wintershepherd | [TUSHANSHU] IC Inbox

[ Baby Tooth chirps again, pressing a hand against her chest and then nodding at Jack sadly. ]

No... I feel all right. A little tired.

[Two opposing answers, and the evidence favored Baby Tooth's]

Yeah, well...and you know I say this with love, Jack...you don't really look alright.

Does this, by any chance, have everything to do with what Kyle told you last Spring?

He was right.

[ "Kyle was right. Pitch was right." ]

He can be sometimes. It's one of his more annoying habits.

[Of course, that didn't necessarily mean Zatanna agreed with him.]

But not about you. Trust me. I thnk I've known you long enough by now to know you're one of the good guys. One of the best, even. Whatever he thinks about your powers...you've done way more good than harm.

He knew this would happen though. And I... I even had the nerve to tell him he was wrong.

[ There's something clenched tightly in Jack's other hand, tightly enough that hoarfrost has coated pale fingers and is slowly creeping icy patterns up over his wrist. ]

That what would happen?

[She still doesn't know the whole story. And by now she's learned to try and figure out as much as she can before making snap judgements. Even though she's still sure whatever happened wasn't his fault.]

That I'd end up hurting someone, Zatanna.

[Okay. That could mean a lot of things. Emotionally. Physically. Accidentally.]

[Neither her expression nor tone faltered, and the only change in body language was for her to shift so she could get more comfortable. Continuing the light stroking of his hair. Like a mother soothing a child...or a sister to a brother.]

Whole story. From the top. Don't skip on the details. I can do this all night if I have to.

[ Unfortunately recounting the whole thing again, even to Zatanna, is the last thing Jack wants to do right now. So rather than respond, he just closes his eyes again and lets her play with his hair. ]

[It took a great deal of effort not to sigh in frustration on her part. She had no idea how many times the boy had already relayed the conversation to others, only that he was basically refusing to repeat the occurrence for her sake.]

[But she had told him she would stay all night if that's what it took, and she certainly wasn't about to back down now.]

Okay. Well, in that case, you're giving me permission to completely leave it up to my imagination.

I'm guessing...somebody got hit by your snow glitter again, and it went pretty badly. [Well, yeah, that much was pretty obvious.] Was it an accident?

[ Jack sighs for her. ]

It doesn't matter, does it. It's done now.

It does matter, because you're hurting, and I hate seeing you like this. I know you. I know you'd never abuse your powers or use them to hurt someone on purpose.

But I can't help if you won't talk to me, Jack. You know there's a chance I could end up saying the wrong thing even if I know exactly what's going on. What chance do you think I have if I'm left to make it all up as I go?

[ Baby Tooth speaks up again, cheeps and trills and gesturing with her hands. Whatever she says is impactful enough that Jack buries his face in the mattress and groans loudly. ]

I am not.

[ then to Zatanna: ]

Fine, the magic getting into the snow was an accident, but Spock got caught in it and it made him-- sick, somehow, it threw his mind all out of sorts and then he had to go into a coma or something for a few hours to fix it. Happy?

[You are, was on the tip of her tongue, but she held back for his sake. That much was painfully obvious.]

Okay, first of all, like you said? Accident. And second...there was no way you could've known something like that was going to happen.

In fact...I'm pretty sure I've never heard of somebody getting sick from too much happy before. [Although, from the brief conversation she'd had with the strange Vulcan man, she supposed if it were to happen to anybody, it would be him.]

[She completely ignored the Happy? question for obvious reasons, instead counting back with a question of her own:]

Let me ask you something: remember when I screwed up and accidentally let a wild spell loose on the entire Turtle?

[Normally, she would never gave gone this route...but even as she was speaking, it surprised her just how close the parallel suddenly was. Except, if anything, her "crime"--if you asked Hayley--was far worse than his.]

What if I told you that somebody did get hurt while I was trying to fix it? Would you tell me I should never use my magic again because it was all my fault?

Of course not.

[ He didn't see why that was the same thing. He assumes someone might have injured themselves in an unfamiliar body, or something to that effect. ]

You shouldn't be on the line for something another person did. This was something that I did.

[She tried not to grin, his answer being entirely expected. Of course he would be quick to defend her. Just as she was defending him now.]

Actually, it was something I did, Jack. My spell. My screwup. I'm not saying I should be blamed, either...[okay, maybe a little blame]...but that's my point.

We're in the same boat here. You don't want to see it, but it's kind of really true. We both accidentally used magic that caused someone else to get hurt. We both didn't mean to. So how come you have you take all the blame while I get away scott-free?

[ Jack is silent for a moment and then sits up, sliding to the edge of the bed and wrapping his arms around her, hugging her tightly, tucking the crown of her head beneath his chin. He had told Damian to stay away from her else Jack would show him exactly how him exactly how much Zatanna meant and they had not been empty words-- the opposite in fact. She meant more to him that he would ever find words for. ]

You're so important. [ punctuated by an extra squeeze ] You really are, Zatanna.

[It was ironic how much warmth could be felt in that hug, despite the fact that she could feel literally goosebumps from the chill his skin radiated. She returned it with equal strength, releived to see him getting up.]

So are you, and don't you ever forget that. [A pause, and then, daring to risk the moment with a pun:] Besides, I love a good cliche and all, but the last thing we need around here is a Blue Christmas.

[ He presses a chaste kiss into her hair and then pulls back. His eyes haven't quite recovered their usual gleam but he looks better. ]

I'll keep it under wraps.

[ Then he turns, extends a hand for Baby Tooth to hop into as well. ]

I owe you both an apology, don't I.

[It wasn't a full recovery, but it was a far cry from the state she's found him in not long ago. Right now? She'll take it.]

Yeah, yeah, you can write us both Thank You notes later.

[A teasing smirk. Obviously, she didn't think he owed either of them anything. When Baby Tooth fluttered over to join them, she got up off her knees and sat next to Jack on the bed so they were more eye level.]

We're just glad your okay, Jack. Can't have the Spirit of Fun looking so down on himself all the time. Then who will I go to when I get bored? Worse yet, what would the kedan kids think?

[ It's unintentional, but he does flinch slightly when she mentions the kedan kids and his voice quiets. ]

I wouldn't make things rough for them... you know that.

[She catches the flinch, but for once, doesn't regret her words.]

Of course not. If anything, they're the ones always roughing you up. [Her expression softens a bit, and she leans back into his bed as she thinks of a memory.] The day we met, I found you buried under a pile of kids, the only visible part of you being your feet. It's like you have this magic power over them without even having to use your magic.

[ Jack finally opens his hand, looking down at the painted figurine that North had made for him, the one usually in the drawstring pouch beneath his shirt. ]

It's not... that's not what I'm worried about.

[She glanced down at the little doll, recognizing it for what it was]

Then what are you worried about?

[ He sighs quietly, reducing the enormity of the problem down to a simple question. ]

How am I supposed to let other people trust me when I don't trust myself?

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject