Author: DoctorV
Pairing(s): Ted Kord/Booster Gold, Stephanie Brown/Ted Kord, Spoiler/Question, Ralph Dibny/Ted Kord, Ralph/Sue/Ted
Main characters: Ted Kord, Booster Gold, Stephanie Brown, Question, Ralph Dibny, Sue Dibny, Hank McCoy (Beast)
Rating: PG-13?
My friend Alba (she's around here somewhere) did a sort of fanfic prompt meme in her LiveJournal. This is the result of one of them grabbing my brain and demanding to be written.
The Prompt: Beetle and Spoiler are having a happy relationship until Spoiler runs off with the Question. Beetle apparently snogs Ralph, and then Sue, and then Beast tells him "um, duh, go hook up with Booster", so Beetle runs off with Booster. Yay. --Alba
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Domino Effect
It's not that she's underage, she's not, but the Robin suit just seems to shave away years of a person's age until they look like brightly colored jailbait. So Ted probably isn't as surprised as he should be when Stephanie leaves him in a fit of youthful whatever to go train with the Question. And her absence helps soften the blow when Question shows up in his home one night, featureless face tilted so he wouldn't be meeting Ted's eyes even if his own were visible, to admit in a low, surprisingly even voice that he and Stephanie have become involved. Ted nods, smiles just a little bit, and cautiously touches the man's shoulder in forgiveness. He had already suspected something when Steph went back to her Spoiler persona, something about the auspiciousness of question and answer working together tickling at his brain.
Accepting Ted's forgiveness and protectively wrapping it around one aspect of his life like bubble wrap and foam peanuts, Question stares blankly when he extends an invitation to "drop by anytime, though you will anyway if you feel like it" and nods before leaving. Ted watches him disappear into the shadows, then goes back to bed and pretends he won't wake up with his face buried in the scent of Stephanie's pillow again.
Ralph, on the outs with Sue for reasons he avoids talking about, is understanding and sympathetic and it doesn't take much alcohol for him to offer more comfort than a married man should, or for Ted to accept. It's a little awkward, and Ted freaks out a bit just once until he remembers through the lust and booze that Ralph is stretchy and flexible in ways that he can only envy and enjoy. But in the end it is just the right amount of comfort and pleasure and very hot.
In the morning, there is some guilt, but they're friends and they can blame the alcohol as much as they need to for it to not be as awkward. Things are complicated when Sue finds them getting out of bed, but complicated in the form of Ted suddenly finding himself in the middle of a Dibny sandwich and discovering that Sue is a lot kinkier than he ever gave her credit for. It ends with Ralph and Sue reconciling and Ted, feeling like a third wheel, sneaking out while they're snuggling, wrapped up in each other in ways only someone with a super stretchy body can manage.
When Ted later facetiously asks an online friend what to do when your much younger girlfriend dumps you for a lunatic and you end up sleeping with an old friend then having a threesome with his wife, TheBeastX's advice is both wise and fortuitous.
"Go have a beer with your best friend and pour your heart out." Hank tells him, just as the doorbell rings. When Ted opens the door to find Booster outside with a six-pack and a hopeful smile, he takes it as a sign, thanks Hank, and turns off his computer.
As Ted catches Booster up on the strange drama his life has become, Booster listens attentively and sympathetically and sips his beer. They haven't had nearly as much to drink as Ted and Ralph did, but when Booster tilts his head just like that and looks at him just so Ted finds himself leaning toward him. And when Booster meets him halfway everything fades away and smoothes out into something like perfect.