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It had been a few days since Hal’s return. After preventing an alien war, it was nice to be home again. He had reintegrated the league as easily as he had left it.
Diana had taken him out the day before and Clark had welcomed him back warmly in the team. Hal had watched a whole season of some soap opera or another with Barry and complimented Vic on his new looks.
Something felt almost off with Batman, though. He was not an expansive guy, sure, but Hal had thought they were at least somexhat friendly and Bruce had cut their last conversations short without explanation.
“So, I’ve seen Simon Baz today,” Hal ventured.
Grunt. It was Bruce’s new way to acknowledge Hal was talking and it was irritating.
“I learnt you’ve met ?” Hal tried.
Grunt. The Green Lantern was doing his best to keep a friendly atmosphere between them but they were going exactly nowhere.
“You told him he was no match for you because he wasn’t me.”
Hal had felt oddly proud at Baz’s admission. And something else he was certain it was better not to wonder about.
Silence.
“Was it just bait, or did you mean it ?”
Hal hated himself for looking for validation from Bruce. He wasn’t a kid anymore. He didn’t need reassurance about his capacities and abilities.
Silence.
“That I was better than Baz ?” Hal clarified.
He just couldn’t help it. He just wanted to know. Did Bruce say it to anger his fellow Green Lantern or was there some real appreciation for Hal's work somewhere in there ?
He wasn't really expecting an answer. A grunt, maybe.
Hal lowered his head. Wishful thinking, that was all it was.
“You doubt it ?”
Hal jumped at the sound and did his best to pretend he hadn't to preserve his dignity.
For some reason, Bruce wasn't wearing his cowl anymore.
Hal shrugged. What could make Bruce so sure he was better at the Green Lantern gig than Baz ?
“We don’t always see eye to eye and I am more experienced but he is really good at what he is doing,” Hal said.
Bruce looked at him intently. Hal squirmed a bit under the intensity of his partner's gaze.
“So are you Jordan. You are the best Green Lantern out there as far as I am concerned.”
Bruce looked serious. A comforting look for him. His teammates were used to it.
Hal felt pleasantly surprised.
"You're biased."
He wasn't fishing for compliments. He just couldn't comprehend how Bruce could think he was good at his job. It was just a bunch of nice tricks, that was all. Nothing like being Batman or something.
Hal managed, but it was more sheer luck than real competence. He thought Bruce could see through it. He thought all of them could.
That they just waited for him to fail one time to send him home.
"I've never seen you lacking confidence before."
Hal shrugged in a deceptively relaxed way.
"Barry made me work on it," he said prudently.
Barry also said Hal had some form of impostor syndrome and should talk to someone about it. Hal wasn't sure Barry was offering his own help or advising him to find external help, but he had been seeing a psychologist before leaving Earth.
It hadn't been easy, but he felt he had made progress. Until now, at least. He should look for the psychologist's number when he went home.
And try to think of an equivalent for "going away at any moment for unknown durations" to maintain peace in space.
He didn't believe in A.R.G.U.S.' shrinks, and he hadn't talked about the Green Lantern thing to his psychologist. For her, he was just Hal Jordan, pilot.
"He's important to you," Bruce said, and his lips formed a tight, unhappy line.
Hal felt confused - his psychologist was a woman, and her importance for him was of a professional nature.
Then, he realized whom Bruce was talking about, and had to laugh.
"And they say you're the smart one. I would give my life for Barry."
Barry had always been there when he needed him. He had been his first partner in the superhero's business and he was a reliable friend.
There were very few secrets between the two of them.
"He's like, I don't know. The Superman to my Batman ?" Hal joked.
Bruce looked at him sharply. Something was definitely wrong with him. Hal should ask Barry. He was better at reading people than Hal ever was.
"Really ?"
Hal's patience had limits, and it was starting to be a bit much. Why couldn't Bruce be straightforward for once in his life ? Where did he intend to take this conversation ? Did he know it himself ?
"I mean, what did you think ? It's not like I have a lot of friends I can tell about being a Green Lantern. Of course Barry is important to me."
Bruce looked like he was calculating something, probably evaluating every previous interaction Barry and Hal had with him as a witness. He was a strange guy like that.
"So, you are friends with Barry ?"
Hal had just told him he had self-confidence issues a few minutes ago and would have appreciated Bruce not to question one of the most meaningful relationships of his life.
"Er, yes. Are you surprised because I can make friends with great people ?"
It felt insulting and in all honesty a bit low for Batman, but you never knew.
Bruce looked at him like he was assessing him. His arms crossed a bit too tightly, the weakly hidden hurt in his voice, his unsteady gaze.
"Of course not. I thought Barry and you were maybe an item."
There was a long silence. Hal was trying to find another meaning to Bruce's words and just couldn't.
Then, he just laughed at him.
"Wow. Stop right here. First Barry is very, very straight. Second, I am not interested in dating or fucking or whatever you implied my best friend."
Bruce looked… relieved, maybe ? More at ease, that was for certain.
"So the flirting is just friendly."
Hal raised an eyebrow. What the hell ?
"Yes ? I propositioned him when we met. What ? He's good looking. It had been a running joke between us ever since."
Bruce stayed silent. So silent Hal was starting to feel uneasy himself.
"Wait, don't tell me you have an issue with me because I am into dudes."
The realization that Bruce might be homophobic made him sick in his stomach.
The other man brushed it off.
“I thought you read the tabloids.”
Hal did. He didn't ask how Bruce knew that.
“Which are well known for their faithful reports.”
He remembered reading about Bruce Wayne's supposed lovers and wondering which really were and which weren't.
“That part was true.”
Hal smirked.
“You really left your own reception to fuck Jonas Greenberg senseless in your office while in a relationship with both of the Bertram sisters ?”
Bruce snorted.
"How old is Madison Bertram ? Nineteen ? And anyone paying more attention to Greenberg's discourse than to his looks would notice he is looking to settle down before the start of his campaign."
Hal shrugged. He wasn't a socialite. He didn't know that Miss Bertram was only a debutante and he couldn't tell which function Greenberg had set his sights on.
"Do you ever think you could try ? Settling down, I mean."
Hal was navigating in deep waters, there. He better be careful about what he said next.
"I have children who went through severe trauma, a company to run and events I need to attend to. Not forgetting the whole crime fighting thing and a dating reputation less than stellar. This doesn’t let much time for a significant other. Who in their right mind would make life projects with me ?"
Bruce shook his head.
"I would."
Hal cursed himself and his quick tongue. That ? It was not exactly being careful. Well, it made Bruce smile. The man chuckled. Hal found it a bit disturbing.
"I said in their right mind, Jordan."
Hal shrugged it off. If Bruce thought he was joking, who was he to deny it.
“Well, you’re rich, pretty enough and I like Alfred and the kids,” he said nonchalantly.
However, he meant it. He wouldn’t mind dating Bruce. Actually -
“Pretty enough ?”
Bruce sounded amused but also a little bit stunned by Hal’s audacity.
Fuck. He did say that. It served him right for not filtering what he felt like saying.
“Why, of course. Batman is one of the prettiest guys I have ever met. Pretty eyes, pretty hair, pretty -”
Hal’s brain finally reacted to what he was babbling so his owner had some dignity left. His tone had been joking, but what he was about to say next would have put him in trouble.
Bruce’s eyes had sparkenned and his smile felt devious. Hal did his best not to shiver too visibly.
“Please, feel free to go on.”
Hal smiled weakly.
“I'm good, thanks.”
He didn’t know what Bruce was playing at, but he was almost glowing, and it was a bit too much for him.
“What ? No comments about how pretty my ass is ? I am disappointed, Jordan.”
Hal’s breath caught in his throat. Okay, next move. Just in case Bruce was serious. He’ll manage to laugh it off if he wasn’t.
“How could I know, with all these clothes ?” Hal said sweetly.
He wondered if Bruce would chicken out. It didn’t seem like he was going to drop the act anytime soon.
“I thought you’d never ask,” the Dark Knight said, closing the distance between them.
Bruce’s hand wrapped around Hal’s neck, and a second later they were kissing. They fought for dominance, Hal giving in eventually, but kept it sweet somehow.
They were half-naked before one of them used coherent words again.
“Promise me we’re going to talk about this,” Hal asked, stilling Bruce’s hands on his waist.
Bruce kissed his forehead reassuringly.
“I promise. We’ll have dinner and declarations of undying love or something," he replied, letting his hands brush the displayed skin of the Green Lantern’s torso.
Hal shuddered, yearning for more contact. Their gazes locked. Hal drew his partner closer.
“Good. For now, I would like very much to have a look at that pretty ass of yours.”