Many hands make light work.

Kris had never really understood the true meaning of those words until now. He weaved through the parking lot at Phoenix, admiring all the stalls that had been erected for the grand reopening and rebranding of Hidden Creek’s LGBT bar.

In the end, the timing had been fortuitous. Construction of the LGBT center had come to a close around the end of August, meaning when Chip Carter had invested in resurrecting Bottom’s Up, he had simply used the same company and transferred them over to the different site.

It had been a risk, going back to Chip and asking if he still wanted to partner with the bar to expand the town’s queer scene. But Kris reckoned if Chip and his partner, Tyler Florman, were interested in his plans before, he took the gamble that they would be even more eager once Kris took on the business himself.

The last month had been a blur of bank loans and paperwork as Kris bought the bar off PJ, who was indeed facing jail time. As it transpired, PJ had also been behind most of the increased hate mail the bar had been receiving over the past couple of months. He had apparently thought that would make the fire seem less suspicious, but had also used Kris’s code as a failsafe in case the fire department did investigate the blaze as arson. He really was a nutjob.

Kris, Chip and Tyler were now all part-owners in the business, but Kris was the new manager. He had enrolled in a couple of courses at Hidden Creek Community College, but already he was learning so much just being on the job. As terrifying as this venture was, he had never felt more alive.

The reopening would never have happened so fast without the army of volunteers that had come equipped with paint rollers and electric screwdrivers. So many of Kris’s friends, the bar patrons and the wider LGBT community had offered up their services for free to bring the bar back to life in a mere four weeks. It had been pretty overwhelming to see so many people come together for the place Kris felt so strongly about.

Now here they were on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon, celebrating the new space in all its glory. It had felt right to rename the bar to mark the start of a new era. Like a phoenix, it had risen from the ashes, and Kris hadn’t had any trouble coming up with what to put on the sign out front.

Phoenix was his. He was doing something with his life, something he loved. Like his original proposal to PJ, he was determined to make the space so much more than just a place to drink. They had purposefully started the event in the afternoon and used the area outside so people of all ages felt welcome.

Cas was selling his handcrafted carpentry wares, the sounds of his wind chimes filling the air as the wood clicked and clacked gently together. Koby had specifically made a selection of smaller metal sculptures and his sister, Ginger, had set up a stall with her colorful, sparkly handmade soaps. Doris, the slightly grumpy lady who ran the coffee shop, Grind, was making a killing selling iced teas and lemon and poppy seed muffins. One of the elementary school teachers was offering face painting for all ages and the gaggle of bi girls from the local college who used to play their air hockey tournaments at the bar was doing a great job selling raffle tickets.

Kris smiled as he watched Remi taking photos next to the fire truck the department had lent them for the day. Remi wasn’t on duty, but he and a few of the people from his watch had agreed to donate their time on their day off for the bar’s opening event.

On the whole, Remi’s work buddies had taken his coming out in their stride. Kris had met several of them now at one of the other sports bars in town that the firefighters tended to frequent. Kris had made it clear, though, they would be welcome any time they wanted to come to Phoenix. He understood the nature of found family more than most and he wanted to get on well with the firefighters in Remi’s work family as much as his biological family.

In both of those families, there was one voice of resistance they had to contend with. But Remi’s dad was slowly starting to be less hostile over the idea of his son dating a man. The guy from Remi’s work, Travis, wasn’t really changing his tune so much as keeping quiet about it. But Remi seemed to count that as a win, so if he was happy, Kris was happy.

And he was so happy. Kris couldn’t stop smiling as he made his way inside the bustling bar. As part of the reconstruction, they had added a few windows along the wall, so the place didn’t feel so oppressive during the day now. Most of the current staff were manning the bar, busy filling orders and flirting with patrons of all genders. A phoenix mural had been painted behind them with the words ‘Love is Love’ emblazoned on the wall below.

One of their new customers, a fun guy called Peter, had offered them free advice on a new security system. Apparently, he worked for the government or something. Kris was more than happy to update the system after the trouble he’d had with PJ. As well as overhauling security, Kris had put his foot down and insisted on installing gender-neutral bathrooms. This was a safe space and he didn’t want anyone getting distressed about taking a damn leak. So far, all these changes were going down well with staff and patrons alike.

One of the most significant additions to the new bar was the kitchen Kris had organized to be installed out back. They only served standard bar food and snacks like burgers and fries, but it gave the place a wider appeal. A nice bonus was that the staff only had to be over eighteen to work there, not twenty-one.

“Hey, Harrison,” Kris called over the serving hatch. “How’s it going?”

“Busy,” the teenager called back with a big grin on his face as he plated up some onion rings and slaw.

It was amazing the difference a month could make. Of course, it hadn’t been all smooth sailing for his new young friend. Kris hadn’t been surprised to find out that news of Harrison’s witness statement had gotten back to his parents, forcing him to come out as both gay and trans. They had been pretty shitty about the whole thing, but luckily, Kris not only had a job to offer Harrison, but one that came with a newly refurbished little apartment above it.

Kris knew Harrison had a tough time ahead of him. But he also had a community by his side that had his back one hundred percent. Kris felt extremely hopeful for him.

It was a diverse crowd both inside and outside the bar. Kris had invited numerous groups and entertainment acts from Houston and any of the neighboring towns that had LGBT organizations. Currently, Miss Honey Bee, a golden, sparkly drag queen with two-inch nails and four-inch heels, was sitting reading a picture book to a gaggle of enthralled elementary school kids, putting on all the funny voices for the rabbits and puppies and bugs. A dance company was going to perform a number of routines later and several other queens were going to wow them with a lip-sync battle.

While surveying the scene, Kris caught eyes with Mr. Epstein. They gave each other a wave. Instead of his customary gray, Epstein was dressed in the most hideous Hawai’ian shirt Kris had ever seen. Kris loved it.

Epstein was doing his best to stick to the edge of the room, giving his son the room he needed to meet other queer kids his age. Remi had explained to Kris the trouble Tommy Epstein had been getting into at summer camp. But apparently, after helping Hidden Creek out with their gay bar, Epstein Sr. had encouraged his son to open up over several conversations, eventually giving him the support he needed to come out.

Since then, young Tommy hadn’t gotten himself in trouble again at summer camp or school once.

Kris smiled, turning his gaze around the rest of the bar. To his surprise, Kris also saw Mandy, Trixie and Lola, his excitable former classmates, handing out information leaflets explaining the differences between various gender, sexual and biological expressions. It warmed his heart to see them growing and educating themselves as well as others.

“Quite the little empire you’ve built here,” a warm voice murmured in Kris’s ear as strong hands wrapped around his waist. Kris beamed as he looked over his shoulder and found Remi’s lips to kiss.

“Oh, baby,” Kris said, his heart full of joy, “I’m only just getting started.”

“I know,” Remi said.

He had taken off his heavy gear and was just in his department sweats and polo. Kris rubbed his arms, firm and secure around him, and looked over at everything going on. He bit his lip as tears prickled at the back of his eyes.

As much as he wanted to sound confident to Remi, like he’d taken all this in his stride, Kris still couldn’t really believe all he had achieved. He had come from lowly bartender with a miserable boss who didn’t care about their patrons, to running his own business in the community that he loved so much. Later, his mom and brother were going to swing by with Ava and his brand-new nephew, Julian. Kris couldn’t wait to show them all he had created with the help of his friends and the man he loved.

Things with Remi were still almost too good to be true. It was incredible how well they had slotted into each other’s lives. Kris got immeasurable joy from watching Remi continue to blossom in the home they were building together. Having been so soulless when Kris had first arrived, it was now filled from top to bottom with their love and passions.

Remi had made sure not to put pressure on Kris, but Kris was confident he wasn’t going to move out again. He had abandoned the sofa bed and Remi’s room had become their room, with Remi insisting Kris add some personal touches of his own to the décor.

Remi still referred to the house as a butterfly after the transformation Kris had put it through. It was funny, but Kris had discovered the other day that butterflies needed build up their strength by tearing their way out from their cocoons, otherwise they would be too weak to survive out in the real world.

He thought he might know a thing or two about that himself.

Tay Tay’s aquarium had been moved downstairs into the living room where she continued to thrive. It turned out, after a quick trip to the vet, that the skinny black kitty that had been breaking into the house more and more often was not microchipped and nobody seemed to be looking for her. So Kris and Remi had adopted her, and Remi had renamed her Sasha Fierce.

Most days, Sasha could be found sleeping next to Tay Tay’s tank, keeping her unlikely friend company. There had been no further attempts to eat the goldfish for dinner.

Compared to the shell that Remi had been living in two months ago, his house was now a home. Their home. When Kris had moved his belongings from the spare room to Remi’s, Remi had made an off-hand comment about how the space would be good for a nursery one day. Kris wasn’t sure Remi even knew he’d said it out loud, but Kris had heard him.

It was too early to be thinking about such things, really. But Kris couldn’t help it. Who knew what position they would be in five or ten years from now? Perhaps there would be the pitter-patter of tiny feet?

“What are you thinking about?” Remi asked.

Kris smiled over his shoulder at him. “Us,” he said honestly. “Our future.”

“I hope you have long-term plans for that future,” Remi said, kissing Kris’s temple. “Because I do.”

“I do, too,” said Kris said, thinking what those words might mean for them in a few years’ time.

For now, they hugged each other tightly, watching friends and family and people they hadn’t met yet, all coming together to celebrate love, acceptance and happiness.

Kris couldn’t think of anywhere he would rather be.