TITLE: 21^st Century Charm

AUTHOR: Demon Faith

RATING: PG-13

SUMMARY: Ted returns from his date. Booster talks.

NOTES: This follows the story in Justice League Quarterly #10, where Ted goes on a blind date. Scans can be found here courtesy of edward_hyde.

Booster sat in his room, wondering what on earth he had been thinking. He’d taken Wally and Bea out to laugh at his best friend, who was trying to be happy and find a relationship. And what support did Booster offer, how did he help him? With a whole lot of mockery.

He heard footsteps in the corridor and went to look. He was surprised to see Ted hurrying by, head ducked, shutting the door to his room very quietly. Booster frowned. That wasn’t how the night was supposed to end. He looked around – nope, no gorgeous waitress around.

Momentarily torn, he stood in the doorway, before prowling across the corridor and pushing open the door. Ted was sat on his bed, head in his hands – he didn’t even react to Booster’s presence, seemingly folding in on himself.

“Come to gloat?”

Dumbstruck, Booster could only push the door closed behind him. What could he say? Ted must think the very worst of him. Perhaps he deserved it.

“No…no…”

“You’d be right to,” Ted offered softly. Booster froze. What?

“Ted, I…”

“No, Booster, I need to face up to it. I just…don’t know what I’m doing.”

He looked up and Booster couldn’t help the shock. Ted’s left eye was a huge bruise and his lip was split down the centre. He sighed.

“So, it looks as bad as it feels, huh?”

Booster pulled himself together and tugged at Ted’s arm. “C’mon, you need ice. You hurt anywhere else?”

Ted shook his head. “Bruises, maybe. Mostly just my ego.”

Booster slung an arm around him as he limped to the Med-lab. How did Ted manage things like this? The man could turn a simple date into a train-wreck. He helped him up onto a table and fetched the ice pack as he unbuttoned his shirt. More bruises.

“I really am blue,” he offered a half-smile. “Healthy dose of black too.”

“Ted, what happened?” Booster said, wincing with Ted as he placed the ice to his eye. “Was she a black belt or something?”

“Nope,” he said, leaning on Booster’s shoulder for support. “But her ex was.”

Ted took a moment to just breathe, and Booster held onto him, wondering if stalking was actually in Ted’s best interests.

“Must be getting soft again,” he said finally. “The suit absorbs too much…”

“This isn’t a test of how much pain you can take, Ted,” Booster said, exasperated. “Just because Batman meditated up a mountain with yaks doesn’t mean you have to try it.”

Booster held ice packs to the spreading bruises, trying to ignore the skin beneath and Ted’s battered yet beautiful face, as he took away the pack on his eye.

“Yaks?”

“Yaks. I heard there might have also been a goat.”

Ted smiled, causing his lip to bleed again and he sucked on it. It was adorable. Booster quickly looked away.

“And who exactly told you this?”

“Ralph.” Booster didn’t miss a beat. “He can stretch reaaally far.”

Laughter then, though it obviously hurt him in half a dozen places but laughter was part of Ted, part of his twenty-first century charm. Booster held on to the melting ice and watched Ted’s face, smiling and alive despite his beating, so warm and welcoming, so…Ted…

The kiss was a surprise.

He’d just moved instinctively, capturing the torn lip with his own, kissing it all better and pressing the ice between them, savouring the chill until the packs fell to the floor with a loud crack.

Pulling back suddenly, he realised just what he’d done. He was about to apologise, take it all back, when he realised Ted still had his eyes closed and was paused in blissful thought.

“Ted?” Booster inquired softly.

“Mm?” Ted murmured before lazily opening one eye.

“Uh…I kissed you.”

His lips curved upwards. “I noticed.” A thoughtful pause. “Want to do it again?”

Booster froze. Did he…Ted…wow…

Then, Ted’s face fell a little and he nodded to himself. “Right, yeah. Ted Kord and Booster Gold. Why would you…never mind.”

He slipped off the table and started to limp out. That’s when Booster’s brain caught up to the present and grabbed at his shoulder. “Ted, no! I…”

Ted shook him off. “Don’t patronise me, Booster. You’re genetically…perfect. And me…I’m…well, look at me? I’m no Superman.”

Booster swung him round and held on, cupping his face in his hands. “They could spend years in the lab and never come out with anyone more beautiful than you. It’s your…smile, and your eyes and…your laugh…wow, Ted, you’ve turned me into a babbling idiot here…”

So he kissed him again, to stop the flow of embarrassing, clichéd words that seemed intent on spilling from his mouth. And Ted, finally realising this was real and not some horribly sadistic joke, kissed him back.

Bea’s gasp was just the icing on the cake.

Ted pulled away first and turned to her, displaying his red, black and blue face. Booster just faintly grinned.

“Yes, rest, rest and…fluids. Uh…right then.”

With a faint yelp, Ted was lifted into Booster’s arms and carried past a gawping Bea.

“See you tomorrow, Bea,” Ted called over Booster’s shoulder and then snuggled in.

Yeah, the twenty-first century definitely had its charms.