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Hal had put all his willpower in coming back to the Watchtower. Whatever he was suffering from, he didn't have the strenght to reach Oa to get a diagnosis.
He had doubled over in pain so suddenly, he had almost lost control. For a brief second, he had wondered if it would be how he would die : alone, surrounded by stars.
However, Hal Jordan's will to live was powerful, powerful enough for him to resist the dangerous urge to curl up and let the pain take over.
Not without trying. He wasn't that far from the Watchtower, he could make it despite the pain running through his whole body.
At first, he didn't even realize the pain was receding as he went closer to the Watchtower, the memory of it too present in his muscles, in his bones.
He didn't have the time to wonder about it, barely managing to get to the Watchtower in time to collapse on the floor in front of Arthur and Barry. Barry only managed to catch him before he hit the floor thanks to his superspeed.
When Hal woke up, he was in the med-bay. He sighed at the familiarity of it.
The beeping machines, the overwhelming silence, Bruce keeping vigil -
Wait. That, that wasn't familiar. Hal opened his mouth, noticed Bruce's attire, similar to his own hospital gown, and closed it, his brown eyes checking Bruce for injuries.
"I am fine." Bruce said finally when Hal frowned, unable to pinpoint what Bruce was doing here. "And so are you, supposedly."
Hal was about to protest but quickly noticed that he wasn't in pain anymore.
"Morphine ?" he asked.
His body didn't seem to be tied to anything at the moment but pain didn't just disappear like that. He needed answers. What had happened ?
"Proximity." Bruce said softly, looking at Hal closely.
Hal blinked. Glanced at his left shoulder, barely covered by his gown, and then at Bruce's.
The Dark Knight rolled up his sleeve. Hal gasped.
"Oa, I presume ? It took me years to figure this one out."
A small planet with the Lantern symbol on it decorated his shoulder.
"So you've known since we met and you took my ring. I couldn't be so certain." Hal said, blushing.
After some time with the League, he had thought it was a possibility, he was just not familiar enough with Bruce's city to tell.
"Gotham's skyline." Bruce affirmed, as Hal showed him his own shoulder.
"Bruce, what happened exactly ? The pain was so intense."
"I think you pulled on our soul line when you left Earth. The distance was too much, it hurt both of us." he said quietly.
"Did you pass out ?" Hal asked.
"No. I didn't have to fight the pain in order to reach the Watchtower, I was there." Bruce said.
He was talking to Clark and had fallen to his knees. The spike of pain had been unexpected and brutal.
One second he was standing, the next he felt like liquid fire had replaced the blood in his body. He couldn't even scream.
Clark had to help him to the med-bay and sedate him. Not enough since Bruce had wanted to stay conscious and he had felt some of the pain. Until it disappeared totally as they were running tests. A second later, Arthur had entered the med-bay, carrying Hal's unconscious figure, Barry on his steps.
"Wasn't he supposed to go to Oa ? What happened ?" Bruce asked quickly.
"I don't know how he managed to go back here in his state, but he just kind of crashed at our feet in the corridor. I guess something happened on his way to Oa." Barry told them.
They had put Hal in one of the beds. Bruce looked at him intently.
"He doesn't seem any more injured than you." Clark stated.
"I have a theory."
"Care to share with the class ?" Barry asked, looking at his friend.
"Not without Hal's consent but if I am right, he will be fine."
"Let him rest for a bit." Barry advised. "I have to go to work but I'll check on him soon." he promised.
Arthur followed him out, leaving Hal to Bruce and Clark's care.
"You're soulmates." Clark stated.
He didn't sound surprised. Bruce didn't deny his assumption.
"It had never happened before ? It's not the first time Hal had left for -"
"I know that, thank you. Something must have, I don't know, activated our bond."
"Any idea about what it could be ?"
"No." Bruce said, his eyes on Hal's form in the nearby bed.
Liar, the voice in his head said and so did Clark's expression but thankfully he didn't press him for the truth.
Hal had invaded his thoughts even more than usual recently. He was quite certain he was falling in love with the man and that his feelings were not unrequited. It may have strengthened his bond with Hal and make the distance take a toll on them.
However he wasn't going to talk to Clark about this. To anyone, actually.
Hours later, after Hal's awakening and some hasty explanations from Bruce, the two were arguing again.
"Many astronauts do it." Bruce was saying.
"There aren't that many of them to begin with." Hal protested.
"Think of it that way : if you don't want me to tag along when you're playing space cop and to be forced to stay Earthside when I have to be in Gotham, we have to do it."
Hal rolled his eyes at the playing comment but didn't say anything. Bruce had a point there. It didn't mean Hal had to like it.
"What are you so afraid of ?" Bruce asked him, touching his arm lightly.
Hal wondered if he felt as touch-deprived as him and if it was due to having been too far away from each other and forcing on their bond.
"Right back at you. We've found out we were soulmates only a few hours ago and you're begging me to get rid of our bond." Hal said, crossing his arms on his chest.
"As if I would beg." Bruce laughed.
The weight in Hal's chest felt lighter.
"Making you beg has a nice ring to it. I am quite tempted."
Bruce closed his hand on Hal's wrist. He couldn't help but touch Hal in a way or another. He waited for Hal to meet his eyes to talk again.
"Hal. Our bond doesn't scare me. You in a hospital bed does. We can't take that kind of risk with our lives, you know that." Bruce said, cupping Hal's cheek.
Hal leaned into the touch instinctively.
"Maybe there's another way - "
"Which one ? None of us wants to give up his current life. I won't ask it from you and I believe you won't ask it from me."
"I know that. But then can't we ask someone with more experience to do this ? Don't your astronauts go see some professional or another to break their soulbonds ?" Hal asked.
"They do." Bruce said quietly but he didn't offer a more thorough explanation.
"So why are you asking me to do this ?" Hal wondered aloud.
There was only a short lapse of time before Bruce's answer.
"Because I trust you." he said.
"You realize I have never cut a soul line ever ?"
"I trust you. And I wanted it to be just the two of us." Bruce admitted.
It was personal. Something he didn't want others to be privy of.
"Careful there. I could think that you care." Hal said, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
"Maybe you should." Bruce said, joining their hands.
Hal swallowed.
"Bruce, I don't want to break our bond." he said.
Bruce sat on the bed next to him.
"I don't want that either." he told Hal, looking at their hands.
Hal nodded. He really didn't like it but he wasn't going to shy away from the things he had to do.
"We have to, right ? I am going to do it." he said.
Bruce's hand on his wrist stopped him.
"Wait. It's a painless operation. We won't feel it."
"That's… great." Hal said.
That hadn't been a concern of his.
"It won't change anything." Bruce added.
"Okay." Hal said.
"The line should be between my left ring finger and yours."
"Bruce, I do know that." Hal said softly.
"Sorry." Bruce said, lowering his head.
"It's fine. With me ?"
Bruce nodded, reaching around Hal to wrap his right hand around his as the Green Lantern made a construct -a green knife- appear.
"Now." Hal said before lowering the knife between their left hands.
Nothing seemed to happen.
"I don't feel any different. Do you think it worked ?" Hal asked.
"Hopefully."
"Are you aware you're hugging me ?" Hal said after a few seconds of silence.
Bruce didn't show any sign of uncomfort when his gaze met Hal's.
"I am. Do you mind ?" Bruce asked, and Hal just leaned into him.
"No. It's good to have you close." he said.
He was starting to fall back asleep.
"Bats, if we're not soulmates anymore, what are we now ?"
"I don't know, Hal. Why don't we figure it out when you will wake up ?" Bruce murmured, kissing his forehead.
Hal was back asleep before he could signify his assent.