Secrets

Luke Duke comes home from the military with a secret that threatens to destroy his relationship with Bo. What will happen when he finally tells his cousin what it is?


Disclaimer: I don’t own the Dukes of Hazzard or receive any money for writing about them, just having fun


Rating: mature


Warnings: angst


SECRETS CHAPTER 4


The next day Bo suggested that they go fishing after they finished their work for the day. Luke readily agreed. But Bo had ulterior motions. He wanted to talk to Luke privately where they wouldn’t be interrupted and he hoped to finally to get some answers from his older cousin.
They went to the pond located in the woods on Duke land. They found a comfortable spot under a large oak tree and cast their lines into the water. They finished in silence for several minutes, then Bo took a deep breath and decided to broach the subject.
“Luke, can I ask you something?”
“What?”
“Have you ever thought about what it would feel like to be with another man?”
Luke glanced at Bo sharply, his sapphire blue eyes narrowing suspiciously. “What are you asking something like that for?”
“I’m just curious…that’s all.” Bo said, carefully avoiding Luke’s eyes “I mean….I’ve thought about it….and I just wondered if other guys ever thought about it too….”
“I guess so….” Luke said cautiously “I guess every guy wonders about that at one time or another….they just don’t always admit to it.”
“Have you thought about it?” Bo asked
“What is this? Twenty questions?” Luke asked in an irritated voice. Bo’s questions were getting a little too close to the truth that Luke wanted desperately to keep hidden.
“Come on, Luke…” Bo coaxed “You can tell me.”
“Are you asking me if I’ve ever been with another man?” Luke asked, glaring at his younger cousin with anger in his voice but fear in his eyes.
“Have you, Luke?” Bo asked refusing to let the subject drop.
“What if I said I had?” Luke said sharply, his nerves on edge and his patience with Bo’s questions at an end “What would that make me in your eyes, Bo? A fag? A queer? Something less than a man?”
“No,” Bo said quietly, shaking his head slowly “You’d still be you. You’d still be Luke.”
Luke looked surprised at the simplicity of Bo’s answer but he still wasn’t ready to confess his innermost secret to him. “It’s none of your business, Bo. There’s some things a man has a right to keep private.”
“You’re not getting off the hook that easy, Luke.” Bo told him, locking eyes with his older cousin “I know you had a dream last night……and that it was about me….”
“How do you know that?” Luke asked, too surprised to deny it.
“Because you talk in your sleep….especially when you’re dreaming….” Bo reminded him
Luke quickly lowered his head, refusing to look into Bo’s eyes. He was silent for several long minutes and then he whispered, still without looking up, “I’m sorry…..I never wanted you to know…..” the slight crack in his voice was the only clue to his real emotions, emotions he was an expert at keeping closely guarded and hidden away from most people.
Instinctively, Bo reached out and put his hand on Luke’s knee. He felt Luke flinch when he touched him and quickly moved his hand away. In a quiet voice, Bo said “It’s okay, cousin….I’m not mad or nothing…..actually I think I’m kinda flattered for some weird reason.” He tried to make a joke out of it but Luke didn’t seem to see any humor in it. Bo tried again to make Luke understand that he was okay with the idea of Luke having been with another man “ I don’t care, Luke if you’ve been with another man…..like I said, you’re still you. You’re still Luke….that hasn’t changed.”
“I’m not up to having this conversation with you right now, Bo…” Luke said, shoving himself to his feet and gathering up his pole. “I’m going back to the house. Are you coming or staying here?”
“I think I’ll stay here for awhile.” Bo said, sensing that Luke needed to be alone for awhile to think about what Bo had said. He watched as Luke slowly walked away, heading back to the house. Bo sighed softly and wondered if he should have handled things differently. But at least now things were out in the open between them. Maybe now they could get past that and Luke could start to relax a little.