Grew up with Green. To love Aqua. (A YJ fanfic/ Kaldur: Aqualad Love story.)

A Maze of a Day

"I do not understand, Astral."

The cave was silent, save for when Kaldur spoke his thoughts on this new revelation.

We had returned after sun down from the fiasco at the Relasian summit. Connor and Megan had no doubt turned in for the night and Red Tornado was in his study, away from hearing range. And it was from here that I carried on my confession. However, as my lips flowed with the words, Kaldurs face flooded with betrayal.

"Its just as I say." I replied quietly.

I wanted to be strong in my choice. My choice to save Maze from Ivo's control and present him to a place where his connection to the tech world would be the most useful. Well, only in time, as I knew I couldn't tell anyone at the beginning.

"Within the League's system lies the presence of Amazo. The same one we fought back in gotham city. Though, this is one thats not made to kill nor has the ability to. I found him in the confounds of himself, struggling to be free."

Perhaps it was the compassion in my words, or the stubbornness I possessed, but after I relayed my explanation, Kaldur's face dulled less of hurt. Yet it still hurt me as much as it did him revealing what I had done.

I understood as he turned away, the deafening silence of this huge cavern in a mountain crushing into myself as my leader mulled over this new situation.

But as I waited ever so patiently to hear whatever he would say to me, what passed through the air was no where close what I would have predicted.

".....I wish to meet him."

My wide eyes darted to up, knowing Maze was bound to have tuned into our conversation at some point or another. But my thoughts had already turned negative. I could already see Kaldur's fury and see the fear in Maze's eyes as he would be destroyed. Oh gods......Athena give me strength.

"You heard him." I merely relayed breathily.

And by my say so, the appearance of Maze fluttered into existence. His virtual adult body stood stall, eyeing Kaldur with a discrete anger I knew was protective over myself.

"Who are you?" Kaldur demanded lowly. His words intensified with intimidation.

My body remained still. My position both physically and socially within this team now on thin ice. I then locked hues with Maze. Even as a holographic projection, I could see him asking if it was okay for him to respond as he saw fit. There was nothing I could say that would be much different to his own explanation. I nodded curtly as permission.

"I am the technological presence of the monster you fought in Gotham.....Its caged consciousness. My name then was Amazo, given by Professor Ivo. I am now known as Maze, a name bestowed by the amazing girl standing next to you."

His last few words of praise were relayed with a friendly smirk. One that was infectious and caused me to look down out of embarrassment.

"How do we know you are not still in allegiance to your maker?" My heart was starting to beat a little bit lighter. Kaldur's tone had dimmed to more of an interrogation now and not stiff with the idea of a threat.

But Maze's jaw tightened, obviously still infuriated with merely the thought of working with Ivo again. "My original body was made with a highly functioning AI in order to make calls depending on who I was fighting. But during my battle with the league, I watched as those men and women put their lives on the line to save others. I watched as I created pain and anguish."

Maze's sight cast down to his hand that slowly tightened into a whitened fist. "......And my AI produced a question that formed a new consciousness within my programming. I asked myself...'Why am I the bad guy?' The thought only increased after I was defeated the first time by the league, to then double when I re-awoke to be commanded to destroy a boy."