The Perfect Gift

‘The Perfect Gift’ is a chapter of the comic, preceded by Spring Moon at Midnight and followed by Silent Songs.

Episode 1

Musa is losing to Sam at Deathhead when Zach’s mum flies through the window as a bird. She wishes him a happy birthday with firinda sutlac and a new TV, so that they don’t have to go to Habibi’s to watch soap operas. She introduces herself to Musa as Aunty Leila and offers everyone a dessert. They turn it on, but instead of a soap, they see a sermon from Daeng Aria Bin Dariush. Leila decries the extra sermon. To Musa’s surprise, she claims Aria isn’t a real part of the pantheon, not like the gods. She criticises the scriptures of the five caliphs. Zach leaves to take a phone call.

Episode 2

Over the phone, Zhen explains why he hasn’t called — so busy with the festival and the design collective getting a quarter-page feature in a national fashion magazine. Zhen teases Zach for only just turning 21, when Zhen is about to turn 24 in a month. They say affectionate things to each other.