disclaimer: I don't own the canon, or the title used here.
author's note: rounding off the adventure with an unorignal OC, spin off of the 5and1 style.
summary: Conner and M'gann wear sly smiles/five dates, two lectures and one kiss/epilogue to 'between the great divide'/superboyxaqualadxhawks
.i.
(it had been his suggestion, a compromise to salvage conner's surprise date, to merely drop in and pay their respects to the League's New Year event and then depart – he had not expected to be invited)
"You look a little confused," a voice said. Conner had scowled, M'gann beamed at her. "Do you need help?"
"You made it!" the martian cried excitedly. "I'm so glad – Kaldur, this is Ellen. She's new in school."
The girl wears a crooked smile, and her boots are already slung over her shoulder.
"Hi," she says. "Lemme help you with your skates before you set something on fire."
"At least we'd be warm." Conner mutters.
The girl spends time instructing them on the basics – how to stop and turn and how to fall properly. The alien couple take off with a group of other students they know and Kaldur is still a little anxious with his footing. It is wrong to walk on water like this, and his gills are uncomfortable with this deep chill. Ellen wraps her scarf around his neck and prods him forward into the frozen rink.
"Let's go," she says. "Gotta keep moving."
(across the rink, Conner and M'gann wear sly smiles)
.ii.
Later, Kaldur is invited on another outing. Ellen is with them, and they are waiting in line at the theatre. The weather is still cold and Kaldur is sure to wrap his gills and his webbed fingers from view. M'gann is excited about the film, bouncing on her toes.
"What do you think Kal?" Conner asks, hands deep in his pockets. Kaldur has not read the book and he has not seen the advertisements and says so.
"I have the book at home," Ellen offers. "If you'd like to read it."
"I would like that." Kaldur says.
"Are we getting popcorn?" Conner asks when they get inside. It's quite a long line and he's not a fan of the treat himself, settling for a bottle of soda. M'gann has smuggled a bag of oreos in her bag. Kaldur eyes the popcorn, it is not something he has tried before but he does not want to inconvenience the others.
"We'll share," Ellen says firmly when he mentions this. "You buy the drinks."
Afterwards his fingers are stained with butter and they chatter excitedly their favorite scenes. The glitter-nailed girl beams up at him, tucks her arm through his as they wind through the frosty streets.
.iii.
They catch her again in the spring, her gaze held by a shop window. At her feet, a bag sits, filled to brim with books.
"Hello!" M'gann chirps. Ellen nods, her gaze locked on a collection of instruments. "We were going to try out that new drink place, did you want to come with us?" Her face twists into a frown.
"That's probably a good idea," she admits, tearing her gaze away. "I've already done enough shopping today." She reaches for her bag of books, but Kal is quicker and holds the heavy bag for her.
"What were you thinking of purchasing?" Kaldur asks as they sit around the table with their drinks. Conner is eyeing the dark spheres with suspicion, shaking the plastic cup around to better avoid them.
"I eyeing some of the new wares they had," Ellen explains. "Nothing in particular. They just don't usually have anything I need for my banjo."
"What's a banjo?"
Ellen wears a blush.
"It's... like a guitar. Mostly for playing folk music."
"You should hear her play, she's really good!" M'gann enthuses. Ellen focuses on her drink, Kal is fascinated. Atlantis is proud of their cultural arts and he has attended many different events to learn and enjoy from them; but this banjo sounds much different than what he has been exposed to.
"It's a family thing," she says with a flustered grin. "My grandfather and I used to play together."
.iv.
"What are you doing?'
"Feeding the ducks," she replies. Eyeing the water, she amends. "And the fish."
Kaldur has never heard of such a thing. Ellen holds out a piece of her bread and a smile.
"Want to help?"
.v.
"I don't think this is the kind of music we're using." M'gann says doubtfully, scrolling through the library on the computer. Conner is glued the television watching Fred Astaire spinning Ginger Rogers around the dance floor. Kaldur'ahm is flustered - dancing is pairs is something that only a matched pair does and this is very improper. But his friends need help preparing for the end-of-the-year dance (or is it 'prom', he wonders) and he had offered. Ellen adjusts his hands and leads him as she counts underneath her breath.
"I know it's not," Ellen replies. "But this is the music you properly dance with. If you can dance with these rhythms, then you can translate it to whatever is being played."
Kaldur focuses on her counting and their feet and tries not to pay any attention to her flushed cheeks and how she is pressed up against him.
.i.
Orin's gaze is calculating.
"She is worthy?" he asks, a frown on his face. Inter-racial relationships are often questionable (and just who is this strange girl anyway? he will have bruce investigate her family history) and Kaldur'ahm is as his own. Behind him, the Queen is beaming.
"I am not," Kaldur admits. "I have not told her anything."
"Then you should do so," his King advises. "You have followed tradition, I hope?"
Kaldur flushes. He has done so, following the proper courting protocol of his people - something that causes her no end of delight. To escort and provide are not as common to the surface-dwellers as it was years past, but it brings approval from her father and her mother is quite pleased with her daughter's honor.
"When," Mera asks, clasping their hands together. "When can we meet her?" She has waited too long for this happiness on their Kaldur's face.
"I do not know," Kaldur admits. "She is still frightened of the water. As a child she had a bad experience."
The King and Queen frown. A wife of Atlantis must respect the water, not fear it.
"But she has signed up for classes, and has asked for my assistance with this matter."
Their faces clear, pleased to see the virtue of courage within Kaldur's potential betrothed.
"At a later date, perhaps - when she has gained some confidence we could meet," Mera suggests. "Once you have bridged your world better."
(the, "or else" is quite clear and Kaldur knows better than to argue)
.ii.
The Thanagarians grin widely at him through the screen, their feathers puffed up with pride.
"Will she make a good mate then?" Shayara asks. Courting is serious to Atlantis, she knows, not as it is on Thanagar where one may have more than one partner (although this is complicated and usually used in politics) and one may invite a rival to a fight to the death. To a Thanagarian, a proper mate will bear your children, watch your back and will wear your earrings and colours. In Atlantis, a mate is a different matter - it is more drawn towards the balance of the home, the honesty of your words and the fealty you swear at the temple to honor another.
Kaldur thinks of the popcorn and the scarf, how her eyes linger on his neck and her hands wrap around his hand instead of intertwine. She knows and accommodates, aware of the complications he is hesitant to voice at this time (he speaks often the stories of his people and she is endlessly fascinated; he is worth waiting for).
"Yes." he says, with far more confidence than he had with his King.
"You will," Katar says firmly. "Buy her earrings first?"
(neither atlantis nor thanagar bother with rings - atlantis is a promise and thanagar an earring; this kaldur knows, is katar's way of recognizing him as a man)
"I will." Kaldur promises.
.i.
"It was a lovely ceremony." Ellen says. Kaldur nods in agreement - the bonding ceremony of the Martian culture was indeed beautiful and harmonious. M'gann had looked lovely in her natural skin and Conner had never looked so happy.
"Atlanteans do it differently," he notes. "We swear oaths at the temple. And in Thanagar, a mated pair exchange earrings and colours before becoming one nest."
"Interesting variations of one theme." she replies, turning to look up at him. Kaldur wears a lazy smile - both of them found the Martian wine a little more than they could handle - as she traces his lips with her finger.
(across the room, conner and m'gann wear a smug smile as kaldur claims his betrothed)
(orin and katar toast each other as their wives beam)