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After a while, Luke stood up. "Show me where you put my coat?"

Nathan waved vaguely toward the hallway. "It's in the front closet. Easy to find."

"No, I want you to show me. Please?" He tugged on Nathan's arm.

Nathan blinked up at him. Luke was acting almost like a little kid. "Oh, OK." Nathan was still distracted by the implications of what they'd discovered.

He led Luke back to the entryway where they'd left their shoes.

"It's in here somewhere." He slid open the closet door, revealing several coats, including Luke's. "I think that one's yours," he said wryly.

"Yeah, I think so, too." Luke pulled a brush from one of the jacket's pockets. It looked new, although a few strands of fur were caught in it. He held it out toward Nathan. "My back itches really bad. Would you?"

Nathan looked at the brush, a little surprised. Surely Luke could... Then light dawned. Luke wanted to be groomed. From the way he was acting, maybe it had been a long time since he'd known someone willing to do it for him.

"Oh! Sure. It'll probably be easier if we use the bench." Straddling one end, he waved the brush toward the other. "Sit, sit." The bench was a recent acquisition. Nathan had gotten tired of balancing on one foot in the mornings.

The fur on Luke's upper back was matted in spots, maybe from being damp when he'd put on his shirt. It still looked to Nathan as if it had been lightly toasted. Like on his arms, large areas were a medium golden brown with paler stripes separating them. He started by running the brush along the vertical stripes.

Should he talk? Discuss what they'd found out? Distract Luke with other topics? No, maybe better not, not yet. Let the brush strokes relax him first. Let him concentrate on the physical contact instead of mental conundrums.

After the vertical stripes, Nathan used short strokes on the shoulders, pressing firmly but not too hard. Luke swayed slightly with each stroke.

He worked across, brushing about a third of the way down Luke's back as he went, smoothing out the matts. Luke seemed to be relaxing a little. His shoulders were broad enough, but he had a swimmer's sleek build.

As Nathan started on the middle back, overlapping with his previous strokes, he thought he could hear Luke humming.

Then he brushed Luke's lower back, down to the tops of his pants. Maybe someday... Nathan firmly pushed those thoughts away. They weren't appropriate just now. And, yes, Luke was certainly humming.

Next, long strokes smoothed the guard hairs from shoulders to waist. They also evened out the slight rough spots left by the shorter strokes. Luke was definitely relaxed now. He swayed quite a bit more than before.

The fur on his arms needed attention, too. A curved brush might have been better, but Nathan made do with what he had. Several strokes down the outer sides of his upper arms smoothed some roughness there, then he did the triceps and lower arms; first left, then right.

"If you'll lift your arms, I can do your sides, too," Nathan offered quietly. Luke obliged.

Placing his right hand on a warm shoulder to steady himself, Nathan ran the brush down Luke's left side a few times, stroking gently but firmly. He wanted to avoid the tickle reflex for now. Maybe they'd test that some other time. Then he switched hands and did the other side. He could feel Luke's muscles flex under the pressure.

"OK, you can put your arms down." He briefly debated brushing Luke's head hair, too, but decided against it. The brush had picked up a lot of loose fur and it was much paler than his hair. Instead, Nathan ran the brush down the strong muscles of Luke's back a few more times, making the fur gleam. He didn't recognize the tune Luke was humming.

"How's that? Feel better, now?" He suppressed a joke about fleas. There hadn't been any at all, although Luke's body odor was attractive. They didn't know what they were missing.

"That was wonderful. Thanks."

"You're very welcome." He squeezed Luke's shoulder as he got up and handed the brush back to its owner.