Chapter Text
Richard Winters was a simple man. He had no need for luxury or extravagance and was content with leading an honest life.
How he had allowed his friends to not only talk him into coming, but being the designated driver, to the most popular male strip club in Philadelphia on a Friday night, was beyond him.
But here he was.
Toccoa was a moderately sized club and was actually much nicer inside than out.
Buck clapped Dick on his shoulder, “Come on, Dick. Stop looking so serious, we’re here to have fun!”
Dick smiled, “Why don’t you ever tell Ron to stop looking serious?”
“He’s tried, believe me. I just don’t listen to him.” Ron surveyed the large room as the group walked further into the room.
“I’ll see you three losers later,” Webster smiled as he walked directly up to a thin but wiry dancer with an aggressive demeanor that should’ve been off-putting but didn’t stop Web.
David said something that must have offended the shorter man because the man’s smile dropped and he slapped Webster before walking away.
Dick went to the bar with Ron and Buck and ordered water while the other two ordered their drinks.
“So how did you hear about this place?” Dick asked Buck over the loud beat that was pumping though the speakers.
“My friend, George, works here. He loves it here and told me that the last act of the night is worth the marked-up drinks.”
Buck downed his glass and gestured to the bartender for another.
“When’s the last act?” Dick’s must’ve shown too much enthusiasm about leaving because Buck rolled his eyes.
“Who cares? Look around here Dick, it’s practically heaven. Relax and enjoy yourself. I’m about to.”
Buck grabbed his drink and left to talk to a short, bubbly brunette with a bright smile. It must’ve been George because they started talking and laughing immediately.
Dick looked to talk to Ron but he’d already left and Dick couldn’t find him anywhere, so he found a comfortable chair near the back and tried to relax. He wasn’t nervous. No. He never did anything he was uncomfortable with. This just wasn’t his typical type of guy’s night out, but he tried to listen to Buck and enjoy himself.
He drank some water and looked around when the music’s volume lowered and the lights focused on the center stage.
“It’s Friday night and you all know what that means.”
The club seemed to quiet down as a spotlight lit up the stage and a slow beat started to flow through the speakers.
The voice continued, “Welcome to the stage, Captain Vixen.”
Dick looked around for his friends but they were nowhere to be found, he focused his attention back on the stage when a loud chorus of cheers filled the room.
He looked up to see what was so spectacular and his breathe caught in his throat.
The dancer was a tall, lithe man with dark brown hair and even darker eyes. He was only wearing a pair of skin tight black jeans and Dick couldn’t stop staring.
The beat picked up and the man starting moving, a slow grinding of his hips against the silver pole before he lifted his entire body and swung in a quick circles.
Dick licked his lips and slowed around a dry throat. He shuffled forward his seat and took in everything he could.
The Captain wore the sexiest smile Dick had ever as he glided through the intricate and fast routine.
Dick wanted to taste it, wanted to feel that smile against his lips.
The brunette moved toward the edge of the stage where another pole was and looked to the crowd as moved his hips to song. He looked to Dick and the pounding in his heart skipped a beat, the man seemed to have a similar reaction and faltered on a step before he righted himself.
Dick didn’t have the sense to do anything but watch and the Captain didn’t seem to take his eyes off him, always finding him after every turn of his back.
Dick was about to stand up, move closer, do something, when Ron tapped his shoulder and pointed to where a bloody-lipped Webster was being dragged out by the bouncer, Dick remembered was called, Bull. Buck followed the out, laughing and trying to get Webster to shut his mouth.
“We gotta go, Dick.”
Dick didn’t want to leave, but he was the designated driver.
He nodded his head and walked with Ron to the front door.
He stopped in the doorway and took once last look at the enchanting man, a word Dick never thought he’d use in a club like this.
He saw those dark, shining eye staring directly at him. He thought his saw a look of pure and utter disappointment as Ron dragged him out of the building and into the cold night air.
Driving the three men home was entertaining but gave Dick a headache.
Webster wouldn’t shut up about how in love he was with the man that had slapped and punched him in the span of an hour. Buck wouldn’t stop laughing and had clearly become very drunk. Ron was in the back with Web and hit him several times for ruining his night with, Lip, the manager of the club.
After he dropped the three off to crash at Ron’s, Dick drove home in a smitten haze and passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow, dreaming of long legs, pale skin, and shining brown eyes.
Three days later, Dick had a day off and spent it doing things he loved and trying very hard, extremely hard not to think about the dancer from the club.
He woke up in the late morning, enjoying sleeping in, went on a long run in the brisk autumn air, and went to his favorite bookstore that had the best café attached to it.
He spent hours losing himself and searching through bookshelves. He found an old book of French poetry that he could enjoy with a few cups of coffee and good food.
He was walking out from the far back wall of the bookstore, already flipping through slightly yellowed pages, when he bumped into someone else, books falling to the floor.
“I’m so sorry, I was loo—,” Dick’s breath caught as he recognized the man he’d thought about nonstop since Friday.
“You again.” The Captain said in a deep, warm voice, with that same seductive smirk that had lured Dick in from the moment he saw him.
“M-me?”
“Yes, you. You were at Taccoa on Friday, right?”
“Yeah.” Dick tried to stop the blush that was slowly rising in his cheeks.
“I knew it!” The brunette’s smile widened and he took a step closer to Dick, “You, uh, left quite an impression on me.”
Dick’s cheeks deepened into a bright red at the longing he saw in the other man’s eyes.
“I could say the same thing.”
The man’s bold eyebrows rose on his forehead and asked with a hopeful tone, “Really?”
“Yeah,” Dick rubbed the back of his necked and laughed breathily, “Really.”
The brunette looked as though he was really thinking about what Dick said before he spoke.
“Dinner.”
Dick laughed, “What?”
“Sorry that was supposed to be a question, dinner? Would you like to go out to dinner with me? Tonight, perhaps?”
Dick’s smile widened at the nervous and hopeful look on the other man’s face.
“That depends, is your name really Captain Vixen?”
The brunette let out a loud laugh and Dick fell in love with sound in that moment.
“No, no. God, no. It’s actually Lewis, Lewis Nixon. Everyone calls me Nix.”
“Nice to meet you Nix, I’m Richard Winters, my friends call me Dick.”
The two men shook hands and it felt awkward to Dick, he wanted to do more than just shake Nix’s hand.
“So was that a yes?” Nix asked.
“Yes, Lewis Nixon, I’d love to go to dinner with you tonight.”
“Great, Dick, let’s go.”
Dick spluttered, “Wait, what?”
“Well it’s nearly six o’clock. It wouldn’t make sense to just meet up in an hour or so, right?”
Dick’s eyes widened. He should really start setting an alarm to tell him to stop exploring the bookstore.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right, what do you have in mind?”
“I know this great café that about 500 feet from here.”
Dick laughed and smiled brightly at his date, “Sounds perfect.”
The two didn’t end up leaving until the shop closed at midnight.