Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kaldur’ahm yawned and watched the waves break on the beach.
He was tired from the team’s shenanigans so he took a little break.It has been months since he last visited Atlantis or his friends.
They were probably still in School and advancing on their magic Studies.
He missed them.

Don’t get him wrong,he liked being on the Surface and learning all about Surface dwellers.He was half one after all.

So much has changed since he became Aqualad and the honour he received for that role.

But Kaldur’ahm remembers the looks and whispers of the neighbourhood children and how they looked at him when he tried to play with them, all because of who his parents are.
The mistrust at School,in the military and after that in the Sorcerer’s school.
How different he looked compared to the Atlantean from Poseidonis.

Kaldur’ahm closes his eyes and pushes the old memories to the side.

Somebody was watching him

The Atlantean entire body tensed his marking began to glow ready to attack.
Aqualad took a deep breath and calmed down.He shifted to the side and took his feet out of the water all the while still sitting, a clear sign that he does not mean to attack and an invitation to sit next to him.

Slowly and carefully the figure revealed themselves and set next to Kaldur.
Kaldur blinked,it was a child.
The child had an old aura of death and was clearly magic yet Kaldur could not feel any claim on him that indicated who’s child the … demigod.. was?A rouge unclaimed demigod?

Kaldur never meet a demigod before.

But he knows that they used to interact with Atlanteans before the fall and that they weren’t much tolerated,even in present day,since Atlanteans normally only worship Poseidon or Neptune and some minor oceanic gods.

Most Atlantean’s,especially the nobles considere non oceanic demigods dangerous extensions of their surface dwelling godly parent.

The stranger was now next to him,observing Kaldur with mistrustful eyes.

Kaldur’ahm noted a faint long mark under the boy’s left ears,near his throat.
At first, the mark looked like it was natural ,something the demigod? had been born with.

But the more Kaldur thought about it, the more he suspected it was actually a scar. Perhaps left behind from a spear, or a strike from a speck of magical ice.

Sometimes some Atlanteans, especially the pure blooded and “noble” Hire others to fight against any demigods who anger the oceanic gods as a show of strength, or even do the dead themselves, since normally Atlanteans do not interact with surface dwellers and only deal with the monsters of old that exist behind the mist when they are see dwelling.

Monsters don’t usually go after Atlanteans, but a lone one is still a nice snack, which is why Atlanteans stay behind the protective barrier of their city.

Kaldur blinks as the child carefully sits next to him.He has pitch black Curley hair matted down with dirt and he smells a little.He also looks like he hasn’t seen the sun in years.Brown dark or maybe pitch black eyes watch him mistrustfuly and then look away into the ocean, but still keeping the Atlantiean in his vision.

My name is Kaldur’ahm and what is yours? asked Kaldur cerfully. The child regarded the atlantean carfulluy and responded with a muttered :My name is Nico.”
The awkward silent continued until Nico regarded the Atlantean again. Kaldur shivered he felt the child was staring at his soul and maybe he was.Kaldur placed his feet in the water again his entire body tense,it was a silent warning.

Nico stopped doing what he was doing and quickly looked away,”my apologies for intruding,your eyes remind me of somebody your aura too , sometimes I get lost and I sort of um look to close and end up doing that….
Nico had slowly backed away and then sat down again titling his head and spoke

“It is strange you are talking to me in English, rouges usually speak ancient Greek and Latin since it is universally understood by most rouges that are of the blood of the Greek/Roman gods and other kinds of beings,especially the Atlantean ones.”

Kaldur shoved that information down for later.

I have encountered rouge Atlanteans and half Atlanteans before you know…most of them are now dead for joing Kronos, but some loners who wander are still around.They usual attack me if they are feeling religious enough to offer something to posaidon to get back on his good grace or something
..
Kaldur blinked , he didn’t know there were that many Atlantans which weren’t part of his fath—black manta’s group roaming the surface world .

The half Atlantean sighted and looks down at the demigod? Before him who now is drawing shapes on the sand.

Why where you watching me? Asked Kaldur.

Nico looked away and sighted.”I was passing you and sensed you,I was curious what a rouge was doing so close to the city, usually we keep far away from mortals you know.
Well I ain’t a proper rouge, but I am an outcast and spend most of my time wandering around like rouge’s, so I guess I am one.
What are you doing here ?
Kaldur regards the boy before him strangely and sights.”I live with other’s and am their sort of leader, but they do not respect me much as such , don’t get me wrong they are god friends , but I just need a break “
Nico nodded.The boy looked thoughtful and then said “If you are their leader do not act like a friend first and a leader second. As a leader it is your responsibility to keep them al safe, to lead them and guide them. You cannot do that if they do not respect you as such. They will not take you seriously and endanger themselves your team and you.”

Kaldur was surprised that a boy half his size was so wise, which he shouldn’t be, rouges usually grow up fast and die young.

The demigod? Was now leaving and Kaldur called for at him to stop.

Nico turned around, his head was titled in a question.

“Do you want to come back with me and join my team ?” asked Kaldur.

The dark haired boy was gaping in shock, no one had wanted him before,except his sister, to whom he was a burden to.

“Are you serious?” Whispered Nico

Kaldur nodded

“You are a magic user no? Can’t you sense my Aura, and you are also a creature of the sea, most creatures from the Sea hate me? Why would you invite ME to your team???? Nico whispers in a horse Voice.

“It would be cruel to judge you for your Aura and I have only just met you , but I can tell you have experience and are kind hearted and that you are respectful.
Ir may take some convincing on my part for the others to accept you, but I have a base , with food and shelter.
Even if you don’t join you could stay or take a rest there.” Said Kaldur in a neutral tone.

Nico narrowed his eyes “I’m not a pity case “ he growled out.

“I mean no disrespect my friend, will you come with me or not?” Kaldu stated calmly.

Mistrustful Eyes watched the half Atlantean, looking both hopeful and shadowed .

Nico took a step back and turned away and walked into the forest and turned one last time around. “ thank you for the offer but I am better off alone” and then disappeared.

Kaldur watched him go, not surprised but jet surprisingly disappointed.
He did not know it at the time but it would not be the first time he would met Nico.

Chapter Text

Kaldur gasped, he felt the blood tickling down the side of his ribs and dragged himself behind a bush.

The Enemy was now on a branch of a tree above him,his own blood dripping down from the Villains Katana and onto his head.

Kaldur did not move a muscle and couldn’t stop his thoughts spiralling ,all of this was his own fault,he shouldn’t have suggested that he and Aquaman patrol separate to cover more ground,
he should have insisted that they should bring the team to help,
he should have suspected that the enemy was a highly skilled rouge Atlantean and not one of his fathe—Black mantas lackeys.
As the enemy managed to steal from the Atlantean palace, he should have been more prepared,he shouldn’t have been taken by surprise, he should have…..’

Some shadows rippled next to a tree in the corner view of the Atlanteans eye.
The enemy saw it too and lept towards it,katana drawn,to slow, the shadows of the tree next to Kaldur’s bush rippled and a figure leapt from them,
feet landed on the enemy’s back and with a sickening crunch the thief was laying on the ground with a terrifying,death aured sword against his throat, noticeably not touching.

Kaldur stood up and leaned against the tree and squinted his eyes, it was a scruffy looking child who saved him and the child looked familiar,
The moonlight broke through the leaves of the forest and illuminated the child.
Kaldur’s eyes widened, it was the rouge demigod from before,
Nico.

The demigod glanced at Kaldur and then whispered something in the enemy’s ear who nodded?

Nico let the enemy up and the rouge hobbled up to Kaldur who was bleeding and leaning against the tree and blinked in shock when the ex enemy?
Dropped the stolen items on the floor and hobbled of to the distance,

Kaldur’s head was now hurting and the Atlanteans took a deep breath and made eye contact with Nico.

“Do you know him?” asked Kaldur in a tired voice.

The scruffy looking boy titled his head in consideration and the made a sort of gesture with his hand.

Kaldur sighed and sat down,still leaning against the tree.

The demigod sat next to Kaldur and looked at the bleeding wound across Kaldur’s side and stomach and rummaged in his jacked and took out a few bandages and herbs.

The Atlantean let the child cut through his shirt and armor and bearly flinched when Nico smeard the herbs on his wound and rapped it with the bandages to secure the wound.

Both boys remained silent,while Nico was finishing dressing the wound.

“I would have given you nectar, but I am not exactly sure how it would react to you,you might have combusted…

Kaldur gave the demigod a deadpan stare.
The black haired boy leaned against the tree and both teens were know observing the dark forest around them.

Kaldur sighed and spoke,”So how did you convince the other rouge to give back the items and to leave me alone?”

Nico shrugged and then muttered

“We met on the battlefield, he was on Kronos army and I spared his life,
he also thought me a little about fighting and we owe each other favours
,him more then I,
so he let you go…..he prefers to be alone and doesn’t want me around him and I do not intrude into his life or the trouble he coses…,besides I meet many beings on my travels and I am only a fleeting shadow for most of them”

Kaldur just listen and painted a better picture of the demigod in front of him who was now silent and staring into the darkness….

Both boys flinched when they heard a distant voice shout “Kaldur “

They looked at each other and Kaldur let out a relieved sigh,muttering out that that was his boss.

Nico gave one last look at Kaldur and then disappeared into the shadows.

Kaldur leaned against the tree and shouted His King’s name….

He had a feeling that he would meet Nico again.

Chapter Text

The sky of Gotham was clouded by smoke and the waters surrounding Gotham’s pier were murky and odd smelling.
Kaldur really didn’t want to take a swim there.

The Atlantean turned and watched his king converse with Batmen.
Red robin was perched on the ground, fumbling at some odd looking wires on his technology device thing?
Kaldur sighted.

They have completed the mission and now kaldur really really wants to throw himself on his bed and stay there for a week.
The delicious scent of coffee was now reaching Kaldur’s nose and the teen turned.

Red robin was now sipping from a termos with a face full of bliss.Batman had stopped talking to Aquaman and looked downright miserable(even do the cowl hid all of his facial expression).
The Dark knight sight and berated red robin,as he was banned from drinking coffee?

Red robin let out a yawn and responded with forced out”One sip won’t kill me B”…
The Man who dressed up as a Bat was now staring down at a boy dressed up as a muted traffic light with a cape ……
Kaldur laughed inside his head and didn’t move a muscle,fearing he would break down crying.

He hasn’t slept in weeks.
Nightwing’s little sibling was now running away with the thermos in hand with an exhausted Dark crusader behind him.
Aquaman lay out a bemused chuckle and then gave Kaldur a concerned look.
Kaldur felt the shame well inside him and suppressed the urge to hit something.

His King started speaking.
”You know kaldur’ahm you are always very serious and you would have never done something like red robin did at his age,but these days you look more serious and tired then the entire time we have known echother.Why don’t you take a few days off?

Kaldur narrowed his eyes and bit his tongue.

Aquaman sweated at his protégé’s Expression and then hardened his resolve.
“That is an order Kaldur’ahm”
Kaldur looked away.
They both knew that Kaldur wouldn’t beak an order from his King.

The Atlantean was not amused at all,as much as he wanted to sleep for a week the team was currently unstable,
with the newer members having to many issues and the older ones,the team members he started with splitting apart.

Luckily Nightwing has started taking over again,but Kaldur couldn’t afford to take a break in between the transition of leadership’s,it was his duty to…

“Kaldur’ahm” said Aquaman in a tired Voice,interrupting Kaldur’s inner monologue.

“Batman gave use permission to stay here until tomorrow, why don’t you start your day off here,since you have never visited Gotham as a tourist before?
The team won’t keel over if you are gone for a few days.”Aquaman ended his speech with a awkward pat on Kaldur’ahm shoulder and walked off leaving the half Atlantean starring into the pier’s disgusting water.

“Vacation in Americas most crime filled city,what could possibly go wrong”
Muttered Kaldur with the urge to go to sleep intensifying.

Dawn was soon approaching and the teen dressed in his civilian clothes,making sure his gills weren’t visible.

He walked to find an inn or something,passing through long shadows from the city’s towering buildings and stopped.Behind him a shadow rippled and a small figure emerged from it.

Kaldur let out a small smile and turned around to face Nico,it has been a long while since has seen him.
The rouge hasn’t showed up since he saved his life that night in the woods.

Kaldur’s smile quickly faded when he noticed how fragile the boy looked.
His skin so pale that Nico appeared transparent and his figure looked bony like one of those figures from from the people in a nazi concentration camp .
The teen swayed….

Kaldur’ahm rushed forward and catches the boy before he hits the ground.

Chapter Text

Nico slowly opened his eyes,confused he observed his surroundings ,
he was on a bed a soft blanket over him in a small blank looking room with no
windows and a small doorless closet to his left on his right there was an odd looking Atlantean leaning against the wall and sleeping…..

The Demigod blinked,his eyes widening,it was Kaldur’ahm the weird rouge? half bread Atlantean with a boss and a team?

The teen closes his eyes just enough to keep ta…r…. that place from surfacing in his mind.

Nico closed his eyes,he delivered the statue with Reyna and everything ended peacefully.

He really tried to stay at camp after Jason pleaded with him but the eyes staring at him,the looks from the other campers and with,Percy and his peers leaving for college in new Rome Nico had nothing left in camp.

He could have stayed in new Rome,but that place doesn’t take kindly to the demigods rouge like lifestyle and dislike Demigods with darker nature much more than the Greeks.

Romans loved order after all.

They only like Hazle because here ability’s aren’t as connected to death then Nicos she is also easygoing and sweet and she is a Hero.

They love here,but they wouldn’t let him stay, as he has lied to them through omission before.

In the end Nico decided that continuing to live in the in-between places of the mortal and non-mortal realms as a rouge was better the trying to fit in the society of the demigods who live in new Rome.

After all the son of hades has walked alone for a long time now and the shadows of the world have always sang to him.

The Demigod opens his eyes and he looks at the Atlantean splayed out against the wall,still sleeping.

His aura was a deep blue,nearly appearing black in some places with faintly present glowing cracking golden lightning strikes going from his head downwards.
Those were magical scars from a being of light?justice?order or something ether way it looks like It didn’t match well with Kaldur’s neutral darker aura and left scars.

Nico wondered how that happened and titled his head.

The older boy looked tired,with deep eye bags and exhaustion present in his sleeping face.

The son of Hades was reminded so much of Percy that it hurt.

This is way he was stupid enough to approach this stranger after all.
Both of them shared similar souls after all,but with differences so deep that they weren’t really alike at all.

To this day the king of ghosts did not know what he really felt about Percy.

His cousin was his cool hero then traitor(it wasn’t Percy’s fault, Nico knows that but still…),”friend”,enemy…crush?
and yet Nico would kill himself for the son of Poseidon.
Kaldur started to snore a little in his sleep and Nico glanced over at him, titling his head in carful consideration and the pulled the bed coves over himself and tried to sleep.

He would prefer to deal with this tomorrow.

Chapter Text

Kaldur’ahm sighted and glances up at the kid who was staring at him from his position on the bed.

They have been in a staring contest for the last few minutes and the awkwardness was getting worse…
He should say something…..”What happened to you?”

Nico narrowed his eyes and told Kaldur that it was none of his business.

The Atlantean looked away and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Nico blinked and said “why don’t you asked me a question and I ask you questions and we both can refuse to answer them if we don’t want to “?
Kaldur nodded.

“I start I guess “mutters Nico.
“Why are you’re magical tattoos not faded? I know that they only appear when you are using magic,so why don’t they?”

Kaldur scratched the back of his neck and looked ashamed?
“These tattoos fade when you graduate magic school or how a high enough level of skill in sorcery,I never finished school and my skills in magic ain’t that good,I have always been a better soldier….”Said Kaldur’ahm in a neutral indifferent sounding Voice.

Nico just nodded and made a gesture with his hand, urging Kaldur to ask his question.

“How old are you?”

Nico shrugged.

The Atlantean was confused.
“You… don’t know how old you are?”
asked Kaldur confused.

Nico nodded and said “So it’s my turn now….are you actually a rouge?You don’t act like one at all for someone as experienced as you …… you must have lived on the stretch for a long time.But you don’t act like it.”

The Atlantean looked away and sighed.”I am not a rouge “
Nico hummed to himself in thoughtful way.

“Are you a demigod?” Blurted out Kaldur.

Nico blinked in shock.”Isn’t that obvious ?”
Kaldur shrugged,”Your Aura is very weird,death aura aside,you feel like a demigod…I think,but you also have something else there mixed in”said the older boy.

Nico responded with “My mother was a clear sighted mortal,but she might have had something else mixed in her bloodline or maybe she was a witch or something …Either way I will never know and it doesn’t matter.?
“I guess it’s my turn,..what are you doing on the Surface World Kaldur? Asked Nico.

“I am Aquaman’s apprentice and help him fight Villains” said Kaldur’ahm

“Who is Aquaman?”murmured Nico with a clueless look on his face.

Kaldur was gaping with an open mouth at the kid in front of him…”Do you know who Batman or Superman are?”

Nico shock his head.

Kaldur felt his Eye twitch and put his head in his hands.

“So who is Aquaman?”asked Nico again.
Kaldur sighs and answers with”He is the king of Atlantis “

Nico’s eyes widened “The king of Atlantis accepts half bread’s as his apprentices?!”

Kaldur blinked”He is a half bread himself “

The Demigod hummed and titled his head..”Did the previous King accept half bread’s?”

Kaldur shuck his head

“Why are you asking this?”asked Kaldur.

“I habe to revaluate the motives of any rouge Atlantean,..how long has your king been King”said Nico in a cheerful tone and Expression.

“He has been King shortly before or after I was born “answered Kaldur’ahm

Nico nodded and then his eyes started to drop and he looked like he was about to pass out.
Kaldur jumped up and rushed to his side, the kid looked very small in middle of the bed.It seemed like the bed would swallow the child at any moment.
“I should get you something to eat and drink”said the Atlantean.
Nico opened his mouth to protest,but the older teen has already left the room.

The demigod sighted and felt his eyes drop and skeletal hand grasping the bedsheets as his own swallowed ratting breathing lured him to sleep,he was so tired….

Chapter Text

Kaldur poked around at the canned food and drink’s they were selling at the Hostal.
He felt a little better then before,but still felt tired.

What should the demigod eat?crackers,chips or canned beans ….
The Atlantean took the canned beans and a bottle of water.

That kid should probably not eat anything unhealthy.

He was so tired,he should be with the team,they were still unhappy of Nightwing becoming leader again…

They also weren’t happy with him…

Kaldur slowly walked up the stairs and stopped.
He felt tears coming down his eyes and scrunched them shut burrowing his head in his arms, EVERYTHING has been screwed up since Tula Died.

The team has forgiven him for “betraying” them and working as a double agent for Fathe…Black mantis and wanted him to lead them again and he did up till a month ago…but Kaldur did not want…….
to..he was so tired and angry and confused and did not want to…want to…

The Teen pulled himself together and went up to the room and unlocked the door closing it and locking it behind himself and looked at the pale broken kid on the bed.

Who opened an eye and closed it after the Atlantean closed the door.

Kaldur’ahm put the food on the bed and sat on the bed.The room didn’t have a nightstand or chair.

Nico grumbled something and the sat up,using his pillow to brace himself against the wall,while he still sat on the bed.
He looked at the can of beans like it had killed his entire family.
Kaldur narrowed his eyes pushing the can of beans into The demigods hands.

Nico was now glaring at the can,the shadows of the room were getting darker.

“I can’t heat up the beans,but you should at a little,you look like a skeleton “said Kaldur

“I am a child of death,looking like a Skeleton is completely normal “grumbled out Nico.

“You are a child of death?”said Kaldur in a carefully neutral tone.

Nico became even Paler and the shadow dissipated from the room

Kaldur sighted “Wherever you are a child of death or not you are still a demigod so looking like a Skeleton is not good,so please eat the beans”

Nico looked away

Kaldur sighted,unscrews the cap and gave the boy the bottle of Water.

Which Nico took a sip of and then left to the side.
The Atlantean narrowed his eyes.
The kid took another sip.

“Where are we?”asked Nico and took another sip of Water

“In Gotham City “murmured the Atlantean

Nico choked,spit out the Water and let out a few painful coughs.

Kaldur’ahm’s eyebrows shot up

“We should leave Now”said the demigod in a hushed voice,while the kids eyes darted around the room

The half bread Atlantean opened his mouth to ask why,but Nico shushed him.

The kid tried to get off the bed but nearly fell flat on his face,but Kaldur caught him.

Nico grabbed the can beans and screwed shut the water and Kaldur automatically manoeuvred Nico on to his back.

He used to give Nightwing(when he was robin and still small) piggy back rides on missions and for fun that it became instinct.

Nico rolled with it and the the boys quickly made themselves scarce (Kaldur paid the Hostel in advance) and quickly started the very long walk to get out of Gotham city.

Something about the demigod strange behaviour made Kaldur question nothing.

Chapter Text

The dark smoke filled sky that partly obscured the tallest buildings of the city already made Gotham look gloomy in the middle of the day.

But currently it was getting late and the looming shadow and dark atmosphere of the city intensified, the environment felt hostile yet oddly sinister.

Kaldur’ahm starts to walker faster,
keeping his head down while observing the demigod on his back who was observing something on the obscured roof tops above them.

The Atlantean glanced at a small puddle,too small to attack with,and spotted the reflection of a shadowy figure watching them on the rooftops.

Kaldur’ahm’s breath quickend

That was a warning,the figure knew they had been watching them as it was watching the two turns.

The two teens were now passing narrow alleys and streets and the Atlantean could now see the bridge leading out of the city.

Kaldur’s heartbeat quickened,they weren’t out of trouble yet.

Nico clung tighter on the half bread’s back and whispered into the older teen’s ear

“Don’t panic,just don’t lock behind you until you have finished crossing the bridge”

Kaldur’ahm’s shoulders tensed,he didn’t give away another reaction that he heard the demigods words and carefully made his way over the bridge.

The Icy wind that almost seemed to whisper something in a sinister way blew across the oddly empty bridge disturbed Kaldur.

Kaldur’ahm cringed at the way his footsteps echoed across the bridge and walked faster.

Soon the two boys have made it across the bridge.
Aquaman’s apprentice turned.

The moonshine glinted on the creature’s long golden talons that were on its hands.

The thing was standing in a perched way like a bird and its round googles glinted in an Owlish way.

It twitched its Talons …a warning
And then disappeared behind the rising mist on the bridge….

The two strange teens stayed in silence for a few moments and then Kaldur’ahm broke the silence by turning his head to look at Nico and whispering in a neutral sounding rushed tone of voice.

“What in Poseidon’s trident was that?”

Nico sighed and then started to explain

“Gotham City or better known on the stretch as the Owl courts city is a demigod free zone.
The gods do not enter this place and their children or children’s children either.

Rouges,magic folk and other kin are also banned from the city and a hundred years ago would have disappeared.
But I heard in recent years the owls have grown weaker so that means there is more….leeway…

Either way the court have slaves that do their will……We just saw one.

They are called Talons “

“What about Batman,how does he tie into this?”asked Kaldur

“Who’s Bat….man?”asked Nico with a confused title of the head

Chapter Text

Nico watched the tall buildings of Gotham fade behind them as they went deeper into the woods and left the bridge behind them .

The Forest was dense and dark and Nico hugged himself closer to Kaldur’ahm’s back.

It was both a relieving yet dangerous that it was almost nighttime.

The demigod felt safer in the darkness,
Especially since that place was always so sickenly red like and Organ.

Nico sighed.

He was worried they would encounter monsters,since they left the barrier of …well…Gotham behind them and since it was getting dark and they were all alone at night in a forest.

He felt his fragile,skeletal frame shiver.

He should have stayed in camp, he knew he did not have a good enough reason to leave this time, the other Demigods sort of tolerated him now and he knew he was currently too week to survive on his own.

But they still watched Nico like a hawk and the felt the urge to runaway, so he did….

He took a deep breath and twitched at how it almost felt like his bones were rattling inside of his body because of it.

He felt Kaldur heartbeat quicken each step they took.

Nico remembered how tired the Atlantean looked, the eyebags under his eyes and Nico squeezed his eyes shut.

Neither off them where in a good shape,
they really weren’t.

The demigod sniffed the air,there was something in the edge of his senses.

Kaldur hat yet too noticed it.

The younger boy tried to prepare himself to shadow travel away,he did not have the strength for a fight, but he stopped himself, he was too weak to take the Atlantean with him and he might not make it himself.

The boy narrowed his eyes, he has been in countless situations like this before, on the stretch bleeding to death and being hunted by monsters,being surrounded by enemies and living in the wilderness and on the streets….

and yet he had never felt so tired that he didn’t care if he lived or died, it’s not like anybody would care if he just disappeared , he vanished all the time,just this time he would not come back.

The boy looked at the boy carrying him and sighted.

He shouldn’t call him a boy anymore,he clearly has nearly or recently hit adulthood. The awkwardness of childhood had nearly faded from his limbs compared to the first time he met him.

The thing was moving closer,close enough that it might start hunting the two males soon.

The Atlantean now noticed that something was hunting them.

Kaldur walked quicker

The demigod reached deeper into the shadows around him and even felt around the earth…..

Nico smirked.

He whispers into Kaldur’s ear “to the east of us there is a wide river If we can get there you could attack the monster with your water magic and I can kill it from behind.

Kaldur nods.

They swiftly made their way through the trees and arrived at the river.

The demigod slid of the Atlanteans back and transformed his ring into the Sword.

Kaldur blinked in surprise and then stepped into the river, his tattoos glowing.

The monster stepped into the clearing.

It was a Scylla, but too small to be The Scylla and her many serpentine heads smiled and the dog heads in her lower regions smiled at them, her many teeth were very sharp.

Nico snarled back at her, his canines have always been sharp, but in recent times they have become bigger.

The Scylla titled her many heads at them she licked her lips and lunged.

Chapter Text

Kaldur crashed against the trees,tattoos flickering, he was panting and pulled himself up.

The Scylla’s snake head rears up in front of him.

All Kaldur could see was the glinting fangs

He summoned another whip of water and throws it, turning it into ice at the same time.

The Snake limb was twitching on the ground and turning into dust.

Scylla screamed in rage.

Kaldur watched a shadowy bluer behind her and winced when Nico impaled here through her chest from behind.
Nico gave on last twist and then retracted his sword

The monster fell to the ground,gave a few last twitches and then faded into to dust.

The only thing remaining were the countless snake and dog teeth littering the ground

And a broken tooth from Scylla’s human mouth.

Kaldur sighted and fell backwards into the river.

He felt the water wash away the glitter covering his entire Body.

He observed Nico look around the chaos around them and sigh.

Kaldur also sighed.

He had been in many battles, but not often in such ruthless ones.

The battles you fight as a hero/Soldier/sidekick are also dangerous and difficult, but the wildness and bloodlust in these battles,every move intended with the desire to kill, the adrenaline, the strength, the fear…… is not something that happens in flashy fights between Heroes and Villains.

The Atlantean watches Nico yawn, his sharp canines glinting in the moonlight.

That kid managed to kill most of the Snake-heads and a few of the dog heads , and dealt the killing blow, while the half bread Atlantean only managed to kill two snake heads.

Kaldur let out a tired smile, he was also acting as bait and him and Nico were a good team, Kaldur always attacked from the front and distracted the monster with his water attacks, all the while Nico was simultaneously attacking the monster form behind.

They were a deadly un breakable ring of a circle and Kaldur’ahm had not felt such flawless team work with someone since Robin left and became Nightwing.

Things were never the same after that and life moved on,new robins came ,
Tula died,kid flash died and came back and life in general just split the team apart

His King was busy and didn’t have much time to train him

And Kaldur’ahm was all alone again,

Sometimes Kaldur felt like the lonely
Child with no friends again.

The Atlantean sighed and refocused on Nico.

Nico was watching something on a tree branch.

Kaldur rushed out of the water,magical water whips ready and tattoos blazing in magical light.

Nico stopped the half bread with a gesture of his hand, not even glancing at Kaldur.

Reluctantly the older teen dropped the water,his tattoos glow fading away.

He glanced up at the tree and blinked.

There was a strange Atlantean on the tree branch.

He was draped lazily all over the tree and he was wearing dark assassin like clothes,
He was tall, taller the Kaldur yet not as bulky.

He has gills on his cheeks and his ears were long and had frills.

He looked like those travellers that sometimes passed through the edges of Shayeris.

Atlantean had many sub species and communities,

But the farther away you go from each kingdom or state,the nearer you go to the trench…. are the subgroups that are part of the Atlantean race, not the merpeople or the races of the other kingdom.

These people were ….blessed with a more beastly like appearance , and long ago they were pushed further and further out near and nearer to the trenches,
Because the people were afraid they would one day also shift into the creatures of the trench.

The Atlantean on the tree smiled at Kaldur, his teeth were very shark like.

Kaldur did not flinch.He remembered how the neighbourhood children would always joke about that he would be sent to live in the trench, because he looked like a Atlantean from Atlantis yet had webbed hand and feet.

The gills were excusable since some royals also had them.

Ever since Aquaman became King, things have been better, yet the people near the trench live in dead zones and have been conveniently forgotten about by wider Atlantean society.

They kept away.

Kaldur’ahm’s eyes landed on the oceanic dwellers katana, the same katana that belonged to the person that almost killed him in the forest all that time before.

Kaldur’ahm’ tattoos began to glow and Kaldur’s eyes widened when he heard

The other Atlantean let out a chuckle and said in a horse voice

“So you do recognise me guppie”

Chapter Text

Kaldur’ahm took a deep breath and pushed his magic under control.

It took him a few seconds to get back his composure and then his brain catches up to wat the other Atlantean said.

“I am not a guppie” growls out Kaldur.

No one had ever called him a child before, not even when he was a child.

He had Always been the most mature compered to his peers.

The Rouge on the tree chuckled and then jumped down the tree and stood right in front of Kaldur, he was a head and a half taller than the dark-skinned half bread Atlantean.

Nico was watching them both.

The Rouge let out another crackle.

“I remember you guppie, you are the pet of the royal family,the false Kings little Pet
Hunting dog,the one who dared to hunt me and most recently black mantis traitors son” said the pale skinned Atlantean

Kaldur snarled, his mouth widened wide enough for his Sharper teeth to appear,the ones he tried to fial down when he was 12.

The rouge titled his head as he studied all of Kaldur’s features, the webbed hands,the gills,the sharp teeth and webbed feet with claw like nails and the not faded tattoos.

Kaldur lost a shoe in the fight.

“I am surprised the royals let someone like you be their champion , I guess since the false King is also a half bread it had some affect“ mumbled the rouge

The two Atlanteans started at each other.

Kaldur felt the Scar left behind from the other itch.

He took a calm breath.He was always calm and collected he will stay calm.

But he was so tired that he wanted to let himself get angry.

Kaldur snarled then moved besides Nico who was still watching both Atlanteans

Nico sighed and faced the pale skinned Atlantean, offering his back to Kaldur’ahm, which made the rouge twitch in surprise.

“What are you doing here Leukos ?” Said Nico in a neutral voice.

“Oh you now wandering around,checking the territories the monster left behind when most of the current generation got annihilated in the War“said Leukos in cheerful tone.

The demigod narrowed his eyes,the shadows were darkening around him.

„Don’t bite me Ghost King, I … I…..look I…have been looking for you, the rumours say you came out of the war dead and looking at you I see they aren’t far off…I really need you too keep trading me monster parts.”

Leukos gestured at the teeth littering the floor.

Kaldur kept a neutral face and Nico looked tired.

The pale Atlantean sighed and then crouched down in front of the demigod.

He slowly leaned his forehead against Nico.

Kaldur’ahm’s eyes widened in shock,that was a gesture in Atlantis only shared with people you were very close with.

He had only seen those type of interactions between soldiers in the military school.

His Parents had not even done that with him when he was Child,
His Stepdad was a human and his mother was always in their home yet always sad and faraway with a distant look in her eyes.

Life had since been better.
As Kaldur’ahm left and they had started a fresh start with dolphin and the income they received from the royal family as their son was the kings sidekick.

The black skinned Atlantean looked away.
No one had ever done something like that with him,he didn’t even had hug that wasn’t awkward before .

It doesn’t matter either way, the royals shun this type of behaviour and it is looked at shamefully in posaidonis.

Kaldur looked back at the two,they were sort of leaning against each other.

Leukos burrowed his head into the demigods hair without hugging Nico.

He then let go and took a step back.

Nico looked weird, he had a tired puppy expression.

Kaldur watched Leukos harden his eyes and then sigh and look away when Nico tried to make eye contact.

The demigod looked hurt and then harden his own expression.

Kaldur titled his head.

Nico looked at Kaldur and then back at Leukos who was collecting all the teeth in a big leather bag while he hummed to himself.

The pale skinned Atlantean …man glanced back at Nico and made a proposal:

“I can bring you to the half blood camp,since there are less monsters around, in exchange for the teeth.
You are currently week and probably don’t have the strength to shadow travel”

Nico titled his head in consideration and Kaldur quickly interjected (he did not want Nico to go off with an unstable rouge who seems to be …manipulating? him and yet care for him…(Kaldur knows Nico can take care of himself, but he was currently vulnerable and Kaldur did not want to leave him in such a State)

“My offer from the first time still stands you know “ said Kaldur gently to Nico.

Nico acknowledged Kaldur’ahm statement with a nod and then made his way over to Leukos.

The Atlantean felt disappointed.

The demigod and half Atlantean looked at etch other, a silent agreement that they would meet again.

Kaldur turned away and started to walk back to Gotham.He should be fine if he went directly to the zeta tube in Gotham harbour.

“Oy guppie”shouted Leukos

Kaldur looked back, a frown on his face.

“If you ever grow tired of being in your Father’s and the false kings shadow I have a space open for a new business partner”

The dark skinned Atlantean raised an eyebrow and then walked away.

He really needed the time off.

Chapter Text

Nico was leaning against the hades cabin and watching the demigods around camp.

Will solace walked up to him with his arms crossed.

The demigod felt the urge to go back into his cabin.

Apollo’s child scanned him from head to toe and gave a surprise hum.

Nico raised a eyebrow

Will gave the usual doctor sunshine smile and started to speak “you still are to skinny, but you look surprisingly healthy, I think I have to release you from bedrest”

Nico hummed,mumbled his thanks and want back into his cabin.He looked himself in the mirror.Its been three and a half months since he went back to camp and he has been feeling better, physically at least.

His Skin was no longer transparent and pale,
He even had a little of his olive skin tone back, his hair was fluffy,he had regular bean washing it and his wrists were still to thin but he no longer looked like a skeleton.

He still had huge eye bags and his eyes looked fragile and shattered.

Ever since he came back he no longer insisted that he didn’t need help, he just didn’t care enough to protest when Solace dragged him to the infirmary.

The other healers were annoyed that he was there, children of death should not be at a place of healing.

Nico sighed

Everyone seemed happy,cheerful and almost welcoming anywhere else in camp,but the demigod still felt like an outcast.

Nico glanced at the bags and rucksacks leaning against the wall of the Cabin,
He had been preparing to leave for a while now.

Just why could he not fit in.
It was definitely not because he was born in the 1900s , Hazel fit in pretty well,
Or the fact that he was antisocial,almost everyone in camp liked Clarissa…..

Solace insisted that all that that was all in Nicos head, but the demigod was not stupid.

His Aura was unpleasant,the older campers, the ones older or around Percy’s age knew him when he first came to camp.
Nico remembered how they found him annoying and clingy at first and their terrified faces when he opened the crack in the dining room, their look of fear when he fought alongside them for the first time.

The way they rest their hands on their weapons when they are near them.

The mistrustful attitude towards him or the fear that he will one they turn against them or judge them in their afterlife.

How they to snuck weird pills into his food to make sure he doesn’t lash out.

The way the Satyrs step in-between the younger campers and him.

Nico let out a snarl.

He did not feel safe or welcome in this camp and he did not want to awake one day with a knife in his ribs and bleeding to his death.

He grabbed his bags and shadow traveled to the Mr D’s office.

Dionysus was sitting in his chair and swirling his glass full of Wine around.

He let out a smile when he glanced at the son of hades.

“Hello Nico di angelo”said the god.

Nico felt pride well up in his chest.

He was the only Demigod that he knows of that has his name always pronounced correctly by Mr D.

The God gave a almost sad smile as he glanced at the bags the demigod was carrying.

They both knew that Nico has overstayed his welcome.

Mr D drank another glass of Wine and then took out some papers.

He leant back into his chair and then concuried a chair and gestured Nico to sit in it.

The Demigod sat down.

The god began to speak

“ The Camp keeps records of every Demigod that crossed the border and pause when they are outside of Camp and stops when they die or graduate.
Usually Campers are forced to leave at 20 and become rouge’s since at that age they are almost adults and their demigod scent has faded enough to live safely in the mortals world and to make space for the newer kids, They can only visit and are not allowed to stay for more then three days and often they do not come back.
But with the changes Poseidon’s kid had made they can now move over to the Roman City which makes them still in the system which causes massive amounts of Paperwork for me.”

Mr D stared at the papers in dismay and then sighed.

“Either way I send the Paperwork to new Rome after the brats move over there….”

Nico raised a eyebrow

Mr D sighs

“I’m just gonna get to the point now.
The Camp never generated your and your dead siblings Paper Work since you were over the age limit.
But let you both stay since you’re obviously not 20 yet.

We don’t even have your sister death record. ….sigh..look…I can’t cut your tie to the camp to mark you as a proper rouge kid because you aren’t in our records.“

Nico pinched the bridge oh nose and spoke in a tired tone
“So what you are saying is that I cannot revive the Status of a fully grown trained Greek demigod “

Mr D smiled “ It ain’t so bad di angelo, there are plenty of rouges out there so don’t have the title of a adult Demigod, brats who never made it to camp, those who officially betrayed camp, those who ran off and did not come back for the graduation ceremony……. You could always true to get that title with the Romans”

Nico sat stiff as a board and then relaxed his shoulders, it wouldn’t matter anyway.

There were to types of Adult demigods in the Greek side of things .
Those who are not considered rouges and stay in the mortal World and the ones with the privilege to be a fully trained Demigod that stay in the shadows of the mortal world and often walk side by side with rouges.
The rest are rouges who are not one the map.
Either way no Demigod in the mortal world would hire someone with an aura like his with or without the privilege of having graduated from Half camp blood.

Nico offered his Camp beads to Mr D who graciously transformed them into a ring with each colour of the years that the demigod was present in and gave it to the son of Hades.

He could not give him the specific Aura that represents a graduated demigod, but he could give the physical indicator of fully trained Greek demigod.

Nico di angelo gifted the God a small true smile, grabbed his stuff and shadow traveled to a shadow near Kaldur,he had memorised the Half breads specific Aura.

He wondered if he should have safe his goodbyes first but he shrugged the thought off as he made sure Kaldur was alone and then popped out of the Fish boys shadow.
Making Kaldur jump.

Chapter Text

Kaldur raised an eyebrow at the establishment Nico dragged him to.

The walls are brightly colored in strange ways, with symbols and pictures that made the place look like child’s fever dream.
The air smelled of something sweet and greasy because of the food they were cooking.

The surface dwellers call it "Md Donald “, and the …restaurant?… was very noisy.

Worst of all The food...the food.

The ..”Burger” is A large object with layers of soft bread and odd, textured meat.

It is round , and filled with... what are these? Tiny leaves and a sauce that sticks to my fingers. The other surface dwellers seem to eat it quickly, stuffing their mouths with no regard of savoring every bite.

The "fries"—which they insist on calling potatoes—are cut in long, thin shapes.

They are dipped in a sauce that is both sweet and salty, a strange blend that confuses my senses.

And the drink—ah, yes, they have a strange bubbling liquid in a cup. It is not saltwater, not fresh, but... sweet and fizzy. I don't know how to drink it without feeling strange inside

Kaldur stops his inner monologue and glances at the demigod in front of him.

Nico was dipping his fries in the ketchup and eating stuff from the “happy meal “ he order with a cheerful look.

Kaldur sighted and went back to eating his meal, it did not taste Half bad.

He didn’t eat out and when he does he Usually would eat at pups near the shore, those that Aquaman used to frequent or he would dine in galas during undercover missions.

Kaldur carefully looked at the packing of the nuggets, it said it was only contained 45% chicken….

The Atlantean contemplates and pokes around at the food before him but still finished the meal.

In summary the Half Atlantean did secretly like it, despite the dubious substance of the food.

Nico watched in amusement as Kaldur‘ahm ears wiggled a little as he took small carful bites of the fries.

The Atlantean clearly liked the food, despite the hesitation in each bite.

Kaldur finished his meal and watched Nico lazy slurp his Coca-Cola.

The Demigod looked much healthier than the last time they met, but his eyes were still dark and shattered.

Perhaps they would always be so.

The Atlantean shoved his dark thoughts to the side and started to speak
“So you have now officially become a rouge,despite never actually being officially part of the camp and you actually being a unclaimed rouge this entire time ”

Nico nodded and showed off his ring.

“Congratulations” the Atlantean said in a neutral tone.

But the Atlantis eyes held a shimmer of Worry.

“Don’t worry about me Kaldur”said Nico,
“I can tale care of myself just fine”

Aquaman’s apprentice mutually nodded

“You know my offer of you joining the team still stand”said Kaldur

“To much Socialising” responded Nico Di angelo.

“I am an 19 now Nico,I can help you without the involvement of others, I even could help you go to school or something,
I could get you a cabin or apartment somewhere and get a magical barrier set up to keep the monsters out, I have some magical connection”said Kaldur

Nico snorted

“I can take care of Myself “.

Kaldur’ahm did not argue.

“What if I hire you instead?”said the half bread Atlantean

The son of Hades eyebrows shut up in surprise

“I am almost an independent Hero now, and I need new sources of information, so we could meet up every few months or something and you could be my informant or something…….So what do you say Nico?”

The demigod smirked and then stepped into the shadows (the Mc Donald’s was old and didn’t have any cameras)

“Let’s meet at the place where we first met at the next Fullmoon at midnight “

Where Nico’s parting words as he shadow traveled away.

Kaldur let out relieved sight and left the building.

He had to research how much Money he could give to Nico without making him think that he is pitying him or something.

Chapter Text

Nico was inspecting confused the Technical Device that Kaldur gave to him.
It’s called a “Burner phone “

Apparently he should call it Kaldur’ahm with whenever he had new information or needs something…

Nico tappes and shakes confusedly the phone and twitched in surprise when it lit up in a nauseating blue artificial light.

The demigod narrowed his eyes.
A few years agony he would have accidentally crushed the thing in his hands.

Embarrassed, Nico recalled that one time he stabbed a arcrade game in the lotus casino.

He vaguely remembered how there were always new games popping up and with it came the machines.

The boy recalls in a faded sort of way when he curiously approchea the new strange device with the Cue stick as he was bored playing Pool and absentmindedly took the stick with him.

He poked around the new game machine thingy and screamed in fear as it lit up in burst of noises and suddenly there were nauseating colofour figures jumping inside the thing.

Young Nico thought it ware creatures trying to eat him and under a second there was cue stick rammed through the thing.

After that the “managers” always kept an eye on him and never let him near the new games and new people, as if he was afraid he might actually stab them…

They probably wanted their food sources not get distracted by arcrade stabbing little kids and they no longer let him play any games that has stuff he could take away and destroy other stuff with..

He missed playing throw the stone in the small lake with the almost translucent older boys/man dressed in togas…even though they couldn’t understand echother since neither spoke English.

(They must have been in the Casino for a very long time)

Either way he started playing poker after that.

The son of hades pulled himself out of memory.Strangle enough he sorta missed yet feared that place.

Nico glanced at Kaldur who was sitting next to him on the bank in a park somewhere in happy harbour.

It was their third meet up since the Atlantean hired him.

They usually always met up in different locations and places and often at old abandoned graveyards.

But this time they were just hanging out ,almost like normal teenagers.

Nico felt strangely nostalgic.

He couldn’t find a single memory of just hanging out with someone.

Bianca was watching over him when they were together or completely forgotten about him back in the casino.

He didn’t have a memory of ever casually hanging out with someone.

Yet the nostalgia remained.

Perhaps he did hang out with someone before.

He just couldn’t remember it before of the Lethe.

Nico refocused and went back to observing the demigod.

Kaldur was scratching the beard he was growing, which made him appear a decade older in Nicos opinion, while tiredly staring at notebook he had on his lap.

Recently his humble Employer had decided to renter into Atlantean magic School and compress the 3 years he had missed into one.

Nico wonders what it like to learn with book and paper and not work sword and flesh.

The demigod glanced at his pockets which were full with The half bread Atlanteans payment.

Kaldur always payed very well and Nico wonders were Kaldur received dramachas from, non surface dwelling roughs Atlanteans don’t use that old Greek currency.

Nico learned against the Fish boy and blankly starred at the open pages of Kaldur’s notebook.

He couldn’t read any of it.

Nico yawned and leaned completely on his alley, who softly leaned back.

They stayed like that until the light of day faded away.

Chapter Text

Kaldur’ahm counted the many Coral reefs and “abandoned” ruins as he softly swam through the ocean.

He had just visited Dolphin and his mother and father.

They were doing well.

He had a lot think about.

There were currently three Aquaman.

Becoming Aquaman was one of the greatest honours that was bestowed on him….But…

Kaldur sunk deeper into the ruins which supported the coral reefs.

He was on the stretch between the outskirts that was close to his childhood home,which had always been on the outskirts of his community.

He always used to come here as a child…to catch and eat fish.

His mother was confined to the house and was always..depressed and his adopted Father was working all day long and there wasn’t much Money or food.

So little Kaldur,while not helping his father with jobs or going to school , always came here to catch his lunch and dinner.

Of course he stopped doing that after some of his classmates snuck after him and watched him devour a fish.

They screamed and told the teacher.

When he returned to the school and his teacher was already grasping his shoulder and dragging him to the side.

Who then angrily slapped his wrist with her teacher stick and told him that sort of behaviour was something only a dirty halfbreed child of a trench monster would do.

Kaldur rubbed his wrists.

He had not caught his own food in a long time.

The Atlantean licked his lips as fish darted around him.

He felt something inside his throat.

Kaldur shook his head.

In the last few weeks he felt his throat developing thicker skin and he was developing new gills on the sides of his torso.

His long suppressed instincts were also rearing their ugly head.

He sighed, which came out as a few bubbles.

He had finally graduated from magic school, while still not learning the sufficient magical powers to become a sorcerer.

He passed his exams with sufficient book knowledge and the ability to beat Sorcerer’s with or without the magical power.

Fighting Ice sorcerers every few weeks in his years as Aqualad really paid off.

Kaldur leaned against a stone pilled on the surface wall and sighted.

His tattoos have halfway faded but were still have visible.

Perhaps they will always be that way.

What was really bothering him was that he was … nobody…..

He did not want glory or anything like that , but sometimes the Atlantean felt that he was often overlooked, forgotten about…not important…

He bearly interacted with the team anymore, Aquaman had not talked to him in months,to busy with taking care of the kingdom after retiring slowly from the mantle of Aquaman..

Atlanteans age -at first like humans,but after the fourth cycle they age slower and many Atlanteans can live up to 200 years.
Wich can be different for halfbreeds.

But His King will definitely live to his 300‘s year.

The royal bloodline consists of godly blood with it ,and a blessing.

He , Kaldur’ahm will not live that long.He will probably age like a human.

Kaldur felt the odd sensation in his throat again.

He was changing.

Usually Atlanteans don’t physically change , except finishing growing when they complete the third cycle wich marks the end of their life as a teen.

But half breeds often take after their more beastly cousins…

Kaldur closed his eyes and when he opened them he was in a forest

…..
“What in the name of poseí——“

“You should not speak the name of a god here whispered Nico in Kaldur’s ear.

Kaldur whirled around.

Nico was standing in the middle of the forest, eye whites black, huge shadowy wings on his back and skin tan.

“Where are we? Whispered Kaldur in a strangled voice .

Nico gave the Atlantean a small smirk.

“We are in a dream” said the demigod

Chapter Text

If any Son of Hypnos was wandering across the dreamscape and took a peek into a small dream, he would find a forest landscape with Nico Di angelo and a Fish man braiding dream flowers together….
He would have taken a double glance.

Here in the dreamscape ones mortal form sometimes faded and here Nico Di angelo looked like an angel of death or a demon with the beauty of and angel.

Kaldur’ahm looks into the dream river in front of him and cradled his face in his clawed hands.

He still had a humanoid face but all of his teeth were sharp and his cainines longer.
His eyes glowed , the way they only glowed when there was complete darkness.

He was taller, shoulders less broad and more agile.

Be had a tail and his feet and hands were still humanoid, but they were clawed and had webs between the fingers.
Was this his final form?
What if…

Nico’s shadowy wing lightly smacked the Atlantean in the head.

Kaldur didn’t show it on the outside, but Nico knew that the Atlantean often went spiralling down In thought.

“Don’t worry, this is just a dream, it might reflect reality, it might show a possibility of what we could become but it is just a dream, unless you make it into reality or magic stuff happens…”

Said the demigod to the Fish man.

The Atlantean sighed.

The two friends allies sat together in silence.

Kaldur opened his mouth and then shut it, he was unsure if he should ask.

Nico glanced at the Atlantean.

„Just ask“said Nico in a annoyed tone

„How did you find out that you are demigod?“asked Kadlur‘ahm gently

Nico absentmindedly fiddled with the flowers in his hand and took a few moments before answering.

„That is a good question…. I……
I do not know if I knew what I was a child,
Me and my Sister were dipped into the river Lethe, but I always knew that we were different, while my sister, she wanted us to be normal and she always tried to fit in.

I on the other hand couldn’t keep my mouth shut and never tried to fit in.

I was a annoying child, obsessed with mythomagic cards and Pirates and I knew if someone was dying….

After escaping the military school and getting told that we were demigods I was exited.

There was a place were we could belong and be safe.

Of course everything collapsed after my sister joined the hunters and died….

I ……Why don’t you tell me something about you instead Kaldur’ahm?

Kaldur flopped on the dreamflowers, he hadn’t felt this relaxed since… ever.

I visited my father in prison, murmured Kaldur.

Nico raised his eyebrows, urging the man to continue.

Kaldur closed his eyes and the dream shifted into his memory.

Nico and Kaldur were standing in a small prison visiting room.

They watched Kaldur’s memory play out.

Kaldur was sitting on a chair, staring at black manta who was sitting behind the glass wall, it was strange for Kaldur to look at his father without his mask.

The Atlantean was nervously picking at his wrist as the human man looked at his son with an emotionless face.

After a few awkward seconds Black manta finally spoke.

“Why are you here, apprentice of Aquaman?
I have no knowledge that is useful to the Justice League..”

Kaldur flinched

“I am not here as Aqualad, I am here as Kaldur’ahm”

Black manta let out a sight and regarded his soon carefully.

The teen quickly blurted out
“ How’s life in prison treating you “?
And cringed at his awkward tone

Black manta snorted
“It’s been a little boring, I stabbed some guy, got in trouble and not much else happened…..

Kaldur nodded

The two males looked at each other, not willing to talk about the elephant in the room.

Kaldur wondered what his father thought about his betrayal? Anger, hatred, nothing ?

Black mantas face remind blank,emotionless and cold. But his Eyes held a silent question, which Kaldur did not know how to answer.

The Prison Guard was bellowing out in his low Voice that visiting time was over.

Kaldur murmured some promise that he will try to visit once a month and left feeling.. unsatisfied, hollow ….Disappointed

As he walked out of the place, with his father’s, silent accusing gaze trailed on his back.

Nico gently guided Kaldur out of his memoy and back into the the forest dream place.

Kaldur was lost in thought,the calmness of the dream fading away.

He was waking up

Nico offers silent support,leaning on his ally as he was waking up, the heavy memory too emotional to lull someone backed into the depths of a dream.

They will discuss this the next time they meet in the waking world

Kaldur opens his eyes