wintershepherd | [TUSHANSHU] IC Inbox

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hey! you've reached Jack Frost!
"I'm away from a console right now, but leave me a message and
I'll return it as soon as I can! Prank callers will be snowballed-- kidding!"

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[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?

A little. I still should get back to the mainland...

The mainland can wait.

[Once that was settled, she leaned her back against the far wall, inviting him to join her. One hand still remained clasped in his, the other returning to his hair. Depending upon how long she ended up staying, she made a mental reminder to leave a note on her window, in case one of her regular visitors stopped by...but, for right then, her full attention was on the boy next to her.]

Take as long as you like. [Her voice was low and gentle, and accompanied by a soft peck on his cheek for emphasis.] I'm not going anywhere.

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