Title: Just Give Me These Last Seconds
Rating: low T
Word Count: 1,100+
Characters: Dick/Zatanna
Summary: (During the events of 1x16, "Failsafe"). It's stupidly selfish of him, but he doesn't want her here, because everyone in here is going to go out there in a matter of hours, including himself, and he wants her to be far away from that.
Prompt: #36: time
Other Inspirations: "It Will Rain/Set Fire to the Rain" - Sam Tsui (mash-up link on my profile)
Just Give Me These Last Seconds
His heart is pounding a mile a minute in his chest, and even if he seems alright on the outside, there are a million things going on in his head. He hasn't got the time to feel nervous or doubtful because everyone is counting on him to be the one that knows how they're going to pull themselves through this.
He doesn't even have the time to think of how really unfair that is.
But he's kind of speed-walking through the Cave as everyone is moving around him, getting things ready, when he hears his name, "Robin," being shouted, coming out all choked and shaky. He spins on his feels and the world kind of slams to this sudden halt when he sees Zatanna standing there with the transporter dimming behind her and her eyes locked onto him.
"Zatanna," he breathes far too softly for her to actually hear, but then she's running over to him and knocking his breath out when they collide, her arms being thrown around his in this death-grip.
She pulls back before he has the chance to react, but stands close and grips his cape like she's afraid someone might try to take him away.
"How did you—"
"I got the Team's distress signal," she answers before he can finish, and looks at him with her big blue eyes as she tucks some hair behind her ear. He's only half-paying attention because the other half of him can't help but think he's grateful he gets to see her one last time before…
Well, before he might not be able to ever again.
(He shudders subtly at the thought and shoves it from his mind.)
"I wanted to see you again," she says in this soft voice. "And I figured you guys needed as much help as you needed."
And he's torn between wanting to love how big her heart is and selfless she is, and wanting to shove her back through the transporter. It's stupidly selfish of him, but he doesn't want her here, because everyone in here is going to go out there in a matter of hours, including himself, and he wants her to be far away from that. If there were someplace that could still be considered safe on this planet, he wants her there.
She's going to hate him for this.
"Zatanna," he says, her eyebrows pulling together in confusion when he removes her fingers from his cape. She's really going to hate him for this. "Robin, what are you—"
He squeezes her wrist between them. "Go back home, Zatanna."
She blinks a few times, clearly stunned, and exhales this shaky breath. "What?"
"Go home, Zatanna," he repeats with more force this time so that it comes out harsher. It actually makes her flinch. "Or better yet, get to a shelter. Or run. Do whatever you have to do to get as far away from here as possible."
She yanks her hand away, takes a small step back. She's mad now. "No."
"Go now, Zatanna. That's an order. I mean it."
"No you don't," she says, fixing him with a glare. "Don't."
"Zatanna—"
"Don't you dare try to push me away, Robin," she almost yells, "And don't say it's for my protection, either."
He presses his lips together. He doesn't take her as the kind of girl that will slap people across the face just because she's angry, but he waits a good minute or two for her body to relax before taking her hand in his. She rolls her eyes but doesn't pull away, and fights off a grin when he runs the pad of his thumb over her knuckles.
"Stop that," she mumbles. "I'm mad at you."
He lets out this breathless chuckle, which, all things considered, is kind of a miracle.
She gives this smile, and it's more of a tense and anxious smile than anything but he thinks he'll take what he can get. But the smile is gone almost as quickly as it came and she's asking him in this soft voice, "Why would you ask me to just walk away from you?"
"You know why," he exhales, and she looks at him. "If you stay and fight with us, I'm just going to be sending you to your death."
"And chances are that you're going to be in more danger than any of us," she points out, "so how's that fair?"
"It's not, but neither is me asking you and everyone else to stay and fight."
"We're not all here because you asked us to be. We would've been here anyway because it's just as much our mission as it is yours," she tells him, "so don't flatter yourself."
He attempts a smile at her teasing and she squeezes his hand tightly. She's trying to be as normal as possible, but the amount of emotion in her eyes gives her away. He can definitely pick out worry, and fear, and concern, but he can also see anxiety and a bit of terror and despite the fact that this is really happening, he thinks the worst part is that he has nothing reassuring to tell her.
She already refused to get to safety, and she'll hate it if he tries to tell her that everything's going to be okay, so he just pushes his fingers through her hair and tells her, "I'm glad I got to see you again."
Her eyelashes are dotted with tears when she blinks and nods at him. "I'm glad, too."
And she kind of throws herself forward and wraps her arms around him and fists his cape in her fingers again. He squeezes her when he hugs her back, closes his eyes at the warmth of her breath against his ear when she whispers, "Eb luferac."
"Always," he whispers back. "You be careful, too."
She pulls away and looks at him through glassy eyes, "Always."
"Robin," a voice calls out at him from across the Cave, and he turns to see Wally waiting for him. "We've got to do the broadcast now."
He nods at him and then looks back at Zatanna. She smiles and pushes her fingers through his hair gently before bringing her hand down to press her palm against his cheek. "Go. The world needs your comfort more right now."
"Stay with Red Arrow and Rocket, okay?" She nods, and he presses a kiss to her forehead. "Every second counts out there."
"I know," she says softly. "I'll be counting every one until I see you again."
He smiles softly and just lingers there with her in his arms until Wally calls for him again, saying that they're running out of time. He wants to laugh bitterly at the truth in those words as he walks away, and as he casts a final glance at Zatanna, he sees her lips moving subtly as she's mouthing something to herself and he thinks ruefully that she'll be counting for a long time.