nifties | You let the Devil in 😈

You let the Devil in 😈

Ever since he agreed to go on this trip with Zari, his mind's been turning over and over about it. Technically, yes, the Legends are adults. Some of them even managed to survive for years without them aboard (which seems miraculous now.) But that doesn't make it any easier for him to leave his hatchlings, no matter how many speeches Sara has about how they only live once and they should go enjoy themselves. And he knows Ava has pulled Zari aside to essentially say the same thing just in a more Ava type way.

The thing is, even when John is running away, it's never for long and he's usually only pretending to dick off. As he thinks back over the years, has he ever taken a real vacation? Ever? Something creepy or crawly always manages to find him wherever he goes and that's weighing heavily on his mind as well. If the team will be safe without him, will Zari be safe with him?

He keeps starting and stopping packing, not like it matters when he knows Zari is going to make him get a whole different wardrobe the second they're alone. He's been avoiding that one for long enough so he's kind of resigned to the whole affair honestly. Packing means leaving though, indefinitely the way his life goes. What if they damage the timeline by being out there together? And again, what if the Legends really really need them??

Yeah, so he's spiraling. When Zari finds him, he'll be pacing the length of his room back and forth - back and forth. Every time he crosses his suitcase, he drops something new in and/or takes something out so that the job never actually gets finished. He's so absorbed in his weird, manic ritual that he doesn't even notice her coming in until she's right in front of him. Her sudden appearance (from his perspective) actually makes him jump before he manages to focus his foggy gaze on her.

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Yeah, she had a feeling he wouldn't accept that line. Zari saves the frustrated line about John making her job harder by opting instead to start from his neck downward. A part of her wishes she let him stay in the dark about the dark side of the job. Zari knows it's only a matter of time before it would get exposed either way. All John had to do was get a little too curious once for it to become obvious that some people have some really weird ideas about her and get aggressive with them. Her moderators are top notch, but they only need to be slow on a comment once. She has no control over the videos other people make about her either.

Zari lets him start to work through it, mulling over the idea of giving in just enough to help John cope. She knows it's harder for him given his history. She is sensitive to the fact he may need to feel like he's done something for her. They are star-crossed. It's not like he'll ever have the luxury of walking her to her car after a long meeting or watching the crowd while she picks up her favorite vegan donuts. "Oh, we'd do challenges obviously. I could always use a partner on my cooking or craft videos." She does enjoy making those from time to time. Zari rubs gentle circles into his skin before deciding to circle back to what he said earlier.

"I'd be willing to let you cast a protection spell if you promised me it wouldn't turn out like it did with your friend. I don't need a verse to know that's super haram." She's not risking her soul to make John feel better. That is where the line gets drawn for Zari.

"What kind of challenges?" Cooking and crafts sound fun honestly, trying to picture a world carefree enough that would allow them to make cooking videos on the internet together. What she says next gets a strange look - does he trust himself to cast a spell over her? He was thinking of a protection spell for her house, which he can't do without breaking shit more than he does usually. John swallows bile and tries not to spiral. He would never risk her soul either which is why he'd already ruled it out... "Maybe we could try one later. A challenge," he clarifies, not a spell. For once he's feeling very much like magic can solve no part of this; he just has to work through it behind the scenes.

She is glad he drops the thread for her. It does feel like tempting fate to come down on them hard. Zari dealt enough with those crazy bitches for one lifetime. She focuses on how charmed she is that he doesn't know. Zari continues her slow descent down the arm that isn't against her. "Fun stuff. I always wanted to try the 'letting my boyfriend do my makeup' challenge, but yeahhh. I didn't trust any of those idiots with a dull pencil." Especially that DJ. She is so glad Nate punched him even if it was super uncool at the time.

John starts to straighten up a little to make her job easier, but he's comfortable with their proximity and doesn't want to lose it even as he snorts at her assessment.

"That's for the best, luv. I like your eyes where they are." He's already nervous about her proposition but strangely excited too. "I'm not much of an artist, at least, not unless I cheat." Glamour spells are some of his best work, but he knows how to play the game.

He pulls back enough to meet her eyes at a comfortable distance, dark eyes scanning over every inch of her face as though he's downloading the image to his brain. He loves how the gold plays off her skin tone, maybe he can recreate her Cleopatra look... amateurishly. As usual, he'll take this far too seriously but surely, she expects that.

"Since you're dressing me for dinner, maybe I can return the favor." A beat. "You're doing our hair though." Yes, 'our.' He's not taking it back!!!

It's much appreciated. Zari finishes scrubbing over his arm, taking his hand delicately in hers as she works to scrub the digits clean. She'll never get those callouses off, but never say she isn't thorough. The influencer chuckles softly at his admission. His glamour spell on her did turn out rather nice as she recalled.

What he says next actually makes Zari stop for the time being. Her eyes go comically wide as she latches onto that 'our' for dear life. "Don't you dare take that back! I've wanted to do your hair since the first time I saw that mess passing me in the hall." Zari says seriously. This is... a dream. She is living her best life. Without a second thought, she leans forward to steal a kiss.

He lets out a startled burst of laughter against her lips before melting into the kiss, eyelashes fluttering closed immediately as a hand rises from the water to hold her face to his for as long as he can get away with. It's kind of hilarious how much she seems to love having him as her very own paper doll this week and he doesn't feel like bursting her bubble when it's entirely harmless.

"It's not that bad," he argues breathlessly, forehead planting against hers as he palms the back of her head. "When you get through with me, maybe I could be on your channel." Since no one would recognize him being the joke. He lifts his eyebrows goofily before leaning in for another kiss despite the faint burn still lingering in his chest.

She hums in appreciation at the returned kiss, eyes fluttering shut as she enjoys the feel of his mouth against hers. It feels like the kiss can't last long enough before they are catching their breath again. Zari laughs softly at the argument and his goofiness. Any thought of arguing back is stolen by the kiss. She touches the side of his face, wanting desperately to be closer before thinking better of it. His smoker lungs can't handle all this. She breaks off the kiss with a cheesy joke.

"Okay, temptress. You're not distracting your way out of me pointing out how desperately your hair needs to see a brush."

He makes a face at her before reluctantly pulling away and turning back around so she can finish the routine.

"What's next on the checklist for making me gorgeous?" John asks loftily, sinking his head down and letting his arms hang down and away from his sides so she can get to his entire back.

Zari takes it as a win even as she resumes giving his back a proper wash starting at his shoulder blades. Truly he will learn something from this... like you know. He wins no matter what because she enjoys taking care of him. "We have to do something about those nails. They're a disaster." Not even a second of hesitation on that one. It's almost like she has a checklist in mind.

John scoffs like he's offended, bringing up a hand to look at his nails.

"We're going to starve by the time you finish." Another baseless complaint since he could literally subsist on whisky and oxygen alone. He curls into himself again when she starts scrubbing, wrapping his arms around his legs and resting his chin on his knees. "But I guess I'll allow it." Only because it feels this good and when she's touching him in any capacity he doesn't have to think.

"You first. I do have some meat on my bones." She pinches his side to emphasize the point before skipping back to her job. Zari has got full figure even with all the juice cleanses and vegan diet. It's almost like she'll never be a twig. Zari learned to be content with that along time ago even if she's still constantly dieting.

She trails a careful line down, moving side to side with a gentle harmony. "I appreciate your sacrifice. You're going to look even better once I'm done with you." An actual promise!!! She draws a line down his sides next, steady and careful as ever. "Turn around, please."

He jumps predictably at the pinch, distracted from arguing her assessment. Obviously, he finds nothing wrong with her figure whatsoever. She gives him just enough time to settle back into the soft touches before she's asking him to move again and it takes him a moment to spur into motion.

"You're the one who has to look at me," he concedes while trying to arrange himself in the best way possible for her, arms over the sides of the wide tub as he serves her up a lazy grin.

"Mmm... I do." Zari takes her time looking him over. As always, she's satisfied by what she finds. The influencer moves to lean in front of him and starts with his face. Zari lathers her hands carefully with soap before moving to use her thumbs to draw little circles into his cheek starting with the right side. "It's not a terrible view all things considered." She says mostly to lower his guard. If Zari can make it the next five minutes without confessing how beautiful she finds John it will be an actual miracle.

John inhales sharply, unable to mask how she makes him feel just dragging her heavy gaze over him. It's as if he can feel her hands on him before she's even within reach and his eyes slowly flutter shut at the realization that she's going for his face, tipping his chin up and baring his throat for her convenience though his tummy flutters with how vulnerable a pose it is.

"I've always prided myself on being not terrible to look at," he says, though his voice is a bit too thin to be called a quip, one hand reaching up to curl around her shoulder so he doesn't get carried away and end up bouncing his head off the side of the tub.

A surge flows through her belly as she basks in the power he gives her. It is vulnerable. She loves that he shows this side to her. Despite the little power fantasy this brings to mind, Zari is infinitely gentle with him. She traces the lines of his face with great care, ignoring the way his stubble pricks at her fingers. Strangely, that is the one thing she never complains about.

"You don't have to be modest about this. You're as pretty as the moon."

He appreciates how she never abuses his trust in her because he knows he'd allow it even if she doesn't. She's so gentle with him that he's glad he had the foresight to grab hold of her or he might actually fall asleep just like this. Her proclamation sends him over the edge though, just barely holding back a snort at her assessment - one that scares him because he knows she's being serious.

"That's a new one, I'll admit." On some level, he knows the reference and that obviously she adores him or they wouldn't be here together; but a very big part of him will never accept what she sees in him. One eye blinks open, wary of the soap but needing to see her all the same. "What would the Sun want with the Moon anyway?" It seems worth asking while they're being obtuse since he knows he doesn't have the courage to ask her straight out.

She knows John can't accept it. Self-loathing man who thinks he has to walk the world alone blah blah. A lot of dramatic angst. Zari always knows those feelings come from a very real place based on what she does know of his past. Her tracings remain mindful of his eyes especially since he insists on looking at her. "Well... the Moon has many qualities the Sun doesn't. It can shine in the darkness without completely overtaking it. Some things survive better in the dark, you know. Maybe the Sun appreciates that the Moon is there to care for them." It's not her best metaphor, but she thinks it isn't too hard to follow. Zari knows he helps others in a completely different way. As someone who benefited from that help, how can Zari not admire that?

He tries to really absorb her words and their meaning, eye slowly closing again as he once again sinks into her touch. It's a clunk metaphor, to be sure, but one that resonates with John all the same. She is golden dawn to his deep dusk, it's how they harmonize.

"I'm one of those nighttime creatures, you know. And yet you insisted on bringing me to an island paradise in Summer." Oh, how he suffers for her.

Zari works over his forehead next, enjoying the feel of every line as she passes over it. He's more real than just about any other man she's ever been with. It's one of the many things she loves about John; he allows himself to change without needing to erase it. "I did tell you I was a cruel mistress." She reminds him. By the time the influencer is done with John, he'll blend right in with the day so no harm done.

"We can vacation wherever you want next time. Somewhere cold and dark." She says like she will ever lure him into another real vacation again. "Alaska? I bet you'd look adorable in a parka." Funny how all her vacation ideas involve dressing him. Is her a boyfriend or a paper doll? Both obviously!!

"I've had meaner," he points out bemusedly even as he feeds off of their proximity, hand trailing down her side to palm at her waist. John's easily distracted by her suggestion, drawing a snort from him as his eyelashes flutter though his eyes stay closed this time. "Not that cold. Just dreary will do."

Her tummy does little flips at the hand placement. What else is new tbh? Zari laughs at the suggestion, finishing up his face by tracing the line of his nose and sides. "Now that just sounds like going back to where you came from. Is that a real vacation?" She questions even knowing there must be other places like it. Now that would be a real transplant for Zari.

"Splash your face, please."

He wrinkles his nose both from her touch and her words. Reluctantly, he lets go to rinse his face as ordered, but once the soap is off his face he grabs onto her with both hands this time.

"Being with you is what makes it a holiday, luv, not the weather."

Zari smiles despite herself, wanting to feel put upon that he's impeding her Very Important Job. How can she stay focused when he's holding her like this? The indignation never comes. It means a lot to her that he feels that way. Apparently the near constant worship didn't drill it in hard enough that he loves being with her.

"In that case, we're on holiday a lot." She points out like they're not tripping over roommates left and right.

"Being alone with you," he clarifies with a good-natured eye roll, leaning in to kiss her forehead sweetly. Though he usually wouldn't be the first one to suggest it, they do have a considerable number of things left on the docket for vacation day #1. Not to mention he's lowkey excited she trusts him to put her face on... "Ready to get out?"

She narrows her eyes at him. Zari can drag this out for a solid twenty more minutes. This would normally delight John. "Who are you and what have you done with John Constantine?" Her eyes narrow, but she's kidding. He's got magical tattoos for that. It's fine.

She leans in to give him a quick peck on the lips before pulling off the band-aid completely. Zari immediately starts pulling away to exit the tub and go for her towel and water.

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