just listen

" Just Listen"


Summary: A night at Woody's all in Michael's character. He finally reaches inside and puts his feelings into a song and lets the city of
Pittsburg know it. And i mean ALL.
Disclaimer: I do not own Queer as Folk but thank god for them. Nor do i own the song that michael sings. Special thanks to Trapt for the
idea and song choice.
Warnings: Ben and David get broken hearted.

MIchael had had enough. He was tried of being the walked over and walked on, lay down and take it person he had fallen into being.
The months with David showed him first-hand how he just laid down and let someone else control him. With Ben he had control most
of the time but then when Ben started using that went out the window because the fear of getting hurt, physically by him had set in and
that was a fear bigger than his need to have some control of his relatioship. His mother. God love her, he did but their comes a time when
she needed to shut up and listen. Ted and Emmett, he loved his friends but times came when they butted into his business too many times
and that's why he kept so much too himself. The girls, Linds and Mel he loved but wondered why they were so set in the ways to tell him
that every mistake that he made was because he wanted to be more like Brian. Justin, his competetion and his partner in business he wondered
why he put up with the bull shit and allowed his mother to force feed him the whole 'Sunshine is so...' montra too many times that he could
recite it in his sleep if he had the time. And finally, Brian. His bestfriend. His only friend. Why had he stayed with him so long and dealt with
the abuse that came from him. Pushing him to the limits. Pulling him from others so that he could have claim only to push him away when a
trick came along. Mind games that he played with him, it was a ritual and he always felt exhausted afterwards and wondered why he was still
his friend. But he could never find himself to pull away for good. Always forgiving. Always forgetting.

But not anymore.


Tonight he would allow of the people in his life to see what pain they had caused him and what they refused to see in his eyes and how he would
not hide it anymore and swallow it away. It was Open-Mic night at Woody's tonight and he saw his chance. Walking to the computer he went
online to see if he could find a song that would speak to his feelings and then he would only need a band to play behind him. And he knew just
who to call.

-Woody's 10:29 pm-


Brian walked in dressed compeltey in black with all intentions of getting laid. After ordering a beer his eyes fell upon familiar faces. Linds and Mel
were chatting with Deb and Vic who were joined by David, Ben, Ted and Emmett. The only person missing was michael. Where was he?
Walking over he sat down next Justin who had just walked in. "What the fuck are ALL of you doing here?" he asked while sipping his
beer. "I got a call from michael to come tonight because he wanted to talk or tell me something." Justin had answered first and then it was
the funniest thing, all of a sudden everyone else looked stunned and replied that they had gotten the same message from michael and wondered
if it was something life changing or what. "What did you do, you asshole?" Deb started in. 'What makes you think I did something. I am just
here to enjoy the live show and meet up with mikey.' he really hated whenever michael had something to tell the group that they all assumed
that Brian had said something to him or did something, not that they werent always wrong. but he wasnt about to let them know that.


Turning their attendtion to the stage a guy had just finished the last part of his poetry and everyone was listening intently.

-Backstage-
"Mike, your sure that you want to do this. I mean i am behind you a hundred percent but this is a serious song and we will play if
you REALLY are sure." his close friend from the net, Rai asked him. She and he had talked often and he was their for her and she was
their for him in only ways a online buddy could be. Michael nodded, he was sure. "I am. they need to hear the truth and its the best way
before i can allow them to run my life." The band he had gotten to play for him was Rai's and they were pretty famous on the underground
level and had 3albums out but they still loved to play on open mic nights, where they got discovered. "We're behind you mike." Dan the
drummer said with a pat on the arm. Jacob and Rai made up the rest. Jacob on guitar and Rai on bass they both shared vocals and now they
would help michael get his point across to the public he loved more than anything.

"You guys ready?" the MC asked and they nodded. They had rehearsed all of yesturday and even today.

-Main stage-

"Coming up to the stage, listen up ladies and gents are a group of guys and girls that know music real well and hope that tonight
the message comes out clear to the group its meant for. Please welcome, Chase and Ruin.

A round of applause went around and some whistles out the crowd came too. When they came on stage everyone eyes locked on the man
walking to the mic and taking his postion along with the others. Brian, Justin, Deb, Vic, Mel, Linds, Ted and Em all of them were stuck
on the man, dressed in leather pants and a blood red shirt and spiked hair that resembled michael and with a blink they all noticed that it
was him.

'Michael?!"


The girl on his left side, dressed in short skirt and halter top with blood red color streaked through her black hair and deep makeup took her
command and lead them into the opening tune of the song. The man on the right, counted off before joining with his guitar and then the
guy behind waited until the time and he went with the drums as Michael began opening his wounds for others to hear....

Let me play
I've been dying to let you in
It's all I wanna be
So won't you take it from me
I wonder why the less I get the more I give
It's all I wanna be
So won't you take it from me

I want your eyes
I want your eyes on me
I want your eyes
I want your eyes on me
I want your eyes
I want your eyes to see
I want someone to notice me

I wanna be your new victim
I wanna be your new victim

No regrets... even if it's all I get
It's all I wanna be
So won't you take it from me
It still hurts
It's never easy to forget
Do I wanna be
well you never asked me

I want your eyes
I want your eyes on me
I want your eyes
I want your eyes on me
I want your eyes
I want your eyes to see
I want you to notice me

I wanna be your new victim
I wanna be your new victim

I'm right here
I'm right here

I'm right here
I'm right here
I'm right here
I'm right here
I'm right here
I'm right here
I'm right here

So come and get me!

So come and get me!

I wanna be your new victim
I wanna be your new victim
I wanna be your new victim
I wanna be your new victim


He sung this song with all of his heart, every emotion, every feeling, every past hurt, present hurt, and underlying wounds poured out into the
words of the song he sung. His voice soft at the right points, hard and unforgiving the next, it matched well with the strong gituar riffs and bass
riffs and the power of a well skilled drummer.

At the end, everyone was on their feet cheering him and his band on like no other. He smiled a bright smile and turned to his left and Rai winked at
him and then at his right where a thumbs up was shown. They bowed and walked off stage.


And rheir they sat, his family, and friends competley in shock and knowing the truth about the pain the had caused him. All of them absorbed the
words of the song and the tone of his voice as he sung out. It brought some of them to tears, the rest to breaking down walls and barriers and
seeing the hurt they caused.

He had stood up them all, if they didnt listen to words in private then in public they would hear through song.

When michael came to the bar with his band in tow, drinks where bought for them all and they had a celebration of their own.
No words were said amongst his family and friends but one of them saw the errors in his ways and knew that if he didnt move
then he would lose his chance. Getting up fromt he table and slamming his beer down on the table Brian stormed over to his future
and knew that now was the time. 'Hey, mike. Someone is coming over and i think that you are gonna get the reaction you wanted.'
Jacob whispered and the three left him on his own. With brian infront of his face, he could see the hurt and pain in his eyes and knew
that he had broken the ice man. 'Bri...' Michael couldnt even get out the rest of his name because he had been pulled into a mind-blowing
earth-shattering, 'your mine and this is forever' kiss. It burned and yet it was the best thing he had felt all day. His arms where around
brian and michael was pulled so close to his chest that he felt his heart beating right on top of his own.

Breaking contact, michael looked over at the table of his family and they all waved and mouthed, "I'm sorry."


"Mikey. Forgive me." Brian said and michael had the chance to wipe a tear from Brian's face. The night had gone as planned and yes he
finally got everything off his chest. "Yes. i do."


Picking him up in his arms Brian carried Michael out into the night with the cheers and applause as the dynamic duo finally became one.

FIN