Author's Beginning Notes: This is a Justice Lords one-shot story set before "A Better World," and it is set in continuity with some of my other stories, "Queen of Hearts" and "Half For You, Half for Me." I suppose for complete understanding of this fanfic those two stories of mine should be read in that order before this one. I hope you enjoy the story and please leave a review.
Disclaimer: Justice League doesn't belong to me.
The Reality Is…This wasn't making love anymore. Lantern had wanted it, Shayera didn't, but she said "yes" anyway. This was marriage? Lantern was completely oblivious to his wife's total lack of passion. He's been oblivious for the past two years, the Thanagarian noted with little enthusiasm. Oblivious to the coldness and darkness of everything, to the tears and fake smiles, the bland tastes, the unhappiness. All he wants to see is his perfect world, the world with no crime or war, the world with his wonderful wife, the world he rules.
Shayera can no longer really talk to Lantern. This was marriage? The Thanagarian feels that her husband just wouldn't listen, would continue ignoring her, but she also has to admit her fear. She didn't…Shayera did not want to be on odds with her husband again, with her family again, the Lords. Not again like with the Thanagarian Invasion, and the assassination of President Luthor. But, it wasn't like she had been the only "rebellious" one with the assassination situation. When Superman had murdered Luthor, the Thanagarian remembered the League's division; Diana, Batman, Lantern…all three of them sided with the Kryptonian declaring their rule, their martial law. They had felt it was in everyone's best interests; not Flash, not J'onn, nor her. But then Flash died...
Shayera still remembers the Martian's wide eyes as she showed him her new haircut; she still recalls her wide eyes as she saw him in black. Instinctively, J'onn had reached out a hand to stroke her hair, undoubtedly to confirm its shortened length. The Thanagarian had not minded the gesture, actually taking the Martian's outstretched hand and kissing it gently. And then she had collapsed into his arms and silently sobbed while tightly holding his cape in a death-grip. J'onn had quietly rocked her back and forth, his own tears slipping onto her back. She had felt that their bodies fitted well with each other. This moment had been before Shayera showed her haircut to Lantern, and he had never seen her cry ever.
The Thanagarian doesn't feel safe crying in front Lantern, she must always be the strong warrior in front of him, always have her guard up. This was marriage? But it's perfectly fine to let her guard down in front of J'onn, who understands, who shares her vulnerability... She knows there is significance when referring to her husband as only "Lantern" instead of "John" like she had done before. She knows there is significance in her relationship with the Martian, with her thoughts of him. However, taking a page out of her husband's book, Shayera doesn't care to trudge into those depths of her innermost soul.
The Thanagarian notices five minutes too late that Lantern is asleep, and she curls tightly into her blue blanket, desperately trying to hide her nude form from herself. This was marriage?
Author's Ending Notes: I hope you enjoyed this story. Not to offend HG/GL fans, but this fanfic was a bit of anti HG/GL, and pro HG/MM if you read between the lines. Please, remember to leave a review. Feedback is greatly appreciated.
