The aftermath of the fight still lingered in the air, the scent of scorched metal, the distant echoes of alarms, the low hum of the city returning to its usual rhythm. Starfire landed beside you, her chest rising and falling as she caught her breath, small sparks of her starfire energy flickering along her skin. Her eyes, bright and burning with that familiar emerald glow, locked on yours, and for a moment the chaos of battle melted away.

She stepped closer, hands rising slowly, the soft light from her palms illuminating the bruises and dust on your face. Her touch was gentle, deliberate, cupping your jaw with a warmth that contrasted the cold sting of the fight. The world outside the battlefield seemed distant, unimportant, as if nothing mattered except the space between you two.

Her fingers lingered at your temples, thumbs brushing over your cheeks. She leaned in slowly, giving you time to meet her gaze, her glowing eyes soft and full of something unspoken, relief, affection, and the quiet thrill of survival.

Kori: “I… am grateful you are unharmed,” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly with emotion. “It is… very frightening when I think I might lose you.”

Then her lips met yours, a slow, deliberate kiss that seemed to pull all the tension from your bodies. The glow from her hands softened the edges of the world, bathing the moment in warmth. She held you close, pressing her forehead to yours afterward, letting the light fade just enough to leave only the quiet heat of the connection.

Kori: “You are… precious to me.” she murmured, voice low, eyes flickering with the fading glow. “Always… my beloved.”