Be Honest

"This monarch entertained the Englishman Richard Chancellor, who founded the Muscovy Company for trade on the White Sea. This man…"

*BUZZ*

"Ivan the Terrible!"

"Correct!"

"This man wrote a story in which Captain Kidd's treasure is…"

*BUZZ*

"Washington Irving."

"Correct!"

"The origin and this region of the Cartesian plane are the location of the graph y equals the opposite of the square root of the opposite of x. In this quadrant…"

*BUZZ*

"The third quadrant."

"Correct again! That concludes round three of the QuizBowl match. Current score is Gotham Academy 291 points. Metropolis High School 289 points. Fifteen minutes recess."

As the crowd within the Gotham Academy library began dispersing to find quick snacks or the restroom, one Dick Grayson sat at the competition table still holding his buzzer. Quizbowl might have been a decent distraction for the Boy Wonder, but with every quiet moment in between rounds, his mind immediately drifted to the raven-haired beauty still sleeping in the med bay.

"Dick what's wrong? You should be happy! You're killing it! You single handedly carried our team with your 35 points. We have the lead thanks to you!"

Dick was pulled out of his thoughts slightly by a young redhead holding two cupcakes. Her blue eyes showed concern for her longtime friend. She offered him one of the cupcakes hoping to cheer him up from whatever's been bothering him.

"Here. It's red velvet! With cream cheese icing!...From Gotham Patisserie!," the young girl kept waving the baked good in front of her friend. In a sing-songy fashion she hoped maybe a little teasing would snap him out of it, "The icing is melting…..I need you to take it off my hands please!...or maybe I'll just eat it myseeellf"

Finally, Dick looked up and put on a fake plastered smile. Reluctantly, he took the cupcake and bit into the top.

"Sigh. Thanks Barb. I'm ok. I've just got a lot on my plate. That's all."

"Does this have something to do with you missing practice for two weeks? Are you ok? Lately all you do is go to class, rush off somewhere, and then show up to the QuizBowl matches. You're lucky you're our ringer, else Mr. Boley never would've started you."

"Uh yea yea I'm sorry about that. I'm fine really. I just…"

*RING RING*

Curious, Dick picked up his phone. He had to turn a little bit so Barbara couldn't see his screen. He then opened the messaging app he used when he needed to communicate as Robin. Artemis had texted. Dick stopped breathing. His eyes widened on the verge to tears, and he dropped the cupcake onto the floor.

"I have to go."

"Wait what? What do you mean go? To the bathroom?"

"No uh. I'm leaving. Right now."

"Why? The break's almost over. The final round is starting! Dick you can't just go! You leave, and we'll definitely lose to those friggin Metropo-losers!"

Dick paused for a split second. Looked at his childhood friend and then once more at his phone.

"I'm sorry, but this is important to me." Just like that, he left a stunned Barbara and ran to the nearest Zeta tube. Only two words in the world could have caused him to abandon his trivia team without a single explanation. Two words he had been waiting to see for two weeks.

"She's awake."

Zatanna sat upright in the med bay bed. Her arms and legs were a little sore and in dire need of stretching. Dinah and Artemis had been pampering her nonstop fluffing her pillows, bringing her water, and now serving her some chicken soup.

"Guys please I'm feeling much better. I'll admit having your soul taken and then returned within a span of like fifteen minutes is a weird experience, but I should be ok to get up now."

"Tanna, please it's ok. No need to push yourself. Like you said, you've been through an experience. Don't you remember what Robin said? You don't need to prove anything to us."

Zatanna immediately blushed at the mention of Bird Boy. The memory of him pouring his heart out earlier in the day still fresh in her memory.

"Artemis is right, Zatanna. Admittedly you probably feel peckish for action since you've been in bed for two weeks, but we just want to make sure everything is fine with you. So, we'll keep you under observation for a little bit."

"Can I at least be observed in the comfort of my own room?"

"Would you like me to bring you plushie Robin?"

Again, Zatanna blushed but this time managed a hard glare at her blonde archer best friend.

"Recognized: Robin B-01"

"Orrrr. Maybe you want the real thing…."

The med bay doors swing open with a WOOSH. A slightly sweaty and panting Robin jogged towards Zatanna's bed.

"Zee? Oh thank God you're awake," he wiped his brow, "When, When did you wake up? Are you feeling any better?"

"Whoa whoa easy, Robin. She woke up a couple of hours ago. Right now we're just getting her fed and comfortable before we can run some tests," Dinah said trying to soothe the boy.

"Oh. Ok. Cool. That's good. Yea!...can….can I have some water?"

"Of course."

Dinah handed him a small cup and he immediately chugged it. Artemis, however, suddenly had a nifty scheme.

"Hey Dinah. Robin probably needs more water. But the pitcher is out. We should go get him some more."

"What? The pitcher's still…..OH yes you are right."

Dinah grabbed the still half-full pitcher from the end table and began walking out the med bay. Artemis followed…impishly smirking.

"Ok well Dinah and I are just gonna step out for a bit. For some water. We'll probably get some from the kitchen. That's on the other side of the cave. It's a long walk. It will take us a while. Minutes. Maybe hours. Who knows when we'll come back. So, yea. It'll just be you two. Here. Alone. In this medical bay. With beds. Yup. Bye!"

With that last remark, Dinah and Artemis sped out of the med bay theoretically set to return with water from the kitchen which was only 60 feet away give or take.

As the doors closed, Robin couldn't help but look at the fridge over in the corner filled with cold water bottles.

"What just happened?" he asked perplexed.

"Artemis just signed a death wish…."

Shaking his head, Robin got closer to Zatanna's side and held her hand.

"I'm really glad you're ok. I….I was so worried about you."

"I…..I heard you came every day. Th…..Thank you for the flowers…..and being there for me."

Robin couldn't help but blush.

"It was really nothing Zee. I just…..wanted to make sure you were ok. And thank goodness for that."

"Yea. About that. I have a question…..Now that I'm awake, do I really put twice as many stars in your sky?" Zatanna smiled and batted her eyelashes hoping she was being flirty enough.

Unfortunately, instead of being in a playful flirty mood….Robin just panicked. Sensing his uneasiness, Zatanna tried to calm him down.

"Robin…Rob? Are you ok?"

Silence.

"Robin….I uh…..well…."

"How much did you hear?"

"Um well. I was kinda in and out. I heard I think the tail end of things? I heard um…..something that sounded like a poem? Hence the twice as many stars in the sky thing. So uh yea."

In actuality, Zatanna heard the whole thing from the story about her dad being scouted for Haly's circus all the way down to the kiss on the forehead and Robin…confessing his love. But for now, she'll wait a little longer for Robin to be comfortable with sharing all of him with her. Right now, she did not want to pressure him too much.

For the second time in a little less than forty minutes, Robin was stunned. Fight or flight took over and once again, he just got up and ran from his friend.

"I have to go."

"What? Wait, Robin? Why? Come back…please don't go."

Robin ran out of the med bay and past an eavesdropping Canary and Artemis and never looked back. Zatanna just sat there with tears forming in her eyes.

"Dick….please come back."

In the following days, the once inseparable pair were suddenly involved in the world's most depressing game of cat and mouse. Robin purposefully avoided the cave and only came strictly for missions. Zatanna tried everything to corner him and talk. But bats are hard to nail down. Whenever he saw her in the room, he'd walk out. Whenever she sat next to him in the kitchen to eat, he picked up his plate and moved to his room. On the rare chance Wally guilt-tripped him into joining movie night, she tried to snuggle up to him on the couch like usual. Instead, he shrugged her off and sat closer to either Wally or Kaldur. He was breaking her heart and it frustrated her to no end, especially because she knew he loved her.

Finally, she had enough of this ridiculous game. So, she hatched a scheme.

"Recognized: Robin B-01"

"Why does Canary want ANOTHER training session? On Saturday! Ugh She's a great mentor but this is pushing it!"

"Teef kcuts ot roolf" (Feet stuck to floor!)

"What the!?"

"Klaw ot ym moordeb" (Walk to my bedroom)

"Huh? Hey!"

With a bit of a struggle, Robin's feet dragged the boy into Zatanna's bedroom…with a frustrated Zatanna waiting with her arms crossed.

"Laes rood" (Seal door)

"Ok Zatanna, what's going on?"

"What's going on? What's going on? Dammit Robin you tell me!"

Robin, now with free will again, took a step back, surprised at Zatanna's outburst.

"Robin, yes I heard what you said…..that day. About you loving me…"

"I'm sorry Zee. I-I didn't know what I was-"

"NO! Don't you DARE take it back, Robin! Do you...do you even know how hearing your voice helped me? A-after getting my soul back, I felt trapped. I was lost in darkness. I couldn't see anything or hear anything. I was just….stuck in some void. I….I honestly thought I was dead. But then all of a sudden, I started to hear something. It was muffled at first but gradually, it got louder. And clearer."

She sat on her bed and patted on the spot next to her. Taking the hint, Robin stepped forward and sat down next to her.

"It was you. I was listening to you talk. I honestly couldn't make out all the syllabus at first but I just….I knew it was you. Suddenly I began to hope again. I latched onto your voice for dear life. It almost felt like I was slowly climbing out of some pit, but I so desperately wanted to hear you again. I was hearing snippets about the Team. I remember updates about them here and there. Then, I heard that story about us meeting for the first time with our parents. I remembered you with your kind smile and friendly wave. But I was just too shy. I didn't know what to do. However, my favorite part, the part that was clearest to me….was when you were confessing. Saying how you couldn't live without me. How me just living kept you going to survive."

"Zee….I"

"Let me finish, please," she took a deep breath, "Ever since I stepped foot into this cave, you've made me feel so….welcomed. You were by my side and helped me in so many ways. You….protected me and cared for me, especially when I lost my father. It's like you said. We have a connection."

Zatanna began to cry as she cupped one side of Robin's face with her hand.

"We understand each other in ways Wally and Artemis could never understand us. Sure we may be broken in our own way, but we fix each other. Robin, you pulled me out of that dark abyss I was in. And I'm not just talking about the soul thing. You pull me out of every abyss I'm in. When I wake up, I check my phone to see if you texted me. Then I go through my day's schedule, marking the moments in which I know I'll be able to see you. Then late at night, I wonder if you would be on patrol because I want to talk to you all night. Everyday Robin, you keep me alive. Even at my worst, when I was sorta ready to die, you were there. And, it's alright. I survived. I'm alive again. Because of you, I made it through every storm."

As she started to feel tears drip past her hand, Zatanna scooted closer to Robin.

"I'm so glad I've found an angel. Someone who was there when all my hopes fell. I want to fly whenever I look at you. Because when you live, Robin, MY world as twice as many stars in the sky. Because you live…..I live"

"Zee….I….I was scared. We're such good friends…I didn't want to lose you."

"Robin…darling…..I love you so so much. I love you to those blasted stars and moon and back. I've…..I've always loved you. So please. Stop….stop running away. Stop this stupid dance we've been doing. Kiss me. Kiss me like you did the other day in this very room."

Without warning, Zatanna pulled Robin's face towards her as she smashed her lips to his starting a tear-stained kiss. Surprised, Robin fell backwards pulling Zatanna with him. Slowly, with Zatanna straddling him and his arms wrapped around her, he began kissing back. Eventually, the two separated gasping for air….only to dive back in and kiss with gradually growing passion.

Finally, Zatanna pulled herself back and cupped his cheeks. Robin put his hands on hers and leaned into her touch.

"Are you still scared?"

"No, Zee. I'm…..right where you want me."

"You're beautiful…"

"Your soul is beautiful"

"…..hehe really? Beautiful soul, Robin?"

"Hey haha. It's original right?"

"haha you dork…..my dork…..you are my dork now right? There are no more misunderstandings?"

"hhaha yes Zee. I am your dork just like you are mine."

"Good. Now come here. I've been practicing kissing on your stupid plushie for too damn long. I want to kiss the real thing."

Meanwhile, in the living room, one Conner Kent had finally leveled up from watching static on the TV to watching an episode of "Arthur" on PBS. However, the popular children's show did not distract him enough from hearing….young love.

"It's about damn time."