doubleoohbaby | IC contact

[He doesn't call back until much later in the evening, after he's dropped Mitch off at home and driven back to his own place. He's somewhat hesitant to make the call, but leaving it would no doubt make it worse for him.

Sigh.

Ringring.]

[She's spent the day working and was preparing to go to sleep (and maybe hear from him tomorrow at this point). In her room, Zee dives for the phone but gives it a moment before answering, taking time to regain her composure.]

Zatanna.

Edited 2012-04-27 20:01 (UTC)

[He hesitates for a second. Part of him was expecting her to ignore his calls.]

Zee. Hello.

[She was the one to initiate this, after all. It would be unfair of her to ignore them, even if it would be easier. However his use of a nickname is probably a good sign.]

James? Hey. [There's a quiet yawn.] I didn't think you were going to call me back. [She's stalling with smalltalk.]

[He notes the yawn and glances at his own watch.]

I- ah, I've been working all day. Sorry it's so late. Lot going on in City Hall at the moment.

Don't be. I'm usually up much later than this. [She wouldn't know about that. No one keeps her in the loop. :(] I assume as much. You're getting adequate rest, I trust?

Mm, enough. [Which is mostly a no.]

I don't believe you. [He could say any combination of words in any tone and she wouldn't have believed him. There's a pregnant pause.] Anyway, what do you want to do?

[That's because James never gets enough sleep, no matter what he says.

There's an uncertain silence on his end too.] I'm trying to avoid making assumptions on what this might be about.

Do you want to just end this now? We might save one another a lot of trouble this way. [There's no indication of what she wants to do in her voice. She wants to know what you want, what will make you happy.]

[Another slight hesitation. Oh God, he's trying so hard not to say the wrong thing.] I'd almost thought we already had.

[At least he's putting some thought into what he's saying this time.] Almost, but...?

Well. I wasn't sure what was going on.

In so many words you had told me I was replaceable.

I needed some time to decide if you were worth it. If hearing that even once was okay with me.

Then I can't decide that for you. But believe me when I say that wasn't a personal slight against you. It was a general stereotype said merely to wind you up. I apologise if it seemed too far or if it demeaned you in any way.

Under the circumstances, perhaps it's best you find a bloke who's not a total arse 90% of the time. [That's sort of a joke.]

I'm not asking you to. [The rest, she listens to. Carefully. She knows how much it hurts his pride to apologize like this.]

I had thought to myself, then, if I'm so easily replaced that I should just let you do that. [But that actually would have made her more upset, more distraught.] But I'm talking to you now because I didn't keep thinking like that. Even if you are an ass.

I am. [He fully agrees to the last sentence without any of his previous hesitancy.] Let's be fair, Zee, there's very few women who have put up with me in my life time and they're either dead- my mother-, back home- my boss- or a cat- Pussy. You're the only one I've got and the only one I want.

[She readies herself to say something, but... she makes a soft sound, instead. There's a second of hesitance, as she mulls a response over.] That's all I needed to hear.

And I hope that I don't need to repeat myself, but it was only dinner. And I told him that we couldn't keep seeing one another. I want you to trust me -- I'd never do anything to intentionally hurt you. [A beat.] Except for punching you in the face. Which I intend to make up to you.

Hn. I do trust you. Not always in your judgement though.

How do you mean, exactly?

You've decided I'm suitable enough to partner with.

You're more than that.

Hardly.

You can't change my mind.

You should come over. [And stay the night, she means. He'd practically said that he thought she was ashamed of him and afraid of him staying the night, hadn't he? This is her way of reiterating how serious she is.] I can teleport you.

I have work in the morning. [Affectionate. It's not a no.]

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;

phone;