One-shot I wrote for avatarsnowy on Tumblr, who gave me the prompt of Korra and Asami stargazing.
The title comes from the Sophie Ellis-Bextor song "Starlight," which also (very) vaguely inspired the text.
Remember the first time we kissed?
We were lying on the grass, staring up at the night sky. I'd had a long day working with Tenzin. You'd had an even longer day sorting through the company's bills. So we were both kind of sleepy, and I was fading in and out while we watched the stars twinkling.
I remember how wonderful the silence was. The airbabies were in bed, and the boys were back on the mainland. It seemed like we had the whole island to ourselves.
You started playing with my hair. "Why don't you let it down?" you asked. "It's too beautiful for you to keep it in these clips all the time."
"It's not as pretty as yours," I complained.
"Nonsense!" you protested. You turned onto your stomach and moved closer to me to get a better look. "Sit up," you commanded. I was startled by your tone, but something told me to listen to you, so I pulled myself up. You reached over and pulled the clips out of my hair with the grace you've always had. You smiled as you combed the tangles out with your fingers, lightly brushing against my skin.
"There," you said after a few minutes. "It's perfect. Like you."
I smiled my thanks and started to lie back down, but you grabbed my shoulder to stop me. "You'll ruin it if you lie down now!" you said and laughed. My first thought was to lie down anyway, just to flout your instructions. But I looked at you and saw so much affection in your eyes, as much as my parents showed me. You smiled. And at that moment, I knew exactly what was going to happen next. I knew that you knew it, too.
I leaned over and kissed you. And you kissed back, long and hard, but with a sweetness I'd never felt. When we pulled back, both of us giggled for some reason, and I laid my head on your shoulder and pressed it against your neck.
"I really love you, Korra," you said.
"I love you too," I replied.
And we sat like that — me with my head against you, you leaning against me, stroking my hair absentmindedly — for what seemed like ages. It was the best thing I've ever done. And I'm so grateful that I'm reminded of it every time I see myself in the mirror with my hair down. Because then I'm reminded of you.
And it is my great pleasure, Asami Sato, to be standing here today, in front of all the people we love, next to you. In the middle of our wedding ceremony, this blend we've made of the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom traditions. I was going to say I couldn't imagine anything more beautiful, but then I thought of the stars that night. But even those stars weren't the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
You are.