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Title: Wonder Woman & Aquaman: Of Two Worlds

Fandom: DC Comics / Arrowverse

Disclaimer: All rights concerning the show reserved to Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim, all rights for the comics reserved to DC. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Tags: found family, friendship, fluff

Main Pairing: Diana & Arthur

Side Pairings: Arthur/Laurel, Thomas/Atlanna

DC Characters: Diana Prince, Arthur Curry, Hippolyta, Atlanna, Thomas Curry, Laurel Lance

Summary: The first 'man' Diana ever meets is a little boy – Prince Arthur, when Queen Atlanna of Atlantis comes to Themyscira on official business. Over the next decade, the two grow close as family and every time Arthur talks of man's world, Diana's yearning for it grows.

Wonder Woman & Aquaman

Of Two Worlds

Arthur Curry was a happy child. He loved the sea and got to grow up with it right in front of his door and for a little boy, a lighthouse sure was its own adventure. Not to mention his loving parents. Thomas ran the lighthouse and he also regularly went out to sea with Arthur, teaching him how to maintain and steer a boat. There was nothing Arthur loved more than going out to sea.

And when he was five years old, his mother took him out into the sea in a way he had never imagined. Well, he had imagined it before, because he was an imaginative child and he loved The Little Mermaid. Finally, for the first time, his parents' whispers and his mother's long-lasting absences started to make sense. His mom wasn't just some nice, normal lady – she was the queen of Atlantis. And he... he was the prince. He had a brother, one less lucky than him for his father was dead while Arthur had the best dad in the world. While Art and Orm didn't exactly warm up to each other much, Arthur fully embraced the training and the world he was now a part of.

/1993\

The first time Diana met a man was the day Queen Atlanna of Atlantis brought her son with her on a diplomatic mission. For a few moments, Diana was simply thrown and stared at him. There was not too much difference to spot, in her opinion; his skin was a few shades darker than hers, his hair fell in thick waves over his shoulders and his dark eyes held mischief and wonder as he looked around before spotting her and noticing that she was watching him.

"No man may enter Themyscira," noted Diana confused.

"Ah," he started, wiggling his nose with an air of authority as though he was about to share great wisdom with her, "but you see, I am no man. Not yet anyway. I'm a boy."

Her lips quirked as she saw the truth behind the technicality. He was a boy, yes, but first and foremost – he was a child. And while Queen Hippolyta loved Diana fiercely and dearly, she had grown up into a woman many centuries ago, yet the queen's heart remained filled with love toward children. The boy was surely not even ten years old yet and he brought with him the typical quality of children that endeared adults to them.

"Well then, boy, let me welcome you to Themyscira. I am princess Diana."

"I'm Prince Arthur of Atlantis, thank you for your hospital," was Arthur's reply.

"Hospitality, Art," corrected Atlanna fondly as the two queens approached. "I apologize, but when I told Arthur where I was going, he... begged me until I agreed to try and take him along. I had hoped you could show him the city while I speak to your mother, Diana? If it is not too much trouble."

Diana was quite fond of Queen Atlanna, she remembered the woman not much older than her son was now, a young and wide-eyed princess who thought an island with only girls was the best thing she had ever seen, because 'boys were stupid'. Alas, that princess had grown up and become a queen in her own right, unable to even consider the possibility of becoming an amazon, because her own people needed her. And a fine queen she had become, if Diana was to judge.

"I... do not mind. I'm sure your son has many interesting tales to tell," Diana agreed.

Smiling at the child, she offered a hand. He offered the broadest grin, showing off a toothgap. Themyscira didn't have children. Diana had been the last child of Themyscira. Yet she had seen children before – like princess Atlanna in her own past, sometimes the huntresses of Lady Artemis stopped by and while the majority of them were in their twenties, there were a couple teenagers and even preteens among the huntresses. They came to Themyscira to rest and recharge, to share tales of the outside world or to get advise. Granted, the immortal children of the hunt were something else entirely than a human child, with the mentality of a child.

Arthur was excitable and his eyes were filled with wonder as Diana showed him around the island – everything looked like a treasure or an adventure to him. He asked her a hundred questions, about the buildings and what was in them, about the art and the statues, who they were and what they stood for. Some of the other Amazons watched them warily, others were charmed by the child too.

And while Diana told him heroic stories of the Amazons – stories she herself had only heard, because she had never left Themyscira before – Arthur told her amazing tales of Maine. It was where he was from, where he lived in a lighthouse with his father. Tales of the modern human world, of wondrous things Diana had never heard before. Arthur was seven and a half, which was very important to him, and he loved school, more or less. And he definitely did love his dad.

"Arthur, come. It's time to go," Queen Atlanna called out.

Arthur wiggled his nose, this time clearly displeased, a pout on his face. He was looking at Diana, as though he wanted to protest. As though he wanted to hear more. Diana could only return the sentiment. She smiled and went into her knees, resting a hand on his hair.

"Well, you are a boy. And you will be a boy for quite a while longer. Our mothers are meeting every year. You could come back next year and we can talk more, mh?"

At that suggestion, Arthur perked up brightly, nodding his head wildly. "Yeah! Yeah, I wanna come back and see you again, cuz!"

"Cuz?" Diana echoed curiously, tilting her head.

"Uhu. We're like practically cousins! My ma says her great-great-something, the first king of Atlantis, was a son of Poseidon. And your ma is a daughter of Ares, who's the son of Zeus. And Zeus and Poseidon are brothers! So we're basically cousins!" Arthur declared with a smile.

That put a smile on Diana's lips too. "Yes, little cousin. Let's meet again next year."

She opened her arms for him and he jumped into them, hugging her.

/1995\

"I bought you a present, cuz!"

At ten years old, Arthur had grown quite a bit since Diana had first met him. When he smiled at her now, his pearly white teeth were a complete set once more, the toothgap having been gone last year already. He was holding a box, looking very proud. She gladly accepted the box, turning it over and looking at it. There was a doll inside, of a woman in warrior clothes, with long, dark hair. The text on the box said XENA. Carefully did Diana remove the doll and look at it.

"This is a marvelous doll. It's so detailed! The face! And the clothes!"

Arthur was actually bouncing on the balls of his feet at that, very pleased that she liked it. "That's Xena the Warrior Princess. She is the hero of my favorite show! She reminds me of you. But since you don't have television on the island, I really wanted to show her to you, so when I saw the doll, I thought I had to buy it for you. Well, pa bought it."

With a kind smile did she reach out to pat his hair. "That is very thoughtful of you, Art. Thank you."

"Who are you going to tell me about today?" Arthur asked eagerly.

The two walked side by side toward the cliff that oversaw the city. They sat down, watching how the birds flew around and some of the Amazons trained together. Exchanging stories was theirs. Yes, there were teachers at the palace who taught Arthur about the old stories, the old heroes, but he thought his cousin told the stories way better than his teachers did.

"I could tell you about Perseus, if you like. But first, tell me about your dad."

He laughed, kicking his feet back and forth, his eyes on the horizon. The nice thing about Diana was that she always also asked questions herself. She didn't treat Arthur like he was a pesky child, she treated him like an equal – or close to. She never talked down on him, she turned everything into a dialogue, as inquisitive as him. Arthur loved spending time with her. He knew it wouldn't last forever, he knew he wouldn't always be allowed back here, but he cherished the time he had.

/2000\

"You can't become an Amazon, Arthur."

There was amusement sparkling in Atlanna's eyes. She sat in the kitchen, resting her head on her hand. Thomas stood at the stove, making stew for them. He was humming to himself, not commenting on what his wife and son were talking about. After all, they had had that conversation often in the past years. With every year, Arthur grew more obsessed with the Amazons – he loved Themyscira, above all else he loved his cousin Diana, as he called the princess. Atlanna was impressed by his 'diplomatic skills', if one could call them that. He sure knew how to charm people, that much was for sure. And the court approved too; good relations to the Amazons were incredibly important. If danger were to threaten Atlantis, Themyscira would have their back. With his friendship with Princess Diana, Arthur was establishing a new generation of good relations.

"Ma, I know that!" Arthur huffed, crossing his arms over his new, bronze chest-plate. "I didn't mean that I want to be an Amazon. I'm not a child anymore, I know that's not possible. I'm saying I want adventures with the Amazons – with Di! I want to be a hero, like in the tales, and I want to fight side by side with Di. I mean, look at the cool armor she made me. Look at it."

Personally, Atlanna thought that the nearly orange quality of the bronze clashed horribly with the green leather of his pants, but green was his favorite color and Diana had gotten this made for him, so of course did he love it. As she heaved a sigh, Thomas rested a heavy hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to look up at him, into his kind, warm eyes. They both knew their son had been set out on this path for years now, too enchanted by the world of the Amazons. Well, no, not just the world of the Amazons. Ever since Atlanna had first taken him down to Atlantis with her, shown her this other world he was a part of, he had been enraptured. It was just all very royal and stale, even the magical tales of the past. Diana though, the warriors of Themyscira, they showed him just how alive the adventure of their world was. Arthur had this fantasy world inside his head, where the glorious days of the past felt very much alive, the tales of the great heroes of the past. Atlanna knew those were long gone, there were no monsters to slay and demons to battle. The gods were no longer in need of champions to fight for them as they used to, back when Poseidon's son had first climbed the throne of Atlantis, when Hippolyta had climbed the throne of Themyscira.

"Art, love," Atlanna started, though she wavered when Thomas squeezed her shoulder.

He shook his head a little. Mh, maybe it was alright to let the boy dream a little longer. Of a new age of heroes. Atlanna smiled to herself as she watched Arthur show off his new armor.

/2003\

"Diana," Hippolyta stopped her daughter just before she could leave the palace.

With furrowed brows did Diana pause and turn toward her mother. "What is it?"

The look on Hippolyta's face was solemn. Had something happened? Was there an actual reason Atlanna and Arthur were going to come this year? Was there a war...?

"Arthur has become a strong, young man," Hippolyta stated as she led the way.

"He has," Diana agreed with a proud look on her face. "I have prepared a routine to go through with him today. New techniques I wish to teach him. He's become a formidable fighter."

"You are not hearing me, Diana, " Hippolyta sighed softly. "He is a young man now. He is seventeen. This is going to be the last year he can accompany Atlanna. The other Amazons have grown more agitated by his visits with every year since he has hit puberty. Some since the first time he came here. And I pushed back. But come next year, he will be an adult according to his own world and... he will be a man, Diana."

Diana's eyes filled with sadness as she stared at her mother. Deep down, she had been aware of this, but she kept ignoring it. Time was so fleeting for mortals. She blinked away tears.

"I... wanted you to know, so you can make the most of this visit."

Hippolyta reached for Diana's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before she put on a professional, kind smile. They had reached the shore. Atlanna and Arthur were running up to them. Even after ten years, Arthur still had that mischief and wonder in his eyes. His laughter was bright and loud as he wrapped his arms around Diana's waist and easily lifted her up to whirl her around. When he put her down again, she noticed that she had to look up to lock eyes with him.

"Cuz! I have so much to tell you," Arthur's voice was darker than she remembered it.

"Then come with me. I have techniques that I wanted to show you, Art."

She smiled, though with a sad edge, as she hugged him again. The two parted with the queens and went to the beach. For the next two hours, they sparred hard. Diana tried to impose all of the wisdom she had into him, like this was truly the last time they met.

"Woah, cuz, take it a little easy with me, not everyone has your strength."

Arthur laughed as he found himself pinned by Diana. Embarrassed, Diana got off him and offered him a hand to help him up. Instead, Arthur leveraged his own weight against her and pulled Diana down with him so they both were laying sprawled out on the beach, staring at the sky.

"What got you so wound up today, Di? You seem... well, wound up."

He propped himself up on his elbows, turning his head to look at her expectantly. With a sigh did Diana sit up, pushing her hair behind her ear. Melancholy overcame her as she looked at Arthur.

"This is the last time you will be allowed onto the island, Art."

"Mh..." Arthur nodded slowly in understanding, before he shrugged. "I mean I guess I kinda knew that, huh. And I'll miss Themyscira. Love this place. But... That doesn't mean we'll never see each other again, cuz. I can't come here. But I think you visiting me is long overdue."

That made Diana frown curiously. "I... I mean, I suppose..."

"What does that mean?" Arthur laughed, elbowing her. "You love the human world. You always make me talk about so many things that are just... normal to me. You love it, but you've never been in it. I think it's time you leave your shell, princess."

How strange. She had considered going into the human world, but it was always more of a... vague idea. Never something she seriously considered doing. After all, she was an Amazon.

"It's time you come out of hiding, Di. You could be the greatest hero this world has ever seen. And we are living in the dawn of heroes now," Arthur declared, letting himself fall back into the sand.

"The dawn of heroes?" Diana raised a curious eyebrow at it.

"There's heroes. I mean. Vigilantes. Last year, this lightning-wielding badass in Freeland, calls himself Black Lightning. And the Batman's been around for years. He's some dude dressed as a bat, kicking villain butt in Gotham City. The newspapers are divided about them, if they're heroes or not, but... I mean, damn. We have heroes now. And you should be one of them."

She faltered a little at that, biting her lower lip. "But I don't... fit into man's world, do I?"

"Cuz, you should never force yourself to fit somewhere," Arthur declared with a serious look on his face. "You gotta make the spot yours. And you could stay with me for now, I mean you don't have to go full Amazon princess flying around the world. You could just be... my cousin Diana, crashing at my place, getting used to the human world."

"Mother is not going to like that," Diana whispered with a frown.

"Di," Arthur heaved a sigh, locking eyes with Diana. "It's your life. Not your mother's. You have been doing what your mother wanted for... ridiculously long now. It's time you live your own life."

A small smile formed on Diana's lips. "When did you become so wise, Art?"

"I've always been wise, cuz. I found a loophole to get onto Themyscira when I was seven."

/2004\

"Di! Diana! Diana, come, you have to see that!"

Diana furrowed her brows and turned around to leave her room. Arthur sounded excited, to put it mildly. Which wasn't necessarily rare – he got excited easily, because he was a passionate man. It was one of the things Diana had enjoyed since moving in with him a couple of months ago. Still even after these months, she was still getting used to everything human. Like the magic box – the television. Arthur had eagerly introduced her to Xena Warrior Princess now that she was in this world, but there was so much more inside that box. She paused in awe as she reached their living room, watching a dark-haired man dressed in blue just... catch a plane mid-air.

"Oh, now that is a man," Diana whispered to herself before sitting down. "What movie is that? Why did you not wait for me to start it! I like your superhero movies, they are enjoyable."

"Not a movie, cuz. That's the news. That's Metropolis," Arthur grunted, turning up the volume.

"-Cat Grant, reporting live from Metropolis. The plane that had been circling the city for hours now and was running out of fuels was about to crash into the crowd when Superman flew up out of the crowd like a missile, catching the plane and, as I stand here, slowly lowering it toward the ground like it weights nothing," the blonde news reporter brushed her hair out of her face as she tilted her head and watched, just like Arthur and Diana, how the man lowered himself and the plane toward the river. "Superman sightings have increased since the Earthquake, but this might very well be his most public show of strength and bravery yet."

"The guy can fly. And he can lift a whole plane like it's a toy. I mean, holy shit, Di, I've never seen anything like that! Black Lightning, he got the lightning, there's... meta-humans... but I've never seen this. Do you think he's like you? Like, a demigod?"

Diana's heart jumped a little at that idea. "It's... not unheard of. The Gods are not worshiped like they used to anymore, but from all the research I did in the past months, there still are people deeply dedicated to them. Father surely hasn't stop siring demigod children. The flight, the strength, he might very well be a demigod. But whatever he is... magnificent."

She bit her lip as the plane landed and the man came shot out of the water, hovering in the air for a bit, striking a pose. What an impressive figure, with impressive powers and from what she had just seen, impressive morals too. He was not an out hero like the Black Lightning of Freeland, but he had seen this danger and prevented it, even at the risk of his identity and safety, being unprepared.

"Well, someone sounds like she has a cru—ush," Arthur chimed teasingly.

"Don't be childish, Art," Diana chided with a frown. "I'm impressed. Considering your Bat of Gotham City and the Lightning of Freeland, a new caliber of hero has just emerged in your world."

"Our world, Di. Ours. You live in it too now," Arthur corrected, wagging a finger playfully.

"Our world," Diana echoed softly, before she turned to grin at Arthur. "Well, seeing as you aim to be a hero of our world, I think you have to step up your game if you don't want to be lost in the crowd that may follow this Superman."

Arthur slapped his thigh hard, laughing heartedly. "You're right. You are right."

/2005\

"Look at us!" Arthur laughed, wrapping an arm around Diana's shoulders.

With his other hand, he was pinning a newspaper article against their kitchen wall. Front page of the Daily Planet, a huge photo of them both, with a description reading AQUAMAN and WONDER WOMAN, picture (c) James Olsen. The article was about them. Arthur didn't quite know about the names, but they had stuck and he was slowly growing fond of them.

A few months after Superman had saved the plane, Arthur started going out to save people himself. He protected the fishermen of Maine and beyond, but he only gained attention when he saved a huge oil tanker from sinking – with Diana's help. Arthur had used his hydrokinesis to stop the disaster, while Diana had flown in to save the civilians on board. The whole thing had taken long enough to draw attention of the news.

In the picture, Arthur was wearing his own hero-get-up, as he called it. An updated version of the armor Diana had gifted him as a teen, bronze armor in an antique style, with the dark-green leather straps. Diana's outfit matched his in style but not design; hers was golden, with blue and red. Arthur knew her color-scheme was inspired by Superman's costume.

"The article is quite favorable," Diana noted, smiling faintly. "And an eloquent style."

"Like Poseidon out of the ocean," read Arthur aloud, puffing out his chest. "I like this bloke. What's his name? Kent? He sure gets me."

Diana rolled her eyes fondly, though she leaned against him a little. "You weren't wearing a mask. Everybody here knows who you are. Do you want to keep your identity a secret?"

"I think..." Arthur paused, looking more serious now. "I think that's a thing we gotta talk to our mothers about. I think the world should know that there is more. Even if we do keep Atlantis and Themyscira hidden from the world, I think it's time we start making contact."

"Mother is not going to like that," Diana muttered, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Why not though? I mean, Themyscira used to be open. Women used to come, join the Amazons. Women who wanted to get away from bad situations, who needed help, who wanted to fight. The Amazons have been the same for... so long now... We're both part of a world that is old, that is nearly forgotten. The stuff of myths and legends. I think it's time to revive it."

"I think you are good at making that pitch, maybe you should talk to my mother?"

"Aunt Hippo would not listen to me," Arthur huffed and shook his head.

"You are the only one allowed to call her 'Hippo'. I do think you got some say with her."

"Fine. I'll talk to your mom, you talk to my ma. Deal, princess?"

Offering a bemused half-smile, Diana reached out to shake his hand. "Deal, cousin."

/2007\

Arthur was in a bar, drinking, celebrating. Another successful rescue. Aquaman had made quite the name for himself since Clark's first article about them. The irony of that; that Superman himself would put Art and Di onto the map through a newspaper article. Also the irony of nerdy, dorky Clark Kent being Superman. That was one thing Arthur may never quite get used to.

After he had saved a fishing boat from sinking, the crew had decided to invite him out for drinks and who was he to disagree. The loud laughter died down as the music changed. His smile slowly slipped into a look of wonder as he turned toward the piano. A woman had started singing. She was... breathtaking. Long, bright-blonde hair combed over one side of her head, falling over her shoulder, her exposed ear adored with many glistering jewels, lips painted dark to match her outfit. She wore black, all black. A tight dress, with a leather corset and deeply cut cleavage. Not only did she look stunning, her voice was what truly drew him in though. The party with him was forgotten as his entire focus was on the singer. He watched her for her entire set, but when the music stopped and people got up and cheered, more movement in the bar, he lost sight of her.

"Hello, handsome," someone whispered into his ear. "With how you've been staring at me, I think you owe me at least a drink. What do you say?"

When he turned, he saw that it was her, a teasing smile on her lips. Of course did he oblige. She joined them at the table, laughed over the fishermen's tales and retelling of how heroic Art had rescued them. The two sat there, long after the fishermen left, talking. Drinking. Flirting.

He ended up taking her home with him, the two of them kissing passionately as they entered his apartment. He'd rarely been more glad that Diana had moved out; there were things his cousin didn't need to see. His siren was as passionate in bed as she was on stage.

"I... think we skipped the introductions," noted Arthur breathlessly after.

"I'm not big on those these days," was her reply, a thoughtful look on her face as she traced his tattoos with her fingers. "Call me whatever you like, handsome."

"Black Siren then," declared Arthur after a moment. "Your voice... it drew me in like magic. Yet dressed all in black like that... as though there is a story."

"Black Siren?" Her eyes sparkled as she repeated the name. "I like the sound of that. And yes. Yes, there is a story there, one I'm trying to put behind me, gorgeous. So... let's stop talking."

She leaned over him and kissed him deeply and all inquisitive thoughts left his mind. After the second round, he fell asleep with her in his arms, but when he woke up again, she was gone. He frowned as he patted the empty bed next to himself, until he found a piece of paper.

Thanks for the good time – xoxo Black Siren

The cute thing was, there was a doodle of a bird next to it. A canary? Like she had been scribbling before taking the note, maybe thinking about what to write. In the end, it had been brief but to the point. When he lifted the paper closer to his face, he took a deep breath and smiled at her scent. Her perfume. Had she sprayed the paper intentionally or had it simply rubbed off of her...?

Sighing like a love-sick fool, he collapsed back onto the bed and after a moment, reached out for his phone. There was one person he could always talk to about anything, especially matters that confused him or messed with his head.

"Art? You're up early today," Diana's voice sounded concerned.

"Nothing happened. Don't worry, cuz. I just-" Arthur interrupted himself, holding up the note to look at the scrawny writing and the little canary on it. "I met this bird-"

"Arthur," Diana interrupted pointedly, he could picture her scowl.

"Sorry. A lady," Arthur corrected himself, grinning a bit. "She's a spitfire. Nothing like any girl I ever met. Di, I'm telling you, she's one of a kind."

"That's wonderful, Art. I'm looking forward to meeting her, you should bring her by the next time you're over to dinner. You wouldn't pout about being a third wheel then."

Arthur grunted to himself. He would, if he actually knew his siren's name. Well, for now all he had was the note. The next adventure would be to find her again. Just like how Diana had found her own next adventure on a little farm in Kansas. He aspired to have her happiness too.

~*~ The End ~*~

Author's note: Been thinking what story I wanted to tell as the first entry for my own Earth in the multiverse and while many lean heavier on the origins as told many times, I figured it'd be most fun to work with these two, because I've yet to come across Arthur and Diana as family and my fingers were itching to write it!

The next story up in this universe is going to be Superman's, and how Clark Kent became Superman. (Though the story of Laurel Lance/Black Siren is also going to follow later on, as well as the story of Art and Di introducing themselves to the world. And many more.)