Chalant Candlelight

Chapter 15

(Zatanna's POV)

I'd never been a part of such a tense mission briefing. Everything Batman said seemed to be through gritted teeth and I don't know why, I mean Robin was five minutes late.

The briefing finished and we all took a minute to round up what we needed which was enough time for Wally to take Robin by the arm and lead him away into a nearby hallway for some privacy. I happened to end up in the other room catty-corner from the boys to hear them talking while I was grabbing some mission supplies from a cabinet,

"What happened last night?" Wally started the conversation,

"I'm not really sure, all I know is whatever it was it all happened really fast." Robin rubbed his masked eyes.

"You dog!"

"I didn't do anything, Wal!" Robin reached a point of frustration. I don't know why but I felt relieved,

"So you didn't spend the night with a girl?"

"No. Well, yes, but not like that." Robin sighed. I felt that relief leave me and suddenly my stomach was tight, but I don't understand why. I shouldn't care whether Robin spent the night with a girl or not,

"So what happened."

"Wally, I can't talk about it, I barely understand it, so just don't worry about it." Robin assured, his hand perched on Wally's shoulder, "Go get ready for the mission." He said with a small smile,

"Okay." Wally obliged reluctantly. Wally walked out of the hall and past me while I pretended I wasn't listening.

There was a pause and I heard Robin let out a sigh, not like the ones he had today, but a sigh from his heart, a deep, exhausted sigh,

"Mind telling me what the heck you think gives you the right to not answer your phone all night." Batman had appeared and taken Robin's wrist,

"Ow ow. I left my phone in my room."

"You're a vigilante, you're better than that. If I wasn't busy I would have come down there and pulled you out of that place by your hair. You know better."

"B, let go of my wrist-" Robin seethed as Batman held tighter and tighter. I just gasped, what was Batman doing to him? Suddenly they both turned to see me, Robin looked at me, who was mortified with my hand covering my mouth, then back to Batman, "Please," he pleaded softly.

Batman scoffed tossing his wrist away before walking off and leaving the cave as if nothing had happened. Robin crouched down holding his injured wrist close to him,

"Are you okay?" I asked worriedly as I walked from the doorway of the hall to where he was, crouching down in front of him,

"Why do you care?" He retorted bitterly,

"Robin, let me see your wrist." I held out my hands for him to show me,

"Like heck." He stood up, disregarding me, only his quick standing caught me off guard. I almost lost my footing in the crouch but before I could fall Robin had caught me and helped me stand up, "You're so clumsy." He scoffed before walking off. If he hates me so much why does he always save me from getting hurt?

~~~~~~~~

I sat next to Muzo in the bioship. He and I had gotten pretty close, he's the one who helped me forget about Dick Grayson. Muzo was a great man. Not only that but he was nice and he didn't make me cry. In the corner of my eye, I could see Robin. He was subtly trying to massage his wrist but the wincing in his face revealed that maybe the damage was worse than I had thought.

Once we got to the mission it was apparent that it was meant to only be a recon operation and we were all committed to keeping that this time. Robin and I split off from the team since that is what we were supposed to do. Though Muzo expressed some concerns to me about me going with Robin since Muzo knew that Robin had made me cry. There wasn't much we could do about that since Zatara was adamant about Robin sticking by my side especially after I came home with a leg injury.