by HarveyKent
Moments later, the trio were walking out of the mansion onto the hilltop. Wonder Woman held the Thunderhorn, determined to secrete it away on Paradise Island. She concentrated mentally, bringing the invisible jet to them.
Aphrodite turned to the Emerald Archer. “Green Arrow,” she said earnestly, “I came to this world to ask Diana about love, about what it really means. I have always bestowed it on others, but I have never felt it before. But now… Green Arrow, I love you! You are the most amazing champion I have ever seen! I love you!” Wonder Woman stared in slack-jawed amazement as Aphrodite flung her arms around Green Arrow’s neck.
The archer, too, goggled in amazement. “Oh, wow! Um, Aphrodite, I-I-I don’t know what to say! I mean, I’m flattered, of course, but… gee whiz, are you sure? I mean, a goddess like you, and a mortal like me–”
Aphrodite stiffened suddenly. “Excuse me?”
Green Arrow, not recovered from the first shock, grew all the more confused at the sudden coolness in the goddess’ voice. “I — I just said, a goddess like you and a mortal like me–”
“Mortal?” Aphrodite gasped, pushing away from the archer. “You’re a mortal?”
Green Arrow did not know how to answer that. “Well — yeah! I mean, what did you think?”
“What did I think?” Aphrodite repeated. “Your nigh-magical skill with the bow–! The way Diana addresses you as an equal! I-I naturally assumed you were a god! Or a demigod, at least!”
“Heck, no!” Green Arrow said. “I’m just an ordinary man! All of us Justice Leaguers are! Well, some less ordinary than others, but there are no gods among us!”
“Oh, Hades,” Aphrodite said, clearly embarrassed. “I-I’m sorry, Green Arrow. Really, I am. But you understand. I-I’m not looking for a seventy-year fling, here. I need something that lasts, you know? Commitment. I-I’m afraid you just can’t give me that. I’m sorry.” Aphrodite turned to Wonder Woman. “Diana, thank you for the adventure on Earth. It has been — most educational.” With that, Aphrodite turned her face to the sky and lifted up into the air, higher and higher, until she was gone in the clouds. Green Arrow watched her the whole way. He stood watching a long time after she was gone.
“Green Arrow…” Wonder Woman said, after giving him a few minutes.
“What just happened, here?” Green Arrow demanded, turning to Wonder Woman. “I mean, an honest-to-Zeus Greek goddess tells me she loves me, then blows me off because I’m a mortal! What the heck is that? Are all your friends that flighty, Princess?”
Wonder Woman smiled, knowing her friend was masking his true hurt. “Not all,” she said. “You’re all right, aren’t you, Green Arrow?”
“Ah, heck,” he said in a dismissive way. “I’m not much for blondes, anyway. Come on, Princess, let’s head to the Secret Sanctuary and record this in the archives.”
“Yes, let’s,” Wonder Woman said, throwing a friendly arm around Green Arrow’s shoulders. “While we’re there, we should go through the files on the world’s super-heroes to find prospective international members. I mean, we’re weeks behind.”
“Yeah, well, I think we’re wasting our time,” Green Arrow said as they walked to the invisible plane. “I mean, have you seen some of these guys? One guy calls himself B’wana Beast, I tell you!”
The End