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lizzybeth1986 · 7 months

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Harvest Moon

Book: Perfect Match

Rating: PG

Pairings: Basil Park (m!MC) x Sage Young (f!Hayden), Basil Park x Sloane Washington, Kim Washington

Summary: It's Sage's first ever birthday! And what better way to celebrate it than a fun road trip to a place where they can see the last supermoon of the year - just her, Basil, Sloane and Kim. But this time might be a little different - because this time around, Kim knows Sage is a Match...

Word Count: 4, 099 words

Note: While looking up this year's celestial sightings would be, I discovered that 29th Sept is when we will see the last supermoon of the year. PM is set in the future but for sure I felt like it would be just extra special for me to do a similar setting for a birthday fic 😁 The events of this fic are referenced in "Saffron Sugar, Turmeric Spice"

Sage is pretty sure no one-year-old has ever had a birthday surprise quite like this one.

Though technically, there was no way it could have been a surprise. This road trip was planned and booked two months in advance, Sloane and Kim have been wanting to check out Cherry Springs State Park's dark sky view for a while, and Basil and Sage have checked the Yearly Astronomical Reference Guide on seasky.org often enough to know that the very last supermoon you'll see this year, will make an appearance on Sage's birthday.

Sure, there are people who'll wonder at the wisdom of driving five hours for a view they could enjoy anywhere in New York. But combining road trips and amateur astronomy is a family tradition. Their family tradition. A tradition the Washington women created and enjoyed themselves; a tradition both Sage and Basil both love. Because the Washingtons are their family.

Sage lets out a low, trembling sigh, and clutches her jacket closer to her body.

Were, she reminds herself, maybe "were my family" is the better phrase to use here. Would still be, if she hadn't opened her big mouth on a visit to DC last week. While Kim stood outside her door, frozen in stunned silence.

The memory is humiliating enough now to make Sage train her eyes with unusual focus outside the car window. She doesn't want to see the worry in Basil's eyes, or the pleas to talk to her in Sloane's.

She isn't sure what she'll see in Kim's, because it's been hard maintaining eye contact with her ever since that moment in the doorway - but she knows for sure whatever warmth she'd seen there before must be long gone.

On the face of it, everything seems the same. After that awkward first day, Kim seemed eager to steer things back to normal. So normal, in fact, that it began to freak Sage out.

It wouldn't be the first time someone tried to talk like everything was okay, while their stares and body language said something else altogether. Damien's wariness. Khaan's clinical interest. Winona's transparent-as-glass attempts to look away from her shoulder. The brief flash of pain in President Thompson's eyes every time she saw Sage. And while there's been enough press releases and outreach designed to change public opinion on sentient andriods....the path to real transformation is slow. And hard. And sometimes downright exhausting.

Sage is tired. She doesn't want to have to go through conversations like that again. And to have Kim - the woman she considered mom even before they met - be the person she had that talk with...would practically break her.

Better to keep off that eventuality for as long as she possibly can.

"Sage, baby," Kim says, distractedly, eyes on the road. "Which song next? Come Fly With Me, Fly Me to The Moon or The Girl from Ipenama?"

Nervous, Sage bites her lip. Kim has never had this much trouble choosing Sinatra songs on a road trip before. Still, maybe guessing why Kim would want these tunes in particular would distract her. The first one probably for the travel vibes. The second fits the theme of their trip and Sage suspects Kim would put the third one on just to get her to translate the Spanish verses again.

"Come Fly With Me for now," she says, "I don't care if it's about going on a plane and reminds me how sick and tired we all got of airplane peanuts last year - it's still a travel song."

Kim's laughter is light like a summer breeze, as she fiddles with the radio. Sloane joins her, her voice so like her mother's that they sound like double echoes. Sage can see the swing of her new earrings as Sloane turns to look at them. Bright yellow hoops that contrast so perfectly with her purple blazer, the spiral-like curls at the edges intricate and made entirely of paper.

Sage feels a glow of pride, looking at the immaculate detailing. Kim had taken up quilling as a hobby only early this year, and already her craftwork could rival any seasoned professional.

"Wonder how Dipper's doing," Sloane murmurs, suddenly rummaging inside her bag for her phone, "maybe I should give Nadia and Steve a call?"

"In the lap of luxury, for sure," Basil says, smiling.

"That dog is so spoiled," Sage lets out an unladylike snort.

Kim looks too preoccupied with the road to say anything, but no more than two minutes later the song on the car radio changes. To a song that Sage is pretty damn sure isn't a regular one on their playlist. Mama Will Bark. With its humourous whimsy, terrible dog puns and periodic howling. Sage almost chokes on her own laugh.

Her eyes meet Kim's in the front view mirror for less than a second; so belief that she's convinced she has to have imagined that Kim winked at her.

Basil and Sloane give Sage her birthday gift at the Campgrounds, just before sunset. She gasps at the beauty she's just unwrapped - A GoPro Hero 35 Black camera kit; the Creator Edition Bundle, the kind that comes with a chest mount, a head mount, a tripod - the works. It's the kind of camera that would work like magic any time, any terrain, any weather. An adventure lover's dream.

"Wow..." she breathes, her chest tight, "Fucking wow."

Behind them, Kim clears her throat. Very audibly.

Spying from beneath her lashes, Sage spots a slight smile. "Oops," she says, not feeling very sorry at all. Secret jokester that she is, Kim likes to front like she cares about the group's collective tendency to cuss at the drop of a hat, but does such a poor job of it that it's become an inside joke among them all now.

Kim chuckles. "What say we all take a small walk after half an hour?"

The three of them nod, and stuff the wrapping paper and used tapes into a bag they've reserved just for garbage, to be thrown at the sanitary dump area before they leave the premises. Basil looks around the near-empty expanse of greenery, "We could go now if you want, Kim."

A small huff of laughter. "Not yet. The moon will be out any minute now. Go put that camera to good use and...moongaze, I guess...I'll just take care of a few things in the tent."

Soon enough, the harvest moon does come out - more swollen, more rounded, more golden than the full moon they're all used to. Its colouring takes on an almost ombre tone - a light gold at the top, melting into an almost red-orange hue towards the bottom. It feels so close you could be tempted to reach out and touch it.

It wasn't like they didn't know what to expect. Sloane told them. Showed them videos, pictures, all peppered with jargon they could barely understand. Explained the science so that by the time they came here they knew that, technically, this was an optical illusion caused by the moon's elliptical orbit. They knew what a perigee was. Enough documentary nights have passed between the three of them to make the moon sound like less of an object of magic and whimsy, and more a funny little rock that orbits the earth every 28 days.

But...but seeing it up there like this, up in a sky unmarred by smog and bright lights, where on any other night the Milky Way would be laid out across the sky like a carpet of stars. And so close, that you could make out - ever so faintly - the lattice work of the craters and the fine lines that connect them. Sage wonders at the sheer intimacy of this experience; of being here, watching this, with the two people who mean the world to her.

"Yknow what," she murmurs, rummaging through boxes and protective cases and quickly setting up the GoPro, "now would be a good time to try this baby out. Like, it is my birthday."

Basil grins. "I'm game," he says looking at Sloane, "have any ideas, babe?"

Sloane looks up, nose scrunched in deep thought. "Would silhouettes take too much time? The moon could shift position too soon if we don't time it right."

"Leave that to me," Sage says, smirking. "I'm the photographer here, remember?"

Sloane rolls her eyes in a way that reminds them eerily of Alana. "I built you from scratch a year ago, remember?"

"Touché," Sage chuckles as she gets to work. The setup isn't easy, and the fact that the moon could shift position anytime makes Sage's movements almost frenetic, but just as she is about to signal to Basil and Sloane to move together for a silhouette shot perfectly set up on the backdrop of a Harvest Moon, she sees Sloane approach her.

"You're the birthday girl," she says, panting, "You should get first dibs on a shot."

Sage giggles. "Trust you to spoil me as much as you do Dipper." She makes a few final adjustments, then turns to Sloane. "You know how to work this?"

"Sure I do. I looked up at least 8 - no, 9 - tutorials!"

She lets out a belly laugh, playfully punching Sloane in the shoulder. "Show off."

Sloane has only one instruction to Basil and Sage when they finally position themselves to her satisfaction. They're already in each other's arms; Sage winding hers behind his neck and fiddling idly with the mess of curls there, Basil flattening his palms against her waist, nuzzling her nose with his.

"Kiss already!" Sloane yells.

Basil grins. "As the lady wishes," Sage barely hears the words over the rush of sensation flooding her, as his mouth descends on her top lip. She smiles into the kiss, her hands already moving to fist themselves in his shirt.

Almost a year since they first met, since that first life-altering kiss outside his apartment door. So much has happened to them since then...but still. Her pulses still race like it's the first time all over again.

Sage takes a deep, shaky breath when their lips part, her forehead touching his, not fully ready to break contact yet. She caresses his back slowly as she lets go, and she knows that the biggest, goofiest, sappiest grin must be showing on her face right now.

She calls out to Sloane as she makes her way to where she's standing. "Your turn, space princess!"

Sage lines up her shot and stands back, noting with satisfaction that the moon looks suitably large - overwhelmingly so - and still very close to the horizon. Basil and Sloane's silhouettes stand out perfectly against the backdrop; Sloane cups his face with both hands as she usually does, her shoulders folding in on themselves as she allows herself to settle into their kiss. Sage knows it's always been this way between them; sharing physical space isn't easy for Sloane, and she needs a partner who will ease her in rather than rush her.

Sage doesn't know what that feels like - she needs an element of surprise, the thrill of brief, needy kisses in hidden hallways. She's always been the more tactile one - for her, touch is comfort. And somehow, inexplicably, Basil seems to understand both their ways of loving, and enjoy it. Love it, even.

Stop being sappy, Sage shakes her head, laughing, you're gonna take the best damn pictures of them they've ever seen, just wait.

The camera captures everything - Sloane standing on tiptoe to kiss Basil, one of his hands tenderly cradling the back of her neck and the other wrapped around her, the shape of their parted lips so heart-stoppingly close as they move away. Sage has taken so many that it will probably be harder to pick the best one from the lot.

They take more pictures by the moon (Kim pops by shortly after Sage's last shots of Basil and Sloane, telling them she'll take fifteen more minutes before joining them for their walk). Sloane and Sage forming the cheesiest-ever heart shapes with their arms, making Basil laugh so much they're sure his photos will come out a blurry, incoherent mess. Spotting a nightjar on a low branch, lining the shot up so its silhouette is caught in sharp contrast to the supermoon too.

Sage wants to take other, simpler pictures: just them sitting and talking, the moonlight casting a golden glow over their faces...but she can't. She won't. Without Kim, pictures like that would feel incomplete. No matter what problems they may have among themselves, no matter what Kim would think of her...Kim matters too much to be excluded from her most personal, most vulnerable photos of this night.

Almost as though summoned by Sage's thoughts, Kim appears. Her smile seems a little tired, and her right hand seems to curl loosely into itself. A fist, but not quite. She carries a flashlight with a red filter on her right hand, the ones they all bought two weeks ago to preserve their night vision. For the first time Sage looks back at her, and when she looks at Basil and Sloane a few seconds later there is something strange about their smiles that she can't exactly place.

They're ten minutes into their walk when Sage realizes that Basil and Sloane are far behind her and Kim, seeming to take their own sweet time to catch up.

Panicking, she turns to Kim, searching her face for a mirror of the confusion she feels. She finds none. Kim is instead taking deep breaths, putting her hands in her pockets and soaking in the fragrance of the dark cherry trees nearby. Like she isn't in any real hurry either.

An invisible fist seems to close around the center of her chest. Sage can hardly breathe.

"Sit with me for a bit, Sage." Kim's voice is warm, gentle, like the handmade quilt she'd made Sloane one Christmas, that now covers the three of them in their own bed. For the first time she doesn't trust the emotion she reads into it.

Sage doesn't give much thought these days to the inner workings of her own body. Whether she has heartbeats, what causes the fizzing sensation beneath her skin whenever she gets too nervous, how her blushing (which not many notice) isn't a result of too much blood rushing to a singular place but a mechanism set in motion by commands and code. But it's times like these - when her body feels too much, all at once - that she wishes she understood better how it all worked. That she wonders why the magnitude of what she's experiencing alone doesn't cause her body to shut down.

Right now, it's just one emotion - fear - and there's too much of it firing every synapse in this manmade (womanmade? Sloane created her, after all) body.

She feels Kim's eyes boring into her as they settle on the grass.

"Sage, honey. Did I do something wrong?"

For the first time in a week, Sage looks up at Kim and actually holds her gaze this time. Those weren't the words she was expecting to hear, nor is this soft, worrying look in her eyes the one she was expecting to see. She lets out a deep, shuddering breath.

"Thought you hated me," she presses her lips together, hating the way tears form a film over her eyes and blur her vision, hating her inability nowadays to pretend she was strong when she most needed it, "For lying. For not being human enough."

The force of Kim's sudden embrace feels as powerful as a gut punch. Sage gasps at how strong Kim's arms feel, wrapped around her shoulders, engulfing her so that Sage's face is buried in the space between neck and shoulder. She breathes in Kim's distinctive fragrance - fresh herbs and warm tea - and is hit by the sudden sharp memory of the phantom figure she rarely thinks about now. The mother who hugged her just like this when her first crush rejected her in front of the whole school. The mother Sloane programmed her to remember.

"Oh, honey," Kim whispers, hands rubbing down her back in a rhythm that Sage always associated with soft blankets and lullabies. "No. No. No. Never." Her voice is soft and hoarse, almost like she's trying to hold back tears. "I could never hate you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I ever allowed you to think that."

Sage turns her head in the opposite direction towards the moonlit horizon, cheek still pressed against Kim's shoulder. It isn't Kim's fault, not really. She was trying to tell her nothing had changed. It was...it was just hard for her to believe.

She takes a few deep breaths, tries hard not to let her tears fall. They fall anyway.

When Kim speaks again, her voice is still soft, barely louder than a whisper. "I...I think I know where I got it wrong. That first day, wasn't it? Because I barely said anything."

Sage doesn't answer. There's too much she wants to say; none of it feels right for this conversation. Kim pauses for a beat, then speaks again.

"I think I wanted to take time to process. All those times I saw you crying about your mother, all those times the three of you would look at me...like there was something you needed to hide from me."

"Sorry," Sage says, giving Kim's arm an apologetic squeeze. "We were going to tell you at some point, I swear. I guess we just keep putting it off."

Kim places her hands on either side of Sage's face, raising it as if she wants to take a good look at her. Her eyes are moist too, and the pain she feels at making Kim sad twists inside her stomach like a knife. "Sloane told me you had no clue who you were until you saved Basil from a taser."

Sage nods. "I had all these memories. Huddling under a table with my mom during a storm. Getting jealous when my friends were hogging her attention," Kim chuckles a little at that one. Sage looks down before she whispers, "road trips with Sinatra on the radio..."

Kim's hands come to her shoulders now, as she shakes her head. "Sloane told me about that. All I could think of was what my poor Sage had been through. I felt like I needed to fully reevaluate everything I thought I knew about you with all that in mind. And when the time came to talk...I guess I didn't know how to actually talk about it."

Sage nods and looks away, finally understanding. Her brain is too much on overdrive to immediately respond, the words she doesn't hate me, she doesn't hate me, forming a tattoo in her head.

Kim speaks again. "I wanted to show you that it didn't matter to me...that's why I started speaking to you like before. Except...that backfired, didn't it?"

Sage sighs. Kim doesn't know about all the people who tried to pretend and then screwed up anyway, and Sage doesn't want her to know. "Maybe. But I don't know if I was ready to talk either," she says slowly, "And I can't blame you for taking a day to think."

Kim seems to search Sage's face for... something - Sage can't figure out what - before she moves away, raising her knees in front of her and winding her arms around them. There is a small, tight smile on her lips. "I guess you could say I was...processing."

For a few moments, Sage can do nothing but blink. Several times.

"Oh my God, Kim," once Sage gets it, she can't stop laughing, "that joke was terrible!"

The smile widens. "Sorry my load time took most of the day."

"No! Worse!"

Kim stares at her, all placid innocence. "Kim.exe has stopped working."

"Stop! Stop!" Sage almost punches her arm in her attempts to stop laughing, just like she did at Kim's jokes several weeks ago, and every golden, sunlit, wonderful week before that. "You're killing me here!"

Kim and Sage fall over each other, finding themselves in loop after loop of giggle fits. So much so that they forget what they were actually laughing about - they only have to look at each other before they start again.

When they're done clutching their stomachs and wiping tears from their eyes, Sage keeps her head on Kim's shoulder. Kim keeps her arm around Sage's. All the laughter is gone from Kim's voice now; it is low and measured, as if she's been practicing the words.

"It isn't fair."

Sage tenses. "What isn't?"

"That anyone would make you believe...that how you were built, should make you any less of a person."

Sage smiles wanly. It's as if all the stress and all the pain, all the fear of having to face hostility again, has leaked out of her - leaving her in a weird mix of exhaustion and bliss. She winds her arms around Kim's midsection, closing her eyes against the faint memory of doing this as a child, to a figure who feels more phantom than mother.

"I have my people," she says, "and before you ask - yes, you're one of them. I was just afraid I'd lose you."

Their arms tighten around each other. "Never," Kim says it like a vow, then tilts her head to where Basil and Sloane stand, holding hands and gazing at the harvest moon.

Sage grins, briefly dislodging herself from Momma Kim's embrace and calling out to them.

"Get here, you two! Stop pretending to moongaze or whatever. Kim and I patched up!"

"About time you did!" Basil calls back as they both make their way towards Kim and Sage.

Sage pretends to look annoyed. "We spent, like, a whopping ten minutes yapping here. The least you could've done was sneak in a good makeout sesh."

"Sage!" Sloane says, grinning and hiding her face in Basil's arm. "Not in front of mom!"

Kim laughs. "You two expect me to believe that? I've seen more than my fair share, Trudy!"

Seeing the four of them laugh together in a way they haven't all week, Sage's chest feels so full she can hardly bear it. They all stand together, switching between giggly banter about the rest of the group and gazing up at the golden moon again. They know it's the last time they'll see a supermoon this year.

Kim stops Sage just as they're all about to return to their tents, ready to settle for the night. Basil and Sage look at each other, smile, and go inside.

"C'mere," she says, taking something out of her pocket. Whatever it is, it's small enough to nestle in the palm of her hand. "In the middle of all that yapping I forgot to give you your birthday present, darling."

Sage lets out a soft gasp. In the brief but intense rollercoaster that was today she almost forgot she had a birthday to celebrate.

Kim opens her palm to reveal two large, gorgeous, teardrop shaped earrings - the quilling pattern on them so intricate it reminds Sage of arabesque designs. Even in the dark the colours dazzle: electric blue on the outside, sunset orange on the inside. The double-toned hues remind Sage so much of a fiery sunset, sinking into a deep blue sea.

"Happy birthday, honey," Kim whispers.

This work of art. One that must have taken blood, sweat, tears, paper strips, glue, tools. One that must have taken Momma Kim hours to get right.

Sage tries to swallow a lump in her throat, cursing herself for the fresh onset of tears. "For me?"

Kim lets out a laugh that borders on watery. "Anything for my girls." She steals a glance at their tent, "and boy, of course. Basil's getting a pendant. Don't tell."

She giggles; another implanted memory emerges as she holds out her little finger. This time it doesn't appear with the wave of bitterness that usually follows...this time, she holds that memory to her chest, with joy. And love.

She links her pinky with Kim's, laughing again as the older woman's eyes brighten. "Pinky promise."

They'd asked for a two-night stay when they'd made the bookings. Cherry Springs is an internationally-acclaimed Dark Sky Park, Sloane had explained back then, before slipping into what they all dub her personal "Guide to Understanding Astronomy Jargon for My Very Confused Boyfriend and Best Friend", That means a place that restricts artificial light so you can experience true darkness. The stars can never be clearer in the night sky than in a place like that! You just won't see as much of it when you have a big bright supermoon on the horizon.

Which is how they end up staying another night at Cherry Springs, soaking in the brilliance of the stars against a slowly waning moon, shrunk to its usual size. The three of them are huddled together beneath a quilt that Kim had knitted for Sloane, long before she had ever met Basil and Sage.

Kim herself has turned in for the night, early sleeper that she is. She'd kissed them all goodnight before leaving, and Sage couldn't resist tightening her arms around her so she could hold on to her warmth a minute more.

Sage marvels at how comfortably the three of them fit against each other right now: her head on Basil's shoulder, Sloane's lying sideways against his chest, her fingers idly playing with the smaller curls above Sage's neck, taking full advantage of the fact that she feels ticklish there. Sage squirms and buries her hushed laughter in Basil's arm.

Dangly, beautiful, handmade earrings - yellow and blue-orange - swing joyously against Sloane's and Sage's necks. Hugging the quilt tighter to herself, Sage begins to play with Sloane's lovely yellow hoops. Sloane returns the gesture, grinning cheekily, and Basil lets out a small huff of laughter.

They'll head home tomorrow - wind in their hair, the sun on their skin, singing New York, New York. Just as they did before they came here...but not at all the same. They will probably return louder. Happier. More one with each other than ever before.

She looks around at the two people with her, and the woman already sleeping in a tent inside. When she releases a breath, it comes out in a happy sigh.

My people, Sage thinks dreamily, as her eyes follow the long, winding, heaven-bound path of the Milky Way. My family.

Harvest moons refer to the final supermoon of the year, which usually shows up towards the end of September. It's called so because it coincides with the harvest season. This year it actually did happen on 29th Sept. Learn more about harvest moons here, and different kinds of supermoons here.

References for the quilled earrings Kim made for the girls:

I HC that Sloane likes hoops, and this is the first design Kim masters. So the one on the left is Sloane's, and the blue-orange one on the right is Hayden's birthday present.

Currently the latest GoPro in the market is the Hero 12, but since this is set in the future I've given it a different number.

Faceclaims:

Sage Young - Lupita Nyong'o

Basil Park - Eric Mun

Sloane Washington - Nelly Muse

Kim Washington - Aunjanue Ellis

Tagging @choicesficwriterscreations for FoTW and (possibly) Bisexual Awareness Week

Tagging @choicesseptemberchallenge2023 for Day 4 - Moonlight, Moon (pls ignore if the entry is too late)

Tagging @choicesprompts for Flufftober, "Birthday Surprise".

Tagging @haydenyoungappreciationweek and @sazanes for Day 5: Happy Birthday Hayden!

#hayden young #perfect match #haydenyoungappreciationweek #HYAW #HYAW 2023 #HYAW Day 5 #HYAW Day 5: Happy Birthday Hayden!#lizzybeth1986 #content: fanfic

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ezekielbhandarivalleros · 7 months

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Hayden's Birthday Date

Paring: Hayden Young and Taylin (Tay) Park

Summary: It's Hayden's Birthday and Tay plans a surprise on the rooftop for Hayden

Taglist - @haydenyoungappreciationweek @lizzybeth1986 @sazanes @princess-geek @secretaryunpaid @peonierose

Taylin had called Hayden an hour ago and asked her out to dinner to celebrate Hayden's special day. She could feel the nervousness creeping up on her again. She had never been on a real date with Taylin even though they had been together for the past couple of months with the help of Sloane. She tried to ignore the butterflies that invaded her stomach whenever she thought about Taylin's strong arms holding her tight as his soft lips crashed down on hers that first fateful day they met. She knew Taylin wouldn't show her no mercy tonight when they got back after she kept on given him excuses until the day before. Not that she wasn't secretly looking forward to it. Hayden was startled out of her thoughts when she heard a knock on the door.

Hayden looked in the mirror one last time making sure she looked absolutely perfect for her big day tonight. She decided to wear a blue dress that she borrowed from Sloane that hugged the curves of her body and was short enough to show off her silky legs. Her hair was tied up the with a few strands hanging loose on the sides of her face. Hayden quickly put on her strapped high heel shoes and ran down stairs. Her good looks were created for a reason and she wanted him to have a chance to see it all.

She opened the door to see Taylin standing before her in a dashing black suit and a dozen white roses in his arms. He stepped in and gave her a scintillating kiss on the side of her lips while inhaling her sweet perfume. "You look beautiful.", he said in his usual husky voice as he gazed into her mesmerizing eyes. "Thanks, you don't look so bad yourself.", Hayden said as she took the fragrant flowers from Tay's hand to smell them. "How did you know white roses were my favorite?" Hayden said with a sweet smile. "Sweetheart, I saw you looking at them in the store the other day when I went to get you some ice cream."

As Hayden turned around to carefully place the roses in a water filled vase she had set on the dining room table just in case if flowers were brought, revealing her partly naked back, she could have sworn she heard Taylin let out a small groan. Hayden turned around and gave Taylin a quick kiss on the cheek, "Thank you for the flowers and the beautiful diamond earrings." Tay had hidden these in the bouquet of flowers for Hayden to find. "A elegant gift for the Birthday Girl." Taylin said as he held his arms out. "So shall we leave for our date?" Hayden took his arm. "Lead the way Mr. Park."

Taylin led Hayden into the elevator. As the elevator moved, Hayden realized it was heading up instead of down to the garage. "Tay, I think you pressed the wrong button." Taylin gave Hayden a mischievous smile, "Don't worry, we're heading in the right direction." The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Hayden got a stunning surprise as they walked out. "You like?" Taylin said with a grin.

Taylin and Hayden were standing on the roof in front of a lovely setting. In the middle of the floor was a romantic dinner set for two, surrounded by candles and dozens of gardenias everywhere. And to top it off was the view. The night blue sky was lit with a full moon and twinkling stars overlooking a beautiful night view of the city. Tay & Hayden spent the rest of the night eating and opening the gifts Taylin had gotten her such a few dresses in box that was hidden under the table so she wouldn't see when he brought her up. It was the first time in months, these two had had a peaceful night of laughter without being on the run and confided in each other their deepest thoughts and secrets. As it approached midnight and they both finished feeding each other chocolate cake for desert, Taylin stood up and took Hayden's hand to stand up. He pressed play on the cd player sitting on the ledge.

He pulled Hayden into a tight embrace as their bodies swayed slowly to the melodious jazz music. They was so close to each other that Hayden could feel the heat of his breath on her bare shoulders. She rested her cheek against his baby face as a strong cool wind blew against them carrying the aroma of the scented candles and lightly hissing to the beats of the music. Taylin ran his fingers down her bare back as he held her.

The strap of Hayden dress fell down her shoulder and Taylin leaned in to place a kiss on it that sent shivers down her spine. Hayden looked up into Tay's eyes. Tay couldn't wait any longer, he had to have her. He kissed her forehead, then her nose, and placed a kiss on her luscious lips. She then wrapped her arms around Tay as the kiss became more passionate and intense. Taylin could still taste the champagne lingering on her lips. It was so inviting.

Hayden closed her eyes nudging her nose against his and whispered, "I need you, now." That's all it took for Taylin to devour Hayden's lips again with a hunger inside of him he never knew he could have for any woman. Taylin pulled away from Hayden leaving her with a surprised and disappointed look. He smiled back at her with those cute dimples as he grabbed her hand and led her back into the elevator back to the penthouse.

As the elevator doors closed taking them down, Taylin pushed Hayden against the wall and started kissing her neck as he ran his hand slowly up her dress just to feel her silky legs. He was about to take her when then the doors opened to their floor. Hayden quickly opened the penthouse door and dropped the keys on the couch as Taylin tossed his jacket right next to it. Hayden kicked off her heels and ran upstairs as Taylin playfully chased after her. As Taylin walked into the room he saw Hayden's dress fall into a puddle around her on the floor and she looked at him with such innocence. He came up closer and pulled the clip from her hair releasing the long wavy strands onto her shoulders and covering her voluptuous breasts. Taylin quickly unbuttoned his shirt and ripped it off so she could kiss his chest.

Taylin grabbed her face in his hands for another passionate kiss. He then placed her on the bed and took control of every part of her body in the most sensual way. Hayden had never given up her body and soul to any man the way she did to Taylin. She allowed him to see her at her most vulnerable and to take advantage of her however he pleased. Hayden placed her fingers through hair and cried out his name in pleasure. He could see the desire in her eyes as she kissed him and rode him into ecstasy.

Hayden then collapsed into Taylin's arms. They were both glowing after making love. She snuggled into him. "That was amazing.", Hayden said kissing him on the cheek. She placed her head on his chest to rest. "That was perfect.", Taylin said with a satisfied smile. "So when's our next date?" Hayden said teasingly. Taylin laughed and gave her a kiss on the check. "Let's finish this date first." he said kissing her once more.

#perfect match #choices #playchoices #hayden young #haydenyoungappreciationweek #HYAW

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choicesfrog · 7 months

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Day 4 - Identity/Pets

Indigo (my Hayden) and Dez have Dipper of course (though she still spends time with Sloane), but they also have a tuxedo cat named Penny. Dez is a cat lover, and I imagine Indigo also wants to experience being a cat owner.

I also like the idea of them fostering various cats and dogs over the years until they can find a good home.

@haydenyoungappreciationweek @lizzybeth1986 @sazanes

#haydenyoungappreciationweek #hyaw #hyaw day 4 #perfect match

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khoicesbyk · 7 months

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It's one of my favorite times of the year. It's Hayden Young Appreciation Week!

I literally look forward to this week every year. And to know me is to know that I will ALWAYS make time for my favorite green-eyed monster. Perfect Match is one of my God-tier books. Why? Because of this sexy thing right here. I don't have a specific theme day for this edit I just felt like posting it for the week.

I love my baby Jayden.

I could seriously get lost in those beautiful eyes.

And those lips…🥴🤤😍

Okay, I think I’m done. For now.

Tagging: @haydenyoungappreciationweek

#khoicesbyk #choices #choices stories you play #pixelberry #haydenyoungappreciationweek #hyaw

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lorirwritesfanfic · 2 years

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Missed Chance

Book: Perfect Match Pairing: M!Hayden Young x F!MC (Natasha) Rating: T Word count: 1032 Reading time: ~4min Summary: The saying "when one door closes, another window opens" will never be as meaninful to Hayden as it is tonight. Based on the prompts: @haydenyoungappreciationweek: wedding / Walking After You

Author's note: - This wasn't the fic I planned to write. That one went to the "whenever my muse cooperates" folder. But for some reason, my best Hayden fics are the ones I write in one sitting and I think this is one of them; - This story happens right after the events of Because Of Him. But if you didn't read it, you won't find any issues reading this one, - Natasha Park is a creation of this author. The other characters are owned by Pixelberry Studios.

Hayden's mouth goes dry as he picks up his phone from Sloane's hand and goes to a quiet corner. He planned every single thing about Natasha's birthday dinner: the decoration, the menu, her birthday cake, the right spot, his speech... But when Dipper swallowed the slice of cake along the engagement ring, he was certain he had missed his chance. Until now.

"Babe? Are you there?" Natasha's voice calls him back to reality.

"Yeah, I am..."

"Were you really going to propose tonight?"

"I was."

"In front of everyone?"

"No."

As she sighs in relief, he nods in understanding. Natasha may be an extrovert, but he knows she wouldn't be comfortable with a proposal made in front of everyone. The last thing he wanted was to make her feel pressured to say yes.

"So when were you planning on doing it?"

"As soon as you returned to our table outside."

"The balcony!" She blurts. "That's why you suggested we had cake there!"

He smiles softly. "Yeah... When you left to freshen up, I got distracted while talking to Mrs Park about the ring. Before we knew it, Dipper had finished your slice of cake and started mine."

"Aw..." She chuckles. "So Sloane knew. My mom knows. Jalila and dad obviously know it too. Mom would never keep it to herself."

"Jalila said that too."

Both of them chuckle in response.

"Anyone else?"

"Nadia and Steve."

"Wow... You really would've proposed by now if Dipper didn't eat the cake."

"I would..."

He shoves his free hand into his pocket. He did miss his shot. Some other night, maybe... If he didn't feel like crawling into a hole somewhere and never leaving there.

"So, are you staying there all night?"

"I think so."

"Why? Dipper is resting. And so should you."

His hand rubs the back of his neck.

"I know you feel like you have to stay with Dipper, but what else are you going to do there except tiring yourself out? She's okay. And she will need you well-rested tomorrow."

"But what if something happens?"

"They'll call us and we'll be there."

"Nat..."

"Come home, babe. We'll pick her up in the morning."

Though his hesitation to go back home has nothing to do with Dipper, Natasha has a point. It wouldn't make sense for him or Sloane to stay at the vet all night.

"Alright... I'll call Sloane and get us a Lyft."

"Okay. See you soon?"

"Sure... See you soon."

Patting himself to find the keys, Hayden walks toward his apartment and fights back a yawn. His eyes scan the front door. All lights are off. Most likely, Natasha already went to bed.

Hayden let out a sigh. It was a tiring night and she did stay at home cleaning up and rearranging everything by herself after he rushed to the veterinary hospital. Maybe it's for the best. He wouldn't know how to face her now that she knows his intentions, but didn't give him any clue if she wanted the same.

Once he finally gets the keys and opens the door, his eyes widen. Candles light up a path of white and pink petals towards the balcony. He follows the path and stops in his tracks. Sitting on the same spot he meticulously arranged hours earlier to make the proposal, Natasha beams as one of his favorite songs plays in the background.

"Just so you know, I'm wearing my nicest lingerie and I look freaking hot under this blanket. But this chilly wind isn't helping."

Hayden laughs. "What are you still doing out here, babe? I thought you were asleep."

"I couldn't sleep."

"Why not?"

"I heard you have an important question to ask me tonight."

His heart races in his chest and his mouth goes dry again. He was so caught up in the idea of surprising her with a proposal that he failed to see he never missed his chance.

"I don't know if you're coming up with another plan to surprise me, but I don't want to wait until then."

As their eyes meet, Hayden breaks into a smile. Has he ever felt this nervous and happy before?

"Why are you still standing there, silly? Come here!" She whines, feigning impatience.

Chuckling, he saunters over and kneels before her.

"Oh! You are doing it now."

"You said you couldn't wait..." He offers his hand for her to take and grins as she places it on his.

Her hand feels cool, but a bit sweaty to the touch. She is as nervous as he is. But the joy in her eyes gives him the strength to keep going.

"I've rehearsed this so many times in the mirror, in my head... But as I kneel here before you, I don't know how to begin. You leave me breathless, Nat. There's always something about you that astounds me, something that makes me smile..."

Her grin widens as her eyes begin to well up.

"I know I was created to your perfect match. And as I began to change, you asked me if I’d still love you. Here's your answer: I do. I don't think anyone who built me knew that I'd fall in love with you over and over again. But after all these years, I still love you. And I have no doubts I wouldn't be who I am today if I wasn't yours."

Hayden reaches for the Tiffany cut diamond ring in his coat pocket and shows it to her.

"Natasha Lamya Park, will you marry me?"

Tears stream down her face as she beams. "Yes."

With that, Hayden places the ring on her finger and they stood up together. He brushes her tears away with his thumb and presses his lips to hers. Though kissing her became something like a daily activity his days couldn't begin or end without, this kiss feels different. There's more than passion to it. With it, comes hope and a certainty that she'll be with him for good.

As they pull apart, he holds his fiancee close, as she wraps the blanket around them.

"You weren't joking about looking hot under the blanket. That's a very sheer nightgown, babe," he teases as his eyes glance down at her breasts nearly popping out of the purple lace and silk gown.

"I can't say I feel hot though. My butt is freezing!"

The couple doubled over.

"How about we go back inside and begin our celebration in the bedroom?"

"Yes, thank you."

Still holding on to each other, Hayden and Natasha walk back inside and head toward the master bedroom.

#choices fanfiction #perfect match #hayden young #m!hayden x f!mc #haydenyoungappreciationweek #haydenyoungappreciationday #hyad: wedding #lorirwritesfanfic #lorircreates

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sapphicspaceart · 2 years

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happy birthday, everyone's favorite gay robot <3

For the prompt Dream Wedding! My main Hayden is the Joker personality, so I wanted to manifest that:

mysterious - only close friend guests

rebellious - she wouldn't buy into the wedding industry so easily-- non-white dress, non-white cake

humorous - probably pops up in the vows & ofc smushing the cake everywhere

logical - despite being an inexpensive ceremony, i think hayden would still go with a cohesive theme. stars to match her job

thank you to @lizzybeth1986 for the organization & the hayden young masterlist for references <3 <3

#playchoices #perfect match #choices stories we play #hayden young #haydenyoungappreciationweek #haydenyoungappreciationday #HYAD #HYAW #prompt: dream wedding #asianfhaydenyoung #lowkey moved to tumblr to finally involve myself in choices fandom lol

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nadiaparkappreciationweek · 7 months

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(this beautiful poster is the handiwork of our lovely host @sazanes!)

Welcome to our very first Nadia Park Appreciation event!! As there are other appreciation weeks happening around the same time, we will be limiting the event to one day, but keeping it open for entries for at least 2 weeks.

Technically, 25th Oct is meant to be International Artist Day, but because of AW event clashes, we're bringing the date a bit earlier. So this year, we will be celebrating it on 8th Oct. However, we will keep the event open for the month, so that whoever would like to contribute can do that even after the 8th!

Any content is welcome - fic, art, meta, edits, moodboards, icons, even screenshots of her favourite scenes!! Our only requirement is that the content is centered on Nadia, and shows a positive depiction of her.

There is no set theme for this event - anything as long as Nadia is the focus - but in case you'd like a tiny push/inspiration, here are some themes you could try!

• Art

• Boba tea

• Investigator

• Imminent Danger

• True Love

• Fashionista

• Marshmallows

• Girl Gang

• Plants

Fan content blogs help us a lot in promoting our events and are overall awesome, so we would highly recommend checking them out and maybe even trying out some of their prompts too! Here are some you could try: @choicesficwriterscreations, @choicesmonthlychallenge, @choicesprompts, @choicesholidays, and of course @haydenyoungappreciationweek which will be hosting an event from 25-29th Sept!

To ensure you don't miss out on the day, be sure to tag the following on your Nadia posts:

Blogs: @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes

Tags: #nadiaparkappreciationday, #NPAD, #NPAD 2023

Hope to see you all on 8th Oct!!

#nadia park #perfect match #nadiaparkappreciationday #NPAD #NPAD 2023 #signal boost #3 weeks left!

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haydenyoungappreciationweek · 7 months

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youtube

(this amazing video is the handiwork of our lovely host @sazanes!!)

This has been our second Hayden Young Appreciation Week, and our third consecutive Hayden Young event!! And it really makes us feel happy and emotional all at once that this character gets so much love, five years after Perfect Match got over!!

We got such amazing pieces this time...comic strips, fanfics, playlists...even handmade gifs! The experience of running this week has always been the most rewarding experience, and this year was no different.

We love all our CONTRIBUTORS - the artists, the writers, the edit and moodboard makers, the enthusiastic collectors of favourite scenes... every single one of you have never failed to surprise and delight us. It has been a complete joy just looking at your work! The Masterlist for this year is almost ready, and we cannot wait for the entire fandom to enjoy the brilliance and beauty of what you've all created 💖💖

@blinkfizz-the-unfortunate-gnome, @cassiopeiacorvus, @choicesfrog, @ezekielbhandarivalleros, @harpenda, @khoicesbyk, @lizzybeth1986, @lorirwritesfanfic, @rosepetals1, @sapphicspaceart, @sazanes, @storyofmychoices, @twinkleallnight

Our FAN-COMMUNITY BLOGS have always been more than supportive, and run such amazing events! It was such a joy to get support in promoting the event from all of you - we can never thank you enough:

@choicesficwriterscreations, @choicesmonthlychallenge, @choicespride, @choicesflashfics, @choicesprompts, @choicesholidays

And how can we ever forget our amazing SIGNAL BOOSTERS!!! This event wouldn't have gotten the reach it had if it weren't for you all. It made us so happy: seeing you all reblog the event post, expressing your excitement on the tags, letting friends and mutuals know about HYAW. You're incredible, all of you!

@angelasscribbles, @delmissesryanandcassi, @dragonknightofsummerset, @freedom-kitty, @krishu213, @kyra75, @pilotsdragons, @queenrileyrose, @thecapturedafrique, @trappedinfanfiction

The Masterlist is almost complete, and we'll be putting it out very soon! We just can't WAIT for all of you to enjoy the incredible work we've got.

We also know some of you couldn't contribute for the event (for various and very valid reasons) and would have loved to. Please just know that we will welcome work from you all anytime, and will still put it up on our HYAW 2023 masterlist. Do tag us if you do!! 💞

We hope to see you all next year, with more themes, more happiness and more love for this incredible character! Stay happy and keep up the love for Hayden till then!

Once again, we wish you all a HAPPY HAYDEN YOUNG APPRECIATION WEEK!! 💖💖💖

#Youtube #hayden young #perfect match #haydenyoungappreciationweek #HYAW #HYAW 2023 #thank you everyone!!!#you all are so incredible #and do pass loads of love to sazanes coz she's the one who has done all our creatives plus this wonderful video!!

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sazanes · 7 months

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One and Only Comic

Thank You! 🥰 @haydenyoungappreciationweek @lizzybeth1986

#playchoices #haydenyoungappreciationweek #HYAW 2023 #HYAW #hayden young #perfect match #myart #perfect match comic #reference used #digital art

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blinkfizz-the-unfortunate-gnome · 7 months

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Happy birthday, Hayden Young! 🍧🍰🧁🎂🍾🌻

For the Hayden Young Appreciation Week day 5 (Hayden's Birthday!) we'll listen to some Sinatra, eat strawberry cake and check on our bucket list :) what else would Hayden Young add to her bucket list with her new future ahead of her?

Happy birthday, Hayden! We love you!

@haydenyoungappreciationweek

@lizzybeth1986

@sazanes

hd gif: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ElPGUx2XjyVkpu-NydQdxOsp2HN9tnAG/view?usp=sharing

#Hayden young #haydenyoungappreciationweek #HYAW #happy birthday hayden #we love you

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rosepetals1 · 7 months

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Hayden Young x F!MC (Arielle Park) Moodboard

@haydenyoungappreciationweek

@choicesoctober: favorite ship

#haydenyoungappreciationweek #hyaw #hyaw 2023 #playchoices #perfect match #choices perfect match #choices pm #hayden young #pm hayden #hayden x mc #hayden x arielle #arielle park #choices oc #choices moodboard #moodboard #choices #perfect match mc #choicesoctober #choicesoctober2023

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lizzybeth1986 · 7 months

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Saffron Sugar, Turmeric Spice

Book: Perfect Match

Pairings: f!Hayden x poly m!MC (Basil Park), f!Hayden x f!OC (Nilukshi Sigera). Implied Sloane x MC.

Summary: Sage and Basil have been in an open relationship since that moonlit chat in Berlin. He's a free agent - so is she. It's an arrangement she's grown to love...but is Sage ready to to fall in love with more than one person?

Word Count: 3,720 words

Note: I mention a comet named "Comet Hasegawa" in the second part of the fic. This is a fictional comet modelled on Comet Nishimura (C/2023 P1) which was spotted this month and won't be seen for another 400+ years.

Old Fashioned Ice Cream, the sign reads, a fairly-large four leaf clover gracing the right corner. Mashti Malone's is practically an institution here in LA - with its pastel interiors and its quaint, old-world charm and the heady, rich, floral scents of Persian bastani. Sage can't resist taking in a deep breath everytime she enters this place. Although today...today she does it less for the pleasure of all these sweet scents, and more about keeping herself calm.

It feels like only yesterday that Basil brought her here for the first time, two years ago. To will away a bit of their nervousness about catching hold of Winona Johnson, he'd said.

And it did help. Every fear they'd had that she would laugh in their face, would throw them out, would never even listen...all of it melted away when the delightful coldness of French Lavender ice cream hit her tongue. Basil had playfully swiped a tiny spoonful of his orange blossom scoop on her nose. You could almost taste the promise of so, so many honeyed nighttime kisses in their laughter that day.

Mashti Malone has been their most-visited place in LA, ever since. Sometimes with the Candy Bombs (Damien, Alana and Khaan still grimace collectively at the name), sometimes with Sloane and Kim. But more often than not, it's just the two of them. Her spending an extra three minutes at the counter, taking in the rainbow-range of colours and gleefully tasting samples; him sitting back on his chair to watch her, ice cream sandwich in hand and a twinkle in his eye.

This is a place Sage never tires of exploring, and she always leaves it with a different flavour. It was Persian cucumber the last time, a burst of freshness that soothed and invigorated her sense all at once. And before that, the crystal glow of rice noodles against creamy, rose-scented vanilla, their signature faludeh. And way before that, the treacly unctuousness of date ice cream, so rich she had to take a full pint home.

Basil's order has always remained the same. Bastani Sonnati, offered to him the minute he shows his face at the door. From time to time they take bites of each other's ice creams; the smell of saffron and rosewater is familiar, and divine. This man sticks to his favourites - a principle he applies only to food, Sage thinks to herself, giggling quietly.

Today she finds herself in need, desperately, of the sunny-hued comfort of Basil's bastani. She wants to crack the wafers of the sandwich open, watching as the ice cream stretches and pulls apart. She wants to breathe in the floral scents of rose and saffron, feel the pistachios break in a satisfying crunch between her teeth. At this point when she wants to tell Basil her wish to explore the unknown, she finds herself seeking the comfort of the familiar. So she orders her own Bastani Sonnati.

"Baby," There's a teasing fondness in Basil's tone, as if he knows she has something in her mind that she's struggling to tell. "Something's up. You haven't said a word since we've got here."

Warmth creeps up her neck. Basil knows her too well for a man she's been dating for just two years.

"Um." Sage begins, fake-clearing her throat, " remember that time you and Sloane went to DC to visit Kim, and I took up that rock climbing tour at The Gunks?"

Basil grins. "Yeah...six months ago, right?" She nods as he continues to speak, finishing off the last of his wafers. "That may have been the first time I heard you gushing about Dr Madison Eckhart, but it sure as hell wasn't the last."

She smiles and mock-punches him on the arm, shaking her head as he steals a bite of her bastani sandwich. "You would, too, if you'd seen her normally sweet mouth come up with the most creative ways to shade a cocky guy," Sage tells him, giggling at the memory before she mimics Dr Eckhart's lilting but remarkably steely voice, "Get your head out of your armpits and listen to what I'm saying for once, Greg you asshole!"

For a minute, she almost forgets what she was intending to say, simply basking in their shared laughter. But then the strongest memory she has of that excursion resurfaces - silken brown hair whipping around a weatherbeaten face...almost like a reel in her head that she has watched too long on loop - and the warmth climbs up her neck again.

"So...uh. I met someone there."

"Oh?"

Basil tilts his head slightly, his eyebrows raised in an expression of mild interest. She searches his face for any traces of doubt, or judgement, or jealousy, and finds nothing but curiosity and...a brief flash of excitement? Either he's a very good actor or what she's clearly about to say doesn't sound as transgressive to him as it has to her.

She's been worried that he'd ask her - like he did two years before when she'd moved to her own flat - if her feelings for him have changed. Whether she's lost interest. Basil has identified himself as polyamorous for years, and she and Sloane have had his version of "The Talk" more times than they could collectively count. Don't be ashamed of wanting to be with other people. Openness is key. Honesty is key.

Back then they'd listened carefully, sincerely, but neither understood why any of that needed to apply to them. Sage and Sloane will always love Basil - for all he is and for all they've learned from him - but personally, they could never envision any sort of future with anyone else. And that was fine.

But now Sloane has started to show a sliver of interest in Alana, and as for herself...well.

"Earth to Sage." Sage can barely hear Basil's soft, laughing voice over the clamor of her own thoughts. It sounds like heaven, now more than ever.

All through this little trip, Sage had taken care. Touches. Kisses. The nicknames they use only on each other. An admission like the one she's making today could be taken the wrong way...and never, never, not even in a million years - not even after they are dust particles and rusted metal beneath six feet of earth - would she want Basil to ever believe the impossible. That her love for him would stop.

She puts what remains of her ice cream sandwich down, and steals a glance at him. Crinkles of laughter around his eyes, a corner of his mouth tugged upwards. A corner she will always want to kiss.

So he does know. He does trust her.

"There's a picture of her from that trip," Sage says, biting back her own smile, "You wanna see?"

"Mmm," he puts a hand over hers. "but let's get home first."

The trip back to Nadia's friend's place takes fifteen minutes but feels like hours, and they both drop with a thud on the couch rather than actually sit.

Sage has to slide the lockscreen upwards to unlock her phone. They both share a secret smile: the picture on the lockscreen is a silhouette of two people kissing, against the backdrop of a moon so abnormally large and golden that you would assume it was photoshopped in, if you didn't know what supermoons were. Only they (and Sloane, who gleefully clicked this picture just minutes before Sage took a similar one of her and Basil) know that it was real, that it was taken last year, that it's them. In this cozy, slightly messy sitting room - much like the one they own at home - Basil's hand moves from the small of Sage's back to cup her shoulders, and his head leans against hers.

The picture she shows him doesn't seem like much: a young woman, long brown hair loosely tied back, her dusky skin taking on a golden glow from the light of the afternoon sun. She's still wearing her climbing gear, her helmet on the rock beside her, her smile both tired and full of mischief. It reminds Sage of the very first time she looked at the woman - windswept hair whipping around her face before she tied it up and put on her helmet - and fell head over heels in love.

Sage had felt the gut punch of that realization the minute their eyes met - knew it was love with a terrifying certainty that was at once not at all like the way she fell for Basil, but also exactly like that.

Basil studies Sage's face for longer than he looks at the picture, his smile soft and knowing. "What's her name?" he asks as she flips through her gallery in search of other pictures, lacing the fingers of her other hand with his own.

"Nilukshi," She finds what she's looking for - a picture of the both of them against the backdrop of a stage. Sage sitting over a crate strumming guitar, Nilukshi singing, her hands spread out and her feet apart, her face a portrait of pure joy. Even here, in this quiet, cozy living-room sofa, far from the chaos of that stage, Sage relives the moment she realized they were both auditioning for the same play, just two weeks after that excursion. How their eyes locked for several skips of a heartbeat once they were done. "Small scale production for Rent. We were jamming on Seasons of Love backstage."

He chuckles. "Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes...how do you measure, measure a year." His voice is pitch perfect, as usual, and Sage has to bite back the urge to finish the verse with "Measure in love, sweet love". This is not the right time for an impromptu acapella.

But he turns serious a minute later, adjusts himself slightly to face Sage. His brows furrow in that way they do when he asks a question they both know will have answers that scare the shit out of you. "Does she know you're..."

"Yeah. I told her about Eros. It...didn't go as badly as I thought."

He sighs in relief. "Does she know about us?"

"Yep." It was funny how that was the harder conversation to have. Nilukshi's face had been studiously blank when Sage told her about her boyfriend, her hands shoved deep into her pockets. At least for the first five minutes. But the words "open relationship" loosened her up for some reason, and suddenly her gorgeous, long, artist's fingers were stretched out in front of her, eyes laser-focusing on them as if checking out her brand new manicure was the most important task in the world. Cool, she'd said, her voice almost squeaky, cool.

Basil's other hand lightly rubs her arm, encouraging Sage to sink into his embrace. "Did you only realise you wanted to date her now?"

She shakes her head, flushing. "I wanted to believe it was just a crush, not gonna lie. I just didn't think having my feelings returned was possible till now."

He frowns, almost like he's going to say it isn't like you to lack confidence in your charms, Sage. "Why not?"

Sage sighs, slowly inching forward and kissing a corner of his mouth. She looks down, training her gaze over their fingers tangled together.

It hasn't been easy, reliving the last five months of pining and awkwardness and just...the tendency to get ten times clumsier in Nilukshi's presence. Or reliving the last five months of tension and worry and (maybe misplaced) guilt, hoping against hope that she wasn't doing her relationship with Basil an injustice by getting even one step of this revelation wrong. But she'd still do it all over again - for him and for Nilu. For the two people who own her whole heart, the one that doesn't even physically exist in her body.

"Didn't think she'd be interested. Thought it would be a thing I'd tell myself to get over at some point. I'd have told you straightaway the moment I thought I stood a chance." Her eyes are darker and more shadowed as she raises them to meet his. "I did okay...didn't I?"

She feels the rumble of soft laughter from against her as he pulls her closer. "Oh honey. You did better than just okay." Sage sighs softly against his mouth as he draws her closer. "You were perfect."

His hands cup her face, his nose nudges softly against her own, making her giggle. The flavour of the ice cream they'd just shared half an hour ago lingers on his tongue. A bouquet of saffron and rose and clotted cream, coating her palate and making her feel like she is lying on a bed of flowers, sunlight streaming in rays of butter-yellow down her hair.

Two weeks later

Nilukshi is here before time at Brooklyn Bridge Park: binoculars, mat, amateur astronomy 101 booklet, backup garbage bags and snacks at hand. Chose tonight because of the new moon, she whispers excitedly. Even in the pitch dark, Sage can see her eyes light up as she approaches.

Comet Hasegawa is best seen in the early hours before dawn, where the sky is dark and unfettered by the thick veil of New York smog, preferably with no moonlight to obscure the intense glow of the stars. It was discovered only last month, by the Japanese scientist it was named after, and they have just this month to capture it in its full, emerald-green glory. This Saturday is the last time it will appear in the night sky. It'll take another 500 years for anyone on Earth to ever catch sight of it again.

Sage knows this because Sloane told her. Because Sage and Basil may have joined her in her backyard stargazing sessions, her trips to the planetarium, taken turns gazing into her humble home telescope just for the smile that lights up her face afterwards...but somewhere along the line they started to look forward to stargazing. Cherish it. Treasure it. It had become their thing.

Nilukshi had stared blankly at Sage the first time she'd yapped on and on about space - something stupidly jargon-y bullshit about Mercury's greatest elongation and seeing Jupiter at opposition. It got so embarrassingly obvious that she was confusing her crush that she'd apologized and backed away, whispering to herself since when did you become such a fucking nerd, Sage!

Nilukshi knows the basics. Orion. Meteor Showers. Total solar eclipses that make the sun look like an enlarged diamond ring; a nighttime sky at noon. She's the kind that would sit out even the major astronomical events because she's so used to city skylines veiled in smog. She, of all people, wouldn't have the time to squint at the night sky searching for constellations and planets.

And...and she set this up. Probably looked up this month's (maybe even this year's) calendar of astronomical events on Google, checked out amateur stargazing clubs, did her research, figured out the perfect timings, the perfect place, even the perfect gear. Chose a suitably dark night where they would need only binoculars. Sage has been through enough of these kinds of trips to know how much work goes into one like this.

And the way she sneaks glances at Sage, from underneath those impossibly long eyelashes of hers, you could tell that the success of every minute of this picnic will hinge on what Sage's own face gives away.

Nilukshi did this. For her. Dove headlong into this...this thing that she barely knew much about before they met, for her.

Goddamit. It should be criminal for that hum beneath her skin - the one that usually tells her that everything in her body is in tip-top shape - to keep running this...this normally. Not when her brain and her soul and her (mechanical) heart feel so out of whack.

Ignorant of the way Sage's thoughts are running riot, Nilukshi rummages through her backpack, not stopping until she takes out a ziplock bag filled with crispy, yellow, star-shaped snacks.

"Koki," her teeth gleam in the darkness. "Amma made these for me when she came over to visit last week."

Sage nods. She remembers Mrs Sigera from the first time she'd come with Nilukshi to the backstage area of the theatre, meeting the cast, clicking poloroids of them all on her cute pink FujiFilm. Sage can almost imagine Nilukshi's features maturing out to look exactly like her mother's when she reaches that age - warm brown skin with faint lines showing, fine crinkles around those wonderful brown eyes, streaks of grey peppering her dark wild hair. She shouldn't hunger for that sight the way she does now - the way she did when she first imagined Basil and Sloane and herself, rocking gently on armchairs, their wizened gnarled hands on her still-youthful ones, watching sunsets - but she does. She does. She wants all of those images to combine and become the truth of her future.

The rice cookies break apart in a satisfying crunch against her teeth, before dissolving into a sweet-savoury blend of coconut milk, and turmeric, with the slightest hint of red chili. The turmeric is perhaps the most prominent flavour - peppery and bright, slightly bitter and earthy and balanced out perfectly with a bit of sugar. If she were to guess, it's the turmeric that gives the koki its distinctive yellow glow, pretty much the way saffron stains Basil's favourite bastani this exact golden hue.

They sit together in a silence that feels both comforting and way too heavy, pretending to focus instead on the emerald glow of Comet Hasegawa, Earth's guest for only a few days before it disappears for another half-millennium. Sage points to the constellation of Leo it passes across; they both smile, recalling the surprise birthday party Dr Eckhart and her team threw, mid-August, for Nilukshi at their rock climbing gym. The comet looks like a streak of glow-in-the-dark phosphorus paint, brushed against the canvas of the sky.

Nilukshi has packed more food than that - maybe too much for this trip - but it's the kokis Sage keeps coming back to, their sweet-saltiness and that mild nuttiness that likely comes from the sesame seeds hidden beneath the surface. She eats slowly, conscious of Nilukshi's expectant gaze.

"Man," Sage whispers, "I could eat my body weight in these, they're so good. Don't tell your mom."

Nilukshi tears her gaze away from her, swallowing as she gazes again at the comet. "Amma only makes them for special people in our lives...and we don't have that many. She'd be pissed if I gave those kokis to anyone else..."

If Sage had any ability to think before she said that, it disappears completely when she hears what Nilukshi says next. "...if I didn't give them to the girl I've fallen so hard for." Fuck. Fuck. Holy shit. She'd been hoping and wishing and terrified of this moment and now it's... "The girl I want to spend the rest of my life with."

Nilukshi says the last one in a terrified whisper. She looks down now, at the grass. Her fingers tremble as they fiddle with a loose thread on the mat.

"Since when?" Sage can barely breathe.

"Since the minute Dr Eckhart dragged Greg Jones' arrogant, trip-sabotaging ass, and then someone let out a belly-laugh that made me think it was the sweetest sound I'd ever heard."

Slowly, swayingly, as if they're both in a dream, Sage inches herself towards her, whispering her name like it's a prayer. Balances herself on her knees, cupping her left cheek, making her look up so Sage can bask in the mixture of desire and fear in her eyes. Her fingers have combed through Nilukshi's hair often enough in her dreams that their softness against her fingertips feels like coming home. Sage feels Nilu's breaths turn shallow as she traces a line of kisses, from temple to jawline to corner of mouth, before covering lips thinner than her own. But the moment Sage's tongue brushes hers, Nilu sighs and almost sinks into her. As she is ready to be absorbed into the pores of Sage's skin, if that's what it takes to get closer.

On Nilukshi's tongue she tastes the creaminess of coconut milk and the slightest dusting of sugar, the light heat of the chili powder and the welcome, golden bitterness of turmeric. She tastes like heaven.

Sage can't bear to move away - even as their lips part - so she keeps her forehead against Nilukshi's and her hands buried in her hair.

"You too?" Nilukshi breathes.

"Goddamit, Nilu. Since the minute we met."

"What about..." Nilukshi flushes and looks away.

Sage understands perfectly, smiles softly at her. "Basil knows. He'd probably cuss me out if I didn't stop moping over you and actually do something about it. I bet he'll get along with your mom like a house on fire."

Nilukshi lets out a watery giggle, then gasps as they stop talking altogether. They kiss again, and again, and again, moaning as Nilukshi catches Sage's lower lip with her teeth, as Sage grabs fistfuls of her dress so she won't fall over.

In the sky above them, Comet Hasegawa is close to completing its journey across the constellation of Leo, ready to continue its path across the universe and out of the solar system. Neither Sage, nor Nilukshi, nor any of the people Sage has loved or will ever love in the future, will see such a sight again in their lifetime.

In their minds, that comet has already passed, already streaked its way through their orbit and faded in relevance. All that remains is starlight and quick gasps and hushed kisses and the taste of spicy-sweet kokis.

Tomorrow, Sage promises herself. She and Nilukshi will need to talk, once this afterglow has faded and they have to think about the reality of their situation.

This is a first for Nilukshi, just as the relationship with Basil had been a first for her. Like Sage, there are going to be things that will scare Nilu. And like Basil, Sage will need to take on the lead a bit. Will need to ask the right questions, say the right words to reassure her, read her body language and listen to her voice and understand at least a little of what Nilukshi's boundaries are. Will need to ease her into the realization that as long as they're honest, as long as they trust each other...this will be okay. They will be okay.

Sage breathes in the smell of fresh grass and rice-coconut cookies, smiles at the stray thought of Basil looking at her, with that proud grin, raising his mug of coffee to her like he's making a toast. Baby, you did perfect.

Tomorrow, Sage promises herself, as the comet they came to watch slowly inches its way, half-seen, out of their orbit. There will be other starlit nights, other fantastic things to see and experience together. They will have so much of tomorrow left to savour.

For tonight, the kisses they share will be magic enough.

References:

Basil is my polyam MC, and he dates everyone in the group. Sloane and Sage, too, wind up having other relationships and the three of them live together in the current timeline of this fic. Sage is the Adventurer Hayden (Mysterious, Rebellious, Humourous and Impulsive) but she sometimes showcases opposing traits due to the Double Ripple Effect.

Mashti Malone - A Persian ice cream shop, v popular in LA. I used this video about them as a reference

Bastani - Iranian ice cream which is golden and made with saffron, rosewater and pistachios. Bastani Sonnati is the same, sandwiched between wafers.

Faludeh - A traditional Iranian cold dessert similar to a sorbet. It consists of thin vermicelli-sized noodles made from starch in a semi-frozen syrup containing sugar and rose water.

Koki - An all-time favorite Sri Lankan deep-fried snack made specially during festivals such as Sinhalese and Tamil new year, weddings, and ceremonies. The basic Kokis batter is made of rice flour, salt, turmeric powder, and coconut milk.

Sage's lockscreen in this fic (of Basil and Sage's silhouettes against a supermoon), is a reference to the next fic I'm writing, Harvest Moon

Yes the Dr Eckhart I mention here as the rock climbing professional trainer is Madison from The Freshman. I HC that she went on to do her PhD in Volcanology and runs adventurer courses. 😄

Tagging @choicesficwriterscreations for FoTW, and @choicesseptemberchallenge2023 for Day 14: Poloroid Picture/Clicking special photos of S/O(s) and @choicespride for Bisexual Awareness Week

Tagging @haydenyoungappreciationweek and @sazanes for HYAW 2023 for Day 2: Relationships

#hayden young #perfect match #haydenyoungappreciationweek #HYAW #hyaw 2023 #HYAW Day 2 #HYAW Day 2: Relationships #lizzybeth1986 #content: fanfic

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