Fic: Charybdis Fig
Fandom: DC Comics
Title: Charybdis Fig
Characters: Booster Gold, Ted Kord, Michelle Carter (mentions)
Rating: PG
Prompt: #28, Free Association
Word Count: 663
Spoilers: None
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em.
A/N: Booster Gold #1 gave Booster an official birthdate, so, of course, I had to write something for it. Specifically, Booster's first birthday with the League. Coincidentally his first birthday after his sister died, too. Aheh. (Just be glad I didn't write about the birthday he inevitably had to have had during 52, I guess. That would be worse.)
---
The Christmas tree in the lobby of the Justice League embassy was an impressive sight, tall and well decorated with all sorts of holiday ornaments. It had been a few days since Christmas, and the tree was steadily shedding dead needles, but for now its warm, colorful blinking lights were the only illumination in the room as Booster Gold entered the lobby and approached the tree.
He looked up at the pine in silence for a time before finally sighing and speaking. "[I've been dreading today, you know. I know I shouldn't and I know you wouldn't want that, but I just--]" Booster ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "[I miss you, Michelle. I miss you a lot. I don't know if you can hear me wherever you are, or if there's even a wherever for you to be, but if you're listening, I want you to know that I miss you and I'm really sorry for screwing everything up and things just haven't been the same without you.]"
Booster reached up and pulled a golden star-shaped ornament off the tree with a faint smile. "[Although I guess things wouldn't really be the same even with you. Christmas with the League is so different from back home, you know? Everybody gets their own presents, and they're really nice presents, and everybody's so really, honestly happy, and it's all really great. I really wish you were here to see it. I think you'd like it a lot, Shel. It's all just really grand and overwhelming and everybody treats it like it's so normal. It's kind of bizarre, really.]"
He placed the ornament back on the tree and made sure it was secure before continuing. "[I haven't even told anybody what today is, you know. I'm not sure I should, really. It's not like it really matches up after all the time traveling I've done, right? And I--It just wouldn't feel right to celebrate it without you. I don't want to celebrate it without you. I just want to--]"
"Booster? Are you talking to the Christmas tree in--I don't even know what language that is."
Booster turned around to face a very tired and confused-looking Ted Kord before answering, "It's Esperanto. What are you doing up?"
"I'm hungry. I'm getting a snack. Which is a much better reason to be up at this hour than deciding to have a conversation with the foliage in a language that no sane person speaks."
"I'm not--I just couldn't sleep, OK?"
"I don't know how to break this to you, Booster, but Christmas is over. You're a bit late to catch Santa Claus."
"That's not--Never mind. Go get your snack, Beetle."
"Wait, no, what's the matter?"
"It's nothing. Go back to bed."
"You're talking to a tree in Esperanto and you think you can get away with telling me that it's nothing? That's not going to happen."
Booster paused before answering, "It's our birthday today. My birthday. I guess hers doesn't count any more."
"...It counts if you want it to count. Nobody's going to argue with you."
"Our birthday, then," Booster said quietly.
An awkward silence passed before Ted put his hand on Booster's shoulder and said, "But, hey, it's your birthday: cheer up. Remind me when I'm actually awake; I'll take you out drinking."
"You don't have to--"
"I'm your best friend, Booster, of course I have to. It's in the contract."
"But--"
"We'll just have to drink extra for her, OK?"
There was a pause before Booster smiled and nodded. "OK."
Ted smiled back and gave Booster a pat on the back. "Now go get some sleep. It's gonna be a long day."
Booster watched Ted shuffle out of the lounge towards the kitchen before turning again to face the tree, looking at the angel at its top. "[It's been hard, you know, going on without you, Michelle, but I get by. I have good help.]"
Title: Charybdis Fig
Characters: Booster Gold, Ted Kord, Michelle Carter (mentions)
Rating: PG
Prompt: #28, Free Association
Word Count: 663
Spoilers: None
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em.
A/N: Booster Gold #1 gave Booster an official birthdate, so, of course, I had to write something for it. Specifically, Booster's first birthday with the League. Coincidentally his first birthday after his sister died, too. Aheh. (Just be glad I didn't write about the birthday he inevitably had to have had during 52, I guess. That would be worse.)
---
The Christmas tree in the lobby of the Justice League embassy was an impressive sight, tall and well decorated with all sorts of holiday ornaments. It had been a few days since Christmas, and the tree was steadily shedding dead needles, but for now its warm, colorful blinking lights were the only illumination in the room as Booster Gold entered the lobby and approached the tree.
He looked up at the pine in silence for a time before finally sighing and speaking. "[I've been dreading today, you know. I know I shouldn't and I know you wouldn't want that, but I just--]" Booster ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "[I miss you, Michelle. I miss you a lot. I don't know if you can hear me wherever you are, or if there's even a wherever for you to be, but if you're listening, I want you to know that I miss you and I'm really sorry for screwing everything up and things just haven't been the same without you.]"
Booster reached up and pulled a golden star-shaped ornament off the tree with a faint smile. "[Although I guess things wouldn't really be the same even with you. Christmas with the League is so different from back home, you know? Everybody gets their own presents, and they're really nice presents, and everybody's so really, honestly happy, and it's all really great. I really wish you were here to see it. I think you'd like it a lot, Shel. It's all just really grand and overwhelming and everybody treats it like it's so normal. It's kind of bizarre, really.]"
He placed the ornament back on the tree and made sure it was secure before continuing. "[I haven't even told anybody what today is, you know. I'm not sure I should, really. It's not like it really matches up after all the time traveling I've done, right? And I--It just wouldn't feel right to celebrate it without you. I don't want to celebrate it without you. I just want to--]"
"Booster? Are you talking to the Christmas tree in--I don't even know what language that is."
Booster turned around to face a very tired and confused-looking Ted Kord before answering, "It's Esperanto. What are you doing up?"
"I'm hungry. I'm getting a snack. Which is a much better reason to be up at this hour than deciding to have a conversation with the foliage in a language that no sane person speaks."
"I'm not--I just couldn't sleep, OK?"
"I don't know how to break this to you, Booster, but Christmas is over. You're a bit late to catch Santa Claus."
"That's not--Never mind. Go get your snack, Beetle."
"Wait, no, what's the matter?"
"It's nothing. Go back to bed."
"You're talking to a tree in Esperanto and you think you can get away with telling me that it's nothing? That's not going to happen."
Booster paused before answering, "It's our birthday today. My birthday. I guess hers doesn't count any more."
"...It counts if you want it to count. Nobody's going to argue with you."
"Our birthday, then," Booster said quietly.
An awkward silence passed before Ted put his hand on Booster's shoulder and said, "But, hey, it's your birthday: cheer up. Remind me when I'm actually awake; I'll take you out drinking."
"You don't have to--"
"I'm your best friend, Booster, of course I have to. It's in the contract."
"But--"
"We'll just have to drink extra for her, OK?"
There was a pause before Booster smiled and nodded. "OK."
Ted smiled back and gave Booster a pat on the back. "Now go get some sleep. It's gonna be a long day."
Booster watched Ted shuffle out of the lounge towards the kitchen before turning again to face the tree, looking at the angel at its top. "[It's been hard, you know, going on without you, Michelle, but I get by. I have good help.]"