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Summary: between the great divide there is an understanding/a hawksxsuperboyxaqualad drabble
He cannot help but watch them, mesmerized. The Thanagarians move gracefully, be it on the ground or on air. They're mouths are always moving – lips pressed firmly together, a twitch of a smile, a wide grin or snarl – while their eyes were always masked, their mouths were expressive to compensate.
He wants to run his fingers through their feathers, to feel if they are soft or merely smooth to the touch. But he won't though, their wings are wide and strong (he's seen them withstand typhoon winds and shatter glass) they are also expressive but nobody touches them. He won't dare to stand close enough to catch a glimpse, the Nth metal frightens him.
But he is a child of water, Kaldur'ahm knows. The secrets of air are not for him to know.
But Kaldur'ahm wishes for that freedom, to be able to escape from the crushing weight of the responsibility he bears. Not even the water frees him, for even then he is grounded in the right sense of home, here is Atlantis and my life-that-should-be which is not much different than what he bears when he walks away from the shore to home, here is the Mountain and my life-that-is-now. He wishes for that strength, to be able to say that what say what he say what he feels. To be able to pass judgement without reservation.
It is with regret that he tears his eyes away from the great Thanagarians and focuses on Conner's growing rage at the indifference at his 'father'. Superman is holding a small council at the Mountain, and while the others are welcomed with their mentors and are able to contribute to the conversation, Conner is left alone. Black Canary is not here, detained on another matter.
Finally, the Thanagarians look up and their eyes canvas the room. They see him trying to console the lost hybrid, and their mouths turn into an angry frown. The male turns away from Superman and inquires of Batman. Beside him, the female Thanagarian barks sharply at Conner, challenging him to contribute. Kaldur gently prods him forward, whispering encouragements into his ear. Kaldur'ahm is not made to be abrasive and sharp but at the scent of a challenge Conner either flees or digs his toes in.
Here, between his gentle support and their hard questions, Conner straightens his shoulders and and speaks for himself, for the team.
(in the corridor he'd overheard the two warriors say that back home they would have challenged and ripped superman apart for failing to provide and protect the nest; their feathers had been ruffled and their frowns tightly worn)
(in atlantis superman would have been brought forth and publicly shamed for abandoning the home and cast out)
(perhaps air and sea are not quite so different)