Thirteen Year Itch - Chapter Six

["The Fabulous One" Dan Fierce]

Thirteen Year Itch - Chapter Six

"Can we talk?" Dan released his partner Brian's shoulder, his arm going limp in defeat by his side.

Brian could tell whatever was about to come weighed heavily on Dan's mind. "Of course, baby," he soothed. He could see the waterworks turn on in his significant other's eyes. Brian drew Dan into a hug, simply embracing him to help him regain his composure. "What's wrong?" he quietly inquired. "Why are you crying?"

It took several minutes of heavy rain coming from his tear ducts before the initial storm passed. Truthfully Dan was both enjoying the cuddle in spite of the pending subject matter. He was also stalling to search for just the right way to approach the subject at hand. He just hugged Brian close, the pair swaying back and forth just enough to calm his frazzled nerves.

The clicking of toenails on the linoleum announced the arrival of Frankie and Jonnie, their two dachshunds, who had finally noticed that they were alone in the master bedroom. Watching their tails wagging with enough inertia to piston their butts in time always made Dan chuckle. Then the dogs discovered the spilt tumbler full of milk on the floor and proceeded to gleefully clean up the mess. Fortunately, the glass was plastic, so there was no debris to clean up beyond the container and its contents.

Brian broke the embrace, holding Dan at arm's length and looking him dead in the eyes. "So what's this about?" Dan turned his face to the floor, pretending to be distracted by the clean-up crew. Brian took Dan's chin in his hand and redirected his gaze. "Honey? Talk to me."

Dan sighed deeply, steeling himself for the task at hand. "I had a horrible dream."

"That's it?" Brian scoffed. "Dreams are just dreams. You're fine. See? Now let's go back to bed."

"I'm not so sure. This dream meant something." Dan nodded towards the kitchen table. "Let's go sit down and I'll tell you about it."

Brian was normally skeptical of these things, but he could tell from Dan's expression that this conversation was going to go far deeper than a slumber-time scenario. Dan lead him to the table, guiding them both to be seated before spinning the tale of his nightmare. Brian listened attentively, holding all questions until the end of the presentation.

"So?" Brian questioned. "What do you think it means?"

"I think it means there's an emotional gap growing between us and if we..." he trailed off, "...if I don't do something, then it will cause us to break up."

Brian pondered, carefully choosing his words. "What do you feel is causing the gap? I was under the impression that we were perfectly fine."

Dan examined the floor, guilt on his face. Absently petting Frankie, who had perched his head between Dan's legs for attention, Dan finally looked at his partner. "I thought so too. Or I had at least convinced myself that we were."

"Where's the issue?"

Dan spun away from Brian in his chair, inadvertently knocking Frankie to all fours with a disappointed grumble. "You're not going to like it if I tell you."

Brian began to get frustrated with his partner's skirting the issue. "Come on. Out with it. We can't get past whatever this is if you don't let me in."

Again, Dan inhaled the courage he needed to broach the subject. "I can't seem to let go of THAT time."

Aggravation was in full swing. "Dan, will you stop being cryptic and just come out with it?"

"When you cheated on me, okay?" Dan perched his head in his hands, sobbing a bit. "I just can't seem to let that shit go."

Dan was met with stone silence. Brian's lips were pursed tightly together for a while. Finally, the bottom one loosened enough to tremble as he softly spoke. "That was six years ago. How long am I going to pay for that mistake?"

Dan held up a hand, the sadness in his eyes deepening as he tried to do damage control. "I know, baby. This isn't on you."

Brian shot to his feet, startling the dogs into full retreat. "IT IS ON ME!" he growled before realizing his tone was loud enough to wake the dead. "Why won't you let this die?"

"I don't know!" Dan slowly stood, reaching for Brian. His hand got slapped away for his troubles. "I... I don't know why I can't get past it. It's wrecking me emotionally."

Brian paused, breathing deeply to calm his jangled nerves. "So this is why you've been so distant?"

"You felt it too?"

He nodded slowly. "I just didn't know why I felt it. Now I know." Brian hesitated before asking, "What should we do?"

"Maybe we should do couples counseling." Dan waited for a response, but nothing came. "I know you hate therapists. I agreed to not see one back then, but maybe that's why I can't let this go."

"I did everything you asked me to do. We didn't have sex at all for six months. We still get tested for AIDS every year, and it always comes back negative."

"Thankfully," Dan interjected. "We dodged that bullet."

"I removed Patrick from my phone, my Facebook, everything. I've been faithful to you before and since. Why do I keep getting this thrown in my face?"

Dan cupped Brian's face in his hands, to protest at first. "Honey, I know you did. I'm telling you this is all me. I don't want to keep this coming back to haunt us, but I can't seem to get past it."

Brian thought about Dan's proposal. "Okay," he relented. "We'll see a shrink. I still think it's a waste of money, but if that means we can put this in our history where it belongs, then it will be worth it."

For the first time in months, Dan was able to breathe as the burden he had been bearing was at least partially lifted. They both sat back down to discuss how to go about fixing their relationship. Finally, as the sun peeked over the East, they both opted to return to bed for a bit of shuteye since their night's sleep had been interrupted.

Before they fell asleep in each other's arms, they had made love. For the first time in what seemed like forever, Dan felt the emotional connection with his partner; not merely horny lust, but the love they had professed to each other throughout the years flooding back into him. Contented rest overwhelmed them both as they slept until noon, a rare treat in itself.

Dan began cooking a hearty breakfast and a fresh brewed pot of strong coffee to start their day. Brian excused himself to the patio for a cigarette, taking his phone with him. Before he exited the house, he produced a folded yellow slip of paper, a business card coming out with it that Brian failed to notice. The card flew under the red velvet high backed Victorian chair where it was out of sight and mind as he opened the slip.

The paper was a carbon copy of a hand scrawled receipt from Giraux Fine Jewelry on Brannan Street. Dan and Brian had gone in there a while ago to window shop. The chicken scratch on the lines declared the transaction was for an engagement set. Brian dialed the number at the top of the receipt. he puffed on his coffin nail as someone answered. Giving them some information, he waited as they kicked into customer service mode.

"What can we do for you today, Brian?"

"I'd like to put my order on hold." He was met with a flurry of questions to guide his second thoughts away, but he stood his ground until the cashier caved. "I... I just have some thinking to do."

"Living a Legacy," Dan began as he performed stretched taught to him by his yoga instructor to keep his aging body limber, "I'm not going to be merely 'living' one, I'm going to do my damndest to cement mine. I've been in this business for many years now. It's about time to show the world what I'm really made of. Between the Icemann Invitational semi-finals, and hopefully, the finals at Living a Legacy, and Manifest Destiny, this bitch is out to prove a point. Not only can I hang with the 'big dogs,' I can bark just as loud.

He went into downward dog position, wiggling his backside playfully to the camera before getting serious again. "I'm starting off my night facing Nathan Saniti for what I believe is the first time in the history of ever. I've scouted him enough to know that he's not above using trickery." He switched to upward dog. "I also know that he still has injuries at the hands of those douche rockets who crucified him. I'm not above using things like that to my advantage, sweeties. Mama don't play when she's in the ring.

"I'm going to do what I can to advance in this. In all of this. In everything. I'm not arrogant enough to think I'm a young pup. I'm aware that I'm in the twilight of my career, so it's 'go big, or go home' time." Dan morphed into cat pose to stretch his laterals and the small of his back. "Once I get past the Mad Magician - and I will get past him, he has too many injuries and distractions for me not to - I'll have to face either the hardcore man-mountain Saint Jury, or the newly crowned Underground Queen Brenna Gordon. No matter who wins that match, they will come into the finals with the Underground title, so that's an added bonus."

Dan changes to bound angle pose, crossing his legs at the ankles in front of him as he sits bolt upright. "Dan Fierce, Undergound Queen. It really has a nice ring to it. I don't plan on stopping there. I'll just flat out put whoever wins the World Title at the pay-per-view. Grimm, Justin Kaard, whichever one of them takes the prize, keep it warm, because I'm going right to the top of the mountain. Do not pass 'go,' do not collect $200. I'm not going to waste time and let whoever wins it rest on their laurels."

He takes one last deep breath before he leaps to his feet. "I'm getting ahead of myself. I can't just look past Nathan. I can't dismiss Jury. And I damned sure can't look through one of the fastest rising stars making an impact in PCW, Brenna. The problem with riding a rocket to success is that sometimes, the rocket comes down just as fast as it went up. Take care, girl. You may burn out and crash. I've seen it plenty of times in my career.

"As for Jury, his has been and continues to be a slow boil to the top. Once he finally get there, he's going to stay at the top. That I can guarantee. I just don't think he's quite ready for that commitment yet. He's still fighting the figurative demons from his brother's death. It's preoccupied him to the point that I'm sure he'd rather face Nathan than me.

"I get it. I do. But that obsession will be his undoing in a high profile tournament like this. Maybe the bookers should have paired Nathan and Jury, just so that little episode could finally be over with.

"I guess what I'm getting at is that I see Brenna and I showing the boys how it's done at the main event. She and I will have a match for the record books, and it will not only be for the tournament win, but the Underground belt as well. We can shuck the rules, give the PCW Faithful a schooling on just how bitches get shit done, and both come out with our heads held high, even if she's lighter at the waist.

"This tournament will belong to the Fabulous One. The Undergound belt is merely an added bonus. there's not a single person here should be ashamed of what they've achieved. I know I'm certainly not. When the glitter settles, I'm walking away with a Legacy and all that comes with it. Everyone will finally see that I'm not just smoke and mirrors when I get past the magician. They'll see that the Jury will be hung..."

Dan smiles coyly. "Well, I'll let you know about that. Anyhoo. Jury will be out as Judge Mama overrules him. And Brenna will be in for the cat fight of her life. It's all on the line, sweeties. I'll show all of PCW that I live up to my last name. Fierce."