Aqualad
"I cannot believe that M'gann did that." Kaldur whispered lowly to Cassie.
The latter paused to push some blonde hair back into her headbands control before continuing to apply stitches to a cut on Kaldur's arm. "I know; that was like totally out of character." She agreed.
Kaldur looked away from her earnest face for a moment. What had been out of character was the way Cassie had beaten him to the ground, such unlocked fury had been out of character for someone so happy go lucky.
"Kaldur, I am so sorry. For that whole thing back there with Circe."
He brushed it off. "It is fine. You were under the influence of Circe's illusion."
"That doesn't mean I have the right to try to beat you up."
He didn't say anything, just nudged her hands so she could finish the stiches and apply the bandage. "That was fun." He groaned as he stood and stretched his arms, wincing at the pain in his ribs. "Do you want to do something?" He blurted.
Cassie looked surprised. "Like work out? Because I'm exhausted, todays been rough."
"No, I don't think I can take another beating from you." Kaldur shook his head with a smile. "Like something that, I don't know… normal people do who don't live under the water."
Cassie smiled slightly and nodded. "After today, that sounds wonderful. Why don't we change?"
Kaldur smiled, going to change into some dark jeans and a gray sweater. When he found Cassie again, she was wearing a red sundress and gold sandals, her black headband still in place. "Where are we going?" He asked.
"I figured we could walk down the Harbor. I mean, I heard you like water or something." She giggled.
Kaldur laughed as well. "Yes or something."
He led her out to the beach, where the blue water lapped the nearly golden sand with a subtle roar of its barely contained fury. Kaldur allowed the water to lap against his feet. It reminded him of everything he had left, everything he had once had.
"You miss Tula, don't you?" Cassie was quiet next to him.
"More than I thought I would." He didn't look at her, he was almost too afraid to. He didn't want to hurt her, any more than he wanted Tula and Garth together. "I love her, even though she hurt me. I don't really know why, but I guess the heart works in ways people cannot understand."
Cassie's hair was picked up by the wind, blown into Kaldurs face. Wind was one thing they didn't have underwater. Currents, yes, but wind no. The currents were subtle usually, undercurrents that would seemed so benign until you swept you away. Perhaps that was how it was with Garth and Tula. They had always been close, but it wasn't until Kaldur had caught them in each other's arms when he realized how close they truly were. He stopped, grabbing Cassie's light colored wrist. She turned into him, looking up. The sun hit her face in just the right way, bouncing off her hair and settling like pools of fire in her deep eyes. Slowly, she leaned up and pressed her lips against his. For a second, he resisted, but the chills running down his spine made him lose control and he wrapped his arms around her waist. They parted for a second, and he looked into her eyes once more.
"Tula…" He whispered into her hair. He felt her tense before it clicked. She pulled away, stepping backwards, tripping over sand. "Cassie, I-"
She held up a hand. "Don't say anything. Please, just don't. I get it Kaldur, I really do."
There was a whoosh and she took off into the air. Kaldur just watched her go then sat down on the sand. He hadn't meant to her. Had Tula and Garth meant to hurt him? Love was a funny thing, and it was becoming more apparent over time that there was no room for it in a life like his. How could he balance being a hero with being someone's lover and confident? He couldn't. Not now. Cassie would understand. He did like her, but right now the other voices in his head were drowning out the way he felt.
Part of him wanted to crawl back to Atlantis, prove to everyone that he wasn't meant to be a leader. How could someone who didn't even know who they were lead a group of people when their lives were in the balance? Kaldur had grown up in Atlantis, being trained at the conservatory. He had no known family, no one but Garth, Aquaman and Tula. Now, Tula and Garth were out of his reach. Aquaman was there, but he was miles away under the sea, ruling a kingdom and far too busy to play therapist to Kaldur. He would have to make do, just like always.
