Brian put Gus to bed, happy the boy didn’t think anything was wrong. Unlike Lindsay who tended towards hysterics, Justin had this way about him. He treated it like any other question and never let Gus see how upset he was over this happening when he was watching him. Brian knew because Justin’s way of dealing with things was to paint out his frustrations. 

Brian went into the studio he had revamped for Justin as a birthday present, and watched as his hands moved across the canvas with precise movements. He didn’t randomly throw paint like some others. 

“Is he okay?” Justin asked.

“The only thing that bothered him was that you didn’t read him a story tonight, but I took care of it.” Brian told him.

“I didn’t want him to think anything was wrong tonight.” Justin told him.

“No, you wanted to come in here and blame yourself because he was playing in a place where other kids run wild just like he did,” Brian told him.

“I wanted him to be able to do the things you couldn’t do with him, while forgetting everything we agreed to. You did what we agreed, no one other than Emmett knew anything. Yet people in my life did.” Justin told him.

“Emmett knew because I didn’t tell him he was wrong when he asked. If Ted had figured it out, I would have told him too. The people in your life knew because none of them cared as long as I love you. I didn’t agree to go golfing at the torment for any reason but to meet your father; who, while he can’t understand us, was willing to deal with his discomfort to keep you in his life. Your sister who worships you more than me, and Daphne, a woman who is the very definition of what a best friend should be like. She helped me see Emmett for what he truly was in comparison to the people who I let myself believe were my best friends. While you were doing your best to not tell them, I was making it so you had to. So if anyone is to blame it’s me, for being jealous of the kind of friends and family you had, and wanting them in my world.” Brian told him.

“We could have told Mel and Lindsay too, they knew enough that we didn’t have to hide it from them.” Justin commented, not really understanding why Brian had asked him after meeting them not to tell them anything but that they were together.

The more Justin thought about what Brian said, the more he wondered if Brian would have introduced him to Lindsay and Mel at all if it wasn’t for Gus. Justin knew very little about why Brian agreed to have Gus with Lindsay and Mel. But other than that, Brian didn’t like to discuss the media circus that happened. Something also stuck from earlier when Brian asked Lindsay if it had anything to do with the person who leaked it. Lindsay wanted to make sure she wasn’t blamed for it.

“How did people find out about Gus?” Justin asked him.

“Sibling rivalry reared its head.” Brian tells him.

“Which tells me nothing.” Justin said, putting his brush down and sitting next to Brian.

“When we agreed to have Gus, my life was different. Emmett, Michael, and I were just guys playing in shitholes, just to keep it going. Working jobs that paid the rent and overall nothing to boast about. So when Lindsay asked continuously I agreed, just to shut her up. Mel agreed because I had no interest in being a father. Lindsay got pregnant and let Mel deal with it, since I wanted my dream more. When Gus was born, we were on the verge of making it, and I ignored them when they wanted me to sign away my rights.” Brian said, not willing to lie to Justin. “I didn’t want to sign them. Gus wasn’t ever going to feel the way I did, like his birth was the reason his old man couldn’t do something with his life. Instead, I made the girls agree with me, because Gus became the reason I worked even harder, and eventually did what we had to do to make it. We agreed to share him between us, with Mel and Lindsay being the ones who raised him. It wasn’t until the money and fame poured in that our arrangement wasn’t just about Gus anymore.” Brian told him.

“The sibling rivalry?” Justin asked.

“Money was something Lindsay acted like she really didn’t care about, until her sister made some comment that at least her children would know they came from something to be proud of. At least that was Lindsay’s excuse for why she said anything to her family.” Brian told him.

“Did anyone know it was her?” Justin asked, remembering what Ted said to Brian.

“Ted, Mel, and I did, but only because there was no way around not telling Mel why there were reporters at her door. Mel wouldn’t believe that as careful as I’d been that someone figured it out. Plus she isn’t blind to Lindsay wanting her family to be proud of her, even though Lindsay brushes it off. Lindsay’s mother Nancy was embarrassed that Lynette would cause a scandal and agreed to pay off the reporter to keep Lynette anonymous. Nancy wouldn’t have had a problem with me being Gus’ father if I’d been something other than a low class rock star soiling the family. Which was good because she also didn’t fight how we handled the situation. After that Lindsay and I weren’t close anymore, because what she did hurt not just her and Mel but our son. She opened her mouth, and even with it being old news it’s always out there, and Gus’ life had to change so he could have one. She didn’t like having to sign an NDA after that when I didn’t make Mel do it too. ” Brian told him.

“Why didn’t you?” I asked.

“Because Mel was our attorney, and she hadn’t even told Lindsay until she was sitting in front of her handing her a pen, explaining what she was signing and the consequences if she fucked up. If it was only Mel asking you about us, I wouldn’t have cared if you told her, but for her sake I didn’t want us to cause problems between them, if this happened.” Brian told him.

 “You aren’t adding that it broke your friendship with Lindsay.” Justin told him.

“Having to make her sign an NDA did that, because it meant her pride came before our friendship. A friendship that at one time I depended on when I needed someone to talk to.” Brian told him.

“Was that the same with Michael?” Justin asked.

“Michael signed an NDA because Ted required that of everyone who was employed by the record label. When we started rising nothing really changed with Michael and me. Emmett was a different story. I enjoyed all the perks, and the things we did were normal from before. It wasn’t unusual for Michael to want everyone to know he was with me, and I played along since he ended up being replaced when we signed. It wasn’t until you and I started seeing each other that the things Michael did bothered me. You didn’t care about the attention or even know who the hell I was.” Brian told him.

“I almost left that night.” Justin mused.

“What changed your mind?” Brian asked, because he never had, just happy how it ended that night.

“As the night wore on, I could tell you didn’t buy the act we all put on for people. When Emmett wanted to show you my work, you didn’t just pretend to be impressed with it. Instead you really looked at it.” Justin told him.

“I also thought one of them didn’t really do it for me.” Brian reminded me.

“I didn’t like it either, it’s why I sold it for charity. You were honest to my face, when the critics only would have been honest in print. It made me want to be honest and not hide that I wanted you.” Justin told him, pulling him out of the studio.

They barely got the door closed before Brian managed to get them both out of their clothes and onto the bed. Brian loved the contrast of their skin together, the moans Justin couldn’t control as Brian bit one nipple before licking it and moving on to the next, and the smell that was Justin, surrounding him, reminding him that Justin was home for him. 

Justin almost screamed when Brian ran his tongue from his balls to the tip of his cock, then took him into his mouth, teasing with his tongue while his fingers teased around Justin's rim, barely penetrating before retreating and circling. Justin reached under the pillow for the lube, wanting to feel the fingers as Brian took him deeper into his mouth. Justin felt the liquid slide down his balls then the fingers spreading it around then into him. Justin almost came off the bed when Brian brushed his prostate and used his mouth to torture him. Justin only lasted a few minutes before flooding Brian’s throat. Brian let Justin relax while getting himself ready for what he wanted. Justin moved his legs to the broad shoulders, closing his eyes as Brian started to penetrate him.

“Magical dick.” Justin moaned as Brian retreated and then pushed further until he was seated to the hilt.

“I wanted to spend days buried inside you until neither of us could move.” Brian groaned.

Brian held him still so only what Brian did gave them both pleasure. With every thrust, Justin got harder. Brian licked his lips as Justin’s hands ran down his chest, then lower until he slowly stroked his cock, knowing Brian wanted him to cum again before he would let go. As Justin’s walls tightened around Brian, he held back, waiting for Justin to paint his body with cum, before he filled his ass.

Justin screamed as he came again, tightening around Brian as he pounded into him faster and faster. Brian let go, continuing to move as he filled Justin up, then falling on his husband, rubbing his scent all over himself.

Emmett tossed and turned before giving up and going down to get a drink. He found Brian sitting on the sofa, staring outside.

“Why aren’t you in bed?” Emmett asked, sitting in the chair next to sofa.

“Justin got up, saying he wanted to work. Without him in bed I don’t really sleep that much.” Brian told him.

“Explains why you always looked exhausted when Justin didn’t visit,” Emmett commented.

“What has you up?” Brian asked.

“Everything… I keep trying to figure out what I did so wrong that Michael hated me. It’s like somehow I’m the only one he blames for everything we got.” Emmett admitted.

“I spent more and more time with you than with him.” Brian told him.

“I wanted you to be able to be with Justin, and honestly knew he would have ended up making that impossible. You didn’t ask me to do it.” Emmett told him, not letting Brian blame himself for it. “It started before that.”

“I’m not taking the blame like you think I am when I say what I’m going to say. I got tired of constantly living up to the image Michael wanted everyone to believe. I started spending more time with you because spending time with you meant we could sit around; shooting the shit, writing, or just watching movies. You didn’t need the crowds and attention the way Michael needed them to feel better about not being on the stage. If you wanted to do something, you didn’t worry if I didn’t, just went if I didn’t want to go, or dragged me along when we both would have killed Michael when people invaded our rooms. When Michael bitched about it one night, I told him I was tired of feeling like he owned me and wanted to hang out with someone that didn’t make me feel like my time with them was payment for something I didn’t owe him.” Brian told him.

“When was that?” Emmett asked.

“The night Ted almost fired him the first time, after he trashed your room,” Brian told him.

“We should have let him, it would have saved us the next four years of bullshit.” Emmett told him.

“Have you talked to Drew yet?” Brian asked, getting off the subject of Michael.

“Sierra thinks she should make a statement before Drew does. I tried to tell him to wait until we had to, but he said he wasn’t gonna make it look like damage control, he’d rather get ahead of it all.” Emmett told him.

“It makes more sense than trying to stop the dam. Just burst the fucker open so no one can narrate your story.” Brian told him, thinking about it.

“It won’t stop them from trying to anyway.” Emmett told him.

“What they say doesn’t matter. We know the truth.” Brian answered.

“Can I change the subject again?” Emmett asked, before doing it anyway. “Do you really think whoever this guy is would have wanted it leaked that you and Justin are married?”

“Maybe if he thought it would cause problems, since we didn’t want anyone to know.” Brian answered.

“It just doesn’t fit with what Corey says about stalkers. You and Justin managed for over a year to keep anyone from finding out. How did a stalker do what no one else did? The timing is the only reason we think it’s possible.” Emmett told him.

“Only the reporter who wrote the article would have that answer. If he wrote after verifying the information, that changes the timing.” Corey said, coming in and making them both jump that he managed to enter without them hearing him. “Everything is still quiet outside.” He smirked when both of them scowled at him.

“Like he’ll tell us anything.” Emmett commented.

“Sorry for listening in.” Corey told them, sitting down, not caring.

“It just doesn’t really gel with what you warned us about. A stalker wouldn’t want to believe his obsession wants anyone but him.” Emmett told him.

“It can happen. But only if they think what they’re doing will get rid of the competition. When it doesn’t work it, they unravel. That’s when no one is safe from them.” Corey told him.

“It’s too bad we can’t get the reporter to talk.” Emmett commented.

“Not without giving them something in return.” Corey told them.

“So the reporter gets a reward for fucking Brian over?” Emmett asked, pissed.

“He didn’t write anything that wasn’t true. Even though I didn’t want it published. The guy actually just stated the facts, which I can respect.” Brian commented.

“Which brings me to the suggestion I have. Because I agree, the person who leaked this isn’t your stalker. I don’t want to waste our time on someone when someone endangered Gus. I know you don’t want Justin to deal with reporters asking questions, but it’s going to happen sooner or later. If we give the reporter the exclusive on the condition he tells us when and how he found out, then our focus can be on the asshole who came near Gus.” Corey explained to Brian.

“I need to talk to Justin about it first.” Brian told him.

“No, you don’t. I don’t like it, but it’s not like it isn’t already out there. It’s not like there’s really a story other than we got married because it was what we wanted. If it helps then we do it. Our way, the way we do everything else. Just make sure the reporter understands we didn’t appreciate the way he did it.” Justin said.

“I’ll let Ted know and make sure the editor knows the exclusive will go to someone else if we don’t get the information. I’m also bringing in a detective about Gus, just so he’ll work with us, if anything else happens.” Corey told them.

“Tell the editor they can have my story too. If it’s going to come out we might as well do it all.” Emmett added.

“I don’t want him in this house.” Brian told Corey.

“We could use my loft in New York. That way the press would spend time trying to find us there.” Emmett told them.

“I’ll talk to Ted and set it up. I’ll let you know what we’re doing.” Corey told them, starting to walk away before turning around and looking at Justin. “I need to talk to your agent too.” 

“Sure. But why?” Justin asked.

“I want to cover all bases.” He told Justin.