The Masks We Wear

Dirt

Since Ame couldn't go back to sleep and Kaldur wouldn't leave her side, she started to clean, something she does when she's upset. But there wasn't much to clean, considering that she had be so upset this week, that the Cave was virtually spotless. Kaldur, being creepy, sat on the squeaky bar stool and stared at her with such intensity that she almost dropped a glass.
He wasn't staring to make her feel uncomfortable but to see the beauty that slowly slipped away with every minute that that frown was upon her face. Her beautiful emerald eye hasn't sparkled in weeks and her hair has lost its luster, and is now flat as a pancake. Her cheeks lost its color and her dazzling smile has been placed upside down .
"Can you stop staring and just help?"
Free from his daze, he silently got up, and dried the dishes that she washed. They worked in silence until Kaldur finally asked the question that had been plaguing his mind.
"Why?"
"I don't know...I don't always act like this."
"Well I know that you don't,"Kaldur's voice trailed off as he went to put up some cups.
"It's just I'm having a rough time, but believe me when I say that those are old and they're healing."Ame held her wrist, through the jacket she had just put on, referring to the cuts.
"We do not have to talk about it, if you do not want to. It was rude for me to pry." Kaldur's mind begged him to ask more questions but his mouth refused.
She pulled some loose hair behind her ear,"No you're ok. You're just looking after me, Kal. Por eso me gustas. You're so sweet to me."
They sat there for a few more moments in silence before Kaldur asked, trying to change the subject, "You speak Spanish?"
She chuckled,"Sí. How have you not noticed that?"
"I honestly don't know." He put another dish up,"I guess I always know you spoke Spanish but it didn't click until now. Did you learn it in class?"
"No. My previous parental only spoke Spanish so when I ran away, I could only speak Spanish. The police put me in a group home that spoke Spanish, where they thought I would be comfortable. But it was hard for me to learn English."
"You..ran away?" She didn't answer so he asked another question,"They taught you at school?"
"Yes but I also learned from the TV." She smiled at the memories,"We didn't have cable so I would just watch old VHS tapes. Everyone thought I was weird because I said outdated words like radical and outrageous."
"If you don't mind me asking, what was your childhood like?"
"Lots of bullies, fights...loneliness. But that was before I met Sian though. You know, I first time we meant we actually fought each other."
"Why?"
"Heh, I kept mimicking him because I was learning English. He kept saying to stop mimicking him but I didn't understand what he was saying. He pushed me and I scraped my knee so I punched him. Then we just started fighting."
"Wow, how did you two make up?"
"Well. The teacher told Sian I don't speak good English and that it would be nice of him to teach me."
Now that she was relaxed, he asked a question that had been on his mind.
"Why don't you use weapons?"
She thought before she answered, "Well don't think I'm crazy but...villains do some horrible things and they deserved to be punished... When I was younger, I was taken and was badly beaten constantly, everyday, it never stopped...they have yet to be found and brought to justice. They're as bad as the Joker or Luthor, so they deserved to be punished, and hurt, just like the people they've hurt. So my fist is the fist of all the victims. My fists love to feel bones breaking or the flesh tearing of whatever monster hurt them...revenge for all the horrible things they've done." She rubbed her elbows.
Kaldur didn't say a thing. He was also a little concerned that she needed serious help. She shouldn't be thinking like this. That's not how you defeat evil. You're supposed to be better than them. How can someone so sweet be so dark? Well looks can be deceiving.
His train of thought stopped when tears from her eye threatened to fall. He put the dish down and went to give her a bear hug.
"You think I'm crazy don't you?" she sobbed into his meaty arms.(A/N:BIG MEATY CLAWS)
"No."he answered honestly.
"I need help but I'm scared of what they'll do."
"What do you mean?"Kaldur pulled away from the hug to shoot her a concerned look,"I don't think Sian will hurt you."
"Not Sian. I meant the doctors. They had me on meds that doesn't make me feel emotion, I'm like a robot. I've told Dinah but she didn't believe me. I stopped taking them and I have been fine, I mean, I've been off them since we've met, I'm fine! But all my nightmares came back and that's why I'm acting like this."she wiped her tears into his Ariel shirt. It was probably a gift from M'gann. It took her a lot not to laugh at it,"Sorry."
"It's ok." Kaldur nodded and gave her his word that he wouldn't let tell a soul but only if she promised to really make an effort to get better. Of course she agreed and then asked if they could forget about this night.
"Why would I do that? We got to enjoy each other's company. Plus the night is full of possibilities, let's have some fun."
"What do you want to do all mighty leader?"she mocked him.
"We could play a game of hide in seek, or truth or dare-"
"Really? Truth or Dare is so aburrida,
boring." Ame rolled her eyes.
"You did not let me finish...adult version."he pulled the game from the dusty depths of the couch, "I found it while you were cleaning the Cave. Are you mature enough to handle it?"
Ame pulled up her thick hair into a ponytail, a smirk appearing on her face,"The question is, are you mature enough to hear some of my answers?"