Breaking the Surface

Friday, October 24th, 12:55.

New Jersey,

Gotham City,

Gotham Heights.

A steady drip, drip, drip echoed faintly in the underground training room as Esau opened his eyes, the cool stone floor beneath him familiar yet frustrating. He exhaled sharply, pushing himself up onto his hands, before sitting back on his knees and flexing his fingers. His body ached, muscles sore and taxed from the relentless training session, but he welcomed the discomfort—it was proof that he was making progress.

Across the dimly lit basement, the soft rustling of pages filled the silence. Jason Blood sat in a high-backed wooden chair, half-hidden in the shadows, an ancient tome resting in his hands. The flickering candlelight nearby illuminated his weathered, thoughtful face as he scanned the delicate pages. The bookshelves surrounding him were filled with texts far older than Gotham itself, filled with secrets that few living souls had ever read.

Esau got to his feet, rolling his shoulders before making his way over to Jason, a faint grunt escaping his lips. He was tired, but determined. "I'm getting closer." His voice was rough with exertion. "It's tricky. The way the Kitsune constantly shifts between using clones and then not—it keeps throwing me off. But I'm figuring it out."

Jason, without looking up from his book, let out a quiet hum. "From how you've described it, the issue isn't the Kitsune's skill." He turned a page carefully, his voice calm and analytical. "It's how it applies its power in combat. It's a simple approach, yet remarkably effective."

Esau dropped onto the nearby bench, rubbing a hand over his face. "Yeah. And fighting against it is showing me how to use my own powers better."

There was a flicker of something unreadable in Jason's gaze as he finally looked up. "That's good," he acknowledged. "But it sounds like you're wanting more."

Esau didn't hesitate. "I want to push myself further."

Jason raised an eyebrow but said nothing, waiting for him to continue.

Esau leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. "I want to improve—not just my powers, but my fighting skills." His fingers curled into fists. "I can't just rely on sparring against the Kitsune. I need something…more."

Jason studied him for a long moment before shaking his head. "In terms of pure skill, Esau, you surpassed me long ago." That made Esau frown. Surpassed Jason? He had never thought of it like that. Sure, Jason wasn't a dedicated fighter like Batman or Deathstroke, but to hear it outright still unsettled him.

He exhaled, staring down at his hands. It wasn't enough.

Bronze Tiger's brutal efficiency was still fresh in his mind.

Esau had met some of the best fighters in the world. Batman and Deathstroke stood at the top—true all-rounders who had mastered nearly every combat discipline. But even they had were surpassed by others in some areas.

Black Canary? She surpassed both in grappling and counter-fighting, manipulating an opponent's strength against them better than anyone else.

Talon? He was precise, targeting weak points and vitals with near-perfect execution.

Esau had always assumed that Batman and Deathstroke were on an untouchable level. But after seeing Bronze Tiger fight, he wasn't so sure anymore. The man had the presence of a predator—calm, methodical, devastatingly efficient.

Esau wanted to test himself against that wall.

Jason noticed the frown lingering on Esau's face. He closed his book with a quiet thud and leaned back in his chair. "Give me some time," he said. "I might be able to get in contact with an old friend. If they're willing, they might be able to help."

Esau's gaze sharpened. "Who?"

Jason smirked. "Patience."

Esau sighed but nodded, knowing Jason well enough to recognize when he wasn't going to get an answer just yet. A vibration from his pocket caught his attention. Pulling out his phone, he glanced at the message on the screen. He got to his feet, slipping his phone back into his pocket.

"I'm heading out."

Jason glanced at the clock on the wall, a teasing grin tugging at the corner of his lips. "Gotham Academy doesn't end for another two hours." Esau paused mid-step but didn't turn around. He knew exactly what Jason was implying. "Eager to leave so soon?" Jason's tone was pure amusement.

Esau simply shook his head, exhaling through his nose. He didn't give Jason the satisfaction of a response.

"I'll take that as a yes." Jason chuckled as Esau waved over his shoulder, heading for the door.

As Esau stepped out into the Gotham streets, a small smirk tugged at his lips. Yeah, he was eager. But Jason didn't need to know that.

-X-

Friday, October 24th, 13:15.

New Jersey,

Gotham City,

Gotham Heights.

Esau leaned against the cold brick wall of a Gotham alleyway, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jacket as he exhaled a slow breath. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp pavement and distant car exhaust, but it was the kind of night he welcomed—quiet, at least by Gotham standards. He wasn't waiting long before the faint sound of footsteps echoed from the alley behind him.

A moment later, Kaldur emerged from the shadows, his presence calm and collected as always. His Atlantean features stood out even in casual civilian clothing, but he carried himself with an ease that made him blend in far better than one might expect.

Esau pushed off the wall, greeting him with a simple nod. "Kaldur."

Kaldur returned the gesture with a small smile. "Esau. It is good to see you."

Esau smirked. "Didn't expect you to reach out, though. Something wrong?"

Kaldur chuckled softly. "No, nothing is wrong." He paused before adding, "I simply wished to talk."

Esau raised a brow, glancing at him as they started walking down the quiet sidewalk. "Talk, huh? Well, can't say I'm not curious. What about?"

Kaldur was quiet for a moment, seemingly choosing his words carefully. "Your departure. I wanted to understand why."

Esau let out a breath, tilting his head back slightly to look up at the cloudy Gotham sky. "Not much to understand, really." He shrugged. "My time with the team just came to an end."

Kaldur studied him as they walked, clearly unconvinced by the simplicity of his response.

Esau chuckled to himself, shaking his head as he tried to put his thoughts into words. "Before I was Black Hood, I thought I was a mid-sized fish in a big pond. Gotham's a rough place, but I figured I was holding my own." He smirked slightly, then exhaled through his nose. "Then I actually became Black Hood and realized I wasn't a mid-sized fish—I was a small fish surrounded by sharks."

Kaldur's expression remained thoughtful, listening intently.

Esau continued. "By the time I was taken to Cadmus, experimented on, and finally managed to get out, I figured, okay—I've leveled up. I made it. I finally became a predator." His smirk faded. "But when I got back…I realized I was a small fish again. But this time? In a fucking ocean."

At that, Kaldur let out a short chuckle, the understanding clear in his expression. He nodded. "I know exactly what you mean."

Esau glanced at him. "Yeah, I figured you would."

There was a brief pause before Kaldur spoke again. "The wider world is filled with individuals beyond anything we once imagined. Some, quite literally, are gods among men."

Esau exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. And I felt it the most when we went up against Black Adam." His jaw clenched at the memory. "I'm strong, Kaldur. Stronger than I ever thought I'd be." He looked over at him. "But I'm not strong enough. Not yet. And honestly? I won't be for a long time."

Kaldur nodded slowly, understanding the sentiment. "Still…you refuse to be too weak to protect those you care about."

Esau smirked. "Damn right."

They walked in silence for a few steps before Kaldur spoke again, his voice carrying a quiet weight.

"I understand that feeling well." He exhaled, glancing ahead. "I have been considering returning to Atlantis to further my knowledge of magic. To improve myself. But I cannot. Not now. Not with the team as it is."

Esau frowned, then sighed. "Damn. Guess me leaving kinda screwed you over, huh?"

Kaldur let out a deep, genuine laugh, shaking his head. "Not at all."

Esau looked at him, unconvinced. "Yeah, sure."

Kaldur's laughter faded into a small smile. "I do not mind taking command for now. Until either you are ready to return…" he glanced at Esau knowingly, "…or someone else is ready to step up."

Esau rolled his shoulders, his smirk returning. "Probably won't be me."

Kaldur raised a brow. "No? Leadership suited you well."

Esau snorted. "Not when I was distracted."

Kaldur let out another chuckle, shaking his head. "True. But then, I would know that better than anyone."

Esau let out an amused huff, catching the reference. "You really would."

The two shared a rare, lighthearted moment, but eventually, Kaldur's expression turned more serious. "There is something else."

Esau tilted his head slightly. "Yeah?"

Kaldur nodded. "The real reason I wished to meet you." He slowed his steps, looking Esau in the eye. "Why did you not tell the team?"

Esau frowned slightly. "Tell them what?"

"That you were leaving." Kaldur's voice was steady, but there was something genuine beneath it. "If you had explained this to the rest of the team—to me, Connor, M'gann, Artemis, Dick—we would not have stopped you. We would have understood. We would have supported you."

Esau looked away for a moment, letting the words sink in.

After a pause, he exhaled through his nose, rubbing the back of his neck. "…Honestly? I don't know."

Kaldur waited, allowing him the space to speak.

Esau let out a short chuckle, though it lacked humor. "It's just…unusual for me."

Kaldur remained silent, encouraging him to continue.

Esau sighed. "Ever since my mom died when I was eleven, the only people I really had to check in with were Barbara and Jim. Maybe Harvey, but even if he cared, he'd act like he didn't."

Kaldur listened carefully.

Esau shrugged. "Before I knew Barbara was Batgirl, I used to keep a lot of things from her. Did my best to hide it all. It just became…routine, I guess. Avoiding subjects. Keeping things to myself." He exhaled. "I guess I just never grew out of that."

Kaldur was quiet for a moment before finally saying, "I understand."

Esau looked over at him.

Kaldur's expression was calm, but firm. "But in the future, you do not have to hide these things."

Esau held his gaze for a long moment before nodding. "…Yeah. I'll work on it."

Kaldur nodded in approval, a small smile forming. "Good."

Esau smirked, giving him a playful nudge. "Look at you. Giving the heartfelt speeches now."

Kaldur chuckled. "Someone has to."

Esau shook his head, but smiled nonetheless. "Thanks, Kaldur."

Kaldur simply nodded, and the two continued walking through the quiet Gotham streets, their conversation lingering in the air between them.