Sector 2814

10 Pokes: Road Trip

2009-12-10T19:55:17Z

Title: Road Trip
Author: Aranel Took
Fandom: DC Comics - Green Lantern
Challenge: 10pokes Challenge
Prompt: #9 - road trip
Characters: Hal Jordan/Kyle Rayner
Words: 1,000
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The sequel to Mirror, Mirror. While on the road trip with Kyle, Hal contemplates the sudden changes in their lives.

Hal studied the map spread out over the trunk of the Corvette. They were meandering their way to I-80, stopping at every scenic turnout so that Kyle could take photos or pull out his sketchbook. Hal had finally convinced him that he didn’t mind, that he just enjoyed being able to drive his car. Traveling by ring was convenient, but sometimes you just needed some horsepower under the hood and the open road ahead of you.

Their road trip vacation, meant to be some simple male bonding, had turned out far more interesting than Hal had expected, starting with the interference of a parallel universe version of himself who had knocked him out, taken his place, and then put the moves on Kyle. Hal had discovered them together, in his bed, Kyle moaning and writhing under parallel universe Hal. It was his fantasies come to life, and now he wished he hadn’t been so hard on his other self, even if he did get knocked over the head, his ring stolen, and locked in a crate. The other Hal had turned out to be the kick in the ass Hal had needed to admit that he was very attracted to Kyle Rayner.

It wasn’t the first time he’d been attracted to a man. And he’d suspected Kyle was attracted to him for a while now. They’d grown close since Hal’s return from the dead. Hal had even taken him on that midnight flight, something he’d only ever shared with Carol. But when he felt the mutual attraction get too strong, Hal hid his feelings and his fears by jumping into the sack with Jill Pearlman, because it was just too easy to hide behind the womanizing exterior everyone expected. Then Kyle suddenly took off for Oa. He knew he had hurt Kyle, but at the time he thought it would be for the best, for both of them.

But it didn’t work out that way. Jill only reminded him of what a jerk he was, both to Kyle and to her, so he’d broken it off soon after. And then he’d hear from Guy about how Kyle was still withdrawn and upset about Parallax, and Hal would feel a mixture of guilt and jealousy that Kyle didn’t talk to him about Parallax. The road trip was meant to fix their friendship, just the two of them hanging out together. Maybe he’d get Kyle to open up about Parallax, or maybe they’d just have some crazy adventures, like he’d had with Ollie so long ago, to take Kyle’s mind off things.

But then the Hal from the parallel universe had shown up and changed everything.

The mirror version of himself had revealed that Hal was hiding his true feelings for Kyle. Afterwards, he confessed to Kyle that it was true, but he wasn’t yet sure how he wanted to deal with it, and Kyle said he understood and he’d be patient. So they decided to just take a step back and not even consider anything more than friendship until after the trip.

That decision lasted all of three hours, until a spontaneous experimental kiss turned into a make-out session, which ended with Hal fucking Kyle on the living room floor. But at least they no longer had to worry about sleeping arrangements in the hotel rooms.

Sex with Kyle was … like flying. It scared the hell out of him the first time, and sometimes he didn’t know which way was up, but Hal just knew it was where he was supposed to be. Everything about Kyle had him all turned around, because rather than fearing commitment, he was ready to follow Kyle back to Oa and convince Guy to switch jobs with him. It scared him that he was so willing to jump into a serious relationship with Kyle so quickly, but hadn’t the other Hal said that the two of them as lovers was a ‘universal constant’? He had the crazy idea that his previous relationship fears and failures had been caused by the ‘universal constant’ being divided by zero.

He startled when a finger poked him in the side. “You’re studying that map awfully hard,” Kyle said. He set his camera on the trunk and pressed close to Hal to look at the map. “Got any ideas for where to go next?”

“No.” Hal shrugged. “I was just thinking. About us.”

“Oh.” The smile faded from Kyle’s face. “Are you having second thoughts?”

“No, no second thoughts.” Hal reached out to run his fingers through Kyle’s soft, dark hair, an urge he’d often had to fight off in the past, and felt Kyle relax under his touch. “Just thinking about what we do after this.”

Kyle glanced at the map. His smile was back and he had a playful glint in his eyes. “Looks like Nebraska.”

Hal made a show of rolling his eyes. “I was thinking more along the lines of me spending more time on Oa.”

Kyle raised his brows at him. “What about your job?”

Hal snorted. “Joining the Air Force again was a dumb idea. I have enough trouble making excuses for the time I need to back up John in the JLA. Then we add in being away days for a time for Corps stuff?” He shook his head. “I was thinking about retiring anyway.”

Kyle smirked. “You mean I’m going to be dating an old retired dude?”

Hal gathered up the map and did his best to glare at Kyle. “Get in the car, kid.”

Kyle laughed and snatched his camera off the trunk. “Can I drive?”

“No.” Hal tried to glare again, but he was fighting a smile from the puppy-dog eyes Kyle was giving him. Damn, he was good at that.

“You’ll let me get your back in life and death situations in outer space, but you won’t let me drive your car?” Kyle added a pout to the puppy eyes.

Hal sighed and tossed him the keys.

TnB Challenge: What Fates Impose (2/24)

2009-12-08T23:40:32Z

Title: What Fates Impose (2/24)
Author: Aranel Took
Fandom: DC Comics - Green Lantern
Challenge: there_n_back Advent Calendar Challenge 2009
Prompt: Day 2 - Tarot Archetype: The Magician
Characters: Hal Jordan/Kyle Rayner, Jenny Scott, Sodam Yat, Arisia
Rating: NC-17
Words: 4,000
Summary: Elseworld. Pirate AU. Kyle has returned to England to dispose of his inherited responsibilities. Fate has other plans for him. Sequel to Pirates of The Emerald Dawn and A Pirate Christmas Story, in which the Green Lantern Corp are 18th century pirates.
Author's Notes: This is a challenge with prompts based on the archetypes of the Major Arcana of the Tarot. As always, my thanks to juno_magic, my awesome Beta reader and summoner of Pirate Muses! :-D

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

“It’s so good to see you,” Jenny gasped, still wrapped in Kyle’s embrace. “We couldn’t believe it when your letter came. That you were still with the pirates!” She pulled out of the embrace and squeezed his hand. “I’d give my condolences regarding your father, but I know better.”

Kyle smiled and kissed her brow. “Thank you.” She had been his most trusted confidant these last few years and was one of the few who knew what it had been like for him to suffer his father’s displeasure. “I’m very glad to see you, too, but … what are you doing here?”

“Hiding.” She stooped to pick up her dropped brush and set it on the easel. “I’ve been staying here for a couple weeks now. Bloody suitors, crawling all over the place, won’t give me a blasted moment’s peace at home.”

Kyle blinked at the angry, coarse language coming from her. “Suitors?”

“Papa finally agreed to let me stay here. He’s been telling everyone that I’m in Italy.” Then she bit her lip and gave him a shy smile. “I hope you don’t mind me using the house.”

Kyle shook his head. “Of course I don’t mind. You can stay here as long as you like.”

She smiled brightly, then reached up to tug at a lock of hair. “Look at you! You’ve let your hair grow wild. And you’re so tanned!” Her hand fell to is shoulder, then down the side of his arm, her fingers following the contour of his muscles. “And you’re …” She snatched her hand back, blushing. “Well, being on a ship has made you quite fit.”

Kyle was surprised at how her touch had affected him, sending a shiver through him and heat to his face. “I’m … uh … yes.”

“I manage to keep him busy,” Hal said, stepping forward. He had an amused grin on his face.

Jenny turned to him and held out her hand. “You must be Captain Jordan.”

“You can call me Mr. Smith while I’m here. Or simply Hal.” Hal took her hand and kissed it. “And you must be Miss Scott. I’ve heard much about you. And your beauty is greater than I imagined.”

Jenny giggled, blushing again. “Thank you, Captain, you are most kind.” Then she smiled at Kyle. “Now I understand why you’ve become a pirate. He’s quite a charmer. And handsome to boot. Nothing like the stories I’ve heard.”

Kyle laughed. “He’s just on his best behavior today. Get some rum in him, and he’ll be swaggering and ravishing like the worst of them.”

“Sounds exciting,” Jenny said with a wink. “Might liven it up around here.”

Hal gave her his charming, cocky grin, and Jenny blushed. Kyle could feel the tension in the air between them, but just as jealousy started to creep in, Jenny turned her radiant smile on him. “Has our Kyle been doing any swaggering and ravishing?”

“He’s still working on his swagger,” Hal said. He laid his hand on the small of Kyle’s back and gave him a seductive smile. “He’s quite good at the ravishing, though.”

“Hal!” Kyle looked at Jenny, expecting to apologize to a mortified lady, but she was giggling behind her hand.

“Oh, Kyle, don’t be such a prude.” Jenny leaned over to give him a peck on the cheek. “We’re just having a bit of fun.” Then she looked over Kyle’s shoulder. “Oh. Who is this?”

Surprised by finding Jenny here, Kyle had forgotten that Sodam was with them. The boy was currently leaning against a chair with a bored expression. At least Kyle didn’t have to worry about exposing him to the innuendo. Sodam had heard and seen much worse in the brothel he’d grown up in. “This is Sodam Yat. He’s an orphan we found in Tortuga. We’ve … sort of adopted him.”

Jenny seemed unfazed that he’d come home with a child. She just smiled and walked over to Sodam. “I’m glad to meet you, Sodam. My name is Jenny.”

She held out her hand, and Sodam, after staring at it for a moment and then glancing towards Hal, took it in his small hand and gave her fingers a quick, embarrassed kiss. Jenny smiled at Kyle, then turned her attention back to the boy. “You’ve traveled quite a distance. How do you like England?”

“It’s all right,” the boy said with a shrug. “I wanted to see snow, but Captain Hal said it’s gone away already. And I just don’t like that you have to wear shoes here.”

“We will have snow again at the end of the year,” Jenny said. “Perhaps you will be able to see it then.” Then she leaned down close to his ear. “And I’ll tell you a secret. I don’t like to wear shoes, either.” She lifted the edge of her dress to reveal her own bare toes.

A big grin broke out on Sodam’s face. He turned to Kyle. “Can I take the shoes off?” Jenny glanced at Kyle and mouthed an apologetic ‘sorry’.

He shrugged. It wasn’t worth arguing over, especially since Jenny was in her bare feet, and the boy had suffered enough anyway. “Yes, you may remove your shoes.”

Sodam kicked off the shoes and wiggled his toes. “That’s better!” He looked up at Jenny as if she was his savior.

“I suppose you gentlemen are hungry after your trip,” Jenny said. She held out her hand to Sodam again. “How about we go see what the cooks have for supper?”

Sodam took her hand and happily trotted off with Jenny. Hal watched the girl leave, then looked at Kyle with a big grin on his face. “I like her.” He wagged his eyebrows.

Kyle rolled his eyes and followed Jenny and Sodam out of the parlor and down the hall to the dining room.

“Five settings tonight, Marie,” Jenny directed to the woman laying the table for supper. Kyle knew her as a longtime employee of the house. “Our new Lord Rayner has returned.”

The woman looked up at him with wide-eyes. “Oh, sir! We didn’t realize!” She gave a curtsey. “We’d only planned for Miss Jenny and—”

“Don’t trouble yourself, Marie,” Kyle said, smiling at her. “Whatever you have will be fine.”

They sat at the table, and Kyle’s eyes fell upon the fifth setting. “Who else is joining us?”

His question was answered when a slight, golden-haired girl trotted into the dining room. “Miss Jenny, I apologize that I am late, I—!” She stopped and stared at the strangers at the table.

Jenny motioned for the girl to take her seat. “This is Lord Rayner, Mister Smith and Sodam,” Jenny said to the girl.

“Welcome, Monsieurs,” the girl said with a curtsey before she took her seat.

“This is Arisia,” Jenny said. “Her mother was one of my maids, but she was taken by a fever last autumn. Arisia’s only remaining relative is an elderly aunt in Normandy who could not take her in, so she is now my charge.” She smiled at Kyle. “It seems we’ve both collected an orphan.”

* * *
“You were stabbed?” Jenny asked, eyes wide.

“Twice,” Sodam put in helpfully between mouthfuls of roast beef.

“It wasn’t serious,” Kyle said with a wave of his hand. Actually, the first time he’d nearly died, but she didn’t need to know that. First, because he didn’t want her to worry, and second, he’d only survived because of a magic ring that was a secret known only to the crew of The Emerald Dawn. They all had their own rings, powered by an ancient, magical lantern. The lantern chose who could know their secret.

“Can we go now?” Sodam asked, pushing back his empty plate. “Arisia said she’d take me to see the horses.”

“You can go,” Kyle said, and both children took off, Arisia taking Sodam’s hand to lead the way. He was glad Sodam would have a playmate while they were here.

“You certainly have changed, Kyle Rayner,” Jenny said with a shake of her head. “You were always so lonely and shy, and now you’re off having grand adventures.” She sighed. “It must be nice to be on a ship. No one to pester you about etiquette, no social obligations, no men chasing after you like you’re a prize to be won.” She smiled, a big grin on his face. “I don’t suppose I could join your ship, too?”

Kyle chuckled. “The sea is really no place for a lady—”

She smacked her hand on the table and glared at him. “What to you mean by that? You said your surgeon is a woman!”

Kyle was surprised by her outburst. He hadn’t thought she was serious. “Yes, but Soranik—” He caught Hal shaking his head at him across the table, out of Jenny’s line of sight. “Well … that’s true…” His thoughts whirled, trying to think of an appropriate reason other than that anyone who accused Soranik of being the ‘weaker’ sex would get themselves a punch in the face. Now he wondered if Jenny would react the same, and he made sure to lean back out of arm’s reach. “But I don’t think your father would be happy with us if we let you join a pirate ship.”

“Let me! It’s always ‘am I allowed’ or ‘could I please’! Maybe I’d like to make my own decisions for once!” She slumped back in her chair and rubbed her hand over her eyes. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be cross with you. It’s just …” She sighed again. “I think my father may be tiring of making excuses, and he’s going to make me choose one of the proposals, or else choose for me.”

Kyle frowned. “Surely your father wouldn’t do that? I thought he would want you to do whatever made you happy.”

“I’m not so sure anymore.” She waved her hand dismissively and stood up to start gathering the plates. “But you have more important things to worry about than my problems. Have you decided what you are going to do? Will you stay here or will you go back to the ship?”

“I want to go back to the ship,” he said. “I’d gladly give everything to your father, but I’m sure the other lords will be after me to maintain the noble line. As if there’s anything ‘noble’ about the Rayners anymore. The Elder stabbed to death outside a brothel and the Younger a sodomite.”

“Don’t ever think you’re not worthy of them, Kyle,” Jenny said. “You helped free those poor slaves, and you took in Sodam when most of them would have passed him on the street without a glance.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Hal said, raising his glass of wine to Kyle.

Kyle felt the nudge of Hal’s boot against his ankle under the table, and he smiled back. But he knew that his good deeds wouldn’t matter to the other lords, especially as he had been in the company of ‘criminals’. “What has your father told them, about where I’ve been?”

“Italy. It’s actually you I’m supposed to be visiting, consoling a dear friend on the loss of his father while he wraps up his business to come home. You’ve been looking at shipping companies to invest in.”

Well, at least he knew about ships. “Italy? I’ve never been to Italy. What if they ask me something.”

“Just claim you were too busy to take in the sights and now you’re too distraught over your father’s death to talk about such things. I’ll take care of the rest. I was there with Todd and his wife last winter.”

“Wife?” Kyle raised his eyebrows. Todd had been his first lover, but he had been abandoned when Todd preferred a string of (often anonymous) lovers in London to his boring, country friend.

“Yes. Though lucky for us she despises the countryside and they live in London. She’s a horrible snob. But she only married for the title, and she doesn’t ask Todd what he does with his free time.” She frowned. “He’s changed since you and he—” She glanced from Hal to Kyle, then shrugged. “Well, he’s not the same person he once was. He’s become very distant and cold. I think he only invited me to Italy so I could keep his wife distracted while he was out dallying.”

“I’m sorry,” Kyle said. The three of them had been very close as children, and while he had no desire to see Todd again after their falling out, he was saddened that he’d cut off his sister as well.

She shrugged. “After how he treated you, I can’t say I’m sorry about it. You deserve much better than him.” She smiled over at Hal. “And it seems you have found someone who makes you happy.”

Kyle smiled broadly. “Very happy.”

She smiled back, then impulsively and threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek. “I’m so happy you’re here. I missed you!”

“I missed you, too.”

* * *
Night came quickly, something Kyle was still getting used to after the long days near the equator. And while he would have loved to sit up longer catching up with Jenny in what used to be his mother’s parlor—one of the few rooms in this cold house that held warm memories for him—Arisia was already asleep, curled up on the rug in front of the fire, Sodam was nodding off on Hal’s lap, struggling to keep his eyes open, and Kyle felt much the same. He was exhausted from their journey, from the anticipation of returning to this place, and he knew that the days to come—sorting out his father’s will and just being in this house again—was going to exhaust him more.

“I’ve had your rooms made up for you,” Jenny said after yet another yawn from Kyle. “I’ve put Sodam in your old room, and you will have the Lord’s chamber. Unless you’d rather to sleep elsewhere.”

“No, Jenny. Thank you. That will be fine.” He didn’t even want to go into the room, but he was done running away from his father. Kyle refused to let the man continue to torment him even after death. And what better way to stand up to the memory of his father but to take over his rooms as the new Lord?

“The maids put Hal’s bag in the butler’s chamber next to your room.” She smiled and winked at him. “I’ll leave it up to you to sort out the specific sleeping arrangements.”

Kyle felt his face flush, but Hal only chuckled. “I’m sure we’ll figure it out.”

They woke the children to take them up to bed, Hal carrying Sodam and Kyle carrying Arisia, while Jenny lit their way with a candle. The light threw eerie shadows in the massive entry hall at the base of the stairs, and Kyle shivered, not only from the ever present draught, but from the memories of this place, of Lord Scott’s servants carrying his trunk down these very stairs, moving quickly to get him out of the house before his father returned home. He’d truly believed his father would kill him in a drunken rage, and he again felt the fear he felt that day as he raced to escape to whatever fate Lord Scott had arranged for him. It was only the girl in his arms that reminded him that this was the present, that his father was gone and he no longer had anything to fear.

“Are you all right?” Hal asked him, brow furrowed with concern.

Kyle nodded. “Yes. Just … memories.” Memories of flight, of the rough journey on the merchant ship taking him to the unknown wilderness of the American colonies, and then kneeling in fear as a pirate captain kidnapped him. He smiled, considering that his uncertainty and fear had been worth it in the end. “But they led me to you, so perhaps they aren’t so bad after all.”

He followed Jenny to his mother’s old room. He had mixed emotions as he entered the room. He had watched his mother die here, wasting away from a disease brought home by her whoring husband. But it was also a room that had been a refuge, the same as her parlor, and the walls were still hung with the landscapes of Ireland that she had treasured. She had told Kyle stories about Ireland, about the sidhe and other wild things that his father would most certainly have disapproved of if he’d known. Sometimes Jenny and Todd had joined them, huddled together in a pile as they heard stories of pixies and ancient kings. Maura Rayner had been like a mother to them, as their own mother had died shortly after their birth.

He laid Arisia down on the bed where Jenny had turned back the blankets, then pulled them up over her small form.

“I hope you don’t mind us using your mother’s room,” Jenny said. “But Arisia is afraid to be alone, so she can’t stay in her own room, and this room is …” Jenny looked around at the walls and smiled. “There are a lot of happy memories in here.”

Kyle smiled at her. “I know my mother would be happy it was being put to such good use.”

“She would be proud of you,” Jenny said. “Going off and having adventures, taking in orphans, finding your true love. You could have stepped out of one of her heroic ballads.”

Kyle laughed softly, so as to not awake Arisia. “I’m not one of her Irish heroes, but I do believe she would have been happy for me.”

He bid Jenny good night, then went down the hall to the room that had once been his own. He wasn’t at all surprised that it was now unrecognizable. Any trace of its former occupant — his favorite paintings, his own artwork, his books — were all gone, replaced by some portraits of unknown people and only a pile of linens on the bookcase. He guessed that the only objects of his that survived his father’s wrath were the things that had been in his mother’s rooms, like his easel.

Hal was just finishing getting Sodam tucked into bed. The boy was sound asleep now, looking very small in the large bed. This room would seem like a palace to him, larger than many of the houses in Tortuga.

“He wanted to explore the wardrobe,” Hal said as they left the room. “I told him he could do so tomorrow, as he could barely keep his eyes open.” He smiled as he closed the door behind them. “I was right.”

Kyle chuckled and took Hal’s hand. “Jenny, Todd, and I used to play in that wardrobe when we were very small. We’d pretend it was a pirate cave full of treasure. My mother would put things in there—jewelry or an old letter opener—so we’d have treasure to find. I never realized it was her until I was twelve. We thought the ghosts were putting it there.” Kyle stopped in front of the door to the Lord’s rooms. “I overheard my father yelling at her for putting silly notions in our heads.”

He could count on one hand the number of times he’d entered this room. He had been strictly forbidden from his father’s rooms, only admitted to the study when he required a scolding. His boyhood curiosity had led him to sneak inside to explore those mysterious places when his father was away, but beyond the stashes of liquor there was nothing of interest, only stacks of papers. The rooms were as cold and stern as his father was.

“Do you suppose he’s returned here to haunt the place?” Kyle asked. He looked around at the walls, full of uninspiring portraits of dour Rayner ancestors. They all seemed to be watching him, staring accusingly at this disgrace to their family name, but at least none of them were of his father. He’d see about having them moved as soon as possible.

Strong arms slipped around his waist and a warm kiss was pressed to his neck. “If he is, I hope he enjoys the show,” Hal mumbled against Kyle’s neck. He pushed his erection against Kyle’s arse as his hand slid down to pull at the buttons of Kyle’s trousers. “I’m in no mood to be chaste tonight.”

Kyle laughed. “If he wasn’t dead already, it would surely kill him.” He turned to face Hal and kissed him deeply, his fingers caressing the beard Hal had grown to disguise himself. Then he took Hal’s hands and led him back to the massive oak bed. It had been far too long since they’d been able to sleep together or show any intimacy for that matter, having almost no privacy on the merchant ship from the Canaries or in the inns on the journey to Rayner Hall.

Clothing came off with practiced hands, and then they were pressed skin to skin, falling back on the fine linen with a slight bounce that made them laugh before they became a tangle of limbs. Kyle rolled Hal onto his back, meeting only the slightest resistance, then sat up as he straddled his thighs. “This is a nice change, being the one in charge.” He ran a finger over Hal’s belly, brushing around his navel in lazy circles, close to but not quite touching Hal’s insistent cock. “I wonder what I should order you to do?”

“I am at your beck and call, m’lord,” Hal said, trying and failing to hide his grin. “Anything at all you desire, I shall do my best to serve you.”

“Hmmm…” Kyle slid off the bed and went over to their bags to retrieve the small bottle of olive oil carefully wrapped in a handkerchief, then returned to kneel between Hal’s thighs. Kyle popped the cork from the bottle. “I believe I shall fuck you into the mattress, Mister Jordan.”

Hal gave a deferential nod, the smile still tugging at his mouth, and lifted his knees to reveal his lovely arse. “As you wish, m’lord.”

Kyle splashed a bit of oil on his hand and prepared them both, shivering with anticipation. He leaned over to set the bottle on the small table next to the bed, then ran his hands up Hal’s legs, fingers brushing lightly through the coarse hair. He pushed Hal’s knees back even further and guided himself to enter his lover in one thrust. They moaned together as Kyle sank into Hal, and Kyle had to stop and catch his breath.

“Is my arse to your liking, m’lord?” Hal asked, his face as serious as if he was asking about the temperature of the afternoon tea.

Kyle snorted. “Yes, Jordan, it is very fine indeed.” Very fine indeed, and there was no other place he’d rather have his cock. He rolled is hips, sliding slowly in and out of Hal, and reached down to wrap his hand around Hal’s erection. He matched the rhythm of his hand to his thrusts, gradually increasing the tempo until they were both grunting and panting, on the verge of climax.

Hal’s hand took over stroking his cock, and Kyle leaned forward to kiss him, to swallow the moans and shouts from Hal’s release. His writhing lover sent Kyle over the edge. The climax was intense, and Kyle was seeing stars by the time he collapsed in a sticky, sweaty heap on top of Hal.

Kyle didn’t want to move. His limbs had turned to jelly and his heart was beating a cadence in his ears to match the rapid beat of Hal’s against his chest. But he was sure Hal would want to breathe at again. He rolled off Hal, keeping an arm and a leg slung possessively over the man he loved.

“Was my service satisfactory, m’lord?” Hal sighed sleepily into Kyle’s hair.

Kyle chuckled and turned his face up to kiss Hal. “Very much so, Mister Jordan.”

Notes: The Magician is represented by the keywords: Action - Consciousness - Concentration - Personal power - Practicality - Energy - Creativity - Movement - Precision - Conviction - Manipulation - Self confidence - Being objective - Focusing - Determination - Initiative (From Wikipedia)

While Kyle is most definitely represented by The Fool in this story, as the main character on the "journey", I also want to show that he's no longer the naive kid from the first story, and that he has let go of most of the insecurity he had in the second. I think the Magician represents this change in him. He is no longer just Captain Hal Jordan's young lover, but now has his own power and self-confidence. And of course we have a role reversal here, which seems like a Magician thing to do.

Fic: Mirror, Mirror

2009-12-08T00:56:16Z

Title: Mirror, Mirror
Author: Aranel Took
Fandom: DC Comics - Green Lantern
Challenge: coldfiredragon 's Summer of Cliché's Ficathon 2008
Prompt: That's NOT ME!
Rating: R
Words: 3,030
Summary: Hal is behaving oddly. Kyle is in for a surprise.
Author's Notes: Yes, that challenge date is correct. 2008! I am finally finishing up some prompts I started a long time ago! A big thanks to my lovely Beta, juno_magic !

Hal slipped through the half open door of the old warehouse. The ring had detected a space-time anomaly in this area, and Hal’s first thought had been a ‘visitor’ from Qward. He scanned the warehouse. It was filled with dusty crates, some broken open and their contents looted. But there didn’t seem to be anyone, or anything, here.

<LIFEFORM DETECTED>, the ring said. <HUMAN. 20 YARDS SOUTHWEST.>

Hal lifted his fist, ring at the ready, and tread softly in the direction the ring had indicated. He should call for back-up, but John was working his day job and the ring said it was only one human, so he should be able to handle it.

He stepped around a row of boxes, shining his ring ahead of him and casting a green glow in the darkness. Whoever was here had to know he was here. So why didn’t he show himself?

He turned the corner at the end of the row and stepped back in surprise, heart pounding, as a figure stepped out of the shadows. His mind couldn’t quite grasp what he was seeing. “What the—?”

“You?” the figure said. “Must be my lucky day!” It gave a roguish grin, and the last thing Hal saw was a flash of green before everything went black.

* * *

Kyle entered Earth’s atmosphere and smiled as the familiar spot on California’s coast came into view. He liked being on Oa, but it was good to be home, even though he no longer had an actual home here. Hal had offered him a place to stay for a short vacation, and Kyle decided to take him up on it.

He landed in a wooded park in Coast City to walk the rest of the way to Hal’s apartment building. He was both looking forward to and dreading this week. Looking forward to it because Hal had taken time off from work so they could take a “male bonding” road trip, driving cross-country to anywhere that looks interesting to eventually meet up with John next weekend in Detroit. He was dreading it because he was going to have Hal to himself for a week, and he regularly fantasized about doing a lot more than friendly male bonding with Hal. He had thought being on Oa for months, far away from the object of his affection, would have taken care of his crush, but it seemed to only make it worse. He didn’t think his heart was pounding this hard from the short walk to Hal’s apartment.

He stared at the door for a moment before ringing the bell. Okay, you can do this. Maybe you’ll annoy the hell out of each other for the week, and you’ll be glad to go back to Oa and—

The door opened. Kyle looked into brown eyes and swallowed back a whimper. He was in so much trouble.

“Kyle!” Hal looked surprised to see him. And what was with the goatee?

“I did get the date right, right?” Kyle asked. “For our vacation.”

“Oh. Yeah. Sorry.” Hal stepped back so Kyle could come into the apartment. “I’ve just been … busy with work. I think I lost track of the day of the week.”

“Is this a bad time? I can go stay somewhere else,” Kyle asked, half hoping Hal would say yes.

Instead, Hal gave him a big smile. “No! I’m really glad you’re here.” He turned and headed for the kitchen. “Want some dinner. I can call for takeout.”

“Sure.” Kyle frowned. He swore the way Hal said ‘really’ sounded kind of … seductive. He shook his head and wiped a hand over his face. You need to get over this, Kyle. Now you’re starting to hear things that aren’t there.

He followed Hal into the kitchen. Hal was searching through a drawer, pulling out menus and tossing them on the counter. “So what’s with the goatee?” Kyle asked.

Hal smiled at him and smoothed his hand over the hair on his chin. “You like it?” He winked at Kyle.

“Uh…” Did Hal just wink at him? “I suppose I could get used to it.” Time for a subject change. “So, any idea where you want to go on the road trip?” Kyle asked.

“Road trip?” Hal looked confused.

Okay, that was weird. They’d been talking about this for weeks. “Our vacation? The road trip to Detroit to visit John and stop wherever looks interesting on the way?”

“Oh, right!” Hal shook his head. “Sorry, I had a rough day chasing after an anomaly. Hit my head pretty hard.”

“Are you all right? If you’re having memory loss, then you should go to the hospital and get checked out.”

“The ring said I was fine.” Hal grinned. “But if it will make you feel better, you can check me out.”

Kyle swallowed. Hal was still looking at him with that cocky grin, and it was making him quite warm and tingly. He could not mean that in the way Kyle thought it sounded. “Um. You should really have a doctor look at you.”

“I’m fine! Really.” Hal picked up the stack of menus. “What do you want to eat?”

“But what about the anomaly? Did you figure out what caused it?”

“Turned out to be nothing. Must have been a glitch in the ring.”

Kyle frowned. Their rings didn’t have ‘glitches’. “But, Hal—”

Hal shoved the menus at Kyle. “Here. Pick something.”

Kyle took the menus. He didn’t mistake that tone of voice, the tone that said the subject should be dropped. Fine, when Mr. Tough Fighter Jock needed to be dragged to the hospital when yet another concussion made his brain explode, Kyle would be able to say “I told you so.”

* * *

“ … And then Guy tells him to stick it up his ass. And of course I need to step in to calm things down before he beats Guy to a pulp.” Kyle shook his head at the memory. He’d nearly gotten his own ass kicked. What was it with Guy and picking fights with aliens twice his size?

“Shoulda let him do it,” Hal said. “Gardner would’ve deserved it.”

“Come on, Hal. I don’t think Soranik would have been able to put the pieces back together if I’d let Guy get into that fight.”

“He doesn’t deserve you as a partner,” Hal said. He turned sideways to look at Kyle, arm slung over the back of the couch. “You’re too nice to put up with that shit.”

Kyle frowned and set his beer down next to the remains of the Italian takeout. “Jeez, Hal. I thought you and Guy were friends again. Where did this come from? Did you … uh … Hal?” Kyle froze as Hal’s fingers brushed through his hair, around his ear and down his neck, then back up again, sending tingly warmth through Kyle’s body. Hal’s eyes were on him, a smile on his face that was more than friendly. “What are you doing?” He couldn’t catch his breath, and it came out barely a whisper.

“This.” Hal leaned forward and kissed Kyle.

It took a moment for Kyle to register what was happening, to fully grasp that the mouth pressed to his belonged to Hal. Because Hal was kissing him. Hal. Kissing him. What the fuck? He shoved Hal away from him. “Hal! What are you—?”

Hal’s hand clamped over Kyle’s mouth. He leaned close so his breath was warm against Kyle’s cheek, and his brown eyes were staring at Kyle intently and invitingly. “Do you really want me to stop, Kyle?”

Yes, would be the right answer, because there really did seem to be something wrong with Hal. But the taste of his salty skin against his lips, the smell of the beer on his breath mixed with leather, and the fact that Hal’s fingers were slowly creeping up his thigh made Kyle’s brain go to places where reason no longer mattered. He shook his head.

“Good boy,” Hal said, smiling at him. He bent over to brush his lips just below Kyle’s ear “You’re a very good boy, aren’t you?” he mumbled against his neck.

Kyle just shuddered and sighed as the tingle from the mouth sucking on his neck collided somewhere around his stomach with the jolt from insistent fingers pulling open his fly. I’m dreaming. I have to be dreaming. “Hal—?”

“Shh!” Hal put a finger on Kyle’s lips. “No talking. I think we can find something better to do with that gorgeous mouth of yours.” Hal replaced his finger with his lips, plunging his tongue into Kyle’s mouth.

Kyle reluctantly turned his head away, and Hal moved his mouth to Kyle’s neck, the short hairs of his goatee tickling Kyle’s skin and raising goosebumps. “Hal, are you sure you’re okay?” He gasped when Hal’s hand plunged inside pants, grasping his growing erection. “Con…concussions can really mess with your head.”

Hal pulled back to look at him. “I told you, my head is perfectly fine.” He got a predatory gleam in his eyes. “It’s yours I’m more concerned about.”

“What—ahhh!” Kyle moaned when Hal slid down and swallowed him. “Hal!” He looked down, mesmerized by Hal enthusiastically sucking his cock. All thoughts of concussions fled, overwhelmed by that hot mouth licking and sucking his shaft, Hal using his tongue in ways that drove Kyle right to the edge. It was a dream come true, he’d dreamed this so many times, aching to feel Hal’s mouth on him and now… now … now …

Kyle gasped. He fisted Hal’s hair as he came, and Hal took him deeper, right to the hilt. Hal swallowed the cum, tightening his throat around Kyle’s cock. Kyle collapsed, head tilted back, breathing hard. “That … was amazing.”

Hal gave him one final lick, then stood up. “Oh, we’ve only gotten started.” He took Kyle’s hand to pull him to his feet. “How about we move to the bed.”

Kyle let Hal lead the way, his head still buzzing and his knees wobbly from the orgasm. Hal led him to the king-size bed that dominated the bedroom. Kyle had been in Hal’s room before, to change clothes after their fight with the Sinestro Corps, and had wondered what it would be like to be in that bed. And apparently he was about to find out.

“Take your clothes off,” Hal ordered. He had already pulled his jacket off and was working on his shirt.

Kyle was shaking so much he was surprised he didn’t fall over while he undressed, but then he was standing there naked with an equally naked Hal gazing at him with hungry eyes.

“Get on the bed.”

Kyle did as he was told, heart pounding from Hal ordering him around. Yes, sir, Captain Jordan…

As soon as Kyle lay back on the bed Hal was on top of him, pushing his knees between Kyle’s thighs while he devoured Kyle’s mouth. There wasn’t anything romantic about it, this was pure lust. Hal pinned Kyle’s hands down as he ground against him, his hard cock pressing into Kyle’s belly. “Do you like it like this, Kyle?”

“Yeah.” Kyle breathed. He lifted his knees and tilted his hips up, grinding back against Hal.

“Do you want me, Kyle? Tell me you want me.”

“Oh God, Hal, yes, yes … wanted you … for so long …” Hal’s hands were digging painfully into his wrists, but it was a delicious contrast to the warm mouth against his ear.

“How long have you wanted me, Kyle,” Hal demanded. “Tell me.”

“Since … we first met … when you were Parallax and … we had the fight.” He closed his eyes. He remembered the day clearly, rolling around with Hal on the dead world of Oa, Hal pressing him into the ground, his hands gripping him roughly, just like this—

“You like it rough, huh?” Hal chuckled and nipped at his ear, making Kyle jump. “I’d like to take you and—”

“What the hell is going on?”

Kyle’s eyes snapped open and he looked over the shoulder of the man pinning him to the bed towards the familiar voice, looking right into the shocked face of … Hal Jordan. What the fuck?

Hal — the man he had thought was Hal — looked over at his twin. “You have great timing, Jordan,” he sneered. He pushed himself upright. “You couldn’t take another couple hours to break free? The poor kid’s been starving for a good fuck, since you obviously haven’t been giving it to him.” He glanced at Kyle and winked.

Kyle pushed the man away, squirming out from under him, then looked from the Hal next to him, to the Hal in the doorway, and then back at the Hal in the bed. “Wha… who …?”

“I’d like to know the same thing,” Hal in the doorway said. He stomped into the room, grabbed the other Hal by the arm and dragged him off the bed. “Who the hell are you?” he shouted. “A shapeshifter? Magic user?”

“I’m all you, Hal,” naked Hal said. “No magic. Just from another universe.”

Kyle sighed in relief that at least it was actually Hal —well, a Hal—rather than some shapeshifting supervillain.

“And what the hell are you doing in this universe? In my bed? With Kyle?” Hal looked over at Kyle, his face shocked.

Kyle felt his whole body blush red hot. “Uh…”

The Hal from the other universe snorted. “I think it’s pretty obvious what we were doing—ow!” He cringed as Hal tightened his grip on his arm. “Okay, so I was having a stroll around the multi-verse and saw your universe and thought I’d check it out. And finding you in that warehouse just made it easy to knock you out and take your place for a while.” He nodded towards the dresser. “Your ring is over there, by the way.”

Hal grabbed the ring and put it on. “What was your purpose in taking my place?”

“I don’t know. It seemed like a good idea at the time?” The other Hal shrugged and rubbed his hand over his goatee. “In my universe, the rings allow us to travel to parallel universes. I haven’t been to this one before, and I thought it would be fun to check it out for a while. And then Kyle showed up and …” He looked at Kyle and grinned. “I couldn’t resist. My Kyle is nothing like yours. Well, not usually. When he was possessed by Parallax, he was sweet and kind and … well, like yours. Now that was a turn on. ” He sighed. “But don’t tell my Kyle that. He’d find some inventive way to punish me if he knew I preferred him that way.” Then he thought for a moment and gave a crooked grin. “On second thought, maybe I should tell him.” He wagged his eyebrows.

“So in your universe, Kyle and me…you, are lovers?” Hal asked.

“It’s a universal constant,” the other Hal said. “We’re lovers in every universe I’ve come across, even the universe where we’re both chicks. Which, I must add, is exquisitely hot.”

“But not here,” Kyle said, finally finding his voice. The fact hit him suddenly that it had been a dream after all, in a way, that it wasn’t his Hal who had wanted him. “We’re not lovers here.”

The other Hal looked his counterpart up and down, then snorted and picked up his clothes to dress. “That’s still me kid, even if we’re from different universes. And I can tell, he just needs to conquer that fear of what he really wants.” He looked at Hal, leaning close to gaze into identical brown eyes. “Am I right?”

Hal opened his mouth to say something, then shut it again. He glanced at Kyle, then dropped his gaze to the floor, flushing red.

“Exactly.” The other Hal laughed and clapped Hal on the shoulder. “Well, he’s all yours now. I need to get back before my Kyle finds out I’m skipping around the multi-verse again. He usually keeps me on a short leash. Literally.” He glanced between Hal and Kyle, a lascivious grin on his face. “Unless you’d like me to stay…”

An image popped into Kyle’s head, of being fucked by two Hals. Guh… He swallowed hard and, a little reluctantly, shook his head. “No. You better go.”

The other Hal shrugged. “Well, boys, it’s been fun.” He grinned again. “Enjoy yourselves.” Light flared from his ring, and he disappeared in a swirl of green.

Kyle looked over at Hal. Hal was still staring at the spot his counterpart had disappeared from, his jaw set. Kyle sighed. Great, talk about the ultimate in awkward moments. Kyle realized he was still naked, sitting in the middle of Hal’s rumpled bed. Kyle leaned over the side of the bed to find his clothes. He wondered what Hal was thinking, whether he had just killed their friendship. Kyle yanked his underwear on and stood up. “I’m sorry about this, Hal. I understand if you want to cancel the trip.”

“No, it’s … it’s okay.” Hal kept his eyes averted while Kyle pulled on his jeans, the room heavy with awkward silence. As Kyle reached for his shirt, Hal broke the silence: “He’s right. About me. And you.”

Kyle’s head snapped up to look at Hal. Hal’s eyes were on him now, and though his voice betrayed some uncertainty, his gaze didn’t waver. It sent a shiver up Kyle’s spine.

“I …” Hal tightened his jaw and rubbed his hand through his hair. “This is kind of hard for me …” He sighed, then crossed his arms and gave Kyle his familiar cocky grin. “Really? Since we first met?”

The shirt slipped from Kyle’s hand. His mind was spinning as he finally processed what was happening. “Yeah.” Hal wanted him? He couldn’t help the wide grin that suddenly spread on his face. Hal wanted him!

Hal walked over to Kyle. He was so close, Kyle could feel the heat from his body, and he inhaled the scent of leather and Hal. Hal picked up the shirt from the floor and handed it to Kyle. “I think we have a lot to talk about.”

This is, of course, an homage to the Original Series Star Trek episode "Mirror, Mirror" and the subsequent visits to that alternate universe in Deep Space Nine. Mirror!Kyle (who we sadly did not get to meet, although I came so very close to adding him) was directly inspired by Mirror Universe Dominatrix!Kyra Nerys. XD

There's also some inspiration from The X-Files episode "Small Potatoes", where Scully nearly has a romantic encounter with shapeshifter!Muldur, is interrupted by the real Muldur, and awkwardness ensues. ;-)

And I have a prompt in another challenge for "road trip", so there will be a sequel. :-)

TnB Challenge: What Fates Impose (1/24)

2009-12-03T23:18:49Z

Title: What Fates Impose (1/24)
Author: Aranel Took
Fandom: DC Comics - Green Lantern
Challenge: there_n_back Advent Calendar Challenge 2009
Prompt: Day 1 - Tarot Archetype: The Fool
Characters: Hal Jordan/Kyle Rayner, Sodam Yat
Rating: NC-17
Words: 1000
Summary: Elseworld. Pirate AU. Kyle has returned to England to dispose of his inherited responsibilities. Fate has other plans for him. Sequel to Pirates of The Emerald Dawn and A Pirate Christmas Story, in which the Green Lantern Corp are 18th century pirates.
Author's Notes: This is a challenge with prompts based on the archetypes of the Major Arcana of the Tarot. As always, my thanks to juno_magic, my awesome Beta reader and summoner of Pirate Muses! :-D

Chapter 1

What fates impose, that men must needs abide;
It boots not to resist both wind and tide.
-- William Shakespeare, Henry VI (Pt. 3), Act IV, Scene III

“Are you ready for this?” Hal asked.

“I don’t know.” Kyle looked up the drive towards the grand estate. Rayner Hall. He’d been worried about this homecoming for weeks, not sure at all how he’d feel coming back to the house he’d grown up in, the house that was left to him on his father’s death along with the title of Lord Rayner. He was probably supposed to at least feel something akin to homesickness after being at sea for over a year—or at least nostalgia—but the sight of the familiar house only left him cold. The only good memories he had of the place were to do with his mother, and she was long dead.

He’d just as soon be rid of the place, whether by sale or fire, and be left alone to return to the Emerald Dawn with the man he loved and the crew who had become a true family to him. But he was no longer the timid child who had needed Lord Scott to whisk him away from his troubles, and he would face his responsibilities.

“It’s bigger than the governor’s house,” the boy next to him said in amazement. Sodam looked up at him with wide, dark eyes. “That’s your home?”

“It’s where I used to live,” Kyle said, perhaps a bit too sharply. He took a deep breath and smiled down at the boy. “The Emerald Dawn is my home now.” And he wanted more than anything to be back on that ship, but she was currently heading back out to sea, away from the the prowling British Navy. They would meet them again in two months in the Canary Islands. They’d come from the islands on a merchant ship, Hal taking the name of Edward Smith to hide his true identity, acting as Kyle’s servant. Captain Hal Jordan had an enormous price on his head, and any person who turned him in would gain a small fortune.

Hal grabbed their bags from the cab and paid the driver. Kyle smiled to himself, wondering what the cabbie would think if he knew that the polite servant was the most feared pirate in the Atlantic. The cab driver tipped his hat, then smacked the reins. The cab trotted away, leaving them standing on the road before the drive.

“Are we going to go in?” Sodam asked, scuffing his newly bought shoes in the gravel.

Kyle sighed. He supposed he couldn’t put it off anymore. He bent down to grab his bag, but it was snatched out of his grasp by Hal. “I’ll be getting those, Lord Rayner.” He picked up his own bag as well. “After you, sir,” Hal said, giving a deferential nod of his head.

“I am not going to get used to that,” Kyle said with a chuckle. Then he puffed out his chest and raised his nose in the air, “Very good, Smith,” he said, in an imitation of his father’s cold demeanor. He raised an eyebrow. “How was that?”

“Just be yourself,” Hal laughed.

Kyle nodded and turned to go down the drive. Right. Be yourself. A wastrel, ungrateful son returning home with a pirate captain for a lover only to collect his inheritance. That would go over well at the society balls.

“What about my bag? Aren’t you going to get that, too, Captain Hal?” Sodam asked behind them.

“No, I don’t think so,” Hal replied over his shoulder. “You are quite capable of managing your own baggage.”

Kyle heard the harumph behind them and exchanged smiles with Hal. They had debated whether to leave Sodam on the Emerald Dawn but decided the boy would probably just jump ship at the first opportunity and try to find his own way to England if he got left behind. He’d put up a little fuss at having to leave Mona the monkey behind, but Soranik had promised to look after his pet for him.

Kyle didn’t see any activity around the house as they walked up the path to the entrance, though the grounds looked to be well maintained. Kyle guessed that Lord Scott had made sure some servants were kept on for basic upkeep, but with no Lord in residence there would be little else to do.

The house loomed over them and Kyle shivered. Father is not here, he had to remind himself. He reached the door and took a deep breath before opening it.

The entry was empty, but there was no dust. Somewhere in the house he could hear a female voice singing.

He stopped in his tracks when he realized it was a song his mother had sung for him as a child. Heart pounding, his first thought was that she was haunting the place where she’d died. But then the song was interrupted by a sneeze, and he didn’t think ghosts sneezed.

Hal dropped their bags at the base of the curving staircase. “I suppose that’s one of the maids?”

Kyle nodded, still disconcerted that someone was singing one of his mother’s songs. The panic he’d first felt was giving way to anger. She must have been going through his mother’s things, through her beloved collection of music, and playing on her piano.

They followed the voice to the parlor. The singing girl was sitting near the window with her back to the door, painting on the easel that Kyle had left behind. He frowned and stormed into the room. How dare this girl laze about in his mother’s parlor, using his easel! “You!”

The girl’s song turned to a shriek, and she dropped her brush, leaving a spatter of blue on the landscape she was painting. She stood up and whirled around to face them. “Kyle!”

Kyle stopped, his anger suddenly replaced by relief, because if anyone would be allowed to use his mother’s things or his paints, it was Jenny Scott. He went to her with open arms and swept her into a tight embrace. “Hello, Jenny. I’m back.”

Well, here we go again! The title was chose for a few reasons: 1) because I hadn't planned on writing the Pirate sequel yet but here we are, not resisting wind and tide, and 2) because everything I had planned for a carefully plotted Pirate sequel is now up in the air given the random nature of "post as you go" prompts, so the fate of Hal and Kyle has been changing slightly (or maybe not so slightly) and 3) the challenge is based on the Tarot, which is all about Fate! :-D I have to admit I'm quite nervous about this, as I always get about posting before I've finished a story. I only hope it doesn't turn into an utter failure. *whimpers* I hope everyone enjoys the ride (even if it turns into a highly amusing train wreck)! *whimpers some more*

Fanworks & Derivative Works

2009-09-17T19:34:41Z

I learned about some ridiculous DRAMA! recently over the “stealing” of ideas in fanfic and my partner in crime, juno_magic, has written up a “fanworks license” for her works. Since I’ve had people ask about creating derivative works of my fanfics, I’d also like to clarify my stance on the issue by ~~shamelessly plagiarizing~~ borrowing Juno’s text to apply to my own works (with some modifications).

My feeling is that if I’m going to borrow stuff from DC Comics and JRR Tolkien, I sure as hell have no moral standing to get uptight if someone is inspired to use my works. In fact, I consider it a fantabulous compliment and it makes me squee! So if you are ever inspired to use one of my original settings (e.g. my Alternate Universes/Elseworlds or the specifics of a particular fanfic) or any of my Original Characters, please feel free to do so! You do not even have to ask my permission (though I would love to know if you are creating a derivative work of my stuff, because I would love to see it!). I just ask for a credit and a linky back to the original, along the lines of:

[Fanwork/Fanfic/Fanart/Remix/etc] based on ‘[Title of original fanwork]’ by Aranel Took. (Or, ‘[character name]’ based on an original character from ‘[Title of original fanwork]’ by Aranel Took.) Used by permission. The original work can be found at [link to original work].

This does not apply to general ideas, such as “the GLC as pirates”. No matter what the more insane segments of fandom would like to believe, using the same general idea as someone else is NOT plagiarism and does not require any sort of permission or credit, unless you borrow specific elements of another fic (such as original characters or unique plot points, dialogue or scenes). If you write a story with the GLC as pirates, you only have to give me credit if you’ve actually borrowed unique elements of my Pirate!GLs fics.

I am also quite happy to help out with a derivative work (such as if you’re wanting to stay “in canon” in a particular AU) — please don’t hesitate to email/PM me about anything! And if I don’t reply, email me again with a reminder, because I’m a doofus with an aging brain who forgets what she read in her emails ten minutes ago.

Mirrored from Aranel Took's Fanfiction.

Merciful Advice

2009-08-04T22:41:43Z

Title: Merciful Advice
Author: Aranel Took
Fandom: DC Comics - Green Lantern
Challenge/Prompt: dcu_freeforall : mixing work and pleasure
Claim: Hal Jordan/Kyle Rayner
Characters: Hal Jordan (The Spectre), Sister Clarice (The Radiant)
Rating: G
Words: 685
Summary: After initially telling him they wouldn't see each other again, why did the The Spectre help Kyle so much?
Author's Notes: Probably a bit of a stretch as far as the prompt is concerned, but this is what the Muses handed me. ;-) This is set some time after Green Lantern #119, after Hal becomes The Spectre and has his (supposedly) last meeting with Kyle. I don't remember if an actual date of death was given for Sister Clarice, so I'm using poetic license to set it around this time frame. Many thanks to my beta reader, juno_magic!

Hal didn’t know why he was here again, sitting in the corner of the coffee shop. The last time he’d been here was to meet Kyle one last time after Hal became The Spectre, so Kyle would understand what had happened to him. And he’d thought that would be the end of it, that he’d never see Kyle Rayner again. But here he was, invisible to mortals and watching the young man across the room. Kyle was juggling portfolios and a mug of coffee, dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep because he’d been out all night chasing down petty criminals and minor costumed villains. Hal had been watching him then, too. He’d been doing it a lot lately.

“You want to help him?” a voice asked as white light flared next to him. The brilliance faded away, leaving a pretty young woman in a nun’s habit sitting across from him. Hal looked around, but no one else in the coffee shop seemed to have noticed the glowing woman appearing out of nowhere. “I’m Sister Clarice,” the woman said with a cheery smile, sticking out her hand to him. "The Radiant.”

“The Spectre … Hal Jordan.” He didn’t accept her hand, only looked the woman up and down, then frowned. The Radiant was the Spirit of Mercy. “If you are one of His servants, why haven’t we met before?”

“I’m new to the job, so to speak,” the woman said, a hint of sadness in her voice. “Recently murdered.”

“I’m sorry.” Hal tried to remember if he had run across any murderers of a nun. “Did I … deal with them?”

“No. They are mine to ‘deal with’ when the time is right,” she said. “But I am not here about me.” She nodded over her shoulder towards Kyle. “Your guilt and anguish called to me. You want to help him.” This time it was a statement rather than a question.

“I’m not allowed to interfere in individual lives,” Hal said.

She smiled again, a smile that radiated kindness and compassion. “Being allowed to and needing to are two different things,” she said. “Did you know him in life?”

He shook his head. “He’s only known me as The Spectre. And Parallax.” He felt the familiar feeling of shame, then had to clamp down on the internal stirring of The Spectre’s need to punish Parallax. “I was once like Kyle, a Green Lantern.” Hal’s fingers twitched out of habit, but there was no longer a familiar weight of the ring. It hadn’t been there in a long time. “He got handed this job, all on his own without the Corps, because of me. Because I failed. And … I can’t stop thinking about that. I’m not supposed to concern myself with people’s lives, but I can’t get him out of my head. And I don’t know why.”

“Because the part of you that was Hal Jordan still feels,” the woman said. “And you feel guilty that he must do this alone. And you were not the type of man who can accept failure, and you feel this young man is paying the price of your failure.”

“The Spirit of Mercy can read minds?” Hal asked, uncomfortable that she hit so close to the mark.

“No, not exactly,” she said, her gentle laugh drifting on the air like a melody. “Sister Clarice had a degree in Psychology and Counseling.”

“You must have been good at it,” he mumbled, then looked at Kyle again. “Why do I need to help him, but not any of the other billion people on the planet?”

“Perhaps he is Hal Jordan’s path to redemption,” she said. “Perhaps you are meant to help him, to give you the means to find forgiveness for yourself.”

It made sense. If he could help others rather than just punish the dregs of society, it would help counteract his actions as Parallax. “But why him?”

“Because while The Spectre can judge souls, I can see into hearts.” The Radiant gave him an enigmatic smile. “And I can see that this man will fill the hole in yours.”

DCU Free-For-All Prompt Table

Fic: Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts

2009-03-15T04:16:29Z

Title: Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts
Author: aranel_took
Fandom: DC Comics: Green Lantern
Characters: Dkrtzy RRR
Rating: G
Words: 88
Summary: Dkrtzy RRR's view of the Green Lantern Corps.
Author's Notes: juno_magic gave me the idea for this fic, challenging me to write a fixed length ficlet based on the Fibonacci Sequence. And of course who better to feature in my first Fibonacci Fic than Green Lantern Dkrtzy RRR, the sentient mathematical progression! So how this works is that each paragraph of the fic has a word count corresponding to the Fibonacci Sequence. So the paragraphs have 1, 1, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 and 34 words.

We.

Are.

The sum.

Of our parts.

An individual is easily defeated.

But combined, sums and products, lies our strength.

Light and willpower expand in exponential beauty, building and multiplying, in brightest day.

Calculations of minds take form in light, pushing back darkness, pushing back the painfully random fear and rage of our foes.

Evil shows its might, a maelstrom of yellow and red against form and order, but green holds together against chaos. Beware our power, for the Corps is greater than the sum of its parts.

It's hard getting into the mind of a mathematical progression! I imagine that Dkrtzy RRR sees everything in terms of mathematics, so he perceives light as Maxwell's Equation. XD

Fic: System Malfunction

2009-03-15T00:14:49Z

Title: System Malfunction
Author: aranel_took
Fandom: DC Comics - Green Lantern
Challenge: hal_kyle Weekly Drabble Challenge #5
Characters/Pairing: Hal/Kyle, Dinah
Prompt: quick, once, guests, touches
Rating: G
Words: 200
Summary: Oops! Hal makes a mistake.

Usually Hal enjoyed socializing with his friends and colleagues at JLA parties, but tonight he could only focus on the young man sitting across from him. Kyle seemed to be having fun trading barbs with Wally, but while Hal understood that Kyle missed seeing his friends while he was on Oa, Hal couldn’t help but feel a little jealous about Kyle’s attention being elsewhere. So he slid his foot further under the table to touch Kyle’s, just once to get his attention.

But there was no reaction. Kyle kept his eyes on Wally, laughing at something the other man said. Hal tried again, a few quick touches on Kyle’s shin. But still Kyle didn’t do anything, apparently too involved with snarking on the other guests at the party to pay any attention to Hal.

Hal huffed in frustration and tried one more time, this time running his foot up Kyle’s leg. Now it was a personal challenge to get the kid to remember he was there, even if he had to—

“Ahem!”

Hal looked up. Dinah was staring at him from her seat next to Kyle, eyebrows raised. “I really hope that’s just a malfunction in your targeting system, flyboy.”

Wielding His Weapon

2009-03-02T22:58:41Z

Title: Wielding His Weapon
Author: Aranel Took
Fandom: DC Comics: Elseworlds
Characters: Hal/Kyle
Rating: PG
Words: 200
Summary: Elseworld. Kyle has a sword lesson. Hal gets distracted.
Author's Note: A birthday drabble for morelindo, using our characters from dc_imperium! Happy Birthday!

“I should get the day off from my sword lessons,” Kyle said. “Since it’s my birthday.”

Hal fixed the young prince with a scowl. “These lessons were your idea!”

“True,” Kyle said. He shrugged and shyly lowered his eyes. “And I would rather spend my birthday with you.”

Hal turned away from him, uncomfortably aware of the ache in his groin. The boy was flirting with him again. “How old are you?” he asked, trying to move the conversation away from how Kyle would like to spend his day.

“Twenty-two.”

Hal sighed. He had armor older than Kyle! So he had better quit thinking about him in ways that would get him castrated by the king. “I will show you a new stance today.”

“All right.” Kyle leaned back against the stone wall and smiled. “I like watching you use your sword.”

Hal blinked. Use his sword. Weald his wæpen. It was a phrase often used in his native tongue to refer to sex. And the wæpen in question was suddenly very enthusiastic about the idea. He took a deep breath and tried very hard to keep his eyes off Kyle. It was going to be a long day.

Old English Glossary
Weald his wæpen - wield his weapon/sword. Wæpen is also an Old English word for 'penis'.

DCU FFA: Post-Flight

2009-03-02T02:14:08Z

Title: Post-Flight
Author: aranel_took
Fandom: DC Comics: Green Lantern
Challenge/Claim: dcu_freeforall Valentine's Day Challenge
Characters: Hal Jordan/Kyle Rayner
Prompt: T11:P25: gift
Rating: PG-13
Words: 440
Summary: A little post-flight activity. Sequel to Surprise.

The flight in the Mustangs had been amazing and Hal vowed throughout the flight that if he ever had the money he was getting himself one. But he had other things on his mind now.

He pulled into the parking lot of the first motel they came to, unable to wait the hour to drive home. He had wanted more than anything to bend Kyle over the wing of one of the Mustangs, but he was pretty sure the crew would have frowned on that.

“What are we doing here?” Kyle asked quite innocently, the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth showing Hal that he knew exactly why they were stopping here. Hal just wagged his eyebrows at him and got out of the car to go get them a room.

The room was small and about as far away from romantic you could get, but Hal wasn’t going to be picky. He pulled Kyle into his arms as soon as the door closed and kissed him. “Thanks for the gift,” he whispered against Kyle’s lips, gazing into Kyle’s eyes. “I wish I had got you something better.”

“What did you get me?” Kyle asked, a big grin on his face as his hands slid under Hal’s jacket to pull him closer.

Hal shrugged. “A vacation. To New York. You had mentioned you missed it, so I figured we could go visit Radu and your art museum. And I got us a penthouse on Central Park.”

Kyle frowned. “You don’t sound very thrilled about going.”

“I wish it was something better. I mean, it can’t compare to a flight in a Mustang.” He sighed. “Maybe I should have done Paris instead.”

Kyle rolled his eyes, then pulled him into a tight embrace. “I love it! And I’d much rather go to New York. Especially with you.” He pulled back to look at Hal. “How did you get a Central Park penthouse?”

“It helps to have wealthy friends,” Hal said.

Kyle raised his eyebrows. “Bruce let you borrow his penthouse?”

Hal chuckled. “Alfred, actually.”

Kyle laughed and kissed Hal. Hal pushed him up against the wall, grinding against him as returned the kiss. Now, where were we …? He slid his hands down to open Kyle’s jeans, then pushed them over his hips. He glanced down as Kyle stepped out of the jeans and grinned when he saw the boxers Kyle was wearing, the red boxers Hal had given him last year for a Valentine’s Day gift with Remove Before Flight printed on them. “Appropriate.”

Kyle wriggled his hips. “Want to check the stick before we take off, Captain Jordan?”

Note: The boxers are from last year's V-Day fic. :-D

DCU Free For All Prompt Table

Fic: Reunion

2009-02-28T02:30:05Z

Title: Reunion
Author: Aranel Took
Fandom: DC Comics - Green Lantern
Characters: Hal Jordan/Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner
Rating: PG
Words: 300
Summary: Hal and Kyle have a reunion. Written for juno_magic, to demonstrate the meaning of the English slang words "noogie" and "goosed". Who says English can't be fun! :-D

Kyle was sure that it was Guy who had suddenly grabbed him from behind and rubbed his knuckles over his head, but when he squirmed away and looked up, he found Hal grinning back at him. “A noogie, Hal?” Kyle asked, trying to smooth down his hair. “What, are you in junior high or something?”

Hal just shrugged and took a seat across from Kyle. “I wanted to do something else, but I’m sure Guy wouldn’t appreciate us having sex on the table.”

“Yer damn right!” Guy yelled from behind the bar. “This is a family establishment!”

Kyle snorted, then leaned over to kiss Hal, using far more tongue than was probably appropriate for a ‘family establishment’. He hated living on different planets, but at least the reunions were something to look forward to.

Hal sat back, smiling happily, then looked towards the bar. “I need a beer. Want one?”

“Thanks.” Kyle watched Hal walk up to the bar. His eyes automatically went to Hal’s ass, incredibly hot in the tight Green Lantern uniform as he leaned against the bar. Kyle smiled and stood up, then walked towards Hal. Hal was so intent on getting his beer he never heard him coming. Kyle reached out and goosed him.

“Hey!” Hal turned around. “What was that for?”

“Couldn’t help myself,” Kyle said, leaning close to kiss Hal’s neck. His hand slid over a firm mound. “My hands have a mind of their own around your ass.”

Guy rolled his eyes as he set two bottles of beer on the bar. “Get a room, will ya!”

“Sounds like a good idea,” Kyle said. He picked up both bottles in one hand, fingers around the necks, then grabbed Hal’s arm to pull him towards the door. “I think we’ll get these to go.”

Fic: Four Drabbles About Love

2009-02-23T05:21:46Z

Title: Four Drabbles About Love
Author: aranel_took
Fandom: DC Comics: Green Lantern
Challenge/Prompt: there_n_back February Love Challenge. Four prompts - impersonal love, love of friends, love of family, romantic/erotic love.
Characters/Pairing: Hal Jordan/Kyle Rayner
Rating: G
Words: 400 (Four 100-word drabbles)
Summary: Hal experiences love in all its forms.
Author's Notes: Each drabble represents a different type of love: impersonal, friends, family, romantic.

She was beautiful.

Maybe she was ‘over the hill’ and had some wear and tear, but she had class. An elegant beauty that was timeless. You didn’t see that anymore. Nowadays they gave you a good time, but they were all sleek and cold, no longer a charming lady you could fall in love with.

Hal reached out to touch her skin, caressing her lovingly, wishing he could take her for a ride …

Kyle ducked under the nose of the B-17 to stand next to Hal, an amused grin on his face. “I think I’m jealous of an airplane.”

* * *
Hal owed his life to the four men sitting at the table with him. Alan, who was a mentor to him. John, who had never judged him. Even Guy had backed him up though there had been bad blood between them. They had all stood with him, facing down Parallax and the JLA with him. And then the kid … he had no reason to trust Hal, but Kyle was the main reason Hal was alive. And Hal could never thank them enough for their friendship and loyalty, so he just raised his glass of beer. “Thanks for believing in me.”

* * *
Hal couldn’t remember the last time he was able to sleep in on a weekend and there were times when he really missed those days. Until the bedroom door swung open and two giggling little bundles of energy flung themselves onto the bed, all knees and elbows that Hal had to watch out for while they jostled for space between him and Kyle under the blanket. And when they turned up big brown eyes at him and chirped “Good morning, Dad!” and wanted a kiss and a cuddle, it reminded Hal that sleeping in on a Sunday morning was overrated.

* * *
“What?” Hal asked. Dinah was watching him with a grin.

“I’ve never seen you like this before. You’re positively giddy,” she said, laughing. “You can’t stop smiling and you have a very satisfied look on your face.” She put her arm around him and squeezed. “You, Hal, are in love.”

He snorted. After only a month? “It’s far too early for that.”

The back door opened and Kyle came in with Mia, arms full of groceries. Kyle smiled at him and Hal smiled back, his heart skipping and stomach fluttering. Dinah poked him in the side. “Nope. Not this time.”

Fic: White-Knuckle Ride

2009-02-18T02:03:51Z

Title: White-Knuckle Ride
Author: Aranel Took
Fandom: DC Comics: Green Lantern
Pairing: Hal Jordan/Kyle Rayner
Rating: R
Words: 300
Summary: Airplane!porn. Written for maab_connor's prompt "Hal/Kyle, white-knuckled" at comment_fic.

The first half of the flight, all Kyle could think about was that he was way up here, hurtling through the night air in a chunk of metal while his ring was way down there, tucked safely into Hal’s locker in Ferris’ hanger. He asked himself the same question he always did on these midnight flights: why did he keep letting Hal talk him into flying without his ring? And then he gave himself the usual answer: because the adrenaline rush made for incredible after-flight sex.

And that occupied his mind the second half of the flight. Hal was really pushing the plane hard today, leaving Kyle white-knuckled and gasping for breath as the g-forces slammed him against the restraints and back into his seat. Kyle’s exhilaration and fear were mixed with anticipation — the harder Hal flew the plane, the harder Kyle always got fucked afterward.

He wasn’t disappointed. The moment his feet touched Ferris’ runway, he was slammed up against the plane. Hal’s mouth was on his, so hard that Kyle couldn’t catch his breath for a moment as Hal’s tongue plunged into his mouth. There was a sting and a taste of copper as Hal’s teeth grazed his lips. Hal’s hands jerked down the zipper of Kyle’s flight suit and pushed the fabric out of the way. “Turn around,” Hal growled.

Kyle turned and pressed his body against the plane, shivering as his cock touched cold metal. Hal pressed up against him and then into him, his fingers digging into Kyle’s hips. Kyle moaned at the mix of pain and pleasure, hands clawing at the metal and going white-knuckled all over again. Later, Hal always kissed the bruises and apologized, but Kyle would always kiss him back and tell him he enjoyed the ride.

Microfic Meme

2009-02-16T20:42:05Z

Lifted from juno_magic, who got it from heartofoshun:

Write 10 different categories of fic, each in ten words about the same fandom/pairing.

I picked ... Hal/Kyle. Everyone act surprised. ;-)

Contains spoilers for recent developments in the GL comics.

1. Angst:
Kyle stared in shock at the man in red. “Hal?”

2. AU:
Kyle crawled onto the bed. “Prepare to be boarded, Captain!”

3. Crack!Fic:
Hal gaped at Kyle. “You’re …?”
Kyle nodded. “I’m pregnant again.”

4. Crossover:
“Welcome back,” Tony said, smiling lustfully at the Green Lanterns.

5. First Time:
“You want me to what?” Hal asked. Kyle just grinned.

6. Fluff:
Hal rolled Kyle back on the grass and kissed him.

7. Humor:
“At least it wasn’t Bats who found us this time.”

8. Hurt/Comfort:
Kyle gently kissed the large bruise blooming on Hal’s forehead.

9. Smut:
Constructs wrapped around Hal’s wrists, pinning him to the bed.

10. UST (aka Unresolved, or Unrequited, Sexual Tension):
Their eyes met, burning with desire. They both looked away.

Fic: Surprise

2009-02-15T09:55:54Z

Title: Surprise
Author: Aranel Took
Pairing: Hal Jordan/Kyle Rayner
Challenge: bradygirl_12's 2009 DCU Fic/Art Valentine's Day Challenge
Rating: G
Words: 675
Summary: A date that looks like it's going to go very wrong for Hal suddenly goes very right.

Hal hands gripped the steering wheel of his car a little too tightly as he wondered how he was going to survive this day.

Kyle had told him a couple weeks ago he had a surprise planned for Valentine’s Day and Hal had been content to let it remain a surprise. But then some tickets had fallen out of Kyle’s bag a couple days ago when Hal was doing laundry, for a play at a theater in LA. Hal hated plays — he couldn’t even sit still for many movies — and from the brochure the tickets were stuck inside, this one looked artsy and, well, weird. The type of play that college students discuss over fancy coffee. He had debated whether to tell Kyle he had found the tickets and that it really wasn’t his thing and maybe they should do something else, but wasn’t it the thought that counts? He’d just grin and bear it. And hope he didn’t fall asleep.

“Turn up here,” Kyle said from the passenger seat, pointing at an exit off the freeway.

Hal took the exit and Kyle told him to head west, out towards rural fields. He looked at Kyle. “I thought we were going to LA?”

“Nooo,” Kyle said, giving him a confused look. “Why would you think that?”

“I found some theater tickets in your bag. I thought that’s what you had planned.”

Kyle shook his head. “Those were Terry’s. He wanted to surprise David, but since they have a joint bank account I bought the tickets for him and held onto them. I took them to him yesterday while you were at work.”

“Oh.” Hal blew out a breath. That was a relief.

Kyle laughed. “You should see the look on your face!” He rubbed his hand over Hal’s thigh. “Did you really think I’d make you go to experimental theater?”

Hal shrugged. Kyle had taken him to that art gallery with the sculptures that looked like they were scavenged from a junkyard. But now he was back to square one, wondering what the surprise really was. “So where are we going?”

“You’ll see,” Kyle said with a cryptic smile. He glanced at the paper in his hand, a map he’d printed from the computer. “Just another mile, I think.”

They crested a hill and off to the left Hal saw a bunch of aircraft hangars on a small airfield. A large sign identified it as “Liberty Field” and there was a picture of a P-51 swooping under the name. Underneath the image, the sign advertised, “Fly in a real WWII-era P-51 Mustang!”

“That looks like the place,” Kyle said.

Hal gaped at Kyle, nearly missing the turn into the driveway. He’d heard about places like this, but had never had the time to do it. Or someone who wanted to come fly with him. “You didn’t?”

“I did.” Kyle raised an eyebrow. “Unless you’d rather go to the theater instead…?”

“No!”

Kyle grinned. “I got us an hour flight. And they’re going to let us dogfight!” He patted Hal’s knee. “I plan on kicking your ass.”

Hal snorted. “Yeah, right.” Though he wouldn’t completely discount it, as all of his training had been in jets and Kyle could certainly hold his own in a Green Lantern version of a dogfight. He just wouldn’t bring that up unless Kyle kicked his ass.

He parked the car and got out. In the distance he could hear a plane coming in, the growl of the Merlin engine sending a shiver up his spine. The Mustang had always been one of his favorite planes. It had been the first plane model his dad had bought for him.

Kyle came around the car to stand next to him and they watched the silver two-seat Mustang land on the runway. “So, did I pick a good gift for V-Day this year?”

“I would have to say this is the best gift I ever received,” Hal said, smiling back at him. “You are definitely getting laid tonight.”

DC Imperium

2009-02-11T15:38:04Z

I took the plunge and joined the dc_imperium RPG, which is the DCU set in the time of the Roman Empire. You can blame morelindo for that, since she keeps feeding my Elseworld/AU plot bunnies. XD

I'm playing an Anglo-Saxon version of Hal Jordan, Harold Mortenson (hal_mortenson) and morelindo is playing Kyle O'Riordan (kyle_o_riordan), an Irish prince. They are currently on their way to Rome.

Rather than spamming fic all over the place, I'll just post those stories at Hal's character LJ, so if you're interested in Anglo-Saxon Hal, you can follow his adventures over there.

Also, Elseworlds!Hal consistently looks like Russell Crowe in my head. Pirate!Hal is based on Captain Jack Aubrey. And now Anglo-Saxon!Hal is inspired by Maximus from Gladiator. XD

Fic Commentary Meme

2009-02-06T15:53:28Z

Lifted from duskdog717:

Comment with one of my fics and I'll attempt a movie-style commentary of it.

All of my DC fics can be found at sector_2814. If you want a LOTR fic, those can be found at the website since I didn't post everything on LJ.

If you pick a longer fic, I'll do a summary rather than a commentary. Or, you can just ask questions about any of the fics.

Fic: Jealous

2009-01-29T20:45:50Z

Title: Jealous
Author: Aranel Took
Fandom: DC Comics, crossover with Marvel
Characters: Hal Jordan/Kyle Rayner/Tony Stark
Rating: NC-17
Words: 1,974
Summary: Hal and Kyle end up in the Marvel Universe. Kyle gets hit on and Hal gets jealous.
Author's Notes: Written for darthbatgirl. I owed her a fic for the prompt "jealous Hal" from ages ago, and then after posting my Iron Lantern fic she fed this particular plot bunny that had been quietly hopping around in the back of my mind. This is Marvel movie-verse and assumes all those DC/Marvel crossovers never happened.

Hal was seething.

It was bad enough that some space anomaly had flung Kyle and him into another universe, one that had a duplicate Earth but, unlike their previous experiences, not duplicate people. As far as he knew they didn’t exist in this place and the world was protected by an entirely different set of heroes.

And one of them was hitting on Kyle.

Tony Stark, aka “Iron Man” (Hal wondered if he was compensating for something), had reached them first when they suddenly appeared in the sky over the Atlantic. And once their identities and situation had been worked out, Stark had offered them a place to stay at his New York penthouse while the elastic scientist with the pretty wife named Sue — a sad reminder for Hal of the Dibneys — tried to figure out how to get them home. But while he appreciated the offer, he wasn’t sure if he was going to survive it.

Stark had rubbed him the wrong way from the start. Hal could tell right away he was an arrogant, egotistical jerk. And he couldn’t understand why Kyle — sweet, generous, caring Kyle — seemed to be basking in Stark’s attention. It had all started when they got to New York, and Kyle and their host were talking about the city, comparing what was the same and what was different and how much they loved living there and blah blah blah and all Hal could think to contribute was that California had better beaches.

Well it was true, wasn’t it?

And they had shrugged it off and continued their conversation like he wasn’t even there. Then Stark had taken them to some hole-in-the-wall hot dog place for dinner, which Kyle said reminded him of a place he had always gone to. And while they were singing the praises of New York hot dogs, making noises that sounded nearly orgasmic, Hal had reached his breaking point and suggested that they and the hot dogs should just go get a room.

And that’s when the trouble really started.

As soon as the words were out of his mouth he wanted to take them back. Stark glanced at Kyle with a predatory gleam in his eye, Kyle blushed with a big grin on his face, and Hal got a painful knot in the pit of his belly because he realized what a fucking idiot he was.

He had known for a long time that Kyle had a crush on him, probably ever since he came back from the dead. John had told him it went even further back than that. Which kind of disturbed Hal, because that meant that Kyle had a thing for him when he was either Parallax or the Spectre — or both — but that was an issue to deal with another day. It had become a constant in his life, Kyle’s eyes always on him and the adoring smile he had just for Hal. And Hal had taken it for granted and now Kyle was looking at someone else that way.

What did you expect, Jordan? That he was going to moon over you forever while you fucked around with half the female population of Coast City? Because you were too much of a coward to admit that you were attracted to him, too?

Hal had sullenly followed them back to the penthouse, hands jammed into his jacket pockets and a scowl on his face, because now they were openly flirting with each other. Part of him — a very small part — thought he should do the honorable thing and find somewhere else to stay, but it was overruled by the part of him that kept thinking “He’s MINE!” and there was no way he was going to leave them alone together.

The penthouse looked like something Bruce would own just for photo ops with business magazines — sparsely furnished but tasteful, and obviously expensive. Stark handed him a bottle of beer that probably cost more than the entire case in Hal’s fridge back home, then opened a bottle of Chateau Something-or-other to share with Kyle. And now Hal was sitting here watching what could have been the best thing that ever happened to him get snatched away by someone else.

Did he mention he was a fucking idiot?

He drained his fourth bottle of expensive beer and set it down on the coffee table a little harder than he had intended. That at least got their attention away from each other. “I think it’s time we got some sleep. It’s been a long day and we’ll need to be alert and ready to go tomorrow if Dr. Richards comes up with a way to get us home.”

“Right,” Stark said. He stood up and set his wine glass on the table. “There’s a guest room down the hall on the left,” he said to Hal. Then he turned to Kyle and the predatory look was back. “There’s another across the hall, but you’re more than welcome to join me—”

“No! You need to keep your hands off of him!” Kyle and Stark stared at him in surprise. Hell, Hal had surprised himself with the outburst. But there was no going back now. He clenched his fists and stared back.

Kyle stood up, frowning. “I don’t tell you who you can sleep with,” he said angrily. “Why do you think you have a say in this?”

Hal cringed. Ouch. Okay, the kid had a point…

“He appears to be jealous.” Stark laughed and reached out to run his fingers through Kyle’s hair. “But I can put my hands wherever you like, Kyle.”

Hal just reacted. One second Stark was sneering at him, the next their host was sprawled on the floor with his hand to his jaw and Hal’s hand was stinging.

“What …?” Kyle gaped at them, first looking at Stark, then at Hal. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I …” Hal looked at Kyle, imagined Kyle and Stark in bed together… It was time for one of those split-second decisions he was trained for as a pilot. “Something I should have done a long time ago.” He stepped forward, grabbed Kyle, and kissed him.

Kyle tried to pull back at first, but Hal held him tight until Kyle relaxed and returned the kiss. The kiss turned deeper, tongues pushing into each other’s mouths, and their hands started wandering over each other’s bodies. Hal grabbed Kyle’s ass and pulled him close, grinding his erection into Kyle’s, while Kyle threaded his fingers into Hal’s hair.

Then another set of hands joined the exploration and Stark pressed up behind Kyle. “Now that you two have worked out your issues, can I play too?”

Hal broke the kiss with Kyle and opened his mouth to tell Stark to fuck off, but then he caught the excited look in Kyle’s eyes, the way he was tilting his head so Stark could kiss his neck … Fine. If Kyle wanted it, he would do it. It’s wasn’t like Hal would have to deal with the asshole once they left this universe. When they got home he could have Kyle all to himself. “If Kyle wants to.”

Kyle nodded and smiled at Hal with eyes full of desire, and Hal realized he had Kyle back. And this time he wasn’t going to take it for granted.

“Let’s go into the bedroom,” Stark said, giving them a little push towards the hallway. He had one hand on Kyle’s shoulder and the other on the small of Hal’s back, and the touch sent a jolt through Hal’s body as he thought about the three of them in bed together.

Maybe this was a good idea after all.

They kept Kyle between them, kissing his neck and shoulders as they peeled off their clothes. Hal paused for a moment at the sight of the power cell implanted in Stark’s chest, but he was distracted when Kyle climbed onto the massive bed and lay down in the middle of it. He looked at them invitingly and Hal’s heart thudded in his chest. Fuck, he was gorgeous!

“What do you want, Kyle?” Stark asked as he climbed onto the bed, crawling over to kneel next to Kyle. Hal followed, not wanting to be left behind.

Kyle grinned. “I want both of you to suck me off.”

“Both of us?” Hal asked. “At the same time?”

Kyle nodded, still grinning at him. “At the same time.”

“Don’t worry, Jordan,” Stark said. “I don’t bite.” He winked at Kyle, then bent down to swipe his tongue over Kyle’s cock.

Kyle’s tilted his head back and sighed. His eyes met Hal’s and he gave him that smile again. That was all the inspiration Hal needed.

It was strange at first, being face to face with a man he didn’t like while they licked and sucked Kyle’s cock and balls. And of course their mouths and tongues would collide as they worked together to make Kyle moan and writhe, and it sent more jolts through Hal’s body. Kyle’s hands were in their hair, urging them on, and when Stark turned his head to kiss Hal, plunging his tongue into Hal’s mouth, Kyle gasped out, “Fuck yeah!”

They kissed whenever their mouths met now, which Kyle was enjoying if his moans were any indication. When Kyle’s thrusts quickened and he gasped “Gonna come…”, Hal swallowed him deep and Kyle came, shouting Hal’s name.

Hal lifted his head, a big smile on his face because Kyle had called out his name, but then Stark was kissing him again and pushing him back on the bed so that they rolled away from Kyle with Stark on top of Hal. They ground against each other, Hal struggling to flip them over while Stark struggled to keep him on his back, all the while kissing and groping. But Hal was bigger and he managed to flip them over and pin Stark to the bed, holding Stark’s wrists over his head while they kissed and thrust their cocks against each other. The power cell was digging into Hal’s ribs but he ignored it, intent on keeping the upper hand.

They came nearly instantaneously, moaning into each other’s mouths. Hal collapsed on top of him, breathing hard, then turned his head. Kyle was watching them, eyes wide. Shit. He rolled off Stark and sat up. “Sorry.”

Kyle laughed. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. That was hot!”

Stark laughed, too, and rolled off the bed to head into the bathroom. Hal scooted around so he was lying next to Kyle. Kyle brushed a few sweaty strands of hair from Hal’s brow, then leaned down to kiss him. Hal sighed and caressed Kyle’s face. Next time it was going to be Kyle writhing underneath him…

“Here you go.” Stark tossed a warm, damp cloth to Hal, then reached down to pick up his clothes.

“You going somewhere?” Hal asked.

“Duty calls. I have some things I need to check on,” Stark said as he dressed. “I’m not sure when I’ll be back, but I’ll have Richards call you here as soon as he has something. My secretary, Ms. Potts, will be by in the morning to check on you.”

Kyle smiled at him. “Thanks, Tony.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Hal said. Okay, so maybe the guy wasn’t that bad.

“If you’re ever in the neighborhood again, you’re welcome to stay here.” He winked at them, then turned and left.

Hal cleaned up and tossed the towel on the floor, then rolled over to put his arm around Kyle. “I really am sorry. About not admitting how I feel about you and—”

Kyle put his finger over Hal’s mouth. “It’s okay.” He rolled to his side and kissed Hal. “I’m sure you can figure out some way to make it up to me.”

AU ABC: Promotion

2009-01-28T22:25:24Z

Title: Promotion
Author: Aranel Took
Fandom/Claim: DC Comics, Hal Jordan/Kyle Rayner
Characters: Hal Stark/Kyle O'Brien (Amalgam Comics)
Rating: NC-17
Prompt: Y - Yuppies for au_abc Challenge.
Words: 2,080
Summary: Kyle gets a promotion. With benefits.
Author's Notes: Hal Stark and Kyle O’Brien are characters from Amalgam Comics, a merging of DC and Marvel Characters. Hal is a cross between Hal Jordan and Tony Stark. Kyle is a cross between Kyle Rayner and Kevin O’Brien. Wikipedia can explain things better than me ( Iron Lantern & Green Guardsman ), but all you really need to know is that Kyle had recently tried to betray Hal in the (unpublished) Iron Lantern #2, but then ended up coming back to the “good side”. Since I’m not really familiar with the Marvel side of things outside the movies, this will pretty much be Hal and Kyle in a Marvel Movie-verse setting. ;-) A HUGE thanks to my beta reader, juno_magic!

Kyle could feel the g-forces on him as he gained altitude, pressing on him as he sped through the clouds. Out of the corner of his eye he watched the heads-up display, always mindful of the stresses the suit was under, but his gaze was on the sky above him, just waiting for the moment when day would turn to night and he could see the stars.

He was lucky to be here. Lucky that Mr. Stark trusted him with the re-design of the suit. Lucky that Stark trusted him at all after everything that happened. But apparently his boss was feeling generous, and Kyle nearly selling him out to Mandarinestro because of his foolish pride, greed and ambition was a forgivable offense.

A system warning flashed and Kyle blinked as blues faded to grays and pinpoints of light appeared. The entire universe lay before him and he desperately wanted to keep going. But first they needed to make a suit that could get him there.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” a voice said over the comm.

Kyle caught the glint of of sunlight on metal beside him — he wasn’t alone up here. “It sure is.”

The green-and-gold metal-clad man moved fully into his field of view. “We’ll get out there someday, O’Brien,” the tinny voice said in his ear. “But for now …” Stark suddenly dropped from his view. “Race you home!”

Kyle kicked back his feet, pointing himself towards the ground and the speck of green that was rapidly disappearing into the clouds. Stark flew the suit just like he flew his airplanes — as fast as he could and barely in control. Kyle pulled his arms back to his sides, streamlining his body to cut through the air. Normally he would have little chance to catch the Iron Lantern, but they had made modifications to the Green Guardsman suit, testing out some new designs. Like the more powerful thrusters.

Kyle gritted his teeth as the suit shot him back to earth. The g-forces were stronger now and hints of gray flickered at the edge of his vision. But he wasn’t going to stop. He had Stark in his sights and he was going to push his suit to the limit to prove to his boss that he hadn’t made a mistake by keeping him, by trusting him, and that he was the best damn engineer at Stark Aircraft — maybe on the whole planet — save Stark himself.

He was starting to sweat by the time he caught up with Stark and he made a mental note to check the ventilation system. Kyle edged ahead of his boss, but the Iron Lantern suddenly shot towards him. They collided, knocking Kyle wild and for a terrifying moment he thought that he’d been had, that Stark had lured him up here so he could get back at him for his near betrayal, but then he realized the sound in his ear was laughter, not static. The cocky son of a bitch was playing with him!

Kyle straightened out and thrust himself sideways, away from the man. “Nice recovery, kid,” Stark said.

“Thanks, old man,” Kyle said, suddenly feeling bold. Stark snorted in his ear and shot towards him, but Kyle managed to twist out of the way in time, letting Stark shoot past him. “Missed,” he laughed into the comm, then dove back towards the ground on their original course towards Stark’s house.

Kyle landed in the hangar attached to the workshop, metal boots clanging on the floor. A full twenty seconds later Stark arrived. Kyle held out his arms so the robots could peel him out of the suit. The helmet and gloves came off first and he wiped the thin sheen of sweat from his brow. “You’re late.”

“Ha, ha.” Stark took the same position in the bay next to him and the robots began their work. “You keep getting smart with me, you just might find yourself in the unemployment line.”

“You keep me around because I’m smart,” Kyle said. The last piece of the suit was pulled away and he stepped off the low platform, turning to look at his boss. At least that was the only reason he could come up with, because given what had happened he should have been fired.

“Yeah.” Stark was studying him as if he was a particularly intriguing piece of machinery and Kyle shivered. He was all too aware why women were always throwing themselves at Hal Stark and he quickly turned away to hide the growing bulge in his pants.

He grabbed a towel off the workbench. “I had a problem with the ventilation system,” he said as he wiped his face and hair. “Crapped out on me while I was chasing you. I think the thrusters might have overloaded something.”

Stark frowned. “Okay, let’s go see what we have.” He walked past Kyle towards the banks of computers, brushing against him though there was plenty of room to pass. Kyle took a deep breath, trying to calm down, then followed.

Kyle sat on a stool at the workbench and initiated the diagnostic software. A window popped up, spitting out data on each system as it was tested. It was going to take a while to run through all the systems, so Kyle leaned back and stretched.

He hadn’t realized Stark had moved to stand behind him while he worked, not until his hand bumped into the man, right into an obvious erection. “Sorry,” Kyle said, quickly dropping his hands and leaning forward, focusing his attention on the window. He tried to read the data, but all his brain could think about was that Hal Stark was standing behind him with a hard-on.

“See anything,” Stark asked, apparently unperturbed by getting felt up by his assistant. He leaned over, one hand on the table, so close that Kyle could feel the heat of his body and if he glanced sideways … yep, his boss was definitely hard.

“N-no. Nothing yet.” Kyle picked up the towel and wiped at his face again. He needed to go take a shower, mostly so he could get rid of his own raging erection. What are you going to fantasize about this time, Kyle? a little voice asked. Is he going to do you on the workbench again or will it be up against one of his planes this time?

Luckily a window popped up so he didn’t have to think about that answer. “Looks like the regulator on the left booster blew a board,” he said, glad to have something else to focus on. “But the right thruster functioned normally, so it was probably a flaw in the board itself, not the design.”

“Great!” Stark clapped him on the shoulder and turned away. “I think this calls for a celebration, don’t you?” He went over to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of champagne. “I’m thinking of starting up a new R&D lab, for the really cutting edge stuff. Interested?”

Kyle looked at him, surprised at the invitation. “You want me to work in your new lab?”

“No.” Stark popped the cork and poured the champagne into two glasses. “I want you to run the new lab. Vice President of Really Cool Stuff, or whatever you want to call it.” He handed Kyle a glass. “What do you think?”

“I … don’t know.” He frowned at the champagne in his hand. “Why me?”

“Why you? Because of that.” Stark pointed to the screen where the diagnostics were running on the Green Guardsman suit. “You’re a brilliant engineer and you could do better than just being my assistant.”

Kyle set the champagne on the table, not really feeling like celebrating. “I stole the lantern and gave it to Mandarinestro. Why are you trusting me? Why didn’t you fire me?” There. What had weighed on him for weeks was finally out in the open.

“Because I probably would have done the same thing in your position.” Stark leaned close to him to look him in the eye. “You’re not a ‘substitute’, Kyle. I chose you to take over for me because you were the best man for the job. Just like I’m choosing you to take over the new lab. You’re too good to let go. But if you need time to consider it—”

“I want the job,” Kyle said. There was no way he was going to pass this up, not if Stark was willing to trust him, to give him another chance. Besides, he couldn’t wait to see the looks on Kalmaku’s and Rhode’s faces when they found out…

“Great,” Hal said. Their gazes locked and Kyle had no idea who moved first but suddenly they were kissing and groping each other, causing the stool to slide back and bang into the desk. The force knocked Kyle’s champagne glass onto the floor.

The sound of shattering glass jolted Kyle back to his senses. “Mr. Stark…?” he mumbled, reluctantly turning his head away from his boss’s mouth.

“Hal,” Stark mumbled, lowering his head to suck on Kyle’s neck. “Call me Hal…”

“Hal,” Kyle whispered, closing his eyes and moaning as Hal’s teeth scraped over his skin. He had no idea what had gotten into his boss — he certainly couldn’t blame the champagne — but he wasn’t going to question it now because Hal’s hands were yanking down the zipper of the flight suit and and his tongue was dancing down Kyle’s chest.

Kyle threaded his hands in Hal’s hair and tilted his head back, gasping for breath. He was afraid to open his eyes, afraid this was all a dream that would melt away.

Then the warm mouth left his skin and Kyle’s eyes shot open. Hal stepped back and smiled at him. “Why don’t you get out of that suit.”

Kyle nodded and stood up to peel off his clothes while Hal went over to his desk. He came back with condoms and lube. He set the items down and kissed Kyle again, pushing him back up against the table. Hal thrust his hips, grinding his erection against Kyle’s. Kyle’s heart was pounding in his chest. He still couldn’t believe this was happening.

“I think I’m overdressed,” Hal murmured against his mouth. “Want to help me with that?

Kyle nodded, unable to find his voice, and lifted a hand to pull down the zipper of Hal’s flight suit. He let his fingers drift lightly over Hal’s skin, all the way down past his navel. Kyle blinked in surprise. Hal wasn’t wearing any underwear.

“Sit up on the table,” Hal said, nearly a growl.

Kyle did as he was told and Hal pushed him back so he was leaning against the wall, next to the monitor running the diagnostics on the Green Guardsman suit. He was breathing hard now as he watched Hal roll a condom on and pick up the lube.

A chime from the computer broke the silence in the lab and Hal looked at the monitor. “The ventilation system itself looks fine,” he said. Kyle couldn’t help turning to look at the results, but then Hal’s fingers were on him—in him—and he gasped and gripped the edge of the table.

Kyle moaned as Hal expertly worked his fingers inside him. Stark was just smiling at him the whole time, looking rather pleased with himself. “Hal…” Kyle finally managed to groan, just as Stark’s fingers were replaced by his cock. Kyle wrapped arms and legs around him and Hal pushed him back on the table, kissing him while he thrust. Kyle ran his hands over Hal’s back, feeling the hard muscles flex under his palms. He had always considered himself lucky to have such a sexy boss and Hal had been the star of most of Kyle’s fantasies. And now one of those fantasies had come true.

Hal’s thrusts quickened and he came, smothering his groans in Kyle’s neck. He collapsed, panting, on top of Kyle.

The computer chimed again. “Preliminary probe report. Green Guardsman system check complete: set at deepest level, highest sensitivity. All functions satisfactory. Further tests for final report necessary,” the not-quite-human voice said.

Hal snorted and looked up at Kyle. “I do like checking your systems. I’m looking forward to those further tests.” He winked at Kyle and picked up the bottle of champagne. “But first we’ll go up to my bedroom and discuss your new position in the company.”

My AU ABC Prompt Table

DCU FFA: Body Shots

2009-01-19T02:57:00Z

Title: Body Shots
Author: aranel_took
Fandom: DC Comics (Green Lantern)
Challenge/Claim: dcu_freeforall, Hal/Kyle
Prompt: lick
Characters: Hal/Kyle, Guy, Arisia, assorted Lanterns
Rating: PG-13 (sexual situations)
Words: 800
Summary: Kyle introduces body shots to Warriors on Oa.

“You’ve never done a body shot?” Kyle asked, eyebrows raised in surprise.

“No, can’t say that I have,” Hal said, laughing and shaking his head. “Not the type of thing you see in the bars I frequent.”

“You’ve been hanging out in the wrong bars, then,” Kyle said. He took Hal’s hand and stood up, a little unsteadily, and tugged Hal up after him. “Come on. We are going to introduce the tradition of body shots to Oa.”

Maybe if he’d been a little more sober, Hal would have put up a fight. Wasn’t he too old for this kind of thing? But the idea of slurping alcohol off Kyle’s body was pretty damn appealing, so he let Kyle drag him over to the bar. Guy was behind it, putting away glasses while he talked to Arisia and Sodam Yat.

“Clear off the bar,” Kyle said. “We’re going to do body shots.”

Guy grinned. “Great idea, kid!” He patted the bar. “Up you go, Arisia!”

Arisia snorted and rolled her eyes. “In your dreams, Gardner.”

“What’s a body shot?” Sodam asked, throwing a glare at Guy.

“A human mating ritual involving alcohol,” Arisia said, trying to keep a straight face as she cleared away her drink and the bowl of peanuts. She set them on the table behind her and then turned back to the bar. “So who’s doing the shot?”

“I am,” Kyle said before Hal could even open his mouth.

Arisia giggled and patted the bar just like Guy had. “Up you go, Hal!”

Hal glanced at the bar, suddenly self-conscious. But it wasn’t like they had never done anything embarrassing in public before — that incident where he and Kyle got caught shagging under the Central Battery by the Guardians was still talked about. He shrugged off his jacket and handed it to Arisia, then hopped up to sit on the bar.

A crowd was gathering now, curious alien eyes staring at him, and Arisia explained again about ‘human mating rituals’.

“Should we be seeing this?” Isamot asked, casting a wary glance at the humans.

“It’s definitely a public ritual,” Arisia assured him. “Happened all the time when I was working at Guy’s bar on Earth.”

Kyle put his hand on Hal’s chest. “Lay back and lift your shirt.”

Hal did as he was told, stretching out along the bar. His head was even with Arisia now. “Human mating rituals?”

She laughed. “It was the easiest way to explain your odd human behavior. But it’s not too far off the mark, is it?”

Hal chuckled. “No, I suppose not.”

He heard the clink of a bottle, probably Guy getting out the tequila. “I won’t need the glass,” Kyle said.

Hal lifted his head. “What do you mean you won’t need the glass?”

Kyle grinned and brushed his fingers over Hal’s navel. “Don’t need one.” He handed Hal the slice of lime.

Hal put it between his lips, grimacing a little at the taste. He’d never really been a fan of limes. Or tequila, for that matter. But for Kyle, he’d make an exception.

Kyle picked up the shaker of salt and bent over Hal’s belly.

“No trying to ‘eat the worm’ while you’re down there,” Guy said.

Kyle grinned up at him. “Don’t worry, I’m saving that for later.”

Hal coughed in surprise, nearly spitting the lime out. Kyle wagged his eyebrows at him.

“Okay, that is way too much information, kid,” Guy complained, wrinkling his nose. “I did not need to know that.”

Kyle bent his head again and his tongue licked a path around Hal’s navel. Hal fought the urge to moan and the even stronger urge to fist Kyle’s hair and push his face lower. Later, he reminded himself. Then the sprinkle of salt hitting his skin, followed by the splash of cool liquid.

Kyle’s tongue swirled again and the cool turned to heat on Hal’s belly. He seemed determined to suck every drop of tequila from Hal’s navel and Hal couldn’t help the whimper in the back of his throat. At least the sound was drowned out by the cheers and laughter coming from the crowd around them. Then Kyle’s mouth was on his, sucking the lime from Hal’s lips. Kyle lifted his head and smiled at Hal with a mouthful of green.

“Who’s next?” Guy yelled, waving the bottle of tequila at the enthusiastic Lanterns.

Hal pushed himself upright and slid off the bar, right into Kyle’s arms. “So what did you think?” Kyle asked as he pulled Hal away from the boisterous crowd. “Willing to do it again?”

“I could be persuaded,” Hal said. “Especially if it’s back in your apartment, without an audience.” He stepped close to Kyle to whisper in his ear. “And you mentioned something about a worm…”

Note: The worm is actually in mezcal, not tequila, but urban legend commonly puts it in tequila so that is what they are referencing. Guy would know this, being a bartender. ;-)

My DCU Free For All Prompt Table

10pokes Challenge: Karaoke

2009-01-11T00:51:36Z

Title: Karaoke
Author: Aranel Took
Challenge: 10pokes
Claim: Hal Jordan/Kyle Rayner
Prompt: karaoke
Rating: G
Words: 300
Summary: Bachelor parties are supposed to be embarrassing. Right?

“No,” Hal said, shaking his head. “I’m not doing it.”

Guy grabbed Hal’s beer from him and pointed at the small stage. “It’s required by law that you have to do something embarrassing at your bachelor party, so get your ass up there!”

Hal shook his head, crossing his arms defiantly. “Embarrassing things with strippers, maybe! Not karaoke machines.”

Kyle scooted his chair closer. “Well, you’re not doing anything embarrassing with the stripper because you fiancé is here,” he said, wrapping his arms possessively around Hal. He poked him in the side. “So you have to sing.” Kyle gave him a quick peck on the cheek and stood up. “I’ll go pick a song for you.”

Hal looked around the tables, where all of his friends were grinning at him. Roy looked like he was going to bust out laughing at any moment and Clark had a big boyish smile.

“Don’t we have any emergencies to go take care of?” he pleaded.

“Nope,” John chuckled. “You have to go sing.”

“Come on, Hal. I thought you were the man without fear?” Ollie said, a smirk on his face.

Hal glared at them. But he pushed himself to his feet. Fine. He’d get it over with and maybe they’d all be too drunk by the end of the night to remember it.

He passed Kyle on the way to the stage. “Have fun!” Kyle said, a wicked gleam in his eye.

Great. It was probably Celine Dion or something…

Hal took the microphone and looked at the monitor, his eyes scanning over the lyrics. You’ve got to be kidding… He looked out at Kyle. “I want a divorce.”

“We’re not married yet,” Kyle laughed. “So sing.”

Hal sighed. Well, at least it wasn’t Celine Dion. “It’s not that easy being green…”

If you don't know the song: "It's Not Easy Being Green"

My 10 Pokes Prompt List

DCU FFA: Under the Mistletoe

2009-01-10T02:01:28Z

Title: Under the Mistletoe
Author: aranel_took
Challenge/Claim: dcu_freeforall Winter Holiday Challenge
Characters: Hal Jordan/Kyle Rayner, Wally West
Prompt: mistletoe
Rating: G
Words: 415
Summary: Hal. Kyle. Mistletoe.

“Rayner is slacking off,” Wally said.

Hal looked over his shoulder to where Kyle was talking to Diana, Kendra and Mari. “Why?”

“Because he’s a single guy standing under the mistletoe with three gorgeous women and he hasn’t tried to kiss even one of them.”

Not so single, Hal thought, but that was something they had decided to keep quiet for a while. It wasn’t that they didn’t want anyone to know — their friends in the Corps all knew — but they had decided to settle into their new relationship before coming out and dealing with the inevitable shock (and juvenile commentary) from their colleagues on Earth.

“I dare you to go kiss one of them,” Wally said, nudging Hal with his elbow.

Hal snorted. “You really think I should kiss one of them?”

Wally laughed. “Hell, yeah! If only so I can laugh at you getting slapped.”

“And you don’t think Kyle would get slapped?”

“Nah.” Wally shook his head. “Kyle’s adorable, he can get away with it.”

Hal looked over at the group. Well, now was as good as time as any. He handed Wally his beer and went over to the them. “Excuse me, but you all seem to be standing under the mistletoe.”

They all looked up. All three of the women took a step back, then got identical looks on their faces when they looked back at Hal: Don’t even try it.

He grinned. They had nothing to worry about. “So I guess that means I get a kiss.” He grabbed Kyle around the waist and before he could say anything Hal kissed him.

There were gasps of surprise and Wally’s “What the Hell?!” but Hal ignored them all as he slowly bent Kyle back in a kiss that he felt down to his toes. He hoped Kyle wouldn’t be mad at him for deciding to reveal their secret at the JLA Christmas Party, but his fears disappeared when Kyle threaded his fingers into Hal’s hair and shoved his tongue into his mouth.

When they came up for air, Kyle was smiling at him. “Wow.”

“Merry Christmas,” Hal said. He glanced over Kyle’s shoulder. The party had come to a halt while everyone stared at them. Well, he and Kyle could either stick around and explain themselves the rest of the night, or he could just let them gossip about it while he took Kyle home and finished what he started.

Hal took Kyle’s hand and pulled him towards the door.

DCU Free For All Prompt Table

TnB Challenge: Pirate Christmas Story (24/24)

2009-01-09T03:20:10Z

Hal was still up on deck after midnight, standing at the stern and watching the ship that trailed after them. Kyle stepped up next to him and handed him a mug of tea. “Do you know who it is?”

“No. But I have my suspicions.” He took a sip of tea. “I didn’t see the ship anywhere near the wharf, but there are other places to drop anchor around Tortuga.”

Kyle looked towards the ship. The clouds he had seen earlier had rolled in over them so there was no moon tonight. The ship was only visible by it’s lamps now, but the red sails had been obvious even without the spyglass as the ship drew closer before dusk. It was someone who was cocky, who didn’t care if their boat was seen and identified. “Amon Sur?”

Hal nodded and took another drink of his tea. “Makes sense. It’s a common strategy. Wait until we’re away from anyone else, no allies to help.” He looked at Kyle and winked. “Too bad it won’t do him any good against the Dawn.”

Kyle gave him a weak smile back. He only wished he could feel that confident. He knew they were relatively safe on the Emerald Dawn, but during the time he had been onboard they had only run up against ships that they had decided to attack, ships that had given up easily. Now they were the prey for a man with a grudge.

“I don’t think there’s anything to worry about,” Hal said. “But just in case, I want you to keep Sodam below and out of sight. Especially keep him away from the cannons.” He drained the tea and handed the mug back to Kyle.

“I will,” Kyle said. Even if he had to tie the boy to a chair with every bit of rope they had.

Hal leaned over and kissed him. “Go to bed. I’ll be down soon. Guy is going to come up and keep watch for the rest of the night.”

“See you soon, then,” Kyle said. He went back down into the ship, but rather than going to the captain’s cabin he continued down to the next deck.

Guy was just coming out of his room, buttoning up his coat. “Sodam’s fine. I haven’t heard a peep out of him for at least an hour.”

Kyle nodded. “I know. I just ...” He shrugged.

Guy gave him a sympathetic smile. “I check on my girls at least five times a night when I’m home.” He clapped Kyle on the shoulder as he passed.

Kyle opened the door and looked inside. The candle was still lit, making Sodam’s crystal prism throw a brilliant rainbow across the wall. Sodam was fast asleep, sprawled out on his bed with his sheet kicked off. Mona was sleeping next to him on his pillow with her tail curled around her body. Kyle went into the room as quietly as he could and pulled up the sheet to cover Sodam. Mona lifted her head to look at him. “Go back to sleep,” he whispered to her. The monkey yawned and lay her head back down.

He turned around to blow out the candle and noticed the mess left on the table: coins, cookie crumbs, seed husks, a peach pit. Kyle put the money back in the pouch, then scraped the rest of the mess into the mug he was carrying.

He dropped the mug off in the galley, then went back to the captain’s cabin. Hal was sitting on the couch, pulling off his boots. “He asleep?”

“Yes.” He walked over to Hal and kneeled over his lap, straddling him, and bent down to kiss him deeply. When they stopped to breath he sighed against Hal’s mouth. “We finally get a night alone and we have that bloody ship to worry about.”

Hal pulled open the buttons of Kyle’s shirt. “I don’t know about you, but I have better things to worry about than a ship.” He ran his hands over Kyle’s chest, then leaned forward to kiss him just below the pendant. “Like how much I want you right now.”

Kyle stood up and pulled Hal to his feet. Still holding his hand, Kyle led him into the bedroom. They pulled their clothes off as quick as they could, then fell together onto the bed. Hal rolled on top of Kyle, pushing his knees between Kyle’s thighs, and leaned over to search for the small bottle of oil.

It was hard and fast and Kyle was pretty sure he was going to be sore for a day or so, but he didn’t care. He wrapped himself around Hal afterward, both of them sweaty and sticky, holding him tight as their hearts pounded together.

* * *
John came to wake them just as dawn was lighting the sky. “The ship is moving closer,” John said from the doorway as Hal pulled on his clothes. “Guy got a good look at it in the glass. You were right. It’s Amon Sur.”

Hal nodded and stood up. He looked at Kyle. “Make sure Sodam stays below. Sur is definitely the type to shoot children.” He strode out of the room, John on his heels.

Kyle pulled his clothes on and went to find Sodam. He caught him just as the boy was heading up the stairs to the top deck. “No. You have to stay below,” he said, pulling him back down the stairs.

“Why?”

“Because the Captain said so,” Kyle said, keeping his voice stern.

Sodam sighed and shuffled after him. “It’s boring down here. I want to see the other ship.”

“Did you lock up Mona?” Kyle asked, trying to change the subject. He took Sodam’s arm and guided him towards the galley so they could get something to eat.

“Yes,” he said.

There was a sudden boom of a cannon. Sodam squeaked in surprise and Kyle froze, waiting for the impact. But it didn’t come. Either it was a warning shot or they missed. The ship was bustling now, with the men getting the Dawn’s cannons ready. Kyle grabbed some bread off a tray and took Sodam’s arm again, dragging him quickly through the chaos. “We’ll go see if Soranik needs help.” Now that he was training to help her, it was where he was supposed to be during a battle. And it was safer there.

Soranik was busy getting supplies ready: bandages, vinegar, sutures. “Got anything for Sodam to do?” Kyle asked as he pushed the boy into the sickbay.

Soranik looked around, then grabbed a sheet and some scissors. “He can cut this up for bandages.”

Kyle knew they didn’t need anymore bandages, but she had caught on that he wanted to keep Sodam busy. He sat the boy on one of the bunks and got him started, then went back over to Soranik. “Thank you,” he whispered to her.

She smiled. “I figured if we didn’t keep him busy he’d try to be up in the thick of things. He’s a lot like the Captain that way, isn’t he?”

Kilowog’s voice boomed “Fire!” and Kyle flinched when the entire ship shook as the cannons went off. There was a clatter of metal behind him. Sodam had dropped the scissors and was staring wide-eyed at the door.

“Are you all right?” Kyle asked. Sodam nodded and picked up his scissors again.

There was a muffled boom again, and this time there were thuds and cracks as cannon balls hit the side of the ship. Kyle looked up, thinking of Hal -- please be safe -- then peered out the door. It looked like they were about ready to fire again.

The cannons boomed. Kyle looked over at Sodam. This time the boy had a smile on his face.

The other ship fired again and the Emerald Dawn was pelted with cannon balls. There was also the crack of musketfire up above, which meant the ships were probably very close now. He swallowed hard, trying not to think too hard about what Hal was in the middle of.

When the Emerald Dawn’s cannon fired again, this time it was followed by a howl of pain. “I’ll go,” Kyle said, heading for the door.

“I want to come, too!” Sodam exclaimed.

“No!” Kyle shouted. “You stay here!” He ran out onto the deck, weaving between the men getting the cannons ready again. Kilowog was on the floor, grimacing and holding his leg. His foot was twisted at an angle that could only mean his ankle was broken. Kyle bent down to put his arm under Kilowog’s. “I’ll take you to Soranik.”

“No! Just set me against the wall,” Kilowog growled at him.

Another boom, another clatter of metal agains the ship. Kyle took a deep breath to calm himself. “If we don’t get that ankle taken care of, you could lose the foot.”

The man grumbled, then turned to look behind him. “Keep them going, Sarn!”

“Fire!” Vath yelled.

The cannons went off and for a moment Kyle couldn’t hear anything over the ringing in his ears. Then he jerked Kilowog to his feet and hauled him down to the sickbay.

He got Kilowg on the bed and Soranik bent over to examine his ankle. “I’m going to have to set it,” she finally said. Kyle caught the quick brush of her fingers over Kilowog’s. “You ready?” she asked. The big man nodded.

Kyle held Kilowog’s leg down while Soranik straightened the bones. The Dawn’s cannons fired again just as Kilowog bellowed in pain.

“I think I got it,” Soranik said. “At least good enough for the ring to continue healing it. Kyle, get me a splint, please. Sodam, will you bring me a bandage?”

Sodam brought the bandage over. He looked a little pale. “Are you all right, Mister Kilowog?”

Kilowog nodded and patted Sodam’s shoulder. “I’m all right. Damned cannon jumped and got my leg.”

At the mention of cannons, Kyle stopped and listened. “I think the cannons stopped.” He looked out the door. Everyone was at their station at the ready, but nobody was firing.

“Go up on deck, see if anyone needs help,” Soranik said.

Kyle grabbed some bandages and a bottle of vinegar. Before Sodam could even ask, Kyle turned to him. “You stay here and help Soranik.” The boy frowned and pouted, but he didn’t try to argue.

Kyle sprinted up the stairs and reached the top deck just in time to see the main mast of the other ship collapse, breaking off below the fork of the middle spar, it’s lines twanging like violin strings. The sails were on fire and ash was swirling around like snow.

He looked around the Dawn’s deck. There didn’t appear to be any serious injuries so he set the bottle and bandages on a crate and went over to Hal.

Hal was standing at the rail, looking down at the ship next to them. It was close enough that a leap could have gotten Kyle over there, but it wasn’t a place he would want to be. The deck was battered, with gaping holes in the planks, and littered with the bodies of the dead and dying.

Amon Sur was leaned back against the capstan, his shoulder soaked in blood.

“Go on! Shoot me, Jordan!” the man shouted.

That’s when Kyle noticed Hal had a pistol in his hand, his finger twitching over the trigger.

“Do it, Hal,” Guy muttered. “Though it would be a waste of lead.”

Hal raised the pistol and Kyle sucked in his breath. Hal’s eyes were cold and his jaw twitched as he glared down at Amon Sur. Kyle tensed for the explosion of the gun going off. But Hal shook his head and lowered the pistol. “I made a promise to your father I would not harm you, Sur, and I cannot break my promises.”

“I knew you were soft, Jordan,” Amon spat. “Everyone is afraid of you, but in reality you are weak. You can’t even kill me!”

“I can’t kill you,” Hal said. “But Salaak never made such a promise.” He handed the pistol to Salaak. In one swift movement, Salaak lifted the gun and fired. Amon Sur slumped to the deck, a hole in his forehead and a shocked look on his face.

“Captain Sur is avenged,” Salaak said. He handed the pistol back to Hal and walked away.

Hal turned to his crew. “Mister Gardner, get us out of here.”

“Yes, Captain!” Guy ran up the steps to the wheel, shouting orders to the men. Hal turned to Kyle and gave him a quick once-over. “You’re all right? How is Sodam?”

“He’s fine. Just upset that he missed all the excitement up here. Soranik has him making bandages.”

Hal nodded. “Good. Was anyone hurt below?”

“Nothing too serious. Kilowog just broke his ankle.” Kyle grinned. “But I’m sure Soranik will take good care of him.”

* * *
Kyle leaned on the rail, staring out at the sea in front of him. Somewhere out there was England. In about a month, he would be back where he started, but far different than when he left. The Kyle Rayner that had first been ‘kidnapped’ so many months ago was nothing like the Kyle Rayner that was returning. He only hoped there would be no trouble for his crewmates or himself.

He still didn’t know what he would do about his inheritance. Lord Scott obviously knew he had never arrived in Charles Town, but did he know Kyle had joined the Emerald Dawn? Would Scott still help him now that he had become a pirate? He would have been happy just ignoring the situation, pretending he had never heard about his father’s death, but Hal insisted he had to go claim the inheritance that was due him, if only to get rid of the baggage he was carrying around about his father.

A body pressed up beside him. “What are you thinking about?” Hal asked.

Kyle sighed. “I wish I never got that letter. It ruined an otherwise perfect Christmas.” He pressed closer to Hal. “I got a love token, a monkey, and a child. I don’t need anything else.”

Hal put his arm around him. “Still worried about going home?”

“No,” Kyle said. “Because I’m not going home.” He turned to face Hal and wrapped his arms around his waist. “I’m already home.”

Notes: Thanks to everyone who followed along on this experimental journey. It was an interesting experience for me, since it forced me out of my writing "comfort zone".

Things I learned from the 2008 There and Back Again Advent Calendar Challenge:

1) I am never writing a chaptered story beginning to end ever again!

This was the hardest part right here. I just cannot function like this. I’m the kind of writer who has to write the ending before the middle, and write all the major plot points before the “filler”. Which is probably why I had so many “writer’s block” problems with this one. I had no idea where I was going.

2) I am never posting a WIP ever again!

This goes along with #1. Along with needing to write out of order, I also look at storytelling as a kind of weaving. Sometimes I have to go back to Chapter 2 to attach a thread that will appear in Chapter 10 and then finally come to a climax in chapter 20. You can’t do that if Chapters 2 and 10 have already been posted. Those of you who posts WIPs regularly, I am seriously in awe of you. This fried my nerves. *twitches*

3) Progressive word counts are evil!

Though they do make you work on your descriptive writing. ;-)

4) I really, really, really, really, REALLY hate the word “violin”.

Really.

TnB Challenge: Pirate Christmas Story (23/24)

2009-01-08T20:02:50Z

Sodam frowned in concentration, bottom lip between his teeth, slowly moving his pencil over the sheet of paper in front of him. Finally, he reached the last word and let out a weary sigh.

“Good work,” Kyle said, looking over Sodam’s shoulder at the page. The letters weren’t perfect, the kind of writing that got Kyle’s knuckles rapped by his tutors when he was a child, but they were legible.

Reading and writing were proving difficult for Sodam, mostly because he had little patience for sitting still. He would rather be washing dishes in the galley than sitting at the table working on his writing. But at least he was trying. He had been ready to give up out of frustration on their first day of lessons, until Hal had set an old log book in front of him. “If you want to be a captain, you have to be able to write a log,” Hal told him. So Sodam stopped complaining and pushed himself to learn his letters. Hal told Kyle later that his father had done the same thing when he was a boy when he had complained about having to sit and write out passages.

Sodam looked over his work, a copy of an entry from the log book, then looked up at Kyle. “Am I done now?”

Kyle’s childhood tutors would have made him re-copy it until it was nearly perfect. Kyle was nowhere near that hard-hearted. “Yes. You may go.”

Sodam jumped up from the chair and ran out the door, nearly running into Hal in the process. “Sorry, Captain!” he yelled as he ran up the steps to the top deck. John had promised to show him how to navigate after his writing lesson today, which Sodam found far more exciting than log passages.

Kyle sighed and closed the log book, tucking Sodam’s writing paper inside. “He’s getting a little better. It no longer looks like Mona tried to write it.” At the sound of her name, the monkey hopped up on the table. Kyle handed her a few pumpkin seeds from the jar they kept there.

“Give him time. I was the same way.” Hal leaned down to kiss the back of Kyle’s neck, then sat in Sodam’s vacated chair. “I think it’s time we start the other education he needs.” Hal tapped the ring on his finger. “We’re far enough from land now that we can teach him to use a ring.”

Kyle nodded. They had talked about this after Sodam had seen the light of the Lantern, but had agreed they needed to be far away from land or busy shipping routes so as to not attract attention from bursts of green coming from the ship. They had no idea if a child could even control it. “I know. It’s just ... dangerous.” Memories of a green talon in a spray of blood made him shudder. “I’m afraid he’s too young to understand just how powerful it is.”

“He saw what you did with it,” Hal said.

“I know.” Thankfully he had only seen the hand that had grabbed his attacker to slam him into the wall. He hadn’t seen Kyle tear the man’s throat out.

Hal put his hand on Kyle’s back and started rubbing small circles. “Most importantly, it will protect him. I don’t want to have to worry about him when we’re in a skirmish.” He held up his other hand, the one that wore the ring. There was a sudden brilliant green glow and when it faded away, a ring was sitting in Hal’s palm. He set it on the table in front of Kyle. “I think we should start tonight.”

Kyle stared at the ring. “Do you want to teach him?”

“No. You’re the creative one. You can show him how to make dragons and boats and violin quartets.” Hal grinned. “I just make big fists.”

Kyle chuckled. The most powerful weapon they’d ever seen, and Hal still insisted on simply punching people, even if it was with a magical construct.

* * *
Sodam held up his hand, studying the ring on his finger. Kyle was a little worried about the gleam in his eye, but Sodam had promised them he would be careful if they gave him a ring.

They had locked Mona in her cage for her own safety, giving her a cookie to keep her happy. She must have sensed that something important was going to happen, becuase the cookie lay forgotten and she had her face pressed against the bars, her tail twitching.

“Let’s start with something easy,” Kyle said. He looked around the room. There was an empty wine bottle on Hal’s desk. He grabbed it and put it on the table. “It’s just a matter of thinking about what you want, and imagine sending it through the ring.” A green glow shot from his ring, ending in a perfect replica of the wine bottle on the table. “Now you try.”

Sodam took a deep breath and held out his hand. Then a flash of green and another wine bottle sat on the table. It wasn’t a perfect replica, missing the seal stamped in the glass and the hole in the top, but it was otherwise the same.

“Very good,” Kyle said. He glanced over at Hal, who gave an appreciative nod. He had Sodam do some more, replicating increasingly larger objects in the room until he had made a replica of the table. Then Kyle held out his hand again. “Now something a little more complex. Two constructs.” He created a loaf of bread next to the half-loaf left over from their dinner, then a fork that moved through the air and stuck into it.

Sodam repeated the construct almost flawlessly.

Next, Kyle showed him how to pick up real objects, making a rope that twined around a chair and lifted it. Sodam did the same, only he lifted Mona’s cage. Kyle cringed and prepared himself to catch it if it fell, while Sodam giggled and Mona screeched her disapproval.

At the end of the lesson, Kyle made a snow storm of tiny green crystals that swirled over Sodam’s head. That one proved more difficult for Sodam to replicate, and it came out more like blobs of green.

Kyle yawned. It was getting late and making all the constructs had sapped his energy a little. Sodam looked like he was fighting sleep himself. “I think we’re done for today.”

“Not quite,” Hal said. He picked up a peach and threw it at Sodam.

Sodam startled and ducked, but a green shield of light stopped the peach in it’s flight and it dropped to the floor. Sodam looked at his ring, then the wall of energy, which suddenly faded away. “Did I do that?”

“Yes, you did.” Hal said. He grinned at Kyle and shrugged. “I thought I’d test his defenses.”

Kyle rolled his eyes and shook his head. Hal was proving he could be as childlike as Sodam sometimes.

Hal stood up and picked up the peach. He set it on the table, then pointed to the pile of dishes and looked at Sodam. “Would you take those to the galley, please?”

“Yes, Captain Hal.” Sodam gathered up the dishes and hurried out of the cabin. It was one of the jobs they had given him, to clear away the dishes.

Hal went over to sit on the couch and leaned back, his arm draped along the back. He looked at Kyle invitingly. The moon was shining on the water behind him, creating a romantic atmosphere, and if it wasn’t for Sodam coming back at any moment, Kyle would have jumped him. Instead, he settled for sitting next to him and curling up under his arm, head on his shoulder. “I think he’s going to be a quick learner,” Hal said. “I don’t think we’ll have to worry too much about him if there’s trouble. There was no hesitation when he put up that barrier.”

Kyle nodded, his eyes starting to drift closed. Hal’s breath was warm in his hair and his hand was slowly moving up under Kyle’s shirt until his fingers brushed over the pendant. Kyle turned his face up and Hal kissed him, gently at first, but then increasingly needy. Kyle moaned and ran his hand up Hal’s thigh.

He heard Sodam’s voice outside the cabin door, talking to one of the crew, and they pulled apart. Hal sighed and pulled his hand out from under Kyle’s shirt. “We’ll continue this later,’ he said. “And I think Sodam is settled in enough that we can think about moving him to his own quarters. I’ll have Kol and Sarn start moving some of the baggage around tomorrow to make room.”

Kyle nodded and lay his head on Hal’s shoulder again. As reluctant as he was to have Sodam move to a different deck, it was also getting frustrating for him and Hal to not have their privacy anymore. He just hoped Sodam wouldn’t feel like he was getting rejected.

* * *
Kyle didn’t have anything to worry about with moving Sodam to the new quarters the next day. After the crates were cleared out and some furniture moved in, the boy perched on his bed with a huge grin on his face. “This is really my own room?” he asked for probably the hundredth time.

“Yes, it is,” Kyle said, trying not to laugh. “But you have to keep it clean and keep your bed made.”

“I will,” Sodam said. He didnt’ have much to clean up after besides Mona at the moment. The prism Kyle had bought him on the wharf and the bag of money were his only possessions and they were in the trunk, along with the other pair of pyjamas. Mona’s cage was tucked into a corner and the monkey was now exploring under the bed.

“And no snoring,” Guy said, poking his head into the room. His quarters were next door and John was across from them, which made Kyle feel a little better about Sodam being down here. “If there’s any snoring, we’ll make you sleep in the crow’s nest.”

“I won’t, Mister Gardner,” Sodam said, the big smile still on his face.

Kyle looked around the room. Everything was in place. The walls were bare, but he already had plans to fix that. And maybe he would see if Sodam wanted to learn to paint. He crouched down and coaxed Mona out from under the bed. “Let’s go up on deck,” Kyle said as he put Mona back in her cage. “I think we’ll work on learning some knots today.”

Sodam made a construct hand to close the lid of his trunk, then hopped off the bed. “Can I still come visit you and Captain Hal?”

“Of course you can,” Kyle said, pulling him into an embrace. “You can spend as much time with us as you like.”

They went up the stairs and out onto the top deck. It was a beautiful day today, with big puffy clouds on the horizon, and if Kyle didn’t have work to do he would be tempted to paint them.

He found two short lengths of rope, then he and Sodam sat down in the bow, out of everyone else’s way. “Knots are very important,” Kyle said, twining the ropes in his hands as he talked. “They must be very strong, so they don’t let loose.” He held up the two ropes, now joined together, and gave them a tug. “But sometimes you need them to let loose quickly, but only when you want them to.” He shook the ropes and they fell apart into two pieces again, then handed them to Sodam.

Kyle started him out tying some hitch knots onto the rail, since he would use that to tie the boats up when they went to shore, then some binding and shortening knots. Unlike the writing, Sodam picked the knots up very quickly, deftly weaving and binding the ropes when Kyle asked for a particular knot.

Hal came to see them late in the afternoon and Sodam showed him everything he had learned. “Excellent work, Mister Yat,” Hal said.

Kyle thought Sodam was going to burst with pride at Hal’s praise. He stood up and took the rope from Sodam. “Now I think it’s time for some reading,” Kyle said. Sodam started to protest, but a stern look from Hal cut him off.

They made their way across the deck, but a sudden shout from the stern stopped them in their tracks. “Captain!” John called out. “There’s a boat behind us.”

Hal hurried past Kyle and up the steps to the helm where John handed him his spyglass. Sodam tried to follow, but Kyle grabbed his arm.

“Is it other pirates?” Sodam asked. “The navy? Will there be a battle?”

“I don’t know,” Kyle said. He went over to the rail, Sodam in tow, and squinted at the expanse of sea behind them. It was amazing John had spotted the ship, it was still just a speck on the horizon.

Hal handed the glass back to John and came down the steps. “I can’t see what she is yet, but she looks like she may be faster than us. It will still be a while before she catches us though.” He glanced down at Sodam. “Mister Rayner, I’d like you and Mister Yat to go through the logs, see if we’ve had any run-ins with a small frigate with red sails.”

He gave Kyle a pointed look, telling Kyle that he actually meant Keep Sodam busy so he’ll stay below while we figure out what that ship is. Kyle nodded. “Yes, Captain.” He took Sodam’s hand and pulled him over to the stairs.

Next Chaper

TnB Challenge: Pirate Christmas Story (22/24)

2009-01-08T05:00:05Z

Kyle made up a bed for Sodam on the couch. They could figure out a better place for him later, perhaps in the ‘officers’ quarters on the deck below. They had a room where Hal kept his bottles of wine and the crates could easily be moved back to the hold. But for now Kyle wanted Sodam close by. He spread a sheet over the boy and tucked him in, careful not to wake Mona, who was sprawled out on the back of the couch above him, her tail twitching with her monkey dreams.

“Where do you sleep?” Sodam asked.

Kyle nodded towards the bedroom. “I sleep in that room just over there. So if you need anything, I’ll be close by.”

Sodam looked at the bedroom, then up at Kyle. “You sleep with Captain Hal?”

Kyle nodded. “Yes.” He and Hal hadn’t shown a lot of affection in front of the boy, especially since they had been either arguing or apart most of the day, and Kyle hadn’t known how to bring it up. But of course Sodam was going to notice if he slept in the room Hal had just gone into.

“Does he fuck you?”

Kyle gaped at the boy. The question was so matter of fact, so innocent. He had to remind himself Sodam had grown up in a brothel, that he had seen and heard people having sex all his life. It wasn’t a secret to him. And he knew about men fucking men. “Yes. We are lovers.”

“Are you a whore?”

Kyle smiled and shook his head. “No. We love each other.” How to explain it? “If one of us were a woman, we would probably be married. Do you know what it means, being married?”

Sodam rolled his eyes. “Yes. Like the baker and his wife.” He furrowed his brow. “Why can’t you be married now?”

“It isn’t allowed for men to get married together.”

“Why not?”

Kyle ruffled his hair. “I don’t know. It’s just the way it is.”

Sodam gave a slight nod, obviously not satisfied with that answer. “The baker and his wife fight all the time. Is that why you and Captain Hal were fighting today? Because you want to be married?”

Kyle laughed. “Something like that.” He leaned forward and kissed Sodam’s brow. “Now get some sleep. You’re part of the crew now, so you have to go to work tomorrow.” He patted Sodam’s arm and stood up. He planned on having the boy do an easy job, like polishing the brightwork or learning to tie knots in ropes, that would make him feel like he belonged. And to keep him out of mischief.

Kyle blew out the lamp, leaving the cabin bathed in moonlight, and made his way into the bedroom. Hal was still awake, lying back on the bed with his hands behind his head. “Everything all right?”

Kyle shut the door and began to remove his clothes. “He wanted to know where I slept and then asked if we were fucking.”

Hal snorted. “What did you tell him?”

“The truth. Then he wanted to know if I was your whore, so I told him that we loved each other like we were married. And then he asked if that was why we were fighting this morning, because the baker and his wife fight, too.”

Hal laughed. “He never runs out of questions, does he?” He pulled back the blanket for Kyle. Kyle lay down beside him and Hal rolled over on his side. “I wish I could marry you,” he said, tracing a finger over Kyle’s skin around the pendant lying on his chest. “I love you.” He leaned down to kiss the pendant, his tongue following the same path his finger had taken.

Kyle sighed and threaded his fingers into Hal’s hair as Hal’s tongue flicked over his skin. “Love you.”

Hal kissed his way up Kyle’s body to his mouth, then shifted to move on top of him. “Are you all right with this?” he asked, brushing his fingers over Kyle’s bandaged wound.

Kyle nodded. “The ring is healing it. It hasn’t hurt since dinner.” Hal moved lower to suck on his neck. “But...” Kyle wriggled and turned to face Hal. “Sodam’s in the other room.”

“Then you’ll have to be very quiet, won’t you?” Hal said. He rolled on top of Kyle and thrust against him, pushing their erections together.

Kyle sighed. He knew this was Hal’s way of ‘reclaiming’ him after their conflict, but he didn’t want Sodam overhearing. And he wasn’t really in the mood for sex anyway. “Hal. No.” Kyle shook his head. “Not tonight. Not after what happened today.”

“All right.” Hal kissed him and rolled to his side. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

Kyle stared at the ceiling, not sure where to begin. Might as well get to the point. “I didn’t just kill the man, Hal. I made a construct, an eagle claw, and tore out his throat. After I castrated him with his own knife.”

“Sounds a fair punishment to me for what he was going to do.”

Kyle shrugged. “It isn’t so long ago I was angry at you for killing the slavers.” He held up his hand, the one that wore the ring. “I didn’t even think twice about killing him. I just did it. I felt so much rage when I saw Sodam, when I thought he’d been raped, and it came pouring out of me.”

Hal kissed him again. “Sounds like the actions of a father to me.”

“Not my father. He probably would have tried to negotiate a higher price for me.”

“And you are not your father. I think that is clear. You’ve only known each other a day and that boy loves you already. He was so worried about you when you were with Soranik. He thought you were going to die, like his mum.” Hal shifted onto his back and opened his arms. “Come here.”

Kyle rolled over to cuddle against him and Hal wrapped his arms around him. Kyle sighed and closed his eyes. He had come so close to losing this. “I would have been miserable without you,” he murmured against Hal’s chest.

Hal kissed his brow. “Me, too.”

* * *
Sodam was already awake when Kyle went out into the cabin the next morning. He was playing with the coins again and sharing a cookie with Mona. He looked up when Kyle came out. “Did you rob a ship to get all of this money?”

“Some of it.” Kyle sat down next to him.

“I tried to go get my mum’s money. She hid it in a hole in the garden and told me to get it if anything ever happened to her. But I was too scared to get it when I first ran away.” He sighed. “That’s how they caught me again.”

“You can have this money,” Kyle said, getting a sudden urge to spoil him. “And when we get to England, you can buy whatever you like.”

Sodam looked up at him. “Really?”

“Yes, really.”

He turned back to his coins. “What’s England like?”

“It’s much bigger than Tortuga. The wharf at Tortuga is just a little village compared to some of the cities there. And it’s colder,” Kyle said. “It will still be cold when we arrive and there may be snow.”

“What’s snow?”

Kyle smiled, realizing the boy had never seen snow in his life. “It’s like rain, but it’s little crystals. And it’s cold and it stays on the ground like a blanket. We’ll go play in it.”

“Can Captain Hal play in it with us?”

Kyle grinned. “Oh, yes. Captain Hal will definitely be there.”

“What’s Captain Hal doing?” Hal asked, coming out of the bedroom. He sat in a chair to pull on his boots.

“Playing in the snow when we get to England. Perhaps even ice skating.”

Hal raised an eyebrow. “I think I’m a little old for that.”

“I don’t think so,” Kyle said. “Do you, Sodam?”

Sodam giggled and shook his head. “No. You have to play, too.”

“Oh, I see how this works. I’m getting ganged up on now,” Hal said. He stood up. “What if I say that I’m the captain, so I outrank you both?”

Kyle stood up, too. “But in England, I’ll be Lord Rayner, which means I will outrank you.” He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Hal’s waist. “I can order you to go ice skating, Captain Jordan.”

Hal smirked. “Well, I wouldn’t want to disobey an order, Lord Rayner.”

Hal’s eyes added all sorts of meaning to “disobey”, which made Kyle’s trousers suddenly very tight. He leaned in and kissed him, sliding his hands over Hal’s arse, then broke away just as fast when Sodam giggled. Right, child in the room ...

Thankfully there was a knock on the door to interrupt the awkward moment. Breakfast was brought in and they sat around the table. Sodam went right for the peaches, while Mona hopped up on the table to beg for a piece of bread.

“What are your plans for today, Mister Rayner?” Hal asked as they were finishing up. Unless they were on holiday, it had become usual for them to switch to ‘captain and crew’ after breakfast.

“I thought Sodam could do some polishing, Captain.”

Hal nodded and looked at Sodam. “Up for a bit of hard work, Mister Yat?”

Sodam grinned. “Yes, Captain,” he said enthusiastically.

“Very good.” Hal set down his fork and stood up. “I expect to see you after lunch, Mister Yat, to show me what you’ve accomplished this morning.” He pulled on his coat, grabbed his hat, and strode out of the room.

Kyle stood up and piled the dishes together to make it easier for the galley crew to gather up. “We need to lock Mona up before we go.”

“She can’t come with me?” Sodam asked, pouting slightly.

“No, I’m afraid not. She’ll get underfoot. And you wouldn’t want her to get hurt, right?”

Sodam shook his head. “No.”

Kyle caught her and put her in her cage, leaving her some of the pumpkin seeds left in his coat pocket, along with another piece of bread. She gave him a piteous look, but he ignored it. “We’ll let you out for lunch.”

They left the cabin and went up on deck. Hal was already at the wheel, looking over a map with John. Kyle guided Sodam across the deck to where Isamot was working, inspecting the ropes from one of their small boats.

“Mister Yat is going to help us today,” Kyle said.

“Good, good,” Isamot said. He looked up the mast. “He can climb up and get us flag from top of mast.”

Sodam looked up the length of the mast, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. Kyle shook his head. “He’s joking, Sodam.”

“Yes, yes. I am joking,” Isamot said. “We won’t send you up mast until you have been crew for a while. Maybe next week.” He winked at Sodam and the boy giggled.

Kyle retrieved some cloths and a bottle of oil, then set Sodam to work polishing the brass fixtures on deck. They worked their way from bow to stern, so they could end up at the helm by lunchtime.

They stopped at the brass plaque near the wheel engraved with Emerald Dawn and Kyle pointed to it. “Do you know what this says?”

Sodam shook his head. “I don’t know letters.”

“I think you should remedy that, Mister Rayner,” Hal said behind him. “Starting tomorrow. The crew on my ship need to know their letters.”

Kyle shot him a smile over his shoulder. “Yes, Captain.”

The ship’s bell was rung, indicating noontime, and they left off their duties for lunch. Kyle and Sodam went to get Mona. The officers were gathering for lunch today, so Kyle took Sodam and Mona back up on deck to eat their biscuits and cheese. Afterward, Kyle leaned back against the rail, watching Sodam and Mona chase each other around the masts. Isamot had brought his violin up and was playing a tune to match their antics.

At the next bell they took Mona back to her cage, then went back up on deck for Sodam’s ‘inspection’. Hal walked along the ship, hands behind his back, as Sodam showed him everything he had polished. “Good work, Mister Yat,” Hal said when they reached the helm. Then he turned to Kyle. “If you don’t mind, Mister Rayner, I think I am in need of my new apprentice for the rest of the day.”

“Certainly, Captain.”

Kyle went back down to finish polishing the other side of the ship, but he couldn’t help stopping to watch what was happening at the helm. Sodam had the wheel, Hal standing behind him, and the look of pure joy on Sodam’s face made Kyle’s heart race. The boy looked up at Hal with adoration in his eyes, and Kyle knew he probably should have been jealous, but instead it just made him unbelievably happy to see them together like this. And then he realized why -- We’re a family.

Next Chapter