirt,” Lucas teased.

“Anything else?”

Lucas remembered something Peyton had shared about she and Nate and his strange sex habits. She’d even gone so far as to include it in one of her drawings she‘d submitted to thud.

“Oh yeah, “ Lucas smiled, waggling an eyebrow, “you can leave your hat on.”

The end!