( ml. ) INBOX

[shorelined]

@kaldur'ahm.shayeris | ■ ▲ ◌ ▼

Comments

[shorelined]

Are you familiar with the Light?

[ moving on from heroes to villains... ]

[reneger]

Not in the least.

( not the name, anyway. )

[shorelined]

A collective of supervillains working together. It is their response to the Justice League in my world.

[ he glances away from jason for a moment here, thinking back to being undercover, everything he's done - ]

[reneger]

( he could get deeper into that, but-- )

What's on your mind, fishboy?

[shorelined]

I went undercover with Black Manta to learn of the identity of those who form the Light.

[ it's an honest answer, and one that doesn't offer too much information as to how much it weighs on him. ]

[reneger]

Is he your old man? ( a beat, before: ) He's the land-dweller's from my side of the 'verse.

[shorelined]

[ kaldur's head bows. ]

He is. I did not learn of it until recently.

[reneger]

You know what they say, ( hands opening and gesturing out. ) can't choose your parents.

[shorelined]

I know.

[ kaldur's head remains bowed a moment longer, before he straightens again. offers a hint of a smile and a hint of a shrug. ]

It was difficult to learn of, regardless. [ an admission. difficult to learn, too, that his king and mentor had kept this from him for so long. ]

[reneger]

My old man was a piece of shit.

( everyone knows this. it's not a secret. )

An asshole. Started fights with my mom over jack shit. Went off too long, came back fucked up. Bragged about getting attached by the bat--typical street thug bullshit. So I can't say I get it--finding out half your dna comes from a super villain. But considering half mine comes from a dead lackey, I can relate.

[shorelined]

[ a nod, this time. ]

Our parentage does not define us.

[ it's something he's spoken to artemis about more than once —long before he'd ever thought it would apply to him as well.

still, he believes it no less now than he did then. ]

[reneger]

No. Our choices do.

( it's a lesson he's picked up from bruce himself. one jason--didn't believe, but learned to. that blood doesn't make a person, nor did bruce make him, or anyone else. jason todd makes himself.

it's the same for kaldur. )

[shorelined]

[ that is true and it's something kaldur knows. something he believes.

and yet — ]

Some choices are impossible.

[ "i know you've been forced to make impossible choices" dick had said to him while he'd been undercover at dick's behest.

it's his burden to bear. ]

But I agree.

[reneger]

Sounds like you've got something more important on your mind, fishboy.

( deep answers without any answers as to why they're deep. something is going through this kid's head. jason doesn't need to know, but he's--curious. )

Wanna talk about it?

[shorelined]

It is nothing.

[ he wants to talk about it. he doesn't want to talk about it.

he shouldn't burden jason. ]

[reneger]

You're lying to me.

( his voice remains loose, even if the words carry a harsh conviction. )

Is it 'cause you don't wanna talk, or you don't know if you can trust me?

[shorelined]

[ the harshness beneath the words, beneath that casual tone has kaldur look up, at jason.

then he slowly shakes his head. ]

It is neither. [ is the quiet admission. ]

[reneger]

So, spill.

( if it's not either of those, what's the fucking point of being secretive. )

[shorelined]

[ kaldur's shoulders drop a little. ]

I only meant that I had to make difficult choices while I was trying to convince Black Manta that he could trust me. That I did things I am not proud of.

[reneger]

Oh, man do I get that.

( an easy, stupid smirk. )

I allied with Black Mask, once. Had to watch him shoot the brains out of a few lackeys. Put up with a lot of his other shit, too. It was crap.

[shorelined]

I am sorry.

[ a different world, sure, and he is not responsible for his father's actions —and still. ]

[reneger]

What'd you have to do? Kill a few losers? Pull some stupid, reckless stunts?

( he said a bit about himself, but it was less about sharing. more for showing kaldur he does get it. how shit it feels. )

[shorelined]

I did not kill anyone directly.

[ indirectly? he isn't so certain. ]

But I have hurt people. Betrayed their trust, harmed them -

[ it was necessary, but is that not a slippery slope? how much harm is he willing to do to do good? ]

[reneger]

I slit the third baby bird's throat once, 'cause I was pissed at him for taking my place.

( sometimes people get hurt. jason had even shittier reasons than kaldur, but he opens up to them regardless. )

You're probably fine.

[shorelined]

[ kaldur doesn't feel fine, but he nods regardless. ]

Thank you.