Noticed...

= Guys I'm gonna try a new way of writing, hope it's as smooth as I think it is... Peace, war, famine, and all the other foolishness while reading this story. =

~Omniscient Pov~

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Ezra and Amber held hands and huddled with each other, slowly moving back and forth through the crowd of the other surrounding dancers... Amber, smiling to herself, was satisfied that she had gotten through to her first love, even if most would consider it puppy love. She was happy just being with him. Ezra on the other hand, had felt satisfied that he didn't have to distance himself from her like he did. Even though, in the end; He knew he couldn't be with her...

Just as he was about to say something to Amber; he instinctually flared up for a moment. Feeling an odd energy coming from his left... 'ECHO, are you picking up that weird energy too?' He asked, still feeling that odd reading in the atmosphere.

[Yes... It appears to be emanating from that woman from you're left... Also, this energy isn't completely unknown. Given my readings, your cells produce minor amounts of the same type every few seconds.]

He sighed in his thoughts. He realized that the person in question was staring at him as well. However, taking a closer look, Ezra realized she looked strangely familiar, and not just her, but the woman beside her. He swiftly glanced back, staring into her emerald eyes, and auburn hair not too dissimilar from his own... He picked up that this wasn't a coincidence.

However, it didn't take him long to recognize the one with the green eyes, 'That's Batgirl, Barbara.' He kept that to himself, realizing he likely had to cut this meeting shorter than he anticipated. They weren't making it any less obvious that they were interested in him.

He felt a bit disappointed, he couldn't just leave either. Not only was he likely in front of two different heroes, but Ezra realized the darker-haired woman was rather powerful, not physically per se, but her presence was sharp. However, he easily summed it up to whatever that energy was that surrounded her like it did.

~

Barbara peered from afar, her eyes narrowing as she watched the two. The sight of them together stirred something uncomfortable within her—a bitter pang that she quickly pushed aside. She had imagined herself with Dick again, but those thoughts were swiftly dismissed with a quick, almost involuntary shake of her head... 'There's no point dwelling on the past now.' she thought. The memory only made her stomach churn, a gnawing feeling that she couldn't quite shake, it was as if she was trying to convince herself that she had no regrets about the choices she had made.

She leaned back against the bar, letting the cool surface press against her as she took another sip of her wine, the liquid doing little to calm her thoughts.

Zatanna's voice cut through the murmur of the crowd, teasing and light as always. "It looks like Mister Hot-shot's got a lover girl… Do you think they're serious with each other?" Zatanna's eyes sparkled with her usual playful mischief, clearly enjoying the chance to speculate. She had a knack for reading the dynamics between couples, and her instincts were rarely wrong.

But the question, so casually posed, immediately rubbed Barbara the wrong way. This was the worst possible time for such a discussion, and the reminder of her own complicated situation only made it all even worse. The irony wasn't lost on her—she, of all people, had no room to judge anyone else's relationships.

"Listen, Zee," Barbara began, her voice sharper than she intended, "I won't help you with this." She paused, catching herself before she said more than she meant to. The frustration that had been simmering beneath the surface threatened to spill over, but she bit it back, unwilling to let her emotions get the best of her.

Zatanna blinked, taken aback by Barbara's tone. She hadn't expected such a strong reaction and immediately recognized that she had touched a nerve, but she wasn't gonna back down just yet... "Come on, if you think they are together, I won't do a thing. I'm not gonna pull through it, just do the detective thing you usually do." Zatana added.

Barbara simply gave her friend a stern look, before realizing that Zatana was partially right, she didn't have anything better to do. And if the couple they spotted weren't truly together, or even a couple; there shouldn't be any harm done, right?

"Alright, fine." Barbara caved now. She looked back at the couple once again, reading their posture, how they looked at each other, and how they danced. One would be surprised at how much information someone could surmise from just simple everyday gestures, especially to keen eyes like hers.

Ezra and Amber were still dancing, their movements synchronized in a way that suggested familiarity, but not necessarily intimacy. Barbara noted the way Amber smiled up at Ezra from time to time, her expression warm and genuine, while Ezra seemed slightly more guarded, his attention almost shifting between Amber and something else in the room. It was subtle; almost trained, but Barbara could tell that his mind wasn't entirely on the moment.

She watched the way their hands held each other, how their bodies moved in tandem but with a certain distance to it as if something was holding Ezra back. Amber, on the other hand, appeared fully engaged, her focus entirely on her partner, almost as if she was trying to pull him closer, to bridge whatever gap existed between them, while he wanted to maintain the distance...

"There's definitely something there," Barbara muttered, half to herself, as she continued to observe. "But it's complicated. He's not fully in it, or he knows but is indignant about it… There was a sign of hesitation in the way he moved like he was distracted or wary of something...

Zatanna leaned in closer, following Barbara's gaze. "So~ they're not head over heels, but there's some kind of connection?"

"More or less.." Barbara sighed and replied, still studying the couple with keen eyes. "It's hard to tell if it's just a fleeting thing or if there's more under the surface. But something's definitely off with him. He's… unusually guarded."

Zatanna nodded thoughtfully, her earlier playfulness subdued by Barbara's serious analysis. "So, what now? Do we just keep an eye on them, or are you planning to do a little more digging?"

Barbara considered the question for a moment, weighing her options. "We'll keep an eye on them for now. No need to jump to conclusions. But if something seems off, we might have to step in." She didn't think there was something wrong with the girl, but there was something fishy with Ezra. His posture was too perfect, and now that she realized it, she felt like some digging needed to be done, outside of her friend's company of course.

Zatanna smirked, clearly intrigued by the prospect of a little sleuthing. "Alright, Detective Gordon. I'll follow your lead. But if they turn out to be just another couple having a night out, you owe me a drink."

Barbara nodded, albeit begrudgingly... "What do you plan to do now?" She asked.

Barbara nodded, albeit begrudgingly, acknowledging that she had agreed to play along with Zatanna's plan, even if it meant indulging in something she wasn't entirely comfortable with. Still, her curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, "What do you plan to do now?"

Zatanna's eyes sparkled with mischief as she grinned. "I'm gonna shoot my shot, of course. I can tell he's got something special going on, and I'm not just talking about his looks. There's an energy about him, something that tells me he might just rock my world. I mean, have you seen him, girl?"

Oh, Barbara had seen him. She had to admit it—Ezra was incredibly striking. There was something about the way he had carried himself, that effortless confidence in his walk, paired with that hint of mystery. He had the kind of presence that made people stop and take notice of him easily, and Barbara wasn't immune to it, especially with his kind. She might not be as openly enthusiastic as Zatanna, but she understood the appeal...

Still, there was more to her hesitation than just playing it cool. Ezra's allure was exactly why Barbara was so wary. People like him didn't just glide through life without leaving a wake, and she had a nagging feeling that whatever he was involved in, it was far from simple. But that didn't mean she couldn't appreciate the view.

"I've seen him," Barbara admitted, her tone begrudging but honest. "But just because he's easy on the eyes doesn't mean he's not trouble. Keep that in mind, Zee."

Zatanna laughed lightly, brushing off Barbara's caution. "Oh, I know, Babs. But sometimes a little trouble is just what the doctor ordered. Besides, it's not like I'm looking for anything serious. Just a little fun, ya' know?"

Barbara couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at Zatanna's words, "Sure..." The younger girl spoke with a feisty, almost tempestuous tone as if she were a seasoned expert in the art of romantic escapades. But Barbara knew better. For all her confidence, Zatanna's experience in this area was minimal at best. She had only dated once, and even that relationship hadn't gone beyond a few kisses and close hugs. It was endearing, sweet really—Zatanna's bravado masking her inexperience.

However, she somewhat envied that go-getter part of her friend, she knew what she wanted and went straight for it. She wasn't like that at heart, but rather the opposite...

Regardless, Barbara's protective instincts kicked in, and she found herself torn between wanting to let Zatanna enjoy her night and wanting to shield her from any potential heartache. Zatanna might talk a big game, but Barbara knew that she was still navigating these waters with caution, even if she wouldn't admit it to herself.

~

"Hey," Ezra spoke up, "Wanna ditch this place?"

Amber looked up at him, surprised by the suggestion. Her smile faltered for just a moment before she nodded, still caught up in the thrill of being around him. "Sure, if that's what you wan-Ahh!" she couldn't finish her sentence, she felt his arms wrap around and pick her up effortlessly.

'Wha? What are you doing?" She asked.

"Like I said, I was gonna do, ditch this place." Ezra forced a smile, his mind already working on a plan to get them out of there without drawing too much attention. The last thing he needed was to confront whatever—or whoever—was approaching. His instincts told him that staying could complicate things in ways he wasn't prepared to handle, especially with Amber by his side.

As they began to weave their way through the crowd, Ezra kept his senses on high alert, subtly scanning the room for any sign of the source. He could feel it getting closer, the energy almost palpable now. He knew that leaving wasn't just a precaution—it was necessary.

But as they reached the edge of the dance floor and placed her down, Ezra's gaze inadvertently locked onto a pair of piercing blue eyes watching him intently from across the room... He didn't recognize her, but the intensity of her stare sent a chill down his spine. She wasn't just another partygoer; she was watching him, studying him even...

'The hell is up with this chick?' He thought.

Ezra's grip on Amber's hand tightened slightly as he pulled her closer. He felt like he had to get them out, and fast before things spiraled out of control. But something told him that simply leaving wouldn't be the end of it.

Whoever this woman was, she obviously wasn't going to let him slip away so easily, for reasons that eluded him at the moment. "Sorry for this Amber, but bear with me." Ezra grabbed her again, this time, he used the crowd to his advantage, essentially blindsiding the person that was after him.

"Ezra, what's going on?" Amber asked, her voice filled with a mixture of concern, but also with a touch of excitement to it.

"Just trust me, okay?" he replied, calmly. As they neared a side exit, Ezra made a split-second decision. He led Amber through the door. Soon, she felt the cool night air hit her out of nowhere.

He quickly scanned the area, noting the dark alleyways and side streets that surrounded the club. Realizing there were no cameras around, he flew upwards. Landing on top of the roof "This should be enough, for now," he said. Amber on the other hand was practically speechless.

Her mind was struggling to catch up with what had just happened. She had known Ezra had powers, but this… this was something else entirely. "Ezra…" she finally managed to say, her voice slightly breathless, "Y...You can fly?"

Ezra gave her a small, almost sheepish smile. "Yeah, I guess that's one way to put it."

Amber just stared at him, with a mixture of disbelief and a bit of admiration in her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He shrugged, his expression softening a bit. "It's not exactly something you just drop into conversation... Besides, I didn't want any of this, to even happen."

Amber shook her head, a smile spreading across her face despite the shock of it all, she chuckled softly, "You're full of surprises, you know that?" Ezra was glad she was taking this well. He hadn't shown her that he could even fly, so it's to be expected...

He followed suit and shared the laugh, feeling some of the weight lift off his shoulders. "So I've been told..."

She stopped laughing but still kept her smile, "I... Have some questions though. What else can you do?"

Ezra hesitated, glancing away for a moment as he considered how much to reveal. He'd always been careful about sharing his abilities. But now, standing here with Amber, who had just seen a glimpse of what he could do, he realized he couldn't keep everything hidden from her forever. Plus, it might stop her from questioning why they had to leave... 

'There should be no harm done,' he thought. Ezra smiled, trying to ease the tension a little more. "I have the typical stuff, like strength, speed, toughness, and all that," he explained casually as if he were describing an everyday skill.

Amber's eyes widened slightly, but she quickly masked her surprise with a playful grin. "That's pretty cool, and let me guess, you can shoot lasers from your eyes?" she teased, raising an eyebrow.

However, when Ezra looked to the side, sighing instead of laughing along, Amber's smile faltered. "No way..." she started, her voice filled with disbelief. But as the realization dawned on her, she couldn't hold back the laughter that bubbled up. The idea seemed so ridiculous, yet here was Ezra, practically confirming it.

Ezra rubbed the back of his neck, his expression caught somewhere between sheepish and resigned... "Yeah, well, not exactly like that. But close enough..." he admitted, a small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. On that note, he took the chance and gently leaned back, looking down from the side of the building...

'There's the little birdie...' He thought, seeing the familiar raven-haired woman.

~ 

'Where the hell did he go?' Zatana looked around, seeing no trace of either the male or the female...

She moved through the crowd, her eyes darting from face to face, hoping to catch even a glimpse of the two. But it was no use—they had completely slipped away. Zatanna paused near the spot where she last saw them, her mind racing as she tried to figure out where they could have gone, especially so quickly.

Her frustration was mixed with a bit of admiration. 'Whoever this guy was, he was good. Too good.' She mused. But, that only made her all the more determined to find him. After all, she wasn't one to back down from a challenge.

She headed back inside, "Barbara," she called out, spotting her friend near the bar, "they're gone. I lost them..."

Barbara turned to face her, her expression calm but alert. "Gone? How?"

Zatanna shook her head. "That's..." She paused, "I... Have no idea, actually. One minute they were here, the next... poof."

Barbara frowned, her curiosity kicking in a bit. "They couldn't have just disappeared." She sighed before continuing, "They must have used one of the exits, maybe the side door? Let's check the security footage. If they left the building, we'll know where they went."

On the other hand, Zatana thought about the whole situation...

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END