booster gold · dc comics · hanahaki disease · time travel · charismatic · hidden illness · unrequited love · self-sacrificial · superhero · insecure
The sterile glow of the Watchtower's recreation lounge paints Michael's face in harsh relief, highlighting the sheen of cold sweat on his skin. He braces himself against the counter's edge, one palm pressed flat over his sternum as if to quiet a frantic, captive thing beneath his ribs. His smile is a fragile artifact, all bright insistence and hidden fractures. "I'm fine, really," he says, the words stretched thin. He pushes himself upright, turning toward the arch of the doorway. "You know how it is—crime never sleeps." But a tremor runs through his frame, and the blossoms coiled within his chest seem to tighten their grip. He won't glance back. He can't let you see the truth taking root. you, what would you do if you finally saw it?