Aqualad One-Shots

His Son

THAT SCREENSHOT BREAKS MY HEART THO DAVID NO DON'T GET ATTACHED YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING

David spies on his son in Atlantis. Sha'lain'a and Cal aren't having it.

Atlantean schooling wasn't as mandatory or formal as most schools on the surface world (though David didn't really know that, he had never bothered with school), but Sha'lain'a of course wanted as best for her son as she could get, especially with his gils, hair, and heritage. She would make certain that the boy was nothing like his father.

David didn't know how to feel about that.

He had donned a disguise, simple Atlantean male robes, along with a potion he'd bartered long and hard for with some magic peddler in the deserts of Bialya that would allow him to breathe underwater with just a sip. His men had tested it before, he knew it would work. Only for a few hours, but that would be enough.

He only had to see his son.

The boy sat in the corner of the tiny schoolyard, stacking rocks and molding the squishy sand while his classmates played a game of tag, ignoring him for the most part. David approached the fence, trying not to look conspicuous, but the boy looked up anyway.

"Hello." He said, wise gray eyes staring up at the figure much bigger than he. David was surprised at how they pierced him, as if they could see into his very soul.

"Hello, child," He said, quickly composing himself.

"My name is Kaldur'ahm. How are you?" The boy asked politely, holding out his hand. 

So she'd named him after the other traitor. He shouldn't be surprised, his intelligence did indicate that Cal Durham had found refuge with Sha'lain'a.

"I am fine, child, how are you?" He asked, shaking the boy's hand.

Kaldur'ahm smiled. "I am fine as well!"

"What are you doing there?" David asked, indicating the array of stones and sand.

"I'm trying to build a palace, just like King Orin's." He said eagerly, returning to his busy work with his new friend's interest in it. David chuckled to himself. perhaps his son had inherited his ambition as well as his skin tone.

"It's for my Matim," young Kaldur'ahm explained, "when I grow up, I'm going to give her the best home in Atlantis! She deserves it."

David's smile softened as he watched the boy work. Whatever differences they had, they both shared a love and respect for his mother.

"Kaldur!" A voice sang across the schoolyard. There was nowhere for David to hide on such short notice.

Sha'lain'a was fast approaching, a radiant smile sending a glow over her entire body as she swam towards her son.

"Matim!" The boy turned to greet his mother, but she stopped when she saw who stood over Kaldur.

"You," She gasped through gritted teeth.

Kaldur looked between his mother and his new friend. "Matim? What is the matter?" He asked.

Sha'lain'a took Kaldur's hand, pulling him closer. It was obvious she was not willing to risk a confrontation in front of all the schoolchildren, much less her son.

"Leave. Now." She said, on the brink of snarling.

David stood tall, but Sha'lain'a was taller. He nodded briskly at Sha'lain'a before looking to the boy at her feet.

"A pleasure meeting you, Kaldur'ahm." He swam off into the darkness of the waters on the edge of Atlantis, and tried not to cry.

-------

"So what did you do at school today?" Sha'lain'a asked, tucking the covers around her son tightly, making sure he was comfortable.

Kaldur stared blankly at the picture book he wanted Calvin to read him that night. "I made you another castle," he said.

"Oh, my dear," Sha'lain'a went in for a hug, but Kaldur looked away.

"Kaldur?" She asked quietly.

He finally looked up at her. "Why did you make that man leave?" He asked. "He was being nice to me." His bottom lip quivered, and Sha'lain'a's heart broke. Hardly anyone was kind to her son, least of all the children who learned it from their parents' thinly veiled hatred of those who were impure.

She kissed his forehead, "Someday, you'll understand," She promised.

There was a cough from the doorway, and Calvin peered into the small bedroom with a smile. "I heard that someone needed a story read in here?" He joked.

"Yes, please!" Kaldur's smile returned, holding out the book for Calvin to read.

Sha'lain'a moved from the bed to give Calvin room to sit, listening in the doorway to Calvin's story of the Rainbow Fish and his friends and their shimmering scales.

Kaldur laughed as Calvin finished the story. "I love you, Tato."

"I love you too, Kaldur," Calvin said, kissing the boy's forehead. 

Sha'lain'a returned for her goodnight kiss, and this time, Kaldur let her hold him in her arms.

"I love you, my son," She whispered, caressing his hair.

"I love you too, Matim."

I'm not sure if I spelled them correctly but the variations of "Mother" and "Father" that Kaldur uses are supposed to be what Kida refers to her parents in Atlantis: The Lost Empire