Chapter Text
About three months ago, a new temporary member had been registered with the JL. Kyle had started to think the JL was turning into a walk-in inn, because the new member was fucking Red Hood.
It wasn’t that he disliked him (eternal hatred), but his personality was a lot. He’d killed before. Kyle had a job as a Green Lantern, sure, but this guy was violent. He fought too much, caused collateral damage. He was constantly throwing punches with those perfect biceps of his. Kicking with those tight thighs—
ahem.
His legs.
Violent.
(And hot as a burning coal.)
He had never seen him without a mask. Always a full helmet. Back then. When he worked with the Outlaws.
Now, though? Some kind of mouth-guard thing—sexy—and he actually took it off? His entire concept of secret identities had just evaporated.
The first time Kyle saw his face, he’d felt… soaked.
No. Not like that.
His hand had instinctively reached for his pen and he’d drawn him. Immortalized the moment. It was a necessity. Letting a face and body like that go un-portrayed would be a crime against the world. Otherwise, what was the point of calling himself an artist?
(He never said that. Ever.)
Everyone has a personal level of bad luck. Lately, Kyle felt like his was set to absurdly high, because every single time Batman scheduled a patrol, he paired him with Red Hood.
Kyle couldn’t object—he was intimidated by Batman and didn’t have a solid reason anyway.
Besides, Hood seemed to enjoy it.
On patrol days, he brought them both coffee (how did he know Kyle’s favorite?), then retreated to a corner and practically begged Kyle to draw him (he was just reading a book).
Because of Kyle’s artistic soul, he now owned a sketchbook made up exclusively of Hood.
He couldn’t go on patrol without it anymore.
He felt pathetic.
Their next patrol would start in half an hour, and his insides were eating themselves alive.
Why why why?
Jason was sitting as usual, reading a book. Kyle had drawn him so much he had memorized every line of his body. He was ashamed of that.
Since when had he become obsessed with Hood—he didn’t even know his real name.
Hood knew his, though. Remembered it.
Kyle’s eyes drifted to him. They made eye contact.
Kyle dropped his pen.
Hood was watching him.
Hood was watching Kyle draw Hood.
He felt himself blush.
“Since when—”
Hood cut in.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Kyle frowned.
“You knew I was drawing you. I just want to know since when…”
“Well… the fourth time?”
Kyle turned red. He couldn’t even look at him properly. He needed to explain himself.
He felt like the universe, the ring, and luck itself had abandoned him.
Fuck.
Kyle coughed.
“I—I wasn’t watching you.” He pressed the sketchbook to his chest. “I mean, I am drawing you, but it’s purely artistic.”
Hood chuckled.
“Sure it is. Keep doing whatever you’re doing. If I didn’t like it, I’d tell you.”
Kyle felt his heart skip.
“Why—do you like it?”
“Well, honestly—” Hood straightened up, tilted his head slightly, and studied Kyle with intense focus.
“I like you watching me. I like having your attention,” he murmured.
Kyle turned bright red.
“Okay, system error. You want my attention?”
Now it was Hood’s turn to blush.
“Forget I said anything.”
He jumped up and stormed out of the room.
Kyle was left alone.
The door opened again and Hal walked in.
“What’s up with Hood? Did your little date get interrupted?”
“D-date? It’s not a date, it’s just patrol!”
Hal raised an eyebrow.
“Kyle, if you want the ‘Dumbest Green Lantern’ award, you could’ve just said so. Seriously? You practically end up in each other’s asses every time you’re at the Watchtower. You’ve been drawing Hood nonstop for three months. Either you’re obsessed with him, or you’re dating. Forgive me for assuming the second one.”
Hal spoke like a machine gun.
Kyle nearly swallowed his uvula.
Was it really that obvious from the outside?
“B-but Hood—”
“Hood and you are the same damn flavor of idiot. You look at each other the same way. So, you gonna explain what’s going on or—?”
Kyle bolted out of the room.
Did Hood look at him the same way?
Why hadn’t he noticed?
Lost in thought, he wandered the corridors randomly—and ran straight into Batman.
Fuck fuck fuck.
“Fuck—ah, I mean, sorry, B-man, I didn’t see you.”
Batman’s shoulders were tense. He just stood there, like he was watching Kyle’s soul.
Kyle trembled internally.
“You. Kyle Rayner.”
Kyle was done for.
He’d run into Batman. That was it. JL life over. Retirement from heroics imminent.
“Jason is in his room.”
Kyle stared, mouth open.
Who the fuck was Jason?
Jason—Jay?
Hood???
“B-but why are you telling me this?”
Batman placed a hand on Kyle’s shoulder and the corner of his mouth curved.
No.
Kyle had either gone blind or accidentally drunk his paint water again and was hallucinating.
Batman didn’t smile. Especially not at him.
“If you hurt him, I’ll hurt you, Rayner.”
Kyle nodded instinctively as Batman walked away. Once he was out of sight, Kyle finally breathed.
Had Batman just given him a shovel talk—for a man who wasn’t even his boyfriend?
Kyle was losing his mind.
Jason. Jason. Jason.
Kyle immediately pulled out his sketchbook and wrote JASON across a page.
He smiled to himself and slid the sketchbook back into subspace.
His legs started walking on their own, and he found himself in front of Ho—Jason’s room.
The door was ajar. He pushed it lightly.
Jason was sitting on the floor, knees pulled to his chest, head resting against them. He sighed heavily.
He hadn’t noticed Kyle.
Kyle walked over and sat beside him, leaning slightly against his left side.
Jason lifted his head.
“Kyle?”
“Hey, Jace.”
Jason froze at the sound of his name.
Kyle felt the need to explain.
“Batman told me. Then he gave me a shovel talk. It was terrifying.”
(Kyle shuddered again.)
“That old man,” Jason hissed. “You okay?”
He was.
Why wouldn’t he be?
But he needed to save this somehow. If he didn’t open his mouth now, his heart would explode.
Kyle blushed.
“Uh, this might be a little sudden, but—”
He took a deep breath and blurted it out in one go.
“Since I already got the shovel talk, how about you take me out to dinner? Preferably dinner.”
Jason smiled.
Oh God. He could die right here.
“My place,” Jason said. “I’ll make you the best thing you’ve ever eaten.”
Kyle raised an eyebrow.
“You do know I’m a space cop, right?”
Then something clicked. He didn’t have to hold back anymore, did he?
He leaned in and whispered into Jason’s ear:
“Unless you plan on serving yourself for dinner, I’ll be suspicious all night.”
Kyle grinned. He could feel his cheeks burning.
Jason’s neck and ears turned red. He reached for Kyle and kissed him.
Kyle leaned in, deepening the kiss.
All he could hear was his own heartbeat.
He wanted to lose himself in him. To feel everything. With his whole being.
(God, how had he survived all this time without touching him?)
When they pulled back for air, Jason spoke.
“Early dinner?”
Kyle smiled.
“An offer I can accept.”
They skipped the rest of their patrols and spent the remainder of the day in Jason’s room.
<<<
Hal stepped out of the patrol room and looked around. Kyle and Hood were nowhere to be found.
He went back inside.
Batman was reading the book Hood had left behind.
And smiling?
Hal blinked.
There were very few things that could make spooky smile.
Batman noticed him and immediately returned to his neutral expression.
“Hey, Spooky. Have you seen Kyle or Hood? In case you haven’t noticed, they’re skipping patrol.”
Batman looked at him.
And smiled again.
What the fuck was going on?
“Lunch break.”
“But it’s not even—”
“Lunch break.”
Batman said nothing else and returned to his book.
Hal didn’t understand.
And decided to stop trying.
He left the patrol room, leaving Batman alone with his unsettling smile.