“Well, this is it,” said Sonata, surveying the living room. It was a decent size—a bit larger than the one at the apartment—and entirely empty. “This is our new home.”

“If you would’ve told me a thousand years ago that I’d be a homeowner, I might’ve punched you in the throat,” sighed Aria. “Now, twelve millennia of paperwork later… Here we are. We’re really doing this.” She wrapped her arm around Sonata, planting a soft kiss on her forehead.

“I feel kinda bad, though. Dagi’s all alone, now,” said Sonata. “The apartment must feel empty without us there.”

“Geez, Sony. It’s a move, not a double suicide. Just because we’re kinda far doesn’t mean we’re not gonna hang with Dag anymore.” Even though Aria was the one who said it, she still felt slightly uneasy. “And besides, we’re, like, ten minutes from Emo-Freak. They’ll be here all the time. C’mon, babe, you know it’s important that we have our own place.”

“Mh-hm. For baby Brittany,” sighed Sonata wistfully. Aria gently, yet firmly, grasped Sonata’s shoulder and held her some distance away. She locked eyes with her wife, and spoke slowly to ensure that there was no misunderstanding her.

“Sonata, if we have a girl, we are not naming her Brittany,” said Aria. “We are not naming her Jessica or Ashley or Amanda. Okay?”

“Says you. I say we should at least consider Jessica.”

Aria sighed, then smirked slightly. A few weeks ago, she was terrified by the idea of having a child. Now, she was looking forward to it. It was going to be a huge change for them, one that would bring both good and bad. It was scary, of course, but many great things were. That was, in part, what made them great.

From the living, the Blazes entered the kitchen, giving the place a once over. Sonata didn’t imagine she’d be spending a lot of time there, seeing as her culinary skills stopped at microwaving pizza. Still, it was nice to see the place, just knowing that it was belonged to them. As they exited the kitchen to the dining room, Sonata hummed a little tune, initially confusing Aria. Then, she remembered The Cleansing.

An old Siren tradition similar to Spring Cleaning, The Cleansing was the act of a new family singing together as they walk into their home for the first time. The wife begins, then the husband, ending with the daughter and then the son, if any are present. The family sings their typical song in a higher key, which has an effect opposite of what is normally intended: Instead of spreading distrust and negativity, this song fills the home with love and positivity. This positive energy forces any negative energy out of the home, and is then consumed by the family.

The dining room was perfect, a good size and connected to the kitchen via an open archway. There was plenty of space for photos to be hung, and the hardwood floors were a beautiful red mahogany. It was the type of dining room seen in a TV show about a perfect family. Aria joined the song, realizing that her family would be just that: perfect.

Aria placed her left hand on Sonata’s hip, then grasped her hand with her right. Sonata smiled, stepping into Aria’s grasp and letting her lead them in a dance throughout the house. No words were exchanged, but they didn’t need to be. Their wordless song and synchronized steps said everything they needed to.

Two Weeks Later

“Alright, I think you’ve earned a break,” said Aria, setting down her palette. “You’re a great model.”

“Thanks! Can I see?” asked Sonata. Aria nodded, and Sonata leapt from her stool and crossed the studio. She jumped on Aria’s lap and leaned in close to the canvas before her. “Oh, babe! This is amazing!”

“I’m not quite done yet, but yeah. It did come out okay, didn’t it?” Aria chuckled. “Not my worst work. Makes me wonder why I ever stopped.” Just then, her stomach erupted into hungry rumbles. “Oh yeah, cause of the whole thing where I end up starving myself. Right.”

“Chinese?” suggested Sonata.

“Sounds good. I’ll place the order.” The loud ring of a doorbell resonated throughout the house. “After I deal with this.” Aria lifted Sonata up and carried her out of the studio, down the stairs, and to the front door. She opened it up to see Adagio, staring down at her phone (likely sending out a text. Just behind her was Silver, who wore a wide grin.

“Ugh. Who invited you two?” groaned Aria. Without a word, Adagio raised her other hand, showing off the bottle of scotch whiskey she held. Aria changed her tune quite quickly. “Right this way.” Adagio chuckled, slipped her phone into her pocket and followed the two into the living room.

“So, what brings you two here?” asked Sonata, jumping out of Aria’s arms to hug her guests.

“We had to see the new place,” said Silver. “When W came in, we saw our chance and took it.”

“Why do you call him W, again?” asked Aria.

“His real name is Warrenthadeus-William,” said Adagio flatly.

“W it is, then. It’s good to see you,” said Aria. “Even you, Dag.”

“You know, for over a thousand years, I fantasized about how great it would be to have you two morons out of my hair,” groaned Adagio, taking a spot on the couch. “Who would have thought I’d be so right?”

“Well, with the whole half-shaved thing, there’s less hair to get out of, so…” Aria and Adagio shared a vindictive glare, then a smile. “Let’s pop open that booze, man. I’m ready to pass out on my couch for the first time.”

“I’ll grab glasses,” said Sonata. She disappeared into the kitchen and returned with four glasses. Silver popped the bottle open, filled the glasses, and took the one that Sonata offered him. They toasted and drank, Sonata sighing with satisfaction.

“I thought the house was perfect, but it was missing something,” said Sonata. “Now, I found the missing link.”

“Whiskey?” asked Aria. Sonata giggled.

“No, silly! Them! Our friends. This is what we really needed.” Sonata smiled widely. “Our house wasn’t a home until we added love.” There was about three seconds of total silence.

Then, Aria lost it.

“Bwahahahahaha!” cackled Aria. “Oh my god, that is the cheesiest thing I ever heard!”

“Though it does raise an interesting philosophical question,” noted Silver. “If home is where the heart is…” Aria could see where he was going with this.

“And a house isn’t a home…” she added.

“If we were to take a house…”

“And fill it with hearts…”

“And, just like that, the two biggest morons in my life ruin what could’ve been a touching moment,” groaned Adagio. Sonata pulled out her phone, flipped through her musical library, and started playing Luther Vandross’ A House is Not a Home. “Ugh. Silver, I need more booze.” The other three began singing along. “Now.”

By the end of the first verse, Adagio had joined in. She couldn’t deny the facts: As much as she claimed to hate Aria and Sonata, they really were her best friends.

Or perhaps that was just the whiskey.