Omg how angsty is 2x18 for britin, we have Justin returning from Vermont to instantly find Brian with someone else, the whole did you miss me conversation with both of them doing a "please read between the lines " of what I'm saying. Justin asking and wanting to to know if Brian cared that he was gone, did he miss him at all ? Brian still stung that he left without telling him, trying to point out that he was busy with work and it wasn't because he didn't wanna go, then thinking the best way to show him he missed him is physically.
Another scene I love a whole lot is the Michael and Brian scene at the hospital when Ben's been admitted and Brian goes to see Michael. I may have issues with their friendship at times, but I do have a soft spot for this moment, Gale and Hal played it well. Brian's voice breaking when he tells how Michael stayed with him for 3 days at the hospital waiting to see if Justin would live or die after the attack. Can you imagine if he had died, I dread to think how much of a bigger mess Brian would have been I honestly don't think he would have ever recovered. This is also what I mean when I say Brian is such a good friend to everyone because, even though his delivery sucks and can cut to the bone, in times of need he really knows how to get through to people. Telling Michael how strong he is with the "listen to me, are you listening ?" I love it when he uses that :) he does have such a big heart underneath his idgaf persona and really does love the people he cares for deeply.
Then he goes home to find Justin's made a picnic for them and wants to have a night in and be romantic with just the two of them. Justin not knowing he's been at the hospital with Michael and the memories it would have triggered, thinks he just doesn't care. I do feel for Justin a lot because he is trying so so hard to hold on because as we know he's been with Ethan in the episode and has encountered someone who is open to all the romance, hearts and flowers in a relationship so its set his mind thinking.
It's pointed out plainly with the dialogue "you're too young to settle down/you're too old to fuck around"
Justin does love Brian and the fun, carefree, dancing the night away at babylon times they have but he also wants a bit of stability some form of commitment which I can't fault him for. Because the sad thing is whatever he thinks he may find with Ethan, the truth is he wants that with Brian that's why he's held on and is trying so hard. He doesn't want to leave him he'd give anything to stay, but he's also allowed to want more than what he's getting. And Brian well even though he's taken steps forward in his attitude to relationships and love, he's still Brian Kinney just because he loves and cares for Justin he doesn't want to have to change his entire being to show that to him. He's of the philosophy of I am who I am, this is how I show you I care if it's not enough for you then you need to decide what you want. Plus he's been Justin's age its the time to have fun, do stupid stuff and fuck around not settle down into some locked in contract, where you feel like you belong to someone else and aren't your own person anymore. Brian never wants to feel like hes tied down, so he doesn't wanna be the one to do that to Justin.
I do think there's also an element of being scared attached to Brian, I don't know if it's just me but the part when they're on the floor and Brian's saying "this is Pittsburgh not Japan" in reference to sitting down and eating. He seems to me that he may come around to staying in but then Justin says " aww come on it'll be romantic" and we see him instantly change his body language and get up saying he's had a shit day and wants to go out.
Sure he's not gonna become a fully domesticated boyfriend and not go out but I think Justin saying it would be romantic, frightened him because he's already made steps forward in his attitudes towards relationships and love. He's living with Justin, they set some rules for relationship, he admitted to Debbie in his own way he loved him, and the whole gang knows anyway. But he's been 'I believe in fucking not love' Brian Kinney for so long, he doesn't want to lose his whole identity and become someone he doesn't recognise and be in a relationship with standards he's fought so hard against for most of his life.