It was Ted who ultimately gave Trent the idea for how they should approach Ted publicly coming out. True, it wasn't exactly the most romantic discussion to have while lying mostly unclothed in bed the morning after their first night together, but it was a necessary one.

"Maybe you could interview me like you did with Giles," Ted said with a yawn. "Man, I can't believe that was 20 years ago. I know that was a big deal for both of ya, comin' out like that and bein' the only folks in your profession to do so at the time. People toss the word 'brave' around like a football—an American one, I mean—but y'all were. Ya still are. Meanwhile I'm over here just tryin' to avoid tabloids so I don't hurt the team."

"Or maybe you could talk to Giles," Trent said, sitting up, the wheels in his mind turning as he framed the entire article in real time. "He was the first openly out player on the men's side and now you'll be the first openly out coach. It could be a conversation, coach to coach. He's still managing Chelsea's women's team and he moved them up from relegation a couple seasons ago. You'd have a lot to talk about, actually."

"But what about you?" Ted asked as he danced his fingers along the base of Trent's bare back.

"This isn't about me, Ted," Trent replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. He looked over his shoulder at the other man like this was a routine conversation position for the pair of them even though it very much wasn't.

(Later, Trent would marvel at how comfortable he was around Ted that morning after allowing Ted access to parts of himself, inside and out, that he hadn't bared to anyone since Thomas. Ted's hands felt different on him. His eyes. His mouth. Trent hadn't known it was possible to feel ceremoniously cherished and wantonly craved in tandem. They fell asleep in each other's arms. Upon waking, Trent felt reborn.)

"But you were the one who first interviewed Giles and now I'm datin' you—doesn't that kinda seem like it's about you too?" Ted reached out and slid a hand into Trent's.

"I would call that a coincidence," Trent said flatly. "If I come up, I come up, but please don't make me a focus." He squeezed Ted's hand. "Look… I'm the person you're dating now. And as much as I hope to continue being that person, it would be best for you and Giles to talk about yourselves and your accomplishments because that is evergreen content and would better serve the overall purpose of your conversation."

"Yeah, well… maybe in 20 years, me and Giles can interview you and ask you why you're still so gosh darn smart about everything," Ted said, tugging Trent so he would lay back down.

Ted rolled onto his side so they were face-to-face and smiled a tired smile as he brushed Trent's hair back. He cupped Trent's cheek, leaning in to gently press their lips together.

"Thank you for stayin' last night," Ted murmured as he snuggled into his pillow. "Wakin' up next to you is already my new favorite way to start the day."

A tear slid out of Trent's eye, disappearing into the pillowcase.

With Ted's blessing, Trent called Claire before their scheduled meeting with Richmond's new PR person, Yolanda Griffiths. Trent wanted to pitch the article to her first, hoping if she said yes, then they'd have some control heading into the PR meeting. Grateful for what would likely be a big story, at least among the sports news, Claire assured Trent she would make space for the feature and would handle it herself when the time came.

With the go-ahead from Claire, Trent called Giles. They were never friends, but were still friendly. And when Trent pitched Giles the article, he understood the weight of what the conversation with Ted could do—not only for the men currently playing and coaching professional football, but the next generation. So much had happened in the last 20 years, but there was still so much more ground to cover.

Armed with yeses from both Claire and Giles, Trent and Ted met with Ms. Griffiths, Coach Beard, Roy, Higgins, and Rebecca in Rebecca's office. For as much time that Trent spent at Nelson Road, he had never once been in that office and realized he was the only one among the people at the meeting for which that was the case. Ted had settled himself on the couch like it was his own and tugged Trent down next to him, causing Rebecca and Higgins to both gawk a bit. Ted was all smiles, as per usual. Beard nodded to himself, as if this made total sense. Roy said nothing, but Trent noticed his jaw clench. Ms. Griffiths's face remained neutral the entire time. She didn't know any of them, really, and it wouldn't seem odd to her at all for Ted to be holding hands with Trent Crimm, formerly of The Independent/presently red in the face.

Trent let Ted take the lead since Nelson Road was his home and Trent was merely a guest at this point. Everyone seemed genuinely surprised at how well-thought out the proposed media exposure was. A feature about Ted in one of the biggest publications in the UK. No muss, no fuss. (Well… potential fuss. But that's where Ms. Griffiths would come in, if need be.)

Ball now fully rolling, Claire coordinated a time for Ted and Giles to meet at a discrete location. She sent along a photographer and someone to record their conversation so it could be transcribed. Trent didn't go with Ted. It wasn't that he wasn't curious to hear what they said, and it certainly would be nice to say Hi to Giles in person, but there was a time and place for both those things and Trent knew his presence would derail what he hoped the conversation would be—a meeting of minds between two coaches of varied backgrounds and experiences on (in Giles's case, anyway) and off the pitch. They could talk about whatever they wanted, but Ted opening up about his bisexuality had to be mentioned at least once. Giles was instructed not to bring it up, but he could ask questions about it after Ted initiated that topic.

Ted came to Trent's flat straight from his talk with Giles because Alice was already asleep. As soon as Trent opened the door, Ted burst into tears and hugged Trent. Trent guided Ted to his office and they sat on the couch, Ted clinging to Trent while his sobs subsided. Against every journalistic instinct in his body, Trent didn't ask any questions. Ted would talk when he was ready.

Trent thought Ted had dozed off because his breathing had mostly evened out from the stuttered gulps he took in as he cried, so he was surprised when Ted whispered, "I don't want you thinkin' I'm ashamed of myself, or scared about people knowin' my truth, because I'm not." He let out a shaky sigh. "It wasn't hard talkin' to Giles about anything—he's a great guy and I'm glad to know him."

"So what is it, Ted?" Trent asked softly, resting his cheek against the top of Ted's head.

"Remember our first kiss? When you said you felt relief after it? It's that," Ted said. "Part of it, anyway. I felt it after tellin' Rebecca. After tellin' my mama. After talkin' to Giles. I finally get to be me, you know? But at the same time, I'm more than that. And it got me thinkin' about you and what you've told me about your family and your career and how people have been tryin' to put you in a box for this one thing about you instead of celebratin' you for everything you are. And I guess I got sad that people are probably gonna box me up too. I spent half my life tryin' to be the best coach I could be and none of that's gonna matter to some of the folks I grew up with after this article comes out. And I know that shouldn't matter—and it don't in the long run—but it hit me on the way over here and I couldn't keep that bottled up."

"Nor should you," Trent replied as he held Ted closer. "I'm so sorry you're upset."

"Oh, you know how it is… just terrified and happy at the same time," Ted said with a chuckled. "Knowin' you're in my corner helps a bunch."

The day before the article was set to go live, there was a team meeting for all players, coaches, and staff at Nelson Road. Trent attended only because Ted asked him to. It was exactly two weeks before the Greyhounds' first match and there were several updates for everyone. Most were housekeeping things—new kits because of a new sponsor, make any snack and sports drinks requests by the end of the week to Will, etc.

"There's one other thing I wanted y'all to hear from me before it hits the papers tomorrow," Ted said as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

Trent took half a step forward but stopped when Rebecca put a hand on his arm. They hadn't spoken outside of the meeting with Ms. Griffiths, not one-on-one. Trent knew Rebecca was protective of Ted, not because Ted told him that in as many words but because of what she had done for him. Ted's job had been safe after relegation and with the panic attacks. Ted's job had been safe through bad press and now coming out. Ted had told Trent the truth about why he was hired and how that brought Ted and Rebecca even closer. Knowing she was so supportive of the two of them dating meant a lot to Ted, but it meant even more to Trent. For so long he had been on the outside of the Richmond bubble—writing about the team didn't mean he was part of the team. He was part of the team now, though. And the team's heart needed to speak his peace on his own.

"As most of you know, bein' in the public eye means your private life isn't always as private as it should be. We're people too. And people deserve privacy," Ted said with a sigh. "I do regret not tellin' y'all earlier about the panic attacks because even though that's private, it does affect the team. And it's also somethin' that the team should be able to talk about. Your mental health is as important as your physical health. I shoulda been more honest with you about my struggles because it's not somethin' I should be embarrassed about. In fact, me talkin' about my mental health might encourage someone else to be more open about theirs. You feel me?"

Ted paused as a number of people standing around him nodded.

"Okay," Ted said, nodding. "So. Tomorrow, The Times is gonna have a conversation between me and Giles Trowley. Y'all remember him? He played for Crystal Palace when most of you were kiddos. He coaches for Chelsea's ladies team now."

"Giles Trowley was the first openly gay Premier League player," Colin piped up from where he was standing, sandwiched between Isaac and Sam.

Ted smiled. "That's right. Heck of a player. Heck of a coach."

"The Chelsea women's team is amazing," Dani shared with genuine passion. "What a lucky coach he is to work with such talented players."

"Right on," Ted exclaimed.

"Hold on, bruv" Isaac said. "Are you leaving us to coach on the women's side?"

The team immediately went into protest-mode, demanding Ted stay.

"OI!" Roy shouted. "Let the man speak."

"Thank you, Roy," Ted said with a chuckle as the team settled down. "Y'all think I'd skedaddle after we just got promoted? Heck no. Y'all are stuck with me for the season. I ain't leavin', I promise." Ted sighed. "Me and Coach Trowley did talk a lot about bein' coaches, but we also talked about bein' the first in our fields. As Colin pointed out, Coach Trowley was the first openly gay Premier League player. And I'm…"

"The first openly American Premier League coach?" Jamie said, confused. "Yeah. We know."

Everyone looked at Jamie, most with furrowed eyebrows.

"I am, Jamie. You're right," Ted said. "But I'm also bi. Um, bisexual? And me and Coach Trowley talk about that a bit in the article. It's definitely not the only thing we talk about, but I have a feelin' that's the part the press is gonna run with as breakin' news when it really ain't. I mean, it is, in that I will be the first openly bi coach on the men's side. But it also ain't news because it's really no one's business who I'm datin'. But I still wanted y'all to hear it from me. It's not something I'm ashamed of or somethin' I'm tryin' to hide, but it is a more recent development and I thought you should here it from me first instead of reading about it. And hey— I just want y'all to be equally comfortable bein' yourselves and lovin' who you love. As your coach, it's my responsibility to make sure you feel respected and heard on and off this field. Nelson Road is a safe space, okay?" Ted gestured wildly to the training field and clubhouse. "So if y'all want to talk about what's on your mind or in your heart—or if you have any questions—my door is, as always, open."

"Yeah, I have a question," Jamie said, pointing at Trent. "What's he doing 'ere?"

Everyone stared as Ted turned to see who Jamie was referring to. When Ted saw it was Trent, he gave him an apologetic look.

Before Trent could do or say anything, Ted turned back around, shrugged, and said, "Well… he's who I'm datin' of the aforementioned 'it's really no one's business who I'm datin'…"

Trent held his breath, anticipating any reaction. When none really came, he didn't know whether to be relieved or confused. Some members of the team let out a few Ohhhhs, but that was it and the meeting dissolved soon after. A few players went up to Ted to talk to him, but Trent stayed back. He did stand up a bit straighter when Roy Kent approached him.

Roy silently stuck out a hand for Trent to shake, so Trent did. It wasn't the first time Trent had ever shook hands with Roy, but Roy's grip was even firmer than Trent remembered. Instead of ending the handshake after a normal amount of time, Roy pulled Trent a bit closer to him and leaned in. "Do not hurt him. Do you understand?" Roy grunted quietly.

"I don't plan on hurting Ted," Trent replied, not breaking eye contact. "You have my word."

When Roy gave him one barely noticeable nod, followed by a similar nod from Beard, Trent knew he was in the clear. Ted's protection detail had eyes everywhere. It was a comfort to Trent knowing Ted was so well loved among his friends and colleagues. He didn't expect to be loved by association, but their approval did mean something to him.

They walked back to Trent's flat after the meeting. Alice was at Allie's for the night and the pair of them would join Ted and Trent for brunch at Trent's the following morning. That night, though, was the last true night of privacy Ted and Trent knew they would have. They knew the scrutiny that might come their way after Ted and Giles's conversation became available for public consumption.

On the walk, Trent wanted nothing more than to hold Ted's hand and assure him that everything was going to be all right, but he didn't because he couldn't. Ted's hands were shoved deep into his pockets and he was hunched over a bit. Instead of chatting easily as they normally did, Ted was silent and Trent didn't want to question him about it—not until they were somewhere safe for Ted to scream or cry or laugh or whatever he needed to do.

Once inside the flat, Trent thought Ted might relax. Exhale. Look up at least. But he didn't. Trent put a gentle hand on Ted's back. Realizing it wasn't enough, Trent wrapped himself around Ted, enveloping the other man in both arms. Trent was afraid Ted might flinch, but was relieved when Ted's shoulders loosened and his hands came out of his pockets so he could hug back.

"That was a lot," Ted said quietly. "I knew they'd be fine with it, but on the way here I got to thinkin' about tomorrow and my brain started spinnin' faster than a figure skater. I know everything is gonna be okay, but it still doesn't stop me from worryin' about it or thinkin' it's not."

"That's understandable," Trent said. "Would you like to talk about it?"

"Not really, if that's all right," Ted replied.

"Of course it's all right," Trent said as he pulled out of the hug so he could look Ted straight in the eyes. "Tonight is your night, okay? If you do want to talk about it at any point, I am here to listen. Or if you'd rather be distracted, we can do that too."

Ted gave a tired half-smirk. "What kind of distractions are you offerin', Mr. Crimm?"

"Whatever kind you want," Trent said. "I mean, I'm sure Allie will let me hang onto her fryer for a while if you'd rather—"

"—Wait, you have it here? Now? So we can…" Ted bolted for the kitchen as if this was his own flat, leaving Trent standing alone in the living room. "Watch out, Dunkin', Trent and Ted are comin' for ya!" Ted shouted from the kitchen. There was a moment of silence before Ted called out, "No one stomps on your ceiling when you're bein' too loud?"

"We're on the top floor of the building, Ted," Trent said as he walked into the kitchen to find the other man looking at all the ingredients Trent had laid out on the counter earlier in the day. "There's no one to stomp, full stop."

"Have I told you today how grateful I am to have you in my life?" Ted asked, holding a hand out to Trent.

"To think, all this time, the promise of homemade doughnuts was the fastest way to your heart," Trent muttered, taking Ted's hand in his own.

"Awww, you know you've carved out a place in my heart with or without baked goods," Ted replied, pulling Trent closer so he could lean his head on Trent's shoulder. "It's mighty cute of you to surprise me with this this evenin'."

"It's not quite a couple's class…" Trent said.

"Nah, it's even better," Ted explained as he stood up straight and faced Trent, placing his hands on Trent's hips. "See… I probably couldn't do this in a class." Ted leaned in and kissed Trent near the corner of his lips. "Or this." He kissed the other corner. "And I'm sure it'd be frowned upon if I did this." Ted's lips met the center of Trent's and they smiled under each other, moving together until a tiny moan worked it's way up the back of Trent's throat.

When Ted pulled away, Trent knew his face was flushed. "Definitely can't be doing that in a class," Trent managed to get out.

"Maybe later, though," Ted said with a wink and a wicked grin, his weary eyes somehow also sparkling with mischief. He clapped his hands together. "So… what're we makin', Mr. Crimm?"

"Oh, um… no-yeast doughnuts. Similiar to what we did in class," Trent said. "Yeast doughnuts take so much longer and I thought perhaps we might try something we've done once before to increase our success rate."

"Instant gratification with something we know tastes good. I like the way you think, among many other things," Ted said, grabbing a bowl. "We doin' glaze or chocolate dipped or…?"

"I have ingredients for both, so you can pick. In addition to sprinkles, there's also pre-chopped nuts and some sort of caramel topping," Trent said, picking up a bottle and showing it to Ted.

"Alice and Allie are still comin' here for brunch tomorrow, right?" Ted asked.

"Yes," Trent said. "Unless something comes up, they should be here around 11."

"Does Allie like glazed or dipped doughnuts?"

Trent's eyebrows slid up a bit. "Are you trying to curry favor with my sister?"

"Maybe." Ted shrugged and smiled, not even trying to hide his intentions.

"What if I said she already approves of you?"

Ted chuckled. "Well, I'd say I'm mighty flattered, but I wanna earn that approval on my own accord. You're too masterful of a storyteller… can't rest my laurels on your tall tales to stay in her good graces."

"She likes chocolate with caramel and nuts," Trent said flatly.

Ted laughed. "Dipped it is!"

Making doughnuts together was the perfect distraction for Ted that evening. Of the dozen they attempted, all appeared to be edible, which was a huge boost of confidence for both of them. Trent worked on decorating treats for himself and Alice while Ted focused hard to make the Allie-specific doughnuts look as good as what one would see in a display case at a bakery. Doughnuts not decorated completely up to Ted's liking ended up on a reject plate. In the end, they set aside eight doughnuts for the following morning.

Ted leaned against the counter, holding the bowl of quickly drying chocolate, surveying the mess they had made. "We gotta start pickin' some activities that don't require us doin' a ton of dishes afterward."

Trent smiled and leaned on the counter next to Ted, dragging a finger through the chocolate in the bowl. "I don't know," Trent said as he ate the chocolate off of his finger. "I like baking things with you. I admire how seriously you take it, but that it's also relaxing. You have to follow instructions, but at the same time, there's room to make something your own. There's order and chaos."

"Kinda like you and me?" Ted asked as he dipped his own finger in the chocolate.

Trent's eyebrows went up. "Am I the order? Or the choas?"

Ted shrugged. "I think we're both kinda both. That way we can be what the other one needs when they need it. I felt like I was a mess today and you had things under control."

"Hmmm," Trent hummed as he nodded, putting his finger back in the bowl. "Can we both be chaos?" He sucked the chocolate off his finger and looked at Ted with a purposefully blank expression.

"Now that's just mean," Ted said.

"How?" Trent asked.

"Because I know exactly what you're doin', but we should clean up the kitchen first because we're not gonna want to do it later and this place needs to be spotless for tomorrow mornin'."

Trent took the bowl out of Ted's hands and put it where there was a bit of free space on the counter. Ted put his hands on his hips and tried to give Trent a serious face, but he couldn't keep it up once Trent slid his hands through Ted's arms and into his back pockets, pulling Ted toward him so that they were pressed up against each other in an almost-hug (except that Ted's hands were still on his hips).

"I know I already met your sister last year, but it's different now," Ted said earnestly.

"Do you know what I'm worried about tomorrow?" Trent asked with a sigh as he took his hands out of Ted's back pockets and took a step back so he could address Ted face-to-face.

"No, what?"

"That you two are going to form an alliance and I'll end up being a third wheel to my sister and my…" Trent frowned.

Ted cocked his head and smiled. "Your what?"

"My you," Trent replied, still frowning. "We haven't talked about that, have we?"

"Talked about what?" Ted asked, still smiling. "How we're too old to be callin' each other boyfriends?"

Trent stood up straighter, surprised that Ted knew exactly what he was thinking. "Yes."

Ted laughed. "I mighta Googled it the other day. I liked the option of partner or fella, as both sound like we're cowboys. Although I guess 'cowboy' sounds silly for a grown man too, huh? Even though that's more widely acceptable. Y'all don't really have cowboys here, do ya?"

"May I call you that?" Trent asked. "My partner, I mean."

"I sure like how that sounds," Ted said.

"Right," Trent said, immediately getting back to his thought from a few moments ago. "So, I'm worried tomorrow that I'll be a third wheel to my sister and my partner."

"Well… you got Alice, right?"

"She's not a sure thing." Trent shook his head. "The Als usually team up on me."

"How about I be on your team, then?" Ted asked.

"You can't make that promise," Trent said as he looped one arm around Ted's waist. "Alas."

"Alas, indeed," Ted said.

"Please don't worry about my sister tomorrow," Trent said softly. "She knows I'm happy. You've already passed whatever test you think there is to pass."

"What if she don't like my breakfast tacos?"

"What if I don't like your breakfast tacos?"

"What?!" Ted's eyebrows shot up. "You told me you liked 'em last time I made 'em!" When Trent laughed, Ted poked him in the side. "Ooooooo… just for that, I should make you clean up the kitchen by yourself."

Trent gave Ted a kiss on the cheek. "I deserve that. You can sit. I'll do the dishes."

Ted grabbed a hand towel. "Like I would ever actually let you clean up by yourself, especially when I helped make the mess. You wash. I'll dry. Then we can both be chaos together," he said with a yawn.

"We can just sleep, you know," Trent remarked as he put dish soap on a sponge. "It was a long day. I'm probably tired enough for the both of us and all I did was stand there."

"Yeah, but you sure looked all stoic and handsome while doin' it," Ted said with a smile. "Sleep sounds good. I'm just grateful to end the day next to ya."

"What?" Trent asked as he took his toothbrush out of his mouth and spit toothpaste in the sink.

Ted shook his head, his eyebrows still up. "Nothin'… I just don't think I've ever seen you wearin' jeans before. Or a sweatshirt."

Trent pushed his glasses up as he looked down at his outfit of old jeans and a fraying navy crewneck sweatshirt from when he was at university. As of the past few months, it was his standard brunch attire when he was with his daughter and sister at one of their homes. He was barefoot and as relaxed as one could be before a first shared meal with the three most important people in his life.

"You've seen me in sweatpants," Trent said before rinsing out his mouth with a sip of water. "You've seen me in no pants literally an hour ago. But jeans is where you draw the line?"

Ted held his hands up in surrender. "No line drawn, sir. I was just makin' an observation and my brain's takin' extra long to catch up to the fact that there's still so much to learn about you and I need to make sure I packed enough snacks for this journey, because it's lookin' to be a long one."

Trent kissed Ted on the lips as he exited the bathroom. "Al texted. They'll be here in 10." When Ted didn't move, Trent turned around. "Is everything all right?" Trent watched Ted's hands to see if they'd shake or find their way into his pockets. The article came out that morning, as planned, but at Ms. Griffiths's suggestion, they agreed Ted would leave his phone off for the day. Trent had notifications coming in at lightning speed, but he ignored them out of solidarity to Ted and only answered his sister's text. "We don't have to do this," giving Ted an out if he needed one without him having to ask. "You and I can leave before they get here or Allie can take Alice somewhere else."

"Thank you, but I'm okay," Ted said as he turned to face Trent. "I won't lie and say that I'm not nervous, even with all your pep talks last night and this mornin'. This is all kind of a big deal. Not just the article comin' out, I mean. And me too, I guess. But spendin' time with your family."

"I know," Trent said softly. "It feels that way to me too." He nodded his head toward the kitchen. "I'm going to go put the kettle on. Would you like me to make another pot of coffee for you?"

"Yes, please," Ted said with a grateful smile. "I'll see ya in there in a minute, okay?"

Trent gave Ted a single nod. "Looking forward to it."

None of the adults were expecting Alice to shriek "COACH TED!" and wrap her arms tightly around Ted's thighs, completely bypassing her own father.

Trent fielded a knowing look from his sister as Ted's face lit up from the unanticipated hug.

"Hey there Miss Crimm! Hello, Allie. Good to see ya again," Ted said as he patted Alice on the head. She beamed up at him and then held her arms up. He shot a quick look over at Trent to make sure it was okay. When Trent gave a small smile and nod, Ted hoisted Alice onto his hip. "How are things with you, little lady?"

"Aunt Al said you're making food," Alice said matter-of-factly.

"Yes ma'am," Ted replied.

"Can I watch?" Alice asked.

"I sure would love that," Ted said as he smiled. "But only if your dad says it's okay."

Alice looked at her dad and gave him purposefully sad eyes and a frown. All the adults chuckled.

"Of course it's okay," Trent said. "But you're to listen to Coach Ted. And no touching—"

"—the stove," Alice finished for him, as if it was something she had heard a million times.

"Someone's sharp as a tack," Ted said, bouncing Alice on his hip. "All right, Miss Crimm, you and me are gonna get this party started, okay?"

"Party?" Alice asked, confused. "Is there cake?"

Ted laughed. "No… but your daddy and me did make you and your aunt a treat for later."

Trent and Allie watched Ted and Alice disappear into the kitchen. It was the first time Alice let anyone besides family or a sitter carry her off somewhere. It was only one room over, but still—Trent was a little shocked that she seemed so eager to go with Ted even though he had never been part of her brunch routine before.

"So… since your man already has Alice's stamp of approval, I guess I'll be heading out now," Allie said as she took a step toward the door.

Trent grabbed her arm, even though he knew she was joking. "Now hang on just a minute," he said, pulling her into a hug. "Thank you for watching her last night."

Allie rolled her eyes. "You thank me every time like it's some sort of hardship for me and Ant when it is absolutely our pleasure, you twat."

"I know," Trent said, letting Allie go. "And I'll keep saying it every time because it really does mean the world to me."

"Did you two have a good night?" Allie asked, her tone loaded.

"Well… we spent the evening making you doughnuts and then pretty much crashed after we cleaned the kitchen," Trent said. "We did have a good morning, though. Twice."

Allie grinned and swatted Trent's arm. "Look at you, old man."

"You're not to say anything about it in front of Alice or Ted, do you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Major Buzzkill," Allie said, saluting her brother.

"Oh, come on… you know I'm a General at this point. Show some respect," Trent deadpanned. "Look… he's really nervous right now—and, to be honest, so am I—so please save any pressing inquiries until next time and just let us get through today with no body count."

"I'll remind you, I'm the one who wanted you two to be together long before you got together," Allie said.

"He was married at the time, Al," Trent hissed.

"Yeah, and we both thought he was straight. I basically manifested this for you," Allie said, dropping her purse by the front door. "You're welcome, by the way." She sighed. "I read the article. I won't mention it once we get in there, but I needed you to know."

"I haven't read it yet," Trent said softly.

"Are you going to?" Allie asked.

"Eventually, of course. I was going to see if Ted wanted to read it together or if he'd rather me read it on my own," Trent replied.

"It was pretty fucking good," Allie said. "He's a smart one." Trent nodded. "Like, really smart. Well done, you."

Trent nodded some more. "Do you want some tea?"

"Why do you ask that like there's a chance I'll say no," Allie replied, as she headed toward the kitchen.

"Well, I did make coffee," Trent pointed out as he followed. "So there's options today, since Ted hates…" He stopped in the doorway to the kitchen in time to see Ted taking a sip out of a mug that most certainly had a tea bag label hanging out of it. "Tea."

Ted swallowed whatever was in his mouth, doing his very best to make it look like it wasn't something he absolutely detested. "Hey there… Alice asked me to try her drink. What flavor was that again, Miss Crimm?"

"Chamomile," Alice said happily. "Just like Peter Rabbit drinks."

"Yep, that tastes exactly like what a rabbit would enjoy," Ted said with a pained smile as he put the mug down on the table in front of Alice. "Thank you for sharin' that with me."

Allie grinned as she sat down with her niece while Trent made his way to where Ted was and pulled him around so they were both facing away from Alice.

"You definitely did not have to do that," Trent said softly, as he rested a hand on Ted's lower back while Ted poked around at the eggs he was scrambling on the stovetop.

"Well, I won't be doin' it again," Ted said. "But if your kid asks me to do somethin' within reason, I'm gonna do it. And I'm not sayin' drinkin' tea is within' reason—because that stuff tasted like compost—but I'm not gonna discourage her from somethin' she likes just because I don't like it at all."

Trent kissed Ted on the cheek, full-well knowing his sister's eyes were likely on them. "What can I do to help?"

"Maybe get out the cheese and the condiments?" Ted said. "The hash browns'll be done soon and then we can just warm the shells up in the microwave at the last minute." He called over his shoulder to Allie and Alice. "Y'all want cheesy scrambled eggs or plain scrambled eggs?"

"Cheesy, please," Alice said, her feet swaying under the table.

"Allie? You want cheesy eggs? Or I can set aside some plain ones for you if ya want," Ted said.

"Cheesy is fine, Ted. Thank you," Allie replied as she got up to get herself some tea while her brother was busy looking in the fridge for ketchup and cheese. "How are you doing?" she asked Ted, pouring water into her mug. "Honestly?"

Ted chuckled at her question. "I'm doin' okay, thanks. Thanks for lettin' me join y'all's family brunch this mornin'. Your brother has been the best distraction from that article." He looked over at where Trent was hidden behind the fridge door. "He thinks we're gonna gang up on him at some point."

Allie laughed. "Oh, I don't doubt it. In fact, I would say that is absolutely my plan this morning."

"I can hear you both, you know," Trent said, standing up and closing the fridge door with his foot since his hands were full.

"That was the point," Allie said, sharing a smile with Ted before joining Alice back at the table.

"Hey Al," Trent called to his daughter. "You'll be on my team, won't you?"

"Your team for what?" Alice asked.

"When Aunt Al and Coach Ted start to pick on me, you'll protect me, right?" Trent asked as he set the ketchup on the table next to an unopened bottle of barbecue sauce Ted brought over from his flat.

"Why would they pick on you?" Alice asked.

"Very good question, Al. Excellent investigative instincts. Why would they pick on me?" Trent aimed his words at both his sister and Ted.

"Because he leaves hair in the shower," Allie offered.

"And he hogs blankets," Ted said, breaking apart the hash browns in their pan.

Trent's mouth dropped open as he put his hands on his hips. "You two were so quick to answer that."

"I love you, Dad," Alice said.

Trent smiled and put his hands on Alice's shoulders. "Thank you, my love. It's good to know someone's on my side."

"You do leave hair in the shower," Alice said, taking another sip of her tea.

Allie and Ted laughed.

"You do too," Trent replied, kissing her on the top of her head. "And so does your aunt."

"But not Coach Ted?" Alice asked.

"No," Trent said, as he went to stand by Ted. "Coach Ted leaves mustache hairs in the sink."

Ted's jaw dropped. "I thought I wiped those up," he whispered loudly.

"You thought wrong," Trent said, nudging Ted's hip with his own. "Shall I heat up the shells, darling?"

Ted, Allie, and Trent's eyebrows all raised—Ted's with delight, Allie's with shock, and Trent's with a mix of panic and regret.

When Ted saw how badly Trent reacted, his body language morphed from gleeful to that of someone prepared to do damage control. "Hey, it's okay. Okay?" He smiled and nodded, hoping Trent would get that he wasn't going to make a big deal about it and that they could talk about it later. "That'd be great if you could heat up the shells. Thank you."

Trent nodded at Ted and then shot his sister a look that screamed Why did I say that? before pulling the package of shells out of the cupboard. He took a deep breath as he ripped it open. "How many do we need?"

"Maybe start with eight?" Ted said with a shrug as he looked over his shoulder to the ladies at the table. "Everyone want two tacos for now? There'll be enough for more if you want. Those are small shells."

"Plus we have doughnuts," Trent said as he counted out eight shells and put them on a plate with a paper towel over them.

"Yes we do," Ted said.

Ted scooped the cheesy eggs and hash browns into separate bowls and double checked that all the burners on the stovetop were turned off. He put the bowls on the table right as the microwave timer went off.

"Everybody good on drinks?" Ted asked.

"Yes, thank you," Alice piped up from her seat.

"Allie, you good?" Ted asked.

Allie chuckled. "Yes, thank you."

"Trent?"

Trent nodded as he set the plate of shells on the table. Ted reached over and put a hand on his arm, giving it a small squeeze before they both sat down.

"What's this?" Alice asked, picking up the bottle of barbecue sauce.

"Do you like ketchup?" Ted asked. When Alice nodded, Ted smile. "Well, this is barbecue sauce—it's like ketchup's cousin. It's from where I come from in America. We put it on everything. Burgers. Fries. Eggs. You wanna try some?" Alice nodded, so Ted broke the seal on the bottle and poured a little on his own plate. "Dip your finger in it like this," Ted said as he put his own finger in the sauce. Alice did the same. They both licked their fingers at the same time. All the adults watched Alice's expression. When her eyes lit up, Ted grinned. "Tasty, right?" Alice nodded. "You want some on your eggs?" She nodded again. "Thatta girl."

The breakfast tacos were a hit, much to Ted's relief. Trent could tell Ted wanted to ask Allie and Alice every few minutes how things were, but he refrained. They ate mostly in silence, too busy chewing to talk.

Once everyone had their fill of tacos, Alice excused herself to the bathroom. Trent nodded for his sister to leave the kitchen and Allie loudly excused herself to the living room, leaving himself and Ted to clear the table and set out the doughnuts.

"Well, I think the main course was a resounding success," Ted said as he scooped leftover hash browns into a container to put into the fridge.

"I'm so sorry about earlier," Trent said quietly, putting the cheese away.

"Sorry for what?" Ted asked.

"Calling you darling," Trent replied.

Ted stopped what he was doing. "I didn't mind at all, if that's what you're frettin' about. I kinda liked it, actually." When Ted saw the pained look on Trent's face, his own face shifted to one of concern. "What?"

"That's what I used to call Thomas," Trent explained. "And I wasn't even thinking about him when I said it to you, I swear. It just slipped out like I had been calling you that all along."

"Oh," Ted said, understanding the weight of what Trent just admitted. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Trent said, though his shoulder slumped. "No?"

"Hey, it's okay," Ted said as he put down his spoon and rested his hands on Trent's shoulders. "I'm sorry it made you sad."

"It made you so happy, though," Trent said.

"This ain't about me." Ted shrugged. "Though, if you wanna call me somethin', you go right ahead."

"Like what?"

"Well… that's for you to decide, ain't it?" Ted said. "Did he used to call you somethin'?"

"Babe," Trent said with a frown. "He called me babe."

"Well, there we go… two terms of endearment options permanently off the table just like that. Easy peasy."

"Do you want to call me something?"

Ted smiled. "I will mull that over and get back to you. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good. Thank you." Trent kissed Ted gently on the lips. "How are you holding up?"

Ted nodded. "I think I'm doin' okay. Still stressin' a bit about the article, but it helps not havin' my phone on me. Also very weird. We're really attached to those things, aren't we?" He sighed. "I think these doughnuts are really gonna seal the deal with your sister, though."

"Speaking of…" Trent muttered. "AL, YOU CAN COME BACK IN."

Allie strolled back into the kitchen within moments. "Everything all right?"

"Peachy keen, ma'am, thank you," Ted replied with a nod of his head as he got back to putting leftovers in container. "May I refill your tea? Pour you some coffee? Get you a glass of water?"

"I'm fine, but thank you," Allie said, sitting back down at the table. "You already won my vote, Ted. In case Trent hadn't told you yet."

"That's good to know. Thank you, Allie." Ted grinned. "I still woulda offered you a beverage or three even if I knew that, though. I did make you special doughnuts. Just in case."

"I am curious… what would you have done if I didn't like you?" Allie asked.

"Same thing I'm doin' now, ma'am," Ted said honestly. "With all due respect, as much as I want-slash-need you to see me as good for your brother, his opinion is really the only one that matters here. And Alice's."

"Alice's what?" Alice asked as she walked back into the kitchen, causing the grownups to chuckle.

"Why, your opinion, Miss Crimm," Ted said, putting fresh plates on the table.

"What opinion?" Alice asked, looking up at Ted.

"Your opinion about me," Ted replied.

Alice blinked a few times, seemingly lost in thought. None of the adults moved or said anything.

"I think you're tall," Alice said definitively.

"Well, there you go," Ted said, smiling. "Thank you, Alice. I do feel tall today." He held out the plate of doughnuts to her. "Doughnut, milady? Your daddy made the one with the sprinkles just for you."

While Ted helped Alice cut her doughnut in half, Allie leaned toward her brother who had sat back down at the table. "You guys made those? They look better than the ones at the shop."

Trent nodded. "Ted decorated the ones with the nuts and caramel for you."

"Yeah, I'm definitely on Team Ted," Allie said as she reached over and took a doughnut off the place. "If this tastes as good as it looks, I'll get t-shirts made." She took a bite and groaned. "Fuck me," she said with a mouthful of food. She immediately put a hand in front of her mouth, but the bad word was already out.

"Jesus, Al," Trent muttered, grabbing his own doughnut.

Ted stared at the two Crimm siblings the whole exchange, entirely amused by their collective lack of filter. Alice was unfazed, happily nibbling her treat and spilling sprinkles all over her plate and jumper.

"I gotta say, I thought y'all were gonna be supremely intimidatin' or kinda uppity, but I am enjoyin' the heck out of this unfettered dynamic y'all got goin' on," Ted said. "Hey, Alice… are your dad and aunt this silly together all the time?" Alice nodded, causing Ted to grin. "Thank you for the intel, sweetheart."

Post-brunch, Ted offered to do the dishes while Trent and Allie kept Alice busy in the living room, waiting for her to crash from the sugar high of the doughnut. They got her down for a nap just as Ted was finishing up.

Allie jerked a thumb toward the front door. "I'm going to head home before Ant wonders where I've gotten to."

Trent knew his sister was politely making an exit, as Ant never minded when she hung around with her brother on Crimm sibling brunch days.

Ted reached out a hand. "It sure was nice seein' you again today, Allie."

Allie waved off Ted's hand and went in for a hug. "It was nice to see you too, Ted. You're quite an impressive man. I hope we'll be seeing more of each other."

Trent ducked his head and smiled to himself when Ted beamed.

"I hope so too," Ted replied. "Thanks for takin' such good care of this guy all these years." He nodded toward Trent as he pulled out of the hug.

"Yeah, well… he's not so bad to be around," Allie said, picking up her purse. "I love you, little brother."

"Christ," Trent said, as he hugged his sister. "I love you too."

When Allie left, an odd silence hung in the air between Ted and Trent.

"Okay… somethin's up. There's no way she thinks I'm impressive because of breakfast tacos, Trent. Or those doughnuts," Ted said.

"She read it," Trent said softly. "It was the first thing she said after you and Al went into the kitchen after they got here. I haven't yet… I didn't know if you wanted to read it together, or have me read it while you were here or later on after you've gone back to your flat."

Ted wrung his hands in each other. "I don't want to read it just yet, but I think you should. You can read it now if you want. Get it over with."

"Are you sure?"

Ted nodded.

They ended up on the couch in Trent's office with Trent laying down with his head in Ted's lap. Ted shut his eyes and ran a hand through Trent's hair while Trent fired up his iPad.

OUT ON THE PITCH
A Meeting of History-Making Managers

As he read, Trent found himself falling for Ted all over again. Ted was impressive. He was smart. And kind. And witty. And strategic. A leader. A follower. Generous.

And Trent's.

…The man I'm dating, he keeps telling me that I'm a bunch of puzzle pieces. Because I'm made up of all these different things, right? And together, they make up the person I am. I'm a man. A coach. A father. Divorced. Anxious. Curious. Enlightened. Terrified. Happy. His. You know? My heart is full because I have someone to share it with. And, to me, that makes me a better man. A better person. A better coach. And I'm happy to talk about that with you or anyone else, but me being bi is just one piece of my puzzle. Just like me being left-handed or me having brown eyes. It's part of who I am, but it's not all that I am. And I know that's all folks are going to want to talk about in the coming weeks. But that's disappointing, Giles. Because there's so much more important things to talk about right now—like how the Greyhounds are back in the Premier League or how we have the best team owner on the men's side. I know this chat is about us, but you and me both know that coaches who think they're more important than the team they're coaching probably shouldn't be coaching to begin with…

When he was done reading, Trent powered off his laptop. He took Ted's hand out of his hair and kissed his palm before holding both their hands to his heart.

"Was it okay?" Ted asked softly.

"It was more than okay, Ted. I'm so proud of you," Trent replied. "You said you're mine?"

"Because I am." Ted squeezed Trent's hand. "As long as you'll have me. I mean… newspapers should only print the facts, right? That's what you taught me."

Trent chuckled and held onto their joined hands with his other hand. He thought about all the things Ted had taught him since they had known each other and what all they still had yet to learn.

What he still had yet to learn.

He looked up at Ted. "Would you teach me sometime?"

"You wanna learn how to coach?"

Trent shook his head. "How to ride a bike."