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In the aftermath of their fight with Mongul's children and their exile, Ollie asked Hal how he realized that what they were experiencing wasn't real. It had seemed very real to him.
Ollie looked down at his hands as he said so. He had held his son in his arms. Nothing was supposed to make you feel like that. Being infected by Black Mercy sucked.
Hal only seemed to hesitate for half a second before he opened up to his friend.
"We were attacked by the same plant. That parasite touched you first, it imposed me with images of the life you were dreaming of for me. You tried to get me the perfect family but… you got a few things wrong," Hal said in one breath.
"What do you mean ?" Ollie asked sharply.
One wasn't a vigilante for nothing, no matter how many times you got yelled at by Batman for unprofessionalism.
"I've always wanted a family. What you may have not realized was that I already had one," Hal said.
"Sure, the League is probably one of the best things that happened to us both but that wasn't what I was thinking about."
"I know. I owe many things to the League. Including my family," Hal said.
There was a pause as Ollie tried to make sense of Hal's words. Hal cleared his throat, maybe a little bit embarrassed.
"Would you be surprised if I told you Bruce and I are lovers ?" he said quietly, not looking at his friend.
Lovers wasn't exactly the right word for the bond he shared with the Dark Knight but he wanted to break the news to Ollie gradually.
The archer snorted.
"No. Honestly, I expected something to happen a lot earlier."
Hal nodded his understanding.
"It did. We saw each other briefly near the very start of the League. It only lasted for a few months and we broke things off when it stopped feeling casual. We… reconnected after Bruce's last break-up with Catwoman. It was two years ago. He and I have been together ever since."
Hal paused to find the right words to expose the situation to Ollie. His friend would resent him for not having told him much sooner.
"It seems important to you. Are you and Bruce going long-term ?" Ollie asked.
He had better perception than he would usually let on and knew Hal more than the Lantern would have given him credit for.
There was no judgment in the billionaire's voice and Hal felt relief at that.
"We got married three weeks ago, Ollie," he said softly.
A half-smile graced his lips at the mere mention of his wedding. Too sentimental. Bruce had reproached it to him during one of their first League meetings. The only reason Hal's fist hadn't landed in Bruce's face was Superman restraining him.
Hal tried not to laugh at the memory. Ollie was probably already feeling concerned enough for Hal's mental stability as it was.
He and Bruce still regularly argued at meetings. They had just gotten better at making up afterwards.
"Dinah thought I was imagining things when I told her you two had gotten closer and were acting differently toward each other."
She had mumbled that he couldn't see it in the darkness of their bedroom but that she was rolling her eyes at him and could they please grab some hours of sleep before the next emergency ?
He missed her. Wished she hadn't left. Wished he hadn't made her leave.
"You weren't imagining stuff. I'm sorry. You're my best friend - I should have told you," Hal said, sighing.
He had considered it and Bruce and him had talked about it many times. Bruce had told Hal that he could tell his -their, here- friends if he wanted, now that they were in a committed relationship.
Hal had said he would think about it. Bruce had shrugged and pulled the Lantern into a kiss.
"You can tell me now."
Oliver wasn't angry at him, which was a good thing. He looked tired, though. Hal felt tired too.
There were probably enough secrets surrounding their lives and identities without them adding more to the pile.
Hal took a deep breath. Full honesty it would be, then.
He'd told Ollie about Bruce, surely he could tell him about the rest of the family and why the Black Mercy's induced dream was all wrong on that account.
"I've met the kids quite a few times before but we told them about us officially about a year ago. The next thing I knew, I was proofreading Red Hood's thesis, signing the cast of the deadliest sixteen year old girl I know and lecturing a teenage genius about his daily coffee intake."
"Bruce's kids are quite something," Ollie remarked.
It was a nice way to put it. The whole bunch of them were probably a nightmare to handle but Ollie doubted Hal wanted to hear that.
"... They're great," Hal said.
Something was off with his tone. Ollie didn't think Hal was lying to him when he told him he thought the kids were amazing but he had sounded… frustrated, maybe ?
"Wait. What's wrong ? Was it something I said ?"
They had known each other for a long time but Ollie couldn't tell what had set Hal off.
"They're not just Bruce's kids, now. They're kinda mine too. Ours. And I know they're not what you'll expect but they're family now and I wouldn't trade them for anyone else."
Hal didn't look like he meant too, and it was possible he wasn't even aware of it, but he had raised his voice.
Apparently Bruce wasn't the only Mama Bear in his family anymore.
"Congratulations," Ollie said, smiling at his friend.
"Um ?"
Hal was looking lost in thought, probably thinking about his kids. Christ, he was really a Dad.
"On building the life you were dreaming about and making your own family. I'm glad you're not another lonely vigilante."
Ollie had been worried about Hal feeling lonely, back when he and Dinah had gotten together.
Many people assumed Batman was the loneliest vigilante in being but Bruce had always had someone. Alfred, at first, and then the kids. He was rarely alone the way Hal was. Hal couldn't form steady attachments while he was off Earth.
His father was dead and so was his mother. He and his older brother didn't talk anymore.
Sometimes, Ollie had wondered if Hal would always come back or if he'd just decide to stay in space someday on an impulse.
He was glad Hal had finally found something worth staying for. Founded something worth staying for, actually.
Ollie must have stayed silent for too long because he felt Hal's hand on his shoulder.
"Ollie. What did you dream about ?"
So Hal was under the impression it was what he had been preoccupied about. Ollie didn't set him straight.
"Family," he said.
He had. He had dreamed of Connor, mainly, and Emi. Dinah too, radiant in her wedding dress.
He shook his head. It was only a dream.
"You should call her," Hal said softly.
His hand was still resting on Ollie's shoulder, supportive.
"I didn't…"
I didn't say anything about her, he had wanted to say, but he knew his face had probably done it for him.
"Ollie, call Dinah," Hal insisted.
Hal had always been a fervent supporter of their couple, even through dark times. A friend of both of them.
Ollie changed the subject. He didn't want to talk about Dinah. Not now, when the scent of her hair was still far too present in his nostrils, as if he had really been holding her against his chest instead of a mere image.
"Are you going to call Bruce ?" he asked instead.
Hal shook his head, amused.
"We've told the League we've gotten rid of Mongul and Mongal, he knows we're fine and I'm planning to head back home this afternoon anyway, so…" he said, shrugging.
"Home ?"
The fact that Hal's previous living arrangements could only fit a bachelor or a childless couple had only struck Ollie now.
"The Manor. I've kept my Coast City's apartment but I've been living in Bruce's family home for most of the last two years," Hal explained. "It's… lively," he added, smiling fondly.
Ollie looked at Hal's tired but relaxed face.
"I'm happy for you," he said.
He was. He wouldn't have bet on Bruce and Hal making things work, not for long, but here they were.
"Thanks, Ol," Hal said solemnly, moved. "You and Dinah will sort things out."
"Maybe. I'm going to call Connor. See you at the next meeting ?" Ollie asked, tilting his head.
He had rummaged into his pocket and got his phone out before looking at Hal expectantly.
Hal was rubbing his tired eyes.
"That's on Thursday, yes ? Never mind, Bruce will know. See you soon," Hal said, clapping Ollie's shoulder.
They hugged briefly and Ollie watched Hal take off, destination : Gotham, as his fingers dialed his son's phone number on their own.