Kaldur put a smile on his face – forced, he knew, and he knew Tula could point that out too, just as his mother would if she was ever around and had raised him.
"He's alive, and fine. Retired as me", answered the atlantian.
"Oh, I'm glad", she smiled, but just a bit. She never forgot his words from those days when he had just joined the "sidekicks team" – saying that he was back to Atlantis to stay, for her.
And knowing Kaldur as she knew, Tula has almost sure he still had lingering feelings towards her. The way his clear blue eyes, almost gray, peered at her had the same enchanted impression.
An impression Garth did not convey often, even on their best days. Something she always liked on Kaldur: his quiet, charming way of feeling things around him, without losing control of his acts even in the most heated situations – be it on hard and insulting battles, be it on every visit he made to Atlantis after discovering she and his best friend were together.
If Tula was to be truly, deeply honest to herself, she would admit she thought way too many times how it would have been if she waited just a little more for Kaldur to visit, instead of settling for Garth.
Not that she did not love Garth. She did. She loved her Tempest with all of her atlantian heart.
But she actually had to learn how to love Garth. Kaldur'ahm, on the other hand…
"If I may, dear friend", Kaldur interrupted her thinking.
"Oh, don't be so formal", Tula asked. "You know you can be direct with me", and she smiled, a caring gesture.
Kaldur had to take time and suppress a sigh. Maybe his memories were a lot more faded than he remembered, as for that smile looked even better than the ones he recalled.
"If you say so", he nodded. "I think we should arrange you a room to rest, or at least have a real check up on your health".
"Oh, come on, Kaldur. I've been away way too many days. I'd rather cut my hair as soon as possible, as it's tickling my back a lot, and get updated on everything I've lost", she replied, fishing a giggle from Kaldur because of her hair complaints.
It was still sincere and rare, in that deep rasping tone. It sounded more mature now, however, more adult, even less care-free.
That made Tula suspect they were both way older than she thought.
"Kaldur, tell me: for how long were I… dead?", she asked, piercing his expression with her eyes. She wanted no lie, no deception.
He breathed deeply, something he always did when controlling his fears.
"Your holographic statue in the basement is aged in 8 years", he said, refusing himself to call her "dead".
Kaldur expected Tula to be panicked, at least. It was like losing a third of her age in a blink, and he was too used dealing with Arsenal not to contemplate the possibility of post-traumatic fears and consequences.
His red-headed love surprised him by scratching her head in a curious expression:
"Neptune's beard, that's a lot of years", she admitted. "It explains why you look so…", she stopped.
"So?", he insisted.
"…well, so mature and strong. You pass out the impression King Arthur always passed me now. Maybe you could rule Atlantis in an emergency", she answered, as sincere as she always was when complimenting.
Kaldur made a face at her explanation.
"I hope that never becomes true. I'm fine in my retirement", he admitted, brushing the back of his head with his hand. "Are you sure you do not wish to rest? It's completely understandable if you feel any counter effects of your awakening-"
"Kaldur, I told you, I feel fine", and she smiled again, to reassure him. "But I can't believe you're really retired. I want to know about that, and everything else that has happened, now", Tula reinforced.
"Alright, alright. Let's get out of here, give you something to drink and eat", he hushed her out of the flooded room.
"You'll have to tell me everything. Even the nasty bits", she insisted, walking out of the room.
Kaldur followed her steps with his own and his eyes – being sure she would not be startled because of some sudden weakness of sleepy muscles.
When he got out of the stash, however, the hall of the new headquarters was even more flooded – this time, with people.
"Tula!", Artemis cried first, running to embrace the atlantian. "It's real, it's real! Guys, come closer!"
Kaldur backed off the crowd of young heroes, both old, older and new, all there to salute Tula. Although still afraid, he knew they could care for her just as well as himself. And besides that, it could be therapeutical for Artemis getting in touch with the red-headed atlantian. He owed her that. Kaldur knew just how much the archer still missed her Kid Flash. Both acquired the same look in their eyes for all those years without their significant ones.
The male atlantian found Miss Martian's face in the crowd – mainly looking guilty. So probably she had spilled the beans. Kaldur smiled at her – maybe even giggled. It was such a M'gann move. And, anyway, the rest of the crew would probably be better at updating Tula, with all the details he could not recall alone, and faster.
And in the meantime, he could take a quick audience with his King. Her reappearance had something to do with him, Kaldur was sure.
Kon-El crossed ways with Kaldur, arriving from the section of the resident's private rooms.
"What's the mess?", he asked the atlantian.
"Tula's back, Superboy", Kaldur answered, smiling like a fool for being able to tell those words without lying.
The kriptonian took a glance at the another atlantian, watching as she smiled and hugged all those she fought for and cared about, conquering that part of her life back.
"She seems happy. Does she knows about Garth?"
Kaldur's smile disappeared.
"She had not queried me about this matter".
"But you know you're the one who has to tell. It would be wrong to let anyone else do it", Kon-El replied quickly.
Kaldur restarted walking to the zeta tube to Atlantis, trying to avoid that confrontation and that responsibility sitting on his shoulders.
"You of all people should be considerate of other people's love suffering. Think of how you would feel if you were in her shoes".
"I could never be in her shoes", Kaldur answered angrily. He hated how everyone on the team was acquainted with his feelings towards that specific atlantian.
"Perhaps not in the past. But Garth is marrying Lorena next week and we both know he already moved on", Kon-El remembered him. "If you really wish her all the best, you should tell and be there for her suffering and comforting".
Kaldur nodded, grunting in his head. It would be uncomfortable, yes, but Tula did not deserve to suffer alone as he did.
He was still his friend, he thought while the tube started to glow.
"If she asks, I'm in Atlantis", he asked Kon-El. "And I'll be back soon".
"Aqua Lad, 018", said the zeta tube, and he was gone.
Hey hey! Sorry for the delay! I've got two intense weeks of presenting seminaries at uni.
This chapter was written in a one sitting - so, errors or strange phrasing is quite expected. Point them out and I'll correct them.
Yes, Garth is marrying. Yes, it's the other Aquagirl. Yes - that means Tula is single. Mweheheheh~