the fears of repeating the mistakes of her past relationships or any nervousness she might have felt that maybe nothing would happen between them disappeared in the instant that their lips met. all she could think about him and his lips on hers, or the way his hands were placed upon her body. it was like an adrenaline rush; a feeling that she could get used to if this is what it feels like to KISS him. and honestly, in that moment, she thinks she might be crazy for not acting upon her feelings earlier.
she wouldn’t expect him to drop everything to have a life with her. hell, she’s not even sure if that’s something she can ever have. while she had thought about it and it’s something she’s always wanted, the picket fence and HAPPY FAMILY isn’t a normal occurrence with people who does what she does. there’s always a bad guy out there, or someone close to them dies, or the world is threatened for the hundredth time. to have a future where everything is NORMAL is a dream of hers, but the only thing she knows she can have right now is a relationship. or … something.
but if there is one thing zatanna knows for sure, it’s that matt murdock is a damn good kisser. her breath is nearly stolen from her as he pulls her closer and kisses her, her body pressing up against his. in what could have been just a simple peck had turned into into an attempt by the two to get closer, as one of zatanna’s hand slide up his neck and into his hair. she forgets all about the mistletoe DANGLING up above her head, for the only thing keeping her attention right now was him. her lips part from him for nearly a second before she kissing him again, his moan only causing her to pull him closer and kiss him hungrily.
——— the christmas decorating could wait a bit longer. she had more IMPORTANT things to do, and she wasn’t about start being festive again after this.
In that moment, his brain is not thinking of anything else; not of the past, not of the present, not of the future – one-hundred percent of his focus is on Zatanna Zatara; the way her perfume mixes with the scent of pine and cedar, the way her skin is hot and feels a thousand degrees against his torso, the way her lips taste against his own. In that second, the center of the universe is in his corner apartment in Hell’s Kitchen - the outside world a complete and total afterthought. It feels so good to experience this again; the refreshing throes of passionate contact with another being.
He’d been so cold for so long - so stuck in the mentality of trying to save the city. She’d reminded him that there was still light in the world, still brightness in the shadows. With Zatanna there was still warmth to cling on to, like the last grips of summer before the chill of fall and winter begins. He’d forgotten entirely that this sort of thing could exist until she came along - and he was so grateful she’d reminded him that there was more to the world than the grit and darkness that Hell’s Kitchen had been more than happy to show him.
Her hands move up to entangle with his hair, the slight tugs causing stifled moans to rumble in his chest. Touch is something so incredibly powerful for him – and this kind of touch is particularly overpowering. His lips part, teeth gently passing over Zee’s lower lip before he pulls back, a soft grin on his face. He’s panting, eyelids closed lightly, and he rests is forhead against hers before tilting her chin upwards with one hand and planting a gentle kiss on her lips. It isn’t that Matt wants to stop - but he needs to breathe, to slow down for at least a few moments.
“That was too long coming,” He says breathlessly, the tone of his voice a low purr. “I’ve been wanting to do that forever.” Christmas decorating could wait – there were other things that needed to be attended to now.
she had only been more then happy to help them both out with the aspects of gotham in aiding with the case. of course, that hadn’t been the only reason why she had stuck around but it wasn’t like she was being pestered to reveal those secret other reasons. however, zatanna knew that bruce was curious as to why she hadn’t been back at GOTHAM fully and while he had asked her about it, she was glad to know that he wasn’t using those detective skills of his to dig deeper. he was someone that she had known since they were just children and she knew him well enough to know that being a millionaire/billionaire ( or a mask wearing hero ) wouldn’t have turned him into an asshole. he just tended to be a bit stoic more than a couple of times, if you asked her.
she wonders if it’s her past relationships that makes her so hesitant in moving beyond whatever they were. usually, such a thing wouldn’t make her nervous, but she slept with more people then she did in entering actual relationships. she knew that her past relationships wouldn’t define what her romantic life would be in the future and nor should it, but she can’t help but THINK BACK on it. zatanna had only been in a few relationships, despite her remarkable talent to flirt to an huge extent. although, the only relationship that’s shaped her life was with none other but john constantine. she knows that the turmoil of their relationship shouldn’t be blamed on her ( or him, really ); it was just while they loved each other, it was never going to work out. not in the way she wanted. john wasn’t ever going to settle down with her or live a domestic life.
so, maybe she should stop being so scared of the possibility of being alone again.
❛ should i be flattered? ❜ she teases him, a smile curling at the corners of her lips. tilting her head upwards, the sight of green and red flashes at her. she admits, it does look a bit silly —- this piece of mistletoe floating above her head. though, it would only look ridiculous to those that weren’t aware of the magic running through her veins. and matt was most certainly aware that she could do actual magic, instead of the fakery that many magicians do these days. it hadn’t taken him long to find out, as she had done it accidentally in front of him one night and had to explain it. she was just glad that he hadn’t blown a fuse or insisted that she must be a WITCH ( oh yeah, someone did that once. she had to fight the urge to laugh in their face, true story ). ❛ you know, i should be offended that you think using magic is cheating. but since i like you so much, i’ll save you from having to apologize to me. ❜ she gives him a sunny smile.
that sunny smile slowly slips from her mouth as he moves closer to her, and she swears she’s lost any saliva in her mouth. if she thinks about it, this was a long time coming. the MISTLETOE might as well have been the final piece in them getting to this point. zatanna doesn’t step away as he gets closer to her smaller frame, though a flush appears high across her cheekbones. it might just be her, but she swears the air gets thicker and she can’t tear her gaze away from him, drinking in the sight before her. really, she can’t say that she hasn’t thought about this on multiple accounts, but as the fantasy slowly becomes reality, any lighthearted joke dies on her lips right there and then. her lip’s part silently as his thumb brushes along her skin, her gaze quickly darting to his lips as he inched closer. it’s only a moments pause before his lips meet hers and it’s like a SPARK was re-ignited in her as she leans up and kisses him back, arms moving to wrap around his neck.
The minute their lips touched, the fire that had only smoldered between them suddenly burst into full flame. It was like the electricity he’d only felt sparks of before was now coursing fully through both of them, the circuit completed - sensory overload didn’t even begin to describe it. He couldn’t focus on anything, he couldn’t hear the subtle sounds he normally heard; she’d rendered him, in that moment, completely and utterly dead to the outside world. The fine-tuned senses of taste, smell, touch, and sound were all tuned in to radio Zee - and he wasn’t going to move the dial any time soon.
The notion of being in a constant relationship is something that hadn’t crossed his mind for some time. Commitment had been something he’d been unwilling to offer lately; particularly with his late-night endeavors creeping in to the times when a couple would normally spend time gallivanting or just spending time together. It wasn’t that Matt was particularly eager to settle down either, but some consistency in his life outside of work wouldn’t be unwelcome by any means. Zatanna’s company had been a breath of fresh air, and now that they had let go of inhibition and just gone for it, things would hopefully improve.
As they kiss, her heart beat drowns out any and all other sounds he can hear. Matt’s raced to match hers, the dueling rhythms like a battle of wills. He pulled her close, her arms already around his neck, the swell of her breasts pressing into his chest and causing another hitch in his breathing. Damn - she was going to kill him at this rate, and they were only just kissing. His free hand slowly trailed down her side, caressing her hip, pulling their torsos even closer in a feeble attempt to merge into one. He hadn’t felt this hungry for someone in so long. His kisses deepened, a small moan escaping his lips as he parts them and disconnects from hers briefly, before tilting his head to kiss her again.
Within his mind there is so much he wanted to say to her - including thanking her for putting up with him this long, and for spending a portion of her holidays with him - but he knew that this was a much better way than words.
honestly, zatanna was too much of a good person and there was no way she wouldn’t at least try to convince him in letting her decorate his apartment, especially after her revelation that he didn’t seem to have anyone else to spend the holiday with. sure, she had to decorate her own place ( as if she couldn’t do that in three seconds with one spell ), and there was bruce’s christmas party he always held at WAYNE MANOR that she attended every year ( she would still attend it; after all it was just one night ); but those two little things were just that. little. besides, she didn’t intend on spending every waking moment with matt. just like … seventy five percent of those waking moments. she didn’t want him to get too annoyed with her presence, after all.
she was still surprised that he wanted to spend this much time with her, in the first place. of course, she spent a lot of time with her friends back in GOTHAM anyways, but those were the type of friends she had known for years. but then again, those long known friends of hers didn’t have as much underlying sexual tension that matt and her had. zatanna had been quite aware of said sexual tension since it was first obvious that it was happening. she’s not daft —— she knows when there’s something between two people, even if it is unspoken. and while she is rather forward and very much one to ‘ get on that ‘ … she hasn’t. not yet. but she’d be a fool not to think that soon, something was going to happen.
she stares at his lips for far too long before the magician shakes her head, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. during the few past weeks, it was fair to say that any wall of nervousness that she might have had when she had first met him was non-existent. there was a lot of teasing and deadpanning on her end, and she was pretty sure that he didn’t mind one bit.
zatanna stares at the dangling mistletoe above her head, swinging it back and forth gently. she admits —– she has a long running joke where she’ll just float a piece of mistletoe about her head and try to get ANYONE to kiss her. it’s just the type of thing she’ll do and it is quite funny; especially when she tries to get someone as stoic as batman to kiss her. ( it almost worked once; she’s still upset that it didn’t. ) her attention finally flickers back to matt and she fervently shakes her head. ❛ oh no. OH NO. you are so not getting yourself out of this one, matt murdock. mistletoe is very christmas, therefore it’s staying. ❜ her free hand moves to boop his nose before she’s looking at the mistletoe again. actually ….. ❛ taolf eht eoteltsim evoba s'annataz daeh. ❜ oh yeah, this is much better. and she’s far too smug about it.
Part of him felt incredibly bad that she’d made the decision to spend more time with him; Zatanna easily had other things to be doing back in Gotham, and friends and family of her own to be sharing the holidays with. He found her company particularly enjoyable regardless, though, and time and time again he was glad she’d walked into his office on behalf of Bruce Wayne. The latter had only just managed to get in touch about his case, and both Foggy and Matt had been going over the details of his statement in order to best prepare a defense. It had been complicated, particularly since Gotham was not a place either was familiar with, but with the help of Zee and her experience with the city and its politics things had gone rather smoothly. Matt enjoyed spending the time with her, whether it was in the office or out afterwards, and even though they didn’t spend 100% of their time together (thankfully neither of them thrived on that sort of thing), they had grown to know enough about each other fairly quickly.
He didn’t know why he was so content with allowing things to smolder and burn slowly between the two of them. Perhaps it was a mixture of trying something new, or just testing the waters - maybe, even, it was just the joy of the chase that thrilled him so much. Regardless, it was the little things - the small brushes of skin on skin that sent an electricity through his body that he had come to learn originated in her extraordinary ability to work actual magic, or the way her body subconsciously changed when she was around him; a racing heart, a flushed exterior, an entire change in the presence of the room that she commanded the minute she walked in. Something had to give to break this tension soon, and it seemed like neither of them was going to make the first move.
And so, Matt decided, it was time to take action.
“Oh no, I wouldn’t even think of avoiding it,” He grinned, shaking his head. She then muttered an incantation, floating the mistletoe above her head. Every time she used magic he was fascinated; it through his senses for a real loop, changing the ambient pressure and causing a metallic, electrical taste to tinge the air, in addition to an odd electric buzz that emanated from the object being manipulated. It made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, and caused his heart to momentarily hesitate in its steady beating, as if the energy required to perform the magic was being drawn out of it. He took a moment to take it in, biting his lower lip as he did so. “Magic. That’s cheating, Zee,” he lowers his sightless gaze towards the sound of her voice, his eyes aiming between her lips and her eyes.
Its then he decides he’s had enough waiting - if there was any obvious moment to make his move, this was it. He steps closer to her, beneath the humming sound of the now magicked mistletoe, feeling the warmth from her body start to intermingle with his. The smell of Zee’s perfume is mixed more and more with the pine, cinnamon, and nutmeg the decorations have all been inundated with, and as he draws closer the combination is both intoxicating and overwhelming. The grin that had been painted across his face softens, eyes like embers, breath hitching in his throat as he brings his face closer to hers. He bites his lower lip, bringing one hand up to caress her face, thumb sliding softly across her cheekbone as if to memorize the shape and structure. With only a fraction of hesitation Matt’s lips touch hers, what normally would be intended as a mere peck resulting in an open-mouthed endearment.
zatanna couldn’t love christmas enough. it served to be a problem sometimes, especially when a lot of her friends wanted to chuck something at her head for belting out CHRISTMAS TUNES in the middle of november. and even if she no longer had any parents to share the holiday with ( she still had her ego fueled cousin, tho ), christmas was still one of her favorite holiday’s of the year. … along with halloween, easter, birthdays and whatever special day there may be. you could say she just really likes celebrating. however, celebrating those holidays were no fun unless you had someone to share it with.
you know, she had planned to only stay in hell’s kitchen for no more than a week but —– nothing in her life goes to plan. and this time around, she was perfectly fine with that. sure, she had gone away back to gotham for a couple days since she just can’t stay away, but it was then that she quickly realized that while she may have the entire LEAGUE with her for christmas, matt only seemed to have foggy and karen. of course, she had learned this by being persistent in asking him about the holiday. and well, she couldn’t just stay in gotham after knowing that.
so …. she might have gone a bit overboard with the decorations. you honestly can’t have her walk into a store and not buy at least ten of every christmas decoration she saw. it’s a good thing that she has a rather good PAYCHECK from doing her thing on stage. so, here she was, doing her thing and making his apartment look as festive as it could. it’s really too bad he couldn’t see how good it was looking so far, but she was sure he’d still appreciate it.
she takes the bottle from him and sets in on the coffee table by her side, gently reminding herself to actually drink from it later on and not forget it like an idiot. for now, she was more preoccupied on the mistletoe that was laying prettily on the bottom of the bag. her gaze shifts up towards matt and she deadpans at him, a small huff leaving her lips. ❛ oh, ha ha. i’m just cracking up at how funny that joke was. ❜ she rolls her eyes at him, although a smile crosses over her face as she bends down to reach into the bag.
zatanna finally takes the mistletoe out of the bag and stands straight up, dangling it over her head. ❛ i think it might just be. funny —— i don’t remember buying any from the store. ❜ she gives him a look, that she knows perfectly well that he can’t see, arching an eyebrow up at him.
He never expected that having a client walk through the door would ever lead to this - someone who only a few short weeks ago had been a complete stranger, who now was eagerly decorating his apartment for the Christmas holidays. Things just seemed to happen to Matt Murdock, though, wheter he liked it or not. In this aspect, there were no complaints; as far as he could gather, Karen and Foggy were both ecstatic that he’d found someone to spend time with (Foggy insinuated there was much more to it than that, as per usual). For the first little while Matt had been concerned; was he letting Zatanna too far in - was he going to let something slip? He’d managed, though, to maintain a barrier between the Matt Murdock of the day and the Daredevil of the night. Their evenings usually finished early enough that he could still go and do his vigilante business without causing too much suspicion. So, that worked quite well for him.
But there was something else – something unspoken between them that neither seemed to take and run with up to this point. They had been teasing back and forth for days, carefully poking fun at one another and amorously bantering. The sexual tension was undeniable, yet Matt, for the first time in a long time, had yet to act on it. There was just something that wanted him to wait and play it out as long as he could - which, realistically, was unusual for someone as forward as he could usually be. It was that, in and amongst his casual and joking nature, that had led him to have the mistletoe hidden in the bags in the first place. Matt was all about the organic approach, and this was no exception; no matter how painfully slow he was allowing it to progress.
He grinned at her, taking another drink from the porter and savoring the taste with a lick of his lips. Her deadpanning was one of the things he really liked about Zatanna - she didn’t put up with his shit, but she also let him put the bad jokes on the table now and then. She was honest, carefree, and incredibly spirited; she cared about her home, just like he did, and she was as passionate about doing something in the world as he was.
He couldn’t see that the mistletoe is dangling over her head, but he heard her remove it from the department store bag. Placing the bottle on the kitchen table, as well as his glasses, he moved to join her, shrugging as he approached. “Oh, I don’t know - someone must have just slipped one in there,” he was very close to her now, and gave a playful nudge with one elbow. The grin softened, his eyes bright. Blind as he may be, his eyes were more than telling of his emotions; and in this case, for once, the fire was dancing in them. “We can always take it back if you don’t think it’ll fit?”
Generally speaking, December was a melancholic time for Matt - his family was gone, and unless he was spending time with the Nelsons, he was usually on his own. Being alone wasn’t horrible; just, during a time of year when spending time with loved ones was the name of the game, the entirety of the Christmas season could seem downright depressing – too much time to sit alone and think, few cases to work on, and friends out of town with their own friends and relatives. Matt had been dreading the fast-coming onslaught of December the minute October ended - until, of course, his newest friend entered his life.
It had started with a business meeting and a casual night out on the town, but the Gotham native Zatanna had made him smile from the beginning. She’d been more than happy to spend time with him and not pry into his private affairs (which he appreciated), but at the same time they’d grown rather accustomed to each other, and had built quite a bond over the past few weeks. She’d mentioned Christmas to him and passing (clearly one of her favourite holidays), and he’d originally tried to sidepass the topic entirely, but, much to his dismay and hesitation, she’d been persistent.
So here they were, in Matt’s apartment, four large department store bags of decorations sitting on the living room floor and a tall, fresh, and rather pungent pine tree sitting in the corner. Matt had entrusted Zee entirely with picking things out (she’d be doing the decorating, anyway, since it wouldn’t really matter what things looked like to someone who couldn’t see to begin with), and was quite content to sit and listen to her as she busied herself with turning his drearily-decorated home into what he assumed was a scene right out of a festive movie.
He walked over from behind the kitchen island, two porters in hand to share. Handing her a bottle, as she asked him whether or not something sitting in the bottom of one of the bags was a mistletoe. “I’d love to be able to say yes, but I can’t really tell,” He smirked, lowering the dark tinted glasses down the bridge of his nose and tapping the side of the frame, “You tell me, Zee, is it a mistletoe?”
He may have asked the salesperson at the department store to find one for him and slip it in with the things he was purchasing while Zee was off finding other things. He may have intended to use it to his advantage. For now, though, he’d play it sly.
if she could stay in a stable relationship, then that’s where she’d be right now. but unfortunately, her love life stinks more then a pile of dog poo. her last ACTUAL relationship had been with none other then john constantine and while she wasn’t like everyone in the sense that she wants to kill him, they just can’t seem to stay together for long. she does love him and he’s one of the few people she loves that is ALIVE. and maybe they’ll work out in the future, but she won’t count on it.
she turns her attention back to matt, raising an eyebrow quietly. as unexpected as theirflirtationhad been, she’s glad it happened. in the sense that she can ( hopefully ) just have a bit of fun this night and not have to worry about anything else. ❛ yeah —- gotham has like, triple that. but it also has the LEAGUE watching over it, so i suppose that’s why. ❜ she let’s him draw her closer, a smile curling along her lips as she glances up at the sky. oh boy, she was excited for when the SNOW was going to fall. and christmas and the decorations and —- she was getting ahead of herself. ❛ sounds good to me. you wanna tell me about the place while we walk there? or just talk in general. … i like hearing you talk. ❜
matt’s last steady relationship was probably in college - even if he had to put the thought to it, he really couldn’t remember. between passing the bar, getting an internship, and then opening up nelson & murdock with foggy, not to mention the numerous head injuries, the sorts of memories that just weren’t relevant any more were hard to bring to the surface. for now, though, he wouldn’t even bother worrying about it - he was going out for some drinks and good conversation. maybe it would keep his mind of other things for the time being.
the temperature has certainly dropped in the past few weeks, and he senses that its going to snow soon. he smiled when she lets him pull her closer, one of his arms wrapped in hers and the other using his cane to keep tabs on what was in front of him. not that he needed it, but she didn’t need to know that. “well, i suspect we’ll be safe tonight. crime takes a dive when its going to snow,” he bites his lower lip, squeezing zee’s arm with a smile. “its a bit of a shit hole, but josie’s is home for us - foggy and i. there’s alcohol, its warm. its also quiet enough that i can talk as much as you want. i’m not that exciting, though.”
one of the main reasons why she hasn’t settled down with a family yet ( she’s twenty-eight; certainly the age for it ), is because of the lifestyle she lives. while zatanna has SCALED-BACK a lot of the heroics she does nowadays, she still was a hero. is a hero. she’s seen first-hand what being a hero does to people. it’s not all saving people and having people CHANT your name. it’s a lot of heartbreak and tears and having people die. but despite that, she doesn’t regret it. she just wishes it was easier.
❛ that’s what i said. trust me, it’s a great honor. ❜ she remarks lightly, glancing over at him briefly. honestly, he was probably most women’s type of guy. she wouldn’t be surprised. ❛ that’s fine by me. besides, i’m not too much of a damsel. ❜ her gaze drifts towards their surroundings, before letting her gaze drift back towards him. she had no idea where to go. however, if this was GOTHAM, then she would. ❛ well …. is there any place you would recommend? i mean, from —- from experience. ❜
the lifestyle he leads isn’t something that lends to dating and relationships; his days are busy with work, and his nights are busy with keeping hell’s kitchen afloat. even if he could find the time to steadily commit to someone, how many women would appreciate a guy who comes home beaten to shit half the time? how many would be okay being with someone who might not even come home? matt loved his city, and there was only so much room in his heart. he was a tough shell to crack, especially these days - anyone who got close to him seemed to somehow or another get hurt.
but tonight, he’s going to make an exception to the rule.
the city had been quiet as of late - much thanks to fisk finally being behind bars. what could it hurt to take some time to do something fun; something for himself? “ i’m glad to hear that. there’s enough heroes in this town; there’s only room for so many,
”
he smirks, subtly drawing her closer to him - the night air is brisk and winter is right on the doorstep (like he really needs an excuse, though).
“
there’s this place my partner and i like to go to - josie’s - its just down a few blocks.
”
its not the most romantic place to take someone, but who said matt murdock was in to romance?
who has time to be anon??? you've only played matty for a couple days but i can already tell you have his portrayal pretty spot on and no, i'm totally not biased at all. i can really see matt in your writing and i love writing with you!!!! :))))
anyone could tell you that zatanna zatara was a hopeless romantic. yes, she flirts with guys ( and girls ) in bars, and she most definitely has more one night stands then relationships but underneath the natural flirt —— she is a sucker for love. she’s the type of girl to watch the NOTEBOOK and want someone to look at her like noah looks at allie, or to see elderly couples and have her poor heart fly out of her chest. but even as she wants all of those things, she has to face the reality that she’s going to be stuck flirting and hooking up until she gets lucky. and she’s fine with that. but she doesn’t want to be like that forever.
❛ mm, good. you’re my type of guy then. ❜ gentle fingers curl over his hand and she can’t help the infectious smile that spreads over her face, ducking her head slightly. she feels warm with her fingers touching his skin, but she’s pretty sure that’s her blush. ❛ well, i have a feeling it is with you. it’s too bad not a lot of other guys think like you. ❜ her fingers brush against his palm as they let go and she holds her arm out, starting to walk when he has a good grip on her elbow. ❛ gotham can be a dangerous place. i know how to hold my own. but —– i won’t complain much if you decide to be my knight in shining armor. ❜ she let’s out a gentle laugh, a grin curling around her lips. yeah sure, she is nothing like a damsel in distress, but she can humor the thought.
the concept of settling down wasn’t something on the agenda for matt murdock any time soon. to be fair, it hadn’t ever even come close to being scheduled on the weekly timetable, let alone the overall plan, and particularly now with his…nighttime avenues - he didn’t have the time or ability to commit to anyone. for now, short-led romances were his thing, if he felt inclined to pursue one at all. today, things were looking rather appealing. he had to let loose sometime, right?
"your type of guy, hmm?
“
the smile in her voice lights up his face again. her blush, the flushing of her skin as her heart beats erratically - it appeals to him, knowing he has this effect on her, and despite his best efforts to keep it under wraps his own skin flushes a shade of scarlet.
" no guarantees, but i’ll do what i can.
”
he walks with her out of the office, locking the door behind him, and soon enough they’re on the streets of hell’s kitchen.
“
so – where to first miss zatara? there’s nothing overly fancy out here but, we hold our own.
”
