12.

When Whitey found out Lucas had been sleeping at Deb's house for over a week and the pill popping wine drinking ex-business woman had not heard from Karen. He got regular updates from Keith who kept trying to persuade him to come and stay with him instead of Nathan but Lucas would always hang up at that point.

Luke and Nathan were in the gym practising with Skills and a few of the other guys from the team. It was fun, just high school kids throwing a ball around. White stormed in about half an hour into the game, shouting "Scott! My office, now!"

The brother's exchanged puzzled looks. "Which one, Coach?" Nathan asked and received a glare for his efforts.

"Both!" The old man barked out.

Nathan tossed the ball to Skills and they continued to play as the boys made their way silently to Whitey Durham's office. Once there Lucas was told – no, ordered – to take a seat while Nathan had to wait outside.

"I have heard some disturbing gossip, Nathan. You know what cheerleaders are like and after thirty years so do I! Normally I would take their chatter with a pinch of salt but not today. Today I am reminded of a conversation I had almost twenty years ago – with Keith."

"What… what does Keith have to do with this?" Lucas asked, confused. He wished Nathan was here but it was a small comfort being able to hear his brother pacing outside the office.

"When Keith was young he used to have bruises on his skin in strange places and he sought comfort from his fears and pain by drinking to access. See, Danny – Nathan's father – was sexually abusing his brother."

"What! Why... I don't understand?"

"I'm ashamed that I never caught on to what was going on between you and your brother. I'm sorry, Lucas. But it doesn't have to keep happening. We can end this all today." Whitey told him.

Lucas was shaking his head. "It's not like that."

"I know this is hard for you but-"

"No! God, I am so fed up of this! You are worse than mom – imagining me a helpless victim incapable of defending myself! Maybe I was a victim – when I was fourteen – but maybe I could have stopped this anytime. And I didn't. So what does that tell you!"

"Son, I-" Whitey was shocked and a little alarmed by Lucas's volatile behaviour.

"No! No. I can't do this. I just…" Lucas ran out of the room and into Nathan, who grabbed his brother asking what was wrong. Lucas whispered "He knows. Whitey knows!" and without allowing even a minute for the words to sink in Luke leaned in and pressed Nathan against the wall, lips colliding and biting.

When they withdrew Nathan saw Whitey had seen them, and looking a bit flustered and very spooked he pulled Lucas – who was still upset – away from the locker room and out.

-xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox-

= apologies for the slow progress.