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“What a night.”
“You can say that again.”
Senti doesn’t really hear the sound of Hua setting the house keys in the little wooden bowl by the front door. Not really, since all she hears is herself sinking into the sofa, not bothering to remove her jacket.
Then just as quickly does she get up from the sofa, socked feet padding across the wood flooring to the window. A quick parting of the curtains, and the sight of the moonlight Schicksal HQ makes something deep inside her fall silent.
The moon is shining brightly tonight – the former Herrscher thinks with a little internal chuckle that Kiana must be in a good mood. If she just focuses a little she imagines she can see the afterburners of the shuttle that’s currently carrying Mei.
“Hey.”
Hua looks up at her wife’s voice from where she has been methodically sorting through the recipe cards in their little box on the mantlepiece. They may have had a nice celebratory dinner with the rest of Schicksal, but there is always room for dessert.
“Hmm?”
“Don’t you think Mei is a bit of a drama queen?”
Hua puts down the recipe cards and heads over to the window to join Senti. Wordlessly and naturally her hand finds her wife’s, fingers curling around fingers, squeezing lightly and reassuringly.
“You mean the way she sometimes says how she misses Kiana?”
“Yep. You were there last night. She was a bit tipsy and a bit poetic, waxing prose about how her heart is always guided by Kiana’s.”
“No matter the distance.”
“That’s it.”
Senti wriggles her hand free of Hua’s grip and shoves it in her pocket. The night view is pretty, and she doesn’t easily tire of looking at it. At night, Schicksal HQ glows like a little jewel where it hovers over the Mediterranean Sea, a thousand lights shining bright.
“So, what about you? Would you say my heart guides you even if we are apart?”
Hua doesn’t say anything, but the next moment Senti feels something deep in her soul stirring. The old familiar tugging of the little chain that binds their very beings together, forged on the noisy day where the Herrscher of Sentience had come barrelling into the world.
Senti makes a face and bumps her shoulder lightly against Hua’s.
“No fair. Not like that. Humour me, will you?”
“Okay. Mm…let’s say I was separated from you, for whatever reason.”
“Yeah?”
“Well, the first thing I would do is wonder if you remembered to tell Xixi to take care of the little Piyos in my place.”
Senti would like to frown, but she can’t restrain the genuine, goofy smile curving her lips upward. Of course Hua would say that. Her beloved can be at times sharp and witty, and at other times completely dense like a cinderblock.
“Are you joking?”
“…Partly. I would first make sure that I’m safe. That you’re safe – soul chain and all. Then I would think about Xixi.”
“That’s better.”
A moment of quiet falls again as they stand there at the window and continue to look out at the night sky. Tonight there is a faint purplish glow from the Moon, which – in Hua’s opinion – lends just the right personal touch.
“But I couldn’t reach you when I was spirited away to Phosphorus.”
“Yeah, yeah. Someone blocked you. Su, or Sa. Either doesn’t matter. You’re back. You’ve been back for ten years already.”
Hua smiles and raises a hand to lightly clasp Senti’s shoulder. When Senti doesn’t react, Hua tightens to a firm grip.
“I was thinking of making something.”
“Dinner? We ate already.”
“No. Dessert. I’ve got the old recipes out already.”
Senti grins, leaning in close to briefly kiss Hua’s cheek. Then she pads away in the direction of the mantlepiece. There is the clack of recipe cards sliding over one another as she sorts through them, then she raises one triumphantly.
“Here. Let’s do this.”
Hua moves over, peering at the card.
“Time consuming.”
“Aw, we’ve got tomorrow off. Besides, don’t you want to spend more time with your lovely wife?”
Hua smiles despite herself, strokes the top of Senti’s head and draws her in to press their foreheads together. Then she tilts her head up, kisses Senti's forehead lightly and moves towards the kitchen.
“Alright then. You can help me grease the moulds and temper the chocolate.”
“Aye-aye, Class Monitor.”
Hua smiles at her old affectionate nickname, kisses Senti once more for good measure and opens the kitchen cabinets. Few people she knows would spend their birthdays like this.
Much later, when the plates and utensils and mixing bowls have been washed and put away, when the only evidence of the chocolate souffles are but a few crumbs, they get ready for bed.
Freshly showered, dressed in clean clothes and simply happy to be existing, Senti stretches out on the bed and makes a little happy giggle. She doesn’t move, not even when Hua pads in with damp hair and water clinging to her shoulders.
A little helpless smile breaks out on Hua’s face and she reaches over to pat her wife’s thigh.
“Taking up room again.”
“Make me move then.”
Hua doesn’t immediately obey, draping her towel over the bedside chair to dry, buttoning her sleep shirt up properly and knotting the drawstring on her shorts firmly. Then she slides her hands under Senti’s thighs and back, lifting her carefully but easily.
Senti just gives a little hum of contentment as Hua shifts her to her proper side of the bed, then sinks down beside her. She reaches out to affectionately ruffle Senti’s hair, her hand then slowing and roving over to cup the former Herrscher’s cheek.
“Before I forget…happy birthday. Again.”
“To you too.”
Senti sits up, places one hand on Hua’s nape to draw her close, then leans in and closes the distance. For a few moments she lets the moment draw itself out, appreciating the familiar shape of Hua’s lips, the heat of her breath.
Then she pulls away, scoots back in for one affectionate peck to the cheek and yawns.
“I’m going to turn in. Unless you’re in the mood for…?”
She turns back to wink at her wife, holding the eye contact for a few seconds as Hua gazes back with that soft, tender, utterly in-love expression. Then she chuckles, pulls the blanket up to her chest and sinks into her pillows.
“Night.”
“Good night, dear.”
Hua takes a few more moments to admire Senti before leaning across and brushing her lips to her temple.
“Happy birthday, again.”
“Same. Sleep, now.”
Hua smiles, kisses her wife on the cheek one last time and turns out the lights. The bedroom is plunged into comfortable dimness, and Hua finally lies back against her pillows.
It was a good day.
Another year, another birthday.
One year older, but still the same them.
And she wouldn’t have it any other way.