[For Bill] The bearer of bad tidings.

[queer_as_brian]

Brian had spent much of the last few weeks sulking, whether in his room or somewhere outside, weather allowing. At the moment he was draped across his bed, flipping uninterestedly through a magazine and contemplating heading outside to smoke a joint--and definitely not thinking about Michael Novotny.

Comments

[red_ponytail]

He'd told Mark, and now Bill needed to find Brian. He hadn't been in the kitchen, and after a stop to glance in the rec room, Bill headed to Brian's dorm, taking the steps several at a time as he bounded downstairs.

"Oi, Brian!" he called, even as he reached the bottom of the stairs, and made a beeline for Brian's section. "You decent?" He pulled back the curtain without giving a chance for an answer and gave his news without preamble.

"Brian, Roger's in the clinic."

[queer_as_brian]

Brian had started to sit up at the sound of his name, hoping for a decent distraction to come out of whatever Bill wanted, but he went very still at the other man's words. "What happened?" he asked quietly after a brief pause. If it was minor, would Bill be here telling him? Was Roger seriously hurt? Not sick, he wasn't going to think about sick, that just wasn't a tolerable line of thinking. Michael's careless taunt rose in his mind again against his will, making his jaw tighten as he waited for Bill's explanation.

[red_ponytail]

Bill ran a hand over his face. He'd been there through the whole thing, and he didn't exactly relish the idea of retelling it, but Brian needed to know.

"I found him unconscious, in his room, and got him to the clinic. Dr. House was there, and Roger - Roger stopped breathing, but House was able to save him," he explained, voice starting to waver before he brought it under control. "He said it was - erm - anaphylaxis. He also said Roger's got a bad upper respiratory infection and has got to stay in the clinic for a while so House can keep an eye on him."

[queer_as_brian]

Brian felt his stomach clench, his heart speed up, but he gave no outward sign of it. "Good to know," he muttered with a nod, looking back to the magazine lying on the bed without seeing it as he struggled to keep his breathing even, to give no outward sign of the fear, the near-panic that Bill's words were sending through him.