Chapter Text
“I am just going to take a semester or two off, Mom, it’s no big deal.” Justin sighs as he lies on the bed with one hand rubbing his eyes, the other holding the phone to his ear. “Yeah, I know it will fuck up my insurance, but amazingly enough, the fucking pills cost a bit less than a $40,000 yearly educational fee. Ethan and I discussed it, I’ll be fine.” Another sigh of slight frustration, “yeah, I’ll be over this weekend. Love you too.”
Justin hangs up the phone with a grunt of annoyance.
“She’s not pleased, I take it?” Ethan asks while giving him a sympathetic look.
“Understatement of the year, but she’ll get over it. I’ve disappointed her before, and I am sure I will again.”
Ethan walks away from the laundry he was folding and climbs on the bed to lay next to him.
“If I could, I would pay a million dollars for you to go to school.”
Justin snorts but smiles when he feels Ethan take his hand and squeeze.
“I know. That’s why I love you. But don’t worry, this will be fine. Together we can afford this place, and I’ll just have to work a couple extra shifts at the diner to make the money for the thousand pills I need. And not going to class will make it that much easier. Who knew getting bashed would be so expensive?”
“What about your allergy stuff, and the Epipen?”
“I don’t really need all that allergy crap. And I have an emergency Epipen. I should be fine.”
Ethan looks at him worriedly, but Justin gives him a confident smile.
“Don’t worry; I can take care of it. Now where were we?”
Justin lets out a loud laugh as Ethan rolls on top of him, tickling all the way.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Justin was feeling a little stuffy a week later as he served up breakfast at the Liberty Diner. His allergy pills had just ran out a day or two before, and he knew he’d be feeling bad for a week or two until his body adjusted. Sneezing was still worth saving a couple hundred dollars a month.
“What’s up with you Sunshine? Did you catch a cold?” Deb’s concerned eyes follow him as he grabs a coffee pot for table five.
Not wanting the information about his medication issues reaching his mom, he does what any good mama’s boy would do. Lies like the devil.
“Yup, Ethan’s apartment is a little chilly, and working here so much must be putting a little strain on the immune system. Also, we were dusting and vacuuming yesterday, and my allergies might be a little out of whack. I switched medications, and the new ones are taking awhile to kick in.”
“Why would you do that?” Deb’s voice follows him across the diner.
“Name brand is expensive.”
“Can the little fiddler not afford heat?”
Brian’s sarcastic voice reaches Justin, and he flinches. Asshole or not, there are still some feelings there. Probably too many feelings.
“It’s an old building.” Justin say with smile firmly placed on his face as he pours coffee into Brian and Michael’s cups.
“And switching medications? Trouble in paradise?”
Brian’s bat like ears can be fucking annoying.
“Well, I do have a lot of pills to buy.” Justin attempts to maintain an even tone.
“What the fuck is the insurance company doing?” Deb’s shouts right in Justin’s ear.
“I don’t have insurance.”
Three pairs of eyes stare at him, wide with shock.
“Why the fuck not?” Brian’s voice was very low and angry as he looks at Justin.
“I’m taking a semester off, and my dad was itching to drop me anyways, so that’s how that went down.”
“But Sunshine, what about your seizure pills, and the migraine medication, and all that shit your mother talks about with those insane allergies of yours, and that emergency inhaler you need, and the fucking Epipen… when you lived with me I had to listen to your mom go on for an hour about all that shit.”
Brian, Michael, and Deb all wait expectantly for his answer.
“Um... It’s complicated, but I’m working it out.”
“Not good enough Sunshine, Mama Deb here needs all the details.” Brian’s eyes are watching him closely as he tries to figure out how to respond.
“You’re not just not taking them are you?” Michael asks slowly, and Brian’s eyes narrow even more when Justin doesn’t immediately respond.
“Of course not, but the allergy thing is grossly exaggerated by my mother, so I really don’t need all that shit, and I haven’t had a migraine in months that a Tylenol couldn’t fix, so really it’s no big deal, I’m just down to the basic necessities. I’m fine, I promise.”
“You’re allergic to Tylenol.” Brian’s voice is even but his eyes are angry.
“It’s an expression. “ Justin feels his ‘everything’s awesome’ smile wan just a tad.
“I didn’t know you were taking time off school. What does your mother think about all this?” Deb asks after sending a ‘fuck off’ to the loudly whining table eight.
“She’s pissy but dealing. I’m going back to work now. I’m fine Deb, I promise.”
Justin makes his rounds with the coffee. He is only mildly aggravated when he realizes over an hour later that Brian left him a thirty dollar tip.
He calls the school the next day to tell them he’s not coming, so if anyone tries to pay for the semester, give them the fucking money back.
He's strong. He can handle this.
++++++++++++++++
“Hey blue eyes, how was your day?” Ethan climbs into the bed where Justin is sleeping off a massive migraine a couple weeks later. He is also under five blankets because they’re keeping the heat extra low so he can pay for the fucking crap that is keeping his hand semi-under control.
“Not good,” he moans as Ethan wraps his arms around him.
“Why?”
“Headache.”
The feeling of Ethan’s nimble fingers working his neck makes him groan in relief.
“You want me to get you some of the pain relievers?”
“All out, I took the last ones awhile ago.”
“How about some over the counter stuff?”
“We’re broke, and I don’t feel like playing the ‘will Justin break out in hives’ game today. Just stay here with me for awhile, it’s almost over. “
Ethan kisses his head and gently rubs his neck for an hour until Justin passes out for the night.
++++++++++++++++
The next day, Justin is exhausted and has a double shift that’s not gonna help with dwindling throb still aching behind his temples. The minor wheeze he’s recently developed makes him wonder if that inhaler really was total bullshit. But they need the money too badly for him to play hooky, so he’s even a little early for his 6:00 a.m. shift. Luckily Deb’s not working; her loud voice might have brought the migraine back full force instead of the half mast pain he’s feeling now.
He works for two hour and only groans slightly when he sees Brian and the boys come in. He’s too sick to play the ‘Justin’s great!’ show today, but he gives it his best go.
“Hey guys, what can I get you?”
They all order coffee, and he goes to grab the pot, not noticing Brian’s eyes focused on him. On his way back he has a hand spasm, which always seems to happen when he’s tired, or at the most inopportune time.
“Fuck!” He yells as the steaming hot coffee splashes his legs. Silence. Everyone in the diner stares at him.
“Sorry everybody, it’s gonna be minute for your coffee, I’m a bit of a klutz today.” A few laughs, and the noise level returns to normal, except at one table where the eyes are still on him as he reaches down to pick up the larger glass shards.
“What the fuck Justin? You look like shit and now you’re dropping coffee all over the fucking place.” Brian’s voice is stern while he grabs Justin’s arm and makes him sit down in the booth, next to him, and trapped on the inside.
“I have to clean that up, someone could fall. I also have tables that would like their food hot.”
“The busboy’s got it, and Kiki’s doing fine getting orders out. Tell us what’s up baby, you don’t look like yourself.” Emmett says giving Justin a worried look, and Michael and Ted nod in agreement. Brian stays quiet but won’t move despite Justin practically kicking him in the ribs.
“Nothing’s wrong. I just had a headache last night, and I’m still feeling it a bit. I’m fine.”
“Headache or migraine?” Brian says while examining Justin’s tired face.
“What’s the difference? My head hurt, and now it doesn’t. I need to get back to work.”
“The difference is a headache hurts, but the last migraine of your's I saw, you were in bed for two days in pain with that special medication the doctor gave you. You said you don’t have that anymore, but now you’re at work in twelve hours?” Brian’s disbelief is evident.
“That was awhile ago, they’re much better now.”
“And what the fuck is up with that noise you’re making? Are you wheezing?”
“No.”
“That’s what it sounds like,” Ted intervenes causing Brian to shift his focus enough for Justin to make his break, climbing over the back of the booth.
“Kiki will get you’re orders, I have to make a call.”
Justin disappears into the break room. The wheeze is starting to hurt and before he knows it, he’s sitting on the couch having a mild asthma attack. Apparently, that fucking medication did have a real use to it. Luckily, he has still has a working inhaler with him that he uses while trying to figure out what to do.
Things aren't really working out like he'd hoped.
He hears the door open and feels a familiar weight drop next to him on the couch.
“I am not going to let you kill yourself after I went to all that fucking trouble saving your ass.”
Justin keeps breathing slowly trying to bring air back through to his lungs.
“I am not killing myself.” He manages to gasp out between puffs.
“Sure.” Brian’s voice is sarcastic as he looks pointedly at the inhaler. “Look Sunshine, I am going to write you a check for a thousand dollars. You’re going to get heat in that shitty apartment where you and Ian are staying, and then you’re going to go buy the fucking medication you’re supposed to be taking. When you run out, you’re going to tell me. You will stop being such a twat and grow the fuck up.”
Justin feels his blood boil. Nothing pisses him off more than when Brian tells him what he’s doing. He feels his breathing return to almost normal and takes the inhaler out of his mouth.
“Fuck you. I don’t want your goddamn money, or holier than thou attitude. Yes, I am struggling, but I am fine. Back the fuck off, and don’t you dare tell me to grow up because you make it your fucking job to do the exact opposite.” Justin sighs angrily and almost immediately feels guilty. Brian is just trying to help. Even if he's being a complete ass about it.
“Thank you for the offer, but I can take care of myself. Now get back to your table, this area is employees only.”
Brian doesn’t move immediately. “If you want to make this difficult, fine.” He gets up and slams out the door.
Justin doesn’t know what he means by that, but he’s sure it’s gonna be a fucking pain. If only he didn’t still kinda love the bastard, it would make this all so much easier.
It would definitely make the knight and shining armor routine way less endearing.
But they've done this before. Brian's guilt and Justin's adoration can only carry them so far.
They need to stop falling in that trap, and if Justin has to be the strong one this time, he can do it.
He need to fucking save himself.