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She stood next to me, so close, her arm wrapped around mine; my face buried in her fragrant crimson hair, hair reflecting the dim light of the streetlamps so that it looked almost metallic. But it was soft and warm, unlike any metal in existence.
One of my hands lightly encircled her waist; a gesture I never thought I'd get used to though it seemed so natural now. Through the darkness of my hair and the night, she reached up her lips to whisper excitedly in my ear.
"How much longer?"
The warm summer wind swept lazily past, stirring the grass and briefly silencing the summer orchestra of insects. They soon picked up their instruments and hummed on.
"Not much," I answered. "Only a minute or two."
Grass, flowers, and earth all rose up in a heady perfume only summer can bring. At once sweet but not stifling, it reminded me of the one I held in my arms. Never stifling. She leaned her head upon my shoulder, and I knew she was enjoying this moment as much as I was.
The bluish sky above still twinkled only with stars. Distantly, I heard a fizzle.
Starfire drew in a sharp breath, her eyes wide with anticipation. A small stream of small lights snaked up the sky, higher and higher and higher. For a breathless moment, it disappeared into the dark. Both our eyes were affixed to the spot it had vanished. Then, with a loud bang that rent the silence of the night, it blossomed into a stunning burst of red sparks.
With an appreciative gasp, Star clapped her hands once. Her excitement was contagious, and I couldn't help but grin happily along with her.
Firework after firework exploded, drawing fantastical shapes across the vast canvas, illuminating the previously dark sky with splashes of vivid color that nevertheless always seemed white when it reached the upturned faces of excited people.
I stole a glance at Star's face. In the light of the fireworks, I saw her eyes riveted onto the sky, the panorama taking place reflected in them. Pure, childlike glee emanated from her being, from the elated gasps at the particularly elaborate fireworks; from the wide-eyed, enraptured expression on her face, her mouth smiling and slightly open, allowing the bright white teeth within to peek out just a sliver; from the animated movements of her hands, going from clapping to clasping to clutching my arm at the more brilliant ones as her own way of telling me how much she liked it. She even jumped in delight now and then.
I absorbed it all, filling myself with her joy, enough for me to generate my own joy. I always knew she had the power to make me uncharacteristically giddy. It had just taken me a while to accept that scary fact.
I returned my gaze to the fireworks, though the fact that her quick, excited breaths grazed my ear made it exceptionally hard to concentrate.
"Glorious," she breathed, long and slow. Her voice was almost lost in the noise but the hairs in my ear canal trembled and alerted me to the word. Grinning, I stepped nearer, thankful for the breeze that allowed me to be this close without becoming uncomfortably hot and sticky. That certainly would have put a damper on this moment.
The sizzling and popping died down, though the flashes from the lights remained imprinted in my retina as a dancing green shadow.
"Wait for it," I said. "Here comes the best part."
Sure enough, with a deafening blast, dozens of firecrackers shot into the sky and erupted, temporarily blinding us. I gave a loud whoop that was mimicked enthusiastically by Star who finished off with giggles.
All too soon, the light show was over, leaving only idly floating gray billows of smoke to mark the place where they had once shone.
Starfire looked wistfully at the fading clouds. The insects in the grass were still too shocked to sing yet, and all was silent except for the almost imperceptible roar of traffic in the distance. She shifted her attention to me.
"It was beautiful," she said, smiling. "Though I did not see it that way at first."
I laughed. "I know. You asked me if Earth was under attack."
Giggling, Star nodded. "I remember. It seems so foolish now. I should have realized that you would be much more frantic if Earth was truly in danger."
"Yeah," I chuckled. "I guess I would be."
We stared at each other. Star grinned knowingly. I smirked.
"I think you've forgotten something," I quietly said.
"No, I have not," she replied softly. She slid her arms over my shoulders, and our lips met.
"Happy Fourth of July, Richard Grayson," she said.
"Happy Fourth of July, Star."
I fervently thanked America's forefathers for independence…and for giving me this moment to share last year, this year, every year.
We walked back to the Tower, hand in hand.
The song of summer insects rose around us as if in celebration.
A/N Because somehow or other, I've seen no Fourth of July fics this year.