What If?
Season Three
Disclaimer: The show, the characters, and some of the text is not mine.
Rated: PG-15
Warnings: Same as the show I guess: language, gay sex, nudity (not that you can see it), drama, angst, violence.
Pairings: Brian/Justin (friendship then possibly more), Brian/Michael (friendship), Brian/Other, Michael/David, Michael/Ben, Justin/Other
Summary: The sequel to "What If", pretty much chronicles the second season in this universe with some flashbacks or points from the "first season."
Note 1: Brian is only 26 in the beginning of this fic. Justin is 18.
Note 2: Characters will be AU and the timeline is a bit different.
Note 3: Some quotes and scenes are directly from the show (I don't own them) but others are mine and some have been fixed up a bit. If you recognize it, I don't own it (probably.)
Chapter One: Pride
Thursday August 24 1999
"Pride weekend! Can you feel it?" Emmett twirled around, hands in the air. Justin contained a laugh. Barely.
"The dancing!" Michael said.
"The parade." Ted added.
"The fucking." Of course, Brian said that. Justin poked him.
"Can't wait." He twisted under Brian's arm with a grin.
"You sure, you're up for it?" Michael asked in concern.
"He's up for it." Brian waggled his eyebrows and everyone laughed.
"It's my first pride. I got all my schoolwork for this week done and handed in, my PT/OT is going good, and listen: No stutter!" Of course, he was talking fairly slowly as opposed to the non-stop chatter they had gotten used to.
"That's great baby, but be careful - pride is a sin." Emmett winked.
"Then I'm going to hell." Brian nodded in agreement and they crossed the street to the Diner. They trooped inside only to stop in shock at the abundance of rainbows: banners, candles, posters, streamers…..
"Who did this?" Ted asked, looking around.
"Some demented queen with no taste." Emmett stage whispered. Justin and Brian shared a look.
"Nice job, Ma."
"Glad you like it!" Debbie crooned from behind the counter.
"Ok, can we hurry up and eat, please? I've got appointments all day."
"You've got appointments?"
"It's pride, honey. Facial at nine. Peticure at ten. Bikini wax at eleven." There was a collective wince. "Oh and I have to take Godiva her dress."
"She's marching?"
"No. I'm pushing. I have to figure out how to accessorize a wheelchair."
"Who's Godiva?" Justin was subjected to several shocked looks.
"Who's Godiva? Don't they teach you fucking kids anything? It's time for Gay History 101." She motioned to a corner booth where a collage of pictures was hung.
"Let me tell you. Godiva is the world's greatest drag queen." Emmett started as they all sat down.
"Or at least Pittsburgh's."
"I'd just moved from Mississippi, didn't know a soul, somehow I found my way to Woody's. I standing there and she comes up to me and says, "You all alone, Sugar?" I stood there with my mouth hanging open."
"Well, things haven't changed much." Emmett gave Brian a look and Justin poked him.
"Then she said to me, "Well, not anymore. Now you've got Godiva - just like the chocolate, dark and sweet." She introduced me to everyone and everything, including my first pride. I'm afraid this may be her last."
"I think people make too much of their pride business." Michael moped.
"As if you'd even know! Considering you've never been to one." Justin gave Michael a shocked glance.
"You've never been?"
"Poor Mikey's afraid he'll end up as the token Pride clip on the six o'clock news."
"Well, I don't exactly see you out there in being in a grand march."
"We all have our ways of celebrating. Some people take it to the streets..."
"Other people take it to the sheets." Ted finished, making everyone laugh. Justin turned to Brian questioningly as Michael and Ted bantered.
"So you've never been?" He asked.
"I go, but I don't march." Brian corrected. "I enjoy the festivities on the sidelines." Meaning he picked up guys. Justin tilted his head. "I know that look."
"Mom wants me to march with her." Justin revealed as Debbie swept by like a hurricane.
"You bet your ass you're going to march with your mom!" She yelled, shooting a look at Michael. Justin rolled his eyes.
"So, what?"
"Would you join us?" There was silence at the booth. Heads turned to watch Brian. Justin tilted his head pleadingly. "At least for a little while?"
"I don't do rainbow." Brian narrowed his eyes. Emmett giggled. "I'm queer but not that queer."
"No rainbows for you then." Justin said with a grin. "Or me. Really the only crazy one will the Deb in our group." Justin ducked one of Debbie's hands as she tried to smack him for the comment. "The rest of us wear regular clothes with the PFLAG shirts."
"I don't do the shirt either."
"Even better." There were collective groans.
-The Parade -
Justin was almost overwhelmed. He could feel the familiar tightness in his chest that signaled the arrival of a panic attack, and only his mother's hand on his shoulder kept him from a full blown melt down.
"Justin, breathe." She was saying. Debbie was watching anxiously as people filled the sidewalks. The PFLAG group were almost last in the long line of parade marchers – only a few other groups were behind them.
Since the parade hadn't even started yet, they had another hour before they had to go out. Brian was no where to be seen, to Justin's dismay.
"Is he okay?" A girl – probably Justin's age, if not a little younger – asked from one side. Debbie smiled at her and Jennifer nodded.
"He'll be fine."
"I was terrified my first time too – last year." She was talking to Justin, giving him something to focus on. "My girlfriend was the only one who could calm me down. I was a mess." Justin gave her a weak smile.
"I-it isn't so much t-that," He motioned to the excited crowds. "I h-haven't been comfortable in c-crowds since my p-partner and I were attacked."
"Oh, you're the Justin in the news!" The girl nodded knowingly. "My mom tried to use that incident with – Brian was it? – as an argument for me to NOT be out and proud." Justin frowned. "But it didn't work – that made me all the more proud and made me want to do more to help the community."
"Oh." Justin felt that tightness vanishing. Then he noticed that Jennifer had left his side to stand with Debbie by a few of the other parents.
"I'm Kate by the way." Justin accepted her hand shake with a grin. "Is your partner going to be here?"
"Yeah. Sooner rather than l-later I hope." Kate nodded. Justin took several deep breaths. "You in school?" He asked after a few seconds.
"I graduate at the end of this school year. I just turned 17."
"18 since March." Justin revealed. "But I was held back a year so I graduate at the end of this year too. Maybe by Christmas." They shared a grin. Then a high pitched squealing interrupted their conversation and Brian was suddenly in between them, shoving a crying Gus into Justin's good arm.
"He won't stop screaming." Brian grumped, eying Kate. Justin shuffled a bit so he had a good grip on Gus, cooing to the screaming infant.
"Where's Lindsay?" Justin asked.
"She's going to be in the march with Mel – on her old bike." Justin cocked an eyebrow as Brian shifted the diaper bag until he pulled out a sling.
"Well… Brian, that's Kate by the way. She helped talk me out of a meltdown." Justin allowed Brian to strap Gus into the sling and the sling around his chest. Gus finally stopped screaming and looked up at Justin with adoring eyes.
"How do you do that?" He wondering, nodding at Kate in greeting and thanks. She grinned back at him.
"You have to be calm." Justin replied. "CalmER." Brian was obviously frazzled, stressed. And being dumped with Gus didn't help even though Justin knew his partner loved the kid.
"Well he can join us." Kate said with a grin. "We're getting ready – come on!" She danced over to Deb and Justin followed, Brian trailing behind.
TBC
I can't really put a Pride into words so you'll just have to watch the show and imaging Brian marching with Justin, Gus strapped to Justin's chest.
And I got rid of the stutter for the most part because it annoyed me. Just imagine Justin talking slow. If you can.
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