"Man, I love fireworks."
Wally put his arm around her and squeezed her a little closer, Artemis leaning her head on his shoulder and smiling lazily.
"Yeah, I guess they're cool." Artemis replied, sleepy and happy and a whole mixture of pleasant feelings running through her system. "Would be cooler if they were magical fireworks." She added with a yawn, for the specific purpose of annoying her... Well, she didn't really know what they were right now.
"Maybe, if magic existed, which it doesn't." She bit back with a smile, turning his eyes from the bright bursts of light in the sky to meet Artemis's.
Artemis just smiled again. His eyes were shining in that stupid adorable way thy always do, and he was smiling at her like all that mattered was right now. Like they hasn't just defeated their mentors on the most secure satellite in the world and then come back down to Earth to enjoy the New Year celebrations. Like it was just them, a boy and a girl, watching fireworks like two normal people.
Everything in the world stopped moving, and even the loud bangs of the fireworks faded into the distance as all she could see was the way the colourful lights danced in his eyes. They were smiling at each other, and next thing Artemis knew, her lips were on his.
It was so magical, so surreal, kissing him under the dark night sky with a thousand colours exploding behind them. The usually so empty darkness filled with music, happiness, and the celebration of a new start.
That was what the new year was for wasn't it? A new start. Making a difference. Changing your life to be happier, reshaping yourself to fit who you are.
A real new start.
And Artemis could feel it, as they pulled away to catch their breath, as he looked down at her with that smile, his eyes glistening, she could feel her new start shaping itself. Wally was in it, the idiot that she fell in love with and took far too long to actually kiss her, and she could feel that it was going to be infinitely better that before. No more secrets, no more lies, no more of her past dragging her down and ruining her present. Just happiness, her friends, and Wally.
The fireworks behind her start again, and she settle back under Wally's arm, happy to watch the pretty colours paint the dark sky as Wally watched in awe next to her.
Artemis had never been crazy about New Years Eve, since none of her new starts had ever been something to be too pleased about. But right now, under the dark sky splashed with reds and greens and blues, with Wally beside her, she finally understood this stupid human custom.