I was really shocked when Brian was told to go see a doctor..
.. I think it wouldn't have had the same effect if it would have been Ted or Emmett. Brian, as the one who identified himself through sex, was the most vulnerable character in that case. his whole world was falling.. he was confronted with all his worst fears. like you already mentioned. vic said it out loud.. he managed to get old, and we knew that he was struggeling with that since his 30th birthday, and he got sick..
me too was afraid, that he wouldn't take it serious. honestly, I didn't even expect him to go see a doc, and after the diagnosos, I thought he would bolt and drown himself in his painmanagement before taking off to Ibiza or elsewhere.. so I was quite surprised to really go and fight his demons.
Brian explained to Michael, who I think for the first time stood up for Justin, why he through him out. He wanted to rip off the bandaid quick and didn't want to confront another fear he had. to be left by Justin, because he didn't want to be withnsomeone who is sick and old.. we already know that Brian always thought he isn't worth to be loved. that's the reason why he didn't believe in love.. he didn't believe in being woth to be loved, that's why he kept everybody away from loving him.. till Justin came along .. now that he was confronted with hisnown real possibility to die, cause no matter what the doctors say, that is the first thought you have with a diagnosis of cancer, he wanted to makemitneasier for Justin. I think without Michael, who talked some sence at first into Brian and then into Justin, things might have been different and we would never had seen thart chickensoup happen.. for once Michael did something really good withnputting his nose into everything