Misconceptions & Laughs
Summary: Apparently, no one was informed some of the Team that you can NOT ride seahorses. Or that coral and seaweed isn't the only food sources in Atlantis.
Notes: Based off something my mom told me from her childhood, the fact that my Aqualad doesn't even chuckle in the show (that saddens me) and the overused trope that Atlanteans don't eat seafood. Yeah, I went there. Just something short, funny and overall random that I wanted to write.
Often times, things did get weirder than intended around the base.
But it's usually a great time for team bonding when they laugh over something someone did or said.
It's not a forced notion or planned.
It just comes.
Like now.
It's been three days since the last mission, and taking no chances, they took the time to just hang around the base. Whether it had been catching up on TV shows or finishing homework.
Or even just to enjoy the company of their teammates. Or ex-teammates in Roy's case.
Dick and Wally were settled on the couch, a documentary playing on the screen on the TV. Neither was paying attention to it, more focused on talking to each other. Conner, however, was watching it intensely. Kaldur wasn't paying attention to it, since he was absent out the room for the time being.
Raquel, Artemis and Zatanna was sitting at the table, conversing among themselves. Once in a while, the blonde would toss some popcorn at Wally. In turn, he would catch it and eat it with a grin, teasing her.
M'gann was in the kitchen, taking out a freshly done batch of brownies from the oven.
And yes, Wally was hella excited for them.
Roy had just arrived, two plastic bags in tow. He had sat them on the counter before taking a seat on a stool and scanning the area.
"Where's my pal, Kal?", he had questioned, leaning back on the counter after removing his sunglasses and pocketing them in his jacket.
"I'm gonna pretend you didn't just say that.", Artemis voiced with a sigh.
"Okay, then. Anyways, where is he?"
"Retreated to the shower. That is where I have been.", another masculine voice piped up. They spotted their now arriving teammate coming in through the kitchen. Kaldur was dressed in a loose black tee and mint green sweatpants. The still visible water droplets on his neck and arms shown that he did indeed took a shower. He strolled over to where Roy was, taking the vacant stool next to him. "Did I miss anything?"
"Not much. Just the usual Roy.", Wally teased. He did feel Roy's glare on the back of his head.
"And to think I brought lunch for you people."
"We love you, Roy.", Dick voiced, getting to his feet and heading to the counter. He peeked in one of the bags, gasping suddenly at the contents. He slapped Roy's shoulder, a frown on his face.
Roy jumped, wincing and rubbing his injury while glaring at Dick in confusion and surprise.
"What the fuck?!"
"I take it back! I don't love you! Roy Harper, how could you?!"
"What did he do?", M'gann questioned, tilting her head.
By now, the others gathered in the kitchen area to check out what the issue was. Kaldur wasn't paying mind to it, watching the TV from his seat.
Wally, Zatanna, Raquel and Artemis peeked in the bags, too. Just as Dick had done, they gasped, stepping away and staring at the redhead archer in disbelief.
"Dude! Really?!", Wally shouted.
"I thought you would know better.", Raquel voiced with a shake of her head.
"I don't see what the problem is."
They turned, seeing that Conner had taken out one of the containers, holding it open while he and M'gann stared at the food.
"Supey... he can't eat that.", Dick replied, giving a quick sympathetic glance at Kaldur before staring at Roy harshly. "And you should know! Kaldur can not eat that!"
Hearing his name, the Atlantean glanced at the others, curious.
"I cannot eat what?"
"This! Roy, get rid of it!", Zatanna demanded.
"Eh no! I don't think so, Miss Houdini. That costs a lot.", Roy defended.
Conner and M'gann watched as their little argument went on, sparing questioning glances at each other once or twice. No one noticed Kaldur slipping off his stool, grabbing one of the containers and opening it. He took out one of the lidded plates and a plastic fork, going back to his seat. He too watched the argument, realizing why the others were being a little hostile against his best friend.
Honestly, he was amused.
"Roy, you have betrayed us. You betrayed Kaldur.", Artemis sighed disappointingly, much like a mother would her child.
"I didn't do anything wrong."
"You brought sushi! Sushi! Fish! Kaldur can't-"
"Roy, thank you. You actually brought my favorite."
They stopped, turning to see Kaldur eating the sushi with no disgust. In fact, they were a little worried about seeing a smile on his face.
"You're welcome, Kal. Now please tell Junior Squad over here that you're fine with eating fish."
This time, they stared at Kaldur as if he grown two extra heads or turned into a girl. He swallowed his first bite, still smiling.
"I am fine eating fish."
"How was that a problem?", M'gann asked.
"Well... Kaldur... aren't...", Wally trailed, trying to digest his older friend's words. "Aren't you like half fish or something?"
"I have amphibian features. I'm not part fish. If I was, one of my parents would be a fish. Neither are, thank the gods because that would be wrong."
"But..."
"Yes, I literally do live with fishes and other aquatic creatures but that would not mean we do not eat them."
"Did you guys seriously think that Atlanteans don't eat fish? Fish eat other fish.", Conner pointed out, having been acknowledged on topics like this. "Cows, pigs and birds are living organisms but we still eat them."
There was silence for a while, only the sounds from the still documentary-showing television heard as they pondered over what they just been informed of.
"Shit. Makes sense now."
"How did I not think of that?!"
"Wally, even the smartest people can be stupid."
"Just saying, you kiddies been watching too much 'Little Mermaid'."
"Shut up, Roy."
It's been twenty minutes. Twenty minutes since the Team discovered that Kaldur wasn't repulsed at the idea of eating seafood. Admittedly, they left a little lost and stupid. Highly embarrassed, too.
For those twenty minutes, they were being laughed at.
Not by Roy. Not by Conner. Not even by M'gann, who did look close to giggling.
But by someone they didn't think was even capable of laughing. Smiling, maybe even a chuckle. Outright laughter? Pure, genuine laughter?
"I... I can't believe...! Haaa haa ha!"
Kaldur was not letting up. Merely after finishing his lunch, he had sat down on the couch, quiet. He was like that for a good two minutes before he started snickering. Then giggling.
Before they knew it, he was face down in a pillow, ha-ha-ing like crazy.
They would have felt angered, but they just couldn't. Not when that Kaldur's laughter was harmonious and just so pure. It wasn't too deep and it wasn't too high. It was at just the right octave, paired with the sparkles of joy. He sounded like a not so murderous angelic siren.
"Kalduuurrrrr...", Artemis whined, a pillow pressed against her chest.
"I would tell him to stop laughing, but that is beautiful.", Wally admitted. Besides him, Raquel nodded.
"Yup."
Kaldur exhaled then, sinking in the pillows of the sofa with a grin on his face.
"I'm so sorry. It's just... I was very amused by that misinformation.", he confessed, leaning on Roy's shoulder. The archer patted his back, chuckling a little.
"It was amusing. Especially since it was Kaldur who suggested I bring sushi."
"Aaannd I suddenly want to curl up in a corner.", Dick groaned, not feeling the aster.
"You good now, Kal?"
To Roy's question, the blonde nodded, still smiling.
"You guys should feel a little silly though.", Conner piped up, eyes glued to the screen of the TV and mouth full with sushi. "Wasn't this kind of stuff taught in middle school? The food chain stuff?"
"You generally don't try or want to remember that stuff.", Wally answered.
"Says the science geek.", Artemis taunted, a little relieved Kaldur stopped laughing, although once in a while he would let out a soft giggle.
"Shut it."
"Hee hee."
A good thirty-two minutes went by since that moment.
The Team sat in front of the TV, half paying to the movie playing. Mostly due to the talking they were doing.
Kaldur had finally calmed down, seemingly taking a nap, propped up on the arm of the sofa and a pillow pressed to his chest with his legs curled up. He was quiet, eyes closed and steadily breathing.
Once or twice Roy poked him and got no results.
"Hey, guys?", Wally suddenly called. His legs hanged over the arm of the chair he sat in. Dick sat on the floor, his back prssed against it.
"Yeah, KF?"
"Ever wonder if you could ride a seahorse? I mean, they got to be big enough to ride, right?"
That's when they realized that...
A) Kaldur was a damn light sleeper.
Or
B) He wasn't sleep at all.
He had started giggling again, his eyes squeezing close tighter as he pressed the pillow deeper in his chest. Soon, he was doubling on the sofa, laughing loudly again.
"Oh. My. Fu- Was he hit with some laughing gas or something?!", Roy asked, an eyebrow raised at the thought.
"I hope not.", Zatanna voiced, scooting a little from her floor seat away from Kaldur.
Surprisingly, he was able to quickly compose himself to speak.
"Wally, you cannot ride a seahorse.", he opposed. "In fact, the biggest a seahorse can be is about a little over a foot long."
It was silent once more.
Just dead silence.
"What. The. Hell?!", Artemis shouted in defeat.
Zatanna flopped down on the floor, Raquel started to giggle which added on Kaldur and Roy's laughter, Wally groaned and decided to just hang over the other arm of his chair, Dick was shaking his head disappointingly and Conner and M'gann just sat there, not sure what to say or do.
"Life is so unfair.", the speedster of them complained.
"Did you seriously think you can ride a seahorse?", Kaldur asked, breathless with chuckles. Notably, his eyes were a little teary.
"N-no!"
Kaldur stared at him, grinning.
"M-maybe! But look, I don't have interest in marine biology!"
"After today, I think we all might though.", Dick confessed. "Especially, if we want to stay in our A-game around him."
Kaldur laughed again.
"You troll. Stop laughing!", Roy demanded playfully.
"I can't help it! It's funny!"
"I just don't know whether to feel embarrassed or happy we managed to make him tickled.", Zatanna said.
"Happy. We should feel happy.", Raquel decided.
"Great! Not we should try going for getting Conner to wear lighter colors.", M'gann suggested.
Said half Kryptonian gasped, getting to his feet. "Like hell you will!"