Chapter Twenty-One
Throughout the fall sport season, Zatanna had become famous for her difficult but fantastic shots. They seemed to be the ones people liked most, and therefore they were the ones that made it onto the school website. While she didn't mind seeking out different angles and distance from the schools various fields -it certain improved her parker skills- Zatanna sometimes didn't want to take pictures. She also, very rarely, didn't want to talk to her friends.
So she found herself, up a tree on occasion, with no desire to move. Leaning back on the tree trunk, she crossed her arms to bundle her body heat closer and closer her eyes. Content, she would have sat there all afternoon. Once in a while a student or two would pass underneath her tree and draw her attention, but never was it someone she wanted to talk to. Sighing, she closed her eyes again.
"Having fun?" Came the cocksure voice, a bit hoarse from the cold, and quite pleasant to the ears.
But Zatanna merely snorted, "I was, until you came along." Conner stood below, hands resting on the lowest branches of her tree.
He spared her a rare grin, obviously amused with her. "Liar, you look bored as can be." He retorted, and she suddenly noticed the delightful red tint in his cheeks, a product of the cold.
Zatanna found herself admiring the dramatic downview she had of him and, without thinking, lifted her camera to snap a picture. Conner grumbled and rubbed his eyes at the flash. "You better be happy I don't care what I look like."
"Sorry!" Zatanna giggled, knowing she'd save the picture, maybe even print it. Did that make her creepy..?
"Are you coming down or not?" Zatanna shrugged in response, earning a frown from him. "What's the matter? Stuck up there?"
"I'm not stuck," Zatanna snorted at the idea and then made sure her camera would not fall from her neck. On second thought… "Catch this," she called, knowing he would quite easily. She tuckered her camera into its case and held it out, careful of branches. A clear drop into his hands… and then she let go.
She smiled and began to climb down once she was certain her Rebel was safe. Unknown to her, Conner watched her every move, ready to catch her as well. Zatanna would have laughed at the notion, but right then she was busy trying to find another foothold.
"You are stuck, aren't you?" Zatanna could hear the amusement in his voice and huffed in response.
"Shut up."
"Well fine then, I won't help you," Conner sassed, but he moved into position anyways. He was prepared to catch her, seeing as the tree wasn't high at all.
Zatanna huffed at him, leaned back a bit to try and find a foothold for herself, to no avail. Conner laughed at her, also searching for something to help her get closer to the ground.
"Just jump."
"Jump?!"
"You're like... five feet off the ground."
"I'll roll my ankle!"
"I'll catch you."
Zatanna could only glance down at him, finding his eyes both amused and cautious. "Alright," she submitted, her voice going soft with fear. She wasn't afraid of heights, persay, but jumping from a tree branch so not five feet off the ground did not thrill her. Turning, she looked sown at him, slightly relieved he was the one to catch her. If anyone was capable of holding her weight, it was Conner. Not that she weighed too much, and not that the others -Robin or Wally- were weak… but… still…
And then she jumped, her eyes snapping shut like her camera lens, the image of Conner's outstretched arms branded into the back of her eyes.
For a brief moment she floated. Then she landed in his arms, safe and practically boneless. He was warm, his sweatshirt keeping in all his body heat and seemingly transferring it to her through his chest. Conner had a very nice chest… and shoulders… and nice arms. Zatanna had her arms around his neck, resting on those nice shoulders. She gulped.
Conner had nice eyes, so blue… like her own. Like ice. She liked them; she caught herself staring at them more often than not. But in the middle of campus? With the occasional student walking late an afternoon class? Was she that obvious?
Conner didn't mind, not really. He had caught her, after all. Nothing wrong with that. The fact she landed so wonderfully against his boy, and the fact his arms had tightened around her waist, his hands splayed over the small of her back, her hips pressed to his, her fingers clutching his shoulder- all of it was just circumstance. It was, he was sure of it.
And then she kissed him, and his world became a rush of emotion, a mix of "oh… wow" and then just "oh…" and his hands moved up and down at the same time, supporting her back and drawing her closer.
Then she gasped, her mouth parting, and he felt just a sliver of her tongue against his lips and just enough for him to want it - want to chase it. But then she was drawing away and stumbling back and he forgot how to speak as Zatanna regained her footing, filling his ears with all different version of "oh god" and "oh shit" that sounded nothing like he wanted them to, not now.
And then she scurried away, leaving him with just a mix of feelings and a frown.
And a name.
"Anna?"
Darn... and they were getting along so good too...
Next Chapter: Tomorrow.