on the job

[bossymarmalade]

Another day, another Green Lantern assignment. Kyle signed off with Salakk and went to check in on Guy, who was slumbering peacefully. It was like the big guy was making up for all the rest he’d sacrificed over the past three weeks; and really, who could blame him? So Kyle wouldn’t have a partner for this assignment, but it really was for the best.

He left a note on Guy’s bedside table, and headed up into space.

At least it was just a routine mission. So routine, Guy would probably gripe about it all the way to planet Aoran and back, Kyle reassured himself. So it was probably for the best that Numero Uno Honor Guard Lantern convalesced, while Kyle handled this boring bureaucratic stuff on his own. Still, Kyle missed the partner banter.

Kyle had just made it past the Watchtower when he noticed a green glow slowly but steadily rounding the dark side of the moon. Kyle paused and watched for a bit, and then grinned in excitement and flew over.

“Buenos outer spaceos, Mister Jordan,” Kyle pulled up in front of Hal, who was looking mild as he floated over a moon hill. “Busy hunting for moon sapphires, or are you interested in playing green buddy cop with me? I got a mission from Salakk.”



Sometimes it was good to just get away from everything else. Floating through space on a carefully maintained trajectory was good for a Lantern. Staring out at the vast infinite black wasn’t as intimidating anymore, not now that he had a renewed sense of purpose to his existence. Ah, the things love could do…

His ring gave him a proximity alert when Kyle was a little ways off, giving Hal enough time to right himself from his ‘reclined’ position and welcome the younger man with a smile.

“I could be convinced,” he said, stretching. “Anything interesting or just routine?”

“Routine, routine,” Kyle halfway sang, before wondering if that might just deter Hal. And now he really wanted Hal to keep him company. “Exciting routine,” Kyle tacked on stupidly. He sighed and put his hands on his hips. Hal had assumed that bland yet slightly impatient ‘I’m waiting, kiddo…’ expression on his face.

“Doing a sitrep on the refugee colony from Goran, who were settled on Aoran a few years back.” Kyle reported, all business now. “They were supposed to check in with Oa on a yearly basis…or, well, whatever constitutes as a year on Aoran; but they missed their last checkpoint timing. The Guardians wanted us - well, me and Guy - to make sure they didn’t get like…drunk off Aoranian wine and forget or something.”

Kyle shrugged and grinned. “I mean, for all I know, maybe they’re just wasted, right? And so I figure we can just cruise on in, give them a stern-but-friendly reminder in exchange for a few bottles of alien hootch. Insy-outsy.”

For just a moment, Hal once again remarked to himself how well the younger lantern had matured. Still very young at heart of it all, but knew when it was time to get to business. Nodding a bit, he glanced back toward Earth a moment. They could radio in later that they’d be gone. After all the Lanterns were subject to leave whenever they needed to.

“I like routine,” he said. “Routine’s easy and means a low chance of personal injury. Which in turn means a low chance of getting bitched at by my other half.” He grinned at Kyle, checking the charge on his ring before giving him a nudge.

“Well the sooner we go, the sooner we get this little piece of busywork out of the way, right?” With a simple inquiry to his ring to set a course, he nodded off into the black. “Let’s go.”

Kyle nodded and followed, only slightly bristly that Hal so easily slotted himself into the instructing role. Busywork, really? But Kyle wasn’t too bothered, though. Like Hal said, this was likely an easy mission and therefore no real need for any sort of alpha-dogging between Lanterns.

Besides, it was Hal.

As they flew side-by-side, Kyle curiously studied Hal’s profile and general demeanor. His brown hair was unruffled, a small smile playing on his lips as he thought…whatever it was Hal thought about. He looked calmer, dreamier almost. Settled, he looked settled, Kyle finally decided. It reminded him of when Hal was Spectre, except without the aloofness. Hal was grounded, and he looked muy happy about it.

“New life working out for you, huh?” Kyle asked, and tried to keep the wistfulness out of his voice. “You’re looking a lot different from the last time we…” Kyle twisted onto his back and tilted lower as he flew, so he could face Hal. .”…oh by the way, how’s your worm bite injury? I just assumed you were okay, y’know.”

Looking over at Kyle, he smiled a bit and nodded, chuckling. He must have LOOKED happy for the other to comment on his general state of being. Adjusting himself a bit, he shrugged and smiled at the younger lantern.

“I am happy,” he said. “Things are lookin up for this ol’ lantern.” He chuckled and patted his side. “And that wound’s nothing but another scar now. Ollie made sure I looked after it. He’s a better nurse than he lets on.” Chuckling, he whirled a little circle around Kyle before flying onward.

“What about you?” he said. “How have things been in your life lately?”

“Aw you’re not so old,” Kyle said, mistakenly thinking Hal needed reassuring. “Well you don’t look all that old…but I guess that’s different,” Kyle momentarily contemplated superheroes and their age-to-body age differences. “Well I gotta say Hal - after everything you’ve gone through, viejito? It’s certainly about time you got a good helping of the happy.”

Kyle flew ahead for a bit, shooting through some asteroid dust and then looking back to see the way his puncture flowered the bright blue sparkly dust behind him. Through that, Hal emerged - flying steady on, but catching up fast. Kyle grinned and flew faster.

“Things in my life, hfff. It’s been a lot of ups and downs, you know. Since mom died things have started to settle, but…sometimes it’s difficult? But I manage. It’s all I can do, right?” Kyle let Hal catch up, and then sped off again. Might as well make travel fun, and Guy would never play this game on route to a mission. But Highball might, Kyle hoped.

It seemed Kyle was feeling a bit playful. Smiling a bit, Hal decided why not indulge him? Playing around in space wasn’t something just anyone got to enjoy, after all. In Kyle’s wake, Hal summoned up a burst of willpower, green energy fanning out from him and dissipating the dust around him as he put a sizable hole in it.

“Someone’s feeling his Wheaties,” Hal teased, circling Kyle in a quick corkscrew. “You feel like playin, junior, let’s at least do it right.” With that, he powered ahead, leaving a long trail of green behind him. They had an asteroid field to negotiate, a dangerous place to mess around in….which just made it that much more appealing to him.

Picking up a little more speed, he zipped between two large asteroids, narrowly escaping before they collided and threw bits of broken rock everywhere. Hal just laughed, zigzagging his way through.

Kyle pulled up in surprise when Hal called out his challenge and zipped off into the asteroid field. The field was off-course slightly, which alarmed the younger Lantern.

“I’m not playing!” Kyle protested loudly…but who was he kidding. Kyle watched in admiration as the older Lantern navigated through the deadly, unpredictable asteroids as if they were nothing to him but giant floating sponges. Kyle had totally put up the challenge to Hal; and boy howdy was Hal grabbing at the reins and running with it.

Kyle furrowed his brow, smiling. “Well, time for a new rider, muchacho,” he said, and shot into the field…only to come face to face with an asteroid that seemed to come out of nowhere. “Mierdamierdamierda,” Kyle looked momentarily like he was going to careen right into it, but then grit his teeth and started to twist his body in a spiral, fast enough for a giant green construct drill to sketch around him as he twirled. The green drill bore its way right into and then right back out of the asteroid.

“Wooohooooooo!” Kyle busted out, feeling exhilarated; he hadn’t had to think of his feet like that in ages. He flew over to Hal, proudly. “How do you like them appl—”

He didn’t finish that sentence as a small asteroid whalloped Kyle from behind, sending him careening forwards head over heels.

Hal was positive he’d never get tired of watching Kyle work. He was poetry in motion, to be cliche, and he always impressed Hal with his acrobatics and ability to think on the fly. He had no trouble admitting Kyle was a damned good lantern.

And then Kyle got hit by that wayward bit of debris. Hal laughed, making a construct lasso and throwing it at Kyle. He caught him around the waist and pulled him back in.

“Easy there, tiger,” he said, clasping his shoulder once the other was safely in range again. “You alright?” Giving the younger man a quick once over, he LOOKED ok, but that didn’t really mean a lot.

Wow that felt dumb. Yet, with Hal laughing at Kyle and reeling him back in, Kyle couldn’t help but laugh back, albeit slightly abashed. He clung to the green rope, pulling himself closer to Hal as well.

“‘M fine, fine.” Kyle tentatively rubbed his back while Hal’s grasp held him steady. His shoulder blades felt bruised, but nothing bad. Hal had thoughtfully put a green bubble around them, so asteroids bounced off harmlessly. “Guess that’s what I get for trying to hot dog in front of a fighter pilot, huh?”

Kyle splayed his fingers on the older Lanter’s shoulder and pushed himself back, so they could keep flying on. He felt strangely reluctant to do so, but…they were on a mission. after all. “Guess we’d better keep moving. And we can lose the leash,” he grinned, motioning at the lasso. “I’ll be careful, I promise, viejito.”

Once he was sure Kyle was alright, he let the rope dissipate, nodding and flying on with him. His embarrassment was somehow endearing, a small reminder to both of them that you could always learn more and there was no guarantee you wouldn’t screw up, no matter your skill level.

“You’d better be,” he said, his voice a little playful. “I don’t want to have to drag you to the sector house if you get hurt.” Widening the bubble around them, he motioned to Kyle to continue on as they navigated the asteroid field. Once out of it, Hal let the bubble vanish, turning in a slow corkscrew with the renewed range of motion allotted them.

Kyle grinned to himself as he flew around Hal’s easy corkscrew, getting back on track and tracing Hal’s trajectory. He could hear the subtle teasing flavor to Hal’s voice and Kyle had to admit it made him feel very warm all over, even out here in space. Especially in space. That specific kinship in the Corps was what Kyle loved; craved even. There was never a brighter time for him as when he knew didn’t have to be the only Green Lantern in existence.

“If I recall correctly,” Kyle started, then caught up with Hal, to fly side by side. “If I recall correctly,” he said again, “I wasn’t the one who got worm-chomp fever on our last little spacebattle.” He elbowed Hal in the side; not too hard or anything. ”You’re getting aged in the mente, viejito. And it’s amazing I’m somehow still alive. So…I guess we balance each other out.”

They neared the planet Goran, both slowing down at the same rate. Kyle looked up at Hal. “So, routine is routine: visit the capital, figure out exactly how drunk they are, steal their booze and then back home with presents for our loved ones, si?” Kyle was pleased with his plan; which he had to admit sounded a little Guy Gardnerish. “I figure - ” But Kyle was suddenly cut off as a photon torpedo shot through the space between the Lanterns.

A spiky, malicious looking spaceship materialized out of stealth mode and an angry voice boomed out from the ship, transmitting automatically through their rings. “Green Lanterns. You are not needed on Goran. You have two choices. Turn back and tell your Guardian masters to never return…….or DIE.”

So much for routine.

Darting to the side to get out of the way of that shot, Hal almost glared at the ship. This was supposed to be a simple run. But nooo some jackass had to go get all planet conquering on them. Building up his shield a little, he took on a stronger stance, making it clear he would not back down.

“This is Lantern Jordan of sector 2814,” he said, the tone of his voice falling right back into an authoritative no nonsense bark. “Identify yourself and stand down your weapons or we will be forced to take action against you.”

He glanced at Kyle quickly, eyes darting to the ship.

“Keep a close watch on it,” he said. “They so much as flicker, shut them down.”

“Roger that,” Kyle responded, a close reflection of Hal’s clipped tone. That niggly little Kate-voice in the back of his mind asked him ‘Isn’t this YOUR mission, ese’? but Kyle ignored her. Kate-voice didn’t always understand how Lanterns worked.

He sketched a mecha exoskeleton over himself, figuring the alien attackers were already on the offensive, so being prepared would just reinforce what Hal just said: Green Lanterns don’t back down.

The ship seemed to respond in kind and took the offensive, as the same voice retorted to Hal’s directive. “We didn’t expect you, Lantern Jordan of Sector 2814. We are the Starlings, under the command of Evil Star. Lantern Jordan will be imprisoned. Unidentified Lantern will be killed. So says Evil Star.”

“I think Unidentified Lantern should have a say in all this!” Kyle protested, as the ship started to shoot at Kyle. At the same time, a giant energy net ejected from the ship’s side and spun out towards Hal to capture him.

“Yeah see that’s just not going to work for me.” Hal threw up a massive medieval style shield in front of himself, deflecting the net away from him. “I have a few people at home who would get mighty cranky if I got caught. More so if the kid gets hurt.”

Hal made a large construct of the star ship Enterprise, blasting a couple of shots at the offending ship. They would be enough to shake it, but not cause it any undue damage.

“This is your last chance,” he said. “Turn back now or face the consequences. We have full authority in this sector, and force will be used if necessary.” Inwardly, he was pretty irritated with the whole situation. Routine run, nothing in their sector was ever a routine run.

Oh see now that was just cool. In fact maybe a little too cool and tipping into geekatronic, Kyle thought as he studied the NC-1701 that Hal had effortlessly produced. It was remarkably rendered out in every perfect way; and Kyle would know, since he constructed a model of the Enterprise when he was thirteen. Kyle gleefully wondered if, like Kate Spencer, Hal also had a bit of the fangeek in him. That awesome shield he created kind of confirmed it, to Kyle.

Even after Hal barked out the directive, the ship’s shield took a few hits from his Enterprise and then fired a second shot. Kyle created a giant parabola to divert it. “And there’s your last chance come and gone, amigos.” Kyle created an over-sized bazooka, leveling it at the ship. He squinted through the sights. “I’m gonna disable their guns, Hal.”

As if to confirm, the voice from the ship said: “We have no intention of backing down to you, Lanterns. Attack, and we will destroy the planet and every refugee on it.”

Kyle took the shot anyway.

“Well that’s a shame,” Hal said, giving a nod to Kyle. Apparently these guys weren’t aware that the Lanterns were allowed to use whatever force necessary now. Poor dumb bastards.

With Kyle focused on the guns, Hal shot around the side quickly, seaking out their engines. He got a scan from his ring, finding a couple of holes that appeared to be exhaust valves. He rigged himself a targeting system, taking aim at the exhaust ports as well as the engine and propulsion. Three powerful shots flew through space, hitting their marks. One impacted on the surface as the exhaust valve was shut. The other ignited the escaping fumes, and the last blasted a hole in the starboard engine.

“Consider that your final warning,” Hal said. “You have enough propulsion to get out of here. If you don’t, we will dismantle this ship and take all aboard captive.”

He really hated stubborn aliens.

Yes. Si. Yes. If there was one thing Kyle loved about working with Hal Fucking Jordan, it was that he was always able to work and adapt against all odds. So when Kyle disregarded the alien’s threat and shot out their weapons systems instead, Hal didn’t chide Kyle or panic or worry. He did what he needed to in order ensure their threat was rendered immediately invalid. And he did it all like it had to be done.

And, well. There really wasn’t only one thing Kyle loved about working with Hal Fucking Jordan, anyway.

“Ring, scan for communications systems,” Kyle said, flying to the other side of the ship and using a giant tyrannosaurus rex to rip out the torpedo chambers. His ring notified him right when Kyle heard Hal give the aliens their last chance. Technically, the aliens should have been apprehended, but. Kyle was kind of okay with the slap on the wrist, since he wasn’t big on dealing with extra reports and Lantern ‘paperwork’ for these jokers. He silently thanked Hal.

“Hal” Kyle called out to give the other Lantern his sitrep on the communications link. “I think th—” Kyle didn’t have time to finish that sentence (again, Kyle noted peevishly) as the ship suddenly…exploded was the best term for it. But it wasn’t any sort of regular explosion. The ship self-destructed and emanated a focused wave of destructive force, aimed towards the planet.

Kyle and Hal only glanced at each other once, recovering quickly from the force of the blast as they lifted their ringed fists in tandem and constructed a giant hexagonal shield to contain the destructive force before it reached the planet. Kyle grit his teeth, pouring all his willpower into the shield.

“It’s gonna hold, but we have to-” Kyle started to say, but Hal was already pushing the force back. And so Kyle backed him up. They slid slowly backwards as they concentrated, breaking atmosphere of the planet but not breaking their stride. The alien attack force finally gave, and like the remains of the ship, the Lanterns were able to push it back, away from the planet. The planet was safe.

— [WARNING. RING POWER LEVELS APPROACHING LESS THAN 5.3%] —

Kyle’s ring informed him and he gave a slightly panicked look at the other Lantern as Hal’s ring said the same thing, before they crash landed into a forested area. Kyle slammed into a thick branch; not getting hurt, but knocking the wind out of him. He heard Hal crash through a few branches below him.

“Well,” Kyle wheezed, staring up at the explosion in the sky. “At least we’re on the planet now.” Kyle rolled slowly to look down at Hal. “You okay?”

That had been unexpected. Hal had just been considering how to net up all these baddies when the ship suddenly detonated, throwing shrapnel out as the beam of energy shot planetward. Neither had to say a word before they fell beside each other, making a shield to deflect as much of the energy as they could. Shoulder to shoulder with Kyle as it were, Hal could feel the younger man’s will power, his drive and strength as they held back the onslaught.

Hal was panting by the time their shield finally overpowered the attack, throwing them backward toward the planet’s surface. With their ring power so low, they couldn’t even manage flight stable enough to maneuver around objects in their path.

And man did those limbs hurt.

Every.

Last.

One.

Hal landed in a heap on the ground, groaning as he pushed himself up and looked over at Kyle. Well, at least neither of them was hurt too badly. Shifting to a sitting position, he gave himself a quick once over, then nodded.

“I think I’m ok,” he said, rubbing his side thoughtfully. “Might have cracked something at best, but mostly good.” He looked around the place, then asked his ring for an analysis of the atmosphere. Oxygen, breathable for humans. Good.

“Power down your ring,” he said, letting his own glowing aura fade. “Apparently we can breathe this air. Might as well save what little charges we have left.”

“Okay Hal,” Kyle said obediently, not even bothering to feel slightly annoyed that Hal was still casually giving him the orders on Kyle’s mission. Now it all just seemed kind of amusing. Kyle slowly uprighted himself, feeling sore all over but like Hal said: mostly good.

As their auras faded, Kyle noticed that Hal’s uniform was a little worse for the wear and torn in places from the tree fall; Kyle looked down and saw the same for him. No point using the ring to make repairs. “Smart little suckers,” Kyle noted, tapping at his ring with a smile at Hal. “5.3% is probably enough gas to get us back home, but that’s it. No Lantern refuelling station here, I suppose.”

Kyle relished a big sigh, putting his hands on his hips and looking around. It was forest in all directions, but then Hal mildly pointed out some sort of road structure to their left. “Well, I guess we should get to the rendezvous point at least. I don’t think we’re too far from it and then I don’t have to make a return trip, gyah.” Kyle turned to Hal as they both began to walk, gesturing with his hands. ” But seriously, those aliens on a conquering-slash-suicide mission? What was up with that? Talk about ‘if we can’t have it, no one will’ mentality. Then again, they are - er, I mean were - aliens. We can’t predict how an alien thinks.”

“We’ll make a full report on it to the Guardians,” he said. “Or at least Salakk…After we get home.” At this point, he couldn’t be bothered to get in too much of a hurry right now. Walking alongside Kyle, he grit his teeth against a few extra wounds picked up on the way down. Damned rings and their tendency to just quit when they got low.

“This planet has a lot of resources various powers would like to get their hands on,” he said. “It’s a strategic point as well…It’s one reason keeping things friendly with them has always been kinda important.” He smoothed a hand through his hair, shaking his head. “But…I’m almost certain those aliens were from another sector…If so..” he shook his head and growled at himself. “Nevermind, too much to think about right now.”

He felt along his arm, making sure nothing was too damaged before finally stopping to lean on a tree. Screw this.

“Ya know, I think we deserve a rest, don’t you?” he said, looking up at Kyle.

Kyle was nodding as Hal speculated, trudging along the road; it was more like navigating through a land mine field. The road had fallen into disrepair, all broken and treacherous and yellow brick road in that Return to Oz movie. Frustratingly treacherous, for two powered-down Green Lanterns.

Intent on not tripping and twisting his ankle (ugh, such a mundane injury!) Kyle didn’t notice Hal had stopped until he spoke. He turned around, looking up to see Hal gently prodding at one of his arms.

“Yeah geez! Good call. I mean,” Kyle braced his hand over his eyes, squinting at the sky. “Looks like their suns are setting anyway, and we can’t walk in the dark. And…and let’s maybe take the night off. Oa knows we deserve it after today, huh?” Kyle didn’t ask if Hal was injured. If there was something wrong, Hal would tell him. That’s how it worked.

Instead, he went off-road which had given way to the sharp, prickly tree forest and was now mostly saplings and soft, beanbaggy shrubbery. Kyle plopped down on one experimentally, delighted to see how springy and soft it was. He reached out to Hal, for the older Lantern to recline on his own sproingy shrub. “Now why couldn’t we crash land here, huh?”

Kyle eased himself back on the accommodating shrub, the soreness of the fall now started to set in. He groaned softly, hearing Hal do the same. Kyle grinned, just a bit. “So, this how you and Ollie slept on your epic trip or whatever?” Kyle lifted his heavy-feeling arms enough to use air quotes. “You guys ‘roughing it’, and all that?”

If Kyle knew he was making massive double entendre by asking this, he certainly didn’t show it.

Hal inspected the shrubs a moment before deeming them safe, settling down onto on himself with a soft groan. Damn just relaxing a little felt so much better. The light was beginning to fade, giving way to a purple sky and unfamiliar (well sort of) constellations.

“We had a truck,” Hal said, chuckling softly. “Made things easier. Usually we just slept in the back, since making camp was almost pointless with how often we moved around.” Aah that trip…Chuckling softly, he laced his fingers behind his head.

“That what this is to you hm?” he asked, good natured smile on his lips. “Kyle and Hal’s adventures in the alien wilds?”

“Good memories, huh?” Kyle said, now suddenly curious. He’d only heard vague mentions of that trip across America, murmurs from Ollie when Hal was dead, references from Hal, mostly bitter mutterings from Roy. “It must have been nice, like. No worries, away from everything, being, like…normal. I’d think normal would get annoying after a while, but I can see…I can see the appeal, yeah.”

He grinned and turned himself carefully to face Hal. The older Lantern was smiling at the sky as he was stretched out, his legs crooked up to balance on the lip of the shrub. Well, Hal’s smile was for Kyle, not for the sky. Kyle smiled back and sniffed the cooling air, noting with pleasure how sweet it was. Like summery Earth, almost.

Kyle tucked his legs up behind him fitting into his own shrub as he jokingly said, “Kal and Hyle Adventure, why not?” He lifted his chin, looking at Hal all insouciant. “Why the hell not. We’re a bajillion miles from Earth civilization, we’re running low on Lantern juice and we’re, well…” Kyle rubbed his own busted up uniform, and motioned at Hal’s. “I’d say this was pretty roughing it.” Kyle idly tongued along his top lip. “We did pretty good out there.”

Maybe that was why he liked Kyle like he did…He chattered, but in an endearing way. Like Ollie. Hal had long since lost count of the number of times he and Ollie would sit together, Hal himself quiet while Ollie went off on one tirade or another. He felt his chest tighten as he thought about it, missing his lover so far away. Pushing the thought aside, he looked over at Kyle.

“Yeah we did,” he agreed. “Of course, it helps I had one of the best to back me up.” He gave the other a wry smile, chuckling a bit. His words were sincere, though. He really did think that highly of Kyle.

“I’ve probably said it before,” he said. “but it bares repeating. You’re very impressive as a lantern. You’ve come a long way in a short time. When I started out…” He shook his head and laughed. “Let’s just say you probably would have laughed until your sides split. You though…Ringslingin seems as natural to you as breathing.”

Kyle laughed loudly, ignoring his protesting sore muscles. He squirmed closer to Hal so he could poke the older Lantern on the shoulder. “My mission, Mr Jordan. This time, you were backing me up. Dios, I swear you guys…” Kyle was half-joking, of course. The thing about Hal was that Kyle never really cared when he got all take-charge. Sometimes, Kyle preferred it.

And he especially didn’t mind when Hal was saying such kind things. Kyle pushed his face into his squishy shrub, feeling that whole mentor-protege dynamic comfortably sliding over them, as Hal managed to simultaneously do modest self-deprecating and also favor Kyle with some plain, honest sentiment.

“Y’know…” Kyle murmured into his shrub. “How anyone could call you ‘egotistical’ is beyond me. You’re like one of the mostest nicest guys I know. I’ve ever known.” A glimpse of Kyle’s dad flashed through his mind, and then it was gone. ”You always encouraged me and made it seem like Green Lanterning was like something we all have to work at. But if you ever hear John or Guy talk about you? We-helllll of course you wouldn’t, cause they’d never actually say this to your face, but. To hear them talk about you, ‘mano? You make this calling seem like…effortless.

“…Okay maybe I’m just biased, maybe.” Kyle pinched his forefinger and thumb together, squinting with one eye. “Just un poco.” He moved his had a bit, so he could squish at Hal’s head between his fingers.

He swatted at the other’s hand, chuckling at him before settling back into his shrub to listen to him. Kyle was so genuine in everything he said, his ready smile keeping his face gentle ad open. Hal actually found that pretty attractive. Laying his head back, he chuckled at the way Kyle talked about his exaggeration.

“We always talk about people differently when they aren’t around,” he said. “Like Guy…Guy’s a good egg, and a damned good lantern at that. I respect him, and I’m glad we’ve finally managed to become friends.

“And you.” He chuckled, one arm flopping over and holding out his hand to him. “I know you took a lot from everyone else for trying to “replace” me. Truth of it is, most of them are more impressed with you than they’ll let on. It can take a long time to get accepted into that group.” He chuckled and smiled. “But at least you’ve had the other lanterns.”

Instinctively, Kyle reached out and took hold of Hal’s hand before he really realized that maybe he shouldn’t of. But he didn’t let go. ”I. It’s true, I…” Kyle floundered, staring at their white gloved hands clasped together. It was then that Kyle realized. He couldn’t lie to himself. He wasn’t ever very good about respecting people’s personal spaces because he was so invested in visceral feelings of the people he liked.

And Hal Jordan was no exception.

In fact, Kyle tended to - consciously or no - take every chance he could, to hold, touch, feel anything to do with Hal Jordan.

But he’d never consciously admitted it to himself, until now. Before, these kinds of thoughts about Hal, they were relegated to waking up from vague tingly dreams about Lantern rings, or while standing in the shower and letting his mind drift over fighter jets. But now…now suddenly here was like, Hal. Here. Just him and Hal. And night was setting in and everything was scented as sweet as the things Hal was saying to him. And Hal, he was…holding his hand out.

Kyle gripped Hal’s hand harder, feeling the older Lantern instinctively grab back. He used Hal’s strength to haul himself closer and, his mind turning white-hot green, Kyle leaned down to Hal and kissed him.

Hal’s hand tensed when Kyle pulled against it. He easily pulled the other off of his shrub and closer to him. The kiss was a surprise. Before he really knew what was going on, he wrapped his arm around Kyle and pulled him close. He was leaner than Oliver, almost like holding a woman against him.

After a moment, he pulled back with a soft pant, laying his head back against the soft flora beneath him. The sky had turned a beautiful shade of purple, the moons silver and blue overhead. In that light, Kyle looked…exotic, beautiful. Reaching up, he brushed his fingers over Kyle’s cheek, then took the back of his head and pulled him close again.

Tilting his head, he kissed him deeply. He pressed his hand to the small of his back, holding Kyle close, keeping him that way.

Kyle didn’t know what the hell was going on. He didn’t know why he’d kissed Hal; and despite Hal’s, well. Despite Hal’s long standing ‘Olli-clivities’, Kyle never imagined or conceived Hal as an hombre who kissed other hombres. So Kyle had no real idea why Hal didn’t shove him off and why he now wasn’t sitting on the ground, apologizing for being a total culobrero.

No instead of that, Hal was - Hal Jordan -was kissing him back. Hal was pulling him closer, Hal’s long legs tangling with his own, Hal’s warm, sure hand holding him steady, Hal’s Lantern ring pressing into the small of Kyle’s back.

Kyle moaned softly as Hal lightly nipped at his lip, prompting Kyle to willingly slacken his jaw and accept the slow, intense kiss. He braced his hands on either side of Hal’s head and darted his tongue against Hal’s, licking across the roof of his mouth. Hal tasted like…goodness. Hal tasted like green light. It was intoxicating.

He pulled back to catch his breath, and only then realized their Lantern masks had at some point dissolved off their faces. Hal lay there calmly, looking sublime and sprawled out underneath Kyle.

“I…I think. I think I’ve been wanting to do that for years,” Kyle murmured, surprising himself as he said it. He rolled his knuckles against Hal’s high cheekbones, electrified by the skin-contact.

For a minute, Hal felt young and ambitious, an old fire burning in him from ages ago. He loved it, he’d MISSED that. Sure he’d matured with his years in the corps and such, but Kyle was tugging at a part of him he’d thought didn’t really exist anymore. The part that had earned him the name “Highball”, the part that had wooed enough women to make Captain Kirk jealous. He liked that feeling.

“If we’re being honest,” he said, smoothing his thumb over Kyle’s lower lip. “Same goes for me.” He smiled a bit, taking in Kyle’s features with the mask out of the way. His hand moved to tease the younger man’s hair, a quiet sigh leaving him. “I always thought you were so handsome…beautiful, really.”

Shifting, he propped himself up on one arm, his other hand resting on Kyle’s hip. He stroked it softly, enjoying the feel of his sculpted body beneath his hand. He knew where this could go…and he knew he had no objections. But did Kyle? He had to remind himself he didn’t LOOK as old as he felt. He was still handsome with a fetching smile and daring eyes. Ok maybe he could see Kyle finding him attractive.

Kyle needily tipped his head against Hal’s fingers in his hair, his slightly baffled smile turning slowly into a sunny grin. The last time someone had made him feel this bashful was…in college? Maybe? He wriggled against Hal, feeling suddenly all energized and restless, feeling the need for release.

“You think I’m good-looking?” Kyle lowered his head, pushing his nose and mouth happily under Hal’s chin, kissing the soft underside of Hal’s neck. ”Hal. Hal, you know that’s like…Leonardo Da Vinci telling me I’m a good artist, Hal. You know that right?” Kyle kissed his way over Hal’s square chin, up to his accommodating lips and then dragged his mouth up and kissed at each of Hal’s velvety eyelids. “Right?”

Kyle pulled back, trailing his fingers along Hal’s flat broad chest. He paused to feel Hal’s heartbeat underneath the GL uniform; Hal’s even, rhythmic pulse, symbiotic with the bio-organic material. Kyle traced the Lantern symbol, feeling calmed. He moved his hand lower down, brushing his thumb over a tear in Hal’s uniform, along Hal’s ribs. Hal’s hands were dry and slightly calloused, and left a tingling sensation on Kyle’s skin where ever he touched. Kyle wanted to make Hal feel the same way.

He ducked his head a bit. “I’m not really sure what I’m doing, Hal,” he confessed, not particularly ashamed, just earnest. “I just know…” Kyle drew another deep breath, meeting Hal’s patient, kind eyes. “You’re kinda…you make me feel…I want to…” Kyle paused, starting to grin again. “Well. Just look what you’re doing to me, Hal!”

Kyle’s fingers were so tender and soft, and yet every touch was sure and almost purposeful. He smoothed his own hand over Kyle’s side, feeling the change from the bone of his hip to the muscle of his side, to the bottom of his ribs. He chuckled as Kyle stumbled over his words, grinning up at him.

“I think you know exactly what you’re doing,” he said. “To an extent.” He pulled Kyle down again, nuzzling along his jaw and throat. “Besides, knowing what you’re doing is boring. We’re off world on an alien planet with low charges on our rings, just you and me…” He chuckled and stroked Kyle’s cheek, pulling him in for another kiss.

“Mmm…And as far as doing something to you goes…” He let that statement hang, his hand coming up to caress Kyles chest. He felt the younger man’s nipple through his uniform, circling it with his thumb slowly until it tented against the fabric.

“Improvise, huh…” Kyle’s voice dropped soft, catching in his throat as Hal so knowingly did…what he was doing along Kyle’s chest. Huffing slightly from the sensation - and getting off on the fact that it was Hal Jordan getting him all fluttery - Kyle started to get hard. God bless Lantern uniforms that compensated.

He lay himself heavier over Hal, rocking his hips against Hal’s tautly muscled thigh to let him know just exactly what he was doing to Kyle. ”We’ve been doing nothing but improvising since we left on this mission,” Kyle mused and he looked down at the tear in Hal’s uniform. He slipped his fingers under the cloth and ripped it further, sliding his hands up and along Hal’s bare skin.

Hal was lean, all muscle fitting snug against bone. His skin emanated such delicious warmth, it made Kyle growl hungrily, a little. He jerked his arm, stripping the uniform material further to allow his hand roam freely and caress Hal’s responsive body, from chest down to the dip in his slim hipbone. He marveled at the difference between Hal and any of the women Kyle had been with. Hal was definitely, undoubtedly, very much a man. The mere feel of him made Kyle forget to breathe.

“I guess if you don’t mind clueless Kyle, I can toooootally get behind horny Hal,” Kyle laughed in an effort to tamp down his heady nervousness. Yet somehow, because this was Hal, he didn’t mind all of this being so new to him. Because this was Hal; all Kyle felt was safe and secure and right.

And very, very aroused.

Hal was a bit taken aback by the uniform ripping. There were easier ways to get undressed…though none quite so enjoyable. That touch of aggression was nice, really, reinforcing the fact that there was no mistake about the desire here. He let Kyle’s hands wander and explore him, meanwhile pressing his leg up into his groin and flexing the thick muscle. Always a pleaser, that one.

“Clueless? You?” He laughed softly, shaking his head. “You’re a quick study.” And so was Hal. He grabbed a fistful of fabric from Kyle’s shoulder, ripping across and tearing away a huge swath of black and green. He wanted to see all of Kyle, every inch of his lean and lovely body. As where Oliver was bulging muscle and rippling arms and pecs, Kyle was compact, muscles close to his body..and yet still very pleasing to the eye.

“So you really think you can ‘get behind’ me, hm?” He grinned a little, pressing his leg more firmly against Kyle’s growing arousal and rubbing slowly. In truth, Hal was good for either way, but messing with Kyle was fun.

“Si,” Kyle said immediately, then caught Hal’s eye and paused, slightly flustered. “Maybe? Pshhff. You’re the sexpert, Mister Jordan; you choose.”

He allowed himself to gasp as Hal easily tore at Kyle’s uniform, the cooled night air chilling his bare skin. Hal didn’t stop there, rubbing luxuriously against him and making Kyle arch his back to push against him more.

Really, Kyle was so attached to fella-lady dynamics of sex, that he wasn’t sure how to take in any of this. Hal was very good at doing what he wanted (and what Hal wanted? others inevitably wanted too). And Kyle knew he was very good at taking orders and carrying out instructions, in work and play (Alex taught him well). It should be a no-brainer, but…but…

But Hal…Dios he was just so gorgeously spread out underneath Kyle, he wanted to find all the ways to please Hal. Every way. Anything to keep that contented, teasing smile on Hal’s face. I did that,Kyle thought, pleasure coursing through him. I’m making Hal happy.

He bent low enough to tug the uniform off of Hal’s flat stomach, dotting him with eager kisses and bites as Kyle shimmied himself down. Firmly pulling Hal’s knees apart, Kyle sank to the ground to kneel in-between.

“Gonna have to fly me in, Hal,” Kyle said, and he slid his hands up Hal’s open thighs so he could roll the uniform almost completely off Hal’s angular hips. He laughed and rolled his eyes coyly. “What I lack in experience I make up for in yadda yadda yadda.” Kyle closed his eyes and slowly nuzzled at Hal. “Y’know how it is, mi amante.”

Hal felt a bit bad now, realizing that this SEEMED to be Kyle’s first dabbling with another man. Either way made sense, if he was honest with himself. But…that knowledge just meant he would have to take extra special care of him through the whole thing. Lucky for Kyle, Hal could be patient.

As Kyle nuzzled him, Hal laid his head back and let out a low, breathy moan. He shifted on the shrub-come-bed, settling his legs comfortably as he looked down at Kyle. Rough fingers slid through soft black hair, rubbing the back of Kyle’s head gently. Just WATCHING him was arousing, with his handsome face and eager to please attitude. Licking his lips, Hal smiled at him.

“I’ll guide you as need be,” he said. “Right now…you’re doing a pretty bang up job. I always reciprocated with what felt good to me. Usually a good starting point.”

“Si, okay,” Kyle conceded, feeling calmed by Hal’s patient advice. Fully scenting at Hal, and the feel of Hal’s fingers sliding reassuringly through his hair, sent spikes of intense pleasure down Kyle’s spine. Kyle slid his hands underneath Hal, taking a moment to enjoy just how firm a Green Lantern butt(TM) that Hal had. It always looked so good in uniform, and even more admirable skin-bare. He made a noise of satisfaction and squeezed.

“Alley-oop,” Kyle said and Hal tilted his hips up, while Kyle deftly pulled the uniform all the way down…and, “Oh…hijole…” Kyle swallowed hard, his mouth watering immediately. His eyes flickered up at Hal, crinkled in an approving smile.

“Well I don’t know why I’d expect anything less than perfect, Mr Jordan,” Kyle said softly, and he reached up and stroked along Hal’s erection, unconsciously dropping his other hand to stroke himself as well.

Touching another man like this - touching Hal like this was. It was. It’s about fucking time, ese, the little Kate-voice in the back of Kyle’s mind interjected and Kyle laughed in delight at the delicious irony and he bent forward to feverishly kiss along the length.

Hal arched a bit as Kyle pulled at his pants, finally muttering a command to his ring to just do away with the tattered thing all together. He hoped Kyle would follow suit soon..He wanted to see more of him. He was exactly the opposite of Oliver in everywhere. Where Ollie was a blond Adonis with glowing golden skin, Kyle was…Kyle was coffee at 4am in that little cafe down the street. He was darker, subdued..and full of surprises.

The smooth touch of Kyle’s hand on his length sent a shudder through him, legs tensing a moment as he rolled up into the touch. Seeing Kyle’s other hand dip between his own legs was a thrill in itself. Hal really wasn’t used to someone else doting on him as it were..He’d repay Kyle for this.

He huffed the other’s name when those lips came in contact with his length. In the cooling night air, everything felt heightened, from the brush of his lips to the hot gusts of breath over his skin. Yeah…definitely eager to please as always.

“Oh Hal,” Kyle breathed adoringly, warm and damp. He’d done away with his uniform completely and…”Every time I think I can’t be more amazed,” Kyle sat back on his heels, to take in the view. He furiously sketched this - all the angles and slopes of Hal’s long, lean figure, the moonlight reflecting off his flushed skin, the enticing negative space between his limbs - into his mind’s eye. He didn’t want to forget this.

Hal looked all tensed up, but in a beautiful, aching way, like he wanted more. And didn’t he deserve it too, Kyle mused. That’s my job.

He considered Hal’s advice and then suddenly made an ‘Ah!’ noise in a fit of excitement. He got back up to his knees, enthusiastically licking a stripe up from the base of Hal’s cock to the reddened tip.

“So when I was dating Jenny-” Kyle began, bending himself over Hal so he could swirl tongue around the head, lapping at the pre-come, “- I once gave her a kinda assoholic gift.” He smirked, grasping his hand around the length, his thumb sliding lower between Hal’s legs, rubbing and pressing the soft skin underneath.

“It was a lesson for…well, you know.” Kyle blew on the wet trail he’d left, then lowered his mouth over Hal’s cock and sucked the tip, shallow and light. “Anyway, in revenge she made me take the class with her. I went along, because I never thought I’d actually use the info! But…Dios.

“Watch me, Hal. Watch me,” Kyle said. He looked up at Hal, and cracked his jaw first before he sunk his mouth over Hal’s cock. Kyle couldn’t help but moan in the back of his throat from the heady, heated feel and the taste of Hal, but he didn’t break eye contact with Hal.

The chattiness was endearing, and no doubt a bit of a way for Kyle to release any anxiety he was feeling over the whole situation. Of course…he didn’t seem at ALL hesitant, and Hal had to admit, he REALLY liked that. He gasped and gripped lightly at Kyle’s hair as the younger man’s mouth opened and took him in, their eyes locked the whole time. As though the licking and touching hadn’t been enough, THIS…

“Whoa,” Hal panted, corners of his mouth stretching just a little in a small smile. He pushed Kyle’s hair away from his forehead, letting it fall back into place slowly. “Watch you…Mmm hard to take my eyes off of you..” He shifted his legs a little further apart, bringing one foot up to rest his heel on the shrub itself.

He slid his hand a little further, rubbing the back of Kyle’s neck as he got an idea. Shifting himself a bit, he slid his now bare foot along the inside of Kyle’s leg, rubbing the flat top of his foot against his groin. He didn’t like not being able to touch, and this was the best he could manage right now.

As if it wasn’t enough that Hal was encouraging Kyle by scratching his fingers on the nape of his neck - it drove Kyle near-wild when his lovers touched him there - but then there was pressure and rubbing from Hal’s foot, inbetween his own legs. Kyle’s eyes very nearly rolled back in his head as he bucked his hips hard and desperate against Hal’s foot and leg, his concentration momentarily shot.

Of course Hal wouldn’t just lay back and enjoy the ride, Kyle smiled to himself as he rhythmically rode his mouth on Hal’s cock. Hal liked doing.

Almost at the brink of coming from all the excitement and sensation, Kyle pulled himself up, gasping for a breath before crawling up Hal and kissing him roughly and sucking on his tongue. He clutched at Hal’s soft thick hair, tangling his fingers.

“Hal, dios mio, Hal,” Kyle regained himself enough to dissolve the uniform of his own body, and he took the time to look down between them, appreciating the differences in his own sturdy frame and Hal’s long muscles; so close, but not yet touching. Kyle could still smell Hal on his own mouth, on Hal’s mouth too, now. He licked Hal’s lips.

They were both still so hard, painfully now for Kyle, and he ground his hips down against Hal’s and gasped at the sensation, and the slight jolt of pain. They were already so bruised from the crash landing; and if this added to the bruises, it was well worth it.

Hal’s abs tensed a bit as Kyle ground down into him, his hand continuing to tease and stroke at his hair. Licking his lips, he looked up at the other lantern just in time to catch that slight wince of pain. With their uniforms gone, it was apparent that both of them had been pretty banged up in that fight and the fall that followed. As such…Hal reasoned that was another mark against really getting TOO far into things. He pulled Kyle close and kissed him again, free hand sliding between them to wrap his fingers around Kyle’s length.

“Don’t think we should go much farther than this,” he said, voice heavy with arousal. He squeezed Kyle from base to tip, kneading lightly at his shaft before settling into a steady stroking rhythm. “Not sure we’re up to all of that…but this..” He half smirked as he gave Kyle another squeeze, feeling a bit of clear precum ooze onto his fingers.

Truth was, this wasn’t an ideal setting for either of them to really take things all the way. Kyle was inexperienced, and the absolute last thing Hal wanted to do was hurt him. Conversely, he didn’t really want Kyle to end up hurting him either. Oh well..if he was lucky, there would be a next time.

“Uh-huh? Si si. Okay,” Kyle panted, his voice trembling slightly as he crushed his mouth and nose against Hal’s cheek, then against his jaw, then his mouth. At this moment, Hal could have suggested they rode a giant space slug back to earth, and Kyle would have happily agreed.

When Hal took hold of his erection, his strong fingers moved so expertly that Kyle felt every fibre of his body go jello. He scrabbled his legs for purchase on the shrub and along Hal’s legs, trying to give Hal better access. Kyle only really had enough sense left to reach down and grasp at Hal’s own shaft, easily matching the pace and rhythm Hal had set. Hal’s GL ring scraped against his sensitive skin, and Kyle knew the same marks were being made by his own against Hal’s skin.

Every time their hands bumped together, Kyle whined, just a bit. He gnawed at his lip as the pressure and sensation mounted and stared wide and unfocused, his face crumpling as he gave over completely to Hal’s ministrations. And Hal was looking right back at him, watching Kyle with his soft-attentive, lust-blasted brown eyes. Kyle cupped Hal’s face with his free hand.

“Hal, Hal,” Kyle panted hard around his name. “Hal, I—”

Hal felt Kyle’s ring against him, and…and some how that made the whole business that much hotter. He tilted his head to Kyle’s hungry kissing, finally catching his lips and moaning against them. They were so full and soft and warm and DAMN but he wanted more. He kissed him again, this time pushing his tongue into the other’s mouth eagerly, pulling him deeper into the contact. He gave Kyle’s lip a light nibble before pulling away.

“Let’s try this,” he panted. Letting go of Kyle’s length a moment he nudged the other’s hand from his own, shifting his hips. He took both hard cocks in hand, pressing their undersides together and giving one firm stroke. That was more like it.

He gripped at Kyle’s hair a moment and pulled him into another kiss. Despite the aches and sores, he rolled his hips up against him to add a little more to it. He broke the kiss only to pant and gulp breaths, his hand gripping more firmly as he stroked.

“No Hal,” Kyle protested throatily, not actually meaning it, not at all. The feeling of them together like this, grasped and rubbed and caressed by Hal’s hand was well-nigh indescribable. He kissed Hal back more than willingly, keening low against Hal’s perfect teeth. His hips bucked, thrusting himself harder into Hal’s hand, and against Hal, the friction painful and yet perfect. “Si…si si si…”

Kyle was losing what little control he was clinging to when he realized that yes, of course. If he had to give into and be consumed by any man in the universe, it would be Hal Jordan. But Kyle didn’t want to admit this to himself. He didn’t want to consciously know this. He was afraid of what it meant.

But then Hal had his hand fisted in Kyle’s hair, distracting Kyle with his wet mouth, pulling them apart only when they needed to gasp for air, before returning to the kissing. Which, right now, felt more important to Kyle than breathing. Kyle’s hands were free to roam, and he kneaded along Hal’s shoulders, pinching and rolling his nipples and then sliding down his sides to cup around his ass. He wanted to record every bit of Hal onto his own skin, as his whirling thoughts culminated in a panic that this was meant to be a one-time deal.

“Oh god, Hal, yes,” Kyle’s voice strangled in his throat as he suddenly tensed, gripping Hal hard. “I’m going to come, hijo de…”

It felt so good he didn’t have words anymore. Just raw need, raw desire, pure passion looped through him, into Kyle and back again. His kisses became hungrier as tension built in him, lips moving against Kyle’s almost with a sense of urgency. His ring automatically translated Kyle’s babble, which made Hal smile a bit.

“Come for me,” he said, his voice husky. He kissed Kyle again, squeezing him, stroking them faster for a moment. Then he stopped, keeping his hand around them as he planted both heels and thrust into his own hand, rubbing his cock against Kyle’s. A gasp left him, melting into a moan as he kept it up.

“Aaah…Come on, Kyle.” He leaned up and kissed him, breaking the contact to pant heavily and just watch him.

“Yes okay,” Kyle whispered obediently, nodding against Hal’s salt-damp skin. Kyle was feeling almost completely unspooled now, the threads of his lust and fervor and ecstasy all tangled into Hal’s constant motion and relentless drive. When Hal then thrust himself against Kyle with such intensity it made Hal himself gasp out compulsively, the sound alone was enough for Kyle to completely unravel.

He held on and drove Hal’s hips up, thrusting Hal’s cock up against his own again and Kyle’s eyes flashed out lightning green as he came, rocking his shuddering hips with each spurt and almost laughing and crying with relief. Kyle dropped his head low and then leaned down and kissed Hal like he wanted to consume him.

He felt Hal’s hand and cock slicking with Kyle’s cum, as Hal kept thrusting out of need or encouragement, Kyle wasn’t sure which, but. He pulled one of his hands free and swiped along Hal’s slicked-up hand first, before slipping his own hand around Hal. He bared his teeth in an exhausted but still hungry grin, his eyes still flicking green as he jerked Hal off.

“You Hal,” Kyle dipped and kissed Hal’s feathery eyebrows. “It’s all you now, amante, mi corazon Hal.”

That…that was more beautiful than he could have imagined. Watching Kyle, Hal’s breath caught, stomach tightening as the need for release bore down on him. He felt Kyle’s come land on his belly and coat his hand, making his grip slicker and easier to thrust into…Then Kyle’s hand and…and those words.

Moving his hand away, he gripped Kyle’a hair with his clean hand, panting as he looked between them to just WATCH Kyle jerk him for a moment. He brought his gaze back up to Kyle’s, jaw slack as he panted, face flushed with pleasure. Green bled in over his brown eyes, glowing emerald in the dimness of the night. Kyle’s hand was soft and sure, stroking him, pulling him closer and closer to the edge.

“Kyle!” he groaned as he thrust into the other’s hand and came. He shuddered, hips still thrusting slowly against Kyle’s grip, riding out every moment of his orgasm. Finally, he laid back with a heavy pant, still watching the other lantern through half lidded eyes.

Kyle couldn’t keep his eyes off of Hal’s face. He was, quite simply, one of the most beautiful people Kyle had ever seen. This was common knowledge on a regular day; but here was Hal in the throes of intense and unabashed pleasure, his eyebrows knotting delicately, his long nose waffling pink and lickable, his breath coming out in small, edible huffs, as he rode out the orgasm.

I’m doing this, Kyle had to remind himself, because if he didn’t, it could very well feel like a dream. But Kyle wanted to be present, here and now, savouring every last drop of Hal rocking and thrusting against him. And Hal would have looked so vulnerable and helpless, if it wasn’t for the green that coursed into his eyes, illuminating the air between them. The power emanated behind the trust. Hal let Kyle see him like this, because he trusted Kyle, he realized with a shock. Dios. This was almost enough to get Kyle hard all over again.

When Hal fell back against the shrub, Kyle followed suit, letting his entire body melt and fill against Hal’s warm embrace. He nestled his face into Hal’s neck, and curled his free hand along Hal’s jutting collarbone.

“Mmmrrffgg,” he said conversationally, kissing and snuffling along Hal’s jaw.

Hal shifted a little to let Kyle lay more comfortably beside him. Turning his head, he kissed at the other’s damp skin softly, closing his eyes and sighing. The smell of swear and sex lingered over them in the night air, which felt a bit too cool now. Despite the low power levels, Hal made a nice cozy blanket for them, tucking it around Kyle’s shoulders before looping his arm around him.

“So…I say mission called on account of unforeseen interference.” He chuckled and smiled a little. “We’ll send Guy out here if the inhabitants still don’t get in touch like they’re supposed to.” Mostly because as low as their rings were, it’d be a miracle to remake their uniforms, make an appearance and sort everything out, and THEN get home. They’d handled the threat, someone else could clean everything else up.

“Get some sleep,” he said softly. He kissed Kyle’s forehead again, stroking his hair softly before settling in.

“Feels a bit wrong…” Kyle murmured, as he slid his hand up into Hal’s hair to keep Hal facing him, so they could keep idly kissing as their exhaustion set in. He considered. The blanket felt so good now, of course, and even the mere idea of trying to trudge to the rendezvous point in the morning seemed tedious and daunting, especially given they’d have to do everything manually. Kyle was sure the residents must have at least seen the alien warship being destroyed in the atmosphere; no one on this side of the hemisphere could have missed that.

“All right,” Kyle finally conceded because he could barely keep his eyes open now. He shifted himself closer to Hal. “I’ll message transmit when we get back to Earf. ‘N th’n I..erm…frr,” The last thing Kyle felt was Hal’s soft kiss on his forehead, before he fell into a deep, restful sleep.

--- --- ---

coda

Hal had never really been one for the "walk of shame". Even when he'd had one night stands cross country, he never really felt especially bad about it. This was different though. This was soooo different. It'd been a long time since he'd had someone to..well, cheat on as it were. Then again, this relationship wasn't normal by any stretch of the imagination. So...Maybe.

Maybe he was fooling himself.

Tired and worn out with his ring almost completely depleted, Hal headed into the Arrowhouse, eager for a shower, a meal, and some rest. He peered around as he stepped inside, shutting the door behind him.

"Hello?" he called. "Anyone home?"

"Home, but not awake." Ollie picked up the book he'd been grazing through -- it'd dropped to the floor when he dozed off, heaven knew when. "You've been off for a while, baby, what was it? Some crisis of government on a planet inhabited by gummi bears? An intergalactic puddle-jumper get a flat tire? A ... oh, hell's bells, it's too late to be clever. Just come in here and gimme a kiss, wouldja?"

Damn it was good to see him. Smiling, Hal crossed the room and stooped to kiss his lover, one hand brushing his cheek as the contact lingered. When he finally pulled back, he pressed a few softer kisses to his lips, smiling at him before moving to flop down on the couch with a groan.

"Routine check in turned into some idiots trying to play space conquorer," he said, running a hand through his hair. "Kyle and I tried to get them to surrender, they decided self destructing was a better idea. Deflected the blast, drained our rings, and we crash landed on the planet."

"Well, that explains the general look of having tumbled down a hill." Hal was looking scraped-up and worn out and dozy, yes, same as he tended to look after a partiuclarly hard run through a mission, but there was something else about it that Ollie was having a hard time putting his finger on. Something faintly familiar. Something to do with that kiss ...

"Hal," Ollie said, leaning forward in his chair to rest his elbows against his knees, "what happened? Was there something else you and Baby Lantern ran into? I mean, I know you like to keep Corps business to yourself -- and ordinarily I'm fine with that, you know I am -- but if there's something, *anything* else, anything I can help with?..."

He let it trail off there, not even sure what he was asking about.

Hal's dark eyes cut to Oliver quickly. Don't kid a kidder, they always say, and Ollie was a class A kidder, as it were. Leaning forward, he clasped his hands together, rubbing his thumbs over each other as he tried to think of how to word it. Finally, he shook his head and laughed.

"You know me way too well, baby," he said. He rubbed a hand over his mouth, fingers tracing the outline of his lips slowly. "Guess there's not much point in tip toeing." Rubbing his neck, he chewed his lip before finally speaking. "While we were out there, we were talking, and...well one thing led to another, and we...kinda fooled around a bit."

Ollie blinked, rapidly, trying to reconcile the words coming out of Hal's mouth (swollen, how had he not noticed it before? Kiss-swollen, those lips he knew so well) with what they actually *meant*. Hal. And Kyle. And *Kyle*?

"Okay," Ollie said finally. Hal was still looking at him, eyes dark with the dim light and tiredness and, dear god, probably lingering strains of lust, the memory of whatever this thing with Rayner had been.

"Okay," he said again, even though that hadn't done much the first time. "D'you ... did you ... I mean, what? What exactly constitutes fooling around with *Kyle Rayner*, of all people?"

This was awkward. And this sucked. Hal shifted a little, shrugging as he leaned back once more. The couch was so comfortable, and he was still so sore from falling through a damned forest of trees...These sorts of relationships required honesty, he told himself. That was one reason Ollie and Dinah had had so many problems right? Well, that and she was jealous and he was a free spirit...where the hell was his head?

"Almost curious what you mean by that," he said, then shrugged. "We..." He cleared his throat, face reddening a little. "Just...Jerked each other off. And ah..Eager kid went down on me." He omitted the fact that it was freaking awesome.

"Okay," Ollie said one more time. Just to complete the trifecta of Stupid Ways to Respond to your Lover's Confessions. "That's ... well, I can't ... I just -- Hal, Hal." Ollie shook his head, falling back into the chair, forehead furrowed in utter bewilderment. "Hal, baby."

What? What did he even want to do right now? Part of him wanted to lurch over to the couch and wrangle Hal up into his arms -- tired and apologetic as he was, Hal would be so pliantly willing to be fucked right now -- and part of him wanted to curl up in the chair and pretend none of this had happened, at all, ever.

"So was it good?" Ollie finally settled on. "Was he good?"

Hal laughd a little, shrugging. He could see the confusion in Oliver, another side effect of just knowing your lover and best friend better than yourself. He reached over and took his hand, tugging him up from the chair to join him on the couch. He wanted to be close to Ollie right now, to nuzzle his beard and enjoy being close.

"He was inexperienced," he said. "Apparently...he's never been with another guy before." He scooted over a bit, hoping Ollie would take up a spot on the couch with him.

The last thing Ollie could do right now was resist Hal wanting them to be close; he dropped heavily onto the sofa next to Hal, slinging one arm along the back so he could touch the nape of Hal's neck, his soft warm hair.

"So lemme get this straight," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Baby Lantern wanted to be ushered into the joys of guy-on-guy action and he chose you as the lucky, uh, usher?"

Ollie let his head fall back and looked at Hal, eyebrows puckered. "I don't have any right reading you the riot act, Hal," he said. "I mean, we came into this thing knowing that any of us could sleep with who we wanted outside of the relationship. As long as we come back home to each other. And here you are, at home, and ..." He took a deep breath. "I dunno. I guess I never prepared for an event of *Rayner*, is all."

"Well..." Hal thought a moment, shifting to cozy himself up to Ollie. Laying his head on him, he closed his eyes and sighed softly. Safe...that's what Oliver was, safe and comfortable. Licking his lips he tried to think of how to summerize things.

"I think it was a little more than that," he said. "I was being supportive and all, right? Cuz he needs it sometimes. And...He got up and kissed me. I kissed back...the mouth on that boy." He shook his head, then cleared his throat and went on. "Sort of went from there...I won't lie to you, I /like/ him, probably more than I realized. Seems like he feels similar.." He traced nonsense patterns on Ollie's belly, shrugging a bit.

"Funny thing is...I think he kinda feels the same way about me."

"Wait wait waitwait." Ollie dropped his arm lower as Hal readjusted against him, letting his hand curl around Hal's bicep. "Are you telling me that you two have *feelings* for each other? Like, going beyond brothers-in-arms fraternity don't-ask-don't-tell more than frantic circle jerks in the barracks kinda feelings?"

Hal's face burned a bit at that. He opened his mouth to speak, stammered, then shut it again. What the hell did he say to that? 'well yeah duh' was stupid, 'i dont know maybe' was lying...He bit his lip, then sat up a little so he could look at Oliver directly. He shrugged a bit.

"That's the thing," he said. "I..THINK there might be something there. It's the weirdest thing, I know. Me, him, couldn't be more different. Course...neither could we." He took Oliver's hand in his and squeezed it tight. He didn't want Ollie to think he was getting out of this. SO far from it.

"I ... so what you're saying is, you wanna keep trying things out with Rayner? With ..." he couldn't bring himself to say *Kyle*. That made it even stranger, for some reason. Ollie swallowed, hard, and pulled Hal closer to him so he could kiss Hal's hot forehead, sticky with the salt of dried sweat, the warm smell of his skin.

"I won't stand in your way, Hal," he managed past the dryness of his throat. "It's just strange for me, is all. You don't know what it was like, when you were gone, when Rayner was the closest and best link I had to you. I hated him so much, Hal, not even for anything the kid had done, but because -- he reminded me of you, kinda, and I didn't want to like him because then it would mean I was forgetting you. Or betraying you, somehow."

Hal needed that kiss. Smiling, he pulld ollie close, shifting to stretch out and pull the other over him. Both arms wrapped aorund him and held him gently, lovingly, nose burried in his cotton soft blond hair.

"That was then, Ollie," he said. "And I know you never could have forgotten me, or betrayed me." Sliding his fingers slowly over Oliver's neck and shoulders, he let the silence hang between them. Strangely, it was a comfortable sort of silence. Finally, he leaned down and kissed Oliver's forehead.

"You know I love you, don't you?" he said softly. There was no doubt in his voice.

"Yeah." It would be willful cruelty to deny it, the sincerity and strength of Hal's love, especially when Ollie could hear it laid out so naked and true in the surety of Hal's voice, feel it in the calm, steady thump of his heart. Hal Jordan was a terrible liar at the best of times, and this? He would never lie about this.

"I know you love me, Hal. I'm not worried about that. I'm ..." Ollie sighed, pulling Hal down for another kiss, tasting him, lapping inside Hal's mouth to get more of him. Wondering just how much of that was Kyle, now, when they pulled apart.

"I guess it was always a sticking point between us. I mean, up until now, there were two things with you that were the most intimate: making love with you, and killing you. And Kyle was there for one of them, and it ... it's messy. Y'know? Those are fucked-up things to *begin* with, and ... all of that got kinda tangled up for me, and so it's kind of ... full circle, this way, I guess. You and him. I don't even know if I'm making sense, here, baby, but the important thing is -- I want you to be happy. If pursuing this thing with Kyle makes you happy, then go for it. With all my love and blessings and trust that you'll still come back home to me."

Hal enjoyed that kiss, letting it linger, letting it ebb and flow between them like they always did. He loved it. The way Ollie kissed was something special unto itself, and Hal usually couldn't get enough. Even when they'd rolled for hours in the back of that truck until their lips were almost bruised, he still wanted more. That was something he KNEW would never change.

"Don't take this the wrong way," he said, sliding his fingers through his hair. "But its kind of like you and Kate. Its funny...I've never felt threatened by her and you. Hell, I like her, and I see why you like her." He grinned a little, nuzzling him softly. "She's your kinda woman." He kissed Ollie's nose, leaving a moment of silence between them before he went on.

"All I want is your blessing to see where this goes. Doesn't change a thing between you and me, though." He nuzzled Ollie's temple. "But...If you ever want me to break it off, or if you feel like something's changed, tell me, ok?" Like Oliver wuoldnt anyway, but that was beside the point.

"Actually, that's a pretty good comparison," Ollie conceded with a laugh. "It helps a lot. Especially because Kate likes Rayner too. How can I hang on to my irrational hatred of the guy with both of my favourite people thinking he's great?"

Ollie wasn't exaggerating. The minute Hal had drawn the comparison between Kyle and Kate, the worried anxious bramble in his chest had unsnarled and dethorned itself. Maybe it was an obvious conclusion to have arrived at, but Ollie felt infinitely better that *Hal* had offered it.

Sitting up, Ollie took Hal's face in his hands and kissed him again, and again, joyously. "Yes," he said, twirling his fingers in the hair behind Hal's ear. "Yes, go ahead, explore, see if it's something you wanna develop. I'm good with it, Hal, baby, I'm seriously honestly absolutely fine with it."

Hal smiled warmly at Oliver's relief. Wrapping his arms around him, he held him close and kissed him tenderly several times. Rubbing his hands over his back, he leaned into the touch as the other gave his permission and blessing. He was so fortunate.

"I have the best boyfriend ever," he said, sliding a hand under Oliver's shirt. "Well...in your case, more of a soul mate." He smiled warmly at Oliver, pulling him close for another tender kiss just to remind him how much he loved him. As he kissed him, he moved his legs slowy, letting Ollie lay between them more fully.

"Now...I want you to show me how much you missed me." He smirked a little. "that is, ifyou're up to it."