Aiden is in a great mood, and it’s showing in how he plays. He’s so full of energy. There’s power and strength in the way he moves, but a looseness and easiness to his laughter. This is a version of Aiden that’s very rare, and watching him has me smiling so hard that my cheeks begin to ache.

Gabby, as it turns out, has no interest in going easy on him for his birthday.

Her way of playing looks more like a dance. A twirl around Andre, who tries unsuccessfully to steal the ball from her. A leap over Austin’s outstretched foot. She comes up to face Niko, and there’s a split-second pause as she considers.

She makes a sharp movement to his left, and when he springs into action to stop her, she zips to his right, instead. His balance is thrown, and he ends up flat on his back, leaving Gabby to kick the ball directly over Damien’s head and into the top right corner of the goal.

“You guys are officially tied!” calls Angie, who is keeping score.

“Damn, Gabby!” Niko sits up on the grass, panting. “That was - are you single?”

“No, she absolutely is not!” Kent yells from the sidelines. Gabby jogs by him, her ponytail swinging as she runs.

“Step it up, birthday boy,” she calls to Aiden, who breaks into a devious grin.

When the play starts, Aiden passes the ball to Noah, who swerves around Rasheem, then spots Gabby coming for him.

“Jesus Christ, somebody stop her!” he laughs, kicking the ball at Jabrill.

Gabby intercepts it, but Aiden appears from nowhere, snags it out from under her feet. He kicks it hard, up high, and Noah, who has run towards the goal, leaps up to knock it out of the air on his head. It goes to Niko, who passes it back to Aiden.

He sees Gabby coming for it, and I can tell that he’s strategizing. He moves the ball behind himself, then uses the back of his foot to kick it up in a high arc over his own head, and Gabby’s. Gabby loses sight of it for a second, and Aiden seizes the opportunity. He shoots it back to Noah, who just barely catches it with the very tip of his foot, falling to the ground for his efforts, sending the ball flying into the air, and - into the goal.

“Oh, shit!” Raj vaults to his feet next to me, punching his fists up over his head. “Fuck yeah, let's go, that’s my fucking boy!”

That’s the game, apparently - I have no idea what decides when these things are over - and all the players run to gather together, shouting and laughing and shoving. Raj sprints directly for Noah, so I get up and go straight for Aiden, who is grinning happily, his eyes searching for me. He breaks free from the tangle of people, runs to me, and scoops me up into the air. I laugh, smacking his arms, struggling to be put down.

Raj, meanwhile, flat out tackles Noah to the ground, and I hear Melanie burst into laughter from the sidelines.

“Jesus, Aiden!” Gabby says, out of breath. “That was a fucking fantastic rainbow kick! I can’t even be mad.”

“That’s called a rainbow kick?” I ask, as Aiden sets me down. “How appropriate.”

Aiden laughs, and it’s that same kind of bright, wild laugh he let out when we did our first successful rescue together. His blue eyes are normally so observant and serious, but today they’re playful, uninhibited - glowing. His laughter is, too, and it sends warmth flooding through me. I rock up onto my toes to kiss him, and feel him smile against my mouth.

He normally has to be so many different things. Guardian, Heliomancer, the one always on watch.

Today, he’s completely Aiden, nothing else, and he shines brighter than all the magic fireflies in the world.

~~~~

After dinner, some of the guys from the team give Aiden a birthday hug and head out. Aiden stands by the door saying goodbyes, getting people’s numbers so they can do this again. But some of them stay, including Jabrill, who brought along his girlfriend and their two-year-old. Rasheem, who has more or less started following Destinee around, also decides to hang out longer. Damien, Niko, and Austin cluster together in the kitchen, sipping their beers, debating the best and worst plays of today’s game. A few more guys stay out in the yard, kicking the ball around.

It’s either a very warm day for fall, or Aiden is putting off a lot of heat without realizing it. Almost everyone drifts back outside when they’re done eating, to bask in the unseasonably mild weather.

Dusk begins to descend, the shadows lengthening. Fading sunlight tumbles through the boughs of the trees, checkering the grass with shifting patterns. After all the laughter, running, and shouting during the game, a sort of contented drowsiness hangs over us all.

Kent and Aiden get a little bonfire going in the firepit on the lawn, and we all kick back, watching the smoke mounting into the sky, curling up and away. People are chit-chatting, and every now and then a burst of laughter goes up. Birds hidden by the deepening twilight let out soft calls, which mingle with the sounds of the party.

The kitchen windows are open, and the air is perfumed with residual cooking smells; saffron, ginger, cinnamon. Rosy light from the house spills outside, painting the porch in dreamy colors.

I’m moving between groups, but making sure to spend time with Kasey, as I’m one of only two people here who can see her. I was worried it might make her feel lonely, but she’s sitting with Angie, Melanie, and Des, listening to their conversation with a grin on her face. Contributing, even though they can’t hear her.

Rasheem joins the guys who are still playing, now and then glancing over to see if Destinee is watching.

“You want me to get him away from you, Des?” I ask, sitting down next to her on the porch steps.

“Nope, no thank you,” she says firmly, to giggles from Angie and Mel.

Rasheem expertly steals the ball from one of the other guys, then makes a point of jogging past the steps.

“Don’t all make a move at once, ladies,” he calls, with a wink.

Angie scoffs, flapping a hand at him.

“Competing over men?” she calls back. “I don’t think so, darling!”

“Yeah, miss me with that pick me, pick me! energy, honestly,” Melanie adds, cupping her hands around her mouth to make sure that Rasheem hears her.

“We love ourselves too much for that!” Destinee yells, as Rasheem jogs away backwards, a cheeky grin on his face. “Okay, seriously, though," she says, dropping her volume. "He is fine. Add to cart.”

All the girls laugh again. Kasey included, though I’m the only one who hears her.

“I missed this,” she sighs happily. “I should really haunt the girls more often. Remind me why I’m always hanging around you goons?”

I turn my head to the side, so I can whisper to her without being noticed. “You’re in a good mood.”

“I’m having fun,” she says, like that’s the full story. I wait, one eyebrow raised, and Kasey laughs. “Okay, okay, I wasn’t going to say anything, because today is about Aiden, but - Will came to Benton Street last night. We talked a little. He didn’t stay for long, we’re taking it in increments. But, yeah. I saw him.”

I grin widely, and Kasey rolls her eyes, though she fails to look convincingly annoyed.

“So I’m guessing it went well?” I ask, and she bites down on her smile. “Oh, man. I haven’t seen you make a face like that since Milo. You realize you have to tell me everything, right?”

“Later,” Kasey says. “Right now, I just want to be with my girls.”

I smile at her, then get to my feet, leave her to it. Stretching my arms over my head, I look around at who’s still here.

There’s a cluster of guys from the team standing by the edge of the porch, two of them sitting on the railing. Alix and Ripley are alone together, cross-legged on the grass, speaking quietly. My mom is at the porch table with Aunt Sarah, discussing this week’s parish council drama. My dad is listening, putting in comments, making himself laugh.

Kent and Gabby are by the bonfire, chatting with Jabrill and his girlfriend. Gabby is holding their little one, leaning back against Kent’s knees, giving Jabrill’s girlfriend a break.

Ellen and Olivia have thoroughly worn themselves out, and are inside watching Balto on Aunt Sarah’s TV. Sancho and Nugget, our resident senior citizens, are both passed out beneath the porch table, tongues lolling.

Notably missing are Aiden, Raj, and Noah.

I go in through the porch door, stepping into the kitchen right as Aiden does the same thing from the opposite side. He’s freshly changed out of his soccer clothes, and he smiles when he sees me.

“Hi.” I move around the table and wind my arms around his neck. “Are you still enjoying your party?”

“Yes.” He bends to brush a kiss onto my mouth. “Kinda can’t believe it, but yes.”

“Have you seen Raj and Noah? I don’t know where they slipped off to.”

“No, I-” Aiden begins, then breaks off as Ripley and Alix step inside from the porch. “Hey, you two.”

“Hey!” Alix says, and I blink in surprise, realizing that she’s wearing Ripley’s denim jacket. It’s a little too big on her, and the sleeves come halfway down her palms. “Feels nice in here! It’s getting chilly outside.”

“Have you guys seen-?” I start to ask, then stop as Noah and Raj appear in the doorway behind Aiden. “Oh, there you are. Where’d you go?”

“Went to get Aiden’s present from the car!” Raj holds up a wrapped box. “But we ended up, um. Off-mission.”

“We were looking at some frogs,” Noah explains.

“Good frogs out there,” Raj informs us. “Two, right in the driveway!”

“Nothing like a good frog,” Ripley says, biting back a laugh. Both Raj and Noah make a sound of agreement, then turn back to Aiden.

Raj holds out the box. “Anyways - open your present, bro!”

Aiden releases me and accepts the box, eyeing the neat packaging.

“I’m guessing that Mellie wrapped this?”

Noah nods, scooping his hair into a bun. “It’s from the three of us.”

Aiden sets the box on the table and opens it up. He extracts a black snapback, then stops, staring down at it. There are three stripes of paint across the front of the hat, stylized, messy, dripping. In descending order of color: pink, lavender, and blue.

“Is this -?” Aiden looks up at Raj and Noah, his voice softening. “Did you guys get me a bi pride flag snapback?”

“So, here’s the thing, man,” Noah says, “We actually couldn’t find one in any local stores.”

“We even went all the way to Greenrock, and fucking nothing!” Raj puts in.

“And the ones we found online wouldn’t get here in time,” Noah continues, “So we commissioned an artist.”

Aiden stares at Noah, then turns to Ripley, who is smiling nervously.

“Hope you like it, Aiden,” he says.

Aiden stares at all of them, then breaks into a very wide grin. He takes off the hat he’s already wearing and pulls the new one onto his head. Backwards, as usual.

“Yes!” Raj slaps Aiden's arm. “Fuck yeah, man, it looks awesome!” He turns to Noah, beaming. “Dude, we nailed it. Maybe now I can get a hug from Aiden that he doesn’t squirm out of.”

“You know what, Raj?” Aiden laughs, and opens his arms. Raj gags with delight, then rushes forward, with Noah close behind. The three of them all stagger and nearly fall over. I lean back against the counter, watching them with a ridiculous grin on my face. “C’mere, Ripley,” Aiden calls.

“No, that’s not my gift,” Ripley says. “I brought - hang on.” He finds his bag on one of the kitchen chairs, and flips it open. Noah and Raj release Aiden, watching curiously as Ripley carefully extracts a sheet of heavy paper from his sketchbook. He offers it to Aiden, who accepts it, and turns it over.

Aiden takes one look and stops still, his eyes widening. Noah and Raj gather behind his shoulders, and they all fall silent, staring at the page.

Then all three of them look up, directly at me.

“What is it?” I push off of the counter and go to Aiden. “Hey, let me see.”

Wordlessly, he hands me the paper, and I freeze, staring down at it.

It’s the sketch I’d seen Ripley working on, all that time ago, at City Hall. The sketch of me. Except - sketch isn’t the right word, anymore. It’s a complete drawing, right down to the details of my flannel, my freckles. My nose is scrunched up in a laugh, my mouth open like I'm about to say something.

“Oh,” I finally manage. “That’s - flattering.”

“Are you kidding?” Noah takes the paper, stares down at it, and looks up at me again. “Jesus Christ, Jamie, it looks just like you! You drew this, Ripples?”

Everyone turns back to Ripley, whose cheeks are starting to color. Alix comes to join us, extending a hand for the drawing, which Noah gives her.

There’s a brief silence.

“Ripley,” Alix breathes, looking up at him. “Oh my god.”

“I did one of you, too, Aiden,” Ripley murmurs, “But I figured you’d want this one more.”

Aiden lets out an incredulous laugh, taking the drawing back from Alix.

“Shit, man, you were very right about that,” he says, and Ripley laughs. “Dude, seriously. This - what the fuck. Our exhibition is gonna be so good.”

Ripley's smile broadens. Alix is still looking at him from across the kitchen table, nibbling her lip.

“Okay, this all deserves a celebration.” Noah extracts a spliff and a lighter from somewhere within his bomber jacket. “Puff puff pass people, with me. Jamie, you coming?”

“Be right there. And tell my dad, he’ll definitely partake.”

Noah nods, then leads Raj to the porch door. Alix and Ripley exchange a conspiratorial glance, and follow after them.

“I know you two don’t think you’re smoking this with us,” I hear Noah say, as the door swings shut.

I turn back to Aiden, but before I can say anything, Noah opens the door again, to let Aunt Sarah inside.

“Hi, Auntie,” Aiden says. “You like my new hat?”

He turns it around, shows her the front.

“It’s lovely!” She sits down at the kitchen table, and Aiden takes the chair next to her. Much like Aiden, Aunt Sarah looks tired, but in a bright and happy way. When both of them are relaxed, their blue eyes have a matching kind of ease and warmth. For a fraction of a second, I forget that she’s his aunt, not his mom. “So? How’s it feel to be twenty-seven?”

Aiden shrugs, sets the hat down on the table. His fingers drift towards the fine lines at the corners of his eyes, but he seems to realize what he’s doing, and he drops his hand back into his lap. Aunt Sarah tips her head to the side, her eyes following the movement.

“Oh, sweetheart.” She reaches out to pat his knee. “You of all people should know that to age is a blessing, a gift not everyone is lucky enough to receive. Nothing to feel sorry about, so long as you’re living well. And look around at all these people who love you! You are living well.”

She gets up again, presses a kiss to Aiden’s forehead, and heads into the living room, off to check on Ellen and Olivia.

Aiden looks thoughtful. He turns in his chair, reaches for me. As soon as I’m within reach, he pulls me down onto his lap. I push my fingers into his messy chestnut hair, take a deep breath of the grassy smell clinging to him.

For a minute or two, we sit together in close, peaceful quiet. The only sounds are the faint bursts of laughter from the porch, the distant snap and pop of the bonfire, and our heartbeats, walking together.

Honestly, if this isn’t living well, I don’t know what is.