It went exactly the way Ted and Corey hoped it would. The exclusive meant more to the reporter than a source. It was agreed that Brandon would tell them the source on the day of the interview, and not before as Ted and Corey had hoped he would. Once Ted gave them the go-ahead, Sierra went with Drew, doing an interview of their own. The reporter from the diner, Howard Bellwether, was still trying to figure out Emmett’s secret and published an article riddled with Michael’s inaccurate version of that particular night. Drew and Sierra went with a reporter who had always respected questions people didn’t want to answer and made sure her story would run as soon as the interview with Emmett, Brian, and Justin had finished.

Ted had called Vance to let the CEO know about this interview, per their contract. Vance wanted someone from his PR department there, which wasn’t required, and Brian and Emmett never listened to the advice of the morons Vance sent. Vance asked Ted again when they were going to meet to renegotiate the contract with the label. But Brian and Emmett asked Ted to wait before answering until they had time to sit down and talk about it. Until then Vance tried to keep a stranglehold on everything about Dark Angel, and Xtreme Misfits, Blake and Ben’s band. Vance also let Ted know how little he liked that Ted wouldn’t bow down to his demands. Which included the fact that Ted shot down anyone from the label being at this interview. It was likely why Ted’s phone was ringing off the hook, since he had only called Vance late last night to tell him about the interview.

Brandon’s reception made the winters in the Antarctic seem balmy, since not one of the five men in the room greeted him. Ted was straight to business.

“I need to know they won’t know you got the information from me,” Brandon told them.

“There isn’t any way for us to hide it, unless you weren’t the only one they told,” Ted replied.

“Neither of them was sure about anything. They just told me enough that I found the marriage license,” Brandon told them.

“I have two other reporters ready to get this interview, reporters who haven’t already pissed my clients off,” Ted told him.

“Can I just explain something first? My cousin didn’t realize the guy he was dating was using him to get into events that Emmett and Brian attended. He thought the guy was really interested in him, and likely hoped the guy’s connections would get his career on track.” Brandon told them.

“I want names,” Corey told him.

“My cousin is Connor James and the guy he was dating is Gardner Vance's nephew Kip,” Brandon told them.

Ted didn’t react to Kip’s name since they still needed to know how the two led Brandon to the information.

“Explain how they knew,” Corey asked him.

“They didn’t know for sure. They both just mentioned seeing Brian at a lot of art shows and events and that Justin Taylor seemed to be at all of them. I blew it off because a lot of people attended those things. Until Connor was trying to impress Kip with the places he could get them into. He mentioned a lodge that’s pretty much used when people didn’t want the press finding them. Connor mentioned seeing Brian and Justin there, among others. I snooped around the town, hoping someone might have seen them together, since there was no proof otherwise that they even knew each other. I did a search, looking to see if there was anything to connect Brian and Justin when I still didn’t find anything.” Brandon told them.

“And found their marriage license.” Ted finished.

Brandon nodded, and said, “After that, I couldn’t not run the story, it’s my job.” 

“I couldn’t have stopped you, yet you didn’t do us the courtesy of warning us,” Ted told him.

“I made sure to stick to only the facts,” Brandon told them.

“Kip was interested in both of them?” Corey asked.

“Connor broke up with Kip over it, but if I was guessing it was more about Brian than Justin. It was just where one was the other showed up. I wasn’t at the events, but that’s what Connor thought after he broke it off with Kip. Since I really don’t like the guy, you should know his uncle tried to offer me an exclusive to turn down this interview.” Brandon told them.

“An exclusive with who?” Ted asked.

“Anyone. As long as I didn’t tell you anything. I know you don’t like what I did, but I do my best not to sensationalize what I write. I also won’t have someone trying to cover their ass by using me.” Brandon told him.

“Did either of them mention Brian’s son?” Corey asked.

“Not to me,” Brandon answered.

“Do you know if either of them were in Pittsburgh this week?” Corey asked him.

“Connor’s been with Brett Keller since he stopped seeing Kip. I don’t have a clue about Kip.” Brandon told them. Corey got up to go. Leaving Ted to deal with him.

“Before you start the interview, if any of my clients don’t want to answer a question they won’t, and you move on. They agreed to this for reasons of their own, not because you were factual in your article.” Ted told him.

Brandon got the message when Brian, Justin, and Emmett sat down. Brandon was seated facing them. They were seated close together, whereas Brandon was given a barstool as close to the door as they could put him without having to shout to answer his questions. Brian, Emmett, and Justin didn’t speak while he got out his questions and recorder, pretty much making sure he understood this wasn’t a friendly interview. 

“Did you and Justin plan on announcing the news eventually?” Brandon asked Brian, not bothering to try to change the atmosphere.

“Are you married?” Justin asked him.

“No,” Brandon answered.

“In a relationship?” Justin asked.

“Not at present,” Brandon answered

“If you were would you see any reason to call me personally and tell me?” Justin asked.

“I don’t know you, so no,” Brandon told him.

“I don’t know you, or most of your readers, so why would I need to tell you?” Justin asked him.

“Being in the public eye the way Brian and Emmett are, means dealing with public interest,” Brandon told him.

“What about people in their lives who really don’t have anything to do with their public life? I have nothing to do with Brian’s career, and I respect that people love his music, but I didn’t marry Dark Angel’s Brian, just Brian Kinney.” Justin answered.

“The public recognizes your name now because of Brian.” Brandon reminded him.

“If they love his art than I’m glad they were able to discover how good he is,” Brian commented.

“How did you meet?” Brandon asked.

“At events.” Justin answered.

“I was told it’s been two years,” Brandon told them, wanting to pull his hair out when they both just looked at him. “Were there issues in the first year? Brian was seen with others at the time.”

“If you’d researched it better, you’d also know Justin was at the events those nights too,” Emmett told him.

“What about you? There’s a rumor you have your own secret.” Brandon asked Emmett, hoping to find a question Brian and Justin would answer.

“Not really. My partner Drew Boyd and his fiancee Sierra decided it was time to tell the world we’re out and proud, and we’re happy to have someone who stood by us until we were ready. I didn’t want Drew to feel pressured by anyone to come out until he was ready. We’ve been together for a while. It was off and on at first because my schedule and Drew’s were hectic and we both weren’t rushing for any reason. I wasn’t pleased we found the need to announce our private life, like you announced Brian and Justin’s. But like them, we weren’t given a choice.” Emmett told him.

“I know this is the last thing you want to do, but we agreed to this.” Brandon said, frustrated at how little was being said.

“We agreed to answer your questions. I can’t help that we don’t have wild stories that will make this interesting. Brian and I lead as normal a life as we can. We met, fell in love, and we do everything in our power to protect our life together. I paint when I want, he writes, and we spend time doing what all couples do. We won’t make up things just to make people happy.” Justin told him. 

“Unlike other couples, you’re in the public eye. It interests them to know about your lives.” Brandon told him. 

“Just like all couples, we enjoy being together. We celebrate special occasions, help each other deal with a shitty day, and do things that interest us. The reason we kept our relationship out of public was simply that we didn’t want every moment of our lives documented then twisted to make news. I envy Justin’s career because it’s about his work.” Brian told him.

“In other words Brandon, they didn’t want to deal with what the media does to a relationship. I didn’t want my partner to be forced to do something before he was ready. Because once someone finds out, then we can’t have a normal relationship like they can. Brian, Justin, Drew, and I are all be expected to open up our home lives to the public and have people make up baseless rumors to make a buck. It’s sad really, what it says about the person, don’t you think? They can’t get attention because there’s nothing about them worth knowing. The only claim to fame they have is that they aren’t interesting enough to make news themselves. Maybe it’s jealousy that Brian and I fell in love with people, because for the first time there was someone in our lives worth loving. I can agree with that, since we’ve been friends for years and never loved anyone the way we do our partners.” Emmett told Brandon.

“It didn’t take years for me to see Justin was the one.” Brian agreed.

“How does your son feel about it?” Brandon asked, only to have all three of them get up and leave without another word.

“You can see yourself out.” Ted told him.

“Brian’s son is public knowledge,” Brandon commented.

“Not by his choice, and you can quote me on that,” Ted told him, opening the door to usher Brandon out.

“Is there a reason Brian’s bodyguard asked me questions?” Brandon asked when he was on the other side of the door.

Ted’s answer was to shut it in his face. Brandon didn’t plan to let it go, but he needed to get his article written before Drew Boyd scooped him.