Koby hadn’t been to many football games in his time. None, actually. So he hadn’t hung around football stadiums all that much. But today was different, and not just because it was Christmas Eve.

“Thank you so much for joining us here today, y’all,” Assistant Dean Galloway spoke into the microphone as he addressed the reasonably large crowd. They had gathered to sit in folding chairs, facing the main entrance of H Triple C’s brand-new football stadium. A temporary podium had been erected with two metal bollards stretching a bright red ribbon between them. The weather was dark and threatening. Someone had even suggested there might be snow. But so far, it was holding off.

Initially, Koby had just been going to sit in the crowd, watching on. But Vince had gotten pretty pissy with Old Gallows, insisting that the artist get credit and acclaim for their work. Especially as he’d stayed up until the small hours of the morning finishing it. Koby had to admit he felt damn awesome, sitting up there on the small stage beside his boyfriend, with everyone there to see his finished sculpture and open the stadium to the public.

Joining them was the Dean herself, making a rare public appearance, and the Penguins coach, Bernard Hoffman. Koby had warmed to him immediately, not just because he had pitched in a little to help clean up the art room out of loyalty to Vince. But when Vince had introduced Koby to him, Hoffman had embraced him like he was his own grandson and declared he was “the famous artist!” Not what Koby had expected from a football coach. He’d expected it even less when Hoffman had winked at Vince, saying “I see why you like him.”

Vince never had told him what Hoffman had said to change Vince’s mind and get him to come find Koby on the day of the assault. But Koby had a feeling he owed Bernie Hoffman more than he knew.

Galloway was talking about the history of the college and neatly skimming over the football team’s lack of success over the past several years. Instead, he made several inappropriate remarks about the Hidden Creek Eskimo Cheerleaders, resulting in people awkwardly shifting in their seats.

Old Gallows cleared his throat, sensing his particular brand of humor wasn’t washing with this crowd. No wonder, with so many of Koby’s friends and the entirety of Vince’s family filling up so many seats.

“We had planned to name this stadium after our honored guest here today,” Galloway continued. Koby could hear the frustration in Old Gallows’ voice and Koby tried his best not to smirk. “Vince ‘The Lumberjack’ Russo is Hidden Creek Community College’s greatest success story.” He glanced at Vince, who arched an eyebrow at him. “One of the college’s greatest success,” Galloway amended bitterly.

Koby grinned. It wasn’t just for Koby’s sake Vince had asked him to say that. There were countless people who had graduated from these halls and gone on to achieve all kinds of wonderful things. Just because the Assistant Dean valued fame as a football player higher than anything else wasn’t fair.

Galloway seemed eager to wrap this up. His smile had become rather fixed.

“But the Lumberjack is a hero, as we all know. He has informed us that he is honored just to have the sculpture we shall be unveiling today erected in celebration of his – brief – career with the NFL.” Koby narrowed his eyes at the not-so-subtle dig, but Vince just grinned, not caring. “A sculpture created by another of Hidden Creek Community College’s alumni, Koby Duvall.”

At least a dozen people jumped to their feet in the crowd, bursting into cheers as the cover was pulled down, revealing Koby’s work in all its glory. Koby spotted Lyla on Chase’s shoulders, clapping her little heart out as well as Vince’s cousin Maria and his nonna. Within seconds the rest of the audience followed, forcing Galloway to wait before he could continue speaking. Koby enjoyed that more than the applause itself, although that did warm his heart immensely.

“Instead,” Old Gallows said firmly, encouraging the cheers to die down, “Russo has asked we honor another man who had contributed to the legacy of Penguins football here at the college. Bernard Hoffman, would you please join me in doing the honors.”

Koby watched as Vince clapped the loudest of them all as Hoffman took one half of the oversized scissors and cut the red ribbon, signaling the opening of the venue Vince insisted be named in the coach’s honor.

“I declare the Bernard Hoffman Football Stadium open!” Galloway cried as the two halves of the red ribbon fluttered down. Then he marched off the stage as fast as he could, disappearing into a car in the parking lot without looking back.

Nobody else seemed to care that he’d left. As the ceremony disbanded, people came up to the stage in clumps to shake Hoffman’s hand and speak to him, Vince and Koby.

“Wow,” Chase said as he, Hunter and Lyla inspected the finished sculpture up close. “I can’t believe you managed to do such a good job so fast after all the crap that happened.”

Koby beamed. Even though he was exhausted, he couldn’t have been more thrilled with the way it had turned out. He could just feel Vince’s energy coming from the bits of metal that had been pieced together in his likeness. “I had a lot of help,” he admitted.

He looked over at Gareth asking Vince to sign a print of his comic, happily chatting away to him while Alanna introduced Zane to Hoffman. Koby saw Zane specifically showing Hoffman his bright nails, to which the old man gasped and asked if he could have nails that pretty too.

Yeah, Koby liked Hoffman.

Yu Yan was talking with Ginger and an older Black lady with perfect red lipstick and a hell of a floral hat settled on her curls. That was Ruby Jane, Hoffman’s wife, who came over to thank Vince for his generosity with a kiss to the cheek. Wendell was talking with Hoffman like they were old buddies, slapping each other on the back and laughing. Lyla and Zane began playing a game pretending to be wizards, both running around wearing pink tutus that they’d obviously conspired to both wear so they matched. Nonna and Vince’s mom had finally got their chance to meet Koby’s mom, and the three women were smiling and chatting animatedly together. Cecily was complimenting Vince’s cousin Maria on the tattoos on her arm.

All these people from different backgrounds – football, arts, the LGBT community – they were all mingling together, smiling and enjoying the free Champagne the college had sprung for. Well, it was the athletic department, Koby thought with a rueful smile. Of course they’d spared no expense.

He found he didn’t care about that anymore, though. The arts were never going to become as popular or cool as sports overnight. But Koby and Vince had proved that didn’t mean the two couldn’t coexist.

“Are you coming?” Chase asked as the crowd started to gradually disperse.

Koby nodded. “Soon,” he said as his sister bound up to him.

“I hope y’all don’t mind,” she said. “But I invited your art friends and Mr. Hoffman and his lovely wife to Phoenix as well. I think they felt quite delighted to be included. Is that okay?”

Phoenix was having its first Christmas Eve gathering. The idea had been that Kris didn’t want anyone from the LGBT community – like Harrison, whose parents had kicked him out – to feel lonely over the holidays. So he’d organized for the kitchen to put on a cafeteria-style Christmas meal with entertainment and presents donated from the local community. It had grown bigger than anyone could have imagined, though.

“Of course.” Koby hugged his sister and waved to his classmates. His friends. “Everyone’s welcome. We’ll see y’all there, okay?” he told both her and Chase.

He felt Vince materialize behind him, his hand resting lightly on Koby’s lower back. “You ready to get out of here?” Vince murmured in Koby’s ear, making shivers run down his spine.

“Sure.” Vince had been a little cryptic, asking for a bit of time in between the ceremony and going to the Christmas meal. Koby figured he wanted to drive them back to the apartment for a quickie before going out again, a thought that made his knees weak. But when they got into the truck, Vince didn’t start the engine.

Instead, he reached behind to the back seat and lifted up a suspiciously well-wrapped Christmas present. Koby’s first thought was that Vince’s cousin Maria had more than likely helped him wrap that.

Then he realized it was for him.

“Oh, thank you.” He took the oddly shaped item in his hands. It was a little smaller than a foot long and reasonably heavy. “Baby, you know you didn’t have to get me anything, right?”

But Vince shook his head. “Of course I did,” he said with a playful scoff as he rubbed Koby’s thigh. “I mean, not just because y’all already gave me my present weeks ago. But, well, I wanted to. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Koby said fondly. He wasn’t sure what Vince could have gotten him. But when the paper fell away, Koby found he was speechless.

“I hope y’all don’t mind I basically copied you,” Vince said sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. “I started working on it almost as soon as you gave me your one. But, uh, what do you think?”

Koby blinked back tears as he lifted his very own handcrafted birdhouse from the wrapping. It was just like the one he remembered Vince making in shop class all those years ago, the one that had inspired Koby to make his little metal one. Except on the side of this one, Vince had engraved V+K inside a love heart.

“It’s kinda corny, I know,” Vince said. “But your birdhouse reminded me who I really was – someone more than just football – and I-”

He didn’t get a chance to finish because Koby launched himself at him and kissed him like he’d never kissed him before. “I love it,” he cried, laughing tearfully. “I love you. I love it. Oh my lord, Vince.” Koby stared at him through the tears lingering on his eyelashes, making up his mind on something he’d been toying with for the last two weeks. “Move in with me,” he blurted.

“Huh?” Vince’s eyebrows shot up.

Koby laughed and shook his head, stroking the edge of the beautiful birdhouse his boyfriend had made by hand for him. “I mean, don’t move out. I know it’s too soon, and if you had a place in Hidden Creek I wouldn’t suggest it. But why bother getting one when you already have somewhere?”

He hoped he wasn’t being crazy. Vince studied him for a second.

“Are you sure?” he asked. “It’s your home.”

“Without you it’s just an apartment,” Koby said. “You make it a home. You and a certain naughty puppy,” he added with a chuckle.

Vince rubbed his face, breaking into one of his breathtaking smiles. “Baby, I’d love to. Yes!”

He grabbed Koby and dragged him into a hug as Koby laughed and hugged him back, breathing his scent in deeply.

A few months ago, his life had felt so empty. But Koby hadn’t realized love was all around him, just waiting for him to let it in.

He had needed Vince to show him the way.

Now his life was overflowing. And that was how he intended to keep living it, every day.

With Vince by his side.