(It's July 4th, in case you can't read)

On the very top of a hill in Gas Work Park, Elise lays down a blanket. It’s still early in the day therefore there’s still plenty of open space to be filled. It won’t be too long until it’s packed full of everyone wanting to see the firework show. Elise comes here every other year with her parents so she knows how tight it gets. This year, she gets to spend it with the person she loves most, Yuele.

“Is it too late for me to leave?” Nat jokes knowing she’s a third wheel. She sits across from Elise and Yuele who are too busy playing the red hand slap game to pay attention. “I need to get laid,” Nat groans.

“Suck it up, virgin,” Yuele teases but it doesn’t deter his concentration. He hasn’t let Elise win so far.

“Nat has never dated anyone,” Elise says, getting her hands slapped before she can even react.

“Damn, I was joking about the virgin.”

“I’m not a virgin.”

“Oh, so you’re just a loser.”

Elise laughs and tries to slap Yuele thinking he’s distracted by his own laughter but misses. “Fuck, I thought I had you!”

“No more than the person with a whole alternate identity, Loser.”

“Bitch, I’m beautiful.”

“Beautifully deranged,” Elise jokes and makes her partner laugh a bit too hard. She’s able to get her first win. “Yes!”

To an outsider, the jokes they make to each other would be classified as too mean. The trio knows it’s just playful banter and it’s never serious. After all, they’re all best friends. Elise is equally made fun of for her past poor taste in guys and how the last turned her gay. Nat is also teased any time Yuele learns something about her.

“I let you win, babe.”

“Cope harder.”

Nat sighs and flops down to the ground. Getting Elise and Yuna into a relationship had been her entire goal since she figured out that Yuele and Yuna are the same person. Now since she accomplished it, or at least helped, not much else has kept her entertained. The clear skies she’s staring at don’t give her any other ideas to cure her boredom.

“I’m going to get food, you two want anything?” Yuele stands.

“Just water, Yunes.”

“The next five minutes of peace is enough.”

“I’m getting you fries covered in dog shit.”

Nat sits up when Yuele leaves. “As much as I love you guys, I do feel like a third wheel right now.”

“Don’t be,” Elise slides her butt to sit next to Nat. “Our friend Grace was supposed to be here so it’s not like we wanted to be alone tonight.”

“Yeah, where is she?”

“Her sister’s brother came to visit, so she’s with them.”

“So her brother?”

“No. Grace and her sister aren’t related. It’s complicated.”

Nat laughs. “Sounds like it. Oh well, it’s not like I had anything better to do today. It’s been a while since I could just relax like this.”

“And you get to watch me flirt with my boyfriend who’s also my girlfriend, what more can you ask for? Nat’s unhealthy fascination with my relationship fulfilled.”

Nat giggles half genuinely, half nervously. Her constant support of Yuna isn’t a secret. Nat’s motives ultimately came into question when she tried to get Elise to forgive Yuna a while back. The secret that Yuna was actually Yuele this entire time wasn’t an easy pill to swallow. Elise felt like Nat was always on Yuna’s side while she was untangling her emotions. Once she accepted that she loves Yuna just as much as Yuele, Elise thought Nat was only trying to help her see the truth.

Nat still hasn’t told Elise why she shipped them together so much.

Yuna thinks it’s because of the poem Elise wrote about her. Nat hasn’t told her the truth either.

Growing up, Elise tried to get Nat into reading manga. Natalie just couldn’t ever get into it, or at least that’s what Elise thinks. In her free time, she started to read all sorts of stories just so Elise could have one person she could talk to. Out of everything she tried to read, there was only one that got her hooked. It was unlike anything Elise would ever read and too embarrassing to tell her.

Nat quickly became obsessed with the genre of the manga she read. They weren’t the type of stories she could talk about with Elise, so she never told her. It became Natalie’s secret. And the more she read, the more obsessed she became with girl-on-girl relationships. Yuri manga was the last thing Nat thought she would enjoy, much less seeing it in real life.

Seattle is a progressive city. There’s no shortage of lesbian relationships for Natalie to fan over. Following them became a hobby. Learning that Elise might be attracted to girls was like winning the lottery. She spent years trying to figure out if her best friend swung that way. There was never any more evidence until she noticed how Yuna would treat Elise. Out of everyone in their friend group, Elise was the only one Yuna treated a bit differently. It felt like behind all the mean remarks; a bit of flirting was also added. Elise would then bite back the same way. It was always odd.

Odd until Elise met Yuele.

Odd until Nat saw that Yuna and Yuele were the same person.

The fire in Natalie’s obsession with Yuri was set ablaze. The complications of who Yuna is made it even better. It became Nat’s sole purpose and something she has to take to the grave. She knows just how crazy Elise and Yuna would think she is if she ever told them.

“He’s taking a while,” Elise stands. “I’m going to see what’s up. Don’t leave.”

“Oh, don’t worry about me. I’ll be here. Forever alone.”

-

The influx of people arriving at the park makes the food truck area too crowded. Every line is long so Yuele chooses the one which he thinks is the shortest. The line moves much slower than all the others and he thinks about switching. He decides that there wouldn’t be a point as all the others have only gotten longer. By the time he orders, the park becomes too crowded to see where Elise and Nat are seated.

It takes another five minutes for him to get his food. He bought a burger with fries for Elise because he knows she’ll only steal his. Before he can make his way back, Yuele is tapped on the shoulder.

“Hey, I just really want to say I like your style.”

Two girls stand before him.

“Thanks,” Yuele says. His elbow is grabbed when he tries to turn around.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

“Are you here alone? We have a tent set up if you want to join us. I’m Avery, this is Jill. And you are?”

Yuele is used to all the girls who find him attractive. It’s a source where he gets all his confidence. Yet it’s rare for girls to approach him this boldly. “Sorry, I already have people waiting on me.”

“Oh come on, I bet we’re much more fun!” one of the girls pulls on Yuele's elbow.

He yanks himself out of her grip, “Not interested.”

“Just ten minutes. Please. We’re lonely.”

Before Yuele can respond, a familiar hand grabs his. “Friend of yours, Yunes? Hi, I'm Elise, his girlfriend.” Elise announces proudly, making a face Yuele hasn’t seen before. Her little grin screams, ‘Back off, he’s mine.’

“No,” he pulls Elise closer. The visible annoyance on the two girls' faces amuses him. “Let’s go back. It was nice meeting you two.”

Elise looks back at the two girls while they walk back and sticks her tongue out at them. “I was ready to beat some ass,” she tells her man. “Were they hitting on you?”

“Yeah,” Yuele chuckles. “You’re cute when you’re jealous.”

“I saw the whole thing. The audacity of those bitches. Did you see their faces when they saw you were with me? Ah, I loved it.”

“Y’know, it’s my job to stop guys from hitting on you, not the other way around. You made me look like a bitch.”

“Oh shut up,” Elise laughs. “Let me have this. I don’t get to flaunt you often.”

“Now I just feel like a trophy,” Yuele laughs.

He places the stacked trays once they join back with Nat and hands over his fries to her. Elise pouts when she’s given her food but accepts it nonetheless.

“Aren’t you hot?” Nat asks with a mouthful of fries. “How can you wear a jacket all the time? I’m sweating just sitting.”

“I’m used to it.”

“Don’t lie, Yunes. It’s just us two.”

Yuele sighs. He forgets that he can be whoever he wants with these two. The jacket and hoodies he wears are only there to hide his feminine body. Elise grabs the jacket and lays it on her lap. Then Yuele takes off his hat and unties his hair.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s fine,” Yuele says in his natural voice, signaling to the two of them that it’s Yuna now.

“Isn’t Yunie the cutest?” Elise kisses her girlfriend on the cheek.

“Get a room,” Nat rolls her eyes. “Your new haircut makes you so androgynous, Yuna. It’s eerie, in a cool way.”

“Thanks, I cut it on impulse.”

Elise runs her fingers through the back of Yuna’s head, playing with her hair. “Everything you do is on impulse.”

“If I didn’t, you wouldn’t be mine,” Yuna lifts her arms to stretch and yawn. “And all it took is a bit of manipulation and lying.”

“I don’t think that’s something to be proud of, babe.”

-

The sun sets and the park becomes so crowded that the three girls barely get any space to sit. There’s never a time when somebody isn’t a foot away from them in any direction. Luckily it never gets too uncomfortable while they wait for the firework show to start. Elise knows it’ll get worse the closer the show gets.

They spend the next two hours talking as they have the entire day. Sometimes dull and silent moments happen but no one gets bothered by it. Elise and Yuna treat it like any other day so they don’t find the wait all that special. It’s Nat who’s enjoying this time the most. She watches her two best friends flirt but it brings up a topic they talked about earlier. Why hasn’t she ever gotten into a relationship? Watching how Elise and Yuna act around each other makes her feel a bit lonely. Nat never gave the idea much thought, but now she wants one.

The first firework is launched and it makes the entire park stand. Elise grabs onto Yuna as the two watch the show with Nat behind them. This is the first time Yuna has seen the fireworks this close. She can barely remember the last time she took the time to stop and watch them somewhere else. For Elise, none of this is new and yet it feels like it’s the first. Having Yuna beside her makes it much more special in a way she can’t quite put into words.

Elise thinks about everything that has happened up to this point. She thinks about how Yuna deceived her. She thinks about how Yuna tried her hardest to make Elise fall in love with her so that lie could become a reality. She thinks about how she hurt Yuna because Elise was scared to admit she fell in love with her. Right now, she’s grateful it all worked out. All it took was one honest conversation and a little bit of courage.

Yuna has all these thoughts as well. The firework show is magnificent and she thinks she’ll remember this moment forever. Yuna watches as the explosions only get more grand and complex but eventually, they lose their magic. Her attention turns to Elise.

It takes a while for Elise to notice.

“You’re staring again.”

“I know.”

“Don’t you want to watch?”

“It’s pretty, sure, beautiful even. But you’re more beautiful than the fireworks, Elise.”

Elise blushes. She thought she’s gotten used to how easily Yuna can make her feel embarrassed and awkward. It’s just how she felt with Yuele at the beginning. Yuna doesn’t break away from her stare and it makes it hard to look her in the eyes.

“You’re not playing fair.”

“Telling you the truth is fair.”

Elise calms and meets with Yuna’s sultry eyes. The fireworks are reflecting off of them, giving them a slight shine.

“I should be the one telling you how perfect you are.”

A barrage of fireworks lights up the sky and muffles any other sound from being heard. They’re so frequent and violent that it almost becomes blinding. Elise and Yuna are the only ones not affected as they are only looking at each other.

Yuna says something but her words are drowned out.

Elise responds with her words rendered silent just the same.

It matters not.

Elise brushes her lover’s cheek with her fingers then move to grab the back of her neck. Yuna accepts and Elise gives her the kiss she’s been yearning for all day. Like always, it feels like the world disappears around them. It’s just Elise and Yuna.

The fireworks stop for a few seconds only for the whistle of a single one to be heard as it’s launched into the air. As it goes up, a tail of fire follows it. Nat is the only one to notice or even care that the trail it leaves is directly between the two lovers. It explodes perfectly above them, lighting up the sky with a monster of a light show.

The loud boom quiets. Then the sparkles fall and begin to fade. It’s only then that the girls pull away but rest their heads on each other's foreheads. They don’t open their eyes nor say a word to each other. They just hold each other's hands as if they’re praying. They stay like this for a while as they hear the firework show continue. Yuna breaks their trance when she decides she wants another kiss, a shorter one this time. When she’s done, she rubs her cheek against Elise’s.

Elise in turn, opens her eyes and pulls Yuna so her head rests on her shoulder. She gets a tighter hug than she expected.

“Next year, can it just be just the two of us?”

“Next year, we’ll do more than just this,” Yuna giggles.

“I love you, Yuna.”

“I know.”

Elise lightly slaps the back of Yuna’s head, knowing it’s just a joke. “Don’t ‘I know’ me!’ jerk.”

Yuna laughs, lifting her head towards Elise’s ear and whispers, “I love you too, Elise.”

“Much more than I know, right?”

“Much more than even I know, honestly.”

“Well, mine’s new and fresh, confusing but exciting. You better watch out, maybe you won’t be able to handle it.”

“I’m willing to make that bet,” Yuna rests her head on the shoulder again. She exhales and it loosens the tense body she was unaware she had. Then a ridiculous thought creeps in and overtakes any other. She’s been so focused on the now that she never considered the possibility, but wants it nonetheless. It doesn’t matter how new her relationship is.

Elise has the same thought. She gets scared of just how badly she wants it to come true. Between the two, Elise is the only one who thinks about it beyond just desire. She takes a moment to think about how it could go and how early she could make it happen. Elise comes from money so that would realistically never be an issue. Her parents would even support it and help out. Then it baffles her on having the thought pop up at all.

Her mother once told her when Elise asked as a kid. She asked how would she know when she finds the person she-

When you know, you know.

Elise knows that Yuna is the person she wants to marry.

Yuna knows that Elise is the person she wants to spend the rest of her life with. She wants to marry her.

Fuck the details, I should propose right now, she plays with the idea. Nah, this is too basic. I have a better idea.

“You okay?” Elise asks when Yuna giggles for apparently no reason.

“Just fine.”

The fireworks end.

Elise thinks, Who would propose anyways? We’re both girls. Would it be Yuele then? I don’t want to wait for that. I want to do it. What if I do it right now? That would be really funny.

Yuna moves her arms down to Elise’s waist and pulls herself away. She notices that Elise’s eyes are fixated on her.

“You’re staring.”

“Maybe because I’ve been waiting my whole life for this moment.”

“I fucking love you so much.”

“I love you just as much, maybe more.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Yuna pulls her hands off and gives Elise the widest grin she can. It’s like a silent laugh.

Elise slowly opens her mouth in awe. For a second she doesn’t believe what she’s seeing. Yuna’s eyes are glowing and her pupils somehow have shapeshifted into bright stars. There wasn’t any doubt in Elise’s mind, to begin with. She didn’t need any more convincing. Yet, Yuna continues to do things that make Elise fall even deeper in love with her.

Yuna is the person who Elise belongs with.

Elise is the person who Yuna has been searching for.

They both don’t know that they’re sharing the same thoughts. They don’t know just how badly they want to impulsively want to propose to each other. All they know is just how much they love each other.

That’s the only thing that matters.