"Fish tacos again?! Speedy how many times do I have to tell you I can't eat fish tacos? I can't even bear to watch you guys eat them. I might've known those fish!" Aqua Lad yells distressed waving his arms for emphasis.
"But I was hungry," Speedy whines through half of a fish taco in his mouth.
"If you're that hungry why don't I make you dog or cat tacos then maybe you'll understand!" Aqua Lad shouts determined to get it through Speedy's thick skull this time.
"Yeah, yeah. If it bugs you that much why don't you go get the food for once?" Speedy inquires snidely.
"Ugh! That's not my point! Why can't you be considerate of my feelings for once?!" Aqua Lad fumes as he slaps a fish taco out of Speedy's hand angrily.
"Hey! That was a perfectly good fish taco! Now your fish friend died for nothing!" Speedy manages to finish before Aqua Lad lands a punch directly to Speedy's cheek and storms away.
"Hey! What was that for? Don't walk away from me! I'm talking to you!" Speedy gets up and follows Aqua Lad angrily a hand covering his cheek.
"God, can they be any more obvious?" Bumble Bee remarks to Mas and Menos the identical twins from Guatemala.
"Síseñorita. Ellos es muy tonto!" they chirp in unison.
"Aqua Lad please come back. I'm sorry ok?" Speedy tries to console Aqua Lad as he walks briskly down the hallway.
"That's all you ever say. You never do anything different," Aqua Lad mumbles bitterly training his eyes on the ground as he stops walking to avoid them coming in contact with the ones he loved so much. The ones as blue as the sea which lurked behind Speedy's mask.
"But if I suddenly did something different everyone would notice," Speedy points out the instinct that stood out most in his mind, to hide.
"So? What's wrong with that? They've probably already noticed anyway. You never think of anyone except yourself. Do you know how hard it is to try to keep this a secret? Do you know how much it hurts to sneak around all the time?" Aqua Lad asks softly as he holds himself facing away from Speedy a sudden chill to the air catching him off guard.
"Of course I do, but we can't do this any other way" Speedy tries to convince Aqua Lad.
"Why? Because your manly pride gets in the way? You need to face the facts Speedy. We both love each other. Why can't that be enough?" Aqua Lad whispers hurt as he walks away defeated leaving Speedy standing stunned his feet glued to the floor where he's standing, his hands hanging limply by his sides.
Bumble Bee and the twins snap their heads around when they hear the door to the kitchen/living room combo whoosh open to see a tired morose Speedy drop carelessly onto the couch a disbelieving expression stuck to his face. Mas and Menos look to Bumble Bee who makes a shooing motion with her hands. They speed out of the door in response. What's wrong with me? I have the person I love so close, but I can't seem to do anything but hurt him. He's right. Being together is all that should matter. So why am I so afraid? Speedy questions himself not even noticing Bumble Bee until she puts a hand on his shoulder.
"Bumble Bee?" Speedy looks up at her a conflicted expression overcoming the disbelieving one.
"Is everything alright with Aqua Lad?" Bumble Bee asks in a soothing tone as she sits beside him.
"I…I need to tell you something…" Speedy starts nervously.
"Yes?" Bumble Bee leads him along knowing what he'll say next.
"I've been seeing Aqua Lad in secret," Speedy confesses.
"I know hon. Its alright." Bumble Bee reassures him.
"Y-you knew?" Speedy asks shocked.
"Even Mas and Menos figured it out," Bumble Bee adds.
"How?" Speedy questions confused.
"You guys aren't exactly subtle," Bumble Bee replies with a smile. "Why don't you tell me what's wrong?"
"I keep hurting him. It doesn't matter what I do. I always end up hurting him," Speedy answers sadly looking down at his intertwined hands.
" Do you want to tell me what you were fighting about this time? I know it wasn't the fish tacos. He's never hit you before," Bumble Bee inquires gently.
"I didn't know at first either, but then he told me I don't care about anyone but myself and he wanted to tell you guys, but I was so afraid." Speedy finishes.
"Then you should go make up with him now that you know we already know. There's nothing to worry about," Bumble Bee suggests.
"But I'm just going to screw everything up again. I know I am," Speedy puts his head in his hands muffling his words.
"Here we have some seaweed salad. You know how much he loves that stuff. Take some to him and talk about how you really feel. Sometimes you need to use words more than actions alone," Bumble Bee flies into the kitchen and grabs some seaweed salad out of the fridge and hands it to Speedy. "It would probably make him feel better if you told him that you told us about the both of you too."
"Ok…" Speedy heads to the door the salad in his hands. He takes a deep breath and goes out into the hallway.
"Aqua Lad… can I come in?" Speedy calls through the door. He waits with no response. "Please. I need to talk to you… I told them about us… and the funny thing is they already knew. The whole time I worried about them finding out and they already know!"
Speedy jerks back as the door opens abruptly expecting Aqua Lad to be standing in the doorway, but the doorway was empty. Speedy walks over to the pool in the middle of Aqua Lads room.
"Aqua Lad?" He calls as Aqua Lad pops his head up out of the water.
"What?" Aqua Lad asks gruffly pouting.
"I wanted to apologize again. I've been treating you terribly and I'm sorry. I was just really scared, but I told Bumble Bee and guess what?" Speedy inquires.
"What?" Aqua Lad groans impatiently not amused with Speedy's beating around the bush.
"They already know about us!" Speedy bursts out amazed and excited.
"I already figured they did," Aqua Lad dismisses him as he starts to sink back under the water. "You were the only one who couldn't see that."
"Wait! Aqua Lad! I brought you something!" Speedy yells quickly before Aqua Lad submerges himself completely.
"Oh yeah? What? More fish tacos?" Aqua Lad asks bitterly causing Speedy to flinch.
"No. Better than that. Seaweed salad your favorite!" Speedy holds it out quickly.
"Don't want it," Aqua Lad says flatly turning his back to Speedy. Speedy grins as Aqua Lads stomach growls in protest making Aqua Lad blush heavily.
"I heard that. Come on. Just a little," Speedy pleads.
"Fine, but only because I'm hungry not because you brought it," Aqua Lad sniffs indignantly as he swims over to the side of the pool and grabs the bowl and fork from Speedy huffily.
"Can I talk to you Aqua Lad? Seriously?" Speedy asks in a pleading tone as he sits at the edge of the pool.
"I don't know can you? Cuz all you've told me so far is the same crap you always pacify me with," Aqua Lad retorts giving Speedy a doubtful look over his shoulder as he eats a fork full of seaweed salad.
"I can if you'll listen," Speedy answers looking down hurt.
"I don't really have a say in it. I always seem to give you another chance even when it's not in my best interest," Aqua Lad supplies venomously as he inspects his fork indifferently taking advantage of the situation to vent his anger.
"But I always come to you for those chances to make it up to you, because I couldn't leave you even if I tried," Speedy has a far away look in his eyes and Aqua Lad freezes his fork half way to his mouth.
"Ok. I'll stop hassling you. What did you want to say?" Aqua Lad concedes lowering his fork and turning to give Speedy his full attention as he sets the bowl of seaweed salad on the side of the pool.
"I love you Garth and I know that I've hurt you a lot, but please give me one last chance. If I blow it you can do what ever you want with me," Speedy wears his heart on his sleeves for Garth to inspect it.
"Say it again, Roy. Neither of us say it enough," Garth whispers sadly.
"Which part?" Roy asks so he can get it right on the first try.
"The beginning," Garth requests.
"I love you Garth," Roy repeats with a heartfelt tenderness to his voice that he reserved for Garth alone.
"Well since you've already blown it I guess I get to do what ever I want with you…" Garth raises his hands and shakes his head sighing "too bad for you Roy."
"Huh?" Roy blinks confused.
"Don't look at me those were your exact words," Garth grins a gleam in his pitch black eyes as he raises his arms to encircle Roy's neck before suddenly pulling him into the pool. Garth kisses Roy as they sink onto Garths bed at the bottom of the pool. Garth removes Roy's mask to reveal his clear blue eyes before he kisses Roy passionately giving Roy air with each kiss for him to breathe. Roy blushes at this his eyebrows raised in pleasure his eyes closed submitting himself to Garth as promised.
