"Stop hurting us!" Michael yelled, finishing his verbal tirade. His hands were shaking, hell, his entire body was shaking. He felt the needle slip through his fingertips and heard the dull noise as it landed on the floor. It was a needle he found in the trash after Ben had used it, a needle that may have given him HIV, may have made him positive, just like Ben. He couldn't believe he had held it so close to his own wrist, what if he had slipped? It needed to be done though, Ben needed a wakeup call.
Michael's eyes raised up to met the blue orbs of the man he loved. Ben had blue eyes that had once looked into Michael's brown eyes with such tenderness, such compassion, such love.
Michael couldn't see any of that love anymore. The man in front of Michael had been poisoned by the drugs he was pumping into his own body. The poison clouded his eyes, masking what was once love and affection with anger and what almost looked like hatred.
"This isn't about us Michael" Ben yelled back at him. "This is my world. My disease"
"Fuck you Ben" Michael said. He had really given it his all this time. Everything went into the speech he just finished. If holding a used needle of Ben's over his arm and threatening to inject himself didn't work, Michael had no idea what would. He felt completely helpless, completely lost.
As the words fell from his mouth he couldn't stop himself from continuing. "Fuck you, fuck your disease, fuck your world"
Ben's eye's seemed flashed red as his body moved towards Michael.
There was a millisecond of the most intense pain Michael could remember ever having felt in his life. He heard his name being screamed from far away. Everything seemed far away. Soft arm's cradled him as his world went black.
Brian heard Michael screaming from the hallway. Hearing the anger and betrayal in Michael's voice was heartbreaking. His Mikey should never have to feel like that because of someone he loved. His Mikey was too good, too warm, too loving.
It Emmitt had been there, he would have told Brian to stay outside, he would have said that this was between Mikey and the Professor. But Emmitt was not there, and there was no way Brian was going to leave Mikey alone with Ben.
See Brian knew about the steroids, and Brian also knew about roid rages. He had seen some of the once most docile men break bones on other peoples bodies. Now, 'Zen Ben' might have been all about peace and love, but roid rage didn't give a shit about your principles of peace. Michael wouldn't stand a chance if Ben got violent with him, and Brian was not running that risk. Michael might be annoyed with Brian for barging in on such an important and intimate conversation, but it would be worth it if he kept Michael from being hurt.
"Knock Knock anybody home" Brian said opening the apartment door without knocking first.
In the split second Brian walked in and surveyed his surroundings, he saw Ben's fist make contact with Michaels face.
"MICHAEL"
Brian screamed, his eyes only focused on the falling form of his best friend. He had no idea how he moved that fast, but he was able to make it from the door to catch Michael before he hit the ground.
He cradled Michael's body close to him, his eyes unable to leave Michael's face. A bruise was already beginning to form that seemed to encompass the entire left side. Michael's eyes were shut, but his face looked anything but peaceful. It may have been Brian's imagination, but it looked as though Michael was in pain.
"What have I done?"
It was only then that Brian remembered the other presence in the room. That it was not just him and Mikey as it had always been, as it should have only been.
"Get the fuck out" Brian said, his voiced laced with venom.
"Brian.. I.." Ben started
"The only reason I haven't fucking killed you yet, is because my arms are busy. Get the fuck out before I fucking destroy you" Brian yelled, one of his arms was wrapped under Michaels shoulders where he had caught him. The other was gripping the front of Michael's t-shirt. Ben had exactly one second to move before Brian was going to disengage himself from Michael and attack Ben.
Ben might be bigger than Brian, but it did not matter, Brian had never had a rage like this course in his body. Brian wasn't sure he would be able to stop himself from killing Ben.
Fortunately it didn't come to that, and with one last tortured look at Michael's motionless body, Ben ran from the room.
Brian lightly touched Michael's face. Tracing the familiar jaw line of the man he knew so well. Michael stirred at the touch, shying away from it. "Mikey… Mikey can you hear me?" Michael just moaned in response.
Brian felt his heart wrench. Michael looked so young and so helpless. Brian never wanted to leave his side, let him out of his sight.
Brian picked up Michael and carried him to the bedroom where he gently placed him down on the bed. Brian slide off his shoes, something Michael had done for him so many times in the past. He couldn't remember the last time he had done it for Michael though. It had always been Mikey supporting Brian home when he had over indulged or self medicated with a cocktail of alcohol or drugs. Mikey had always been the stronger one, the one taking care of him.
Now that Brian had to take care of Mikey, he didn't know where to begin. It was taking every bit of power and self control that Brian possessed not to take off after Ben and beat him senseless. That was what his body was craving to do at that second.
But his body was craving something else too, something overpowering. That was the desire to hold Michael, to protect him from anyone and anything that would walk through that door.
So Brian didn't move.