Brian Kinney was a handsome and masculine gay advertising executive who owns a lavish Pittsburgh loft and led a glamorous and self-indulgent lifestyle. Brian completely rejects heteronormativity, in which he includes gay marriage and monogamy in general. He later started his own advertising company.

One night, Brian brought Justin Taylor home and took his virginity. Unable to resist the pull he felt towards Justin, Brian broke his own rule and started a relationship with him. He let Justin move into his loft after he was kicked out of his parents' home, went after him to NYC after Justin rain away, paid for his college tuition and helped him recover after Justin was severely beaten at his senior prom.

The two shared an open relationship for a while but Justin wanted more. He started a relationship with Ethan Gold but ended things when he caught him cheating. In an effort to get Brian back, Justin got a placement at Brian's advertisement agency. After a few tense days, Justin finally managed to seduce Brian. The two sabotaged Chief Jim Stockwell's ad campaign. They seemed happy for a time but Justin wanted to settle down and Brian didn’t so they ended their relationship, once more.

When a bomb went off at Babylon, during an event Justin was attending, Brian admitted he loved Justin and asked him to marry him. As the wedding day approached, Justin realized Brian was turn into someone he wasn’t and Brian realized Justin was giving up on his art career, so they mutually decided to call things off. Justin moved to New York but promised that Brian would see him often.