Van huffed, placed his hands on his hips, and glared at the vine creeping up his precious peach tree. “That damn thing won’t go away!”

Von, his boyfriend, sat back on his haunches with a weed in one hand and a bed cultivator in the other. “It’s tenacious.”

“That’s all you have to say?”

“Well,” Von motioned with the cultivator, “leave it. It won’t hurt the tree.”

“But it looks awful.”

Von stood and dropped the weed and cultivator. He walked over to Van and shoulder bumped him. “I think it adds character.”

“You think peeling paint adds character.”

Von laughed, it was a deep, honey sound. He wrapped his arms around Van and Van fought not to melt into Von. “Because it does. Leave the vine alone. You can even name it.”

Van frowned. He knew he had a penchant for naming weird things but a vine? No way.

“Come on.” Von drug him away and into the house. “It’s lunch time and I’m starving.”

“You’re always starving.”

“And you’re always naming things. How about you name something for me to make?”

Van shook his head with a smile. “Ham and bologna sandwich?”

“Uh!” Von sighed dramatically. “You test my culinary limits! One slice of cheese or two?”

Van sat down and just looked at Von. Walking into the wrong examine room two years ago was the happiest mistake he ever made. He was new to his nursing job and totally screwed up which room he was supposed to be in. “One with an extra bologna slice.”

“Sure thing.”

Von set about making their lunch while Van simply watched. He loved his life now. Von made this place a home and he couldn’t be more grateful for that.