The Sick and the Stubborn
a Queer as Folk story
by Aimee
Interrupting a very vivid dream, something about swimming and chocolate syrup, the constant loud buzzing woke Justin from his sleep. He faintly thought back to a story in school where some countries don't belie'e in alarm clocks and too bad the United States wasn't one of them. His hand reached out to swat at the annoying sound and somehow managed to stop it. With a low groan he rolled over and wrapped an arm around Brian's waist.
"Br..." Clearing out the sleep from his throat, he tried again. "Brian. Time to wake up." All the blonde got was a loud snore, causing his eyes to fully open and look down at Brian. Squinting his blue eyes together, sleep still forcing them to shut, he looked down curiously. Brian didn't usually snore in the years Justin had known and slept with him. "Brian..." More of a sing-song voice, the younger male shook the others shoulder.
"Stop!" Brian's hand took a swipe at Justin and missed, falling back to the bed with a soft thump. His head turned to the pillow where his other hand went to blindly search for something on the night stand.
"What are you doing?" Justin sat up fully and went to grab and light a cigarette from the pack he fished out of his discarded pants at the end of the bed. With one balled up fist, he rubbed at his left eye and yawned deeply. A clattering sound caught his attention and seen Brian's hand pull back a tissue from it's box when his head turned to the side as he blew his nose hard.
"Fuck..." Brian pushed up from his current position to sit up and try this again. He placed the soft tissue over his nose and blew as hard as he could into it. Justin's eyebrow raised as he watched Brian, turning his head only to flick the ashes into the glass try next to him. "I can't breathe."
"You didn't do anything last night. Actually, you were pretty out of it and fell asleep before 3am and even before sex. You ok?" Justin semi-chuckled, looking at Brian and wrinkled his own nose. "Ugh, you look like crap. Which wasn't exactly true, the only thing wrong with the brunette was the slight congestion in his voice and the watery sheen covering his eyes. He just wanted to cause a stir with Brian, that was always fun.
"Shut up." With a groan, Brian pushed off the bed and headed to the bathroom where he turned on the shower. He stood in front of the bathroom mirror to see if what Justin said was true and he frowned at his reflection. He felt a lot worse than how he looked. Not the "spent all night partying and fucking - next day" feeling, but a "please shoot me I feel like shit" feeling. His one hand was placed over his face as he closed his eyes.
"You alright?" Justin's voice sounded from the side of him. "You look sick."
"I don't get sick." Brian snapped in an impatient voice. Justin smirked and shrugged, heading into the shower. "Don't use all my shampoo, I'm almost ou...haa...CHMM." His head turned to the side quickly, arm bending upwards to catch the sneezed into the crook of his arm.
"I heard that." Justin all but laughed as he began to wash himself up. "Maybe you should call off work."
Brian stood up strait and sniffed a few times. "I don't need to call off work..." Pausing, he felt the burning start to build in his nose once more, only stronger this time. His eyes looked up to the light, mouth slightly opened as he panted slightly. It was there, mocking him. "...HUH-chmmm!" Into his hand the next one went, leaving him sounding breathless. Shaking his head, he stepped into the shower and stole the soap from Justin. "Just...shut up, I'm fine."
Justin smirked and laughed to himself. That was so like Brian, not letting anyone or anything be in control of him. Especially not a sickness.
Brian breathed in the steam with a inward smile. He figured it was the cold Pittsburgh morning getting to him and after he was showered and ready for work, he would be fine.
After the two got showered without anymore nasal interruptions, Brian secured a towel around his mid-section and headed out into the kitchen to start on a quick breakfast. Justin stayed in the bathroom to shave and dress for school. Before Brian got together everything to make a fruit-smoothie, the phone rang, earning a groan from him. "What?" He answered short and irritated.
"Wow, you are in a great mood." Lindsey's voice responded back as Brian sighed apologetic. "Listen Brian, I have to stay late at the Gallery and Melanie is booked past 3, I was wondering if -..." Brian didn't hear the rest as that burning itch started to invade his nose once more, causing his hand to release the banana he was holding and go to his mouth and nose.
"HUH-CHMM Ahh... Aaa...chmmm! FUCK!" His head came back up from his hand as he wiped it on his towel with a disgusted face. "Sorry Linds." He grumbled to himself as his hand continued to rub against his towel.
"You alright? You sound sick." Lindsey went right into mother-mode and Brian rolled his eyes.
"I'm not. What were you saying?" He cradled the phone on his shoulder and grimaced at how congested he had sounded.
A click on the line. "He is sick, Lindsey." Justin's laughing voice broke into the conversation."
"Justin, get the FUCK off the phone!" Brian turned around to face the bedroom where Justin picked up the other line. "I fucking me... HHHPMMMP!" The next was so hard and forced when his hand covered it, it sounded like someone blew a raspberry.
"Brian, stop being so damn stubborn. Call off work and get some rest. You know, I'm surprised you aren't sick more often. You get - what? Four hours of sleep a night?" Lindsey went on, but Brian wasn't listening as he looked around the kitchen for something to blow his nose with. "And don't get me started with all the drugs you do. That is hell on your system..."
"Lindsey, look. I don't need a lecture, what did you want me to do? Pick up Gus for you?" He pulled a box of tissues out of the storage cupboard and opened them, pulling one out to bow his nose with.
"I don't think that would be such a great idea..." She cleared her throat and went on. "I'll just call Michael, please get some rest."
Brian opened his mouth to angrily respond, but two quick sneezes caught him off guard and his face was buried into the tissue. He didn't hear Justin tell Lindsey that he'd take care of Brian, nor did he hear them hang up as he blew his nose. "Linds... Hello? Damnit." He shut the phone off and seen Justin come bouncing to him.
"Call your office and tell them you aren't coming in." Justin leaned over the counter, a serious look cast to Brian.
"Justin, I'm not sick. I'm going to work and there isn't anything you can do about...ehh...haaacheee... Fine! If it will get you off my damn back!" He angrily punched in the numbers to his office and told them the tragic news. "Happy now?" Brian tossed down the phone and started to work on his smoothie again.
"Not quite. I'll take off school today and be here with you. Ya know, gotta nurse you back to health. So you can return to the same Brian Kinney you once were. Like you could go into work anyway. I don't think clients would like you sneezing all over them." With a large smile Justin leaned closer causing Brian to groan out.
"Great. Fine. Fix my drink then. My throat is scratchy too, so make some hot tea. And get the humidifier in the closet and get it up and working." With a smirk, Brian turned on his heel and began to walk into his room.
Scoffing, Justin finished peeling the banana. "Anything else, your highness?"
Stopping, Brian turned back around. "Come to think of it..." He paused, blinking as his eyes shifted upwards, mentally urging the twitching in his nose on. His eyes watered as the burning intensified, hand holding the tissue moved in a small circle. "Haa...aaa...apCHMMM... After a nap I want a blow job." Turning around to blow his nose into the now ratty tissue, he headed into his bedroom leaving Justin chuckling as he turned the blender on. A glance to the side, looking at the now splayed out body of Brian Kinney, he decided that today was to be long, but nonetheless interesting.
Not my characters. Just for personal kicks. This happens...uh, let's say around the end of season 3 when Justin and Brian get back together. (I like Justin's hair then. Nice and long and very cute.) Sneeze fic, and eee, it's the first from me. Even though I've been writing them my whole life, I never added sounds, but I tried them out this time. If they suck let me know. XD Since Brian never sneezed during the show *grumble* I am guessing in the dark what he'd sound like. I'm thinking very...Daniel Jackson-ish.