The Sword of Damocles
Part 1

Days turned into weeks, and weeks quickly turned into months. Tony kept his word, and called everyday with convincing accounts of unforeseen emergencies that required him to remain away. It was the nature of his business, and Justin understood. Daphne sat on a nearby sofa, and watched her best friend put the final touches of the day on his masterpiece. The large canvas was a reproduction of Camelot's floor to ceiling window, and its panoramic view of Liberty Avenue at night.

"It's beautiful, Justin. It looks so real, especially the drapes. I can almost feel the wind blowing them," Daphne said.

Justin stepped back to admire his work. "It's not finished yet. I still have to put my princes in there. I'm going to have them standing in silhouette, looking out over their kingdom," he said.

"Please don't tell me that you're going to paint them in capes, and crowns," Daphne feared.

"No. I'm not quite that cheesy." Justin wiped the paint from his hands.

"What's wrong with your hands?" Daphne noted.

"It's a rash. I think it's from the new paints I've been using. I bought some cream to put on it," Justin said.

"Does it itch?" Daphne asked.

"No, not really." Justin said. "It just feels dry. I figure it will go away when I'm done with the canvas."

"Where are you going to hang it?" Daphne asked.

"I'm going to hang it on the blank wall, over the dining room table. The illusion of a second picture window will make the room appear bigger," Justin said.

"Have you ever thought about painting something kinky?" Daphne asked.

"Kinky?" Justin looked at her.

"You know, something hott, and x-rated with you, and your princes." She blushed.

"You always were a freak. Come with me." Justin smiled. The binding member of the royal trio led his friend to the far end of the studio, where a group of canvases were propped neatly against the wall. Each one was draped in a drop cloth that shielded them from view. Justin removed the first one to reveal a graphic image of Brian and Tony, their bodies entwined in lovemaking.

"Oh, my." Daphne's jaw dropped.

"Yeah, I know." Justin sighed. "I think I must have jerked off a hundred times when I was painting it."

"Do you have any more?" she asked.

"Daph..." Justin hesitated.

"Pleaseee...you know I have no love life. You know I have to live out my fantasies vicariously through you," Daphne pleaded her case.

Justin flipped the drop cloths off of the other three paintings. "There, knock yourself out. I hope you have plenty of batteries in your vibrator," he laughed.

Daphne's eyes followed the lines of Brian and Tony's bodies, intricate detail by intricate detail. Her lust quickly turned to awe as she took note of the contrast of their skin color, the nuances of their physiques, and the expressions on their faces. "Justin, they're magnificent," she said.

"Yes, they are," Justin agreed.

"I'm not talking about Tony and Brian. I'm talking about the paintings," Daphne clarified herself. "I feel like I'm right there in the picture with them, sharing their most intimate moment."

Justin noticed the tears welling in his friends eyes. "You're not crying are you?" he asked.

"I can't help it. It's like viewing a Mapplethorpe photograph for the first time." Daphne sniffed. "Have you shown these to anyone?"

"No. Just to you." Justin replaced the cloths over his treasures.

"You have to show them. The world needs to see these," Daphne insisted.

"I'm sure Brian wouldn't mind, but I don't think Tony is ready for the whole world to see his cock just yet." Justin smiled.

"They say that art is supposed to make you feel something. I could actually feel how much you love them just from looking at your paintings of them," Daphne said.

"What can I say? They're my muse," Justin confessed.

"How long has Tony been gone now?" Daphne asked as gently as she could.

"Three months, two weeks, and four days," Justin said. "He left New York. Now he's in Atlanta. He's thinking of accepting an offer to oversee the renovation of a hotel in Vegas."

"And how long will that take?" Daphne asked.

Justin shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows?"

"Well, at least you have Brian to keep your bed warm while Tony is away. I think everyone should have such an arrangement. A spare partner. It's so new millennium, especially now, with so many long distance couples." Daphne attempted to lighten the subject.

"It's more than about keeping my bed warm, Daph. I miss him. I miss Tony. I miss hearing him and Brian laugh," Justin said.

"Laugh?" Daphne looked puzzled.

"You know Brian, he's notorious for his sarcasm, and his one liners. He's usually the one who starts everything. Tony is the quiet one, but he's quick with a comeback once Brian gets him going. I love to just sit on the sidelines, and watch the two of them go at it. Their bantering back & forth, it's enough to make you piss your pants." Justin smiled bleakly. "I miss them together. I miss that laughter."

There was a long, awkward silence as Daphne searched for something to say. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Let's go get pizza." she decided.
 

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Three months, two weeks, and four days. Like the sword of Damocles, Mysterious Marilyn's prophesy continued to dangle over Brian's head. Sometimes, when he was with Justin, and he tried really hard, Brian could almost forget the look on Tony's face when he said goodbye to his princess. If only he was as adept at blotting out Tony's last words. "Dirty bitch. How dare you?".........

"Mr. Kinney, Dr. David Cameron is here to see you. He doesn't have an appointment." Brian's receptionist interrupted his chain of thought.

David? What could he possibly want? Brian's guess was that Tony had confided in his friend, and told him about the breakup. No doubt the good doctor was there to gloat. Unfortunately for him, today was not a good day to rub shit in Brian Kinney's face. "Tell the doctor that I'll see him," Brian responded.

David carefully opened the door, and peeked inside. "Is it safe to come in?" he asked.

"For now." Brian didn't rise from his seat.

"May I sit down?" David motioned to the chair in front of Brian's desk.

"If you need to," Brian said. "Can you make this quick? I'm really kind of busy here."

David sat down in the chair, and took a deep breath. "I don't know where to begin," he said. "First I want to say I'm sorry."

"I already knew that," Brian snapped.

"I know I was wrong, and you have every right to be furious with me, but you were wrong too," David continued.

Brian leaned forward in his chair, and placed his elbows on his desk.

"I just wanted to show Tony that you haven't changed. I wanted him to leave you. I didn't mean for this to happen," David said.

"For what to happen?" Brian began to piece together the story in his head. David obviously knew about the breakup.

"I got a call from Dex..." David said.

"Who the fuck is Dex?" Brian frowned.

"He's the model that you fucked in New York. You don't even remember his name." David shook his head in disgust.

Brian couldn't believe his revelation. "You set me up," he said.

"I didn't set you up. I dangled the bait in front of you, and you took it. Just like I knew you would," David said. "I know now that it was a shitty thing to do, but I would be an even bigger shit if I didn't tell you this."

"Tell me what?" Brian demanded.

"Dex was diagnosed with syphilis. By law he's required to identify potentially infected partners. He asked me to get in touch with you," David said. "The timing of your trip to New York, and your contact with Dex would place you, and Justin, and Tony in the secondary stage of the disease. Have you noticed any unexplained rashes, or flu-like symptoms? Headaches, achiness, loss of appetite?"

Brian immediately recalled the rash on Justin's hands, and the early morning headaches that Tony had started to complain about just before he left.

"The three of you need to go get tested, and treated as soon as possible," David continued. "Syphilis left untreated will attack the nervous system, and the heart. Tony's heart is not that great to begin with. No doubt the damage is already being done as we speak."

David's last sentence was nothing less than chilling. The good doctor had unwittingly, almost verbatim repeated Mysterious Marilyn's warning that it was too late. The damage to Tony was already being done. Until now, Brian had assumed that the old queen was talking about breaking Tony's heart. He didn't know that she meant it literally.

"I'm sorry, Brian. I'm so sorry," David said.

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