When Worlds Collide [Marvel/DC] {on hiatus}

One

Hal glanced at the boy he'd carried all the way back to the infirmary. He looked so young, no more than eighteen. It twisted his stomach to see such a young boy so broken up and bruised. He was supposed to be a hero, how was he supposed to be a savior if he couldn't even stop things like this from happening to innocent people?

The boy gave a little huff, shifting slightly and going still again. The rapid movement of his eyes behind his closed eyelids signaled he was dreaming. Hal found himself with a sudden urge to know what he was dreaming and why.

Shaking his head, the man stood, walking towards the door. "I'm too young for this. I shouldn't be getting grey hairs over a child."

"Old." A voice corrected. "You're too old, not too young."

Hal rolled his eyes, glancing at the figure leaning against the wall. "Barry." He smiled softly. "Guessing you've got the kid next?"

"I'm not sure he's just a kid, Hal." Barry hummed in thought, glancing through the door at the sleeping figure. "I mean there's gotta be a reason he survived that fall."

The Green Lantern nodded, crossing his arms as he gazed at the boy with a new found interest. Barry was right, no human would have had a fall like that and lived to tell about it. Someone either wanted him alive or was trying to purposely get rid of him and failed.

Hal sighed, resisting the urge to gnaw on his bottom lip as he turned back towards Barry. "He's barely old enough to have had his first kiss, Barry, it's...sick."

"It's the world we live in. What did you expect?" the male shrugged his shoulders, sighing and stepping through the threshold of the door. "You're relieved of your duties." He smirked.

~~~

Two days later Hal was really contemplating just punching the kid in the face until he woke up...or eventually died of blood force trauma. Every single one of the other survivors had woken up, we're starting to one by one begin to heal and talk to each other and here was this twerp, still fast asleep like he hadn't been just thrown out of the sky. It was downright disrespectful and rude to keep a person on edge like this for so long. Hell, Hal had taken over people's spots of watch just to make sure the kid was still alive.

"Come on, kiddo." The lantern murmured. "I don't have the money to throw a funeral for your sorry butt. Get up."

Nothing.

"I'll get you a teddy bear."

Again nothing.

"Ice cream?"

He slumped back in the chair he was sitting in, letting his head fall back with a sigh. The steady whir of machines and the teen's heartbeat rang in his ears. The pattern became a dull thrum in the back of his brain as his eyes fell closed and days of watching over the newcomers caught up with him. Feeling himself begin to slip into unconsciousness was a comfort for once in quite a while.

That was until the steady thump of heartbeats picked up and skipped rapidly.

Hal sat up quickly, eyes snapping open to meet fluttering brown ones. "Wh-where...?" The boy croaked, voice hoarse from days of not speaking.

"Welcome to HQ kid."

"My name isn't kid. My name is Peter." The boy snapped, wincing as he finished and sat up slowly. "Headquarters of what exactly?"

Hal rolled his eyes, the snark levels that this kid possessed were already obvious and he had been up for what-- three seconds? "That, Peter, is classified."

The boy's brown eyes raked over the man's face before his brows furrowed in question. "I'm dreaming."

"Nope, pretty sure you're awake. I've watched you sleep the last three days."

"The Green Lantern watched me sleep..." He grinned widely, head falling back against the pillow. "No, I've gotta be dreaming."

Hal tilted his head, glancing at the strange boy in front of him. Then like a freight train it hit him, this kid knew who he was...this kid knew who he was unmasked and not outfitted to be exact. This kid not only survived a fall from the sky but he knew who Hal was.

He didn't have much time to process what he was doing before he had the kid on his feet, looking him dead center in the eyes. "Who are you?"

"Yo, bro, I thought we were chill. As soon as you let me go, we could go back to that." Hal rolled his eyes, arching a questioning brow at the guts he had. "No? Alright then. I told you, the name's Peter."

"No." Hal stated lowly. "Who are you and how do you know who I am?"

The boy arched a brow, letting a small smirk cross his lips before laughing. "I own every single one of your comics. Of course I know who you are. You're like one of my all time favorite superheroes...besides To-"

"Do you always talk this much?"

"Do you always ask stupid questions?"

"Touché."

The boy rolled his eyes, standing up straighter with a wince. "Look, we don't want any harm. We're just as confused as you all are about this whole situation."

Hal nodded slowly, letting go of the boy and patting his chest softly. "Get dressed."

"Where are you taking me?" Peter questioned. The failed attempt to hide the excitement in his voice had Hal biting back a smile and a laugh. "The Watchtower? I've always wanted to see that. Oh, or maybe to see the others? I've always wanted to meet Barry. Wait, if you're real that would mean they are t-"

Hal let out a groan, rubbing at his temples. "For the love of God, shut the hell up!" He rolled his eyes at the hurt expression on Peter's face. "I'm taking you to see Bruce."

"I hate that guy." Peter sighed, watching as Hal walked towards the door before following as quickly as he could without jostling himself too much.

"That makes two of us kid."