Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice
A/N: I got this idea when Miss Martian and Lagoon Boy kissed and I did the math to discover that they were now at "twenty-two".
At the physical age of sixteen, Superboy was in love with Miss Martian. At the physical age of twenty-two, Superboy is in love with Icicle Jr.
When he was sixteen, in reality, he was much younger he had been sure that Miss Martian was everything he could ever want. She was what Cadmus and bad TV had taught him were the ideals in a partner. She would be the Lois Lane to his Superman. Because if he were to replace Superman then he couldn't go around falling in love with some doughnut-eating human journalist. No, he had to fall in love with the strongest telepathic alien in the area.
Together at Happy Harbor they were the sweet as can be, apple-pie, girl and boy next door couple. This was mostly due to Megan. Conner for all his touchdowns and good grades would always be the tiniest bit too scary and tough and maybe even awkward to ever be the boy next-door. He tried. For Megan. For Happy Harbor. For himself. For his programming.
Then all those apple pies, Friday nights in fall, varsity jackets and corsages seemed to go to waste. There wasn't a reason or rhyme for it. Their relationship couldn't handle the strains of being what it was. They broke up and Happy Harbor was left momentarily without apple pie, varsity jackets, and the boy next door meeting with his sweetheart and kissing on the bleachers. But they were still teammates and friends because long before Conner Kent and Megan Morse existed, Superboy and Miss Martian had been there.
When he was twenty-two, in reality, much younger, he was sure that Icicle Jr was everything he could ever want. He wouldn't be the Lois Lane to his Superman. Icicle Jr was a male, thank you very much. But still he wasn't a doughnut-eating human journalist. He was an ice-wielding ex-villain with an unfortunate dad. Still better than what Superman accomplished in terms of raw power.
Together, the Young Justice team and the Justice League looked at them as the what were they thinking, could this even be right, street punk falls for the star quarterback couple that for some reason seemed to be the best-looking blue ribbon apple pie there was. This was mostly due to the both of them. Conner was out to prove that Cameron could repent. Because as charming as Cameron can be, if it wasn't for Conner getting him a GED, a job, and using him as an example that people can change, then they wouldn't be there. In return, Conner got to spend everyday listening to Cameron quote random lines from books and movies, and wax his own brand of philosophy. Superboy was there too, because sometimes Icicle Jr couldn't handle ignoring his father's call.
That was why when Lagoon Boy and Miss Martian kissed, Superboy looks over briefly because seeing your first love make out with a younger guy still kinda hurt even if only in the small part of his heart and brain reserved for teenage memories. Conner didn't mind when their friends from the university lightly teased Megan about her high school boyfriend when she used to date Conner Kent of all people.
At the end of the day, mission, year, night Superboy knows that the Young Justice team had a backup mentor/den mother even if Icicle Jr thinks that staying up until three in the morning to watch American Pie consists of healthy team bonding. And Conner knew that when he left Mount Justice and made his way back home he had someone there, waiting for him, maybe even to finally change that class ring into an engagement ring.
People always did say that your high school years and everything you did there were all just leading up to the best part of your life; Conner couldn't agree more.