“So tell me about your partner.” The interviewer for Out Magazine said. “And can you tell us his name?”

Jason Reso, known to the world as Christian Cage, got a huge smile on his face at this question. He’d discussed this with his partner before the interview, and he was thrilled to finally be able to tell the world (literally) about the man he loved. “Well, his name is Alex Shelley.” Jason said, shifting in his seat. He’d been excited about this for a couple of days now, but when the name actually passed his lips, there was a sort of finality to it. From this day on he would be Jason, you know of Jason and Alex.

“Don’t you two have a feud going on in TNA right now?” The interview asked. “Doesn’t that create a problem with you two?”

Jason’s house, being very open, allowed him to look into the kitchen where Alex had just come downstairs to fix himself a sandwich. Jason’s smile just got bigger. “No it doesn’t create a problem at all. In fact, I think it sort of helps.” Jason said, watching Alex pull his finger away from the knife he’d just cut his sandwich with, knowing he’d just nicked his finger. “We can sit here at the house when we’re bored and plot out matches and think of interesting story lines, things like that. But he keeps life interesting.”

“How so?” The interview asked.

“Well just last week, we were in a hurry to get to a taping.” Jason said, chuckling. “Alex takes forever to get ready for anything. His hair has to be perfect, and his cloths have to look like he’d just bought them. So he’s in the bathroom getting ready to brush his teeth, and he has this annoying little habit. He’ll squeeze the tube from the middle. Well, I don’t know if the tube was faulty or he just doesn’t know his own strength, but the end of the tube came undone and he had toothpaste all down the front of him. We wound up being 20 minutes late for the show, because he had to take another shower.”

“You’ve only been with the company a few months now.” The interview said. “The way you talk you’ve been together for years. How and when did you two actually meet?”

Jason settled down in his chair, giving the impression that this was quite a story. “In June of 2004, I came to TNA with Jeff Hardy for his debut match. Alex had just been with the company for a few days himself, but I just couldn’t get his face out of my mind. When I left the arena that night, I still didn’t even know his name. I bugged Jeff for months to get any information on him he could. After a few months he came back with the news that I was dreading.” Jason took a deep breath, knowing that if he was going to tell the story he had to tell it all. “He was 10 years younger than me.”

“That’s quite an age difference.” The interview said. “Has that posed any problems?”

“Well a few months after I got the news of the age difference, I finally decided to give in and ask him out. I was sure he’d call me a dirty old man and laugh in my face, but I was really shocked when he agreed without even thinking about it for a second. We’ve practically been together ever since.” Jason said. “The age difference hasn’t been a problem so far. Apparently I still look pretty young. At least from afar.” Jason added, laughing at himself.

“So, could one assume that he was part of the reason you came to TNA?” The interviewer asked.

Jason laughed at the question. Jeff had teased him so much about that very subject that he couldn’t help himself. “I’m not gonna lie to you. He was a big part of it, but the deciding factor was the fact that they take talent seriously in TNA. Being able to be with Alex everyday was just one hell of a bonus.”

“Well I think that about wraps it up, but before we go is there anything you would like to say to our readers, and would you mind posing for a picture with Alex?” The interview asked.

“I’d like to tell your readers that don’t worry about what people think. If you’re thinking about coming out, just do it. You’ll get to know who your true friends are. It really does help simplify your life. It’s difficult, don’t get me wrong, but in the end it’s well worth it.” Jason said, and waited for the interviewer to scribble a few more things down in his notebook. “As for the picture, let me go see if he’ll do it.” Jason got up from his chair and walked into the office that him and Alex shared. “Hey babe, these guys want to know if you’ll pose for a picture with me, for the magazine.”

Alex turned around in the chair he was sitting in, and Jason had to laugh. He had mustard in the little scruff on his chin. “Looking like this? Are you nuts?” Alex said, grabbing a napkin and wiping his chin off. “Give me ten.” He added, practically jumping out of the chair, and running upstairs.

Jason walked back into the room and sat down in his chair. “How long can you guys wait for this picture?” He asked.

“We’ve got all afternoon.” The photographer said.

“Good. Alex said give him ten, which in Alex time means more like 30.” Jason said, and sat there patiently waiting. He was used to this. He’d gotten into the habit of telling Alex that they had to be places and hour before they did, because he took so long getting ready. Sure enough, 30 minutes later, Alex came downstairs, looking like his normal gorgeous self. They took the picture and the people from the magazine left.

Three weeks later the advanced copy of Out Magazine arrived in the mail. Jason had been featured in so many magazines of his career, it didn’t seem strange to Alex when he found it laying on the dining room table. He just couldn’t help himself, he ripped the plastic covering off of it. He was thrilled to see the picture of him sitting on Jason’s lap in Jason’s overstuffed, favorite chair, adorning the cover. He flipped through it until he found the interview. He’d heard everything that was said that day, so he was surprised when he saw that there was a side note to it. It simply read. “Alex will you marry me?” Right underneath a picture of Jason holding a diamond ring.

Alex dropped the magazine, and sat there in stunned silence for a minute. Suddenly it occurred to him that he couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. He bolted out of the chair, and started running through the house. “JASON!” He screamed over and over, until Jason stepped out of the office.

“What’s all the yelling about?” Jason said, and was tackled to the ground, his mouth caught up in a sizzling kiss.

“Where’s my ring?” Alex said, breaking the kiss and not even waiting for a reply before kissing Jason again.

Jason pushed him away for a minute. “I take it that’s a yes?” Jason asked.

“Yes.” Alex said, leaning in to kiss him again, and slowly starting to unbutton his shirt.