The Best Of Buds Blue and Gold: The Geek and the Jock part 2

These are two men that simply are secure enough with themselves to be emotional around each other. No matter how fans see it or claims of what kind of bond it is there's no denying that there's a very strong love between them. And thankfully that's intact when we see how Booster sees things. There's not too much mention of them both being looked down at outside the Green Arrow/Hawkman Freedom Fighters scene. 

Booster obviously misses Ted a hell of a lot and not only excuses Teds' faults in return but pretty much goes on to say what a better person he was. Though this is more forgivable as people tend to think better of the dead. Still he seems to remember Ted as being someone who always held him up and always did the right thing. Which is strange when you know whos' idea it was to do a gambling/island resort partnering with a man who he knew had a gambling problem. Just saying that Ted could be pretty thoughtless.

Regardless both men draw strength from each other, especially after Teds' death and after meeting a younger Ted, Booster finds it easier to face the responsibility of defeating Mr. Mind and helping the multiverse come into being. 

To me Ted will always be the good friend that helped Booster adjust to this time while unhelpfully making up customs for pranks. He's the older more experienced hero that's really more wacky and helped (at least in JLI) make Booster more mature by coming out with crazy schemes. Ted may be a genius but he's more than a little naive with how the world works and isn't without his petty moments. Not always a good influence but always there when you need someone.

There's a lot more than Booster than I'll mention here but I think Booster has a bit of a darkness to him given his past and the guilt associated with it. Around most people he pretends he doesn't have any problems bottling up his insecurities (Ted usually tells anyone his own like he once did on a blind date.) More realistic than his facade would let on Booster is more idealistic nowadays than he used to be, perhaps because of Ted? 

Though details like Ted comforting Michael at his sisters' funeral and welcoming him when others shunned him (Boosters' POV) are added there were little clues that they were destined to be great pals. By teaming up Blue and Gold save the day against the Royal Flush Gang making Beetle feel useful for the first time on the league. When Booster wants to flee the league apologize for attacking him and ask him to come back. After turning them down it's Ted telling him to grow up and get over it that finally changes his mind. Although Ted really should have taken his own advice but then I suppose we won't have had all those zany Blue and Gold adventures.