FIC: Confrontation
Hello! I'm reposting this ficlet/gapfiller because I've finally had it betaed. (That, and I originally posted it before I had many readers on LJ and I'm a whore for feedback.)
Anyhow, Enjoy!


Title: Confrontation
Rating: R
Summary: We all saw Justin, Michael, Deb, and even Ted learn about Brian's cancer but what about Lindsay? This is my take on how it would have gone. 
"Were you ever going to tell me or was it your plan to have me find out about your cancer by overhearing two of your tricks talking about it over lunch at the diner?"
Time Line: Set between 414 and 501 
Beta:

[Bad username: shadownyc Brian leaned against the back of his sofa and gazed lazily at the Jeff Striker porn video on his plasma TV. The trick he'd picked up at Woody's knelt between Brian's knees and tended to his hardening cock. Rather than paying attention to the trick's ministrations Brian's mind drifted back to the summer when Vic had moved into Michael and Deb's house. Vic hadn't been well enough to get settled by himself so Brian and Michael had taken the lead on unpacking all of Vic's belongings. Among Vic's things Brian had found a virtual cornucopia of pornography. Initially, Michael had insisted that watching the tapes would be an invasion of his uncle's privacy but after he’d seen the hunky studs featured on the VHS cases Michael quickly acquiesced. The video that was now playing in Brian's loft was his favorite from the film fest they'd had so many years ago. Brian felt the slightest twinge of guilt that he'd swiped the tape but at the time he'd figured that Vic wasn't going to have much use for it anymore. Besides, one could hardly notice one missing VHS amongst the mountain of other available titles in Vic's impressive collection. The trick at his feet sucked hungrily though Brian gave little to no indication that he was enjoying the experience. It wasn't that Brian didn't appreciate the other man's technique, quite the contrary. It was more the fact that Brian had invited the man home to simply provide him with a distraction from thinking about what Justin was up to, or rather, who he was into out in Los Angeles. This separation was nothing like when Justin had run off with the fiddler. There were no hurt feelings, no misunderstandings. Justin knew that Brian wanted to be with him and there was no confusion about how they felt about each other. But unlike last time Brian doubted that Justin would return. Before, he'd known for certain that Justin would eventually come to his senses and realize the insincerity of the sweet-nothings that Ethan had whispered in his ear, but Hollywood offered Justin more than Ethan or even Brian ever could. Brian simply couldn't compete with Justin's impending fame and fortune; not that he wanted to. Brian was sure-as-shit not going to stand in the way of Justin following his dream. The problem was that every time Brian closed his eyes or let his mind drift for more than a moment he saw that sunshine smile. Now, while sitting in his living room Brian struggled to keep that image from his mind. The blowjob he was receiving, however good it was, only reminded him how much more skilled Justin was at the task so Brian resolved to keep his eyes on his television set. The circa 1974 film-style of the video was lame and the acting was downright laughable but at least the action was hot and somewhat creative. Years ago it had given the teenaged Brian some good ideas for things he could tryout in the bedroom or the backroom. Just when Farmer Jeff was about to start "plowing the field" on screen the loft door came crashing open. "You...asshole, you son-of-a-bitch!" Lindsay exclaimed.  The startled trick popped his head up and asked in a near-state of shock, "You're married?"  Brian chuckled at this question and responded. "God, I wish it were that simple. I think the party’s over, stud." With that the trick grabbed his clothes and scurried out the door and down the stairs. Since Brian's left arm was still in a sling he could only make a half-hearted attempt to cover his erection with his right hand as he stood and turned to face Lindsay. He did his best to bite back his smile. He'd always maintained that Lindsay had entirely too much blue blood to sound convincing whenever she made an attempt at using profanity. Brian could only imagine what he'd done this time to deserve this string of expletives. "Were you ever going to tell me or was it your plan to have me find out about your cancer by overhearing two of your tricks talking about it over lunch at the diner?"  Brian had known that the minute he told Debbie about his illness it'd only be a matter of time before all of Liberty Avenue knew. Despite that, he'd figured the quickest way to get Deb to forgive him for his insensitivity he’d shown on the night of Vic's death was to play the cancer card. He was right. Still, he didn't like being attacked, particularly by Lindsay. And although he was in no mood to have a replay of what he and Justin now simply referred to as the "chicken soup incident", Brian couldn't keep himself from lashing back out at the woman standing in front of him.  "Gee Lindz, when exactly was I supposed to tell you? When you were discovering your renewed interest in dick, or when your marriage was falling apart? Oh I know, I should have told you while you were moving OUR SON into that shit hole apartment of yours!"  Brian's retort instantly deflated Lindsay and she slumped into the bar stool at the edge of Brian's kitchen counter. "God, have I really been that self absorbed?" Lindsay asked; her voice sounded small and contrite. "I don't know. I'm too selfish to notice that sort of thing." Brian replied with an easy smile and a slow eye blink. He took out the pack of cigarettes and Zippo he had stashed in the torture device he was wearing to help mend his broken collar bone. Brian wasn't the sort of fag who'd ever carry one of those European man bags, however stylish, so he was enjoying the unexpected convenience that the sling provided him. "Should you really be smoking?" Lindsay asked, her tone now lighter than before. The look Brian had given her let her know that she was forgiven for being too wrapped up in her own drama to be emotionally available for him.  A quick, single laugh escaped Brian's lips as he answered her question. "No, but when has that ever stopped me from doing something." "True." Lindsay admitted. Brian was now standing by her side, nude, silently offering her a cigarette. She'd quit smoking back before she got pregnant with Gus but after the last few months she'd had she figured having one smoke with her old friend was alright.  She took a long, satisfying first drag and then asked, "So, did they get it all?"  It took Brian a moment to realize that she was talking about the cancer again. “That’s what they tell me.” Brian replied with a shrug. “And you’re ok?” Lindsay pressed. “Aside from the plastic easter egg I get to carry around with me in my ball sac for the rest of my life, I’m fine.” He patted her on the shoulder and Lindsay kissed him on the cheek. “You still should have told me, you know; not just for my sake, but for Gus’.” “There wasn’t anything you could do about it.” Brian said flatly as he crushed out his cigarette into the ashtray on the counter. He then continued without making eye contact, “If things had gotten to the point where you needed to know, I would have told you.” Brian then turned to face Lindsay directly. “And I would have made sure that you and Gus would never have had to want for a single thing ever again.”  Tears immediately filled Lindsay’s eyes.  She set the cigarrette in the ashtray and put her arms around Brian’s neck. “Oh Brian, don’t talk like that.” She cried.  As Brian hugged her he suddenly became aware that he was still standing there naked. He let go of their embrace and crossed the room to get a stack of papers that were on his desk. “It was only type IA and all this shit that Justin downloaded says that the chances of it coming back or getting worse are next to none. You can read it if it’ll make you feel better.”  Lindsay took the papers and sighed, “If you need anything…” “…I won’t act like a martyr. I promise.” Brian sealed the promise with a kiss and led Lindsay to the door.  She walked into the hallway and gave Brian’s nude body a slow once over and then a broad smile made its way across her tear streaked face. “Go put some clothes on you big slut.”  Brian just laughed and shut the door. The End .]