ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇss ᴏғ ᴘʀᴇsᴛɪᴅɪɢɪᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ (cigam) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2017-09-09 10:06:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, yue katou, zatanna zatara |
Who: Zatanna & Katou
What: Kat comes by with donuts and Zee gets him to agree to filling in a little for her when she goes on leave (and he makes her cry, but in a good way)
When: This past Tuesday
Where: The Agency
Rating/Warnings: Nooooot really?
Status: Complete
It had been a while since the last time Katou had had to go to a real job. He’d worked in England, sure, but nothing terribly stable. He had a flyering gig for one of Camden’s punk shops, and he’d been a casual bartender some nights. Sometimes he even had tourists give him photos by sporting a leather jacket and styling his hair into liberty spikes. But he liked having a flexible schedule so he could hang out at the Lock and drink with the other punks, or so he could travel around the island to check out all the great live music. He wasn’t sure how he felt about being back at the office. He wasn’t particularly fond of work that didn’t involve killing whatever Orange County creature was roaming the streets, but on the other hand, he’d been painfully bored the first couple weeks after he’d come back and he hadn’t been working. Besides, it did give him a chance to see Zatanna again. He liked the witch or magician or whatever the hell she called herself. He’d picked up a couple of coffees and a box of doughnuts, and made his way to the magical department. “Guess who’s back,” he sang when he caught sight of her. The feeling was mutual, Zee rather liked Katou as well - she had a soft spot for him, ever since she and Lina helped put his soul back into his body. It seemed like he’d been through so much and he still kept a relatively chipper attitude (and remained a bit of an endearing troll). He still wanted to help people, which must be why he was back with The Agency too - she was glad for that. “Well, hello,” she smiled, standing up from her desk chair to take something off his hands and bring him into her office - she had all sorts of dusty occult books she’d taken from the Guild, some manuscripts, yellowed newspaper articles all spread out on her desk. The work laptop she used wasn’t even on, since she barely used it. Her research often involved history that went back way before such technologies. Donuts smelled amazing to her constantly-hungry self. And coffee. She didn’t drink it much these days, but a cup wouldn’t hurt now since she’d already gone months without (her morning hot drink of choice was usually rooibos tea). “But yes, surprise, I’m pregnant - don’t worry, it’s not yours,” she teased. When Zatanna got up, Katou’s eyes widened. He definitely had not expected a baby bump when he had returned. “Oh good, and here I thought you just got fat,” he said. “I was going to have to take away the doughnuts, but I guess since you have a person in you, they can stay.” He handed her the box of doughnuts as he made his way inside, put the coffee on the corner of her desk, and flopped down a chair, letting one of his legs dangle over the arm of it. He grabbed his own coffee and took a sip. It was just the way he liked it: a little bit of cream and saturated with sugar. “You sure it ain't mine though? I mean, we did spend that totally magical night together.” Zee chuckled, opening the box of donuts to select one and put it onto a napkin. “Yes, a very active person,” she said about this occupant still hanging onto his womb lease. “It’s a boy, as we found out - he likes to make sure I never forget he’s there.” By bouncing on her bladder, kicking her ribs, things like that - all while she was trying to sleep too since apparently nighttime was playtime. “How was England? Are you glad to be back with us?” When Zatanna went on maternity leave, she’d need someone else in the Occult Division probably - maybe Katou would want to fill in, in between spots of activity on the Field Team. Angels and demons seemed to be up his alley, as they’d discussed before. It was something to broach. “Well, if yous was planning on naming him after me, I’m afraid that honour’s already been taken.” He still didn’t understand why his sister had given his nephew such a cursed name, but confusion aside, he was still pretty proud of it. “So, who’s the lucky guy that got to knock you up? “England was great,” he said, the obvious excitement in his voice. “I mean, lotsa music. Lots of cool stuff to do. You couldn’t throw a stick in Camden without hitting a bar that played good music. And I didn’t even need to use my fake ID there. Hell, I even got a job as a bartender.” He didn’t understand why the States couldn’t have a drinking age of 18 too. “Kinda expensive though. And nowhere near as interesting, so I’d say yeah, I’m happy to be back. How about you? Glad to see my handsome face in these halls again?” “We gave him a name already, sadly - his name’s Leo,” Zatanna shared, munching on her donut. “Named after da Vinci, who is a distant relative of mine. And his father is John Constantine, who I also happen to dream about - I’m on my fourth set of them.” They were all different, yet similar in some ways - her rocky relationship with John one of those similarities. At least here they had a better go at it. They didn’t have to constantly deal with the pressures of fighting against demons. Maybe only half the time, in Orange County. She smiled as she listened to Katou talk about his adventures in England. Since she’d been for the first time recently, to visit John’s family for part of their honeymoon, she found she enjoyed it there too. Eventually she’d like to go back and see more. “The OC is certainly a one of a kind place,” she agreed. “I did miss your handsome face though. And good timing for you coming back because I’ll need someone to fill in around Novemberish here too, in my Division, if you’re interested. I know you prefer field action but it’s not always going on.” “Leo Constantine?” Katou asked, raising an eyebrow. “Ain’t there some kinda Leo constellation or something?” Katou shrugged. “Definitely not as cool as Yue. But hey, your kid, your choice.” Katou frowned at her offer, then reached for one of the doughnuts. He took a large bite out of it. On one hand, he really could use something to fill his time with other than spinning in circles at his desk or drinking. On the other hand… “That sounds like a whole lotta work,” he complained after a moment’s contemplation. “What exactly would I haveta do?” “Leo the Lion,” Zee grinned - so yes, there was a constellation named after her baby boy. Or the baby was named after the constellation was, either option. Probably the second. She dusted her hands off (the donut had been a bit sugary, but oh so good - she loved treats like this in the morning for breakfast, since she ate so early after doing her morning prenatal yoga) and picked up her coffee to sip from. The fact that Katou balked at the amount of work didn’t really phase her. She’d kind of expected that, and he could turn it down if he wanted - she just thought it would be good for him to put his brain to use, since he was a smart kid. Young adult. “It’s an occult research job, mostly,” she said. “You’d do that, a lot of reading and writing up reports for the Director. Especially when magical-happenings occur around the county. Our division figures out the best way to deal with them.” The division also had Lina and Joan, but having a third was helpful - Zee had been on her own when Lina went on maternity leave some time ago, and that was a lot. “Research? Reading? Writing?” The horror in Katou’s tone increased with each word. “You know, there’s a reason I didn’t go to college after high school.” High school had been enough research to last him a lifetime. Still, somehow he’d managed to stumble into a raise when he’d come back to the job, and it wasn’t like he had anything better to do. Kanan didn’t really need him, not with Carolina and his new assistant Nora hanging all over him. Besides, he’d vowed to himself that he’d stop balking at unpleasant things, especially if it meant that he could find a way to protect the people he cared about. He leaned back in his chair, and in a completely relaxed, almost cheerful tone, said “But hey, sign me up. November, you said?” Zatanna’s mouth turned up in a half-smile, calm and knowing. She wouldn’t have pushed him into it, but she was glad that he’d agreed. Really, she thought Katou would be great at the job - if he just buckled down and got the work done, anyway. “That’s when I’m due, and I plan to work until I go into labor, so - yes, around there,” she nodded, sipping at her coffee. “Then I’ll take twelve weeks for leave.” It wasn’t really that much in the scheme of things (in some countries, didn’t new mothers get a year or something??) but she did want to bond as much as she could with Leo before heading back to the grind. In fact, she could probably take more time since she was sure John would handle things - but a part of her knew she’d also want adult interaction and to be back helping out here too. She set down her cup, taking the lid off so she could dunk the other half of her donut into it. Mmm. “The time will go quickly, and I know you’ll be good at it.” “I don’t know about good,” Katou said truthfully. “But probably better than nothing.” He didn’t doubt that he could buckle down and do it though. He’d managed to pass his junior year after slacking off for the majority of the year. Of course, he’d had Akane and Wendy to help him with his school work when he needed it, but at least with this job he wouldn’t be trying to undo months of bad work first. “But like, a three month vacation? I’d say I’m jealous but I guess I don’t have much room to talk. You need shit? I bet my sister still has stuff from when her kid was a baby.” It was hard to believe he was already three years old. “She never were any good at throwing things out.” It probably wouldn’t be relaxing on the beach, though Zatanna wished it were that way. Instead she’d be adjusting to life as a mother, and life in general with a newborn. Her first child was bound to come with some surprises - she was looking forward to this new adventure though. Studying loads of books and hearing other people’s experiences helped, but actually being a parent would be the best way to really dig into it. “That’s very kind of you,” she said sincerely, finding it sweet of Katou to offer. “I think we could still use plenty of things in prep. Your sister wouldn’t mind parting with some of her baby items?” “Oh, I doubt it. She’s sentimental to an obnoxious degree, but she’s generous too. I bet if I tell her Yue’s old things could get some use out of them, she’d be on board. If you wanted I could take you to meet her sometime.” Ugh, hormones. She was about to cry, just because she was so touched. In fact, she reached for a tissue from the box on her desk and blew her nose, sniffling with teary eyes. Not like she could help it though. So embarrassing. “I would love to,” she smiled through her happy tears. Poor Katou was probably going to get terrified and run off, though she wouldn’t blame him. “That’s so nice of you. I’ll be sure to bring her something in thanks as well. And something for the little one. How old is he now?” Katou balked, not entirely sure what he’d said to make Zatanna start crying but feeling very uncomfortable by it all the same. He quickly thought back to what he’d said and decided that there really wasn’t anything that could have upset her. She must have just been being… womanly, or something. “Uh,” Katou said. “Oh, he woulda turned three this May. But I bet you have a whole ton of work to get done.” He was already starting to get out of his seat. “I can come back like, later or something.” Zee laughed through her tears. “I’m sorry, I’m just - pregnancy hormones make you a whole new person,” she said, and it was true. The hormones just wreaked havoc on you and literally changed your body. She felt it more profoundly some days, others she actually had some respite. Though offering to give her baby things clearly would trigger her weepy reactions. “But anyway, thank you. For the coffee, and stopping by. I’ll fill you in on more Occult Division stuff later.” When she wasn’t so overcome with emotion. Sniff. Katou’d never really dealt with a pregnant person before. He hadn’t even known his sister had been pregnant until little Yue had already turned one. Looking at Zatanna now, he was glad he had skipped the whole awkward experience. “Yeah, no problem,” Katou said. “But cool. I’ll read the manual or whatever in the meantime,” he joked. “And I’ll call my sister and see what she’s gotta say too.” “Sounds good,” Zee effectively plugged up the dam then, wiping at her eyes with a kleenex. Well. There we go, she could just go on and get her stuff together - a long day at work still lay ahead of her, so, best to do her best to squelch all those pesky emotions until she could relax at home with a cup of rooibos tea and a fuzzy blanket. |