#deadandred

[thecreativeforge-a]

continued from x | @dramatisperscnae

Out of everyone to show up at his doorstep in the middle of the night, he wasn't really expecting it to be Dick, let alone in his civilian attire. A somewhat fancy civilian attire, too; as if he had gone out somewhere tonight that wasn't patrol. His appearance, though, was messy, and the way he was staring a thousand yards away... No, it definitely wasn't a good sign.

He stepped aside to let him in, and closed the door behind him as he finally did. Dick just stood there in his living room and Jason was, really, unsure of what he should do. He tried to ask him what happened or why he looked like he'd been run over, poking a little fun for the humor, but got no response. Just more staring, and more silence.

When words failed, he supposed his detective training did come to do the work. He was dressed like he'd gone to an outing of sort, something social, nothing too formal. It was too sharp for meeting friends, but classy enough for a date. Pushing aside the intense desire to know exactly who he was dating, he noticed the way his clothes looked like they've been tugged and pulled at, and then the kiss mark on his neck...

Fuck.

Inhaling sharply, he tried to suppress the rage building inside of him. If this was what he thought it was, and he might be exaggerating in his head because he resorted to the worst case scenario, he was going to be checking a name to the top of his hit list very soon.

Right now, at this moment, he had Dick to take care of.

Unfortunately, Jason had experience with this himself. He offered a small smile as Dick reacted to the offer of a shower, nodding as walked around past the couch to head over to the bathroom. "As hot as you'd like it to be." he assured as he got inside, starting to run the water for Dick.

"Do you want something to drink, too? Or eat, maybe?" he wouldn't be surprised if Dick had no appetite right now, but may as well offer anyway. "I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies the other day, if you want some."

[thecreativeforge-a]

continued from x | @dramatisperscnae

There was pleasant silence lingering in the air for a moment, following the soft metallic clicking of the cuffs closing around Dick's wrists, tightened just right by Jason's expertise. He had dealt with cuffs one too many times, whether it was to put them on or get them off, and he was sure Dick had as well. After all, he did not expect Dick to feel trapped by those one bit, given how easily they were both taught to slip out of most constraints placed on their bodies.

This isn't a test of skill. He isn't entirely sure when exactly did he decide to pull those out, in the midst of some heated conversation integrating teasing and flirting on both sides, and a challenge posed - and answered. Jason watches his fingers caressing fair skin under the cuff, quietly breathing as he stood so close to the man who had seized his affections as of recently. Oh, who is he joking? It's been too long to be called recent.

Dick was quiet, too. That's the thing with Dick that most people don't realize: He is more often quiet than not. It's one thing to try and see past the cracks in his facade when he talks, trying to see through perfected tones of speech and carefully picked words, and it is another to interpret his silences. They may be alike in this fashion; when they choose silence, it means greater things than words could contain. With Dick, it is often his overthinking, his perfectionism, his desire to isolate when it becomes too much. Too many thoughts running circles in his head that had to be stopped. Baring the cross alone.

Right now? It is a silence of intrigue. Jason can tell by the way he ran his fingers up the length of his restrained arm, and the muscles don't tense. He can tell by the Dick leans into the touch as he leans forward closer in turn, closing his eyes as he takes in the scent of Dick's shampoo, his hand brushing over his shoulder now as the other kept holding at his wrist, touching at the edges of dark curls, ghosting over the curve of his neck.

In an instant, contact broke, but not for long. Jason moves to sit down on the couch by their side, and with the hand still holding Dick's wrist, he pulls the man down to sit on his lap. Dick was facing forward, the two couldn't see each other's faces, but Jason can touch all he wanted. And he shall.

Jason's hands begin by planting themselves into Dick's hips, pulling him closer gently and urging him to scoot over, until Dick's arms pressed to Jason's upper body and Jason's lips are inches from touching Dick's neck, hot breathing running down the other's neck.

He doesn't say a word. Let silence reign in their intimacy, if that's what Dick wants.

(If you want a song for writing inspo: Pieces - Andrew Belle)

[thecreativeforge-a]

Closed Starter | @dramatisperscnae

Ow...

His head was throbbing, and not in a fun way.

Where am I?

The last thing Jason recalled was managing to make that narrow escape through an upper floor window at a boutique store in the west end. Having quickly discovered the storage room was rigged with explosives specifically for his arrival, he booked it while he still could, but after that... Nothing. Just the ringing sound of the explosion burning a hole into his eardrums and nothing else.

Come to think of it, they were still faintly ringing, though the sharpness of it was substantially reducted by the swirling headache instead.

Maybe he hadn't made such a narrow escape as he'd like to believe. He was alive, so that was already something. He could feel all his limbs, even though his entire body was aching. His throat was dry, and turning to look at his side, he spotted the IV drip he was connected to. Whether it was necessary fluids or painkillers was a little too hard to tell from his current position, but the comfortable bed, the proper medicinal equipment, and the fact he was still alive and clear headed all told Jason he was safe.

He wasn't sure exactly where, though. This wasn't one of his safe houses, and it definitely wasn't the cave. It put him on edge, specifically because he was stripped of his mask and weapons. He let out a dissatisfied grunt as he tried to move and get up, if only to sit and take in his surroundings better, but his body wasn't cooperating.

Wouldn't be the first time.

[thecreativeforge-a]

continued from x | @dramatisperscnae

It all started when Jason returned injured to one of his safe houses after intercepting a rendezvous between two traffickers who brought a little more gun power to their meeting than he had anticipated. Nothing life threatening, fortunately, but the injuries and the exhaustion made his sleep apnea flare to the point that, by the time he woke up for about the third or fourth time this morning due to lack of oxygen, it felt a little too close to a sensation of drowning.

Jason gasped. His breathing went shallow, his eyes wide as memories started backtracking, losing sight of his surroundings and falling off the folding bed he had previously tried resting on, accidentally triggering a distress signal button stashed in its seams that he saved for emergencies. He started shivering violently as he huddled in the corner, holding his head in his hands as his wide eyes stared at the floor.

Physically, he was still in that room, but in his head? He was spiraling elsewhere. From the phantom sensations of his body violently reanimated to life through the Lazarus pit, the horrendous feeling of rotting, injured insides coming to life to the mortifying return of consciousness that temporarily maddened him. The reliving of his last moments, the tearing of his body, the torture beforehand, that goddamn laughter...

Jason flinched as he recognized Dick in his peripheral. The barked order was almost automatic, and he wasn't entirely sure who he was talking to — the hallucinations in his head or the person in the room. They all felt one of the same for fleeting moments. Was he even here, at all? He should be dead.

He didn't look at Dick as the man addressed him. His voice sounded muffled, like Jason was still six feet deep into that pool of green liquid that entered every orifice in his cold, lifeless body. Deep breath? Did his lungs even work? "I-I..." Every word felt like an effort, and he could taste his own blood again...

Look around, tell me what you see. He felt frozen in place, but he tried to move his eyes around as his breath trembled. From his fetal position on the floor, he could see the corner of the room. The legs of the bed, and specks of his own blood on the floor. How can a body bleed? Then they moved over to see Dick's legs and the jeans he was wearing. And his gear on the floor by the bed. That wasn't in that warehouse. He couldn't hear his mother.

"I... can't..."

[thecreativeforge-a]

continued from x | @dramatisperscnae

He exhaled a quiet, content sigh as the brushed kiss, moving to wrap an arm around Dick as he cuddled closer, resting his head further back on the pillows. "You sound like you love some dark literature there, Grayson." he let out a weak cackle as he squeezed his shoulder gently, then let go.

"... Tell me a good story about your scars, then. Something I don't know." Something with weight to it. He didn't challenge Dick's claim, but Jason's scars making him some sort of a 'best story'? That, he doubted. He was sure Dick had tales to tell or both heroics and falls. About good days and bad days. Jason wanted to hear then all if Dick was willing to speak of them.

"We can even make it a little game. Like 20 questions, but with scars." he teased lightheartedly.

[thecreativeforge-a]

Closed Starter | continued from previous verse | @dramatisperscnae

It took Dick roughly about a week to integrate into his gang to a point that people started asking less questions. The bombardment of them in the beginning was understandable, and while nobody really questioned his decisions out loud unless they knew him well enough, making Freddie a lieutenant was a decision that seemed to have popped out of the blue.

Why Freddie? Who is this Freddie, anyway? Why now? Did it have anything to do with the trap that was set up for him? Jason could practically see the doubt and suspicion written all over his subordinates' faces the first few days. While Jason did his very best to act as if Freddie was someone he had known for a long time, as expected from a lieutenant, it was Dick's natural aptitude with people that worked all the charm. Of course he would win them over eventually, even if just enough to only get some of them off his back. His experience with leadership showed; he basically orchestrated over his people as if they were his own. And yet, he still showed his the respect — and the trust — expected of a lieutenant to his boss.

Either Dick was a damn good actor, or this respectful attitude was truly a mutual effort. Both coukd be true, too.

Having Dick around in the pretense of Freddie had given him a chance to practice a little more on his hand to hand combat without the caution of actually hurting somebody. As good as his subordinates and other lieutenants were, respectfully, none matched Nightwing, if only by experience alone. It gave him a chance to help Dick hone his street brawling style better and gave him the outlet to go a little harder in sparring. Trained both by Batman and the Al Ghuls, enhanced by the Lazarus, it took a special effort to keep up with him — Dick easily stood to the challenge.

He was also a decent help getting closer to their culprit. While he didn't know Crime Alley as good as him, he was getting the hang of things. Two minds cracking this was better than one and, admittedly, another detective trained vigilante was good help. They were waiting to hear from some informants, for now, Freddie being responsible to let him know when they get back to them.

While sorting through some ammo, one of his other lieutenants, Tova, approached him with a polite smile on her face. Jason and her worked for a long time, and she allowed herself some liberties who wouldn't let anyone else get away with. She leaned sideways against the shelves, eyeing Jason for a moment. Jason, as he continued to sort through a few ammo boxes, felt the pair of eyes on him and turned his head slightly.

"... Do I have something in my hair again?" He muttered.

"No, not really, boss." She said and crossed her arms. "I just thought I'd come over and congratulate you."

"Congratulate me...?" He asked, confused. "What, is it my birthday or something and I forgot?"

Tova let out a chortle and shook her head. "No, Red. About Freddie... You know."

Congratulate him about Freddie? "Eh... Thank you?"

"You two make a cute couple."

A... What? A couple?! "Say again?"

"I said you two make a cute couple. I get why you hid him away from us all this time. He's real fine." She grinned.

What the-- "Who told you that we're a... Thing?" He couldn't even say it, if only because the very thought of it both stressed him out and stirred some unfamiliar notions in him he hadn't thought about for a long, long time.

"Couple of the guys been talking about it. You know, the sudden appearance, the training, the working together... Hey, I'm not judging, boss. I think you deserve it. Besides, he's not been denying it either, so." She shrugged.

That Dickhead. Of course he wouldn't. "Excuse me for a minute, Tova." Slamming the ammo boxes shut, he picked up his helmet, a frown etched on his face as he headed over to where Freddie was.

Oh, this piece of ass was going to get a piece of his mind, alright.

[thecreativeforge-a]

continued from x | @dramatisperscnae

Jason had been standing at the door for a while now, leaning against the doorframe as Dick packed the few belongings he reserved at the warehouse for himself. With the assassination case closed and the perpetrator taught a lesson, he wasn't going to forget any time soon. There was no reason for Dick to stay in the guise of Freddie and stick around anymore. Jason has been standing there in silence, far too many thoughts for his liking tugging at the cords of his emotions that he just wanted to feel numb about this.

Why was he so upset with Dick's departure? This is what they agreed on; these were the terms of their partnership. Dick gets to stick around and help with this case until it's solved, and then he goes back home to Bludhaven and stays out of his hair, returning the status quo between Nightwing and Red Hood. Between Dick and Jason. It's how it was supposed to play out, wasn't it?

So why was he so fucking upset about it?!

Jason may have people he was working with out of necessity, but he never truly had someone he considered a real partner in this game. Having Dick around was like a refreshing cup of water to what felt like a long walk in a lonely desert; it reminded him what working together with someone equal felt like. Not an underling, not a lieutenant — someone who matched him in skill and intellect, someone he could rely on. Someone to trust.

Trust had always been an uphill battle for Jason with other people. He'd rather do things alone than trust someone else to do them right. But with Dick there was no need for that. In fact, he was the only person around, even among peers who had been working with him for a while, that he found himself trusting blindly. And Jason knew, deep within himself, that it wasn't because of the skillset alone.

No, as much as he'd never find himself admitting to it out loud, the professionalism was just a minor reason why he found himself wanting to be more and more around Dick when circumstances allowed it. Why he went beyond his comfort levels and cooperated with his plans even if they were not what he would do.

He knew exactly why.

His lips pursed tightly after the words blurted out of his mouth before he could realize it, eyes sharp on Dick's visage as he observed his reaction. His chest ached with longing. Stupid mouth, acting on its own accord.

He exhaled a breathy, weak chuckle at Dick's question. That rumor... It kept spinning tales around them, and the two of them had been ignoring that wildfire, though Jason felt like it was consuming his thoughts alive. Him and Dick, a couple. It was a ridiculous notion. It would never work, so why did he want it to work so badly?

He pushed from the frame, stepping inside, and approached closer to Dick. He knew Dick couldn't stay. He was Nightwing, he had Bludhaven to protect, people to save; being a hero took up most of his time. Hanging out here with him, both as Jason or Red Hood, was going to eventually get noticed and bring an onslaught of new concerns to the both of them. He had a life to attend to, and he couldn't keep playing second fiddle to Jason's own. Besides, he was right. It wouldn't do any good with those rumors about, anyhow.

But Jason didn't care.

Jason stepped into Dick's space, unfolding his arms as he looked over at Dick with an unreadable expression. There was a moment of intense silence before he let out a heavy, long sigh through his nose, as if he was letting go of some conflicted thoughts, then he reached down and grabbed Dick's hand in his own. He didn't lift his gaze to look at the older man, eyes focusing on curling fingers.

"... At the very least, promise you'll come visit." He wanted to add a funny remark, like 'if only so I can kick your ass around again,' but he didn't. No, he wanted to linger in the gravity of his words.

[thecreativeforge-a]

[ 🎼 ] + DickRoy! [and Jaydick if you like >w>]

DickRoy:

Battle Beast - Straight to the Heart W.A.S.P - Wild Child Maroon 5 - Sugar Triumph - Magic Power

JayDick:

Placebo - Special Needs Night Runner - Magnum Bullets Sam Smith - Fire on Fire Billy Idol - Rebel Yell

For Both:

Foreigner - Hot Blooded