Robin arrived at the cave, and it was all quiet except from whimpers that came from the kitchen. He had an idea who was the source of the sobbing and crying and soon enough, he saw her. Zatanna Zatara, the newest member of the Team, crying near the kitchen counter, there she was with a messy bun, puffy eyes, trying to hold back her tears. Robin came close to her and hold her.
"C'mon. Let's get you back to your room." -Zatanna thought that there was no one at the cave bar Megan and Conner who were already asleep.
"Rob-"-Knowing where what she was about to say, he opted for carrying her bridal style back to her room. Either way, she was way to weak to walk on her own with all the weeping and lack of sleep. He entered her room with her still on his arms. He notices the boxes open but still with stuff inside them. He sits on the bed.
"I'm here for you Zee. You need to have some sleep." -She clings herself like her life depends on it. Afraid of being alone.
"Don't go. Please." -He hugs her back, fully knowing what it feels like to lose your parents.
"I'm here as long as you need me." -He caressed her hair and soon enough she was asleep in his arms. He tried to adjust herself to lied her down and make his way back to the Cave but between her deadly grip and her in sleep protest…he couldn't do nothing but to get comfortable to spend the night with her.
*Yawn* -Zee started to sleep for the first time what it feels like an eternity, she had a good sleep. She lifts herself a little and got confused, her bed felt different, she was holding something or someone and she was being held by the waist. She opens her eyes in surprise remembering last night and realizing that she slept on top of the Boy Wonder. She tried to move without waking him up but failed miserably.
"Hey Zee." -Dick was still half sleep not fully understanding the situation.
"Hi-ii-hi." -The magician was beyond crimson red; Dick blinked a couple times before reality hits him and now was his turn-to-turn beef red.
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't…" -Robin stopped once the sorceress hugs him tightly.
"Thank you. I really needed to sleep." -She broke her embrace and started to stretch herself exposing her midriff.
"Happy to help. I better keep going and let you be…but first you better eat something." -He got out off her bed and stretch himself. She wasn't heavy at all but having her on top of him all night was tiring but worthy.
"Maybe…we-we-we can go for breakfast or something…It's okay if you can't or don't want." -Dick figured that Batman was going to ground him, so he better make the most of it.
"How does Waffles sound like?" -She just smiled.
"Dude! I hear you just save a whole country! Major Kudos."
"What can I say? I'm the man." -Dick got out of the Souvenir's room and spotted a tired sorceress.
"Zee. I thought you'd be asleep already…it's already late and you pretty much took an Ice Fortress by yourself. Pretty asterous if you ask me." -She was indeed tired but couldn't sleep, watching Wally and Barry together in Wally's party and how everyone fought against the fortress with their mentors, reminded her that her father wasn't there.
"Thanks."
"It's everything alright." -Of course, if there was someone who could read her like an open book was her Boy Wonder.
"Yeah. Well…I'm having sleeping problems, again." -She rubbed her arm sheepishly, she hoped that he got the indirect and offer himself to sleep with her again.
"I know how to fix that problem." -He smirked and Zee blushed thinking that he got the idea…
"When I have sleeping problems…I always drink this tea. It does wonders." -She fakes a smile; he did not get the hint. How can someone be so smart and yet so oblivious?
"Thanks. It's a nice tea." -Alfred knew his tea's and made sure that Dick did as well.
"Are you ready to sleep?"
"I don't know…my room is a little bit cold…" -Please Robin, get the hint.
"Let me turn on the heat." -Zee couldn't believe what was happening, so she might need a more direct approach.
"Then I better leave so you can catch some sleep." -Dick was ready to make his exit until he felt someone pulling his arm.
"I…I…You…" -She was barely audible, and the Team's detective wasn't much of a detective right now.
"What is it, Zee? Do you want another tea? Are you still cold?" -How can someone be so attentive and clueless at the same time.
"Can you sleep with me? It was a hard day, to-to-to see everyone with their mentors and-and-and I…" -Dick carried her bridal style like a few days back.
"You don't need to give me reason or explanation. You need me and I'm here for you but if you want to vent…I'm ready for whatever you need." -She casted a spell to put both in their sleeping wear, feeling bad about last time, she opted for the spooning position and to be the little spoon so he wouldn't be all sore the next day for having her in top of him all night. And just like that it became a regular thing, from time to time, about 1 time per week, he will sleep with her even if she didn't have sleeping problems.
"Dick. It wasn't your fault."
"How can you say that?! I am…was his big brother…I should've protected him…I should've been there for him." -Dick was distraught, heavy on the DIS. A mention with the Bats went terrible wrong and they lose the second Robin, Jason.
"You were there for him. Always."
"But I wasn't enough! I'm a failure…a bad brother…It should've been me."
*Smack -Zatanna slapped Dick with all her might leaving a red mark in his face.
"Don't you dare to say that again!" -Tears were forming in her eyes.
"You are everything to me. You mean the world to me. Do you really think that you taking Jason's place would work? How do you think he would feel? Or Alfred? Bruce? Or me?!" -Between sobs, she was screaming at him.
"Zee. I created the Robin mantle…if it weren't for me…he…" -Zee cupped his face with her hands.
"Dick. If it weren't for Robin, for you, the whole world would be a much worse place. I don't know where I would be without you." -Zatanna and Dick sat on the bed.
"I shouldn't have let him go to the mission"
"Dick. You know better than anyone that you can't keep a Boy Wonder down. I know that you must be angry at you for creating the Robin mantle, but that name gave Jason hope. It helped him be a better person and find a way to help people like you did as Robin and now as Nightwing." -Tears were falling on Dick's face, her touch was calming him down.
"I know what Robin means to Batman, to you and to me."
"Robin it's the light in Batman, the light in you and the light in me. And wouldn't like nothing more than to be that light for you."
"Zee…" -Dick close his eyes intoxicated himself with her gentle touch as he brought her hands to his lips and kissed them.
"You are that light in me. You are the most important person in the world to me." -She brought him close to her. Putting his head on her chest as she laid on their bed.
"Those that mean that you are my Robin. My trusted sidekick" -Dick was trying to shift the mood as he relaxed himself hearing her heartbeats.
"Shh. Don't do that."
"What?"
"Don't try to close yourself up and less to me. I'm here for you and I'll always be." -Dick finally let himself cry his heart out for his fallen brother. Falling asleep on top of her as she plays with his hair.
"I love you Boy Wonder. I love you."
"Recognize: Zatanna- 25" -Zatanna marched angrily to a very busy Nightwing
"Hey Zee" -Dick greeted her with a kiss but she pushed him away, he cringed when he saw her glare.
"Don't hey Zee and kiss me to avoid the scolding! What are you doing here?"
"I'm working on this assignment."
"The assignment that you've been working on for the last days. The assignment that you've been working on since before I left to my mission on space. The assignment that I told you to leave for a couple hours so you can get some sleep?! That assignment?!" -Zatanna was worried for him, once again he was nose deep in work. Before she went on a mission, she saw him stressed out and she knew if she wasn't around, he would take the chance to work mom stop.
"That one. I almost crack this thing." -Zatanna rip his domino mask, surprised by how tired he looked.
"When was the last time you slept? Didn't I told you repeatedly during our video calls to get some sleep?!" -They would call to each other during their time apart to see how the other was doing and because they were pretty much attached by the hip.
"He has been awake for 72 hours." -Tim make his entrance. Giving his brother away to the angry beauty.
"Tim!"
"Thank you, Tim. What haven't you go to sleep?!"
"It's very crucial and I needed here to…"
"No. You are not needed here. Tim is going to finish this case with Artemis' help. Red Hood, Arsenal and Conner are already collecting more clues as we speak from a site that Oracle found by hacking another data that Megan, Orphan and Traci get from another Team mission."
"Then I better join them." -Dick was fixing his gloves.
"No. You and I are going home and get some sleep. Or are you telling me that you prefer to go some nasty place than to cuddle with your very patient fiancé?" -She throws a nasty uppercut with that comment. More heroes have arrived and were watching the scene wondering how much in trouble Nightwing was. Zee took his arm and dragged the defeated hero to the zeta beam.
"I don't know what you are keep doing this?" -Chalant was already back home, and Zee changed them to more comfy clothes.
"Zee. The intel was very important and…"
"Your health is more important. How good can you do in that poor state of yours?"
"I wanted to get that case done before you get back so when can spend a week or two in some spa or resort. You have been working so hard and we deserve that. And I just got caught of with work." -Zee cupped his face with her hands and give him a tender kiss.
"I don't need a resort or a spa. I just need my favourite pillow." -The were both lying on the bed with her resting her head on his chest.
"And I just need you." -He finally was dozing off to dreamland.
"But you are still taking me to the spa." -Dick chuckles as she snuggled up against the sleepy man and both fall asleep in each other's comfort.
