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ajremixTitle: A Day to Remember
Fandom: Batman: Brave and the Bold
Rating: G
Word Count: 1354
Characters: Bruce, Booster
In Response to: 30 days of Boostle - contemplation
Summary: Post Menace of the Madniks. It's been three years after his death and Ted's two best friends finally talk.
After the revelation that Ted Kord and Booster Gold had been friends, it reminded Batman of Ted's funeral and his surprise and suspicion at seeing Booster there. Asking other heroes who knew the two, they all seemed surprised that Batman- the world's greatest detective -hadn't known they were friends, let alone how close they were. Knowing that he hadn't unnerved Batman a bit. And it put some of Ted's odder behavior into understandable context- his occasional evasions and lack of conversation when Batman called him up, the times Ted reprimanded him for complaining about a few of the younger heroes, Booster and otherwise. It also put some of Batman's behavior into understandable context and he couldn't help but feel a little horrified at himself at how callous and dismissive some of his words were. No wonder Ted didn't feel comfortable telling him about Booster.
There was only one thing for it. On the anniversary of Ted's death, Batman set up an alert by his memorial and grave, waiting until Booster showed up. He would talk to the man, wanting to see what Ted did in him.
Batman wasn't as surprised as he thought he would be when the alert at the graveyard went off instead of the memorial where Hub City was holding a small remembrance celebration for their fallen hero. Instead of being around all the people and cameras, Booster was sitting in front of Ted's headstone, just staring sullenly at it, chin propped on his knees.
No more than two yards away, Batman called out lightly, "Booster."
The young hero turned in surprise. "Oh, uh, hey Bats." They hadn't spoken much since they'd gone back in time and Batman couldn't help feeling a bit remiss about that. "Come to pay your respects, too?" As Batman stood silently next to him, Booster continued, "Hard to believe it's been three years, huh? Sometimes it feels like he's been gone forever, sometimes it's like I just saw him yesterday."
Batman couldn't help the sharp glance that Booster must have picked up on. "No," he said flatly, "I haven't gone back to see him. You can even ask Skeets."
Not the way Batman wanted to start the conversation so he gladly latched on to a new topic, "Where is Skeets?"
"Skeets doesn't like graveyards. Said he gets unnerved at the thought of so many dead bodies stuffed in the ground full of chemicals. Can't really say I blame him."
When put like that, Batman couldn't, either. Silence spread between them, Booster just staring at the gravestone, Batman trying to find a string of conversation for a man he'd never given any serious thought to. Suddenly, Booster started snickering. "What?"
"No, it's nothing," he said with a wave, still chuckling to himself. "Just thinking about Ted. He tried to teach me how to pilot the Bug once. I nearly put it clear through the walls of his HQ. He wouldn't stop nagging me about it for a month."
Batman raised an eyebrow as he thought. "I remember that. When I asked him about the hole he just glared at me and told me never to bring it up again."
"I probably should've told him beforehand I never had a license for anything in my life."
The corner of Batman's lips quirked up. "Probably." There was another pause and then he said, "I met the Blue Beetle not long after he put on the costume. I came upon him by chance and recognized many of the components of the Bug from patents. I followed him until he landed and I accused him of industrial espionage on KORD Industries."
Booster burst out laughing, slapping at the side of his leg and Batman couldn't help chuckling both at the memory and at the unrestrained emotion beside him.
"Oh, that's classic!" Booster said, wiping away a tear from under his visor. "What'd Ted do?"
"Laughed. Uncontrollably. So hard he had to sit down."
"Not surprised." He was still chuckling but something in the line of his smile turned bittersweet. "We couldn't stand each other when we first met. I thought he was being territorial and defensive, he thought I just got in his way. Sometimes I hung around his city just to be a pain in his ass and one day we ended up teaming up against a giant robot. He saved the day, of course, but when the reporters got there, it looked like I was the one that did. Looked like I saved their Blue Beetle on top of that."
Booster tucked his chin against his knees, looking at the gravestone with such yearning and intensity Batman felt his presence was inconsequential. "He was hurt pretty bad stopping that robot and I... really felt like I was just in his way. So instead of sticking around, I picked him up and took him to a hospital. I think what hurt the most was the fact that he expected me to just leave him to bask in media adoration. And I couldn't blame him for thinking that."
"So you became friends after that?"
"Not really?" Booster dropped a hand, flicking a finger against grass blades. "We mainly left each other alone for some time. Worked with each other whenever the big crisis events happened, but other than that..." he shrugged. "Then some alien wanna-be invader came along and in the fight he trashed Skeets. Being so far back in time, there really wasn't any place I could take him for help but Ted was the smartest person I knew, even back then. At first he was just ecstatic to mess around with future technology and I let him- I didn't have a choice. And the entire time he was working on Skeets I was thinking about how I'd have to erase his computers because I couldn't risk him reverse-engineering things and that if I ever needed help again, I wouldn't be able to ask him because of it.
"I never felt lonely or out of my depth coming to this era. Not until that moment, anyway. Then Ted came out and Skeets was practically good as new and I thought, I'm never going to be able to look Ted in the face again. Then he handed me a flashdrive and said it had all the information he took on Skeets, said he couldn't keep it. Skeets told me later that Ted activated him partway through the process, mainly to get as much step-by-step instruction as he could and they talked. A lot. Ted was the only person in this time to treat Skeets like a sentient being and not some flying, emotionless toaster. I didn't realize how much that meant to me until then."
Batman nodded, then knelt next to Booster. "Ted had a talent for see things in ways most people don't. He used to tell me that for being such a great detective, I'm quick to judge people. At first I thought he was just being... overly sensitive, I guess. But over time I began to see what he meant and I even started catching myself prematurely judging other, even after his death." He reached out a hand, clapping it on Booster's shoulder. "Including you. I'm sorry, Booster. I think I'm beginning to understand why you meant so much to Ted." Because Booster needed Ted and Batman didn't. Because Ted could be flawed around Booster but with Batman he couldn't. Because they were two men lonely behind a front of good cheer and they filled the emptiness in each other because they couldn't help caring. "I'm glad he had you in his life."
Booster looked at him in surprise. Then, with his throat tight, he gave a watery smile and said softly, "Thanks, Batman."
Batman patted his shoulder again before standing up. "I'll see you around, Booster. Take care of yourself."
As he left the young hero in the graveyard, Batman thought back on his lost friend. It's been three years, he thought to himself with a measure of amusement, and you still find ways to surprise me. Rest easy, my friend. I'll look after Booster for you.
Fandom: Batman: Brave and the Bold
Rating: G
Word Count: 1354
Characters: Bruce, Booster
In Response to: 30 days of Boostle - contemplation
Summary: Post Menace of the Madniks. It's been three years after his death and Ted's two best friends finally talk.
After the revelation that Ted Kord and Booster Gold had been friends, it reminded Batman of Ted's funeral and his surprise and suspicion at seeing Booster there. Asking other heroes who knew the two, they all seemed surprised that Batman- the world's greatest detective -hadn't known they were friends, let alone how close they were. Knowing that he hadn't unnerved Batman a bit. And it put some of Ted's odder behavior into understandable context- his occasional evasions and lack of conversation when Batman called him up, the times Ted reprimanded him for complaining about a few of the younger heroes, Booster and otherwise. It also put some of Batman's behavior into understandable context and he couldn't help but feel a little horrified at himself at how callous and dismissive some of his words were. No wonder Ted didn't feel comfortable telling him about Booster.
There was only one thing for it. On the anniversary of Ted's death, Batman set up an alert by his memorial and grave, waiting until Booster showed up. He would talk to the man, wanting to see what Ted did in him.
Batman wasn't as surprised as he thought he would be when the alert at the graveyard went off instead of the memorial where Hub City was holding a small remembrance celebration for their fallen hero. Instead of being around all the people and cameras, Booster was sitting in front of Ted's headstone, just staring sullenly at it, chin propped on his knees.
No more than two yards away, Batman called out lightly, "Booster."
The young hero turned in surprise. "Oh, uh, hey Bats." They hadn't spoken much since they'd gone back in time and Batman couldn't help feeling a bit remiss about that. "Come to pay your respects, too?" As Batman stood silently next to him, Booster continued, "Hard to believe it's been three years, huh? Sometimes it feels like he's been gone forever, sometimes it's like I just saw him yesterday."
Batman couldn't help the sharp glance that Booster must have picked up on. "No," he said flatly, "I haven't gone back to see him. You can even ask Skeets."
Not the way Batman wanted to start the conversation so he gladly latched on to a new topic, "Where is Skeets?"
"Skeets doesn't like graveyards. Said he gets unnerved at the thought of so many dead bodies stuffed in the ground full of chemicals. Can't really say I blame him."
When put like that, Batman couldn't, either. Silence spread between them, Booster just staring at the gravestone, Batman trying to find a string of conversation for a man he'd never given any serious thought to. Suddenly, Booster started snickering. "What?"
"No, it's nothing," he said with a wave, still chuckling to himself. "Just thinking about Ted. He tried to teach me how to pilot the Bug once. I nearly put it clear through the walls of his HQ. He wouldn't stop nagging me about it for a month."
Batman raised an eyebrow as he thought. "I remember that. When I asked him about the hole he just glared at me and told me never to bring it up again."
"I probably should've told him beforehand I never had a license for anything in my life."
The corner of Batman's lips quirked up. "Probably." There was another pause and then he said, "I met the Blue Beetle not long after he put on the costume. I came upon him by chance and recognized many of the components of the Bug from patents. I followed him until he landed and I accused him of industrial espionage on KORD Industries."
Booster burst out laughing, slapping at the side of his leg and Batman couldn't help chuckling both at the memory and at the unrestrained emotion beside him.
"Oh, that's classic!" Booster said, wiping away a tear from under his visor. "What'd Ted do?"
"Laughed. Uncontrollably. So hard he had to sit down."
"Not surprised." He was still chuckling but something in the line of his smile turned bittersweet. "We couldn't stand each other when we first met. I thought he was being territorial and defensive, he thought I just got in his way. Sometimes I hung around his city just to be a pain in his ass and one day we ended up teaming up against a giant robot. He saved the day, of course, but when the reporters got there, it looked like I was the one that did. Looked like I saved their Blue Beetle on top of that."
Booster tucked his chin against his knees, looking at the gravestone with such yearning and intensity Batman felt his presence was inconsequential. "He was hurt pretty bad stopping that robot and I... really felt like I was just in his way. So instead of sticking around, I picked him up and took him to a hospital. I think what hurt the most was the fact that he expected me to just leave him to bask in media adoration. And I couldn't blame him for thinking that."
"So you became friends after that?"
"Not really?" Booster dropped a hand, flicking a finger against grass blades. "We mainly left each other alone for some time. Worked with each other whenever the big crisis events happened, but other than that..." he shrugged. "Then some alien wanna-be invader came along and in the fight he trashed Skeets. Being so far back in time, there really wasn't any place I could take him for help but Ted was the smartest person I knew, even back then. At first he was just ecstatic to mess around with future technology and I let him- I didn't have a choice. And the entire time he was working on Skeets I was thinking about how I'd have to erase his computers because I couldn't risk him reverse-engineering things and that if I ever needed help again, I wouldn't be able to ask him because of it.
"I never felt lonely or out of my depth coming to this era. Not until that moment, anyway. Then Ted came out and Skeets was practically good as new and I thought, I'm never going to be able to look Ted in the face again. Then he handed me a flashdrive and said it had all the information he took on Skeets, said he couldn't keep it. Skeets told me later that Ted activated him partway through the process, mainly to get as much step-by-step instruction as he could and they talked. A lot. Ted was the only person in this time to treat Skeets like a sentient being and not some flying, emotionless toaster. I didn't realize how much that meant to me until then."
Batman nodded, then knelt next to Booster. "Ted had a talent for see things in ways most people don't. He used to tell me that for being such a great detective, I'm quick to judge people. At first I thought he was just being... overly sensitive, I guess. But over time I began to see what he meant and I even started catching myself prematurely judging other, even after his death." He reached out a hand, clapping it on Booster's shoulder. "Including you. I'm sorry, Booster. I think I'm beginning to understand why you meant so much to Ted." Because Booster needed Ted and Batman didn't. Because Ted could be flawed around Booster but with Batman he couldn't. Because they were two men lonely behind a front of good cheer and they filled the emptiness in each other because they couldn't help caring. "I'm glad he had you in his life."
Booster looked at him in surprise. Then, with his throat tight, he gave a watery smile and said softly, "Thanks, Batman."
Batman patted his shoulder again before standing up. "I'll see you around, Booster. Take care of yourself."
As he left the young hero in the graveyard, Batman thought back on his lost friend. It's been three years, he thought to himself with a measure of amusement, and you still find ways to surprise me. Rest easy, my friend. I'll look after Booster for you.
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no subject
Date: 2010-11-30 09:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-30 10:16 pm (UTC)a really good take on those two (three)
<3
no subject
Date: 2010-12-01 12:50 pm (UTC)PS: does anyone know that fanfiction about Blue&Gold in B:tBatB?? it had three scenes "three things to know about etc etc"
I found it once but I can't find it anymore...
no subject
Date: 2010-12-01 08:35 pm (UTC)Loved this project! So much so that I refrained from bugging you to draw comics :D ! Heh. Seriously, it's been really good stuff to read.
no subject
Date: 2010-12-02 01:26 am (UTC)http://herolessons.livejournal.com/26360.html
no subject
Date: 2010-12-02 01:27 am (UTC)...except for my one final which IS a comic, but that doesn't count >.>
no subject
Date: 2010-12-02 08:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-12-02 01:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-12-03 04:17 am (UTC)It always makes me happy when I see them.
Beautiful fic!
no subject
Date: 2010-12-03 06:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-12-03 06:33 am (UTC)Man! Do they know how to appeal or what? I mean.. so many hugs! It was beautiful!
no subject
Date: 2010-12-03 06:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-12-03 07:37 am (UTC)What was it... five? FEELS LIKE A MILLION!
my heart does start a'fluttering
no subject
Date: 2010-12-06 04:47 pm (UTC)