Chapter Text
After the initial chaos had settled down, everything had gone over quite well.
All Skeets had needed was a long recharge before they were back to their usual self. The stolen components had been recovered from the rubble and disaster on Pago Island, which Ted quickly reassured were up to par (and Batman triple-checked over).
They had extended a formal invitation to Dan in hopes that he would join the league, but he denied.
“Can’t leave the home post,” He explained, shrugging. “Been away from the city for too long already. I need to get back to my family.”
“Still, if you change your mind, or if you ever need anything,” J’onn said, “Please do not hesitate to ask.”
Initially, no one in the League really knew what to do with Ted. On one hand, he was a thief who’d seamlessly robbed a series of highly renowned museums and universities. On the other, it would’ve been impossible to take down Jarvis without him.
He was to be locked in the embassy at all times, under constant surveillance. A Leaguer had to be with him constantly. Neither Ted nor Booster were too upset about this.
Booster suggested they treat it like a pardon and hold Ted at the Embassy until anything was decided for certain. It may have also just been an excuse for some alone time.
“There’s one thing I don’t get,” Booster began, closing and locking the door to his bedroom. “Where did Skeets get the override code?”
“ That’s what you’re worried about?” Ted turned, and the sight of him standing in Booster’s room, such a simple and domestic act, was almost too much. “It was the number I gave you on the napkin.”
“The- really? ” Booster had completely forgotten about the napkin. He fished it from his pocket and stared at it.
“Well Skeets scanned it, right?”
“Yeah.”
“So it was in his programming, and he used it to shut down the machine.” Ted closed the gap between them and slung his arms around Booster’s shoulders. “Are you done now?”
He nodded, dropping the napkin and brushing their lips together gently. He hadn’t noticed it before, but their goggles clacked softly when they met. Booster reached up to take Ted’s goggles off.
“What are you doing?” Ted asked.
“Googles are in the way.”
“So? Take yours off.”
“I’ve seen you without them before, Ted!”
“Okay, then how about we both take them off.”
It seemed sound enough, so Booster hooked his thumbs around his cowl and pulled it down. Ted threw his goggles onto the dresser, then stepped back and openly admired Booster’s maskless face, “You’re good looking, too? That’s really just not fair.”
Booster laughed fully, threw his head back and leaned against the door. “You thought I wouldn’t be?”
“It’s not fair to us merely mediocre appearing fellas.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Booster took Ted’s face in his hands, soft yet defined, and stroked his cheek softly with his thumb. “Ted, you’re one of the most attractive people I’ve ever seen. Not just physically, but mentally. You’re so smart, you could do anything you wanted.”
“Not sure you should be telling that to a criminal,” He teased.
Booster rolled his eyes. “I’m serious.”
Ted deflated, looked down between them. “I don’t have anything. Can’t do anything. Everyone thinks I’m dead.”
“But you could do so much! You’re a genius Ted, you don’t even realize how fantastic you are.”
Ted didn’t speak, just studied Booster’s eyes for a moment - as if searching for any signs of lies or deception - then stood up and kissed him.
They had kissed a few times at this point, but none as intimate as this. It was soft, sweet, and sound. All around intoxicating. Ted’s hands tenderly framed Booster’s face, and he just melted . All loose limbs and fluttering hearts.
As he was pushed onto the bed, back hitting the mattress, Booster couldn’t think about anything else. Nothing but Ted’s lips, Ted’s touch, and Ted’s voice as he whispered sweet nothings between their sheets.
———————-
Later that night, as they laid beneath the thin white sheets, Booster rubbed soft circles into Ted’s back. They spoke about everything and nothing. What they could have for breakfast, their favorite places to visit, and Booster talked about his Mom, then Ted talked about his Dad.
“I’ve always dreamt of being a hero,” Ted whispered in a voice so soft, as if he was afraid of speaking. “Not like you guys, with your capes and masks. I’ve always wanted to create things, build things to help people.”
Booster’s fingers tracked paths around Ted’s skin, which was dotted with freckles. They were across his cheeks, yes, but they were also all of his arms and chest. Booster could spent hours getting lost in them, tracing patterns and constellations, second only in beauty to the night sky itself.
“You were a hero, though,” Booster finally said, voice still hushed in the darkness of his room. “Sticking up, defying Jarvis even after worrying for your own life. The faults you built into the robots, the override code you gave Skeets, breaking Dan and I out. Most people wouldn’t do that.”
“But I’m the reason you were there in the first place.” Ted sat up a little, leaned back against the pillows and ran a hand through his hair.
Booster leaned up to match, wrapped both arms around him and held Ted close. Soft breaths puffed against his chest, hands lightly swung around his back. “If I can be a hero, so can you.”
Ted laughed, bitter and sarcastic, and said, “That’s what you tell everyone.”
“No seriously.” Booster pulled away a bit, but only so that he could look down and make eye contact. “I came back here after destroying my entire life. My career was dead, I had been kicked out of school, I’d wasted away all my money on gambling. And then I stole government property. Which I used with the intention of coming back here and becoming famous. So trust me when I say, you can be a hero. ”
“I just don’t see how anyone could forgive me,” Ted looked down at his lap, pulled his arms back and fiddled with his fingers.
“Well, I do,” Booster said, resting his hands gently on top of Ted’s, as to stop him from fidgeting further. “I forgive you.”
Ted stopped, looked back up at Booster, studied his face for any signs of deception. “How?”
“You were put in a tough situation, and I think you did pretty well, considering.”
Ted grumbled something that sounded a bit like, “Agree to disagree,” and Booster was struck with and irreplaceable fondness, a brand of appreciation at all Ted was and all he could be. How fantastic, incredible a man Ted was.
Vaguely, he wondered what would have happened if Superman or some other local hero had shown up to that initial robbery at the Metropolis Aerospace Museum. Black Beetle probably would have been apprehended on the first night. How would that have changed things?
Well, they probably would’ve never met. Ted would most likely be in prison, Jarvis would still be working on his plan, and Booster would be… where? Living his boring, everyday life, he supposed.
What if Ted had never agreed to work with his uncle? Or what if Dan had gone with Ted when first asked?
It was hard to comprehend, just how lucky Booster was to know Ted - but Instead of trying to predict the other possibilities, he just held his partner tighter and whispered words of reassurance: “Don’t worry, we’ll find a place for you.”