TITLE: The Wrong Door

AUTHOR: Demon Faith

PAIRING: Booster/Beetle

RATING: PG-13

WORDS: 489

SUMMARY: Booster opens the wrong door

NOTES: For the 'first kiss' meme, phonenixfire_lia asked for Booster and Beetle. How could I resist?

"It's just this way- no, wait, maybe…"

Booster trailed off and strained to think. Ted sighed.

"We're lost, aren't we?"

"No, no, not lost. Just…geographically challenged."

Ted looked at him, torn between hopeless affection and banging his head against a wall. Booster recognised that look easily. Booster 1, Ted's eyes 0.

"Booster, this was meant to be just a simple favour. Test my new mindscape device and help J'onn remember where he left the key to his Choco stash. Pop into a friend's mind, witness the memory and just find our way out. How hard can it be?"

"But J'onn's mind is all twisty!" Booster realised he was whining and stopped. He was Booster Gold, future-born superhero – he would find a way. And impress Ted. Though right now Ted was giving him the you're-an-idiot look (Booster 2, Eyes 0).

"Look, here's a door! Hey, it even has your name on it, it must be right."

"I don't know, Booster…" Ted's voice trailed off, as Booster swung open the door. It was black inside. Carefully, he stepped forward, and heard the door slam behind him.

"Ted!" he called and tried to haul the door open, but it wouldn't budge. Great. Now he had lost Ted in J'onn's brain – this day just got better.

"J'onn, this isn't you. You have to believe me."

The black began to clear as Ted's voice came clearly through the mist. Booster stepped forward.

"Perhaps I do not want to."

Ted backed away, as J'onn stalked towards him, a dripping blade in his hand. Ted was clutching at his shoulder, trying to stem the flow of blood, eyes terrified.

Booster tried to move or scream, but he was frozen, a mere observer in this moment. He could only watch as J'onn leapt at Ted and savagely tore his throat with the blade, spilling more blood, wiping the life from Ted's eyes.

"These are my dreams."

Booster turned to look at J'onn, standing peacefully beside him, and when he looked back, the scene was gone, replaced by black.

"Dreams? You…dream about that?"

"Sometimes. It is time for us to go."

J'onn took his arm and the black faded into white, as he realised he was staring at the ceiling.

"Welcome back!" came a chipper voice and Ted appeared in his field of view. Without thought, Booster took hold of his face, stared deep into his startled eyes, and kissed him.

He was alive, vital and strong, warm and responsive, and he tasted of stolen Chocos and rich black coffee. He was Ted. He was kissing Ted.

Eventually, they parted, Ted looking deliciously rumpled, and he rested one hand on his cheek.

"You, me, talk." He got up, grasping Ted's hand and then thinking a moment. "No, talk later."

He dragged him through the Watchtower, ignoring everyone but Ted and closed his hands on the handle of the right door, pushing it open and revealing a new world.