“How’d the class go?”

“Great!” Zeph beamed as he strode into the gay and lesbian center, which had an office in the same building as Plus. He’d just finished up teaching a class for girls, women, and trans people in high-risk areas of the city.

Now, he was here to do the same lesson with a group of LGBT+ people, with the event cosponsored by Plus.

It was the third such class, and Zeph’s confidence in teaching people had grown in leaps and bounds. Every time they offered it, they filled up too fast, so everyone planned to keep sponsoring as many sessions as possible.

It was also good business for Zeph’s gym to be associated with him, and Zeph was working on organizing longer-term self-defense classes to offer to those who could afford to pay, which would subsidize other classes for those who couldn’t.

His entrepreneurial spirit had come out of seemingly nowhere, along with his cheerier demeanor, as soon as he’d officially quit fighting. As he put it, he hadn’t realized the toll it was taking on him.

Zeph still got up annoyingly early and ate gross food too often, but River could sneak more donuts and mac’n’cheese into his diet without feeling guilty.

And best of all, Zeph’s courage had grown. He’d looked up his abusers before—both of the brothers—and found they’d just been thrown in jail. And Zeph had told him once, in a late-night unguarded moment, that if they applied for early release, he was prepared to go forward to petition against it. River had never, ever expected that of him.

“I’m so proud of you,” River murmured, wrapping his arms around Zeph’s waist and pulling him in for a slow kiss. He’d unpacked the mats already and set the place up for him, so as the attendees arrived, he stole a moment with him.

Not like anyone here, of all places, would complain. Not that Zeph seemed to care about that, either. Even when River was in a skirt and tights like today, he never hesitated to slide an arm around River’s shoulders and tell the world with that trademark glare that he was his.

“There’s some cuties here today.”

A slight frown line formed between Zeph’s brows. “There are?”

River loved it when he got all jealous. It made the sex later that much hotter. He barely stifled his giggle. “Uh huh.”

“Don’t think I don’t know the game you’re playing.”

“Don’t think I don’t notice you’re happy to play it, too. Especially when we get home and—”

“Oh, darling!” River was interrupted as RB came over, prodding their arms to get them apart. “Lord, give us three seconds without lip-locking.”

Zeph obnoxiously kissed River again while River gave a muffled laugh.

“We’re surrounded by them.” That was Denver, setting up a table by the door with kits for each attendee—refresher pamphlets on what they’d learned, plus information from Plus. “Lovebirds.”

“Like us?” Kyle’s arms were looped around Nic’s waist as he grinned, on his tiptoes so he could rest his chin on his shoulder.

“Them especially. They’re worse,” River declared.

Denver swapped a look with Tristan, who had turned up to learn more about the charity since he was considering publicly endorsing them.

“Uh huh,” Tristan said. “Everyone’s as bad as each other.”

“Right?” RB clicked his tongue, fluttering his fingers toward the doorway as some of the queens arrived.

River smirked and pecked Zeph’s cheek again. “You’re just jealous.”

RB squeezed one of Zeph’s biceps. “Of that? I… suddenly lost my train of thought.” He squeezed again. “Right… where was I?”

Denver cracked up in a snort-laugh, and then the others followed, unable to help joining in.

“I know, right?” River giggled. “And all mine.”

“Look at him. All boyfriended.” Kyle smirked obnoxiously. “You know, not so long ago, he was claiming he’d be single forever…”

“Oh, shut up,” River scoffed, finally letting go of Zeph so he could go welcome attendees.

But it was true: how much his life had changed in a few short months.

His heart was light as he introduced himself and welcomed people, making sure everyone felt comfortable here. More than ever, he couldn’t stop thinking about how lucky he was.

He’s been telling me to look for love for years, but… Zeph wasn’t around, or available, until now. River was convinced that there was fate, or at least very good timing, at work.

This happiness had been worth waiting for.