Chapter 3: Secrets

So, the lovers were together day and night, in secret, of course. Michael tried to get some free time with Brian, but he'd always seem to be busy posing for Justin. There were incidents where their affair was almost brought out into the open. They would be the dressing room at Babylon alone and Michael would barge in with a picnic basket and invite Brian to go with him. He would make an excuse saying that he has an early day and needed his sleep, when really, he would be sleeping with Justin. Most of their nights together wouldn't involve much sex. They would just stay up all night looking into each other's eyes and stare at the beauty in front of them. Sometimes Justin would sketch Brian's nude, pale body and admire his presence.

"I love the way you look in this one," he said, holding a picture.

"Did anyone ever draw you?"

"No, no one ever wanted to." Brian grabbed the paper and pencil and sat up.

"Well, I want to."

"I didn't know you could draw."

"I can't, but I have a feeling that if you're really passionate about something you could do anything." Justin buried his head in his knees. "So, go pose, damn it."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Just…be yourself. Just the way I like you." Brian took his time with coping his lover onto the sheet of paper. Finally, he was finished and showed it to Justin. "You like?"

"Yeah," he said shocked. "How'd you do that?"

"I told you, I'm passionate about you," he smiled, kissing him.

"Mom, I got to talk to you!" Debbie came running out of the kitchen to cater her son. "Brian keeps spending time with that runt, Justin! I can't even get close to him without an excuse about having an early morning or an appointment with Justin!"

"Okay, relax, sweetie. I'll take care of it. I promise."

"Tell him I want him at my apartment at eight tomorrow night, or he's fired."

The Babylon dancers were rehearsing their numbers for about the hundredth time when Justin sneaked into the session. Brian noticed and called a break.

"Deb, I need a minute." She nodded and he jumped off the stage and went up the stairs to meet his love. He met Justin on top of the staircase and practically jumped into his arms.

"Yuck, you're all sweaty…but I'll kiss you anyway." He chuckled at the remark. Debbie noticed the guys kiss and anger consumed her body.

"Fuck," she whispered.

"So, I'll see you tonight?" Justin asked.

"Yeah. I love you."

"I love you, too," he kissed. Just before he left they kissed a few more times.

"Get out of here," Brian laughed. He ran off just as Debbie came up the steps.

"What the hell are you doing?" He whipped around in surprise. "You're fucking around with some kid!"

"What're you talking about?" he asked, trying to deny it.

"I saw you two! Don't give me that shit!" She came up closer to him and grabbed his chin. "Now you listen to me, you're not to see that kid again. You hear me?" The thought of not seeing Justin almost brought tears to his eyes, but he fought to hold them back. "You've got a date with Michael tonight. I expect you to be there." She turned on her heel and walked back down. As soon as Debbie was out of sight, Brian felt a sharp pain jab into his stomach. He gasped ad fell to the ground. He tried to call for help, but it was too intense to speak.

"J—J—Jus—tin…" All of a sudden, Brian's world went black.

"Where the fuck is he!" Michael screamed in rage. "He's supposed to be here right now!"

"I'm sure he's just running late," his friend, David, assured.

"Three hours? I highly doubt that he's that fashionably late. I'm calling my mom."

Doctors were surrounding Brian in a hospital bed. One of the dancers found him lying unconscious in the hallway and immediately called an ambulance.

"What's wrong with him?" Debbie asked, truly concerned.

"Well, Mrs. Novatney," a doctor said, "I'm afraid that Mr. Kinney is in the later stage of AIDS." Tears pricked her eyes and made them sting.

"Well, we can get medication, right? I mean, there are tons of drugs out there, one of them has got to be useful!"

"Debbie," he said quietly. "Debbie...Brian's dying."

Justin sat looking out the window in his apartment waiting for his love to come. The place was littered with drawings of Brian from different angles or poses. He checked his watch again and started to get worried.

Debbie walked into a crowded living room, prepared to give the news to certain people.

"What's happening?" her brother, Vic, asked. She took him into the kitchen and tried to ignore the growing lump in her throat. "What's wrong?"

"He's got it," she whispered. "He's dying, Vic. He's got less than a fucking month." The phone rang and startled them both. Vic answered.

"Hello…Michael, um, hi…where's Brian? Well, he's…he's…sick. He's got a bad fever…yeah, I'll tell him. Bye. He said that he has to be better tomorrow for their date."

"Vic, we can't tell him. He has to think that everything's okay. I don't want him worrying about this."

"But, he has the right to know he's dying." She shook her head.

"I can't tell him."