Hellblazer

·         “Mhm the say way you’re constantly hurt.” she rolled her eyes, chuckling at his dramatics. He mentioned how she enjoyed having him around and she scoffed. “is that what you think it is?” she asked him. He was right of course. But it be a cold day in hell before she admitted that out loud to him. “Maybe I just know it’s good for a person to have roots somewhere.”

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John looked at the other smirking softly at her “Well I’m what is known as a sensitive man, I'm often wounded by your beauty” He laughed looking around shrugging his shoulder “I’m enjoying my vacation as one would call it, and I suppose staying in once place isn’t horrible” He mused offhandedly before looking at her “You know I’ve always had some type of roots, it’s just sometimes they have be ripped up and started somewhere else luv”

“So having the name Craig automatically makes you a card cheater?” Artemis responded with bemusement, a quirk of her brow as she repeated his words. “Future wife?” That was another swing that took her aback. “Is Zatanna aware of that?” She would be happy for them no matter what but wowza, future wife was a serious commitment. “Really? You can’t just magic yourself in and out of places?” She asked. 

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“I can tell you’ve never met a Craig before but that’s alright Luv, I’ve just imparted my wisdom to you” John replied with his signature smirk “of course, there is hardly another woman I’d ever want to stand side by side with, that being said keep that on the downlow” He mused quickly entering the apartment best to look for the artifact now before the person actually came home. “I can but Zee has told me to not be reckless with my powers since that little fun power fleux issue.”

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      Donna had only been joking, but the response she received wasn’t one she had been expecting. She knew nothing of his familiar life. A lack of one would explain a lot of what she did know about him though. “How does the leveling for demons work?” She asked curiously. “I’ll get the hostages out if you can keep the demon distracted.

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John looked at the other smirking as he told her the truth about his job usually the other heroes tended to pawn him off on the bit bats or Zee gave his very specific skills set. “ Usually the same as your common video game, this one is a nasty piece of work but I’ve got it” He mused lighting his hands on fire and drawing a sign in the air “Alright bastard over here, leave the pretty girl alone”  

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Zach frowned at him. “Maybe I was in the middle of doing something, you know,” he said. “You’re being kind of rude, my guy.” He shrugged. “Maybe it’s a stage name, did you ever think of that?” he said. He wasn’t lying, really. It was his stage name. It just so happened that he went by his actual name on stage. “Everyone knows who Zatanna Zatara is. I’m a stage magician. I use the Zatara name. It’s fun, it’s alliterative. No big deal.”

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John watched the glowing circle that surrounded the boy carefully as he spoke he’d figured he’d taken to lying especially given how quickly he’d ran away after their first meeting. “Maybe but that’s not my concern mate” He replied honestly in fact he really didn’t care what the other was doing at the moment. “If it were just a stage name, you’d have to earn the right to use it, Zee is quite the powerful sorceress and running around using her family name without her knowledge? Ballz and reckless” He replied before smirking as the circle glowed bright orange “Keep telling lies maybe the magic will believe you someday as of right now you are telling half truths but there are lines hidden within there Zachary.”

“Cheating at cards huh?” Artemis didn’t know John PERSONALLY, more so in the passing hearing of the guy. But if he was anything like Z described Artemis needed to remember to keep an eye. He wasn’t harmful, but well, a mess. Or maybe chaotic was the better word. “You’re just like Zatanna described,” She noted with amusement. “She sent me with the key. So don’t worry, you don’t have to break and enter into your own home.” 

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“Of course, he is a card cheater his name is Craig” John replied after all if there was anything to go off he just needed to see what was in this apartment given that something in there held magical properties. “Ahh you know my future wife that’s good to know, especially given she still talks about me to others.” He mused before chuckling nodding his head “Thank you kindly given that breaking and entering isn’t really my thing”

“Alright reel it in Casanova.” Zatanna rolled her eyes with a smirk. “You know, the never ending compliments start to feel insincere when you’re constantly throwing them out.” she warned him. Empty words didn’t mean much to Zatanna. She preferred action. “Hang out? So you admit you’e just milking my generosity?” she teased him as they made their way to the parking garage.  

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“I’m hurt, Zee, you think me to be insincere? Where you are concerned I have a never-ending supply of compliments” John teased her for a moment after all it wasn’t as if there were a whole lot of people who would get a glowing recommendation from him as she did. “Is it milking your generosity when I can clearly tell how much you enjoy me staying in one place for long periods of time?” He teased her following after her.

“Thank you John. You look really handsome too.” Zatanna couldn’t help the faint blush that crept to her cheeks at his words. she cursed her body and it’s reaction to him. It seemed that against all her effort, John Constantine had found a way to slither his way back into her heart. Assuming he ever left. “Come, I’m afraid we should arrive the more mundane way. Never been to this place, don’t wanna end up teleporting onto a hot stove.” she said taking his hand and leading him towards the door. “You never did say where you were staying in the city..” she wondered suddenly. 

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John smiled softly looking at the other “Ahh that went straight to my head Luv” He teased her nodding his head allowing her to lead after all she was the one between them that knew where to go. “Well, that does give me more of a chance to be seen with this beautiful angel draped upon my arm this evening.” he mused holding her hand before chuckling softly “I mean mostly I just hang out at your place, but the House of Mystery is parked close should you really feel like giving this old bloke the boot.”

Theo chuckled, trying not to snort how the guy mentioned flirting as part of his personality. He’d certainly seen the type before, at least this guy was a courteous flirter. “Is that your way of hinting you’re good with your tongue?” He asked, a coy look on his face and a smirk edging at the corner of his lips. “Ah, do they say that? Or are you just lonely?” He considered for a moment. “I’ll take a Old Fashioned.”

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John smirked at the other after all a little harmless flirting wouldn’t get him into too much trouble with Zee especially if it didn’t mean anything. “So alot of people are fond of telling me Mate, what can I say I’m a people pleaser at heart” he teased the other smirking back and shrugging his shoulders “Nah, just finished a job and I usually like to partake in the local bar life to live my spirits.” He ordered an old-fashioned, and whiskey neat. “So you never did answer my question, back there.”

John attempted to look sheepish when the lady approached “Can you believe it? I completely forgot my key to my apartment. You wouldn’t happen to have an idea of how to get in? I’d try the building manager but we having a little spat at the moment something about cheating at cards” He replied looking at the girl.  “Which is total shit, it’s not my fault I had a great hand, mate just things anytime his little ace up the sleeve trick doesn’t work means the other has to be cheating too.”

John eyed the boy for a moment longer knowing the silence was probably getting to him that or the fact he’d all but summoned the boy to Zee’s house. What she doesn’t know is what hurt him right? “Alright, I’ve given you plenty of time to think about the answer to the question I’m sure you know I’m gonna ask” He mused glad he’d ensured the other couldn’t just leave. “Last time we met you said your name was Zachary Zatara. That’s an old family name, not one thrown around lightly so I’ll ask only once, Kid are you Zee’s son?”

Zatanna got herself ready the mundane way, mostly anyway. She found comfort in doing it this way. It gave her something to calm her nerves. After a while she placed the dress on, using her magic to do the backing zipper. “John?” she called him when she was finished. “Come here a sec?” She waited until he came to the room before doing a small twirl. “How does it look? Not too much with all the red? I’m trying to get back into colors.” she chuckled.

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John could clean up nice when he wanted to and after everything Zee had done for him he wanted to ensure he didn’t bring her down tonight as he finished he heard her call for him as he made his way to her. The very sight of her never failed to take his breath away as he watched her do a small twirl allowing a smile to grace his lips. “I think I finally understand why women who wear Red have been known to steal the hearts of men.” He teased looking at her “Zee You look perfect, I love seeing you in colors rather than something dull.”

“And your body would have been recovering faster if you weren’t a failed AA mascot.” she said right back. Zatanna was a bit of a functioning alcoholic herself, but not as bad as John was. That was what she told herself anyway. “Oh? Now you want out of the house?” she teased. She gave him a small smile. He could be sweet when he wanted to be. “You can use the guest bathroom to clean up then.” she said to him, smiling back. “I’ll text the tailor so we can get you a suit that doesn’t look like you’ve had it for 30 years.”

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John let out a fake gasp “Zatanna Zatara you wound me so, I’ll have you know I got one of those chips for 6 months of sobriety” he mused with a fake pout before shrugging his shoulders “Only if It means I get to stay by your side” he smirked before nodding his head “I’ll clean up so I don’t bring shame to the Zatara name, and I’ve never been one for suits, but then again you liked me all the same” He mused sipping some of his coffee might as well enjoy what little comforts she allowed him before making his way to the guestroom.

“You normally big on the whole flirting game or am I special?” Theo responded, careful not to sound too cocky from the compliments. It was nice, but he technically had a boyfriend. Even if things were a bit fuzzy there at the moment. “Eh a sexy accent could only take you so far,” He spoke, a slight smirk upon his face. “Decorative piece, they pay me by commission. You interested in adding to it?” Why not try and wiggle a free drink? It’d make his wallet plenty happy. Plus it was just some innocent flirting. 

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“I’m always in the flirting game, what can I say it’s part of the personality” John replied looking at the other for a moment. In truth, he hadn’t really tried his hand at seriously flirting since Zee came back into his life but then again he couldn’t very well turn it off. “Spoken like a true person who hasn’t heard how well I roll my Rs” He teased before chuckling softly “Well I suppose they do say one should never drink alone, what’s your poison?”

❝ bonafide, huh? ❞ oh, definitely. at the least in any comparison to her. she assumed this much, anyway.  ❝ plagued for sure … for sure … ❞ violet droned on, fully focused on the task at hand, while still listening to the other. she finished quickly, however.  ❝ i’m more familiar with the … silent but violent type. ❞ she joked, then added,  ❝ where do they go when you banish them anyway, like, hell or something? ❞ she asked genuinely, but quickly felt slightly embarrassed,  ❝ …  that sounded like i just sked how babies are made … i’m for sure making it worse by continuing right now so i’m stopping. ❞ she awkwardly chuckled to herself, scratching the back of her neck. she was actually curious, she just always felt childish asking too many questions. 

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John chuckled nodding his head “Yes Ma’am, done my fair share of exorcising demons and big meanies” he teased before hissing softly feeling the other tend his wound before nodding his head “I’ve met that kind before, well if you ever have any issues with them coming after you, just look me up, John Constantine” He mused nodding his head “Yes I tend to send them back to hell or if just sending them back is dangerous then I have to get rid them permanently.” He explained before looking at the other chuckling softly “You are fine, there really isn’t anything that bugs me nowadays and how will you ever learn unless you ask questions right?”

“That ego does diminish your hotness a slight bit though,” Sure Theo would admit the guy was hot, he was confident enough in himself and his relationship to appreciate another physique without being attracted. There was a difference between attracted and attractive after all. “Thanks I guess.” It was nice to hear, though a bit funny. 

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“Maybe but the British accent makes up for it Mate” John replied with a smirk watching  him a moment before moving towards the bar. “So do you work here? Or are you just a decorative piece to pull in the customers?” He teased the other looking around, it seemed pretty slow.