p style="text-align: center;"em*NOTE* Now deciding to remove censored word profanity because I'm lazy to keep putting stars each time./em/p
p style="text-align: center;"strongspan style="text-decoration: underline;"A/N: I wrote this a few years back and now revising it, I noticed how cringy I am. Anyway, excuse my cringy-ass from the past making a note about not censoring swear words./span/strongbr / br /emstrong~If I could begin to be/strong/embr /emstrongHalf of what you think of me/strong/embr /emstrongI could do about anything/strong/embr /emstrongI could even learn how to love~ /strong/embr / br /emstrong~Love Like You, Steven's Universe - (2015 - )~/strong/embr / br /emstrong~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/strong/em/p
p style="text-align: left;"The sun seemed to be covered up by clouds that day when Zara woke up with the sense of discomfort. Her surroundings seemed unfamiliar, but at the same time, it seemed like she didn't want to leave just yet. She woke up and leaned against the headboard and observed her surroundings once more. The room was pretty simple. Master bedroom, lots of lamps, carpet floors, walk-in closet, adjoining bathrooms and other furniture. She saw her phone charging on top of a bedside table. It vibrated and jerked at the corner of the table. It could balance and it started to free fall off the bedside table. Zara caught it by the wire before it could've fallen onto the floor. "Woah shit! That was close." She said under her breath. Her voice felt hoarse and dry, like if she just shoved sand down her throat. As she was about to unlock her phone, 4 text messages appeared on the front of her lock screen. 2 from Harley, 2 from The Joker./p
p style="text-align: center;"strongemspan style="text-decoration: underline;"~Harley's Texts~/span /em/strongbr /em- Hey Hunnie! Just wanna let you know to get ready! - 2:30 AM/embr / br /em- Get ready for what you might ask? You'll just have to wait see! - 4:20 AM/embr / br /emstrongspan style="text-decoration: underline;"~Joker's Texts~/span/strong/embr /em- Be ready. - 3:30 AM/embr / br /em- We'll be ready too. - 5:15 AM/em/p
p style="text-align: left;"The time on her phone read 1:00 PM with thin, crisp lines. br / br /"What? I'm so confused. Get ready for what?" She said. She tried calling both of them but it just gave her back a boring dial tone. She groaned in frustration as Rick and June entered the room. June holding a glass of orange juice and Rick hold a plate of fresh waffles. Both smiling side by side each other and looking at Zara with nurturing eyes. "Baked you waffles if you like." Flag said as he put the plate down. It was breakfast waffles with cookie dough ice cream and Nutella sauce. "I also got you this," June said putting down a glass of orange juice and a knife and fork. "Thank you," Zara said in awe. Her stomach rumbling and her brain wondering the last time she ate a meal. June and Rick gave her a smile as they both went into the other room, to talk things out. As Zara takes a bite, her face lightens up. Quickly finishing everything, she can feel the energy stumble back into her system, her brain working properly and, the pain in her wrist. She yelped in pain as she dropped the fork and knife and held her bandaged wrist in her hand. She could she blood fight through the bandages when it started to hurt again. The loud clang of the utensils reverbed through the room as Rick and June came into the room, thinking she was in trouble. "What happened? Are you okay?" June asked while Rick followed her behind. Zara felt kinda happy that they care about her like this. Back in the orphanage, she was just another kid without parents and after she got kicked out, she was just another homeless street kid out there. "Sorry, it's just my wrist," Zara said nervously. "Oh, here Zara. I'll change your bandages." June said sweetly. br / br /She held Zara's hand into the guest room and sat her down in the bed. June left the room to get the bandages from the bathroom, and Zara this opportunity to observe to the room. Her bags seemed rushed and was laying around messily. Binoculars and hiking equipment were laid neatly on her bed and a file with Zara's name on it. Zara opened it quickly as she skimmed through the papers. Her mug shot, identity was there as usual, but there was something that surprised her. The title of another paper was labelled 'Adoption Papers'. She flipped through the papers and saw three signatures. One from June, One from Rick and another one she didn't recognize. It seemed to follow the words 'in order for' and 'Amanda Waller'. She also saw two other papers behind it that said 'Promotion' with both Rick and June's names on them. Zara turned around and found that June came back with bandages, cotton balls and a hydrogen peroxide bottle. She seemed to stop at her tracks as she saw Zara's surprised expression. "You're adopting me by order?" She said, her voice cracking. She thought she would be happy, but knowing this could be a police investigation case, it felt like they only did this to get something out of it. Something did feel off about how perfect this all seemed to Zara. There was always a catch and she found it. br / br /"Look, it's not what you think Zara. Rick was going to, and I know he would need help so I helped him and-" she was cut off. "You would help him so what? After you get the information from me you'll get your bullshit promotion?" She said angrily. "No, it's not like that Zara. Well, it was first like that but now it's not. They said that they needed information on the whereabouts of The Joker and Harley Quinn, and you were the prime source-" Zara interrupted her. "I knew there was a catch because there is always a catch in life is there?!" She said. Tears start to form in her eyes. Rick came into the room. "What's happening?" Rick said in concern. "Here. It's probably explainable." She said and shoved the papers to Rick. June stood up and went beside Rick. He knew what this was about. "God, knowing that you're both doing this as a job, I knew it was too good to be true for my life to become perfect," she said. "What was your plan after you gained my trust and I told you what you needed huh?!" Zara said angrily and tears stream down her face. "Actually, you know what don't answer that," Zara said and stormed out of the room. Rick and June followed trying to talk her out of it but she slammed the door shut on them once she entered whatever room she was in. br / br /"Look, Zara, when we accepted it, we quickly regretted it and... I was going to rip those promotion papers because... Well, Rick and I thought a Kid's life is more important than some job." June said trying her hardest to convince her. "And it was my idea to adopt you," Rick said gently. Zara opened the door and saw the pair standing in front of her. "How can You be sure?" Zara asked. "Here," Rick said and got the promotion papers from the file and pulled out a lighter. He burned it and once the flames climbed up the papers, June helped and got a trash can to throw out the remains and ashes. br / br /"Our only job is to keep you safe." He said will put a hand on her shoulder. "Yeah. The two of us. Not by order, but by choice." June said with a smile. Zara sighed and wiped her tears away. She gave a small smile to both of them. "Okay. I Trust Both Of You." She said and gave them a hug. She felt June hug her back and Rick tense up a bit, but he hugged her back nonetheless. Maybe this time, it will be better. br / br /Suddenly, the windows and doors were kicked and broken down as people with big mascot heads invaded the home. "Get your gun, and Zara hide!" Rick ordered as June ran to get her gun and covered Rick. Zara ran to hide, but someone grabbed her from behind. "No! Let me go! Rick! June!" She yelled and squirmed. "Zara!" Rick yelled as he tried to catch up with the man who was carrying Zara. The pair were shooting through the rest of the men and Zara was shoved into a car. She yelled over and over as she punches the windows. Then, someone gets in the car beside her. "Hello, Sweetheart! Daddy's Home!" The Joker said with excitement and sarcasm in his voice. Zara turned around to see the Joker. She didn't know if she was supposed to be happy, but Zara was burning with rage./p
p style="text-align: center;" /p
p style="text-align: center;"strongspan style="text-decoration: underline;"A/N: I wrote this a few years back and now revising it, I noticed how cringy I am. Anyway, excuse my cringy-ass from the past making a note about not censoring swear words./span/strongbr / br /emstrong~If I could begin to be/strong/embr /emstrongHalf of what you think of me/strong/embr /emstrongI could do about anything/strong/embr /emstrongI could even learn how to love~ /strong/embr / br /emstrong~Love Like You, Steven's Universe - (2015 - )~/strong/embr / br /emstrong~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/strong/em/p
p style="text-align: left;"The sun seemed to be covered up by clouds that day when Zara woke up with the sense of discomfort. Her surroundings seemed unfamiliar, but at the same time, it seemed like she didn't want to leave just yet. She woke up and leaned against the headboard and observed her surroundings once more. The room was pretty simple. Master bedroom, lots of lamps, carpet floors, walk-in closet, adjoining bathrooms and other furniture. She saw her phone charging on top of a bedside table. It vibrated and jerked at the corner of the table. It could balance and it started to free fall off the bedside table. Zara caught it by the wire before it could've fallen onto the floor. "Woah shit! That was close." She said under her breath. Her voice felt hoarse and dry, like if she just shoved sand down her throat. As she was about to unlock her phone, 4 text messages appeared on the front of her lock screen. 2 from Harley, 2 from The Joker./p
p style="text-align: center;"strongemspan style="text-decoration: underline;"~Harley's Texts~/span /em/strongbr /em- Hey Hunnie! Just wanna let you know to get ready! - 2:30 AM/embr / br /em- Get ready for what you might ask? You'll just have to wait see! - 4:20 AM/embr / br /emstrongspan style="text-decoration: underline;"~Joker's Texts~/span/strong/embr /em- Be ready. - 3:30 AM/embr / br /em- We'll be ready too. - 5:15 AM/em/p
p style="text-align: left;"The time on her phone read 1:00 PM with thin, crisp lines. br / br /"What? I'm so confused. Get ready for what?" She said. She tried calling both of them but it just gave her back a boring dial tone. She groaned in frustration as Rick and June entered the room. June holding a glass of orange juice and Rick hold a plate of fresh waffles. Both smiling side by side each other and looking at Zara with nurturing eyes. "Baked you waffles if you like." Flag said as he put the plate down. It was breakfast waffles with cookie dough ice cream and Nutella sauce. "I also got you this," June said putting down a glass of orange juice and a knife and fork. "Thank you," Zara said in awe. Her stomach rumbling and her brain wondering the last time she ate a meal. June and Rick gave her a smile as they both went into the other room, to talk things out. As Zara takes a bite, her face lightens up. Quickly finishing everything, she can feel the energy stumble back into her system, her brain working properly and, the pain in her wrist. She yelped in pain as she dropped the fork and knife and held her bandaged wrist in her hand. She could she blood fight through the bandages when it started to hurt again. The loud clang of the utensils reverbed through the room as Rick and June came into the room, thinking she was in trouble. "What happened? Are you okay?" June asked while Rick followed her behind. Zara felt kinda happy that they care about her like this. Back in the orphanage, she was just another kid without parents and after she got kicked out, she was just another homeless street kid out there. "Sorry, it's just my wrist," Zara said nervously. "Oh, here Zara. I'll change your bandages." June said sweetly. br / br /She held Zara's hand into the guest room and sat her down in the bed. June left the room to get the bandages from the bathroom, and Zara this opportunity to observe to the room. Her bags seemed rushed and was laying around messily. Binoculars and hiking equipment were laid neatly on her bed and a file with Zara's name on it. Zara opened it quickly as she skimmed through the papers. Her mug shot, identity was there as usual, but there was something that surprised her. The title of another paper was labelled 'Adoption Papers'. She flipped through the papers and saw three signatures. One from June, One from Rick and another one she didn't recognize. It seemed to follow the words 'in order for' and 'Amanda Waller'. She also saw two other papers behind it that said 'Promotion' with both Rick and June's names on them. Zara turned around and found that June came back with bandages, cotton balls and a hydrogen peroxide bottle. She seemed to stop at her tracks as she saw Zara's surprised expression. "You're adopting me by order?" She said, her voice cracking. She thought she would be happy, but knowing this could be a police investigation case, it felt like they only did this to get something out of it. Something did feel off about how perfect this all seemed to Zara. There was always a catch and she found it. br / br /"Look, it's not what you think Zara. Rick was going to, and I know he would need help so I helped him and-" she was cut off. "You would help him so what? After you get the information from me you'll get your bullshit promotion?" She said angrily. "No, it's not like that Zara. Well, it was first like that but now it's not. They said that they needed information on the whereabouts of The Joker and Harley Quinn, and you were the prime source-" Zara interrupted her. "I knew there was a catch because there is always a catch in life is there?!" She said. Tears start to form in her eyes. Rick came into the room. "What's happening?" Rick said in concern. "Here. It's probably explainable." She said and shoved the papers to Rick. June stood up and went beside Rick. He knew what this was about. "God, knowing that you're both doing this as a job, I knew it was too good to be true for my life to become perfect," she said. "What was your plan after you gained my trust and I told you what you needed huh?!" Zara said angrily and tears stream down her face. "Actually, you know what don't answer that," Zara said and stormed out of the room. Rick and June followed trying to talk her out of it but she slammed the door shut on them once she entered whatever room she was in. br / br /"Look, Zara, when we accepted it, we quickly regretted it and... I was going to rip those promotion papers because... Well, Rick and I thought a Kid's life is more important than some job." June said trying her hardest to convince her. "And it was my idea to adopt you," Rick said gently. Zara opened the door and saw the pair standing in front of her. "How can You be sure?" Zara asked. "Here," Rick said and got the promotion papers from the file and pulled out a lighter. He burned it and once the flames climbed up the papers, June helped and got a trash can to throw out the remains and ashes. br / br /"Our only job is to keep you safe." He said will put a hand on her shoulder. "Yeah. The two of us. Not by order, but by choice." June said with a smile. Zara sighed and wiped her tears away. She gave a small smile to both of them. "Okay. I Trust Both Of You." She said and gave them a hug. She felt June hug her back and Rick tense up a bit, but he hugged her back nonetheless. Maybe this time, it will be better. br / br /Suddenly, the windows and doors were kicked and broken down as people with big mascot heads invaded the home. "Get your gun, and Zara hide!" Rick ordered as June ran to get her gun and covered Rick. Zara ran to hide, but someone grabbed her from behind. "No! Let me go! Rick! June!" She yelled and squirmed. "Zara!" Rick yelled as he tried to catch up with the man who was carrying Zara. The pair were shooting through the rest of the men and Zara was shoved into a car. She yelled over and over as she punches the windows. Then, someone gets in the car beside her. "Hello, Sweetheart! Daddy's Home!" The Joker said with excitement and sarcasm in his voice. Zara turned around to see the Joker. She didn't know if she was supposed to be happy, but Zara was burning with rage./p
p style="text-align: center;" /p