Archive of Our Own

Dick’s never felt so alone in a room crammed to the rafters with people.

Of course, the fact he’s in the dock for Seduction and everyone else is there to cast judgement, argue for the maximum penalty, or is there for the entertainment of watching the travelling acrobat on trial, doesn’t help. The rest of the circus had left Gotham as quickly as they could pack up once Dick was arrested. Dick can’t even blame them, he knew as soon as the shackles were slapped on his wrists that they’d leave without him, and he wishes them well.

But it leaves him alone, facing the wrath of Gotham’s Sherriff, Judge and townspeople. He’s not even sure what the punishment for Seduction is... All he knows is that no one here is offering any sympathy or help, especially when they find out it was Deputy Flores’ daughter he was caught with. Miss Flores seems well liked, as evidenced by the crowd of outraged ladies currently surrounding her on the backbench of the courthouse, looking protective as Catalina sniffles attractively, not anywhere near as upset as she’s pretending to be. She even smirks briefly at Dick when he stares up at her.

He’s not even surprised when the verdict of guilty is handed down. He was caught red handed after all. The only surprising thing is when Judge Wayne announces his sentence.

“Richard Grayson, you are hereby sentenced to be a Red Hood.” The Judge says, his voice booming through the packed courthouse to shocked murmurs and gasps. “You will be given provisions and directions through the woods. May God have mercy on your soul.”

Dick stares around the courthouse, confused. He has no idea what’s just happened as he’s dragged out of the defendant’s dock and through to the alley behind the courthouse. There’s a cart there, loaded with heavy looking bags, stuffed full of dried food goods, fresh meat and dairy. Two deputies and a maid are standing there, the maid shivering in the cold, her cheeks flushed.

“Oh, it’s such a shame.” The blond maid says, none to quietly. “He’s so pretty.”

“He shouldn’t have tried it on with Miss Flores. No one to blame but himself.” The tall female deputy says, her long red hair slipping from her shoulder as she turns to look at the maid. “Are all the supplies loaded, Brown?”

“Yes, Captain Grace!” The maid says cheerfully, pulling her cloak even tighter around her.

“Wow, such a send off. Is all that for me? You shouldn’t have!” Dick says, sending his most disarming smile at Captain Grace. It’s not as successful as he’d like, mainly due to the fact he’s in nothing but a shirt and shivering himself. “I mean, I couldn’t possibly get through all that food on my own. You should join me.”

“Save your flirting, Grayson. I’m not interested.” Captain Grace rolls her eyes. At her height she’s literally looking down her nose at Dick, and he finds he likes it. “I’d rather bed Brown there.”

“Oh my, Captain Grace! You could at least buy a girl dinner first.” The maid grins delightedly. One of her hands comes up to tuck her hair behind her ear, trailing down to her throat.

“I’m not actually interested, Brown.” The Captain says, flicking her gaze to the maid, almost apologetically.

“Aw. But I am.” Brown says, letting her cloak fall open and showing off her chest, entirely deliberately, Dick can tell. “You should take me to dinner.”

“Haha, Captain’s got a date!” The big male deputy says, surprising Dick. He’d given the man one glance and written him off as too stupid to speak. Dick grins, amused at the scene unfolding in front of him. It’s cute, the way the huge redhead refuses to look at the smaller blond who’s so clearly interested in her.

“Enough, Biz, I’m not taking Brown. I’d break her.” The Captain says, looking annoyed at herself for continuing the conversation.

“Promises, promises, Captain.” Brown smirks, fluttering her eyelashes at her.

“...Yes. Well.” Captain Grace clears her throat, turning back to Dick almost desperately. “You have no idea what you’re getting into do you?”

“No?” Dick cocks his head, staring at the bags of food and the cart. There’s obviously more going on here than what appears to be a simple supply run. But for the life of him, Dick has no idea what.

“It’s a death sentence. No one’s ever gone on one of these supply runs and come back alive.” Captain Grace says bluntly. “Biz will take you to the edge of the woods. You’re on your own from there. You need to carry all these bags to the cottage in the middle of the woods. Stay on the path, and you’ll make it there by sundown.”

“Wait, what?” Dick stares at her. “How has no one come back alive? And if that’s true, how do you know there’s anyone who needs supplies in the first place?”

“The woods are dangerous. Full of bad things.” Biz says, hopping up onto the front of the cart, taking the reins.

“I’d wish you luck, Grayson, but I won’t waste my breath.” Captain Grace slaps a red cap down on Grayson’s head. The look on her face is grimmer than it was before. “Keep that on; it’s part of the rules.”

“Come on, Pretty Red. Sunlight’s wasting.” Biz tells him, patting the seat next to him.

“But...” Dick pauses, frantically trying to think of anything to stall what’s about to happen. “I don’t even understand what I’m meant to do!”

“Or we can gut you right here. Your choice.” The captain shrugs, eyes gleaming as if that’s what she’d really like to do, and only needs Dick to give her the excuse.

“Well...” Dick eyes the way she rests her hand on her sword. “I wouldn’t want you to make a mess of your lovely alley here. I suppose we’d best be off then.”

“See you later Biz!” Brown calls out, waving as the cart pulls away.

“You don’t really want dinner, do you?” Dick hears Captain Grace say to Brown, and he twists in his seat, unable to stop himself from watching. To be honest, it’s more entertainment than he’s had in the last week since he got dragged away from Catalina.

“What kind of girl do you take me for, Captain? I definitely want dinner.” Brown smiles up at her. “You’ll pick me up at Seven.”

“Oh I will, will I?” Captain Grace says, a hint of a smirk on her face. It seems that without other people around to watch, she’s much more open to Brown’s romantic overtures.

“Yes.” Brown nods, smile wide on her face as her blond hair slips out from behind her ear.

Dick turns around in his seat as the Captain and the maid disappear into the distance. He stares at the snow covered fields surrounding the courthouse and the rest of town; Biz a silent companion at his side. The woods are dark in the distance, growing closer and more menacing with every passing minute. The road peters out from two tracks down to one as they go past the last of the farms. The woods beckon and Dick feels a shiver of dread go down his spine.

Biz pulls the cart to a stop at the point where the trees form a dense barrier at the side of the dirt track. He hops down, pulling the three heavy bags from the back of the cart with ease. Dick slips down from the cart and wonders if he can make a run for it.

“Here you go.” Biz shoves a cloak and a bag at Dick. “Stay on the path, Red.” The other two bags follow in swift succession, and Dick’s laden down with them before he can do more than blink. Biz hops back on the cart and drives off, leaving Dick to his fate.

***

It feels like the bags are dragging Dick deeper and deeper into the mud as he trudges along the forest path. He’s not sure why he picked up the bags Biz left him with. He’s really not sure why he went into the woods instead of skirting along the outside edge until he found another road to travel along. Possibly it was the same urge that drives him to fling himself from the trapeze every performance with the circus without a safety net, combined with curiosity at just how bad could the woods really be? The weak winter sunlight filters through the thick trees enough that Dick has no problem seeing where he’s going. He’s staying on the path, even though the temptation to climb one of the tree covered ridges either side of the path and see if there’s a short cut is strong.

The thing with being able to see around him so well, is that while it helps with staying on the path, it also means that he keeps catching glimpses of movement all around him. Some of it is just normal woodland activity, Dick’s sure. But some of it... Well, some of it isn’t, and he can feel that in his bones. Growing up in the circus has instilled in Dick a healthy respect for superstition and common sense. And right now, both of those things (although Dick will admit his common sense is lesser used than it should be) is screaming at him about the wrongness of whatever is out in those trees.

‘Stay on the path, Red!’ indeed.

There’s a loud rustling to his right, and Dick stops in his tracks. He has no idea what to do if it’s a wild animal. Honestly, he has no idea what to do if it’s not a wild animal. He’s got no weapons, and if it’s a bandit he’s got nothing more to fend him off with than a loaf of bread.

And if it’s not a bandit, if it’s something worse...

The rustling intensifies, and a snout pokes out of the tree branches. A wolf’s snout. If it attacks, Dick’s done for. No wonder people don’t come back from these runs. If Dick lives through this, he’s definitely not going back to Gotham, ever. The snout’s joined by a pair of ears, pricked up and swivelled in Dick’s direction.

“Nice doggy...” Dick says quietly, hoping that the sound of a human voice will scare of the wolf. “Nothing good to eat here, you magnificent beast.”

Miraculously, the snout and ears disappear. Dick holds his breath for a good thirty seconds, waiting to see if they’ll reappear. When they don’t, Dick walks along the path again, picking up speed until he’s jogging as best he can with three massive bags of food on his back.

He’s been keeping up a quick pace for a good few minutes, when he comes around a bend in the path and hears a distinctive sound. At first he thinks it’s a bird, but there’s precious little birdsong in these woods today. Eventually he realises it’s whistling. And not just whistling, but a tune he’s fairly familiar with. It’s an old one, something his father used to sing when Dick was a very small child.

Around the next bend, and he see a figure sitting on a fallen tree log, one ankle balanced on the other knee. He’s the one whistling. Dick slows down, unsure if he should approach.

“Let me guess.” The man says from deep within his red hooded cloak. “You’re the latest Red Hood.”

“The hat was a giveaway, wasn’t it?” Dick says, summoning up as much flirty charm as he can manage while slipping the hat off his head.

“That and the supplies.” The man says, and Dick wonders if he’s really rolling his eyes the way the drawl in his voice suggests he is. “Sit down, take a load off. You’ve got plenty of time.”

Dick really shouldn’t. But the bags are heavy, and he’s been walking for hours now. He lets the bags slip to the forest floor and perches on the log before he can second guess himself. “Hello stranger.”

“Morning, you poor unfortunate soul.” The hooded man shifts, angling his body towards Dick. The hood slips down, revealing a strong nose and jaw, thick brows and bright blue-green eyes that Dick finds he can’t look away from.

“Do you live in the cottage?” Dick asks, staring down at the bags at his feet, having managed to tear his gaze away from the man’s face.

“Me? No.” The man grins wolfishly. “But I know who does. Grandpa’s a good man.”

“It’s your Grandfather’s place?” Dick blinks at him. Well, it’s not so surprising he thinks. One person living alone out here? It sounds like Dick’s idea of hell. A man and his grandson is still lonely, but makes slightly more sense to him.

“He’s not actually my grandpa.” The man says, rolling his wide shoulders. “M’name’s Jason.”

“I’m Dick.” He offers his hand out to shake. Jason flicks his gaze down to Dick’s hand and then back up, not moving a muscle to take Dick’s hand.

“You know... You could leave the bags with me. I’ll take them to Grandpa’s house.” Jason says, keeping his intense gaze on Dick. “You could go back the way you came. If you take a left as soon as you’re out of the woods, you’ll end up on the road to Metropolis eventually.”

“That would be nice. I have to admit.” Dick nods, looking back along the path he’s just walked. “But...”

“But what? You can’t want to go deeper into these woods.” Jason shakes his head, a smirk on his face. “You should turn back now.”

“I should. But I’m not going to.” Dick agrees, wondering why he’s got the sudden urge to see this punishment through. Is it because Jason’s handsome enough that Dick wants to spend more time with him? Is he really that easy?

“Why not?” Jason says, eyes narrowing at him. It makes him look more feral and Dick’s belly does somersaults at the hinted danger there. Yes, apparently he is that easy, after all.

“Well, if I hadn’t come, I would never have met you, and that seems like a shame.” Dick looks at Jason through his eyelashes, tilting his head to show of the skin of his neck.

“You’re a bold one, aren’t you?” Jason says with an amused huff. He doesn’t seem insulted which is a point in favour of this going the way Dick wants it to. And Dick wants it to go the way of him on his elbows and knees, Jason driving into him while covering his back with that broad body of his.

“I like what I see; I don’t get the point of pretending I don’t.” Dick shrugs, leaning in towards Jason.

“Hmm.” Jason smirks again, not moving an inch. “And what are you going to do about it?”

“Depends on what you’ll let me do, I suppose.” Dick licks his lips, looking up and down Jason’s body, noting his powerful thighs and arms.

“You look thirsty.” Jason says, leaning back casually. The sense of power and control in his body makes Dick’s mouth water. “There’s a stream behind us. Why don’t you have a drink?”

“I can think of something I’d rather put in my mouth.” Dick winks, letting his gaze drop obviously to Jason’s crotch.

“Brazen, bold and brazen.” Jason snorts, and then muttering to himself. “I wonder how long you’ll last.”

“Come and find out.” Dick says with a wink, getting up and heading towards the tiny stream that’s a few paces away from the path. He’s on his knees, dipping one hand into the cold clear water about to take a sip when he hears Jason approach. He grins up at him, letting the water spill from his hand as he reaches out to undo the laces of Jason’s breeches.

Jason towers over him, staring down at him as Dick gets his breeches open and closes his hand around the thick cock he finds inside. Jason’s not hard yet, and the challenge of getting him there makes the blood in Dick’s veins sing. It’s a very nice cock, he discovers once he gets a proper look at it. Long and thick, heavy in his hand, and Dick can’t resist giving the tip a gentle kiss before he licks down the length, glancing up to look at Jason’s face as the shaft fills with blood.

As Jason gets harder, Dick throws caution to the wind, licking and pressing sucking little kisses up and down the shaft. It’s not until he’s got his lips fully wrapped around the tip, starting to sink his mouth down that he gets the first noise from Jason. It’s a barely there grunt, and Dick’s about to look up at him, prepared to smirk around his mouthful when Jason’s hand lands heavy on his head, encouraging him to take more. Dick’s eyes close without his permission and he groans as he sinks down further onto the beautiful cock he’s sucking.

He wraps his hands around what he can’t fit in his mouth, enjoying the weight and taste on his tongue, and the sheer heat Jason’s putting out. He bobs his head, sucking and flicking his tongue around the tip. Jason’s hand on his head turns into a grip in his hair, gently holding Dick still as he begins to pump his cock in and out of Dick’s mouth.

It’s all Dick can do to whine silently as he’s used. He feels so hot, trembling with the desire to be filled and fucked like this. His hand drops down from Jason’s cock, landing on his belly. Dick doesn’t even think, shoving his hand past the laces of his own breeches to wrap around his own cock. He barely closes his hand around it, tugging once before he’s making a mess inside his breeches. He can’t remember the last time he came that quickly. Not since he first realised how much pleasure he could bring himself with his hand alone, at least.

By the time Jason finishes in his mouth, hot, bitter, and thick with a deep grunt that Dick feels in his chest; he’s feeling wrecked with the ache in his jaw, and the desire to be pinned down and fucked like this every day for the rest of his life.

He feels dazed, head spinning in the best way when Jason pulls out of his mouth. Dick drops back on his haunches, staring up at the white winter sky, watching his puffs of breath rise to the heavens. The thought that he’s just done something sacred and profound rises in the back of his head. He dismisses the thought as a sex dumb one. What could be so holy about sucking off a stranger in the woods in winter?

Jason offers him a hand, pulling him up to his feet. “You’re good at that.”

“Thanks.” Dick says, the rasp in his voice obvious. “I had the perfect cock to work with.”

“You really are shameless, aren’t you?” Jason grins, all teeth and intensity, Dick’s reminded of a wolf.

“No shame in something good.” Dick shrugs, resting a hand on Jason’s chest.

“Still not planning on turning back? Going to Metropolis?” Jason says, his arm curling around Dick’s back, supporting him.

“And miss the chance to do this again? No.” Dick grins, feeling the strain in all his muscles. “No way.”

***

The sun is starting to dip below the horizon, making the already cold day even bitterer when Dick rounds the bend of the path and finally spots the cottage. It’s his own fault he’s late; he’d stayed with Jason longer than he should have, too drawn in by his warmth and rakish smile. The cottage itself is a thing of stone and thatch, almost fading into the gloom of the evening. All the windows but one are shuttered and barred, the front door is a mighty thing of oak and iron that wouldn’t look out of place in a fort or castle.

Even the garden gate is made of wrought iron, secured fastened by a heavy latch. It screeches when Dick opens it, the sound loud in the evening darkness. It does however prompt a fellow door to open in the cottage. The kitchen door swings wide open and an old man rushes out, looking harried, and dare Dick say, frantic. He moves fast for his age, Dick notes, and he lifts his hand to give a friendly wave of greeting.

“Don’t stand there dawdling! Get inside!” The man says, closing the gate behind Dick. The heavy latch is put into place, with an added bar of iron jammed into down to lock it.

“I’m here to deliver this to-” Dick says, only for the old man to grab his arm and start dragging him over to the kitchen door.

“I know why you’re here. Get inside and unpack.” The man must be Grandpa, Dick guesses, stepping inside the cottage. The warmth from the roaring fire and the light from the many lanterns inside is welcome after the journey he’s had. Dick drops the bags on the floor, and pulls his cloak off, draping it over a chair by the kitchen table. His scratchy red cap is left on the same chair.

The sound of the kitchen window shutters slamming home and being barred is muffled, as is the cursing from Grandpa, but it still makes Dick grin to himself. Grandpa comes inside, firmly closing and bolting the door, sliding a heavy oak bar into place to shut out the world.

“Hello, I’m Dick.” A friendly, disarming smile usually goes a long way Dick finds.

“Alfred. Let’s unpack those supplies and get them put away before the sun truly goes down, shall we?” Grandpa says, eyeing Dick up and down. He walks over, hefting two of the heavy bags as if they weigh nothing, which Dick’s shoulders can attest is not true, to place them on the kitchen table and remove their contents. Dick lifts the last bag with a bit more effort, taking out the bread, bags of flour and various grains, pats of butter and containers of lamp oil.

“Where should I put these?” Dick says; hands full of food and lamp oil.

“The pantry.” Alfred points to a large cupboard, more than big enough for at least three people to walk in and stand comfortably. “You can sit by the fire and warm up after putting those away. You must be frozen.”

“I’ve been warmer, it’s true.” Dick nods, taking his armfuls into the pantry. All the shelves are clearly organised, making it easy to get everything in its place. Once Dick has nothing in his hands, he goes over to sit by the fire, putting his toes as close to the burning logs of wood as he dares. He holds his fingers out to the flames and tries not to hiss as the burning warmth makes his skin prickle. He watches the flames dance, paying no attention to his host bustling about the kitchen, putting away the supplies.

“Tea?” Alfred asks, hanging a kettle full of water over the fire. The thick black cast iron seems far too big for the two of them.

“Oh. Thank you, yes.” Dick sits back in his chair, taking in the details of Alfred’s face as he perches on a stool the other side of the fire.

“I must confess, I was worried you wouldn’t make it before dark.” Alfred says, face stern, before he slips into a gentle smile. “I’m relieved you managed it.”

“Yeah, I don’t think I’d have enjoyed being out there over night.” Dick nods. “I got a bit distracted on my way over.”

“Oh dear. Did Jason attempt to waylay you?” Alfred sighs, shaking his head fondly. “That boy, I swear.”

“Uh. Yes, actually.” Dick fights down a blush at the memory of earlier by the stream, and a delicious ache between his thighs from being fucked. “Tried to convince me to head back and find my way to Metropolis.”

“Yes, he does that sometimes. Not with everyone, though. He must have liked you.” Alfred says, taking a cloth to grip the handle of the kettle and pour the boiled water into two teacups that Dick didn’t even see him produce.

“Why?” Dick accepts the hot cup of tea from Alfred cradling it in his hands. “I mean, why try to convince me not to come?”

“Jason has a habit of trying to save people from the woods.” Alfred says, sitting back to hold his own cup. “He rarely succeeds, unfortunately.”

“The deputies in Gotham mentioned that no one comes back. They made it seem ominous.” Dick watches the way Alfred’s face freezes and then smoothes out so perfectly that he wonders if he saw anything at all.

“Yes. The woods tend to claim all of the Red Hoods who don’t give Jason the supplies and head to the citadel.” Alfred says, staring down at the surface of his tea. “You’re the first one to make it to the house in... Far, far too long. Since Jason, in fact.”

“Claimed?” Dick says, taking a sip of his tea. It’s warm and soothing on his throat as it goes down. Dick’s not usually a tea drinker, but this is delicious.

“Claimed.” Alfred says, sounding distant and lost in his thoughts. “It’s difficult to explain. It’s easier to see it for yourself.”

“Oh?” Dick licks his lips, taking another mouthful of tea. For once he wishes someone would explain things bluntly for him.

“Indeed. We’ll just have to wait a night, and then you’ll see.” Alfred looks up from his cup to meet Dick’s eyes. “I just hope that you made it in time not to be changed yourself.”

***

The first sign that something’s about to happen, well over four hours later, is a creaking noise. It’s like an old door, swollen with rain and trying to move. After listening to the noise for at least another hour, Dick peers out of a small hole in the shutters, trying to catch a glimpse in the darkness.

“I can see movement...” Dick says, moving his head away from the shutters to glance over at Alfred. “But I can’t see what’s moving.”

“You won’t be able to.” Alfred says, still sitting by the fire. Unlike earlier, there’s a thick iron staff in his hands, resting on his shoulder and ready for trouble.

“I guess you’d know.” Dick shrugs, moving back to the fire. “So, what is going on out there?”

“They’re indistinguishable from the trees. Or they’ve become them. It’s hard to tell. They only move at night, but you can always feel them during the day. Waiting, watching. Wanting to spread.” Alfred sighs. The sight of Alfred sat there hunched over his staff calls to mind old soldiers at war.

“Who are they?” Dick asks, sitting down in the chair, unable to ignore the sheer joy of being near such a large fire on such a bitterly cold night. Even being a few paces away at the window, the drop in temperature was noticeable.

“Your predecessors.” Alfred says after a long pause. From the look on his face, Dick thinks he’s debating with himself how much to tell him. “Former Red Hoods.”

“What happened to them?” Dick says quietly. The fire crackles by his side, and out beyond the garden the wooden creaks punctuate the night irregularly.

“They were caught out in the woods at night.” Alfred says, twisting the staff in his hands. “They got infected by the Rot. And they changed. Within a few days, their limbs turn into something like branches... Their skin hardens like bark. And whoever they used to be before is gone. They’re nothing more than mindless, attacking monsters.”

“Why?” Dick can’t understand how something so terrifying can be kept so secret. But then again, thinking back on the townspeople’s reaction to him being sent here... Maybe it’s not such a secret.

“Well, my boy, if we knew that we’d possibly be able to stop it.” Alfred sighs wearily. He closes his eyes for a long moment, and Dick can see the weight of a hundred or more stories of attempts to stop the Rot that are untold in the slump of his shoulders. “Instead, all we can do is try to contain it.”

“We?” Is Alfred not alone out here? Obviously Jason’s in the woods too, but he’d implied he wasn’t that involved with the old man. And come to think of it, where is Jason? Does he have his own safe bolthole from the infected former Red Hoods?

“By ‘we’ I really mean The Witch of the Woods, Ivy. She holds all things in the woods inside the woods. Once you pass the stream, there’s no escape.” Alfred pauses, eyeing Dick with obvious regret on his face. “You’re as trapped here as I am.”

Dick sits back, letting that sink in. He’s trapped in the woods. This was not how his life was supposed to go. It takes a while before he can get his next words out. “But if you know people can’t leave, why let them come at all?”

“I have no control over what people outside these woods do, young man.” Alfred says, a hint of disapproval in his tone. “I’d much rather they left the supplies by the entrance to the woods and let Jason bring them here, than have anyone else come in. But they don’t listen to me. I just live here, what would I know?”

“But!” Dick frowns, frantically thinking of all the people out there who’ve succumbed to the infection, and how Gotham keeps sending people. Surely they know they’re making an already bad situation worse?

Loud howling breaks through the ominous creaking sounds, the snapping of jaws and thumps and thuds, followed by the sound of snapping wood. Things outside are clearly escalating from wood zombies milling about to a fight.

“Oh bugger.” Alfred mutters, looking towards the door. “Jason’s outside. That daft boy.”

“Shouldn’t we help him? I mean, it sounds like he’s in trouble.” Dick winces as a particularly loud snap is followed by another howl.

“Jason can look after himself.” Alfred shakes his head. “He always does. But he knows better than to come here at night...”

“If you’re sure.” Dick says doubtfully, gaze drawn to the kitchen door. Part of him wants to stay in the relative safety of Alfred’s kitchen. The rest of him however, wants to go and help the man he made a connection with earlier in the day.

“Best get the medical kit from the pantry anyway though. We’ll need it by the time the night is through.” Alfred says, pulling his shoulders back, bracing himself for the rest of the night. Dick goes into the pantry, finding a huge medical kit, the kind that most healers and apothecaries would kill for. He lifts the large box, bringing it into the kitchen and placing it on the huge sturdy kitchen table.

The creaking sounds continue long into the night, and Dick wonders how a normal human like Jason can possible stand being out there among those creatures and in the chill of the night for so long. It’s almost inhuman. And when Dick adds in the fact that he’s not heard anything like a human voice, but howling... Something else is going on. Dick wants answers, but Alfred’s gone quiet, and somehow interrupting the old man’s quiet time seems as wrong as those things out there; and this whole situation Dick finds himself in.

There’s a scrabbling sound at the kitchen door, claws pawing at the outside. Alfred stands, moving over to the door, hefting his staff. He knocks at the door, a pattern that Dick recognises, but from where, eludes him. There’s a pause and then there’s a series of dull thuds at the door repeating that same pattern.

“Here, take this.” Alfred shoves the staff at him. Moving over to the door, Dick takes the staff slowly. “I’m going to open the door. If there’s anything out there that’s wooden give it a mighty whack.”

“This feels like a bad idea. Is it Jason out there?” Dick says, feeling the weight of the metal in his hands. It’s been a while since Dick’s needed to fight anyone, mostly using his charm to get out of trouble. He hopes that muscle memory will kick in if he needs it.

“Yes.” Alfred unbars and unlatches the door, clearly not about to elaborate. Dick lifts the staff, ready to hit whoever’s out there on Alfred’s say so. The door opens, and a large black form tumbles in, Dick can’t make out much in the low light, but while it’s large it only reaches his chest, and there’s fur, not wood.

There’s fur because it’s a wolf.

It’s a fucking massive wolf.

There’s a massive wolf in Alfred’s kitchen and he’s not reacting at all. In fact, he’s barring and locking the door. Locking them in a confined space with an apparently hurt wolf like this is a normal everyday occurrence for him. Maybe it is. Maybe this is Dick’s life now. Getting menaced by wood zombies at night, trapped in the woods until he dies very shortly, because there’s a giant wolf in the room. All because instead of taking a handsome stranger’s warning and running to Metropolis, Dick just had to get dicked down by said handsome stranger, who’s still outside in the dark.

Jason’s still out there! Dick’s about to yell at Alfred, attempt to get past the wolf and go help him, when there’s the unmistakable sound of a bone snapping.

“Jason! Are you sure transforming now is a good idea?” Alfred says, carefully avoiding the lashing tail of the wolf as he circles the edge of the room.

The wolf snarls wordlessly, thrashing around until more bones break, and Dick watches horrified and helpless as the beast contorts and twists. It takes a surprisingly short amount of time; but to Dick it feels like an eternity; until instead of a massive wolf on the kitchen floor, bleeding onto the tiles, there’s a man. A naked man. A naked man bleeding onto the floor tiles, and staring up at the ceiling dazed.

And it’s definitely Jason. Dick would recognise that jaw line anywhere. The depth of his attachment confuses him. He only met Jason today. He spent maybe two full hours with the man. They might have been very enjoyable hours, possible the best of his life outside of performing with the circus, but even so, the worry that he now feels at seeing Jason’s injuries completely overrides the sheer fear at realising that Jason’s a werewolf, the most dangerous of creatures.

Dick had let himself get trapped in these woods forever because he’d wanted a chance to see a werewolf again.

“Ouch.” Jason mutters, trying to sit up, and only succeeding in slipping back down to the floor, spreading more blood.

“Stay down, you bloody daft bugger.” Alfred snaps, throwing open the medical kit box and handing Dick some bandages. “Try and stem some of the bleeding with that will you?”

“Hey, Dickie...” Jason says breathily. “I was hoping to see you again.”

“You probably shouldn’t talk.” Dick says, pushing Jason’s arm away from the huge cut in his side. It looks like something dug into his flank and ripped its way up to his shoulder. Huge, painful, and from what little Dick knows about werewolves, which admittedly isn’t much, it should be healing up on its own by now.

“Don’t be like that, sweetheart.” Jason pants out, trying to push himself up onto his elbows.

“You didn’t tell me you were a werewolf.” Dick hisses, ducking his head and pushing the bandaging onto the open wound.

“Dickie, did you really expect the Big Bad fucking Wolf to admit that’s what he is?” Jason laughs, swallowing down a sob from the pain.

Seeing to Jason’s wounds takes longer than Dick thought it would. After Alfred heats the water to clean out the long gash, they spread salve over the edges and tightly wrap more clean bandages around his body.

“Shouldn’t he be healing by now?” Dick whispers to Alfred as they stow the medical kit away. “I thought werewolves could heal from almost anything.”

“It’s something to do with the Rot. He’ll heal from it eventually, although it leaves a faint scar.” Alfred says, pushing the box firmly back to the pantry wall. “We don’t know why it takes longer, but at least it does still heal.”

“So this has happened before?” Dick says, leaning back against the shelves. If even a werewolf can’t fight his way through the woods people, then a normal human like him has no chance. No wonder Alfred’s been stuck here years.

“Many, many times over the decades.” Alfred sighs, wiping at his forehead with a handkerchief. “Never as badly as this time though.”

“I can hear you, you know!” Jason calls out from his spot lying on the floor by the fire. “I got distracted, that’s why I’m hurt.”

“You? Distracted?” Alfred says, raising an eyebrow at Jason. “When has that ever happened?”

“I could smell Dick’s distress. It caught me off guard, and then this happened.” Jason gestures at himself, a slight embarrassed flush on his face.

“My distress? Why would that bother you?” Dick blinks at him. He hopes he’s not reading too much into it, that Jason being distracted by Dick means that he’s not the only one who feels that there’s a connection between the two of them.

“Why wouldn’t it?” Jason stares up at him, his gaze unwavering. Dick flushes, ducking his head and hoping that he’s not being too obvious in how happy he is that Jason cares about his wellbeing. He’d always been told werewolves were unfeeling monsters; but that’s not true, Jason got hurt worrying about him.

The rest of the night is long and tedious, waiting for dawn in the slightly uncomfortable quarters of the kitchen. Eventually the weak winter sunlight filters through the shutters, and Alfred unlocks the door, going outside to open them.

“Well. I think it’s high time you two got yourselves off to bed.” Alfred says, leaving the kitchen door open behind him. He picks up a big bucket, the type that’s usually used in outside wells. “Upstairs, and then get Jason something to wear, please.”

“You really don’t need to.” Jason says, waving away the suggestion lazily. “I’m fine like this.”

“I’m not having you swan about the place naked, young man.” Alfred says, his tone brooking no disagreement. “You’re going upstairs to recuperate, and I’ll have no arguments, thank you.”

“Shouldn’t that be ‘wolf about’?” Dick mutters, getting an arm under Jason’s shoulder to help him stand. Somehow, mostly with the help of the wall, he gets Jason up the stairs and into the closer of the two bedrooms in the cottage.

A few moments later, Jason’s dressed in one of Alfred’s spare nightshirts, and under the covers of the surprisingly comfortable looking bed. He pats at the covers, asking Dick to stay a beseeching expression on his face. Dick crawls on top of them, settling down to try to get at least a little sleep.

“Are you alright?” Jason asks quietly, before Dick can really drift off to unconsciousness.

“I’m fine. You’re the one who’s hurt.” Dick says, curling up on his side and tucking his arms under him to keep warm.

“No, I mean... No twigs trying to grow out of you or anything?” Jason says, lifting a hand to gently tap on Dick’s upper arm.

“Not so far.” Dick leans in a little towards Jason. Even with the barriers of the covers between them, he’s putting off heat, and Dick can’t help but move toward it.

“Ah good.” Jason grins, showing off all his teeth. “You might be in the clear then. Most everyone else has shown symptoms by now.”

“Why didn’t you?” Dick wonders, because if being outside after dark is so dangerous, then how does Jason do it? “Turn into one of those things, I mean.”

“Oh. That.” Jason snorts softly, before shrugging. “Don’t know for sure, but we think it’s because I’m a werewolf. Since that’s its own type of magic, we think it counteracts whatever’s going on with the Rot.”

“Is that why I’m alright?” Dick stares up at the ceiling before looking over at Jason. “Because I had some werewolf in me?”

“You’re not mad about me being a werewolf then?” Jason snorts. “I mean, I haven’t fucked any other Reds, so it could be that.”

“No, not anymore. It was more that you didn’t tell me.” Dick says. “You never slept with any Reds in the decades you’ve been here? Actually, how long have you been trapped?”

“Sorry about that.” Jason gingerly rolls over onto his side to face Dick. “This is my thirty-ninth winter in these woods. I got caught stealing some sheep, and the judge sentenced me to be a Red Hood. When I got to the woods, I knew something was wrong. But it wasn’t until I got here, and Alfred told me I was the only one to make it to the house, that I knew I was fucked over.”

“Alfred said something about the Rot, and the Witch of the Woods trying to contain it.” Dick shifts, staring at Jason’s handsome face. This close he can see the faint scar running through his eyebrow, and the way the white tuft of hair at his forehead starts suddenly. There’s no mix of grey hairs around it, so it’s not a sign of age. “He didn’t go into detail, though.”

“You want a bedtime story then?” Jason grins again, and Dick adores the way that grin softens his face, unlike the others that sharpen it. “I can tell you what I know.”

“Please.” Dick nods, because while his eyes are heavy with the need for sleep, knowing the situation he finds himself in is more important.

“Alright, then.” Jason says, still smiling. “Get under the covers so you don’t freeze, and I’ll begin...”

Dick uncurls himself, shivering in the brief moment before the covers are on top of him and he’s just in his shirt. Under them, it’s so nice and warm.

“Once upon a time, long, long, ago, there was a witch in the woods...” Jason begins, his voice taking on the familiar cadence of all storytellers.

“Ivy noticed that a patch in the woods was not quite right. After investigating, she found that the trees in the small clearing had all died, and that the rot was starting to spread, sending out spores at night to infect everything around it. She went to the woods’ guardian, Alec, to let him know what she’d found.

Alec tried to heal the clearing with his powers. But the Rot fought back, infecting Alec. He was changed into a plant person, but because his powers were granted by the Green itself, while he physically transformed, he stayed himself.

Alec and Ivy fought the Rot for years, trying everything they could think of to heal the woods; burning it, literally cutting it from the ground, all manner of magics, but nothing worked. Eventually they realised that the Rot had a helper, someone from outside who was deliberately undoing all of their hard work. Alec fought the wizard helping the Rot, sending him away, but he was badly hurt in the fight, and had to retreat to the Green to recover.

Left alone to fight the Rot and its spores, Ivy didn’t have enough power to destroy it on her own. Desperate to save the woods, she raised a curse barrier, forcing the Rot to be contained to one small area.
However, in her fear, she’d forgotten that there was a woodsman living deep in the woods. He was trapped inside the curse. As an apology, she gave him an extended life, and a smaller barrier over his land, hoping that he’d live long enough to see the Rot removed, and the barriers dropped.

It was meant to keep everyone safe, but soon people from outside the woods came to investigate, no matter how many messenger pigeons Alfred sent warning them to stay away. Everyone who came got caught in the barrier, and infected.

And then the Red Hoods started arriving. One every six months, always laden with supplies. And then I was sent in. I made it to the house, and Alfred couldn’t believe it. I was the only one in all that time who’d arrived. Usually he’d had to collect the supplies from somewhere along the path himself. After I arrived, it became my job to pick them up, and hopefully send the poor Red Hoods back the way they came. It’s been that way for decades. And then...”

“And then I arrived?” Dick says, fighting back a yawn as the sunlight hits the bed through the bedroom window.

“Yes. A normal human managed it.” Jason lifts a hand to Dick’s face, trailing his fingers gently down from temple to jaw. “Admittedly, you might have had a little help from yours truly, but you managed it.”

“You think that means something?” Dick blinks slowly at Jason trying to fight off sleep, but the gentle touch Jason’s using on his is making him slip into unconsciousness.

“I hope it does, Dick.” Jason whispers as Dick succumbs to sleep. “I really hope it does.”

***

When Dick opens his eyes again, the sunlight in the bedroom has moved, indicating that it must be early afternoon at least.

“Sleeping beauty awakes!” Jason says softly, and Dick lifts his head from his pillow to yawn and stretch.

“How are you feeling?” Dick says, flopping back onto the bed. He pushes the covers from his legs, getting up to stretch again until he feels the familiar cracks of his muscles shifting with the movement.

“Pretty good, considering.” Jason says, propped up on one elbow and watching Dick intently. He can’t resist doing a little shimmy as he turns around, watching Jason’s gaze track the movement of his hips. Dick bites his lip and tries to dismiss the thought that Jason wants him again. Maybe even right now. But he’s injured.

“I should probably check your wound.” Dick says, shaking his head, moving around to Jason’s side of the bed. “Unless Alfred’s already looked at it?”

“No, he’s been busy with more important things. So, have at it.” Jason grins, throwing back the covers and tugging the night shirt up over his waist. Dick unwraps the bandages, trailing his fingers up along the length of the cut.

“My, Grandpa, what a big scar you’re going to have.” Dick jokes, covering the wound back up, it’s a healthy colour, the flesh finally beginning to knit back together. Dick thinks that with werewolf healing it’ll probably be fully healed within a week.

“All the better to convince you to look after me with, my dear.” Jason huffs, turning onto his back and raising his arms slowly to lift them above his head. It’s obvious he’s trying not to stretch too fast, wary of agitating the wound.

“My, Grandpa, what big hands you have.” Dick says before he can stop himself, remembering how good it felt to have those paws on his body.

“All the better to hold you with, my dear.” Jason grins, reaching out to take Dick’s wrist in his hand and pulling him down onto the bed. Dick ends up straddling Jason’s thighs, liking the seat he’s taken.

“My, Grandpa, what a big cock you have.” Dick licks his lips, feeling the rise of that cock underneath him, brushing against his inner thigh in the best tease.

“All the better to fuck you with, my dear.” Jason says, an intense look in his eyes. His hands rest heavily on Dick’s hips.

Dick grinds down, and Jason’s fingers grip onto him tighter. He doesn’t want the barrier of Jason’s nightshirt, or his shirt and breeches in between them anymore. Dick rises onto his knees, hands frantically pulling at the laces of his breeches. He shoves them down his legs, sliding off the bed to kick them free, not caring where they end up. He clambers back on the bed and over Jason’s hips, settling down in his previous spot. Only this time, he’s pulled both of their shirts out of the way, and now it’s glorious skin on skin. The slick head of Jason’s cock slides between his cheeks, and Dick sighs in pleasure, wanting it inside him.

“Eager, aren’t you?” Jason says with an amused huff. “Not sure if I’m entirely up to it, if you know what I mean. Don’t want to agitate this fucking cut.”

“The important part of you is definitely up for it.” Dick leers down at Jason. “Relax, lie back and let me do all the work.”

“If you’re sure.” Jason says, grinning as his hands find their spot on Dick’s hips with ease.

Dick rocks his hips, letting the tip of Jason’s cock slide over his hole, getting it wet until he shifts slightly, and it catches there before pressing in. Dick gets a hand under himself, and guides it to the exact angle he needs to slide down on it. He bites his lip as he opens up around it. It’s not easy, Jason’s thick and long, pressing at the walls of his tight channel. It was quicker and faster yesterday, Jason had prepped him with his tongue and his fingers, but Dick doesn’t want to wait today; he doesn’t want to leave the room to find something else other that Jason’s precum to slick the way.

Eventually Dick slips down until he’s taken Jason to the hilt, his breath laboured with the effort of being stretched around such a big dick. It feels so good though. Dick’s always liked the big cocks, preferring the stretch and sensations of fullness, to the point where it was a known joke in the circus. Dick lifts off gently, then lets himself go down with gravity until he’s filled up completely again. He opens his eyes to the sight of Jason, eyes glowing red as he watches Dick fuck himself.

Dick rides him, revelling in how every movement brushes some part of Jason’s cock onto the places inside him that make lightning flash down his spine. He’s bouncing in Jason’s lap, loving every second, his cock slapping against his stomach with each lift and drop.

“God, you feel so good.” Dick groans, arching his back to get a little more friction. “You’re so big. I love it.”

“Fuck, I want to knot you.” Jason grits out, trying his hardest not to thrust up into Dick. Even though it’s what they both want.

“Is that a thing?” Dick pants, staring down into the worshipful look Jason’s giving him. “Why didn’t you knot me yesterday, then?”

“It was a real fucking struggle not to. The way you moved for it, ass up and face down in the dirt... I really wanted to. But then you would have been way too late to get here and be safe.” Jason shrugs, flexing his fingers into the meat of Dick’s hips.

“So you didn’t.” Dick whimpers as he drops down on the perfect spot, and for the space of a heartbeat he’s in pure bliss.

“I knotted. Just outside you. You didn’t notice, thank fuck.” Jason laughs darkly, teeth all on show in a snarl.

“I want you to do it now. Knot me, please. You’re making it so good for me, Jason! Want to make you feel good too!” Dick sobs out, slamming himself up and down as quickly as he dares, trying to brace himself on Jason’s legs behind him, but leaning back that far isn’t the right angle and it’s driving him crazy.

“You sure? It’s going to be big. Might hurt.” Jason groans, and it maybe a trick of the light, but Jason’s teeth look longer, sharper. His eyes are still glowing red, and the tips of his ears are more pointed.

“Give it to me. Use me, breed me.” Dick begs, the words coming to his lips unbidden, but he can’t deny how true they are.

“Fuck, fuck, alright.” Jason’s hands tighten on his hips, and even as Dick tries to lift off, he’s pressed down onto Jason, not allowed to move. Jason grunts, his claws digging in to Dick’s skin. And then it starts. Jason’s cock gets thicker inside him.

Dick’s eyes roll back in his head as he feels Jason’s knot expand within him. It feels amazing, like nothing else Dick’s ever experienced. Some part of him thinks it feels right. Another part of him wonders if this is why everyone warned him away from werewolves, knowing how much he loves big cocks. If he’d tried being knotted before, no human could have satisfied him. None of his lovers would’ve liked that rejection much.

The constant intense pressure of Jason’s knot and the feeling of being filled with so much come is overwhelming. Dick cries out, orgasm hitting him so hard it feels like he can’t breathe, all he can do is curl up around the knot inside him, taking it until Jason’s done.

Dick comes back to himself, head resting on Jason’s chest. A hand is cupping the back of his head, and the other is stroking up and down his spine. There’s a puddle of drool underneath Dick’s mouth. He must look a total mess.

“Hey.” Jason says softly, looking at Dick oh so fondly. His knot is starting to deflate inside Dick, cock slipping out slowly.

“How long was I out?” Dick groans. He wants to wipe his mouth, but the look in Jason’s eyes stops him. Dick wonders if getting your partner to drool is a sign of accomplishment for werewolves. Jason certainly looks proud enough for that to be the case.

“A while, half an hour at most.” Jason’s fingers twist in the hair at the back of his head and it feels so nice.

“I’m so wet.” Dick whispers, squirming on Jason’s lap. “I must be leaking so badly.”

“You are. I can feel it. But I can fix that.” Jason grins. Dick picks his head up to give him a confused look, right up until Jason uses his lupine strength to pull him up his body. Dick ends up kneeling in front of the headboard, his groin in Jason’s face. Then Jason’s tongue starts licking between his legs, lapping up the mess he’d made, the same way he did yesterday. Dick moans as that soft tongue delves deep inside him, cleaning him.

“Oh god, how did I not know you were a werewolf?” Dick moans, rocking his hips back into Jason’s mouth. “Yesterday you shoved your nose into me afterwards too, I should have worked it out!”

Jason can’t use his words with his tongue so busy, but he blows a raspberry right on Dick’s hole to show what he thinks of that joke. Dick sobs at the stimulation, it’s too much and not enough at the same time, and he slumps forward, letting the wall take his weight.

Jason lifts him up, judging him clean enough. Dick shimmies down the bed, resting against Jason’s uninjured side. “You should rest. You look wrecked.” Jason grins, his teeth showing.

“And whose fault is that?” Dick smiles, fighting off a yawn. Jason’s warm, and all Dick really wants to do is cuddle.

“Entirely yours.” Jason snorts, wrapping his arm around Dick’s waist to pull him closer. Dick slings his leg over Jason’s hip and shifts to rest his head on Jason’s chest.

“I feel so empty.” Dick whispers, he wants some warmth back inside him, it’s everywhere else around him but inside and after taking a knot, it’s more obvious that with any other partner he’s had.

“I can fix that too.” Jason grins again, moving is arm from Dick’s waist down between his legs. He slips two fingers inside Dick’s loose hole with no effort at all, curling them to fit the bend of his body.

“Mmmm. Perfect.” Dick sighs, curling up closer, so content and sleepy.

Dick wakes sometime later, to an empty bed and judging by the fading light, it’s late afternoon. Jason’s standing by the window, opening the glass panes to pull the wooden shutters closed. “You awake now?”

“Yes. And I’m starving. For some reason I seem to have worked up an appetite.” Dick grins, slipping out of bed and pulling his breeches back on.

“I’ll get dressed, and then we can beg Alfred for some food.” Jason nods towards a lamp, and Dick fires it up while Jason closes the other shutter. He walks over to the small dresser in the room, pulling out a pair of breeches and a much shorter shirt than the nightshirt. They both fit him perfectly, and Dick realises that for that Jason claims not to live there, he must have stayed over fairly often in the last four decades, given that those are clearly his clothes. This is probably his room.

For all that he’s given his body to this man several times in the last two days, Dick knows very little about Jason. Luckily for Dick, he’s as trapped here as Jason and Alfred are. He’s got plenty of time to get to know him. And he’s not going to waste a second doing just that.

***

In the two months since Dick’s been trapped at Grandpa’s house, several things have happened:

Firstly, Dick’s explored the cottage and its grounds. The cottage is large, the ground floor made up of three rooms; the parlour is separated from the large kitchen and the small attached privy and bath by the stairs. The first floor is the two bedrooms, Dick sharing with Jason the one closer to the top of the stairs. The grounds are far bigger than he could have assumed from the path, as the cottage is hidden by tall evergreen hedges. While the ‘front’ garden mostly has flowers and lawns, it also has several beehives, and hidden behind the actual cottage is a small stables; now unused. Behind that’s a greenhouse and a vegetable patch, more than big enough to feed several people, and an orchard of mixed fruits. There’s a covered well close by the kitchen door, possible fed by the river a minute’s walk from the cottage that’s deep and wide enough for large fish to swim through.

Dick’s somehow really got into growing the vegetables. He’s spending hours out in the vegetable patch and greenhouse, wrapped up warm from the cold in fur boots, his red cap and his cloak, checking on the progress of the potatoes, carrots and parsnips. Alfred tends to roast the root vegetables in honey, letting them char deliciously and Dick can’t get enough of them.

Secondly, Jason’s wound is completely healed up, leaving no sign that he’d even been injured but a thin white scar from armpit down to hip. He spends two out of three nights wrapped around Dick’s body at night, the big spoon to Dick’s little spoon. He’s perfectly warm, and Dick finds listening to Jason’s breathing and heartbeat infinitely more preferably than the creaking of the plant people all around them. The third night out of three, Jason feels the need to run about the woods in him full wolf form, howling loudly so Dick knows he’s safe. Dick can’t begrudge him the need. He’s spent most of the last four decades as a wolf more than a man, and that sort of thing isn’t easy to shrug off. Besides, all successful relationships have some level of compromise. This is theirs, Dick tells himself.

Thirdly, Alfred is an amazing story teller. Every night after supper, but before bed, the three of them crowd around the fire in the parlour; the only other room on the ground floor of the cottage, swapping stories and histories. Dick’s learnt so much that’s been lost from the history books, it’s astonishing. In return, Dick’s caught the two of them up on recent and current events. Alfred’s stories are hands down the most interesting to listen to, although Alfred claims it’s simply that he’s had more time to hone his, than either of them has had.

The time during the day that Dick doesn’t spend on gardening is spent with Jason. At Alfred’s insistence, Jason has spent most of his days on the couch in the parlour, resting. He reads and rereads the cottage wide shelves of books, apparently endlessly captivated by the words on the page. Dick can’t say he’s the same. He prefers to move, a trait no doubt from his days of constant work at the circus. But there’s something special about being curled up in Jason’s arms, listening to him read whatever book he’s currently working through, his voice warm, deep and just a little bit rough. For that, Dick’s more than willing to sit still for hours.

One day, as Dick brings in the latest crop of carrots, he enters the kitchen to find Alfred writing a letter.

“Is there anything you’d like to request, Dick?” Alfred says, not looking up as he writes down a list of ingredients that Dick knows can be found in the pantry. “Jason’s requested some new books. They usually don’t send any though, much to our displeasures. There’s only so many times you can read something without being able to recite it from memory.”

“Hmmm. Nothing really springs to mind. I’m very well fed here. And I’m not really one for reading.” Dick sets down the carrots and perches on a chair. “I suppose I wouldn’t say no to some new stockings. The mornings are cold and going bare legged under breeches is unpleasant.”

“Stockings then. I daresay we could both do with some.” Alfred smiles, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “None for Jason, however. Last time he tried to wear some, he complained the entire time he wore them. Five minutes later he decided to pop his toe claws, and I had an awful time darning those holes back together afterwards.”

“Sounds good, Alfred!” Dick rests his chin in his hand, watching as Alfred adds more things to the supply requests. “Say, who do you send those to? Actually, how do you send them? Magic?”

“Heavens, no. Carrier Pigeon.” Alfred finishes off the list with a small, understated flourish. “Initially it ends up with Dr Arcane, but he passes it on to the relevant people in Gotham. The actual suppliers and such.”

“Dr Arcane? I think I know him. I was in Gotham for a whole season, and the circus performed for him. I might have spoken to him even!” Dick says, tapping a finger on his lower lip.

“He’s an old friend, at least the original was. The man I knew back before the barriers were conjured a hundred years ago is long dead. I believe the current one’s turned into something of a recluse. I’m corresponding with a descendant who also happens to be a doctor.” Alfred folds the letter up as small as he can.

“Oh. You knew one back then?” Dick says as Alfred stands, letter in hand. “Must be a sort of family tradition then, looking after you. Well, us, now.”

“Indeed. Well, I’m off to find a pigeon. Would you like to get those vegetables chopped up? I can make a start on lunch then.” Alfred picks up his cloak from the hook on the wall and pulls it on, ready to brave the bitter cold outside.

“Sure. What’s on the menu today, chef?” Dick asks cheekily, sending Alfred a wink.

“Vegetable stew.” Alfred says, raising an eyebrow at him in amusement. “Unless Jason brings us a few rabbits, in which case, rabbit stew. With dumplings.”

“Oooh, yum!” Dick grins, grabbing the carrots and making his way over to the sink where a pitcher of water sits, waiting precisely for the use of cleaning off the daily vegetables.

Jason does in fact bring them rabbits. Two of them, and he butchers and cleans them so carefully that all of the fur can be saved.

“What a lovely job on those rabbits.” Alfred mentions when Jason’s finished with them. “Any plans for the fur?”

“I’m going to make Dick some slippers for his delicate human feet.” Jason grins, teeth all on display. It’s not the first time he’s done something unasked for but thoughtfully sweet for Dick. The day before last, all manner of thudding and sawing noises had emanated from the barn, and when Dick had tried to investigate, Jason had firmly shut the door on him. Then yesterday, Jason had dragged him outside like an overexcited puppy being taken for a walk.

“So, I made you something. Because you like moving about. Which I totally get! But since you can’t come running in the woods with me, I thought this might be the next best thing?” Jason says, eyes gleaming, moving from foot to foot in anticipation of Dick’s reaction.

“You made me something?” Dick bites his lip, Jason’s been so good to him, the entire time he’s know him. Even their first meeting was Jason doing his best to be nice. “What is it, I want to see!”

“One of Grandpa’s books was about the circus? So I looked through it, and tried to remember what you said you did there...” Jason takes Dick’s wrist and pulls him around the side of the cottage. “So, I hope I got it right.”

There in the snow is a perfect, solidly made balance bar that Dick’s itching to try out, and from a thick high branch in a tree, is a trapeze. Jason had remembered almost everything that Dick had told him about his previous life, and tried his best to give him a version of it here.

“Jason...” Dick whispers, awed at the sight.

“Is it alright? Do you like it?” Jason says, looking nervously at him.

“I love it! I love you!” Dick cries out, throwing himself at Jason and kissing him happily.

***

Dick and Jason return to the cottage after a long morning’s session fishing in the stream to find that Alfred has a visitor. Their guest is a tall, beautiful red haired woman with green skin.

“Lady Ivy.” Jason says with a respectful nod, as he takes their catch of fish through to the pantry for later.

“Todd.” Ivy says with an amused twist to her lips. “I see you’ve caught yourself a mate finally. The little fox is all grown up into a full wolf now.”

“When it’s right, it’s right.” Jason says with an unconcerned shrug.

“Dick, you look frozen.” Alfred exclaims, tugging Dick over to the fire. “Warm yourself up, you daft bugger.”

“So this is the newest Red Hood?” Ivy, the Witch of the Woods says with a raised eyebrow; looking Dick up and down and not being impressed in the slightest.

“That would be me.” Dick nods, pulling off his cloak, cap and gloves. Jason passes him by, trailing a finger over his shoulders as he goes.

“I’ll be upstairs if I’m needed.” Jason calls out as he slips out of the kitchen. Moments later, Dick can hear the creaking of the stairs as he makes his way up.

“The little fox is still scared of me.” Ivy laughs, something dark and bitter in her voice.

“Jason knows better than to stay and upset you, Lady Ivy.” Alfred says diplomatically. “He’s aware of your dislike for him.”

“Hmmm.” Ivy gives Alfred a look, but lets the comment pass. “So, how are you finding our woods, Dick?”

“Uh... Well, they’re very nice during the day?” Dick says, accepting a cup of hot tea from Alfred. “They could be a bit quieter at night, but Jason’s keeping me distracted.”

“I’m sure he is.” Ivy says with a curled lip of distain. She falls silent, and Dick, knowing better than to irritate a magic user forces himself not to babble to make it less awkward.

“Dick’s the one tending the vegetables and orchard.” Alfred says breaking the silence. “And doing a marvellous job. You could say he’s got a magic touch.”

“Oh?” Ivy smirks, somewhat meanly. “I noticed they were well looked after. Are you a magician, come to save us?”

“Me? No, I’m an acrobat. Not that I wouldn’t like to save us all! But I don’t know anything about magic, apart from not to mess with what I don’t understand.” Dick shakes his head. He saw a young fortune teller at the circus try to summon a demon once. It was before his parents died, and as his mother had realised the summoning was going very wrong, she’d dragged him away, trying to cover his eyes. He’d caught a glimpse of sprays of red going up the sides of her tent anyway though. Dick had vowed not to mess with magic, after that.

“I see. How... Disappointing.” Ivy sighs, looking over at Alfred to give him a weighted stare that Dick can’t decipher. “I know so many spells that help plants, and with no one to pass them on to.”

“That is a shame.” Dick swallows, racking his brains for something sympathetic to say. Keeping on the Witch of the Woods good side seems like an important thing to at least attempt to do. “Maybe you could write them down, so they could be passed on one day?”

“No.” Ivy says with finality. Alfred winces, and Dick only sees it because he’s turned away from Ivy. Dick wonders if these visits are Alfred’s way of keeping Ivy happy.

“Some spells don’t want to be written down.” Alfred says when Ivy doesn’t elaborate. “I know a few protective charms, but they’re all spoken.”

“You probably aren’t capable of learning any spells any way.” Ivy sips at her tea, looking out of the window for a brief moment. Her eyes tracking something that Dick can’t see. He wonders if it’s anything to do with the barriers.

“Oh, I know a protective spell!” Dick says with a sudden grin. “I can’t say it, but I can write it down.”

“Oh?” Ivy leans back in her seat looking amused. Dick grabs a scrap of paper and scribbles down the spell from memory. His handwriting is a bit shaky, but he’s pretty sure he’s got all the lines in the right places.

“I really can’t say it. It’s not in our language. But I saw it once in the foyer of Dr Arcane’s house. The circus went there to give a performance, because he doesn’t leave his house anymore. And I remember asking what it was.” Dick says, remembering the lushly ornate furniture and decor of the house. The spell had been stitched on a banner, one of the first things you’d see as you entered. “Dr Arcane told me what it was, and he seemed gleeful to have the opportunity. It was so odd; I couldn’t help but remember it.”

“Arís, eþelweard, slêap næfre fyr. Ofstingan dôð wuduwald, edgiefaþ!” Ivy says slowly, staring at Dick’s scrap of paper.

“I wasn’t told what the words mean, exactly.” Dick shrugs, slightly embarrassed. “But it’s a protective spell, right?”

“It says,” Ivy’s voice trembles slightly, and she swallows before continuing. “Arise, guardian, sleep no more. Avenge the woods, restore us!’ You said that Dr Arcane had this in plain sight?”

“Oh. That’s... Not what I was expecting at all.” Dick tilts his head, confused. “Yes. Everyone who visited could see it. Why?”

“Dick, I don’t think you realise what you’ve just given us.” Ivy says, instead of answering him. Her hand is shaking around the scrap of paper, and even Alfred seems truly shaken.

“I don’t?” Dick blinks at Ivy. “I mean, I don’t. What is it?”

“It’s the spell to get Alec back. Arcane must have had in plain sight, thinking no one would ever know how to use it.” Ivy says, staring at Dick with furious determination in her eyes. “With this, we can bring Alec back and finally, finally end this.”

***

All four of them are outside, beyond the boundary of the garden, because Ivy and Alfred want to waste no time in summoning Alec back from wherever he’s been banished to.

“Arís, eþelweard, slêap næfre fyr. Ofstingan dôð wuduwald, edgiefaþ!” Ivy intones powerfully, her voice deepening and gaining in volume, repeating the phrase continually.
The woods are quiet and still, the only sound is the resonance of Ivy’s voice. Even the chill winter wind has stopped, leaving the woods blanketed in snow and silence. Dick can’t even hear the babbling of the river through the thick boundary hedges. He’s gripping Jason’s hand tightly, leaning in to Jason’s warmth and strength.

“Arís, eþelweard, slêap næfre fyr. Ofstingan dôð wuduwald, edgiefaþ!” Ivy repeats, but this time there’s a muffled sound. A barely there thudding noise. The wind picks up and the tree branches creak with it. Dick looks around, seeing nothing but trees stripped of leaves for the winter, and snow. But he can feel it, just as the others can. Something’s coming. Something’s coming and it’s getting closer and louder.

The wind whips around them, growing in ferocity as Ivy raises her voice. Dick’s ears start to hurt with the volume of the wind and the creaking and Ivy’s voice, calling out the spell over and over. And if his ears hurt, he can only imagine how bad it must be for the others. Jason, even more so, because he’s a werewolf with enhanced hearing.

And then Dick spots it. At first he thinks it’s just a tree branch, but it’s moving. Reaching towards them and Dick instinctively steps back. Ivy stops chanting, and the tree branch thickens, moving forward until it drops to the ground, slamming into the snow with a lot of force. Dick watches, stunned as the tree branch grows ever bigger, separating into two and then twisting and folding on itself, morphing until it’s taken the shape of a man. But it’s not a man, it’s too tall. It’s a thing.

It’s not a man, until it opens its eyes, glowing red and stares at them.

“Welcome back, brother.” Ivy says, her voice rough and caught with emotion.

“Ivy...” the Thing says, mouth twisting into a smile. “You brought me back. I had faith in you, sister.”

“It’s been a long time, Alec.” Alfred says, cloak wrapped tight around him, but still whipping in the wind. “Perhaps we can move this reunion inside? It’s quite cold for these old bones out here.”

“Yes. The barrier will stop the Rot from hearing our plans.” The Thing, Alec, says, head dipping down to focus on Alfred. “New people? And one a wolf. Interesting.”

Alec strides towards the evergreen hedges, his feet thumping into the ground with each step. The hedges part for him, and Dick blinks at the casual use of what must be a hell of a lot of magic. Alec waves them all through, and as soon as Dick has stepped past the hedge, he can feel it close up behind him.

“Much better” Alec says, turning around to observe the gardens. “I’ve been gone so long and yet nothing looks changed.”

“I put the barriers up 180 years ago. I’d hope nothing changed.” Ivy sniffs, giving Alec and arch look.

“180 years? How long have you been fighting the Rot?” Dick blurts out, flushing when everyone turns to look at him. He tightens his grip on Jason’s hand.

“Two centuries now.” Ivy says, turning to look at Alec once more. “I was hoping the time in the Green would have changed you back, brother.”

“I had the choice of returning to my original state, or staying this way to increase my strength.” Alec says giving the smallest of shrugs. “This way is better.”

“So can you actually fight the fucking Rot now? Because it’s getting worse out there.” Jason says, and from the tension in his grip on Dick’s hand, it’s obvious to Dick he’s barely holding back a snarl. “Six months ago, it was safe for me to live out there all the time. Now? Now I don’t even want to risk one fucking night out there.”

“Yes. I can restore the woods.” Alec nods, reaching out to touch a nearby rose bush. The tip of his finger brushes the stem and the entire bush blooms into life, the sweetly fragranced red flowers growing and unfurling in mere seconds.

“And I’ll take down Dr Arcane.” Ivy says with a smile that sends a chill down Dick’s back. “Then we’ll all be free.”

“Not to be impatient, Alec, because it is truly wonderful to see you again, old friend. But do you think you could get on with it? I’d like to take a walk for the first time in the better part of two centuries.” Alfred says, voice full of dry wit.

“Of course.” Alec doesn’t laugh, but Dick gets the feeling from the way his eyes crinkle up that he’s laugh if the situation outside wasn’t so dire. “I don’t know how long it will take, though.”

“I thought the Arcane family are our allies?” Dick whispers to Jason. “I mean they send the supplies?”

“Yeah, but they also send the Red Hoods. They’re giving the Rot the victims it needs to spread outside the woods. The Arcanes and Ivy were trying to play a fucking game of who outlasts who.” Jason whispers back, keeping his eyes on Alec and Ivy, who are discussing plans with Alfred. “Arcane gets power from the Rot. I’m not sure what the fuck he does with it, but I guess it keeps the family wealthy and secure?”

“Oh. Sounds complicated.” Dick mutters, trying to fight off a shiver. His cloak might be warm, but it’s still cold out here. “When I was there it was just him, Dr Anton Arcane. I don’t remember seeing anything about any other family...”

“Hmm, maybe he was trying for immortality? It’s too fucking complicated, all this. It’s why I stay in the woods and don’t get involved.” Jason huffs, pulling Dick close to help with the shivering.

“And yet, here you are.” Dick says with a small grin, wrapping his arms around Jason’s back. “Funny that, considering you’re not involved.”

“You were too much temptation to pass up, what can I say?” Jason rolls his eyes, leaning down to drop a kiss between Dick’s eyes.

“Jason, Dick? We’re going to protect Ivy and Alec while they do what they have to.” Alfred says, shoving an axe at Dick. He pulls away from Jason to take the heavy blade.

“What exactly are they doing?” Dick says, hefting the axe over his shoulder.

“Complicated magics is what it boils down to.” Alfred pauses, looking at Jason. “But we have a feeling the Rot will fight back. So, it’s down to us to keep them away while the others concentrate.”

“We kill the plant things. Ivy and Alec restore the woods, the barrier gets dropped and we’re all free, right? That the plan, grandpa?” Jason says, returning Alfred’s serious look.

“Indeed.” Alfred nods. “The former Red Hoods’ minds are gone, and Alec tells me that there’s no way to save them. This will be a mercy.”

“When do we start?” Dick swallows, pulling off his cloak. It’s going to get in the way of swinging his axe, and Alfred’s taken his off already.

“Now.” Alec says, walking past. The evergreen hedges part for him once again, and Ivy follows after him.

“Well, at least the anticipation won’t get to us!” Jason mutters, dropping his jacket and pulling at his breeches. Dick blinks at him before realising he’s finally going to see Jason transform into a wolf in front of him. In contrast to him turning human, Jason drops down to all fours and in the space of several heartbeats is a massive wolf, fur rippling along his body. The speed of the transformation shocks Dick, until Jason lifts his massive jaw to give him a wolfish grin, showing off all his teeth and then bounding through the open gap in the hedge.

Dick and Alfred follow somewhat slower, and the hedge closes behind them. The three of them form a loose semi-circle around Ivy and Alec, who both kneel down. Ivy’s skirts cover her legs completely as she shoves her fingers deep into the frozen ground. She closes her eyes, muttering under her breath. Dick can’t see what she’s trying to do, but it’s obvious the effort she’s expending to do it.

Alec’s doing the same thing, but unlike Ivy, the results of his magic are immediately obvious. The hedges behind him look greener, stronger, and healthier. In front of them the trees who have lost all their winter leaves, spring into life, new leaves budding and unfurling in seconds; the pine trees drop cones into the snow. The wave of life in front of them ripples outwards.

But then Dick hears the creaking and he no longer has time to marvel at Alec’s powers, he needs to fight. It’s the first time Dick’s seen the former Red Hoods, and honestly, Alfred’s description of them as trees is more accurate than Dick likes. They really do look like trees have grown out of them, leaving nothing but husks of who they used to be. The move towards the group, that awful wooden creaking loud in the otherwise silent forest. Dick lifts the axe from his shoulder and swings at they get closer.

From then on, it’s nothing but swinging his axe, destroying rotten wood with each blow. He can see in snatches, Jason using his powerful jaws to break limbs, his claws rending through the wood as easily as Dick’s axe. Alfred’s more than keeping up with the both of them, using far more grace and efficiency than Dick would have guessed possible. Dick’s sweating hard with the exertion, his breathing laboured as he works harder than he has in months.

In truth, the fight is carnage. The tree people keep coming for them, it seem endless. Dick loses track of everything but the rhythm of swinging his axe and ducking random branches coming his way. He sees three of them come at him and he braces himself for the impact.

But it never comes. Alec is standing over him, arms outstretched, pinning the plant things to the actual trees with his own arms, extended far beyond anything Dick’s ever seen. Through his panting, and the
sweat dripping down his forehead, Dick sees the plant things begin to drop. The fall to the ground like dominos, toppling back, away from them.

“What... What?” Dick chokes out between breaths.

“It is done. The Rot has been healed. For now.” Alec says. “You may put down your axes.”

“Arcane?” Alfred says, leaning on the handle of his own axe.

“Dealt with.” Ivy says with great relish, standing smoothly. “We’ve won, gentlemen.”

“Wait, really? Just like that?” Dick pants. “That seems too easy...”

“Trust me, Dick. Nothing about that was easy.” Alec says, staring at him with those red glowing eyes. Dick shudders and nods, he doesn’t really want to know what Alec did. The look in those eyes is deeply haunted.

“What now?” Dick says, breathing still a little laboured. Jason pads over, resting against his hip. Dick ruffles his hand into Jason’s thick fur and relaxes as he can’t see any obvious injuries on his lover.

“Tonight, we celebrate.” Alfred says with the biggest smile on his face that Dick’s ever seen. “Tomorrow, I take my extremely long overdue walk.”

***

The morning after the celebrations the evening before is... Slow; mostly due to Dick’s hangover. He’d overindulged, giddy at the prospect of being able to travel once more. But the sobering thought that Jason might want to stay in the woods had occurred to him, and Dick had tried to drink it away with resounding success.

Breakfast is calm and quiet, until Jason tromps down the stairs, dropping into a chair loudly and grinning widely. “So, I know your plan is to take a walk, Alfred, but then what?”

“If you’d asked me yesterday if a walk was even possible, I would have laughed.” Alfred shakes his head. “I’m going to take my walk. And then, afterwards... Afterwards I think I shall come home and enjoy the peace.”

“You’re going to stay here?” Dick puts his toast down, looking at Alfred in surprise. He’d have though the old man would want to get away as far as possible.

“It’s been my home for so long, I can’t bear to leave it.” Alfred says, sipping at his tea. “I daresay I wouldn’t get on much with the modern world. But I might go into Gotham for supplies and new books every month.”

“That sounds like a wonderful plan, grandpa.” Jason grins, and Alfred gives him such a fond look that Dick wants to tear up.

“I rather like it.” Alfred nods, taking another sip of tea. “And you two?”

“I’ll go where Dick goes.” Jason shrugs, grabbing a slice of bread and slathering it with butter and jam.

“Oh! You will?” Dick turns to look at him, hope bubbling in his chest. They’d never talked about the future, being so sure it was what they already had. But Jason wants to stay with him? Dick feels like he’s floating, he’s so happy.

“Of course.” Jason shrugs like it was obvious, and Dick shouldn’t be questioning it. Dick flushes, but he’s honestly too happy to care about anything other than being with Jason.

“I want to go back to Gotham. At least, at first. From there? I don’t know. Wherever the wind takes us, I suppose?” Dick tilts his head at Jason, hoping for his approval. Jason reaches out and squeezes his hand.

“I like that.” Jason smiles, a smear of jam on his cheek. “Maybe we can come back and visit grandpa sometimes?”

“Definitely.” Dick nods, finishing his toast before draining his cup of juice.

“I’ll look forward to it.” Alfred says with a pleased smile; this is the most relaxed he’s ever seen the man Dick’s come to think of as a grandfather.

They pack their bags and head out after breakfast, Alfred waving them off as they walk down the path to Gotham. Jason’s holding Dick’s hand like he’s something precious and Dick feels fresh and new, just like the woods. They’re still bustling with new growth, feeling as light and clean as a warm, breezy spring day despite all the January snow still on the ground. They end up taking a break at the very same fallen tree log that they’d met at, and from the gleam in Jason’s eye he’s remembering that day months ago, the same way Dick is.

So it’s entirely expected when Jason tackles Dick, pinning him down in the snow on his back. In retaliation Dick wraps his legs around Jason’s waist, and they roll over and over, each trying to end up on top. Dick’s having such a good time he doesn’t mind in the slightest when Jason wins.

“Gotcha!” Jason grins, leaning down to lick along Dick’s pulse in his neck.

“Oh no! I am got.” Dick says flatly. “Whatever is the big bad wolf going to do with me?”

“So many choices! What should I do, hmmm? Should I eat you all up?” Jason tilts his head, and Dick can imagine the way his wolf ears are pricking up, listening for Dick’s heartbeat to betray what he really wants Jason to do to him.

“How about you mate me, bite me and breed me?” Dick says, rolling his hips up into Jason’s.

“You don’t ask for much, do you?” Jason groans, letting go of Dick’s wrists long enough to unlace both their breeches. “I can’t bite you, I’ll turn you... But the rest? Yes!”

“Need it so bad, Jay! Please!” Dick moans. The air is chill on his bare skin, but it feels good in contrast to the heat that Jason’s body gives off. Dick’s breeches are pulled down below his knees, which are promptly shoved up by his shoulders, leaving Jason free to bend down and lick Dick open and ready for him.

Dick’s wrists are back in Jason’s hands, tugging him closer, the wetter Jason makes him. The pleasure of feeling that soft hot tongue on the most intimate of places is enough to stoke the fires in Dick’s belly to boiling point. He’s crying out his ecstasy, ready to orgasm by the time that Jason pulls away and lines his long thick cock up at his hole.

The stretch and friction of being filled is as intense with Jason as it’s even been, and Dick still loves it, craves it, if he’s honest. By the time he’s taken Jason’s cock to the hilt, Dick’s breathing hard, tears squeezing out of his eyes. Jason rests his chest on his, hands cradling his head; thumbs wiping away the tears.

“Alright, Dickie?” Jason whispers, his eyes glowing a soft gentle red. “God, you feel so fucking good around me. Would stay in you all day if you let me...”

“Jay... Fuck me, please!” Dick wails, and Jason’s hips start rolling in and out, pressing that thick cock against all the good spots inside Dick until he’s nearly sobbing. Dick grabs at Jason’s back as he’s fucked exactly the way that drives him to lose his mind, spreading as wide as he can manage for Jason to use as he needs.

The orgasm crashes over him like a wave, stealing his breath and making his whole body seize. He’s barely caught his breath when Jason’s knot inflates inside him. He’s surrounded by Jason inside and out, and nothing has felt as perfect as this; not even flying.

***

Walking along Gotham’s busy streets feels dreamlike. There are so many faces and people that Dick feels like it could easily get overwhelming. Jason grips his hand, keeping him close despite obviously wanting to check out the market stalls and shops all around him. With his hood pulled up, and a scarf wrapped around his lower face to ‘keep out the smells’ Jason looks imposing and menacing. Most of the townspeople give the two of them a wide berth, to Jason’s obvious amusement.

“Are you sure you want to go to the Sherriff?” Jason says, eyeing the sign of the office hanging from the courthouse. “I just don’t see the point...”

“Because why send a new Red Hood when there’s no need?” Dick shrugs, pulling Jason through the doors. “Besides, if they do send more, it’ll be nice for everyone to know that it’s not a death sentence anymore.”

“You’re too friendly for your own good, you know that right?” Jason huffs, trying to disappear further into his cloak. He’s wary of being discovered as a werewolf, even though Dick’s reassured him that no one will guess. “Isn’t that what got you into trouble in the first place?”

“Hush, you.” Dick says, tugging at Jason’s hood. “Besides, Captain Grace likes me. It’ll be fine.”

“I’m fairly certain I don’t like you.” A strong voice says from behind Dick. “I don’t even know who you are.”

“Captain Grace!” Dick turns around giving her his best wide charming smile, spotting Biz standing a few feet behind her, still a silent giant. “How could you forget me? We shared such a special moment in that back alley. I’m truly hurt!”

“What?” Jason growls, his eyes flashing red deep within his hood. Luckily he’s facing Dick, and not Captain Grace.

“Of course, then the good captain cruelly threw me over for Miss Brown, the pretty blonde maid, and I met you...” Dick says, placing a hand over his heart, doing his best to look ridiculously sad. “But for that one moment, I was the luckiest man in Gotham.”

“Grayson? How the hell are you alive?” Captain Grace says, her eyebrows raised in shock. “I can’t believe the woods didn’t get you.”

“How could I possibly die without knowing if Brown got her wish?” Dick says, fluttering his lashes at her. “I valiantly fought through them to find out if your story has a happy ending.”

“Captain’s got a wife now!” Biz says with a wide grin. “Steph makes me waffles every morning!”

“Ooh waffles! You’re very lucky Captain.” Dick chuckles. “You too, Biz. Thank you for the cloak, by the way.”

“Pretty Red is welcome.” Biz laughs, stepping forward to ruffle Dick’s hair. “Red lived! Is a good day!”

“Isn’t it!” Dick pats Biz on his arm while Jason quietly growls next to him. “Captain, Biz, this is Jason. I met him in the woods.”

“Another survivor?” Captain Grace says, turning her attention to Jason. Dick tugs Jason’s hood down with another grin, and Jason scowls at him but pulls the scarf down from his face too.

“Yes. We came back to tell you that the evil in the woods is gone. They’re as safe as any other woods now.” Dick nods, leaning into Jason when he rests an arm over Dick’s shoulders in a clear display of belonging. “And that you might want to check out Dr Arcane’s place.”

“Dr Arcane’s?” The Captain says, obviously trying to take in the news. It’s a lot, Dick knows, and it’s got to be hard to believe just on his say so. But well, he is the first Red Hood to ever return. That’s got to give his words a bit more weight.

“Apparently he was feeding whatever the evil in the woods was.” Jason says, shrugging. “The Witch of the Woods dealt with him, but gave me some ominous warnings that his power base needs to be seen to. Whatever that means.”

“Captain, we check it out?” Biz says, turning to her.

“Might as well.” Captain Grace says with a determined look. “Luckily, we’re not very busy right now.”

The walk to Dr Arcane’s estate, a large house surrounded by a high stone wall, is a little longer than it takes for Jason and Dick to fill them on what happened in the woods. Captain Grace knocks on the door; but no one answers, so they let themselves in. The inside is faded and dull, nothing like the vibrant, bright place Dick once performed in; even the gilt decorations look lesser. The house looks disused, abandoned for years. Dick wonders if the house was powered by Dr Arcane’s stolen magic.

They find Dr Arcane in the library. It only takes one look at him to realise he’s dead. He’s desiccated like a mummy Dick once saw on tour from a far away land. Ivy really did ‘deal’ with him. Jason pokes around the room, putting his fingers on sigils and strange drawings that crumble to nothing beneath his hands.

“Well, he’s no threat to anyone anymore, I guess?” Dick says, wanting nothing more than to get out of there, and Gotham too.

“I’ll tell everyone what you’ve told me.” Captain Grace nods. “I get the feeling we should burn this place to the ground.”

“You should.” Jason says, tugging at Dick. “We’ll let you get on with that. We’ve other places to be.”

Dick waves goodbye at them after they all leave the estate. “So, where are supposed to be, then?”

“Anywhere but here.” Jason shrugs, picking a random direction to start walking in. “Anywhere the wind takes us, wasn’t it?”

“That’s the plan, see the world together and visit Alfred every once in a while.” Dick nods. He’s beyond ready to travel the world.

“Time to stray off the path then, Red?” Jason grins wolfishly, and Dick utterly adores that look.

“For the big bad wolf? Always.” Dick goes up on tiptoe to kiss him sweetly. “Time for our happily ever after.”