Moon and Sun
Rating: PG
Pairing: Ariel (The Little Mermaid) & Kaldur'ahm/Aqualad (Young Justice)
Warnings: None.
Notes: written for the Young Justice meme on live journal.


-x-


From the age of eight to fifteen, contact with the princesses is standard—until his studies at the academy overwhelm him and Kaldur strays away from them.

He cuts his hair, wears royal colors and straightens his back habitually. Ariel takes it as an attempt to shake her off, to rid himself of her. It's nothing that hurts her too much—but she wonders how he could simply turn his back after so long. Did they not grow up together? Does he remember her? He has grown out of their small adventures. He looks for a place in this world—a world absent of her.

Ariel shuts her eyes and tries to forget. At twelve, she is still very venerable and impulsive. Being a loner should have been natural from the start, though she desires a partner in crime—someone who will accompany her in similar thoughts and listen to her dreams. She has sisters, though they do not understand.

She thought he did.

-x-

The King takes a liking to Kaldur—above the rest, it seems. Garth and Kaldur are the prized students for sorcery and combat; it is a well known fact by now. Sorcery does not completely interest him, but Ariel knows he would do it if it meant serving the King and Queen. He's been like that since the beginning—wishing nothing more than to stay by their side.

"One of them will surpass the King himself," her father murmurs one day, while she asks about the subject. "They will make Atlantis proud."

Despite herself, Ariel prays it will be Kaldur.

-x-

Enemies attack them often now. In recent years, Atlantis has been a target. The great empire can only go so long before others wish to overtake it.

Ocean Master.

It's a name she hears all the time, breathed in dark whispers and shaky tones. It strikes some fear through their beloved land. Ariel wonders when it will stop. It's not safe anywhere anymore.

She'll look above and think that maybe the surface is better than here.

-x-

He's defeated. The King manages to win with the aid of Garth and Kaldur. It's a surprising victory. Everyone had faith in their King, however these new heroes, young and unrefined, are the focus.

There will be a celebration for them in a couple of days and Triton's daughters will sing. Ariel rolls her eyes.

-x-

His heart skips a beat when their King pulls the both of them aside before the celebration, planting a hand on both their shoulders and stares hard.

He's offering a place at his side.

Kaldur hears Garth gasp but he's holding his breath, gaping back. A chance to fight beside the King? He's only fifteen, how could this be true?

When he spies Gath hesitate, Kaldur can't stop himself as he says, "I will."

And it's done. A new path is set before him.

-x-

Everything is full of joyful words and encouragement. Kaldur's smile never fades. He and Garth stand on his left side as the Queen is on his right, hand in hand. Decorations fill each room, every street. When someone grasps his attention, saluting respectfully, Kaldur feels admired, needed.

Tula kisses both their cheeks and when he blushes, Garth laughs. He is so unused to this—the way everyone's eyes are on him, the gratitude.

"We're heroes," Garth whispers into his ear before they sit down to the feast.

Kaldur sighs out and attempts to relax, head buzzing. "Heroes," he parrots, tasting the word on his tongue.

There are celebratory traditions, dancing and singing, speeches and gestures. Everything goes by so fast. Clapping along with the music and speaking with the important authority figures he's looked up to all his life. His mother kisses his brow and embraces him. "You will go further," she tells him and he tries to believe it because, well, this moment is a dream come true. He can go further.

Melodies strike a different tune and everyone turns to see Queen Mera's nieces take the stage. Instinctively, Kaldur's eyes search for Ariel and he realizes this with a furrowed brow. He's never been so partial before and he thinks maybe it's because he hasn't seen or heard from her in months. Or, perhaps, he's never noticed it until now.

Ariel is the favored one, the star and everyone knows it. Her voice is special and treasured, like she treasures the alien objects from the sunken ships. But she doesn't care much for the titles and love like he would. She's known for something she doesn't want and Kaldur suddenly sees the difference. And, wow, she's beautiful. It's the first time he's really acknowledged this but if he did not know her, he wouldn't have paid mind anyway. She's always been pretty, like her sisters and Tula but it's a different sort of beautiful and it calls to him as loud as the music that reaches his ears. And, maybe, he's always known that. She's always been beautiful, though he's never really thought about it that way before.

Their eyes meet as she sings and he freezes, breath caught in his throat. Childhood friend or not—there is a space between them and he will not close it. She will do it when she wants, like it always has been, no matter how much he wishes to reach out.

When she disappears off the stage, away from the crowd, he jumps to find her but Garth stops him. Like always, there's something stopping him.

-x-

A day later, the King informs him they will go above the surface often from now on. Kaldur's mind flashes to Ariel and how her eyes flickered to the ceiling of the ocean, hopes and dreams squashed by the prejudices of their people.

The practice of fellowship with the humans raises many controversial matters. Triton is strongly against anything relating to them; his wife had died in a boating accident and he has believed humans to be unfeeling. However, the King moves forward and chooses to seek out ties, even if his own doubts are voiced frequently. He gains the name Aquaman and his protégé is titled Aqualad.

They start in a week.

-x-

Leaving Atlantis is unexpectedly harder than he had first thought.

Family and friends, he will no longer see them. The realization strikes him and he pauses in his chambers. The room is for him in the palace, something like a privilege for serving so diligently at the King and Queen's side. Another dream accomplished. Or something like that.

There's a figure in his doorway and he's only half-surprised to see her there.

"They say you'll go away to see the humans."

Kaldur searches Ariel's face. There's nothing there but apathy and it's unsettling. This is what she's always wanted to do and now he gets the opportunity—not her. Knowing this all along, Kaldur feels the guilt twist inside his gut.

"I will."

It's quiet as her eyes flicker over his features and he already knows what she wants to ask. "Why can't—?"

"You know why," he cuts her off because Kaldur really doesn't want to hear it. In a way, it's like betrayal and, yeah, that hurts.

Something dark falls over her face. "Right. So I must accept it. Because they say I have to."

"Ariel, you never know if—"

Within a blink of an eye, she's in front of him, grasping his shoulders, body too close and he swallows. She stares at him, desperate and broken. "Kaldur'ahm, let me come with you. Just this once. I must see the surface. The humans, the things we've talked about—please, Kaldur'ahm. Let me follow you this time."

He wants to tell her she's tagged along since the beginning—she's been there with him. But not this time because this time it's simply not possible. There are no exceptions.

"I cannot."

Though she expected the answer, it comes from him like a blow and she withdraws from him right away, covering her face.

"There must be a way," Ariel looks back up at him, defiant. Heatedly, she shoves him, just like when they were younger. "You're lying. You just don't want me go with you. You always get your way!"

Kaldur stands limply as she pushes him into the wall, yelling all sorts of things, accusing him. He slides against it, falling to the ground and she falls with him. Grasping her wrist, he tugs to embrace her and almost instantly, she quiets.

"If there is a way, you will find it. I am sure of it."

"But you must help me," Ariel murmurs into his neck and he just holds her tighter.

The stay there, a heap of two broken children on the floor.

-x-

The day he departs, Garth and Tula are the first to say goodbye. His eyes scan the small crowd—only six sisters. They cry and hug him and he smiles as they tell him he must come back. Kaldur knows he will; it's only a little while he'll be gone.

And then he spies crimson behind the people and he waves. Those blue eyes don't even blink as he turns away and leaves with the King.

-x-

Ariel escapes to her trove, pretending he'll come get her later in the day.

-x-

It must have been a year or less before her mother had died when Ariel questioned why others had two feet and she had fins. Her father, who bore a long sea-blue tail, had once explained to his daughters he was once 'one of them'. The idea occurred to Ariel that perhaps she could change too.

He was in his study, going over so many papers like he always did (but now it's just worse, ever since Mother died), furrowed brow and eyes set on the characters below. Ariel swam into the room timidly, wringing her hands. Looking up, her father smiled and beckoned her near.

"What's this? Isn't it late?"

"Daddy," she whispered, embracing him. "Why don't you still have legs?"

Triton frowned some but the smile returned as he answered. "I had a choice to be with your mother forever—to be two of a kind, I suppose."

It wasn't enough for Ariel. "Can I have legs?"

"No," he said far too quickly. "No, Ariel. It's…a very complicated and harsh process,"—Ariel will later learn it deals with sorcery—"It's not for you," when she opens her mouth to protest, he places a finger on her lips. "Besides, merpeople are always at an advantage. It's better, trust me."

-x-

She doesn't believe it.

-x-

It's a couple weeks before he and the King return and he finds her there.

In the small light from the ceiling of the cavern, she basks in it. Sun, he decides. She just doesn't search for the sunlight, she is the sun. Of his world anyway.

-x-

"It was a shock," he tells her about the human world. "They walk on their two feet like we imagined but their customs are peculiar."

"Like what?" she goads, inching closer to him, eager as they sit on his bed.

He hesitates before answering. That guilt rises in his chest before he glances over her wide blue eyes, waiting for his response.

Kaldur smiles and she returns it as he tells her about fire and how it burns.

-x-

There's something he gives her the next day—some piece of jewelry he says humans wear often. It's like small, fickle chain, its silver bounds hold small, pretty objects. Ariel tries putting it in her hair at first until he explains. "A charm bracelet, I believe it is called," he recounts, not meeting her eyes, somewhat bashful and embarrassed. So it goes on her wrist but she takes it off and puts it in the trove, high up where it cannot be touched. That somehow means more to him.

Before the day is over, Ariel offers him one of her recent findings. "A Dinglehopper," she tells him firmly, placing the gift into his hands. Kaldur smiles and says thanks.

He doesn't really want to tell her it's called a fork.


-x-


I'll be away for awhile, but this story is something I look forward to continuing.