The Dying Of The Light (10/?)
Title: The Dying of the Light
Author: Greens
Feedback: Please, please, please. I live for feedback, feedback is my friend. But don't be too harsh. Although I do like constructive criticism, please remember, fanfiction writers are people too.
Pairing: Ben/Michael with an infusion of Brian.
Rating: R
Genre: Angst, Drama, H/C (sorta)
Summary: When the illusion of being young and beautiful forever is shattered, where can you turn and who can you trust?
Notes: We are in the third decade of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. More than 60 million people worldwide have become infected, including over 20 million who have already died. The majority of those newly infected today, both in the United States and abroad, are under 25. AIDS could claim up to 100 million lives worldwide by 2020 if nothing changes. At this rate, AIDS will be the worst epidemic in human history. But HIV is preventable. 1-866-344-KNOW is a 24-hour, toll-free hotline where you can get a free guide about HIV/AIDS and sexual health, be connected with the CDC's AIDS hotline for information about HIV testing in the U.S., or connect with a local Planned Parenthood clinic for other sexual health services. (from http://www.knowhivaids.org)
Special Thanks: Thanks goes out to you guys over at the brianandmichael group for directing me over here so that I could share my stories. Thanks also to the actors who give us viewers characters we care about and for giving us writers a basis for inspiration. There would be no QAF if it wasn't for the actors who were daring enough to take part in this project. So thanks to all of you!
Spoilers: I really don't think there are any, but just to be safe, I'm gonna say spoilers through 307.
Warnings: Major Angst
Disclaimer: I don't own QAF or any of the QAF characters. All invented characters however are my own. I am not making any money off of this fic and am writing purely for pleasure and my general love for the show.
Michael didn’t even hear the bell above the door of the comic store jingle as it opened. He sat hunched over the counter, head resting on top of it, asleep.
"Christ, I could fucking rip you off right now if I wanted to." Justin said. "What the hell’s wrong with you?"
Michael stretched. "I was up all night," he said
"Oh I see," Justin laughed. "Ben kept you pretty busy."
"No," Michael stood, crossing to the front of the store, beginning to aimlessly sift through a stack of old X-Men and Alpha Flight. "I had things on my mind if it’s any of your business."
Justin put his hands up in the air. "Shit," he said. "Forget I even asked."
Michael placed the comics down. "Do you have something for me? Those drawings?"
Justin handed over a pile of pictures. "Actually, I was thinking," he said. "This ‘Juice Pig’... if we have him have a way of attaching himself to Rage, suck the life out of him..."
"We can’t use it," Michael said. "We can’t use it at all. "No storyline, no ‘Juice Pig’, we have to think of something else."
"Last time we talked, you agree to the idea." Justin said. "What the hell changed?" He paused. "Is it Ben? Is something up or..."
"No" Michael said quickly. "No, Ben’s fine. I just cant... we need to do this some other time, Justin, OK? Right now isn’t... I have someplace I have to be."
"So what do you want me to do with these drawing?" Justin said as Michael grabbed his coat.
"Keep them. Hold onto them. I’ll call you later, OK? Lock up when you leave. I gotta go."
>>>>>>
"Christ, Brian you look like shit" Cynthia said as Brian made his way into Vangard.
"Hello to you too, Cynthia," Brian said, heading for his office. "What do I have lined up for me today and please tell me that they canceled."
"Sorry" Cynthia laughed. "You’ve got the Jolly Greeting people at one."
"Don’t be a fucking piece of lard, get off your ass and buy our card," Brian chimed, falling back into his seat behind his desk.
"I always thought that was one of your best sellers," Cynthia laughed. "They’ll be here at one and I believe your illustrious partner wanted to see you when you got in."
"Gardner?" he said. "What the hell did I do?" Cynthia shrugged. Brian sighed. "Tell him I’m coming."
Cynthia couldn’t help but laugh. "I bet that’s what you’d rather be doing."
Brian smirked. "You know me too well."
Cynthia laughed. "I’ll tell him you’re here."
>>>>>>
Michael crossed his fingers as he walked up to the house, hoping that his mother was working. The last thing her needed was to have to deal with her right now. He pulled out a key, twisting it in the lock and entering. "Anyone home?" he called. "Hello? Uncle Vic?"
"You do know that you’re risking a lot coming here" Vic said, coming out of the kitchen. "Your mother is ready to murder. Where were you last night?"
"I had... something really important that came up... last minute." Michael sighed
"Something last minute," Vic repeated. Michael nodded. "You’ll feel her wrath later on."
"Don’t I know it." Michael sighed. "Umm... I actually am glad I caught you."
"Where would I go?" Vic laughed. Michael did not. "This is something serious."
"Could be," Michael said solemnly. "I need to ask you... about... you can’t say anything to Mom about this because she’ll freak out and that’s the last thing I need right now."
"OK..." Vic nodded. "OK, Michael, what’s wrong?"
"I have a friend and... umm... yesterday this friend... told me that..." Michael couldn’t bring himself to say the words. The realization hitting him head on. He told me that he’s positive."
Vic looked at Michael, speechless for a moment. "Michael are you..."
"No," Michael said quickly. "No, no it’s not me. I’m fine. I just don’t know what I can do for him... for... you know, my friend."
"Michael..." Vic sighed. "Brian needs to talk to somebody."
"I didn’t say it was Brian..." Michael stammered.
Vic placed his hand on Michael’s arm. "You didn’t have to."
Michael pursed his lips, taking a deep breath through his nose. "I don’t know what to do, Uncle Vic. I just... he’s my best friend and... I know Brian. I don’t know if he can handle this."
"It’s not just something for Brian to handle. His life has to change. He has to change his habits, his lifestyle/ He needs to talk to somebody."
"I told him that, I did. He doesn’t plan on it though. I know Brian. He doesn’t want to believe this is happening."
"Be his friend, Michael," Vic said. "Be there for him and when he’s ready to talk about everything... just be there."
Michael sniffled, holding it together. "Thanks, Uncle Vic," he said as his cell phone rang. "Hmm," he said, picking it up. "Hello?.. yes this is Michael Novotny..." Michael’s face went blank. "What?... I’ll be right there." Michael hung up his phone. "Brian..." he said looking at Vic. "That was Allegheny General. Brian was just admitted to the hospital."
Author: Greens
Feedback: Please, please, please. I live for feedback, feedback is my friend. But don't be too harsh. Although I do like constructive criticism, please remember, fanfiction writers are people too.
Pairing: Ben/Michael with an infusion of Brian.
Rating: R
Genre: Angst, Drama, H/C (sorta)
Summary: When the illusion of being young and beautiful forever is shattered, where can you turn and who can you trust?
Notes: We are in the third decade of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. More than 60 million people worldwide have become infected, including over 20 million who have already died. The majority of those newly infected today, both in the United States and abroad, are under 25. AIDS could claim up to 100 million lives worldwide by 2020 if nothing changes. At this rate, AIDS will be the worst epidemic in human history. But HIV is preventable. 1-866-344-KNOW is a 24-hour, toll-free hotline where you can get a free guide about HIV/AIDS and sexual health, be connected with the CDC's AIDS hotline for information about HIV testing in the U.S., or connect with a local Planned Parenthood clinic for other sexual health services. (from http://www.knowhivaids.org)
Special Thanks: Thanks goes out to you guys over at the brianandmichael group for directing me over here so that I could share my stories. Thanks also to the actors who give us viewers characters we care about and for giving us writers a basis for inspiration. There would be no QAF if it wasn't for the actors who were daring enough to take part in this project. So thanks to all of you!
Spoilers: I really don't think there are any, but just to be safe, I'm gonna say spoilers through 307.
Warnings: Major Angst
Disclaimer: I don't own QAF or any of the QAF characters. All invented characters however are my own. I am not making any money off of this fic and am writing purely for pleasure and my general love for the show.
Michael didn’t even hear the bell above the door of the comic store jingle as it opened. He sat hunched over the counter, head resting on top of it, asleep.
"Christ, I could fucking rip you off right now if I wanted to." Justin said. "What the hell’s wrong with you?"
Michael stretched. "I was up all night," he said
"Oh I see," Justin laughed. "Ben kept you pretty busy."
"No," Michael stood, crossing to the front of the store, beginning to aimlessly sift through a stack of old X-Men and Alpha Flight. "I had things on my mind if it’s any of your business."
Justin put his hands up in the air. "Shit," he said. "Forget I even asked."
Michael placed the comics down. "Do you have something for me? Those drawings?"
Justin handed over a pile of pictures. "Actually, I was thinking," he said. "This ‘Juice Pig’... if we have him have a way of attaching himself to Rage, suck the life out of him..."
"We can’t use it," Michael said. "We can’t use it at all. "No storyline, no ‘Juice Pig’, we have to think of something else."
"Last time we talked, you agree to the idea." Justin said. "What the hell changed?" He paused. "Is it Ben? Is something up or..."
"No" Michael said quickly. "No, Ben’s fine. I just cant... we need to do this some other time, Justin, OK? Right now isn’t... I have someplace I have to be."
"So what do you want me to do with these drawing?" Justin said as Michael grabbed his coat.
"Keep them. Hold onto them. I’ll call you later, OK? Lock up when you leave. I gotta go."
>>>>>>
"Christ, Brian you look like shit" Cynthia said as Brian made his way into Vangard.
"Hello to you too, Cynthia," Brian said, heading for his office. "What do I have lined up for me today and please tell me that they canceled."
"Sorry" Cynthia laughed. "You’ve got the Jolly Greeting people at one."
"Don’t be a fucking piece of lard, get off your ass and buy our card," Brian chimed, falling back into his seat behind his desk.
"I always thought that was one of your best sellers," Cynthia laughed. "They’ll be here at one and I believe your illustrious partner wanted to see you when you got in."
"Gardner?" he said. "What the hell did I do?" Cynthia shrugged. Brian sighed. "Tell him I’m coming."
Cynthia couldn’t help but laugh. "I bet that’s what you’d rather be doing."
Brian smirked. "You know me too well."
Cynthia laughed. "I’ll tell him you’re here."
>>>>>>
Michael crossed his fingers as he walked up to the house, hoping that his mother was working. The last thing her needed was to have to deal with her right now. He pulled out a key, twisting it in the lock and entering. "Anyone home?" he called. "Hello? Uncle Vic?"
"You do know that you’re risking a lot coming here" Vic said, coming out of the kitchen. "Your mother is ready to murder. Where were you last night?"
"I had... something really important that came up... last minute." Michael sighed
"Something last minute," Vic repeated. Michael nodded. "You’ll feel her wrath later on."
"Don’t I know it." Michael sighed. "Umm... I actually am glad I caught you."
"Where would I go?" Vic laughed. Michael did not. "This is something serious."
"Could be," Michael said solemnly. "I need to ask you... about... you can’t say anything to Mom about this because she’ll freak out and that’s the last thing I need right now."
"OK..." Vic nodded. "OK, Michael, what’s wrong?"
"I have a friend and... umm... yesterday this friend... told me that..." Michael couldn’t bring himself to say the words. The realization hitting him head on. He told me that he’s positive."
Vic looked at Michael, speechless for a moment. "Michael are you..."
"No," Michael said quickly. "No, no it’s not me. I’m fine. I just don’t know what I can do for him... for... you know, my friend."
"Michael..." Vic sighed. "Brian needs to talk to somebody."
"I didn’t say it was Brian..." Michael stammered.
Vic placed his hand on Michael’s arm. "You didn’t have to."
Michael pursed his lips, taking a deep breath through his nose. "I don’t know what to do, Uncle Vic. I just... he’s my best friend and... I know Brian. I don’t know if he can handle this."
"It’s not just something for Brian to handle. His life has to change. He has to change his habits, his lifestyle/ He needs to talk to somebody."
"I told him that, I did. He doesn’t plan on it though. I know Brian. He doesn’t want to believe this is happening."
"Be his friend, Michael," Vic said. "Be there for him and when he’s ready to talk about everything... just be there."
Michael sniffled, holding it together. "Thanks, Uncle Vic," he said as his cell phone rang. "Hmm," he said, picking it up. "Hello?.. yes this is Michael Novotny..." Michael’s face went blank. "What?... I’ll be right there." Michael hung up his phone. "Brian..." he said looking at Vic. "That was Allegheny General. Brian was just admitted to the hospital."