Chalant Candlelight

Chapter 68

(Robin's POV)

Zatanna and I were nearing the end of the party, at this point, we were dancing together which was halted by the scurrying of feet to clear a pathway and an angry-looking woman in a pale pink dress looking like she walked out of some museum somewhere, her face was red in heated rage her dress held in her tight fists as she marched mine and Zatanna's direction, the crowds dissipating to give her room to walk,

"Romanov, I think you've had too much to drink," Andrei, one of the divers attempted to stop her in her path but he was quickly shoved away from the warpath she was on,

"Who do you think you are?" Romanov got in my face, Zatanna at my side as our dancing halted,

"Here we go," Zatanna muttered so only I could hear,

"I think you need to go with Andrei and get sobered up," I calmly spoke but with backbone, as my eyes traveled the crowd of onlookers, "People are watching," I motioned to Andrei who was behind her, he grabbed her arm but she shook it off just as fast,

"No!" She shouted, the crowd flinching, "What gives you the right to waltz around here with this rich kid," She motioned widely to the unfazed Zatanna, who was starting to resemble Scott Pilgrim in experiences with the "ex" women in my life, "when I've been here the whole time for you, I've been here through our stupid circus childhoods where nothing seemed to make sense and we only ever felt safe with each other,"

"Romanov-" I tried to speak,

"I have loved you since the day you cut the second cord on your trapeze set to rescue me from falling when the dive tank got knocked over by that barrel thrower,"

"Roman-" Andrei tried to speak,

"I have loved you and I have waited for you to wake up and realize for a decade now yet you have known her for a couple of years and suddenly she's everything to you?"

"Romanov-" I tried to speak one more time agitating her even more until she exploded,

"Did you ever even care about me?" She shouted,  loud enough that my ears started ringing. It took me a moment as we stared at each other's faces. My only saving grace for not wanting to crawl under a table was Zatanna's hand in mine,

"You know that I love you Romanov, I always have even since we shared a crib, but I do not love you in the way you want me to and I cannot change that," I spoke softly to the slurring and drunken girl who was making a scene in front of the whole circus and beyond,

"You're a fool, Grayson, for thinking you are anything more than this circus you grew up in. Do you think because you got taken in by Bruce Wayne that you're better than us? You'll always be a charity case and you'll always be one of us, so stop trying so hard," Romanov put her hands on me shoving me by my chest only she staggard more due to her state. I didn't have a chance to respond when Zatanna stepped between us,

"How dare you insult him, he didn't choose to be taken in by Bruce Wayne, he was pulled halfway away from a life he loved and you claim he sold out? And how dare you insult this circus? This place is beautiful but you've spent far too long tearing it down and tearing down the man you supposedly love in front of the people who care about this circus and care about Dick. You, Romanov, need to check your attitude and your alcohol tolerance before you waltz around the party like you own it," Zatanna's tone was steady and refined but behind her voice was this strength and anger. Romanov stood eyes wide and mouth gaping,

"Come on, Romanov, let's get back to the trailer," Andrei took her hand and she finally left. The room released its held breath as they all began to chatter amongst themselves. Jack Haley, himself approached me seconds after the ordeal,

"Are you okay? Say the word and she's gone," His hand landed on my shoulder as his eyes bore into mine, I was still just a little dumbfounded by the situation that it was taking me extra seconds to process what he was saying,

"No, no this is her home, Jack, don't worry about it, she's just drunk and not thinking straight," I waved off the situation as if my childhood best friend didn't just call me a charity case and accuse me of gold digging or something, 

"Well, if you change your mind or if things get tense again, let me know. You two have a good night," He bid us farewell,

"Let's go home," Zatanna tugged on my arm, not having to ask me twice,

"Okay," I smile at her as we exit the venue into the empty circus block,

"Oh wait!" She jumped, "I left my phone in your trailer," She remembered. I smiled at how cute she looked when she was surprised. I kissed her nose before we walked across the street to the circus and then to the trailer area. 

Once we finally got back to her room in the cave we could finally decompress. I pulled her hairpin and her hair unraveled in front of me,

"Do you want to talk about it?" She stared at herself in the mirror, removing her earrings,

"She's just drunk, she'll be back to annoying the sh*t out of me next practice,"

"I don't think so, Robin," Zatanna sighed gaining my attention, "She seemed pretty serious, and angry, and if she's not still angry later then she'll be too embarrassed to face you,"

"Why is that?"

"Robin, she just bared her soul to you, then drug you through the dirt,"

"Friends do that sometimes,"

"I think you have a very broken view of what friendship is,"

"If I took everything people said or did to me too seriously I would have already jumped in front of a train," I let her in on a little Robin secret that made her shoulders go rigid. I however just rolled into bed in my sweats and shirt, falling asleep faster than she could get unready.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day

(Zatanna's POV) 

"Zatanna, I'm going to kill you!" Artemis screamed her tone anything but friendly as she shoved her phone in my face, "Care to explain why you're in this photo kissing the 'Sl*t Prince of Gotham'?"

I stared down at the photo of Dick and I outside his trailer after the party, sharing a kiss.