The Big Damn List stayed up late to post this...but what else is new?
Title: Definitions Of Love V
Fandom: Justice League
Characters: Booster/Ted, Shel, Skeets, Rip
Prompt: "Lightening."
Word Count: 1188
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: I wasn't expecting to write it, but Ted's first line wouldn't leave me alone. This may, or may not, be the last part. (Word count done with Word Count Tool, which I am assuming is accurate.) Recap of the previous summary: "a CBR article about a HeroesCon panel mentioned 'a dead character will be brought back for good in an upcoming issue of Booster Gold.' phoenixfire_lia pointed out that the 'only dead characters Booster actually cares about are Ted and Shel.'"
Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V
Definitions Of Love V
"So..." Ted awkwardly searched for something to say. "This is...nice."
Booster ignored the implied question mark in Ted's voice and grinned. "Yeah, it is."
"Er..." Again the search for something to say. "Your sister is..." This time a search for appropriate words.
Remembering seeing Ted checking Shel out, Booster frowned. "What?"
"...Insistent?" Ted tried. "Very, very insistent."
Booster relaxed and grinned again. "You mean 'pushy'."
As if on cue, Ted relaxed as well and grinned back. "Is that why you always went along with my crazy schemes?" he asked. "You were used to it?"
"No, I went along with your crazy schemes because they were fun." Booster smirked a little as he added, "And the manic look you got was kind of cute."
Ted stared at him in surprise, a blush creeping onto his cheeks. "Oh. Uh..."
Leaning forward over the table, careful to avoid the glass globe with a candle inside, Booster placed his hands over Ted's. "Look, just because Shel insisted we go out, as a date, doesn't mean we have to." He flashed the man a reassuring smile. "We can just hang out as friends like we used to."
Ted stared down at Booster's hands on his, making no move to end the contact. "She said you'd been pining," he mumbled.
"Pff, pining." Booster snorted. "Shel exaggerates. You were dead, I missed you."
"She said you'd been pining since before I died."
Booster looked away.
Ted's sigh was heavy, and tired, as he turned his hands over and curled his fingers around Booster's. When Booster looked up, Ted smiled wryly. "Pining only works for fjords, and self-sacrificing really isn't a good look for you."
"Look who's talking," Booster replied, smirking.
Ted rolled his eyes, still smiling. "I didn't really set out to get myself killed, you know. That was an accident."
"And I didn't set out to fall in love with you, but--Er."
Tightening his grip on Booster's hands as the man tried to retract them, Ted stared at him in surprise. "Really? Love? When Shel said 'pining', she didn't mention love."
"Ted..." Booster sighed.
"I mean, I know I've...you know...loved you...as a friend, for a long time. But...I never really gave love-love much thought."
"'Love-love'? What are we, in grade school?"
Suddenly laughing, Ted grinned at him. "You know what I mean."
Booster shifted his hands until he could lace his fingers with Ted's, then smiled back. "Yeah, I do."
---------------
"Ted seems like the long-term type, don't you think?"
"In my observations, he appears to display a great deal of loyalty."
"So he probably won't break Mikey's heart."
"If he hasn't managed it yet, the likelihood seems remote."
"Good. Say, do you think he'll put out on the first date? He and Mikey have known each other for a while. What do you think, Rip?"
"Michelle, I didn't rescue you so you could traumatize me! Why do you keep including me in this conversation?"
"Pff, you're no fun. Hey Skeets, I know Mikey likes either, but do you think Ted's a top or a bottom?"
"Oh god. Why?"
---------------
"A moonlit walk in the park...." Ted chuckled. "Booster Gold, I had no idea you were such a romantic."
Booster bumped shoulders with the man, making him laugh. "Give me a break, I didn't have much time to plan. It was near the restaurant and I figured you'd like the opportunity to burn a few calories." His embarrassed smile turned into a leer. "Unless you'd like to work them off some other way...."
Shaking his head, Ted laughed again. "Why Mr. Gold, what kind of girl do you take me for?"
"The kind who gets a five o'clock shadow at noon."
"You silver-tongued devil, you."
"Ted..."
"Booster..." Ted glanced up at him and smiled, his expression suddenly going shy. "I need some time. Everything's happening kind of fast--"
"I blame Shel."
Ted snorted. "Everything's happening fast and I'm still recovering from escaping certain death."
"We're heroes," Booster argued. "Escaping certain death is what we do."
"This one was a little more certain though, if you remember." Ted tapped his forehead next to the reddened skin that would eventually turn into a small scar, easily hidden by his hair if he combed it right. Though the bullet had only grazed him, like most head wounds it had bled badly.
Booster's hand found Ted's and he squeezed gently. "I'd rather not. Remember."
Ted was silent for a moment, then squeezed Booster's hand back. "Me either," he admitted.
They walked together in silence for a few minutes, hands loosely linked. It was a comfortable silence, at least. Each lost in their own thoughts, but still grounded by the other's presence.
Finally, Booster asked, "Do I at least get a goodnight kiss?"
Ted burst out laughing.
"It's a tradition, isn't it?" Booster asked with mock indignation.
"I think traditionally the kiss happens at the front door when you get your date home."
Using his grip on Ted's hand to guide the man back against a tree, Booster grinned. "'Home' is the same place for both of us, right now, and I'm not sure we have a front door." Leaning in, he murmured, "Besides, I don't want Shel and Skeets spying on us."
"Good point," Ted whispered, tilting his head up to meet Booster's lips.
It was...a kiss.
When pressed for details afterward, Booster would tell Shel exactly that: it was a kiss. And when she growled and threatened him, he would laugh and refuse to tell her anything else. He wouldn't tell her that there were no fireworks, no exploding rocketships or chiming bells. If it had to be described by an appropriately metaphorical cut-away scene, like in a movie, it would be hot cocoa with just enough marshmallows, wrapped up in a well-loved, handmade quilt, with the lights low and sitting in front of a pleasantly crackling fire. Maybe there would be a Christmas tree off to the side, multi-colored lights twinkling merrily in the dim lighting, hinting at the anticipation of the upcoming holiday.
He definitely wouldn't tell her that he had wanted to wrap himself up in that kiss and never come up for air. Or that he nearly cried with relief and joy when Ted reached up with his good arm, the other still recovering from being broken, and gently cupped the back of Booster's head.
He wouldn't tell her how Ted had all but melted against him, mouth hot and comfortable against his own.
And he wouldn't tell her how far he actually got, hands sneaking under Ted's clothing until the man had gasped and reluctantly begged him to stop while he still had some self-control left.
Obeying, with some difficulty, Booster withdrew his hands and instead wrapped his arms around Ted. Their kisses slowed and gentled from the frantic passion of moments before. When Booster got a good look at Ted again, the man was flushed and staring up at him with darkened eyes.
"Booster?" Ted whispered breathlessly.
"Yeah?"
"I'll try to recover fast, okay?"
Booster made a face. "Self-control is overrated."
Grinning, Ted kissed his pout away.
Fandom: Justice League
Characters: Booster/Ted, Shel, Skeets, Rip
Prompt: "Lightening."
Word Count: 1188
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: I wasn't expecting to write it, but Ted's first line wouldn't leave me alone. This may, or may not, be the last part. (Word count done with Word Count Tool, which I am assuming is accurate.) Recap of the previous summary: "a CBR article about a HeroesCon panel mentioned 'a dead character will be brought back for good in an upcoming issue of Booster Gold.' phoenixfire_lia pointed out that the 'only dead characters Booster actually cares about are Ted and Shel.'"
Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V
Definitions Of Love V
"So..." Ted awkwardly searched for something to say. "This is...nice."
Booster ignored the implied question mark in Ted's voice and grinned. "Yeah, it is."
"Er..." Again the search for something to say. "Your sister is..." This time a search for appropriate words.
Remembering seeing Ted checking Shel out, Booster frowned. "What?"
"...Insistent?" Ted tried. "Very, very insistent."
Booster relaxed and grinned again. "You mean 'pushy'."
As if on cue, Ted relaxed as well and grinned back. "Is that why you always went along with my crazy schemes?" he asked. "You were used to it?"
"No, I went along with your crazy schemes because they were fun." Booster smirked a little as he added, "And the manic look you got was kind of cute."
Ted stared at him in surprise, a blush creeping onto his cheeks. "Oh. Uh..."
Leaning forward over the table, careful to avoid the glass globe with a candle inside, Booster placed his hands over Ted's. "Look, just because Shel insisted we go out, as a date, doesn't mean we have to." He flashed the man a reassuring smile. "We can just hang out as friends like we used to."
Ted stared down at Booster's hands on his, making no move to end the contact. "She said you'd been pining," he mumbled.
"Pff, pining." Booster snorted. "Shel exaggerates. You were dead, I missed you."
"She said you'd been pining since before I died."
Booster looked away.
Ted's sigh was heavy, and tired, as he turned his hands over and curled his fingers around Booster's. When Booster looked up, Ted smiled wryly. "Pining only works for fjords, and self-sacrificing really isn't a good look for you."
"Look who's talking," Booster replied, smirking.
Ted rolled his eyes, still smiling. "I didn't really set out to get myself killed, you know. That was an accident."
"And I didn't set out to fall in love with you, but--Er."
Tightening his grip on Booster's hands as the man tried to retract them, Ted stared at him in surprise. "Really? Love? When Shel said 'pining', she didn't mention love."
"Ted..." Booster sighed.
"I mean, I know I've...you know...loved you...as a friend, for a long time. But...I never really gave love-love much thought."
"'Love-love'? What are we, in grade school?"
Suddenly laughing, Ted grinned at him. "You know what I mean."
Booster shifted his hands until he could lace his fingers with Ted's, then smiled back. "Yeah, I do."
---------------
"Ted seems like the long-term type, don't you think?"
"In my observations, he appears to display a great deal of loyalty."
"So he probably won't break Mikey's heart."
"If he hasn't managed it yet, the likelihood seems remote."
"Good. Say, do you think he'll put out on the first date? He and Mikey have known each other for a while. What do you think, Rip?"
"Michelle, I didn't rescue you so you could traumatize me! Why do you keep including me in this conversation?"
"Pff, you're no fun. Hey Skeets, I know Mikey likes either, but do you think Ted's a top or a bottom?"
"Oh god. Why?"
---------------
"A moonlit walk in the park...." Ted chuckled. "Booster Gold, I had no idea you were such a romantic."
Booster bumped shoulders with the man, making him laugh. "Give me a break, I didn't have much time to plan. It was near the restaurant and I figured you'd like the opportunity to burn a few calories." His embarrassed smile turned into a leer. "Unless you'd like to work them off some other way...."
Shaking his head, Ted laughed again. "Why Mr. Gold, what kind of girl do you take me for?"
"The kind who gets a five o'clock shadow at noon."
"You silver-tongued devil, you."
"Ted..."
"Booster..." Ted glanced up at him and smiled, his expression suddenly going shy. "I need some time. Everything's happening kind of fast--"
"I blame Shel."
Ted snorted. "Everything's happening fast and I'm still recovering from escaping certain death."
"We're heroes," Booster argued. "Escaping certain death is what we do."
"This one was a little more certain though, if you remember." Ted tapped his forehead next to the reddened skin that would eventually turn into a small scar, easily hidden by his hair if he combed it right. Though the bullet had only grazed him, like most head wounds it had bled badly.
Booster's hand found Ted's and he squeezed gently. "I'd rather not. Remember."
Ted was silent for a moment, then squeezed Booster's hand back. "Me either," he admitted.
They walked together in silence for a few minutes, hands loosely linked. It was a comfortable silence, at least. Each lost in their own thoughts, but still grounded by the other's presence.
Finally, Booster asked, "Do I at least get a goodnight kiss?"
Ted burst out laughing.
"It's a tradition, isn't it?" Booster asked with mock indignation.
"I think traditionally the kiss happens at the front door when you get your date home."
Using his grip on Ted's hand to guide the man back against a tree, Booster grinned. "'Home' is the same place for both of us, right now, and I'm not sure we have a front door." Leaning in, he murmured, "Besides, I don't want Shel and Skeets spying on us."
"Good point," Ted whispered, tilting his head up to meet Booster's lips.
It was...a kiss.
When pressed for details afterward, Booster would tell Shel exactly that: it was a kiss. And when she growled and threatened him, he would laugh and refuse to tell her anything else. He wouldn't tell her that there were no fireworks, no exploding rocketships or chiming bells. If it had to be described by an appropriately metaphorical cut-away scene, like in a movie, it would be hot cocoa with just enough marshmallows, wrapped up in a well-loved, handmade quilt, with the lights low and sitting in front of a pleasantly crackling fire. Maybe there would be a Christmas tree off to the side, multi-colored lights twinkling merrily in the dim lighting, hinting at the anticipation of the upcoming holiday.
He definitely wouldn't tell her that he had wanted to wrap himself up in that kiss and never come up for air. Or that he nearly cried with relief and joy when Ted reached up with his good arm, the other still recovering from being broken, and gently cupped the back of Booster's head.
He wouldn't tell her how Ted had all but melted against him, mouth hot and comfortable against his own.
And he wouldn't tell her how far he actually got, hands sneaking under Ted's clothing until the man had gasped and reluctantly begged him to stop while he still had some self-control left.
Obeying, with some difficulty, Booster withdrew his hands and instead wrapped his arms around Ted. Their kisses slowed and gentled from the frantic passion of moments before. When Booster got a good look at Ted again, the man was flushed and staring up at him with darkened eyes.
"Booster?" Ted whispered breathlessly.
"Yeah?"
"I'll try to recover fast, okay?"
Booster made a face. "Self-control is overrated."
Grinning, Ted kissed his pout away.