Chapter 4

“Jeez, Brian, answer the phone already, will you?” Ted said, slightly annoyed when Brian's phone that was set to silent lit up again with another call. This was already the fourth call in the last five minutes, ever since their meeting had started. And he knew from Cynthia that it had pretty much been like that all morning.

“Who are you to tell me what to do?” Brian angrily shot back, glaring at Ted.

If looks could kill, Ted knew that he would be a dead man now, but it had been a long time since he had last been scared of Brian Kinney. Yes, Brian could be scary, but Ted knew that it was mostly just an image that Brian liked to portray to make him seem more powerful and in control and that really his bark was a lot worse than his bite.

Over the last couple of years that he had worked for Brian, first as an accountant, later as his CFO, they had become close friends and over time Ted had stopped being scared of Brian Kinney. Therefore he felt pretty safe in replying back to his boss and friend.

“I am the one that has to fill in the paperwork when people start quitting their jobs over your latest tantrum,” he said calmly, not surprised when Brian's eyes widened.

“Oh yeah, I know all about the mood you've been in for the last two days. I know about the intern that came running out of your office in tears after you ripped her a new one for getting the wrong boards. I know all about the way you yelled at Cynthia. And what did she do wrong? All she asked was how the trip to New York had gone.”

When Brian didn't say anything and just continued to glare at him, Ted continued. “And I am the one that is noticing that you're having yet another call... Why aren't you answering? Who is calling you?”

Brian sighed, knowing exactly who was calling him over and over again and had been for the last two days. He could see Justin's name on his display and felt new anger rise inside of him.

Ever since the younger man had left Brian's hotel two nights ago, he had tried calling Brian. When Brian hadn't answered, he had texted him, telling him that they needed to talk, that things weren't as they seemed and that he could explain.

Only that Brian was way past listening to explanations. He had already heard all that he needed to hear. He had heard about Lizzie and Daph. The daughter and wife. What more was there to explain?
That he wasn't just a secret affair Justin's wife could never know about, that he wasn't just someone that allowed Justin to live out his gay fantasies every once in a while before he returned home to his hetero family?

Brian knew the story and really didn't need to hear more. He had gotten the message, he knew that Justin was a liar and a pathetic coward and as far as Brian was concerned, they were done. He just hoped that Justin would get the message soon. If not, Brian would just have to block him. After all it wasn't like he ever intended to reach out to Justin again, was it?

With that thought in mind, Brian grabbed his phone, waited for the latest call to go to voicemail, then quickly went into the menu and blocked the number. So much for those neverending calls and messages of 'We need to talk!'. No, they didn't need to talk. Everything had been said.

“There, done!” He said as he angrily threw his phone back onto his desk. “Happy now?”

Ted watched with wide eyes and slowly shook his head. “No,” he said calmly, before he took a deep breath.“I know you're going to tell me that it's none of my business, but something is obviously very wrong here. What happened, Brian?”

“It's none of your business,” Brian just barked, before he picked up the folder that Ted had handed him earlier with the quarterly profits.

“Don't give me that,” Ted said quietly, looking at Brian from concerned eyes.

“It's none of your business. I pay you to make me money, so tell me how much money we made in the last quarter.”

“Brian... what happened in New York?” Ted asked, looking at Brian from really concerned eyes. And he was concerned, because more than ever before Brian didn't look angry, but sad. So incredibly sad. And there was an emotion in his eyes that Ted needed a minute before he recognised it for what it was. Pain. Brian was hurting, Ted just didn't know why.

“Nothing. The numbers?” Brian said, raising an eyebrow in expectation.

“I know that the meeting must have gone well. They sent the paperwork this morning, all signed, confirming the new spring campaign, so it can't be that. And... since you didn't make an appearance at Babylon or Woodies all weekend, I am assuming that you stayed in New York for the weekend. Again...”

Ted was Brian's CFO, so of course he knew that Brian had stayed in New York all weekend. He had seen the bill for the hotel room which had been booked until Sunday. Even though the last meeting had been Friday. And he knew that it wasn't the first time that Brian had stayed in New York longer than he needed to.

Over the last couple of years, Ted had noticed how Brian had scheduled more and more of his New York meetings close to the weekend, preferably on Mondays or Fridays and how he would often spend the whole weekend in New York instead of just flying in for the meetings.

It had intrigued him before, but he had just guessed that Brian liked the New York club scene, liked being able to go out there and fuck some fresh meat. After all there were only so many queers in Pittsburgh you could fuck when you had a policy that allowed you to only fuck everyone once.

Ted had just assumed that Brian had enjoyed the tricks in New York, had enjoyed the new faces, bodies and most of all mouths and assholes, had enjoyed getting a change from the Pittsburgh scenery every so often, but now he wasn't so sure anymore.

Many times when Brian had returned from New York, he had been especially relaxed and almost happy. At the time, Ted had assumed it was because business had gone well, the meetings had been a success, but watching Brian now, he wasn't so sure anymore.

If it had just been about business, Brian wouldn't have been in such a bad mood for the last two days and most of all, he wouldn't be getting so many calls. If it was business related, they would call the office, not his mobile. This had to be private. And then, as Ted continued to watch Brian's face, something clicked.

“You met someone... in New York.”

And the moment he said it, he knew that it was the truth.

Even though Brian denied it. Strongly. “WHAT? Did you get brain damage while I was gone?”

“You met a guy in New York... it all makes sense now. The meetings that would allow you to spend the whole weekend in the city, why you would be so happy and relaxed when you came back... why you've been an ass for the last two days and why you just blocked someone on your phone,” Ted argued calmly.

“How long have you known me, Theodore? You know I don't do relationships. I fuck. End of story!”

“Yeah, here in Pittsburgh. But in New York? Who the hell would know about your reputation in New York?” Ted said, everything making more and more sense the more he thought about it. “And now... you... you broke up or had a fight.”

“I don't do relationships. Not in Pittsburgh, not in New York,” Brian spat angrily. “Now can we please focus on the numbers?”

As Brian picked up the folder with the numbers once more, Ted shook his head as if to mentally tell himself to be strong and to stay the course.

“What happened last weekend, Brian? I am your friend, you know I won't tell anyone... but something happened...something that hurt you. It's all over your face, your whole behaviour screams of how much you've been hurt by whatever happened.”

“What is this now? Psychology 101?” Brian snarked, rolling his eyes. “I am fine.”

“No, you're not. You're in pain and you're lashing out because you're hurt and afraid to show it. What did this guy do?”

“There is no guy... there was no guy... there will never be a guy,” Brian said, the last words almost hissed. He then glared at Ted once more. “If we don't talk about numbers within the next five seconds, I will fire you, Theodore.”

Ted shook his head, then stood up. “Don't worry. I quit. I am tired of this whole bullshit...”

“You quit?” Brian raised an eyebrow, for a second honestly surprised by what Ted had just said.

“Yes, I quit. I am tired of you acting like feelings and emotions are a bad thing, of you punishing the people working for you for whatever happened in New York. Whatever happened, it was not Tina's fault, it was not Cynthia's fault and it is damn well not my fault. And if you think you're too high and mighty to admit that something happened, fuck you! I am out of here.”

With that Ted turned around and stomped to the door of Brian's office, surprised by his own words and actions. He hadn't planned to do this, but now apparently he was. As he was about to open the door, he heard Brian's voice.

“Theodore, wait!”

“What for? I mean it, I am out of here.”

Brian's voice had a certain sense of awe to it the next time he spoke. “You really mean it...”

“Yes,” Ted confirmed, crossing his arms as he looked at Brian from frustrated eyes.

“You would quit about something that has nothing to do with work?” Brian raised his eyebrows in question.

“It has everything to do with work when you bring it into the office and let whatever 'it' is control your behaviour towards your employees...”

Brian sighed, knowing that Ted was right. His outburst at the intern - Tina, was that what Ted had called her?- had been totally out of line as had been his behaviour towards Cynthia and Ted.

He had allowed his bad mood over Justin's betrayal to influence his performance at work and Ted was right, he had allowed it to control his behaviour towards his employees. Which was totally unprofessional. And if Brian hated one thing, it was people that were unprofessional at work. Especially people that worked for him. And now he had been the most unprofessional of all. What kind of example had he set by his own behaviour in recent days?

He ran a hand over his face and took a deep breath. “You're right...That was beyond unprofessional.”

“It was,” Ted affirmed, his arms still crossed in front of his chest as he looked at Brian.

“Don't leave,” Brian said next, his voice now utterly calm. “You're a fucking good accountant and CFO. Kinnetik needs you.”

“You mean, I know all your company's dark secrets and you can't afford to let me go,” Ted said with cheek in his voice, feeling braver than he had two minutes ago. Brian was a lot calmer now, had admitted that Ted had been right – which was something that rarely happened with Brian, so as far as Ted was concerned, the conversation was going his way.

“That too,” Brian agreed, now smiling slightly. “Though if I am reading these numbers correctly, I might just be able to afford whatever I want.”

“It was a very profitable quarter,” Ted confirmed.

“Guess all those trips to New York were good for something after all,” Brian muttered, as he threw the folder onto his desk, looking at it for the longest time, before he looked up at Ted from incredibly sad eyes. Ted had never seen Brian like that before.

“I met someone... in New York.”

Ted wasn't really surprised by the revelation as such, having figured out that much himself, but he was surprised that Brian had admitted it to him. He tried to hide that surprise and nodded before he slowly made his way back to Brian's desk and sat down again, encouraging Brian to tell him more.

“He... we... I fucked him the night Gus was born...,” Brian said, only to be interrupted by Ted at that point.

“Wait? You said you met someone in New York, not Pittsburgh.”

“When Gus was born, he went to school here in Pittsburgh and after that night... I didn't see him again until years later. In New York,” Brian started. “I didn't remember him and fucked him again... he remembered me though and... well... I met him again the next time I was in New York. And he was good in bed. The best I've ever fucked. So, we fucked again. I had already broken my rule for him, no one in Pittsburgh needed to know... he was good in bed... why not? And we fucked again and again... every time I went to NewYork... I guess, some might call us fuck buddies...”

“How long has this been going on?” Ted asked, utterly fascinated by what Brian was saying. Brian Kinney had fucked the same man again and again. Unbelievable!

“More than three years,” Brian said quietly, before he raised his eyes and had a challenging look in them. “Come on, make fun of me!”

Ted frowned. “Why would I? Because you ended up having a relationship like most other human beings on this planet?”

“It wasn't a relationship,” Brian spat immediately, though there hadn't been as much anger in his voice as there had been just minutes ago.

“Well, if you fucked him every time you went to New York for more than three years... some might call that a relationship,” Ted just replied dryly.

“It wasn't,” Brian just said. “We fucked. We had a good time together and that was it.”

Ted shrugged, as if to say 'Alright, if you say so'.

When Brian didn't continue after that, Ted raised an eyebrow. “So what happened this weekend?”

“His wife called him after he had just given me a blowjob to tell him that his daughter was in hospital. He left after that.”

“His wife? A daughter? Did you know he had a wife?”

Brian looked at Ted as if he was stupid. “Noooooooo...He somewhat forgot to mention them.”

“Oh,” Ted now said, slowly understanding what had happened.

“Oh indeed...,” Brian just said, now once more picking up the file. “I have no interest in being anyone's dirty secret while they scratch their gay itch every couple of weeks or months. Asshole can't be brave enough to be his true self? Well, he won't be getting a piece of this then,” Brian muttered, nodding towards his crotch. He then opened the file once more. “Now, numbers?”

Ted was still trying to accept what Brian had just told him, but knew that this was probably as much as he would get from his boss and friend. Deciding that Brian had told him enough for the moment, Ted nodded and turned towards his own copy of last quarter's profits. He then began talking about numbers, feeling way more comfortable having a conversation about profits with Brian than the betrayal of a boyfriend/non-boyfriend guy he had been fucking in New York for three years.

When the meeting was coming to a close and Ted was about to leave Brian's office, he had to smile to himself as he heard Brian's voice for one last parting shot.

“If you tell anyone about this...,” Brian started, only for Ted to finish.

“I'll be dead. I know. And I won't.”

With that he left, hoping that his friend would get over his heartbreak soon. For he was sure that that was what was happening to Brian. He had just gotten his heart broken by that guy's betrayal. Whether he wanted to admit it to himself or not.