noitatnacni | 000 | Appointments

I'll make room.

[You signed up for this, Z.]

How generous of you.

[Uh huh. But Robin knows what they say about rules, right?]

So what's your schedule look like now?

It looks like I'm clear until tonight.

[Because who even needs to sleep ever, right? Right?]

[Clearly not a pair of teenagers who are...whatever they are now.]

I'd say that's pretty convenient. [So she steps closer, and raises a hand to his face--but not to touch, strictly speaking. If he lets her, she's going to take off his mask. The movements are pretty easy to read though, in case Robin wants to stop her.]

[It's a strangely intimate gesture. Her hands come too close to quickly. He has five full seconds to defend himself, to pull away and keep her from violating his privacy. It just... doesn't feel all that private right now.

His mask is pulled away, leaving just Dick where Robin stood before. His arms slowly track out to embrace her elbows, providing contact without impeding her mobility.]

Yeah. Convenient.

[He lets her take it off, and Zatanna can't quite contain a smile when she gets to see his face again. His eyes in particular, which she's decided are her favorite feature of his. She meets his gaze as she carefully lays the mask on her windowsill. She knows it's important to him, even if he probably has a dozen others.

Maybe it's more accurate to say she knows what it means for him to let her take it off.]

We shouldn't let that go to waste. [Her hands free, she places them lightly on his chest, then slides them up over his shoulders. She has to get a little closer to fold them together behind his neck, but that's okay. She's leaning in to kiss him anyway.]

[He lets her hands travel across his chest and shoulders, drawing her closer at the waist as she does. He doesn't protest until she leans in for another kiss. He turns a cheek to meet her lips this time.]

I thought you said you wanted to slow down, Zatanna.

[It takes her by surprise, and Zatanna pulls back again, a small grin on her lips as Robin explains why.]

Yeah, I do. But we were going to do more on the roof than just kiss. [And slowing down doesn't mean giving up everything, right?]

Oh, is that what you thought? I was only trying to get you out of the way of that monster.

[A quick grin crossed his mouth, and he snatched Zatanna's waist and scooped her into his arms.]

I hear someone's going around being terribly dangerous to women. Leaving them bruised all over.

You were, huh? [Zatanna has just enough time to be skeptical before she's being lifted. Her arms tighten around Robin, and she gasps in surprise before laughing softly.]

Hmm. Sounds like a very scary guy. Guess that means I should thank you for saving me from all those bruises.

Oh, you should. It would've been terrible for you.

[He presses her against the wall to give her something to lean against as his own weight shifts, leaning in to kiss and bite at her neck.]

Can you imagine how terrible it must've been for those poor victims? [His voice grew low and breathy, body drawing air in short bursts as he sucked at the bit of skin that held his full attention.] What kind of pain they were in. Helpless and scared..

Yeah. Terrible. [Her voice grows shaky when he shifts so her back is against the wall--but it isn't bad. None of this is, and Zatanna's eyes close as her head tilts back. What he's doing feels really good, and without really thinking about it she wraps her legs around his waist. It's only so they can stay stable, though. She can't just leave Robin to hold her up, right?]

It's a good thing you saved me. I'd hate to be helpless...and trapped... [Pretty much like she is right now. Robin's got her effectively pinned, and her fingers move up into her hair, curling around dark locks as she sucks in a sharp breath.]

[It probably helped that there was no real threat inherent in their positioning. Her mouth was still unencumbered, providing her a safety net to use if she wanted. The power was still hers, just in less orthodox ways.

He drew closer still when she pulled him in with her legs, kissing more aggressively still. He worked on the same spot, feeling it grow tender and soft under his attention. He grunted in reply, quickly slipping to the place past thoughtful banter.]

[It does help, but maybe it makes Zatanna a little more willing to creep closer to that line than she should be. After all, she only needs a few words to send him flying away. But it's the last thing she wants to do. She's very aware of how close their bodies are pressed together and how good it all feels, the heat and the pressure, the way his kisses shoot straight through her nerves and make her cling more tightly to him.

Maybe she doesn't hate being trapped so much like this after all.

But her earlier words and his echo in her mind. They need to slow down, to be smart about this. And Robin is showing no signs of stopping, so she'll have to be the one to speak up--just, in a minute. A little longer won't hurt.]

[It's all right if she doesn't. Restraint is the keystone of discipline. He's thoroughly engrossed in the task at hand, but he doesn't make any moves to take the next logical step. He's allowed himself this much, and only this much.

It goes on for longer than it should, until he pulls her away from the wall and drops her back onto the bed. He doesn't follow her this time, though he's breathing heavily enough to be clear that he'd like to.]

You're.. You're a really hard girl to rescue, Zatanna.

[She's nearly gasping by the time Robin lets her go, disoriented by the sudden shift of solid surface to nothing to cushion behind her back. She makes a small, pained sound in her throat, but not because she's hurt. No, not at all, and her cheeks flush red as the seperation's purpose is made clear when Robin doesn't join her, and with his comments.]

Y-yeah. [Her fingers curl against the bedsheet, and Zatanna looks away from him. Really she wants him to join her too, but they can't.] I'm usually better at rescuing myself.

[If his crotch wasn't so heavily armored, his own frustration might be a little more evident. But for now, he settles at the edge of her bed, casting fond glances in her direction.]

It's all right to go slow. We've got nothing but time here.

[Hearing him say that helps her relax a little. So does the way he looks at her. It isn’t a matter of not wanting to, not by a long shot. But Zatanna’s had time to think about this, to actually decide how she wants to go about this. And in the end, she thinks it’ll be a good thing.]

I want to be smart about this, you know? [She’s heard all the reasons why she shouldn’t, thank you Catholic school nuns. She also can feel a few compelling urges telling her to throw caution to the wind. She’s just got to keep herself somewhere in the middle, and for now Zatanna reaches over to take Robin’s hand in hers.]

Besides—it’s not just about the physical stuff, right?

[There's nothing smart about what they're doing. They're indulging base desires that are best left ignored.

But it feels too good to pass up. Stupid hormones.]

Right.

[Because calling her silly would break her heart. Or just start a fight. He's not interested in doing either of those things right now.]

[Different definition of smart. She's not looking to pass up what they want either; just to make sure they do it right. That isn't something she's prepared for right now, in any sense.]

Yeah. [She looks down, still grinning, then glances back over to him. There's a few things she could ask, or even just do, but she tries to pick one that's safe. Doing anything more than holding hands right now? Wouldn't qualify.] So, do you want to grab some breakfast? If it is still breakfast when you've been up all night.

Breakfasts taste better when you've been up all night.

[He's already reaching for his mask, anxious to replace it now that the heat of the moment is beginning to pass.]

I'm.. Not the best cook, though. Hope you don't mind. [Jason's not the only one who's been nabbing those gifts the girls leave in the kitchen.]

Uh huh. Maybe we’ll have to test that theory sometime.

[She sees what he’s going for, but she doesn’t mind. It’s pretty special, being the one who gets to take off his mask. Even if it only lasts while they make out.]

Wouldn’t have offered if I did. [Yeah, she’s noticed how the food goes. But then again, she and Artemis don’t exactly cook for two when they make use of the kitchen. Zatanna stands up, glancing between Robin and the door for a moment. Now that she’s thought about her roommate, Zatanna realizes she actually has no good way of explaining why Robin would be coming out of her room first thing in the morning—and she’s not exactly keen to have a repeat performance of when Jason found them on the roof.]

You can hang out here if you want. I’ll come get you when breakfast is ready?

[Frankly, it's weird that she wants to take it off at all. It's perfectly acceptable where it is. But if removing it's going to make her happy, then fine. He can deal with that. It's worth it to know she's getting something she wanted.]

Are you sure you want me to stay here? Artemis will probably have some questions. I could just meet you in the kitchen. [The "without being seen" part is implied.]

[Silly Robin. One day he might understand how gorgeous his eyes are.

But at least where Artemis is concerned, they seem to be thinking along the same lines.] Yeah, that works. [Right. Silly Zatanna forgot that he can let himself out the same way he probably came in--through the window.]

I'll see you in a bit. [She hesitates, then leans over to quickly kiss his cheek. That should be okay. Safe.]

[They're just eyes. They see things. Everyone's got them.

He smiles when she kisses him, and pulls her in for a hug. It's nice, this. It's the kind of arrangement that could spoil a guy.] Sure thing.

[And then he sets to work on making his exit. He goes slowly enough to give her a chance to watch, if she cared to. The window is soundlessly raised and lowered, and he reaches out to a rope he'd left hanging between their apartments before vanishing from sight.]

000 | Appointments

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