Archive of Our Own

Hal remembered his first Soulmate Day vividly. He was only seven and had pleaded with his parents to tag along when his Dad had said he was taking Hal's older brother there.

Jack had not been happy with the younger kid's presence but Hal had been so insistent his Dad had agreed to take him with them.

Hal had his father's passion for aircrafts and was unofficially but not so secretly his favorite child.

Soulmates Days happened every two years. They were celebratory days.

That was why the Jordans were wearing their best clothes for the event. In their country, wearing white was required for the ceremony.

Both the kids, who had never partaken in the ceremony festivities and touched the sacred water from the fountain, were wearing a purple handkerchief.

Their parents, who had years ago plunged their hands in the muddy waters of similar magical fountains, were wearing touches of green.

Which was, in Hal's mind, way prettier than the purple of non-initiates' ornaments.

Other children were chasing each other through the crowd. Hal looked at them with envious eyes. His mother smiled at him.

"We talked with your Dad. Jacky is going to go through the initiation. You can go play with the other children for a while, but you have to stay in the park."

Hal had nodded and joined the neighborhood's children in their games. After being chased away by the Fairbank's brothers, two bullies a year older than him, Hal had found safety in a secluded area.

In the centre of an enclosed place, a marble fountain could be seen.

Hal hesitated for a bit, looking back at the hole in the edge that had granted him access to the sacred fountain. The future initiates, including his brother, were probably singing together and preparing themselves, rubbing their faces with oils and washing their hair.

Hal knew that the ceremony stretched for hours. Surely he hadn't been playing for hours yet and nobody would open the door leading to the fountain of unknown treasures. Future initiates would have to queue and go through the door one by one.

It was probably Hal's last chance at seeing the wonderful fountain before his own initiation. Which was ages ago from then.

Hal took a step forward. When nothing happened, he took another.

A single look couldn't hurt, he reasoned.

Soon enough he was right in front of the fountain. I reveal your soulmate's secrets the base of the fountain read.

Hal traced the words with his small hand and stood on tiptoe to have a better look in the fountain's bowl.

He had expected to see his reflection but was disappointed by the murky water. He was merely grazing the surface with his finger when a sound made him jump.

His hand plunged into the stone bowl as a sparrow grazed his head to go drink the fountain's water. Hal sighed in relief. He was quite sure he would have been in trouble if someone had walked on him then.

His relief didn't last for long when he remembered his hand - pain made him remember it, actually. His fingers seemed to have met a sharp object. Hal extracted it from the water.

It was a dark object Hal couldn't really identify, looking a bit like a bird maybe. It had sharp edges and Hal wondered if it was some kind of knife. He heard noise behind the door and ran to the hedge, pocketting his precious find as he went back to the park where the other children were playing.

His mother was furious when she found him. She had been looking for him for quite some time and where had he been ? She had been so worried ! And now his pretty clothes were ruined, all torn and dirty and there were scratches on his hands !

Thankfully Jack had gone back to them soon enough after that and the Jordans had stopped arguing over which punishment would be justified for Hal's disobedience.

Technically, Hal hadn't really disobeyed but he doubted the truth would bring him less turmoil and kept his mouth shut.

Jack's return distracted his parents just at the right time.

He was ecstatic. Pete, the neighbors' son, had been there too and they had a lot of fun trying to drown each other as they washed their hair in the lake with the other kids. And he had found the object about his soulmate in the fountain.

That part of Jack's narration stopped Hal in his tracks.

"You're alright, son ?" his father asked.

Hal nodded and kept walking but he felt a bit faint. He hadn't realized his new treasure could be a clue to find his soulmate.

"Dad, what did you find in the fountain for your Initiation ?" he asked when Jack stopped talking to take a breath.

"A replica of your grandmother's brooch. Jessica wasn't wearing it yet but then her mother died and she had started wearing it daily."

Hal looked at his Mom. She was wearing it now, the silver bird pinned to the lapel of her white jacket.

"What's your object, Mom ?" Jack asked.

"Your Dad's USAF wings." she said, and they all laughed.

If Hal clenched the flat bat-shaped piece of light metal in his pocket a bit too tight for comfort, nobody was the wiser.

Hal had never told his family he had found his soulmate's object four years before his Initiation. Nobody really paid attention to his Initiation anyway, his Dad had just died a few weeks ago and it was Hal's uncle that had taken him to the ceremony.

Bruce's Initiation had been different. He was eight. Most Waynes had gone through the process quite young. It was deemed "a necessary evil to get rid off quickly" in the family. A maid had taken him. He hadn't been allowed to mingle and play with the other kids or to stay to see the fireworks afterwards.

He had asked his mother why and she had sighed before kissing his head but she hadn't answered him.

So Bruce had asked his father.

"Nonsense, all of it." he had said sternly and called a maid to take care of his son.

Bruce had dismissed Sarah and played alone in his room with the ring he had found in Gotham's magical fountain.

He had put the ring in a box with some other precious possessions : a black and white feather, a watercolor Martha Wayne had made of the Manor, a sleek black model car and a pocket knife with his initials. For years, he hadn't thought about it or barely when someone else mentioned their soulmate.

He had thought the box had been lost, gathering dust somewhere in the manor. He only started looking for it after his first meeting with Hal Jordan.

He had been so surprised to see the symbol on the superhero's ring. It had been easy to take it from him, easier than he would have thought.

He had wanted to have a closer look, wanted it in an almost desperate way, and he had. He thought it was the same symbol. A circle and two parallel lines.

"It represents Oa." Jordan had explained a bit reluctantly at a later time.

Before that, Bruce had bared his face to a glowing stranger on an impulse. It was… incredibly risky. He shouldn't have done it but he had felt like he had to back then.

Back home, he had read into dusty and heavy books what he could find about soulmates. Nothing seemed to indicate an instinctive trust in your soulmate. Not one you could build in less than a day.

It seemed it was all Jordan's doing. Lantern had not given him any indication that he was aware they were soulmates.

Later, Bruce learned that there were many Lanterns, and some of them were humans. It made him doubt that Hal was his soulmate, but he was more and more drawn to the man. Each argument was more intense than the previous ones. Hal’s mind was brilliant and he refused to let Bruce have his way most of the time.

Bruce should have noticed the signs. He had already gone this way in the past and it hadn’t worked out like he had wanted.

But after some time, Bruce had noticed Hal’s contemplative side glances. Something had changed, shifted between them. Bruce wasn’t sure when it had started but Hal’s gaze was more inquisitive, more piercing. It looked like he was trying to read Bruce’s mind.

Bruce was glad he couldn’t, contrary to some of their allies. No one had ever commented on his thoughts but he had already received a couple of pointed glares when he had lost himself looking at Hal for a bit too long.

Maybe his soulmate was another Lantern, but Bruce was doubting it. None of the ones he had encountered had been as ingenious, as nerve wracking, as powerful, as mischievous, as attractive… as everything as Hal.

This was going to be a problem. Bruce just couldn’t let his feelings for Hal go unchecked. Maybe he could give him a hint about them being soulmates, see how Hal would react.

Talking to Alfred had always helped him clear his mind. He went to find him in the park, tending to the roses.

Bruce had planned what he was going to say on his way there but said something else instead.

"My mother. She was unhappy at the Manor." he started saying.

If Alfred was bothered by Bruce showing up unprompted or surprised by his abrupt, out of the blue remark, he didn’t show it.

"I wouldn't say so. Your presence always made her smile." Alfred said, cutting some rose stems.

"But not my father. They weren’t soulmates."

Alfred stopped trimming the bushes for a second to give Bruce a stern look.

"It wasn't uncommon for couples of their standing. Besides, you should realize that being soulmates is not a recipe for happiness in a couple.” he said.

He paused there and Bruce waited. If it had been all Alfred was going to say, he would have gone back to his gardening. Instead, he put down the secateurs in the frontal pocket of his gardening apron.

“Why don’t you make yourself comfortable while I make some tea ?” Alfred suggested, pointing to a nearby small table with two chairs with his chin.

It wasn’t really a suggestion, only his tone gave this impression. Bruce nodded, refrained to sigh and sat in a chair. Alfred always offered making tea before the discussions he had with Bruce and Bruce let him, especially for the difficult ones.

Soon enough, the butler was back with a tray. The kettle and the two cups had been joined with a plate of scones that probably none of them would touch but that Alfred kept making anyway. Thankfully, the kids would take care of it. Raising teenagers was like raising a pack of hungry wolves.

Alfred only started talking again when the tea was served and they were both sitting.

“Your mother was quite young when she married your father. She had romantic ideals that didn't fit your father's personality. She wasn't prepared for your father's indifference. I do believe he liked her more than he let on but she couldn't know that." Alfred said cautiously.

Bruce could hear the warning in Alfred’s voice. He knew he shared this character flaw with his father, the difficulty to show how much he cared. Alfred had already told him it could affect the kids. His last argument with Dick had been partly about it.

It made him angry, angry at himself and maybe a little bit at Alfred for being right, because Bruce’s next question was meant to provoke a reaction.

"Do you think my mother would have been happier with her soulmate ?"

Alfred didn’t even shiver, he kept looking at the boy he had raised, the angry man in front of him. There was no sharp edge to his voice, despite the blatant attack. Bruce was a good detective, and if he was asking this, he knew some things that may have better stayed hidden.

"I am afraid not, Master Bruce. Plenty of soulmates are unhappy together.”

Bruce nodded. He hesitated for a second, met Alfred’s calm gaze. The older man made a silent gesture, an invitation to ask what he wanted to.

"Did my mother know you were her soulmate ?"

Alfred shook his head. It hadn’t been the question he had been expecting, but it was close enough. Bruce had never been good at letting things in the past, and being orphaned at the tender age of 10 hadn’t helped.

"I don’t think so. She was always considerate with the help but your father was the one the head butler had to report to. Your mother knew me no better than your father knew the gardener.”

“But you knew she was your soulmate.” Bruce said, frowning.

“My soulmate’s object was such a fine piece of jewellery, it had to belong to someone from the upper class. I knew for certain when I saw her wearing it. A gift from your father, I believe.”

"You haven’t told her." Bruce said.

It was not a question. Alfred’s words had made it obvious. Prior to their discussion, he hadn’t been so certain. He had entertained the thought of Alfred and his mother having a liaison for a few minutes but had dismissed it. He couldn’t tell if his mother would have considered it, but it would have been a breach of Alfred’s morals.

"I was merely a servant. I couldn't afford the comfort she was used to. Your mother was born a lady, had been raised as such. She would never have been comfortable navigating through lower social classes. Your father was a good man. She could have done far worse.”

Suddenly, a thought hit Bruce’s mind like a wall of bricks.

"The pearls. They were her favorite ones. You have a replica." he said.

Your soulmate’s object usually was one that defined them or that they cherished. It would make sense. Bruce’s stomach churned at the thought. He had had nightmares about the pearl necklace for years.

"It can be yours if it is your wish." Alfred said softly.

Bruce touched his hand briefly.

“It belongs to you. It is yours to keep.” he said.

He wouldn’t take it from Alfred. The thought of those pearls made him nauseous anyway.

Besides, he had his own piece of jewellery courtesy of his own soulmate.

“Master Bruce ?”

“Yes, Alfred ?”

“Soulmates are not necessarily happy together but maybe you could offer yours a chance.”

Bruce didn’t even ask how Alfred knew. Probably he have already taken notice of the subjects of the books on his bedside table. The topic of their current conversation had pointed there too.

“You don’t know who they are.”

“I did some tidying up recently, you may want to take a look at the box in your study.” Alfred said.

Bruce knew a dismissal when he heard one. He thanked his mentor and went back to the Manor with the tea tray as Alfred went back to his roses.

As he reached his study, Bruce wondered if the box Alfred had told him about was the one he was thinking about. He recognized the second he put his eyes on it.

The black box had been put on his desk. He gave himself a few seconds before opening it.

The magpie’s feather was there, right next to his model car.

The manor’s watercolor was a bit faded, the paper was yellowing and the colors looked duller than in the past, but maybe Bruce’s memories were biased.

He reached for the small knife. His father had given it to him and Bruce hadn’t been able to find it after his death. He may have asked Alfred for help but he hadn’t. This quest had been personal.

However, he was glad for Alfred’s discovery now. He had forgotten about the other objects and their sentimental value had been higher than he thought.

“You are clinging too much to the past.” Clark had warned him one day, unironically.

“Our past is what motives most of us to seek justice for the harmless.” Bruce had said.

Us had meant the League but it had been smaller then. It was still true. You didn’t dress up to fight crime just for the thrill of it.

There was a picture in the box, that Bruce didn’t remember having put there. A dark-haired woman playing with a young child, smiling. She didn’t look like she was aware she was being photographed but you could see that the person who had taken the picture loved the people in it.

In Alfred’s neat script, you could read on the back : “Mrs Martha Wayne and her son Bruce, picture taken by Mr Thomas Wayne” and a date.

Bruce sighed. Alfred. If the picture was here, it meant he knew Bruce was going to question him about his parents. Was he that transparent or was Alfred that good at reading him ?

He wondered briefly if Alfred realized that having kept this photograph (he had never seen it, he was certain it came from his own collection) betrayed his feelings about as much as taking it revealed Thomas’. Bruce’s father loved the kid and the woman in the photo, but so did the man that raised him.

Maybe there was more to this story that Alfred had shared. And maybe Bruce shouldn’t dig, for once. Alfred’s dignity deserved to be spared.

Finally, Bruce put the photograph back in the box and took the last object he had put in it, years ago.

A ring. It had looked bigger in his memories. He tried to put it on. It fit, but not exactly. Bruce wondered if it would fit Hal perfectly. He put it back in the box and took the box to his room.

Hal was off Earth and they didn’t see each other for nearly a month. Bruce tried to distance himself when they did. Hal looked a bit puzzled at first but let it go. It lasted for two weeks before Hal knocked at his quarters’ door in the Watchtower.

“Look, I don’t know what I have done but why don’t we talk about it ? Even you can’t enjoy sulking for no reason for so long.” Hal said, pushing Bruce aside and closing the door behind him.

The audacity of it prevented Bruce to block his path. He could only glare at Hal.

“So ? Is it a guessing game or are you going to tell me why you’re mad at me ?” Hal asked, glancing around.

Bruce’s quarters must have two rooms, or the guy was sleeping on the floor when he stayed there. This room looked like a mini Bat Cave - plenty of electronics and screens and blueprints. There was a big table there and two chairs.

Hal pushed away a few papers that didn’t look too important and perched on the table. Bruce’s glare intensified. He was in his Batman suit but he hadn’t put the cowl on. Hal smiled angelically at him and rummaged in his uniform - he usually wore it on the Watchtower, sans mask now - before exclaiming happily “ah !”

Bruce had crossed his arms on his chest.

“So, is it about this ?” Hal asked, letting something flat slide across the table in Bruce’s direction.

Bruce caught it before it fell and looked at Hal. A batarang.

“Where did you get this ?”

“Would you prefer me lying and telling you I found it in your Cave last time I was there and pocketed it ?”

Bruce shook his head.

“The fountain.” he said, and Hal nodded.

“I’ve known for a while. You’ve known for a while. Longer than me, probably. I thought we were both okay with it. So, what’s going on now ?”

Bruce stayed silent and rubbed his face tiredly. He hadn’t been sleeping well.

“Can you please talk to me ? Are you freaking out ?” Hal asked and he moved in order to reach out to Bruce.

Bruce took a step back and lowered his eyes. Hal was at loss, not knowing what was happening.

“I am sorry.” he said, turning his back to Hal and opening the door.

“What for ?” Hal called him back.

“Not letting you a chance. A better man would have but I just can’t do it.” Bruce said before shutting the door between Hal and him and did the best thing to do when feelings overwhelmed him : run away.

“Bruce, wait !” Hal cursed as he opened the door, too late.

Bruce was gone, and he doubted he would see him there anytime soon.

Knowing Bruce, he may have fled to some cave in Antarctica (there weren’t caves in Antarctica, right ?) somewhere to brood and beat himself up for a few months instead of dealing with his feelings. He would fight polar bears for food and would be back with a whole new set of deadly skills, acting like nothing had happened to prompt his departure.

“Have you two argued ?” Barry asked, stabilizing Hal.

Bruce had nearly slammed into him in the corridor just before Hal went after him and nearly slammed into Barry too.

“Hal, you’re okay ?” Barry asked, his hands still on Hal’s shoulders.

“I am trying, Bar, I am trying.” Hal said and he looked quite demoralized.

“What did Bruce say ?” Barry asked later, watching a rerun of one football match or another that Hal hadn’t seen since he hadn’t been Earth-range when it had been played.

“That he was sorry that my soulmate was basically an asshole.” Hal mumbled.

“Which is why you’re moping on my sofa and Bruce literally ran away from you ?”

Hal had kept his eyes on the screen for a few seconds too long, and Barry thought he hadn’t listened. He was about to repeat himself when Hal spared him a glance and answered him.

“He’s the asshole.” he said, a bit dramatically.

Well, Hal thinking Bruce was an asshole wasn’t much of a revelation. They had seemed to get along better recently but Barry wasn’t really surprised it had just been a phase.

“I didn’t say you were.” Barry said carefully.

Hal’s tone had seemed devoid of accusation but you never know. Dealing with League members, even if they were your friends, was like dealing with children with impossible egos.

“Me neither. What I am saying is, he’s the asshole-ish soulmate he is sorry for.” Hal said, taking a sip of his warming beer.

Barry stayed silent for a few seconds, unsure of what he had heard. Hal had spoken clearly, but what he said had been quite odd.

“Sorry, Bruce is your soulmate ?” Barry said.

There was no judgement in his voice, merely puzzlement.

“It would seem.” Hal said but he wouldn’t look at Barry.

“I didn’t know you liked guys.” Barry said tentatively a while later.

Hal shrugged, taking another sip of his now too warm beer. Hal had always dated men and women indifferently. He had never made his bisexuality official, but he had not exactly hidden it either.

“It would seem. But what you meant was closer to “I didn’t know you liked Bruce”, right ?”

Barry made a face but decided against lying to Hal, it wouldn’t end well. Hal was looking for a fight, but Barry was too smart to give him an excuse for it.

“It’s a bit of a surprise.” he admitted.

Hal closed his eyes and hummed.

“It was a bit of a surprise for me to, when I figured out he was my soulmate. A bit of a surprise too when I realized I really didn’t mind.”

“Were you arguing because he doesn’t feel like you ?”

“We were not arguing. Not really. I just forced his hand. He had been acting cold these last weeks and I confronted him about it. Made him acknowledge we were soulmates. He already knew it, but hearing it from me made him bolt. He told me he wasn’t going to give me a chance, that he wasn’t a good man, bla bla bla.” Hal started ranting.

“I am sorry.” Barry told him, because what else could he say ?

Hal didn’t seem like he was in the right mood to listen to him, anyway.

“Why couldn’t I have anyone else for a soulmate ? Better, someone normal ? Let me tell you, you and Iris are lucky to have each other.”

“Iris and I broke up last week.” Barry said in a hushed tone.

There was a stunned silence while Hal tried to think for appropriate words but didn’t really find anything satisfactory.

“I am sorry to hear it but why didn’t you tell me sooner ?”

“Like you told me for you and Bruce ?” Barry said, smiling.

He didn’t look annoyed. Good point for him. Hal should consider dating him instead of Bruce, really. It would be less complicated. Or maybe not. Barry was a bit too perfect, it would be unnerving. Bruce’s brazillion of flaws made Hal less self-conscious.

“Fair point. But breaking up with your soulmate mustn’t have been easy.” Hal said softly.

“Having a soulmate isn’t easy for anyone, Hal. Relationships need some work to function well, no kind of magical bond changes that. Iris will always have a special place in my heart but none of us went out of our way to save our couple relationship, we just watched it die.” Barry told him.

“Is there some hidden message here ? I am too tired to find it.”

Hal felt a bit like a jerk for talking to Barry like that, but Bruce wasn’t there and he needed to report his frustrations on someone.

“If you want to fix your relationship with Bruce, you should go find him instead of wallowing in self-pity.”

“What a great friend you make.” Hal commented uncharitably.

Thankfully Barry wasn’t one to take offense easily. It would have been justified if he had, he had always been a loyal, trustworthy friend.

“Great friends give you good pieces of advice, not easy-to-follow ones, and serve you cold hard truths. You know Bruce is shit at dealing with emotions, help him through it. And make him apologize, you deserve at least that.” Barry replied, apparently unaffected by his friend’s brooding mood.

“Why Iris and you didn’t work out ?” Hal asked.

It took Barry some time to answer, and Hal wondered if he was going to serve him some lie wrapped in some truth. Barry didn’t lie with as much ease as many people, but he made his lies convincing if he needed to.

“We weren’t in love with each other. I have the feeling it isn’t going to be a problem between you two.” Barry said, bringing back the conversation on Hal.

Hal let him, it was obvious Barry didn’t want to talk about Iris anymore and their break-up was a bit too recent for Hal to poke into it.

“You didn’t know we liked each other a few hours ago.” Hal observed.

“Yes but I can see it now. You make sense.”

“Tell that to Bruce.”

“Maybe you should.”

“I - I think I am going to do it because apparently I am a sucker for rejection.”

Barry made an approving noise. They kept watching the match. Maybe it was another one, Barry wasn’t sure.

“Hey, Bar ?”

“Um ?”

“There’s more to it. Your break-up with Iris. Are you ever going to tell me what’s going on ?”

“Deal with your relationship with your soulmate first, and we’ll talk about my lovelife after if you still want to.”

It turned out that finding Bruce wasn’t that complicated. When he had gone to the Cave, Hal had hoped to find Bruce’s butler of maybe one of his sons, not the man himself.

Clearly, Bruce hadn’t been expecting him. He had tensed upon his arrival.

“Lantern.” Bruce greeted him, but he didn’t stand.

“Spooky. I wondered if I would still be able to enter the Cave.” Hal said.

“Why would I have restricted your access ?” Bruce asked.

He looked really intrigued about this. Hal looked at him strangely.

“Um, did I imagine the ending of our last discussion ?”

“Our personal relationship and our profesional one don’t have to affect each other.” Bruce said, like it was the most natural thing ever.

For him, it probably was. Hal sighed. Arguing with Bruce was really surreal at times.

“Maybe they don’t have to but they do because we’re humans and we have feelings. You can’t just separate things like that. Well, I am sure you’re damn good at compartmentalizing that way but I am not used to repressing my feelings.”

“I have noticed.” Bruce said, and his tone wasn’t really gentle.

Hal tried to keep calm despite Bruce pushing all Hal’s buttons, maybe without even realizing it because emotional intelligence probably meant nothing for Bruce.

“Maybe you don’t care at all, but I need us to talk about this. You want to separate things ? Alright, let’s not talk about us being soulmates. That’s not really why I am here anyway. I am here because you’re sabotaging our relationship and I don’t really get why you’re so intent on making an antagonist out of me. Don’t you have enough of those ?”

“I am not trying to antagonize you.” Bruce said in a tone that was pointing out how ridiculous the idea was.

“What the hell are you trying to do, then ? Because you could have fooled me.”

“I was giving you space.” Bruce said.

Hal snortled, disbelief in his gaze. Well, at least he had elicited an answer from Bruce, no matter how lame it was.

“I didn’t ask for it.”

“I was giving us space.” Bruce amended.

“You were giving yourself space. It’s alright, but why ?”

“I needed it.”

“I got that, but why did you need to distance yourself from me ?”

“Stop digging. You know the answer.” Bruce said quietly but his hands had closed into fists.

“Did it work ? Did it change anything ? Did your feelings magically disappear so you didn’t have to deal with them like a grown-up ? Did you finally admit to yourself this was stupid ? Did you finally accept that you can’t have everything under control and that it is okay ? Did -”

“Enough.” Bruce boomed.

“Look -” Hal started saying, and he was angry.

Bruce cut him off again.

“I get your point.” Bruce said between his teeth.

Hal arched an eyebrow in an exaggerated way.

“Do you really ? What I am going for is that the only thing standing between your feelings and mine is your stubbornness. Well, guess what ? I can be stubborn too when it’s worth it. For once, be selfish. Pick a choice you want to make. Tell me to get out of here if you want, but only if you want to. I’ll leave if it’s what you truly want. I just don’t think it is.”

It was a bit harsh but things needed to be said and Hal Jordan was many things, but a coward was not one of them.

Bruce put his cowl off but his expression was still unreadable. Hal looked at him getting up from his chair but didn’t move an inch. He was standing his ground, he had meant anything he had said.

Bruce was on Hal in four seconds tops. Hal wondered for a brief second if he had gone too far and Bruce was going to throw him out of the Cave physically. Bruce had stopped an inch away from him, he could feel his breath on his lips.

Hal braced himself for anything but closed his eyes and tilted his head to the right slightly. He couldn’t help but smile when he felt Bruce’s lips on his. Relief flooded him as he wrapped his arms around Bruce’s waist.

It wasn’t that comfortable with the Batsuit in the way but it felt right anyway.

They still had much to discuss but if Hal could venture a guess, he would say it would be fine and hopefully Bruce would agree.