wintershepherd | [TUSHANSHU] IC Inbox

[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?

[That silenced her, if only for a moment. It was a question she had to stop and ask herself more than once--whether or not she did trust herself. After the whole business with the murder occurring thanks to her spell.]

I don't think that's something you get to choose, Jack.

The people who trust you the most tend to be the ones who know you better than you know yourself. [She thought back to Kyle. To Superman. To Dick. All sources of comfort whenever she questioned her abilities. Dick, most of all--he'd barely known her a month when he'd been so certain she could do something that was so above and beyond any spell she'd attempted until then.] Trust them.

[ It sounded like a simple thing but Jack had many, many years of feeling like he could only rely on himself working against a conscious decision to place his trust in others like that. He trusted them with his life -- Zatanna herself was proof of that -- but not with his sense of self. ]

I'll... try.

Well, do you trust me?

More than anyone, Zatanna.

[She took a moment to smile back appreciatively, giving him a quick sideways hug in gratitude for both the sentiment...and the trust.]

And I trust you.

As far as starts go, I'd call that a pretty good one.

[ He huffs slightly, unable to protest that without disagreeing with her. ]

[It was hard not to smirk in triumph when Jack remained silent. There was no way he could argue with her on that one.]

I know what you're thinking, and believe me, there's no way you're winning this argument.

The same thing happened to me back home. I was needed...but the spell I had to do...I wasn't sure I had enough power. Or that I would be able to control it. It was...my dad's spell. [Her smile turned sad for a fleeting moment, thinking of her father.] But somebody was there for me, too. He had more trust in my abilities than I did, and you know what? He was right.

But I've had... more chances. I should have learned, right? Not just... making the same mistakes over and over.

But you're not.

You said it yourself. You didn't just go up and start using your magic on people at random. You listened to Kyle when he explained why something like that can be hard for people who feel the way he does about it, and you did learn. Accidents happen, Jack. Even he would understand that, I'm sure.

He forgave me, after all.

[ Jack offers a slightly self-depreciating smile. ]

That's because he cares about you. I don't think he's forgiven me for the first time.

[She reaches over to squeeze his hand]

Then that's his loss.

I care about you, and I forgive you. Even though I still don't think there's anything that needs to be forgiven.

[ He heaves another sigh, looking first down at their clasped hands before back up at her. ]

Thank you, Zatanna.

[For someone who doesn't need to breathe, you sure do sigh a lot, Jack.]

[The air was cool, giving her light goosebumps along her arm thanks to never having gotten her jacket before hopping over, but she ignored them. Seated on the bed, it was pretty clear she had no intentions of leaving. But, just to be sure....]

Want me to stay with you for a little while longer?

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wintershepherd - 2013-12-18 03:38 (UTC) - Expand

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backwordscompatible - 2013-12-18 03:44 (UTC) - Expand