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thejusticelounge2013-01-12 10:55 pm
bossymarmalade) wrote in thejusticelounge2013-01-12 10:55 pm
Entry tags:
drops of jupiter
-Ring Txt- Well alright then, hot shot. See you tonight.
Kyle couldn’t wait and flew to Star City, perhaps a bit early. He figured he’d just circle the penthouse for a while, spend some time in the clouds. Not that he didn’t think Hal wouldn’t appreciate his eager-beaverness, but more that it was only polite he showed up on time. He was really looking forward to the next 24 hours of his life.
Hal’s ring gave him a little ping when Kyle got close, glowing softly as it did. amusingly, it seemed that his and Kyle’s rings were attuned to each other, like they enjoyed being close as much as their wearers did. Ringing up his uniform, Hal stopped in to let Ollie know he’d be out for a while, making sure he was ok before he went outside. He watched Kyle, smiling warmly to himself.
Kyle saw a green light illuminate below, and realized he probably looked the same above. He grinned widely. Nightlights, ambulating around in the night sky. He imagined they were probably a helluva pretty sight together. The idea of people seeing them like this excited him more, and he flew down as Hal flew up, meeting him halfway.
”Don’t you look good enough to eat,” Kyle said, wrapping his arms around the back of Hal’s head to kiss him.
Hal’s arms circled Kyle’s waist, holding him close as they kissed. He almsot purred against his lips, nuzzling him a bit when their lips parted. “Ready to go out and have a little fun?” He slowly accelerated them skyward, leaving a bright green trail behind them as they went. “Beholding the beauties of our own solar system.”
“We really are lucky, aren’t we?” Kyle said, enjoying the feel of flying together. It was one of those things like walking together, arms around waists or holding hands…either it was a good fit, or it was awkward. Kyle had yet to try walking closely with Hal, but they flew close often enough now, and they always fell in step, so to speak. He laughed sheepishly.
“I know we kinda take turns saying that, but…really. Going out into space like this, whenever we want, to do whatever we want…” his hand slid a little lower on Hal’s hip. “Damn it feels good to be a Lantern.”
“Doesn’t it?” Hal grinned a bit, kissing his lover’s cheek before increasing the shield around them and speeding up. He could feel the heat and resistance of the atmosphere, then the usual cool caress of space. “We are so privileged…Sometimes I wish we could share it. But…” He shrugged and shook his head. “The rest of the world isn’t ready for all of this.”
“Still working on that, huh?” Kyle said, letting the drift of space pull his body out a bit, flipping upside-down over Hal and gripping his face to kiss it. He glanced over at a FOX network satellite that swam by them, then grinned more.
“Maybe you should just surprise Ollie while he’s asleep, like. Sneak him out here and when he wakes up, just be like ‘surprise! and since we’re here…’. Ahahha…think that’d work?” Kyle fell in line beside Hal as they accelerated, cruising past the Watchtower.
Hal laughed, watching Kyle move in lazy circles around him. “I’m sure that would not go over well,” he said, shaking his head. “But it would be funny.” He stole a kiss, sending a quick message to the Tower to ensure no one panicked, then banked to swing wide around the Earth’s orbit and head into the asteroid belt. “So…wanna race?”
Kyle usually didn’t care much to compete with others, because it usually ended up in sore feelings - either his, or the other person’s. But when Hal asked to race, Kyle felt a buzz of excitement. Neither of them had absolutely anything to prove but…it wasn’t as though their respective histories - the best of the best, and his replacement - were lost on either of them. For all of Kyle’s cautious nature and Hal’s steadfast nature, they were also both hotshots, in their own ways. He smirked, catching up to Hal.
“Remember the last time we tangoed with an asteroid belt? I got whupped. Not gonna happen this time…” Kyle shook his head slowly at Hal, and then with a side glance, suddenly turned towards the asteroids and shot himself into their midst. “Catch up if you can!” he called out gleefully.
Like Kyle, Hal saw no reason for actual competiton between them. This was all in good fun, and more than likely it would become a playful game by the time they got there. With an explosion of green energy, he followed after Kyle. He wove his way through the asteroids, punching through some and gaining some speed. He cork screwed a little before swinging around Kyle and speeding off. “Enjoy my better side,” he called back.
“Yeah well—!” Kyle started to call back, but he didn’t really have any retort. Hell, Kyle wasn’t gonna argue; he couldn’t help but watch appreciatively. He always loved watching his fellow Lanterns doing what they did best - but Hal, well. Watching Hal Jordan in action was always special. And now, his form and ability to make it all look so damned easy, it was pretty awe-inspiring.
Still, Kyle knew he wasn’t too shabby himself. Shaking himself out of his reverie, Kyle v-shaped his arms in front of him, exploding will out and propelling him forward, narrowing the gap between him and Hal. He couldn’t quite catch up, but… He could get closer…close enough to hook a construct rope around Hal’s ankles, wrap it a few times around his own hands, hold on tight and coast along Hal’s jetstream of green will.
“Don’t mind me,” Kyle called out gaily. “I trust you know the way.”
Hal felt the lasso on his legs, looking back at Kyle. He laughed and grinned, his green aura expanded, engulfing him more solidly and creating a sort of stream for Kyle to follow in. He swung upward, then down, flying in a long wave pattern, dragging Kyle along with him. He laughed excitedly, throwing himself into a corkscrew. He went faster and faster, then reached back with a construct field knife and cut Kyle’s line. The other lantern continued forward, right into Hal’s arms. Smiling, he kissed him and continued their flight.
It was almost too perfect, the way Hal literally took him for a ride. Honestly, no matter how Kyle was flying - on his own steam, in a plane, space-skiing with Hal - it was one of the best feelings in the world. /One/ of the best. Sharing a kiss this close to Mars certainly took precedence.
“That was nice…you win,” he conceded easily as they carried along their way. Kyle was lost in thought, replaying Hal’s excitment in his mind. “I like hearing you laugh.”
“Of course I win,” Hal said, nuzzling his lover. “I have you.” Taking his hand, he started off again. Relatively speaking, Jupiter was close now. It astounded him to thing about the rate of speed they must have been traveling for the trip to feel so short. Perhaps this was what speedsters felt like…Taking Kyle on an easy route, Hal turned onto his back, flying just under his lover.
“You know….you’re lovely when you fly.”
If it was anyone else but Hal, Kyle would wonder where he came up with these things to say that were so cheesy they ended up sounding absolutely honest. Kyle wasn’t complaining. He loved it when his lovers adored him. And Hal really did make Kyle feel adored. Still, it always threw him off-guard. They flew slowly now, taking the time to really look at each other.
Kyle dissolved the mask of his face. “I am?”
Nodding, Hal leaned up a little, kissing him before diving ‘down’ a ways. “Maybe I watch too closely, but…I love to watch you fly, especially lost in thought.” He smiled, weaving his way back around to fly beside Kyle. “When your thoughts drift, your rings gets ‘talkative’. You leave patterns when you fly sometimes. Me…Its just a contrail off a jet engine. John leaves lines, Guy leaves great big smears of green like paint…but you…” he shook his head and chuckled. “I can’t describe it.”
Okay Kyle wasn’t expecting that. Maybe a pert retort, but a full on, Hal describing? Hal doing a lot of describing. Hal doing a lot of describing about Kyle and himself, and Guy and John.
“You…watch me fly?” Kyle repeated stupidly, and he held his hands out to take Hal’s hands. Keeping him out at arm’s length, they slowly somersaulted as they held on.
“Hal, I…c’mon man.” As if responding to Hal’s description, Kyle’s ring seemed to babble out a stream of wing dings that bridged over to Hal’s ring, tendrilling it. Kyle watched the light, then looked at Hal’s green-lit face. “Geez. I never realized…”
“Your ring’s very responsive to you,” Hal said, chuckling softly. “It’s part of what made you such a fortunate choice as the last lantern..” Hal swooped up to him, cradling his cheek in his hand and smiling at him warmly. “And it’s what makes you a great lantern now. You don’t think.” He slid his hand over Kyle’s arm, circling behind him to press his chest to Kyle’s back.
“You create.” He rested his arm along Kyle’s, lacing their fingers and letting their rings touch. The rings glowed and sparked, and Hal almost moaned against his lover’s ear.
Kyle wasn’t sure what was happening until he was wrapped into Hal and their rings connected, that warm, almost overwhelming energy immediately trilling between them. Kyle gasped as Hal made a similar noise, his breath within their shared lantern shield puffing against Kyle’s ear. He nearly gasped louder, arching into Hal, and turning his head to claim Hal’s lips with his own. He held steady onto the back of Hal’s head with his free hand, moaning into his mouth.
“How’re you so amazing to me?” Kyle wondered. The clincher was that the things Hal said…he /meant/. ”My ring was yours, Hal.” He strained to kiss him again, smiling in lazy pleasure. “Seems like I’m yours too.”
“My ring was a part of me…just as much as this one I wear now is,” Hal said. He nuzzled into Kyle’s ear, then kissed at his neck. “It’s almost like destiny, really…like we were meant to be pulled to each other in some way.” Hal squeezed Kyle’s hand, feeling their rings grow a touch warmer. Beneath the normal shielding, slow tendrils crawled almost ivy-like up Hal’s arm, coming down to Kyle’s hand and looping around his wrist. Hal chuckled, sliding his other arm around Kyle’s waist.
“Looks like our rings agree.”
Kyle watched in fascination, one of his legs tilting back so he could run his booted foot along Hal’s calf. There’d always been a connection between them through the rings, Kyle knew that. Hal had told him that, once upon a time. But it was like…ever since him and Hal took that final - no, that /next/ step in their relationship, stepping within the boundary of love, Kyle couldn’t deny how the rings seemed to react freely of their wearers. The rings reacted to each other. He shifted a bit, so he could turn his shoulders slightly and look at Hal, cupping his cheek. Damn, but he felt so comfortable and right, right now.
“You really think so? Destiny and fate? ‘Meant to be’ kinda deal? Sometimes I feel like…if we never happened, then so be it. But we did and, geez Hal.” Kyle looked down at their arms, their fingers intertwined, the vines and tendrils of green light warm and comforting.
“Now? Sometimes, I feel like…I couldn’t live without you.” He shut his eyes briefly, hoping he wasn’t saying the wrong thing.
Hal listened, smiling warmly as Kyle spoke in his usual two forward, one back way. And somehow, he made perfect sense. He loosened his arm around the other, letting go of his hand and gently turning the other man over. Drawing him close, he wrapped his arms around him and held him close, their bodies fitting together perfectly.
“You don’t have to worry about that,” he said. “You have me, and I don’t plan on going anywhere.” He smiled and kissed his nose. “It’s funny…For years, I’ve felt like Ollie’s a part of me. He’s my soul mate. But you..” He brought a hand up, sliding his fingers through Kyle’s hair. His own mask seemed to fracture, flaking away in tiny crystalin peices. “You’re a part of me too. In your own way..Maybe it’s like that thread of fate thing. We’re connected.”
“We’re connected,” Kyle tried the words in his own mouth. Hal’s mask had fallen away, the bits and facets dusting against Kyle’s face as they slid out of sight. He searched Hal’s eyes - he was doing that so much lately, now that they finally had time to explore and keep moving forward and discover each other. And make plans, solid plans that involved a home and dates and…this.
“I…./love/ hearing you say that, Hal. I love it.” Kyle slid his arms around Hal, his fingers splaying out over the small of his back. “And you really believe it, don’t you. Dios, you really do believe it.”
Hal held Kyle tight against him, as though his arms were all that shielded Kyle from the cold space beyond. Nuzzling into his neck and hair, he nodded. “Of course I do.” He rubbed his hands over Kyle’s back slowly, pressing his fingers against the warm green glow of his uniform.
“I love you, and everything about you. From head to toe, in and out…And like you, I can’t imagine life without you.” He pulled back enough to look down at the other again, smiling before leaning in to kiss him deeply. He turned them in lazy circles, their trails helixing behind them. “I love you so much, Kyle.”
Kyle leaned into the kiss, pressing himself against Hal while their legs tilted elegantly back to create the light helix as they traveled. He tipped his head back and finally broke out into a wide, expansive grin. ”It’s so beautiful really, I mean. Not that I’m a romantic or anything,” - he actually believed this, it seemed - “But when I talk to Kate about her and Que - and Ollie? They’re still figuring things out too, y’know? But one thing that’s clear is that for them, it just keeps getting better. I. And we just keep getting better too, Hal. I can’t believe it sometimes. Ahhhhhh. I love you so much, Hal. So so much. I can’t /wait/ to sometimes-live together, I really can’t.”
“I know the feeling,” Hal purred, nuzzling into his lover again and holding him. “Every day I think I’ve peaked…and every day, somehow, I find a way to love you more.” He kissed his cheek. “A light in your eyes, a simple message just to say you love me and were thinking of me…watching you sleep, waking up to your smile, anything, everything, all of it.” He pulled them to a stop, hovering in the middle of the vast nothingness of space.
“I’ve seen so many things, met so many people…and of all of them, if I didn’t have you, my life would be so much more hollow…You asked me, when we first started this, where you fit in my life. I don’t know for sure yet, but…I have an idea. Ollie is my strength, my tether and ground, my backbone. You…you’re my light and my hope.” He chuckled stroking Kyle’s cheek. “My power and my light.”
“Hmmhmhmmm…” Kyle half hummed, assessing Hal’s idea. He couldn’t deny the way Hal thought of Ollie; in fact, it made a lot of sense. Lanterns needed someone to ground them…well Kyle knew he did, and he wasn’t surprised that Hal did. And who else but his dearest, longest-known friend? And so how Hal saw Kyle…he wasn’t expecting that, he hadn’t thought he’d be someone who meant this much to Hal, to be his…Kyle smiled lovingly, wishing he had more ways to be closer to Hal. Soon they’d be on Europa, and no more uniforms, soon, maybe.
“So what you’re saying is, Ollie’s your Greyskull and I’m your Lighthope?” He teasingly kissed Hal. “I can definitely live with that, for all Eternia.”
Hal laughed, nodding a little. “Something like that,” he said, kissing his lover’s cheek. “You really are something special, Kyle. I don’t know how I got so lucky, but I won’t question it.” He kissed Kyle’s neck, then gave them a little boost to get them moving again.
“Now then…we had a moon to explore, didn’t we?”
“Si si! Man, I loved space when I was a kid, but only since we watched that storm on Saturn? Did I really start to think I really need to explore our little corner of the universe, y’know?” With renewed enthusiasm, Kyle added to the acceleration, taking hold of Hal’s hand as they jetted off together. Europa was getting in sight, Jupiter of course looming large and incredible behind it.
“But I like this. Some partners explore antique shops or all-inclusive resorts; I want to explore space with you.” He leaned into Hal, kissing him on the cheek and nuzzling briefly as they headed towards the moon. “Can we?”
“We have a mostly dead system, so it’s safe for us to do so,” Hal said, then smiled. “And believe me, I wouldn’t be exploring space alone. Having a partner makes it better.” He took Kyle’s hand, nodding a bit as his shield strengthened. “By all means, let’s. Lead the way, my intrepid hero.”
Kyle loved that so much, how Hal always green lit safety first, no pun intended. It was incredibly sensible and sweet, particularly because Kyle never really considered it. ”It really is so much more fun to explore with someone, and…” Kyle squinted at Hal, smiling crookedly. “Somehow I get the feeling that - and correct me if I’m wrong - but you love space, right? Riiiiiight.” He laughed, pointing his toes out to give himself the illusion of going faster as they speed up. “But first - Europa. I love the idea of it being so smooth. I want to look at it up close.”
“You have me there,” he said. “I can’t help it. The natural world is fascinating.” Hal was a simple man, sure, but that didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy exploring…/adventuring/ was a better word for it. And when you put it like that, how could he not? He had the chance to be a real life Indiana Jones, how could he pass that up? He didn’t really care about the why and how of things. He wanted to experience them. And right now, more importantly, experience them with Kyle. “Let’s get close, then.” He sped up, urging Kyle along with him.
“Yesssss,” Kyle was excited. He fed off Hal’s excitement, which to a stranger might seem sedated, but Kyle could feel it pouring off him as much as he could practically taste that pure green willpower coming off the older Lantern. Hal was much older, but he still had the heart and drive of someone Kyle’s age.
“It really is. The first time I saw a comet up close, I kinda nearly lost it. The immense power of it…and the silence at the same time…unreal.” Europa had an atmosphere; and as they neared, they could feel the change when the moon’s air flattened in around them. Kyle’s hand tightened in Hal’s as he built up his shield. Breaking atmo was always a thrill and a half.
Kyle couldn’t wait and flew to Star City, perhaps a bit early. He figured he’d just circle the penthouse for a while, spend some time in the clouds. Not that he didn’t think Hal wouldn’t appreciate his eager-beaverness, but more that it was only polite he showed up on time. He was really looking forward to the next 24 hours of his life.
Hal’s ring gave him a little ping when Kyle got close, glowing softly as it did. amusingly, it seemed that his and Kyle’s rings were attuned to each other, like they enjoyed being close as much as their wearers did. Ringing up his uniform, Hal stopped in to let Ollie know he’d be out for a while, making sure he was ok before he went outside. He watched Kyle, smiling warmly to himself.
Kyle saw a green light illuminate below, and realized he probably looked the same above. He grinned widely. Nightlights, ambulating around in the night sky. He imagined they were probably a helluva pretty sight together. The idea of people seeing them like this excited him more, and he flew down as Hal flew up, meeting him halfway.
”Don’t you look good enough to eat,” Kyle said, wrapping his arms around the back of Hal’s head to kiss him.
Hal’s arms circled Kyle’s waist, holding him close as they kissed. He almsot purred against his lips, nuzzling him a bit when their lips parted. “Ready to go out and have a little fun?” He slowly accelerated them skyward, leaving a bright green trail behind them as they went. “Beholding the beauties of our own solar system.”
“We really are lucky, aren’t we?” Kyle said, enjoying the feel of flying together. It was one of those things like walking together, arms around waists or holding hands…either it was a good fit, or it was awkward. Kyle had yet to try walking closely with Hal, but they flew close often enough now, and they always fell in step, so to speak. He laughed sheepishly.
“I know we kinda take turns saying that, but…really. Going out into space like this, whenever we want, to do whatever we want…” his hand slid a little lower on Hal’s hip. “Damn it feels good to be a Lantern.”
“Doesn’t it?” Hal grinned a bit, kissing his lover’s cheek before increasing the shield around them and speeding up. He could feel the heat and resistance of the atmosphere, then the usual cool caress of space. “We are so privileged…Sometimes I wish we could share it. But…” He shrugged and shook his head. “The rest of the world isn’t ready for all of this.”
“Still working on that, huh?” Kyle said, letting the drift of space pull his body out a bit, flipping upside-down over Hal and gripping his face to kiss it. He glanced over at a FOX network satellite that swam by them, then grinned more.
“Maybe you should just surprise Ollie while he’s asleep, like. Sneak him out here and when he wakes up, just be like ‘surprise! and since we’re here…’. Ahahha…think that’d work?” Kyle fell in line beside Hal as they accelerated, cruising past the Watchtower.
Hal laughed, watching Kyle move in lazy circles around him. “I’m sure that would not go over well,” he said, shaking his head. “But it would be funny.” He stole a kiss, sending a quick message to the Tower to ensure no one panicked, then banked to swing wide around the Earth’s orbit and head into the asteroid belt. “So…wanna race?”
Kyle usually didn’t care much to compete with others, because it usually ended up in sore feelings - either his, or the other person’s. But when Hal asked to race, Kyle felt a buzz of excitement. Neither of them had absolutely anything to prove but…it wasn’t as though their respective histories - the best of the best, and his replacement - were lost on either of them. For all of Kyle’s cautious nature and Hal’s steadfast nature, they were also both hotshots, in their own ways. He smirked, catching up to Hal.
“Remember the last time we tangoed with an asteroid belt? I got whupped. Not gonna happen this time…” Kyle shook his head slowly at Hal, and then with a side glance, suddenly turned towards the asteroids and shot himself into their midst. “Catch up if you can!” he called out gleefully.
Like Kyle, Hal saw no reason for actual competiton between them. This was all in good fun, and more than likely it would become a playful game by the time they got there. With an explosion of green energy, he followed after Kyle. He wove his way through the asteroids, punching through some and gaining some speed. He cork screwed a little before swinging around Kyle and speeding off. “Enjoy my better side,” he called back.
“Yeah well—!” Kyle started to call back, but he didn’t really have any retort. Hell, Kyle wasn’t gonna argue; he couldn’t help but watch appreciatively. He always loved watching his fellow Lanterns doing what they did best - but Hal, well. Watching Hal Jordan in action was always special. And now, his form and ability to make it all look so damned easy, it was pretty awe-inspiring.
Still, Kyle knew he wasn’t too shabby himself. Shaking himself out of his reverie, Kyle v-shaped his arms in front of him, exploding will out and propelling him forward, narrowing the gap between him and Hal. He couldn’t quite catch up, but… He could get closer…close enough to hook a construct rope around Hal’s ankles, wrap it a few times around his own hands, hold on tight and coast along Hal’s jetstream of green will.
“Don’t mind me,” Kyle called out gaily. “I trust you know the way.”
Hal felt the lasso on his legs, looking back at Kyle. He laughed and grinned, his green aura expanded, engulfing him more solidly and creating a sort of stream for Kyle to follow in. He swung upward, then down, flying in a long wave pattern, dragging Kyle along with him. He laughed excitedly, throwing himself into a corkscrew. He went faster and faster, then reached back with a construct field knife and cut Kyle’s line. The other lantern continued forward, right into Hal’s arms. Smiling, he kissed him and continued their flight.
It was almost too perfect, the way Hal literally took him for a ride. Honestly, no matter how Kyle was flying - on his own steam, in a plane, space-skiing with Hal - it was one of the best feelings in the world. /One/ of the best. Sharing a kiss this close to Mars certainly took precedence.
“That was nice…you win,” he conceded easily as they carried along their way. Kyle was lost in thought, replaying Hal’s excitment in his mind. “I like hearing you laugh.”
“Of course I win,” Hal said, nuzzling his lover. “I have you.” Taking his hand, he started off again. Relatively speaking, Jupiter was close now. It astounded him to thing about the rate of speed they must have been traveling for the trip to feel so short. Perhaps this was what speedsters felt like…Taking Kyle on an easy route, Hal turned onto his back, flying just under his lover.
“You know….you’re lovely when you fly.”
If it was anyone else but Hal, Kyle would wonder where he came up with these things to say that were so cheesy they ended up sounding absolutely honest. Kyle wasn’t complaining. He loved it when his lovers adored him. And Hal really did make Kyle feel adored. Still, it always threw him off-guard. They flew slowly now, taking the time to really look at each other.
Kyle dissolved the mask of his face. “I am?”
Nodding, Hal leaned up a little, kissing him before diving ‘down’ a ways. “Maybe I watch too closely, but…I love to watch you fly, especially lost in thought.” He smiled, weaving his way back around to fly beside Kyle. “When your thoughts drift, your rings gets ‘talkative’. You leave patterns when you fly sometimes. Me…Its just a contrail off a jet engine. John leaves lines, Guy leaves great big smears of green like paint…but you…” he shook his head and chuckled. “I can’t describe it.”
Okay Kyle wasn’t expecting that. Maybe a pert retort, but a full on, Hal describing? Hal doing a lot of describing. Hal doing a lot of describing about Kyle and himself, and Guy and John.
“You…watch me fly?” Kyle repeated stupidly, and he held his hands out to take Hal’s hands. Keeping him out at arm’s length, they slowly somersaulted as they held on.
“Hal, I…c’mon man.” As if responding to Hal’s description, Kyle’s ring seemed to babble out a stream of wing dings that bridged over to Hal’s ring, tendrilling it. Kyle watched the light, then looked at Hal’s green-lit face. “Geez. I never realized…”
“Your ring’s very responsive to you,” Hal said, chuckling softly. “It’s part of what made you such a fortunate choice as the last lantern..” Hal swooped up to him, cradling his cheek in his hand and smiling at him warmly. “And it’s what makes you a great lantern now. You don’t think.” He slid his hand over Kyle’s arm, circling behind him to press his chest to Kyle’s back.
“You create.” He rested his arm along Kyle’s, lacing their fingers and letting their rings touch. The rings glowed and sparked, and Hal almost moaned against his lover’s ear.
Kyle wasn’t sure what was happening until he was wrapped into Hal and their rings connected, that warm, almost overwhelming energy immediately trilling between them. Kyle gasped as Hal made a similar noise, his breath within their shared lantern shield puffing against Kyle’s ear. He nearly gasped louder, arching into Hal, and turning his head to claim Hal’s lips with his own. He held steady onto the back of Hal’s head with his free hand, moaning into his mouth.
“How’re you so amazing to me?” Kyle wondered. The clincher was that the things Hal said…he /meant/. ”My ring was yours, Hal.” He strained to kiss him again, smiling in lazy pleasure. “Seems like I’m yours too.”
“My ring was a part of me…just as much as this one I wear now is,” Hal said. He nuzzled into Kyle’s ear, then kissed at his neck. “It’s almost like destiny, really…like we were meant to be pulled to each other in some way.” Hal squeezed Kyle’s hand, feeling their rings grow a touch warmer. Beneath the normal shielding, slow tendrils crawled almost ivy-like up Hal’s arm, coming down to Kyle’s hand and looping around his wrist. Hal chuckled, sliding his other arm around Kyle’s waist.
“Looks like our rings agree.”
Kyle watched in fascination, one of his legs tilting back so he could run his booted foot along Hal’s calf. There’d always been a connection between them through the rings, Kyle knew that. Hal had told him that, once upon a time. But it was like…ever since him and Hal took that final - no, that /next/ step in their relationship, stepping within the boundary of love, Kyle couldn’t deny how the rings seemed to react freely of their wearers. The rings reacted to each other. He shifted a bit, so he could turn his shoulders slightly and look at Hal, cupping his cheek. Damn, but he felt so comfortable and right, right now.
“You really think so? Destiny and fate? ‘Meant to be’ kinda deal? Sometimes I feel like…if we never happened, then so be it. But we did and, geez Hal.” Kyle looked down at their arms, their fingers intertwined, the vines and tendrils of green light warm and comforting.
“Now? Sometimes, I feel like…I couldn’t live without you.” He shut his eyes briefly, hoping he wasn’t saying the wrong thing.
Hal listened, smiling warmly as Kyle spoke in his usual two forward, one back way. And somehow, he made perfect sense. He loosened his arm around the other, letting go of his hand and gently turning the other man over. Drawing him close, he wrapped his arms around him and held him close, their bodies fitting together perfectly.
“You don’t have to worry about that,” he said. “You have me, and I don’t plan on going anywhere.” He smiled and kissed his nose. “It’s funny…For years, I’ve felt like Ollie’s a part of me. He’s my soul mate. But you..” He brought a hand up, sliding his fingers through Kyle’s hair. His own mask seemed to fracture, flaking away in tiny crystalin peices. “You’re a part of me too. In your own way..Maybe it’s like that thread of fate thing. We’re connected.”
“We’re connected,” Kyle tried the words in his own mouth. Hal’s mask had fallen away, the bits and facets dusting against Kyle’s face as they slid out of sight. He searched Hal’s eyes - he was doing that so much lately, now that they finally had time to explore and keep moving forward and discover each other. And make plans, solid plans that involved a home and dates and…this.
“I…./love/ hearing you say that, Hal. I love it.” Kyle slid his arms around Hal, his fingers splaying out over the small of his back. “And you really believe it, don’t you. Dios, you really do believe it.”
Hal held Kyle tight against him, as though his arms were all that shielded Kyle from the cold space beyond. Nuzzling into his neck and hair, he nodded. “Of course I do.” He rubbed his hands over Kyle’s back slowly, pressing his fingers against the warm green glow of his uniform.
“I love you, and everything about you. From head to toe, in and out…And like you, I can’t imagine life without you.” He pulled back enough to look down at the other again, smiling before leaning in to kiss him deeply. He turned them in lazy circles, their trails helixing behind them. “I love you so much, Kyle.”
Kyle leaned into the kiss, pressing himself against Hal while their legs tilted elegantly back to create the light helix as they traveled. He tipped his head back and finally broke out into a wide, expansive grin. ”It’s so beautiful really, I mean. Not that I’m a romantic or anything,” - he actually believed this, it seemed - “But when I talk to Kate about her and Que - and Ollie? They’re still figuring things out too, y’know? But one thing that’s clear is that for them, it just keeps getting better. I. And we just keep getting better too, Hal. I can’t believe it sometimes. Ahhhhhh. I love you so much, Hal. So so much. I can’t /wait/ to sometimes-live together, I really can’t.”
“I know the feeling,” Hal purred, nuzzling into his lover again and holding him. “Every day I think I’ve peaked…and every day, somehow, I find a way to love you more.” He kissed his cheek. “A light in your eyes, a simple message just to say you love me and were thinking of me…watching you sleep, waking up to your smile, anything, everything, all of it.” He pulled them to a stop, hovering in the middle of the vast nothingness of space.
“I’ve seen so many things, met so many people…and of all of them, if I didn’t have you, my life would be so much more hollow…You asked me, when we first started this, where you fit in my life. I don’t know for sure yet, but…I have an idea. Ollie is my strength, my tether and ground, my backbone. You…you’re my light and my hope.” He chuckled stroking Kyle’s cheek. “My power and my light.”
“Hmmhmhmmm…” Kyle half hummed, assessing Hal’s idea. He couldn’t deny the way Hal thought of Ollie; in fact, it made a lot of sense. Lanterns needed someone to ground them…well Kyle knew he did, and he wasn’t surprised that Hal did. And who else but his dearest, longest-known friend? And so how Hal saw Kyle…he wasn’t expecting that, he hadn’t thought he’d be someone who meant this much to Hal, to be his…Kyle smiled lovingly, wishing he had more ways to be closer to Hal. Soon they’d be on Europa, and no more uniforms, soon, maybe.
“So what you’re saying is, Ollie’s your Greyskull and I’m your Lighthope?” He teasingly kissed Hal. “I can definitely live with that, for all Eternia.”
Hal laughed, nodding a little. “Something like that,” he said, kissing his lover’s cheek. “You really are something special, Kyle. I don’t know how I got so lucky, but I won’t question it.” He kissed Kyle’s neck, then gave them a little boost to get them moving again.
“Now then…we had a moon to explore, didn’t we?”
“Si si! Man, I loved space when I was a kid, but only since we watched that storm on Saturn? Did I really start to think I really need to explore our little corner of the universe, y’know?” With renewed enthusiasm, Kyle added to the acceleration, taking hold of Hal’s hand as they jetted off together. Europa was getting in sight, Jupiter of course looming large and incredible behind it.
“But I like this. Some partners explore antique shops or all-inclusive resorts; I want to explore space with you.” He leaned into Hal, kissing him on the cheek and nuzzling briefly as they headed towards the moon. “Can we?”
“We have a mostly dead system, so it’s safe for us to do so,” Hal said, then smiled. “And believe me, I wouldn’t be exploring space alone. Having a partner makes it better.” He took Kyle’s hand, nodding a bit as his shield strengthened. “By all means, let’s. Lead the way, my intrepid hero.”
Kyle loved that so much, how Hal always green lit safety first, no pun intended. It was incredibly sensible and sweet, particularly because Kyle never really considered it. ”It really is so much more fun to explore with someone, and…” Kyle squinted at Hal, smiling crookedly. “Somehow I get the feeling that - and correct me if I’m wrong - but you love space, right? Riiiiiight.” He laughed, pointing his toes out to give himself the illusion of going faster as they speed up. “But first - Europa. I love the idea of it being so smooth. I want to look at it up close.”
“You have me there,” he said. “I can’t help it. The natural world is fascinating.” Hal was a simple man, sure, but that didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy exploring…/adventuring/ was a better word for it. And when you put it like that, how could he not? He had the chance to be a real life Indiana Jones, how could he pass that up? He didn’t really care about the why and how of things. He wanted to experience them. And right now, more importantly, experience them with Kyle. “Let’s get close, then.” He sped up, urging Kyle along with him.
“Yesssss,” Kyle was excited. He fed off Hal’s excitement, which to a stranger might seem sedated, but Kyle could feel it pouring off him as much as he could practically taste that pure green willpower coming off the older Lantern. Hal was much older, but he still had the heart and drive of someone Kyle’s age.
“It really is. The first time I saw a comet up close, I kinda nearly lost it. The immense power of it…and the silence at the same time…unreal.” Europa had an atmosphere; and as they neared, they could feel the change when the moon’s air flattened in around them. Kyle’s hand tightened in Hal’s as he built up his shield. Breaking atmo was always a thrill and a half.