Team Year Zero
"Hey, Zatanna. Two days in a row…a new record"
The blonde archer greets her friend as soon as she steps out of the zeta tube.
"Don't tell me about it. Since I behave yesterday during Megan's dance party with the Team, my dad, allowed me to come to the Cave after just 4 hours of begging"
"You are clearly mellowing him down"
Both girls laugh.
"Wait? You said that you were here because you dad thinks that you just went to the party and not patrolling…"
"Yeah?"
"How did he not notice your injuries? I know that you didn't get hurt badly but some might leave scars"
Zatanna tries to hide her blush and avoids the archer's gaze. She wasn't telling her that Robin treated her wounds and patch her up and help her cover them from her father.
"I'm a good nurse, thank you very much"
Artemis notices the change of behavior of Zatanna but decided not to push it since she has something to say.
"Look, Zatanna-"
"I'm looking…"
"I'm-Yo…we- gosh why is this so hard"
Artemis trips over her own words.
"I'm flatter Artemis but I just see you as a friend…"
"What! No! I didn't-"
She stops, hearing the magician's giggles. She realizes that she joked with her to relax her. Artemis takes a deep breath.
"I'm not good at this but thank you for yesterday's girls' night out. I really needed and well…thanks"
"It was a my pleasure, I have so much fun but you can say that I…."
"Oh no! Please don't"
"Help you getting whelmed?"
Artemis rolls her eyes at her friend using Rob's wordplay.
"Gosh. Zatanna, please. I have enough with Robin and his stupid wordplay, don't join and don't encourage him"
"Why? Is so much fun…"
Artemis lets a small smile grace her lips.
"See you like it!"
"I don't! Anyway…I want to apologize as well"
"Huh? About what?"
"You came here to go to a party and you instead had to fight crime. I know that we had fun despite the creepiness but still I'm sure that you didn't dressed up just to help me out and all that"
Zatanna smiles softly, she hasn't meet Artemis for long but she knew and can tell that she wasn't good with emotions and expressing herself.
"I had a blast Artemis. I'm sure that our night was far more asterous than Wally, Conner and Megan's"
Artemis smiles before spotting a little bird from the corner of her eye. Robin was talking with Kaldur, and that's when Artemis thought of an idea to pay her friend.
"But you know what? I just find out a way to pay you back for that"
For the first time in the conversation, the magician, was lost for words and couldn't comprehend her friend.
"What do y-"
"Hey! Robin! Kaldur! Zatanna is here!"
Zee freezes on her place. She didn't realize that the Boy Wonder was there and she wasn't sure how to act around him. Since the tornado fiasco, Robin has been playing late night visits to her in her house to talk about everything and nothing, eating snacks and one time, against Robin's will, crime fighting in New York.
"Hello, Zee. I mean Zatanna…or Zee"
Even after spending some quality time with the girl, the boy wonder turns into a puddle seeing her.
"Hey, Boy Wonder and Zee is just fine"
Dick's smiles threatens to rip his face in half after getting the flirting smile of the magician.
"Hello, Zatanna. It's nice to have you here again"
Zatanna flusters a little remembering that she wasn't along with her Robin.
"Thanks, Aqualad. It's nice to be here"
"Please, call me Kaldur"
"Alright, Kaldur"
"Guys, I was thinking that when Zatanna first got here, we told her dad and Canary that we were kidnapping her to show her Happy Harbor but we didn't. What about we change that now?"
Finally, Z got the idea of what Artemis was scheming and she was all in for it.
"I'm in"
"Sounds good. It would be a nice opportunity to bond…a shame that the others aren't here"
"That brings the next point where's everyone? I mean Conner and Megan, I don't care where Wallace is…"
Nobody said anything and yet, the archer had to mention the redhead speedster. Robin felt the urge to tease her but he knew that he was in disadvantage with Zatanna there.
"Wally's 'broken' arm, make him fall behind with homework and he's now trying to catch up"
The Boy Wonder did an emphasis on broken, fully knowing that he was healed rather quick thanks to his powers but play possum to get special treatment.
"Megan is training with Martian Manhunter and Conner went outside with Wolf and Sphere. It looks like it's going to be just the four of us"
"Zee?"
"Works for me. I'm ready to get kidnapped"
She said that without breaking eye contact with the Boy Wonder.
"But are you ready to feel the aster?"
"Oh, Boy Wonder…I'm the aster"
Once again, the youngest heroes, got caught up in their own world.
"If the kids are done flirting…let's go and have some fun"
The almost couple blushes but nods following Artemis' lead. Kaldur only smiled as he follows them as well.
"Hey! Kaldur, I need you to follow my lead…"
"What are you up to, Artemis?"
"We need to bounce and leave these two alone"
"Since when you like to part take in these kind of set ups….that's more Megan fitting"
That being said, Kaldur smiles how the archer was starting to loosen up.
"Zatanna did a solid for me yesterday and I want to pay her back"
"And how's leaving her with Robin a way of paying?"
Artemis almost stopped in her tracks to pick up her jaw.
"Are you kidding, right? It's obvious that they are crushing in the other pretty hard. Don't tell me that you don't see it"
"I did notice Robin's behavior around Zatanna but…"
"She's just the same. I mean they flirt ALL THE TIME. They flirted in BioShip, during the fight with Red, in the way back, and they flirted just moments ago"
Kaldur was lost for words.
"I can't believe that all guys are really these dense. I mean she practically give Rob's, scratch that, she gave Robin green light the moment she followed his stupid word thing when she told him to be as chalant as he wants…"
Kaldur analyze the situation and pick ups how the magician did change her behavior with Robin around and was more open to him.
"Look! There's only one explanation for a girl to allow a guy to use Wally's pick up lines and that's because she's in for the ride. Just look at them now!"
Kaldur payed attention to the couple from the first time since they first started walking aimlessly through the streets of the city.
"They don't even acknowledge our existence. They are on a date"
"But I don't think it's correct to meddle with someone else's relationship. It's not our business"
"We are not meddling…we are just…just giving them some time alone to get used to be around the other before she officially joins the Team"
Kaldur raised an eyebrow but after thinking for a second he exhales.
"Fine but we are not interfering or spying on them, got it?"
Artemis rolled her eyes.
"Fine but you better follow my lead"
The young heroes had finally reached a more crowded part of the city with some fair like games, food court, among other activities.
"Zatanna! Rob!"
For the first time since they left the cave, the couple acknowledged the presence of their other friend and felt bad about neglecting them.
"What's up, Artem-aaaahh"
The magician scream ins surprised as one of the water balloons from a game stand explodes, getting her wet in the process.
"I'm so sorry, young lady. I don't know what happened…"
The man from the stand left his post feeling terrible about Zatanna and the game malfunction.
"Here, Zee. Put this on"
Being the gentleman he is, Dick took off his jacket and wrapped her around, totally forgetting that she could change with her magic. The magician wasn't about to let this opportunity escape and happily takes Rob's jacket with a light blush on her cheeks. Maybe it wasn't bad luck after all.
"Thanks, Rob. And don't worry sir. These are things that happens…"
The owner apologized a couple of times more before going back to the stand.
"Sorry about that Zatanna"
"Don't worry Artemis. I already feel better…"
She looks to Robin.
"Your jacket is really warm and comfy"
Dick blushes and Artemis smiles at the teens.
"What I was trying to say is before this mess is that I just remembered that I had some training to do with my uncle…"
Artemis takes a pause to allow Kaldur to bail as well.
"And there was a sudden change on the tide. I better check up with my King if everything is in order"
"But you two should keep going with the tour. I'm sure that Rob knows his way around"
"Are you sure?"
The magician and the archer exchanged an 'I know what you are doing' look.
"100%. You guys have fun"
"But what if you need our help, Kal?"
"Then I'd be calling you but for now have some fun my friend"
Kaldur places his hand on Dick's shoulder before the teens split.
"So…"
"So…"
The teens were nervous about their new situation. Now that they were alone, they feel the pressure as if they were on a date.
"What a girl can do around here to have some fun? Because if I remember correctly…someone promise me an asterous time"
The next couple hours, Dick and Z, spend most of the time eating through different stands, sharing and tasting all kinds of foods and sweats after their food tasting and getting back to the one that they liked the most; the couple had a not so friendly pool competition, in which Robin was bad at it and Zatanna ended up owning him.
"I can't believe that Gotham's Boy Wonder is such a lame pool player"
"I was easy on you besides I didn't warm up an-"
"Excuses, excuses"
"What do you want to do now?"
Robin asked her and Zatanna walked a little faster taking the lead and turned around with her brightest smile and her hair flowing with the movement, in that movement Robin couldn't believe the girl's beauty as he was hypnotized by her smile, her eyes, her flowing hair…
"Let's go down to the beach and watch the sunset…it's almost time"
The Dark Knight's protégée followed the girl without a second thought. After walking for some time the couple found the perfect spot to sit and wait for the sunset.
"The breeze feels so nice"
Zatanna commented before leaning on his shoulder. In that moment, Dick's hearts stopped, entered in cardiac arrest, skip several beats, and went overdrive. The boy's mind wandered on what he should do next; Should I hug her? Lean my head on hers? Should I say something?, these were a few of the millions thought that went through the boy's mind but even if she did the first move, the magician's mind was at war too; Oh my god, what did I just do? Is it to soon? What if he isn't comfortable with me like this…
Yawn*
The magician's thoughts were interrupted when she heard him yawn and stretching himself before wrapping his arm around.
"I can't believe that you just did that move from the movies!"
The sorceress couldn't hold her laugher. Grayson blushed and feel stupid and tried to move his arm away from her but was stopped by the magician's own hand that keep his hand on around her.
"You are lucky that you are cute…"
Present
"And that's the story of how you father gave me his jacket"
Zatanna was telling an old story of her past with Dick to put the twins to sleep and worked like a charm.
"I still have that jacket. It doesn't fit me anymore but one day I might lend it to you if you behave but if you do anything to that jacket, I'm grounding both of you for life"
Zatanna turns around hearing Dick's chuckles.
"They haven't done anything yet and you are grounding them, you sound like your dad and what are you doing telling of your crimes to my son and daughter because that's the second thing that you stole from me and I really loved that jacked"
Dick adds while sitting on the couch on the nursery room.
"Firstly, my dad groundings had next to no sense…that jacket is turning into a family heirloom of our story. Secondly, Why? Because it got my scent on it after I used it?"
"No. I had chocolates in my pocket from one of the stands we went that day and was saving them for later…"
"Wait! The second thing that I stole from you?"
"The first one was my heart"
Zatanna walked from the cribs to the man and sits on his lap as she snakes her arms around him.
"God! You are too much sometimes, Mr. Grayson"
"You are one to talk, Mrs. Grayson. You know that Kaldur confessed to me a few years later of that event that he was the one that splash you with water?"
"He did what? That doesn't sound like him"
"I know. He told me that we reminded him of himself and Tula and he didn't want me to go through the same that he did"
"Kaldur was always taking care of you like a little brother"
"He has always take care of everyone…"
"What's wrong, Dick?"
"I'm worried about him. He seems to take care of everyone but himself…I'm afraid that he might snap or something…"
Grayson takes a deep breath.
"I'm glad that he moved on from Tula and that he has Wyynde now…he's an amazing guy but…"
"Then talk to him, he listens to you…as of matter of fact everyone listens to you"
"I don't get why"
"Because of your big heart"
Zatanna puts her hand on his chest and pecks his nose.
"You always know what to say"
"My awesomeness has not limits. So I want you to send a message to Kaldur to meet up and talk"
Dick did as told knowing that she would nag him until he did it. In any case, it was too important for him to leave that for later.
"Also, should I get jealous of my kids get a bed time story but I don't get one?"
"I think we do something way more fun than a bed time story but if you want we can change that activity for a story"
"Why not both?"
"Mmm…you want a story about a Knight and the most beautiful magic princess?"
"The famous Knight Wing?"
His smiles grows bigger with the second and got a giggles out her.
"You are lucky that is catchy. Okay there was this princess-"
"The most beautiful and mischievous princess"
"Of course. She was as smart as beautiful but she had a strict father that got her trapped in the castle and not only him but there was also giant and scary bat guarding her as well…but then a brave knight showed up to face all those challenges"
Dick close his eyes as he rest his head on her breast and she plays with his hair.
"But this fierce and handsome swordsman…well actually, we can't rightfully call him swordsman"
"Why not?"
Zee smiles, he sounded like a child.
"Because his weapon was far too large to rightfully be called a sword. It was larger and thicker than any normal blade"
"Why do I get the feeling that you are not talking about the sword?"
"Because I'm feeling that you are unsheathing yours. Do you want me to continue with the story or…?"
She gets up, already knowing the answer. She stretches her hand for him to take and follow her to their room. As soon as they got out of the twins' room. Dick pinned her to the wall and starts to aggressively making out with her.
"Dick…ahhh…wha-ahhh"
"I can't wait to get to the bedroom, princess"
"Have I, Pant*, ever, Pant* tell you that, Pant*, I love when you carry me like that? Pant*"
Zatanna breathlessly tells Grayson while still being carry and against the wall.
"I think you haven't, Pant*, but rather showed to me. Pant*"
"Well…I freaking love it. Pant*"
"Don't get me wrong. I love your dad and it's amazing that he's living with us but I missed having sex with you in every corner of this house"
"Same. It's a good thing that he's training with Khalid in the Tower for a week. We better make this week worth"
Slowly, he tries to put her back on her feet but she wrapped her legs around his waist and hooked her ankles together to avoid his release.
"What's wrong? Too tired to walk?"
"Didn't I just tell you that we are making every second count?"
"Teg Aremac Ydaer!"
"I just love that spell so much"
"It really comes handy for some sneaky sex sessions and to be ready to feed the twins"
Grayson checks up his phone and sees all the missed calls from Kaldur and Wally.
"Woow. They really want to meet up"
"Then go. I can handle our babies but you better bring me something yummy when you get back"
"Okay but you call me if you or they need anything, okay?"
"You know it. Have fun"
After a couple of hours. Zatanna feels a sharp pain in her heart and feels and immense amount of sorrow and grief. She tries to brush those feelings away, thinking that it's just her imagination and the nerves of being alone with the twins. As of cue, she gets a message from Dick telling her that he was almost there. It didn't take long for him to arrive, she figured that he arrived fast thanks to Wally.
"I'm glad that you are back home"
"So am I"
Dick kissed her in a rather desperate way and the way he was holding her, scared her. And now she understood that the emotions she felt earlier was because of him.
"Dick. What's wrong?"
Grayson cups her face and looks directly to her eyes. She could see the pain on his gaze.
"It's Conner…"