“Does anyone else think it’s weird,” Ripley says, “That we’re sitting out here in the snow, but it’s not that cold?”

“Power of love, brother,” Raj answers, to a soft, sleepy laugh from everyone. Such a Raj thing to say.

We’re all looking out at the snow-covered mini rainforest in the yard behind his house. I thought he might buy some chairs to put out here in the summer, but instead, he and Noah built a smooth wooden bench that spans almost the entire length of the back wall.

I'm not even sure if it qualifies as a bench. It's something unique, an original design they came up with together. It's wide and roomy, with low wooden walls on the back and on the sides, like a very long daybed. Protected by the overhang of the roof. Mel covered it with outdoor cushions, so it’s seriously comfortable to sit on.

It’s really nice. Like, I want one.

Raj and Noah really do build beautiful things together.

We’re all exhausted from a full day at the exhibition space, and given how cozy our current situation is, nobody wants to move. We’ve been sitting here for a while.

Ripley is curled up in the far corner, a blanket over his knees. Aiden is in the middle, and I’m snuggled up with him, my head resting back against his chest. No blanket for me, because I’m perfectly warm in my Heliomancer's arms. He's the real reason why none of us are feeling cold enough to retreat back into the house, after all.

Noah is in the other corner. Right as I look over at him, Raj leans back and relaxes into his tattooed arms.

I think that Noah is still getting used to being this affectionate with Raj, especially when other people are around.

He holds still for a long moment, then winds an arm around Raj, anchoring him in place. Raj glances up to smile at him, and Noah returns it.

There's another brief pause, and then Noah leans down and puts his chin on the top of Raj’s head.

Smiling to myself, I turn to gaze out over the yard again.

We're all kind of staring at it. It's an eye-catching sight.

The storm left everything coated in ice and frost, which means that the winterproof, evergreen rainforest I made is glittering in the moonlight. Beyond the treetops, the night sky is vividly clear, overrun with stars.

Even the plants themselves have their own glow. I’d strung up some outdoor lights when I set up the yard, but I told Raj to take them down in the winter, not sure they were high-quality enough to survive the big snowstorms that Ketterbridge gets. So I didn’t expect there to be any lights worked in, not at the moment.

I forgot that Raj has his own live-in electrician.

Noah did a much nicer job than I did. There are lights sunk into the earth, illuminating the plants from below, and others woven through the tree boughs. These ones are scattered out, but placed so naturally, moving gently with the swaying of the trees. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think they'd grown right out of the branches. They cast a brilliant dusting of gold on the snow-laden pine needles.

Noah gets down on himself really easily, but I think even he can tell what a beautiful job he did with these. His grey eyes were roving over them in a satisfied sort of way before his gaze dropped down to Raj, and stayed there.

I watch the lights do their slow dance, feeling dreamy and content.

My body is sore, that pleasant kind of ache that comes from a long day of working hard on something you’re excited about. Everyone else seems slowed down in the same kind of way that I am. The only movements that come from the group are Aiden’s fingers, which are toying with a strand of my hair, and Raj’s thumb, which is sliding back and forth in drowsy movements on Noah’s knee.

I think we’re all tired from laughing, too.

At one point today, Raj gathered everyone together in the big room for a construction update. He and Noah had discovered that in addition to putting in the ramp, they need to widen the door to the bathroom if the space is going to be wheelchair accessible for Ripley’s dad.

While Raj was still in the middle of explaining that this would mean doing some demolition work, Noah, who had wandered into the bathroom, apparently decided that there was no time to waste. He put his foot directly through the wall.

I almost start laughing again, remembering how his boot punched out through the wall three times in a row before any of us figured out what the fuck was going on. Then a fourth time, sending paint and plaster flying out onto the floor. And when there was a big enough hole in the wall - well before any of us had recovered - he stuck his head through it, wearing a huge pair of protective eye goggles.

He leaned his elbow on the bottom of the gap, and said, “Hey. What’s up? You guys like to party?”

Ripley had to sit down on the floor, he was laughing so hard, and Raj was doubled over with his notebook full of measurements pressed against his face. I was only staying upright by holding onto Aiden, who was wheezing into his hands.

I'm so glad that we persuaded Noah not to run, all those times that Ralph scared him. Things really wouldn’t be the same without him around.

“Food should be here soon,” Aiden yawns, checking his phone.

Noah lets out a soft, grumbling noise of protest.

“We shouldn’t have ordered it," he says. "Now we have to go inside to eat it.”

“So?”

“So, Aiden, sucks to break up a moment like…” Noah fades off, then shrugs. I think his brain only just caught up to his mouth. “You’re not supposed to fuck up a zen kinda moment, that’s all. Pretty sure that’s one of the Ten Commandments.”

I let out a snort of laughter. “Is it, Noah?”

“Yeah, dude, I think it is.”

“You know the Ten Commandments, huh?”

“Course I fuckin’ do.”

“Okay, let’s hear them.”

Noah’s face screws up with thought. “Um… don’t make a move on your homie’s girl, that’s one…”

Aiden huffs out a laugh. “You failed that one already, Noosh."

“It doesn't count if you have permission, bro.”

“Go on, Noah," I say, poking his arm. "What are the rest?"

“Of the Commandments? Uh… chill out on Sundays, that’s two… number three, is, um. Exodus? Number four, never look in a mirror while you’re on acid…”

“Oh, my god,” I laugh-groan, covering my face with my hands. "Okay, that's enough."

“Yeah, dude, stop," Raj chuckles, tipping his head back to look up at Noah. “This sounds like blasphemy. Jesus is gonna strike us with lightning.”

“Um.” Ripley presses his fingers over his mouth, suppressing a laugh. “You’re thinking of Zeus, Raj.”

I sit back as the conversation goes on, a wide smile on my face. I know what Noah means about this kind of moment being precious, a shame to break up.

There’s something about the atmosphere of a moment like this. Relaxing in a beautiful place, surrounded by your friends and your loves. Satisfied tiredness weighing down your limbs, grounding you to where you are. Equilibrium that you feel right down to your core.

It seems to change the very texture of the world around us, making everything soft and tranquil and timeless.

Aiden’s phone buzzes, breaking off the Zeus vs. Jesus conversation that had started up.

“Food time,” he announces.

I straighten up so he can get off the bench. Noah and Ripley get up, too, although Noah looks reluctant to go.

Raj stretches his legs out as the others head inside. I look over at him, absorbing the smile on his face.

“You seem happy, Raj,” I say.

“I am.” He leans back against the bench, his eyes closed, his expression serene. “I’m glad we’re all chillin’ out here. That’s exactly why Noah and I made this. We hoped you guys would like it as much as we do, so - feels real good to hear that no one wants to get up off of it.”

I smile at him, warmth spreading through my chest.

“It's great, Raj. I really mean it. You and Noah make an amazing team. We’re lucky to have you both working on the exhibition space. Honestly, I can’t believe you guys volunteered to do such a huge project, for free. That was super nice of you.”

“Well…” Raj shrugs, a little sheepish. I can tell, even though his eyes are still closed. “Tell you the truth, I didn’t do it to be nice, bro.”

I tip my head to the side, surprised. “No?”

“No, um... I don’t know why Noah volunteered, but - I volunteered because that was right around the time that Noah and I were almost done working on the house, and I… didn’t want to tell him, but I was having this like, serious internal freakout about it being over. I just wanted us to have a project together, you know? Needed a good excuse to keep hanging with him all the time.”

Oh, my god. Noah had the exact same freakout. We talked about it together, right here in this garden.

I manage not to tell Raj about this, but it’s hard.

“Cute,” I answer, smiling from ear to ear. “I get it. I love Noah to bits, too. Not in the same way you do, obviously - in a friends way, but - still, a lot.”

“I mean…” Raj lets out a helpless laugh. “I was like - I’m gonna die if I don’t get to see this dude every day.”

“Aw, Raj.” I press my fingers over my mouth, beaming at him. “I guess my joke about you getting a replacement boyfriend for Noah was even stupider than I intended it to be, huh?”

Raj laughs again, shaking his head.

“Replace Noah? Come on, Jamie. I love him so much, he’s - he’s irreplaceable, man. Even if I wanted to, which I never would, that would literally be imposs-”

Raj breaks off, having opened his eyes. He stares over my shoulder, a sudden blush darkening his cheeks.

I turn, and realize that Noah didn’t go inside with the others. He’s still standing right there, only a few feet away from us, frozen with one hand on the doorknob.

He’s staring at Raj with radiant, silvery, magnesium eyes. The smile-formed dimples in his cheeks are so deep that the moonlight makes shadows in them.

Raj slowly sits upright on the bench, nervously nibbling his lip. “Um - did you hear - like, all of that, or…?”

The answer is abundantly obvious, so Raj trails off.

Without a word, Noah moves over to sit on the bench beside Raj, who stirs in surprise, like he expected him to bolt into the house.

“I’m sorry,” Raj murmurs, reaching out to squeeze Noah’s arm. “De trop?”

I’m surprised to hear him try to say something in French. He must be working hard to learn it. Although - I guess I have no idea if he got the translation right.

Regardless of whether or not he did, Noah understands him. He smiles silently, shakes his head, and then drops it onto Raj’s shoulder. Relieved, Raj folds an arm around him, then presses a kiss onto his temple.

I leave them there, on the beautiful, handmade creation that they built together.

I know a lot about how things grow. It’s my whole job, basically.

But even I didn't know that something could blossom so brightly in the middle of winter, in the snow, in the moonlight.

~~~~

Later that night, I notice that Noah is missing, so I slip upstairs to look for him.

He and Raj had come inside for the Chinese food, Mel and Nik got back a while ago, and we’ve all hit a resurgent wave of energy. The laughter from downstairs follows after me as I head up.

I find Noah standing alone in his bedroom, his back to the door.

He must hear me come in, but he doesn’t turn around.

I know when to wait through one of Noah’s silences, so I go over to the bed behind him and sit down on it. A faint waft of some sweet fragrance rises from the sheets when I do. A cinnamon scent that I recognize as Melanie’s perfume.

I tuck one leg up under myself, getting comfortable - but the instant my eyes fall on what Noah's staring at, I'm back on my feet again.

I go to stand with him, my eyes widening as they take in what’s leaning against the wall.

I knew that Raj was making Noah a surfboard for his Christmas gift. And I know that Raj can do amazing things with his hands and the right set of tools, but I’ve never seen one of his custom boards before.

I’m more than a little blown away.

It’s a shortboard, about seven feet tall, made out of light softwood. The sleek, graceful body of it is coated in resin that's been polished up so brightly that it absolutely shines.

While the beautiful, natural wood is without a solid coat of paint, there's definitely some paint on this thing. A profile view of the snow leopard tattooed on Noah’s arm, done in thick black linework.

It fills up the entire board, and every detail matches the original design perfectly. Right down to the spot by the leopard’s right eye that resembles the tiny geometric tattoo by Noah’s.

This gift must be from Ripley, too. No one else could have painted that.

The resin on the board is so sparklingly clear that the full beauty of the snow leopard comes right through.

The surfboard is stunning, a work of art in every way.

“Holy shit,” I murmur. “Oh my god, Noah, it’s beautiful, it’s - what does that mean?”

There’s a word written alongside the curve of the leopard’s neck, in the same thick black paint. So subtly worked in that I didn’t notice it at first.

Nohea

“It’s - an inside joke, kinda. It’s what Raj thought I said when I told him my name the first time. It’s a Hawaiian name. He was all - it suits you perfectly, man, and then I had to tell him that he didn’t hear me right.”

I let out a soft laugh, amazed at how hard Raj thought this through. How beautifully he executed it. All the little details.

You can just tell when things are made with love.

I manage to tear my gaze away and look over at Noah.

“Why haven’t you shown it to anybody? Don’t you like it?”

“Do I like it? Fuck, Jamie, I pretty much died when he gave it to me, but I…” Noah stops, breathes out a laugh through his nose. “It’s gonna sound real fuckin’ dumb, but I keep thinking I’m gonna realize that I imagined it. Looks like something I’d ride in my dreams. Don’t wanna tell anybody, just in case.”

I know why Noah is having trouble with this. He’s still figuring out how to accept and believe the amount of love that Mel and Raj give him. Getting better all the time, but still a work in progress.

“Well, it’s real,” I tell him. “I’m seeing it.”

Noah glances over at me, a small smile turning up his lips.

A deep, rumbling voice calls to us from the hallway. “Jamie? Noosh? You guys up here?”

Noah hesitates, then calls back: “Yeah, come in here, Aiden. Wanna show you something.”

I blink at Noah, biting back a surprised smile.

Aiden freezes for a second when he sees the board.

“Whoa.” He comes over to stand with us, his blue eyes very wide. “Damn, Noosh, where'd you get this?"

“Raj made it for me.”

Aiden lets out an impressed whistle, his gaze roaming over it.

“Shit, it’s amazing. Makes me want to get my board out, too. It’s been forever, but I’ve still got it at my aunt’s house.” He turns to smile at Noah, gives his arm a smack. “Dude, we should go out together! Cut up some waves, like we used to in high school.”

Noah looks sidelong at Aiden. “Yeah? You’d want to?”

“I mean, I’ll probably be terrible, but sure.” He grins at Noah, adjusting his snapback. “Sounds fun. Just like old times. But - you know. Better.”

Noah shrugs casually, like he’s down, sounds alright. But that magnesium glow has found its way back into his eyes.

I'm seeing more and more of it, these days.