Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice or any of the Disney movies/songs that I reference.
A/N: This one is a request from Vanessa Masters, and I could learn to love and write the hell out of this pairing. Might write more later, but I have two more requests I must do, but for now, enjoy this one. I can't take credit for the nickname "Beta-ray" that was the lovely Vanessa Masters' idea, and I freakin' LOVE writing in Atlantean and Kryptonian, don't ask me why. Yeah, I went there and made a The Little Mermaid comparison, BUT I HAVE NO REGRETS! Anywho, on with the fic! Can anybody guess the movie the song is from? Hope you all enjoy!
Title: Storybook
Summary: Who says a Disney romance is over-rated?
Warnings: heavy yaoi, fluff
Xxx
I: The Start
It's stupid, really.
Or irony.
Or the universe being a complete and utter bitch.
Either/and/or, Conner knows he's screwed because as soon as La'gaan enters Mount Justice, his thin lips drawn up into a cocky smile, Conner thinks he's in love.
La'gaan is not like Kaldur. Kaldur had been bronze skin, shocking blonde hair and pale green eyes that could melt the coldest of hearts or arrest the most smug of villains. His hands—strong but deft—had been slightly calloused from his water-bearers, and his smile had been so contagious, he even got Conner to smile on several occasions.
La'gaan was none of those things. If anything, he was the direct opposite. He was nowhere near Kaldur. He doesn't look human—everything about him is fish. The skin on his arms, back, legs and on the upper half of his face feels rough, like hundreds of scales layered together. However, the white part of his flesh felt smooth—a little damp, but smooth nonetheless.
(Sometimes, when Conner finds himself staring, he wonders if La'gaan's hidden crotch is white or green, and he wonders if it's soft or rough. Maybe both, but when La'gaan locks eyes with him, he jerks his eyes away.)
La'gaan has tattoos like Kaldur, but he can't summon water and turn them into swords or summon electricity; he can't make water into a tornado or summon floods whenever he calls out to the sea with his magic. Instead, he grows—a great bulging being with tiny legs and an upper body that could rival Conner's strength if he really put his mind to it.
(And Conner wonders about these times, too because when La'gaan isn't a giant pufferfish waddling around on two tiny legs, he's not that built. He's muscular like Conner, but leaner. Most of the muscles are in his arms, shoulders, chest and back. However, the muscles on his thighs are lean from a lifetime in the water, and sometimes, Conner wants to bite and suck at them.)
To top it all off, La'gaan isn't even close to having Kaldur's saint-like patience. Where Kaldur had been level-headed and smooth, gently calming Conner's temper with a soothing voice, La'gaan challenged him, and Conner accepted each and every one. Kaldur had been the voice of reason, but La'gaan was hot-headed, eager to prove himself to Conner and the others.
(And when Conner flips La'gaan onto his back and pins him down with his hips, Conner can smell the ocean on his skin and see the salt clinging to the soft and rough flesh. Conner wants to lick him clean, but moves away and heads into the showers.)
II: Moments Missed
Conner has little regrets.
He didn't regret any decision he made on missions; he didn't regret training with Superman, even when he returned to the Mount aching and sore, his ears bleeding from exposure to sonic waves; he didn't regret ending his relationship with M'gann even when she had cried and asked for forgiveness; he didn't regret his temper, his genetics or his fathers.
However, when he finds La'gaan in the showers—naked and wet and smelling of salt, wet sand and the sea, he regrets looking away.
(In the humid darkness of his room, Conner dreams of La'gaan, spread out on his back naked and glistening with sweat, hot breath leaking past his lips as Conner engulfs him, and he's pleased at the taste of La'gaan's aching cock—white and soft yet hard in his mouth; La'gaan talks in Atlantean, a beautiful and poetic language that Conner has missed, and Conner is almost startled when he realized that La'gaan speaks like M'gaan, even though the words are foreign to him—soft but warm and full of nothing but devotion.)
III: Disney Magic
It's a strange situation, but they bond nonetheless over it.
A movie plays across the screen, something with singing crabs, a girl that's part fish and a handsome prince with the personality of a rock. However, when Conner goes to change it, La'gaan grasps his wrists (and Conner almost shudders when the webbing between La'gaans' fingers rubs against his wrists like the softest silk) and softly asks him not to turn it.
So with mild reluctance on Conner's part, the two watch what Conner had heard humans refer to as "the wonderful works of Disney" or something of that nature.
And it's not a bad movie—certainly not the worst Conner has seen. The music was decent, the plot was based on actual fairytale (though Conner was pretty certain there was a suicide and the cutting out of a tongue in a different version), and the ending was sweet to say the least.
And after the credits roll, Conner looks over to see La'gaan with his elbows in his (lean) thighs and his eyes intent on the credits.
After a beat, La'gann speaks:
"It's sweet, isn't it?"
Conner startles and raises an eyebrow.
"It is sweet how, even though she was a mermaid and he was a human, they still managed to get their happy-ending. Everyone deserves a happy-ending."
"You think so?"
La'gann adamantly nods and turns to look at Conner.
"When you were with M'gann, did you feel like you had a happy-ending?"
(Conner is startled by the shade of La'gaan's eyes. Underneath the bright lights, they are the color of holly berries, of the sun sinking over the horizon at sun. Conner wonders what they would in the darkness: if they would be the color of cherries and strawberries, of deep river mud.)
La'gann blinks, and even though he has no eyelashes that Conner can see, the pale flesh of his eyelids trembling as he slowly blinks, and Conner wants to kiss them. After a minute of debating, Conner decides not to lie:
"She was my happy-ending."
Conner smiled, and there was no hint of smugness in it.
"I'm jealous."
"Don't be."
"Why?"
"Turns out she wasn't the princess, after all."
"Then what was she?"
"The wicked witch."
IV: A Waltz to Start it All
The first time they kiss, it's an accident.
Okay, so that's a lie.
It wasn't planned on Conner's part, but there's no way it was an accident. It was almost too perfect on how it planned out.
It involved an under-cover mission (and Conner starts to think that these are Batman's favorite kind of mission). Conner along with Dick, Cassie, Wally and Barbara had to go under-cover as wealthy socialites and gather information on a potential exchange of a new date-rape drug. It sounded simple at first. . . until Batman decided to be a complete douche and add in that it was a ball at the last freakin' minute.
"It is not going to be that bad, my friend." La'gann laughs a little as he watches Conner fidget with his cufflink.
"Yes, it is."
"You don't know that."
"I'm Superman's son, and sadly, I've inherited his two left feet. I can't dance."
"It's easy."
"Says you."
"Would you like me to help you?"
"If you think you can save me, I give you full access to my person."
La'gann chucked and walked over to the computer and searched through the data base until he found a song. He gave a definite nod of his head and pressed play. The music that filled the room had the steady beat of a waltz, a light flute playing in the background accompanied with violins. La'gann strode up to Conner and bowed at the waist; Conner mimed the action, and La'gaan took Kaldur's right hand in his own and placed the other one around the waist.
"Follow me."
A man with a deep voice that was lilted with the slight purr of an accent started to sing:
It's one, two, three and suddenly, I see it at a glance.
She's radiant, and confident and born to take this chance.
I taught her well; I planned it all.
I just forgot romance.
Vlad, how could you do this?
How will we get through this?
I never should have let them dance.
And Conner thinks the universe is out to get him because as he and La'gann spin across the floor, and as the music slowly fades away, La'gaan's eyes are bright with childish mischief, and his smile is soft and not at all joking, and Conner thinks this smile is much prettier than M'gann's because M'gann has always been so open and honest that it even infected her smile, but La'gaan's smile—this one and true smile—had been revealed to Conner and Conner alone, and for a moment, Conner actually thinks La'gann is beautiful. Not Disney princess beautiful; not Artemis or M'gann or Barbara beautiful; not Kaldur's beauty or Garth's or Tula's; not Dick beautiful or Wally, but beautiful that is totally his own.
Conner leans in and kisses him, and he doesn't let go until La'gann squeezes his arms and says against Conner's lips that he needs to breathe.
V: Relationship Rules
Conner approaches the relationship the way same he had approached his relationship with M'gann—with a shyness that irks him to no end and with an over-protectiveness that drove M'gann and his teammates insane.
However, La'gann is different.
Maybe it's an Atlantean thing, but La'gann doesn't seem to mind the over-protectiveness or the shyness or the never-ending kisses. In fact, he seems to enjoy it. When they sit together on the couch, he curls against Conner and doesn't squirm away when Conner wraps his arm around his waist. He doesn't mind when Conner kisses him in front of the group and yanks him away from the group when Conner's jealous shoots through the roof, and he really doesn't seem to mind all the heavy-petting and kissing and tongue and bite marks.
And Conner wants to ask him why, but when La'gaan's tongue is working at his nipples through the fabric of his shirt—his sharp teeth nipping at the skin in just the right way—he can't really think. When his head finally manages to clear, as soon as he opens his mouth to form the words, all that comes out is a soft moan because La'gaan is rubbing own hard cock against Conner's through his jeans, and his tongue is working at Conner's throat, memorizing the pathway of the veins and tasting Conner's flesh.
When La'gaan stops rubbing and tasting, Conner finally thinks he has a chance, but then La'gaan is reaching between their bodies and squeezing at Conner's hard dick, and Conner's eyes roll up into his head and the question escapes his mind.
VI: Nicknames
Conner has never been one for nicknames. Even in his relationship with M'gann, Conner hadn't really given her a nickname. However, when La'gann starts calling him Beta-ray almost two months into their relationship, he doesn't really mind so he tries to think of a nickname.
When they're lying on the bed together, bodies cooling and sticky with sweat and come, La'gann cups Conner's cheek and turns so that they're facing each other.
"What's wrong, Beta-ray?"
Conner sighed in frustration and flipped over onto his stomach. La'gann straddled him and gently worked at the muscles in his shoulders.
"I can't think."
"Think of what?"
"Of a nickname for you."
"I don't need a nickname, Beta-ray."
"But you have one for me."
"Yes, but it is not necessary for our relationship."
"Why do you call me 'Beta-ray'?"
La'gaan smiled and placed a kiss on Conner's shoulder, gently nipping at the skin.
"The 'beta' part comes from how you see yourself—second to Superman, even though I think you're far above him." La'gaan smiled against Conner's skin. "And the 'ray' because I see you as a stingray—quiet, a little shy, but you have a powerful sting that will ward off any enemy and protect those you love."
La'gaan lays himself over Conner, like he's shielding him from something.
"Makaera lovasha yun, Beta-ray."
Conner turned to look over his shoulder and kisses La'gann on the corner of his mouth:
"Moet lavain tet, moetros losara."
La'gaan blinks his large eyes and then a small smile works its way onto his lips.
"What did you call me?"
"My moon."
La'gaan laughs and gently hits Conner on the shoulder.
"Why moon?"
Conner smiled at him:
"Because there are times when you hide the fact that you are beautiful behind darkness, and when you let your light shine, it reflects on everything, and it is the most beautiful light in the world—not blinding like the sun or faint like the stars, but strong and soft yet luminous."
La'gaan kissed Conner on the cheek.
"Who knew you were such a poet."
"It's one of my many hidden talents."
VII: Reality's a Bitch.. . .
Conner sometimes wishes that life was more like the Disney movies.
When his teammates are in the hospital wing recovering from injuries; when La'gaan bleeds out of his nose because he's dehydrated and has worked himself to the breaking point; when M'gann brain zaps one of the "bad guys" and their left a drooling mass of flesh; when he feels the limitations of his powers and realizes that he can't reach Superman no matter how hard he jumps; when he feels La'gaan shuddering against him as he tries not to cry because the pain in his limbs is just too great.
Yeah, there are times when Conner wishes life was like those Disney movies and everybody gets their happily-ever-after, but then again, Conner thinks that would be boring.
VIII: . . . But That's What Makes Life Worth Living
When Mount Justice is quiet, and it's just La'gaan and him alone in the living room, Conner likes to take advantage of an opportunity that's practically singing at him to take it.
La'gaan has taken to dressing one of Conner's old t-shirts and nothing else when he sleeps, the black material only slightly too big for his frame. Conner walks up behind him and wraps his arms around La'gaan's waist, one hand slipping down into the darkness between La'gaan's legs. La'gaan hisses as Conner presses a knuckle against La'gaans' scrotum and rubs.
"Spin me around," La'gann whispers, "I want to face you."
In a matter of moments, La'gaan is up on the counter with his legs spread and Conner is freeing his cock from the confines of his jeans. He gently pumps himself and groans as La'gaan slips two fingers inside himself.
"Stretch yourself for me."
"You're so big, so hard." La'gaan moans and falls back against the counter, his cock hard and leaking.
"Don't come yet; I wanna be inside you."
"Hurry."
Conner aligns himself with La'gaan's entrance and gently pushes in. La'gaan moans and arches, his hands gripping at Conner's back. Conner grunts and begins his speedy thrusts, his hips slapping against La'gaans' thighs and ass.
"F-fuck!" La'gaan pants, and Conner kisses him to swallow the groans and moans that increase in volume.
The counter is actually creaking in protest, and Conner fears it might break, but he can feel his balls tightening, and he pulls away and growls as he feels his orgasm pulse through him. La'gaan shouts something in Atlantean and his own seed is sprayed onto Conner's chest. Conner continues to thrust until he feels his penis slacken.
The silence that follows isn't uncomfortable, and then, La'gaan kisses Conner's ears and neck, and Conner can feel himself getting hard again.
"Before we go again," La'gaan pants, "we might wanna clean the counter off or Dick's going to kill us both."