[CLOSED] Maybe it's much too early in the game/Ooh, but I thought I'd ask you just the same

[backwordscompatible]

Characters: Zatanna Zatara & Robin (Dick Grayson)
Date: New Years' Eve
Location: Fire Sector
Situation: Zatanna makes a mistake while out on patrol; Robin finds out why
Warnings/Rating: E for Emotions



[Half a second.]

[That was all it took for a distracted mind to get caught in the enemy's blade.]

[Zatanna had been up against two street thugs. One of them was a spellcaster, and she'd focused the majority of her attention on him, thinking his partner was the weaker of the two. Behind her, she could hear Robin doing his thing. He had her back. He always did, just as she had his. The only reason she even bothered touching ground, when her spells could easily be cast from a higher vantage point.]

[Unfortunately, that left her with a much larger blind side. Something the second punk all too easily took advantage of the moment she had his partner. A paralysis charm. Suspending the guy mid-air, using his own bandana as a mouth gag. It was too easy, and she let her guard down.]

[A flicker of the guy's eyes was all the alert she had to dodge, narrowly avoiding a blade to the back. As it was, she could feel cold steel slice through her arm as she fell to the ground, not giving the pain enough time to process before she spun around and held up a hand.]

Teg yawa!

[Her attacker flew backwards several feet, slamming into the far brick wall. The blow was enough to knock him unconscious, sending his body into a heap on the ground.]

[Now there was just one problem left to deal with: the noticeable gash in her arm dripping blood onto the cement ground.]

Comments

[hackingyoursensors]

[All it takes is that cry of pain and the sight of blood and something in Dick turns cold. Angry.]

Zatanna!

[His movements become more economical. A little more brutal and to the point. The two thugs he'd taken on were on the ground in less than thirty seconds. He'd intended to keep one of them conscious enough to answer some questions, but now he doesn't care.]

Crap.

[He knees down in front of her, taking in the sight of her injury.]

[backwordscompatible]

[One hand was firmly pressed to her outer arm, red trickling through her fingers. Her teeth were gritted, making it extremely difficult to brush off as a non-issue.]

I'm okay. Just a flesh wound.

[She tried to force a smile. The last thing she needed was to have him worrying about her, too. To prove herself, she tried pulling her hand back, only to clamp down extra hard a split second later. Hissing loudly.]

...a really messy flesh wound.

[hackingyoursensors]

Hold out your arm.

[There's no room for debate with this. He'll give her a field dressing and then take her somewhere for more comprehensive treatment.]

[backwordscompatible]

[There wasn't. On the battlefield was one of the few locations where even Zatanna wouldn't dare argue. Her mouth remained firmly shut as she took a deep breath and lowered her blood-stained hand.]

[Fresh blood trickled out of the open cut, which was deep, but--thankfully--clean. By some stroke of luck, the guys she had been fighting had been armed with sharp, razor-edged blades. No serration. No tearing. Not that that did much for the pain right then...or the blood...but, hey, focus on the positives, right?}

I'm sorry, Robin.

[Her head was bowed when she murmured the apology. Eyes focused on the wound as he cleaned and wrapped it to the best of his current ability. He didn't need this. He needed somebody he could count on out here. Not someone who let a mere street punk get the better of her.]

[hackingyoursensors]

[He cleans her wound in silence.]

Not your fault.

[It's his. He's the one with all of the training. He's the one who should know better.]

[backwordscompatible]

Yeah. It is.

[There wasn't a chance in Dreamland that she would let him take the blame for this.]

I wasn't paying attention. I let the one with a knife sneak up on me while I was focusing on the guy I'd already paralyzed. Rookie mistake.

[She glanced back over her shoulder to where the bodies still lay in a heap on the ground. Unmoving. Between the two of them, they would all be out for a while.]

[hackingyoursensors]

I have years of experience. It's my job to have your back.

[He's mad at himself. Maybe he's gotten complacent.]

[backwordscompatible]

[Sensing where this was going, she tried to force a smile. For him.]

From where I'm sitting, my back came out of this just fine. Not even a scratch.

Besides...you're here, now. [Somehow, even though she meant it, they came out even more forced. As if that particular sentiment was what had been weighing so heavily on her mind.] That's what counts.

[hackingyoursensors]

[Her flippancy isn't making Dick feel any better. In fact, it makes him feel worse. He doesn't need her to pretend she's alright just to spare his ego.]

Come on, I've got a place nearby.

[backwordscompatible]

[Oh, it's not for his ego. Not entirely; she needs to pretend she's alright so that she can fool herself.]

Of course you do.

[She moved to stand on her own power. Wincing terribly as the movement irritated her arm, but refusing to give in.]

Lead the way. I can walk.