#vazdox

“Oh, you’re blind? How many fingers am I holding up?” the assistant said while laughing, holding up two fingers. 

Why was that always the reaction he got to telling someone he was blind? A damn finger test, as if they were his ophthalmologist or something. And why, when he said he was completely blind, did people still think he could see their grubby little fingers being held up?

Brian sighed, his teeth grinding as he clenched his jaw. This was never funny to him. While the idiots who threw him these random tests thought it was hilarious, Brian found it humiliating. 

But, Brian wasn’t one to lash out. He smoldered in silence and forced a smile. He let out a strained laugh before reaching out to his side to grab his white cane to leave the room. He couldn’t tolerate another second next to this jerk.

He felt around for his cane but came up empty handed. He swore he set it right next to where he was standing, leaning against the table. 

“Did my cane fall?” Brian asked as he groped the table fruitlessly.

“Oh, no, I moved it. It was in the way,” The empty headed assistant said. 

Brian’s stomach lurched. Oh yes. His cane, the thing he used to navigate this world was in the way. How silly of him. Was he now expected to crawl on the floor to find it? Apologize for his disability being a minor convince to someone? His hands turned into fists and his throat tightened up. 

“What’s this business about moving Brian’s cane?” Freddie said as he entered the room, a slight sharpness to his tone. 

Brian’s knees almost buckled. Oh, thank god it was Freddie. One of the few people who’d go to blows with someone for him. Brian oriented himself towards Freddie’s voice, his face falling flat miserably, his eyes threatening to water. 

Freddie took one look at Brian before his vision locked onto the assistant. 

“Tell me, whatever you name is, are you a smart man?” Freddie asked, taking lazy steps towards the assistant. The assistant nodded, not sure of what was happening.

“Hmm. Can you tell me what smart man moves a blind man’s cane away from him?”

The assistant gulped. “I didn’t k-”

“Didn’t know? That world famous guitarist for Queen, Brian May, is blind? Something talked about in all the tabloids and shows?”

The assistant shook his head.

“Can you tell me then, why are you working for us if you know nothing about us? Couldn’t be arsed to look in the newspaper about your employers? That shows laziness. Ineptitude. I don’t want either of those qualities on my work team,” Freddie said, his head tilting.

Brian could hear the assistant shaking.

“So, before you pack your things, I’d like you to find Brian’s white cane and bring it back to him. And apologize for your ignorance,” Freddie said, his voice growing lower as he spoke. 

The assistant nodded, running out of the room to find Brian’s cane. Freddie sighed before turning to Brian and pulling him into a hug.

“So sorry about that, luvvy,” He said, giving the taller man a nuzzle.

Brian hugged back, chuckling. “Don’t apologize. That was a brilliant take down, Fred. He might need to change his pants from how hard he just pissed in them.” Freddie snorted.

“Well, you know, I do what I can. Nobody messes with Brimi. Especially someone that dumb,” Freddie said.

We could only hope that John would feel his seizure coming beforehand so he and the boys could go somewhere private. Even if it’s their norm, it’s still embarrassing to seize in public. Despite how nonchalant the boys are, John would inevitably be seen as a spectacle which is very dehumanizing. 

John might get an aura in his vision or his joints would start to ache and he’d know that it was time to call the interview off. He’d tap Brian’s shoulder and give him a desperate look. The two would run off, letting Freddie and Roger close the interview while Brian and John found somewhere safe for John to have his episode. 

Rog and Fred rush off to find the others and help Brian take care of John. Brian’s timing the seizure while Freddie and Roger keep clearing the area around John so he doesn’t bump his head or limbs against anything. 

Once John’s done, they give him a few minutes to wake up before whisking him away to his house to recover. John can’t continue the interview post-seizure because he’s usually sleepy, confused and groggy for a few hours. 

They do come back another day to finish though! And John doesn’t mind explaining what happened. He has epilepsy, a common neurological disorder. He felt a seizure coming on and wanted to go somewhere safe and private to have his episode. And afterwards, he needs a day or two to recover, so he couldn’t come back right afterwards.