Disclaimer: I do not own most of the characters 
here depicted.  They belong to someone else.  
I am not earning any money for said depiction.  

<fortuita@hotmail.com> for feedback 

All in Green Went My Love  

By Fortuita James 

Kyle tossed off a soda with all the rakish air 
of someone downing shots of single malt whisky.
   "I'm glad you came to visit.  These days we 
only see each other with the Justice League," he 
grimaced.
   Connor smiled sympathetically.  "It doesn't 
give you a chance to act like a normal human 
being.  Too busy being the consummate hero.  And 
I'm still learning that stuff."
   Kyle nodded.  "Hey, you think you're still 
learning.  Sometimes I wake up in the middle of 
the night because there's something I thought of 
that I should have done, but I didn't know I 
could."
   The waitress brought another soda, pushing it 
vaguely in Kyle's direction while never taking her 
eyes off Connor.  After she walked away, with a 
decided sway, Kyle gave his friend an exasperated 
look.
   "Jeez, Connor.  Always the waitresses with you.  
Wait, wait, no, all the other women do it too.  
I've heard some stories about your dad, but I 
didn't realise it was genetic."
   Connor just looked at him.
   "Oh! That's right.  You're little Mr innocent 
'wouldn't-know-what-to-do-with -a-woman-if-she-
landed-in-my-lap' aren't you?"
   "I know exactly what I'd do," he responded calmly.  
"I'd help her to stand up, and watch her walk away."
   Kyle gaped at him, opening and closing his mouth 
like a fish, before finally choking out, "You rotten 
bastard! All these women falling at your feet, and 
you acting all bewildered and naïve."
   "It makes them feel better," he mumbled.
   Kyle gaped some more, before making him repeat 
himself.
   "You're the limit, Connor.  You know, what would 
really make them feel better is if you took a couple 
up on their offers."
   "That would be unfair," he pointed out.  "Besides, 
I'm not interested in them."
   "Who?"
   "Them.  The women."
   "What, all women? You've been spending a little 
too much time with your monkish friend."
   "I'm not monkish," he stated, very firmly.  Then, 
with a slight smile, he added, "It might be easier if 
I were."
   "So it's your sense of honour," Kyle decided.  
"Don't worry about that.  You just have to be sure 
you won't break any hearts.  Have a meaningful 
partnership, if you like.  Fall in love yourself, 
instead of a few tumbles."
   "I don't want to have a meaningful partnership with 
a woman, you dense idiot," he burst out.
   There was a moment of stricken silence, before 
Connor reached over and lightly touched Kyle on the 
shoulder.  
   "Sorry.  Let's get this back to a rational, two-
sided conversation, shall we? May I?" he gestured to 
the soda.
   Kyle nodded absently, and Connor took a few 
swallows, before handing it back Kyle was still a 
little shell-shocked, so Connor ruminated for a moment, 
before coming up with something that would be sure to 
get a response.
   "Why don't you accept a couple of offers?"
   "Huh?"
   "You know, those 'women' you were talking about? 
I've seen a few hurl themselves at you, too."
   "Not when I'm around you, buddy," he joked.  
"Anyway, I've been that route."
   "What else are you going to do? You've been down the 
long relationship route too.  Didn't exactly work out."
   Kyle's eyes suddenly darkened, and they both felt 
the itch of an unspoken name, but left it alone.
   "Well," Kyle began, "I'd need someone independent, 
who can protect themselves from the bad guys."  That 
last part, almost a feeble joke, ended up just being 
painful.  He tried for a more cheerful note, finishing,
"And most of the superheroine community aren't in my 
neighbourhood, y'know?" That brought memories of 
another name, more easily spoken between them.  "I 
tried with Donna, but it wasn't the same.  We could 
only be lovers, and now we can hardly be friends.  I 
need someone who can be my partner, not an overlap in 
our schedules."  Finally, he managed a smile he meant.  
"Is that an honest enough answer for you, Connor?"
   "Yeah, that's pretty honest, Kyle.  Thanks."
   There was an awkward moment.
   "So, you want to reciprocate? I'll try to be a 
grown-up, and listen quietly, if you stay calm.  'Kay? 
Ready to talk about your don't-tumble don't-love no- 
women deal?"
   "Yeah, I guess so."  But he didn't know what to 
say, or maybe how to say it.
   "Want some help? You don't seem the type for a 
lifelong meaningful partnership with your hand."
   "What are you talking about?"
   "Nooo women, remember? Can't have sex without a 
woman, Connor."
   Connor almost smirked at that, an expression Kyle 
had never seen on his face.  "Actually, you can."
   Kyle looked puzzled for about a second and a half.  
Connor could see the wheels turn, then 'click'.
   "Men?"
   "Yep."
   "You're having sex with men?"
   Connor rolled his eyes.  "Not usually more than one 
at a time, and none at the moment."
   "I haven't seen you get too many of those offers," 
he grinned, but it faded from his face, to be replaced 
by a look of dawning realisation.  "Wait.  I have, 
haven't I?"
   Connor nodded.  "Probably.  You wouldn't have 
noticed, realised, though."
   Kyle shook his head seriously.  "Part of me must 
have.  You were hit on by my boss? That is so weird."  
   "Yep."
   "That cabdriver in Austin?" 
   A nod.
   "The cop we ran into the other night?"
   "Maybe a little."
   "The waiter last night?"
   Connor gave a slow, sexy smile, before shaking his 
head.
   "Nope, that was you, Kyle."
   "Me? He was trying to hit on me? He kept looking at 
you."
   "Checking out the competition," was his succinct 
answer, before he waved the waitress over.
   She came, quickly.
   "Do you have any nice salads?"
   "Absolutely," she sparkled.
   My friend and I would like one, please.  Kyle?" he 
cocked an eyebrow at the other man.
   "Some fries," Kyle added, not wanting to be health-
foodised by veggie boy.
   "Sure thing," she walked away, her motion 
distinctly lacking in the swing it had earlier.
   Kyle looked after her, puzzled.  "She knows you 
aren't going to bite.  How does she know that?"
   "She picked me," he responded.  "Easy signals, and 
she's a smart lady.  Pinned you by association," he 
smiled at Kyle.  "Sorry.  Didn't want any distractions."
   "You gave out signals that we were lovers to get rid 
of a waitress."  Kyle's voice was suddenly soft and 
dangerous.  "Do that often?"
   Connor suddenly looked guilty.  "Not often.  I'm 
sorry Kyle.  I figured you'd never know, and it made 
things easier."
   "When was the last time?"
   "I did it last night.  The waiter was going to try 
and get your number on the way out, so I staked a claim."
   "Really? Last night?" He suddenly sounded more 
interested than upset.  "How?"
   "It wasn't very subtle," Connor flushed pink.
   "Less than subtle, huh? You know you're blushing?"
   "Uh huh."
   "So what'd you do?"
   Connor went crimson.  "I waited until you were 
looking at your food and he was looking at your body, 
caught his eye, and mouthed 'mine'."  Connor paused.  
"He pouted at me.  Cute actually, maybe you would 
have wanted to give him your number.  If it was me..." 
 but Kyle interrupted.
   "Don't change the subject.  'Mine', huh? Pretty 
possessive buddy."  Kyle's eyes twinkled.  "You 
probably looked really stern, in that miffed little 
way you have.  How sweet."
   Connor looked at him angrily.  Kyle only smiled 
blithely.
   "Now I'm going to change the subject.  If it was 
you, what?"
   Connor smiled reluctantly.  "I'd have his number."
   "Oh, so you wanted him? For once, Kyle gets the 
cutie from the food industry, and Connor gets 
annoyed.  So you claimed me in a fit of jealously 
over the way men fall helplessly at my feet."
   "Don't get overconfident, Kyle."
   "Oh.  So you weren't jealous of my cartons of 
unconscious sex appeal? My charms and graces?"
   "No, Kyle," he was suddenly serious.  "I wasn't 
jealous of you."
   "Damn.  You weren't jealous at all?"
   In a fit of recklessness, Connor snagged a slice 
of avocado from the recently deposited salad, and 
said, "I didn't say I wasn't jealous.  I just wasn't 
jealous of you."
   "You were jealous of you, too? Odd."
   "Take me seriously please Kyle.  I'd like to 
resolve something here."
   "Okay.  You were jealous of the waiter.  Why?"
   Connor took a deep breath, before saying slowly, 
"He at least gets to try and seduce you, and I don't.  
Ever."
   Kyle looked at him for a long, long moment, before 
reaching across the table and picking up his hand.
   "You don't, huh?" he inquired gently.
   Connor shook his head miserably.  Kyle picked up 
his other hand.
   "Ever?"
   Connor shook his head again.
   "Even if I pout at you? You won't even think about 
it?"
   That brought the blond head up fast.
   "Don't mess with me, Kyle," he warned.
   "I wouldn't ever mess with a man with a bow.  But 
if you put it down, I might consider it."
   Connor's eyes narrowed at the genuine good humour 
in Kyle's.
   Finally, Kyle shrugged, and said, "Well, if you 
still won't try after a line like that, I guess I 
have to.  What's a cute superhero like you doing in 
a joint with an overly aggressive waitress?"
   "I suspect," Connor replied, "that I'm being 
laughed at by my friend."
   "Well, Donna always said there was only one good 
way to stop me laughing at her, but we've already 
established you aren't going to kiss me first."
   Connor's mouth dropped open.
   "Now that's a tempting sight," Kyle offered.
   Connor gaped some more.
   "Still no reaction?" Kyle sighed.  "And me giving 
you all these opportunities, too.  If you're this 
passive during sex I might go back to the 
restaurant and pick up that waiter."
   That got a reaction.  Pulling back from the kiss, 
Kyle said, "About time.  What kind of dense idiot 
are you anyway?" 
   Connor didn't answer.  He only raised a hand and 
said, "Check, please."  

FIN