“You two are awfully quiet tonight,” Alan said as he dealt out the next hand of cards.
Hal shrugged and risked a glance at Kyle. They’d been ‘together’ less than a week and the monthly Green Lantern poker night was their first time out in public together. And they had no idea how to break the news to Alan, John and Guy. Especially Guy.
“Don’t know about Jordan, but Kyle’s always moping about something,” Guy said. He looked up at the others and snickered. “He’s our little ‘emo Lantern’.”
“Lay off him, Guy,” Hal said, with more venom than was probably needed. Even Kyle raised his eyebrows. Guy always picked on Kyle. They were partners on Oa, after all, and they all knew it was Guy’s unique, obnoxious way of showing he cared about his friend. So why was he feeling so overprotective all of a sudden?
“Sorry,” Guy said, rolling his eyes as he picked up his cards. “I didn't mean to pick on your boyfriend.”
Kyle looked up at Guy, wide-eyed. Hal stiffened. They hadn’t been obvious, had they? He glanced towards Kyle again. Kyle looked back at him, worry on his face.
“What?” Guy said, looking from one to the other. “I was just …” Guy’s jaw dropped open and the cards fell from his hand. “Holy shit, Jordan! Are you and the kid fucking?”
Hal picked up his cards. “I wouldn’t put it quite that way, but …” He took a deep breath. He was The Man Without Fear, right? And these men were their closest friends. “Yes.”
They all looked surprised, of course. But he expected that Alan and John would be understanding. Alan’s son, Todd, was gay, and John knew all too well about being a victim of bigotry. Guy, though... Guy had a way of being blunt about things, and not especially given to ‘political correctness’. Hal expected a plethora of snide comments directed their way.
What he hadn’t expected was for Guy to whoop in triumph and hold out his hand to John. “Pay up, Stewart!”
John scowled at Guy.
“Pay up?” Kyle asked.
“Yeah,” Guy said, laughing. “John said it was just a man-crush, but I said you two would be nailing each other within a year. Took you long enough, though,” he grumbled. “Almost missed the deadline.”
Hal frowned. A year? The bet had been going on for a year? “How did you know?” He and Kyle hadn’t even known until this weekend!
“Are you kidding?” Guy shook his head and picked up his scattered cards. “You two have been mooning over each other ever since you came back.”
“We have not,” Hal complained. Had they?
Guy snorted. “Tell yourself whatever you want, Jordan,” he said. “Kyle’s always gushing about how wonderful you are, and you’re liable to rip the head off anyone who looks at him wrong.” He snickered and picked up his beer glass. “I suppose we don’t have to ask who tops.”
“Guy,” Alan scolded.
“It’s okay, Alan,” Kyle said. He studied the fan of cards in his hand. “We take turns, actually.”
Guy choked on his beer. “Oh hell, Rayner! I did not need to know that!”
“You brought it up,” Kyle said casually.
Hal grinned and leaned over to nudge Kyle with his elbow, about as much intimacy he was comfortable giving in public — even in front of their closest friends — at the moment. He’d make it up to him later.
“He’s right,” John said, chuckling. “You asked for it, Guy.”
“Brain bleach,” Guy muttered, hiding his eyes behind his cards. “I need brain bleach.”