Page 83 of Bully Boys

"Absolutely," Logan grinned, then shifted awkwardly. "Thank you, by the way. For bidding on him. Some of the guys here have been on his case for — for being different. It gets to him sometimes. Tonight… I think you've gone a long way to fixing it."

"Son, I won't pretend things aren't hard for those who are different," Walter said, looking over at where Oz was laughing, still talking with his folks. "But we've come a long way from how things used to be, too.United by eternal bonds of brotherhood…" he said, quoting part of the Mu Tau Rho pledge.

Warmth filled Logan's chest to hear it; Walter's words resonating with a weight beyond that of just one elderly man's weathered, trembling voice.

" — Always striving for excellence; together, forever," Logan finished with him, smiling broadly as Walter beamed back at Logan, wearing a grin to match.

"Exactly," Walter nodded. "And as long as we remember that; as long as we stay united; as long as we always remember to choose hope over fear? Then things will keep getting better. Slowly. Too slowly, sometimes. But in the end, they will. And one day, there will come a generation who live and breathe that promise; who know only hope; that never have to fight at all. Until then, it's up to us."

Logan looked over at Oz, Walter's words swirling around inside his skull; filling in the gaps and taking root.

"Besides, if Danny were here, it'd be the sort of thing he'd do." Walter snorted, but his tone was fondly pleased. "Probably bully me into it until I agreed, too; saying 'it's all for a good cause', you know?"

"Yes, sir," Logan replied as Oz turned and flashed them a smile, pulling his mom's hand excitedly as he led them over. "I think I do."

"What are we talking about?" Oz asked as he and his parents came over to stand at Logan's side.

"Good causes," Logan told him, pulling the slightly crumpled Blue Ribbon award from his suit pocket and looping it over Oz's head. Grinning at Oz's startled expression, Logan closed the distance between them on the pretext of smoothing the wide blue ribbon into place.

He took a deep breath —

"Let him see you, sugar," Eli murmured. "Be his daring boy tonight, and show him who you are…"

"And choosing hope over fear," Logan added, sliding a casual arm around Oz's waist, just like they were any other couple here; carefully watching Oz's expression shift from hesitant wonder to a welcoming, enthusiastic smile.

"A very good cause indeed," Walter nodded, grinning as Oz's parents chorused a 'Here, here!', both beaming at their son proudly.

"This the kind of man you want them to see?" Coach Rankin had asked of a lost young man, giving Logan one final chance he hadn't deserved

"Yes," Logan grinned, leaning into Oz. "Yes, it is."