DIRK: [ARISE]

[evenindeath]

Of all the places to wake up, 'dumpster' had not actually been in Dirk's top thirty list. Of course, once he realized that's where he was he considered that had been an error in judgement on his part. It was where he belonged and thus should have been number one on his list.

"HAL?" he said, his voice a raw and rough croaking to his own ears, but his sunglasses skewed on his face showed nothing but the sky above, a bright night lit by a moon and too much light pollution from the city around him for any stars. He brought an aching arm up to right his sunglasses and give them a tap, the the bare bones of his Heads Up Display on them became visible, flickering in and out of focus. "HAL?" he asked again, but there was no answer. It said he was offline with no signal available.


The past - however long it was came back to him in flits and flashes, what lead them here. Him here, anyway. Finding our that what his friends went through was a beta run for the whole thing, that it had already failed once and they were an attempt to restart under more favorable circumstances. That their game was a null game too in different ways but unfortunately just enough overlap that the plan to make a working game between the two of them wasn't going to work. What was there left to try, a third attempt where they would likely once more end up with more problems and no solutions?

Dirk had been careful who he proposed the plan to and how he said it. Jake was the driven type, charismatic - it didn't matter he couldn't figure out how to pull it off himself, if he suggested it people would be more likely to listen, to try.

"Do you think there's a way to get out of the game entirely?" Dirk had asked Jake in what passed for late one night on a meteor where they'd taken refuge, time and day having no meaning.

The question had been posed seemingly carelessly, but it had stuck in Jake's mind like Dirk knew it would. Soon enough they were all working together on 'Jake's' new plan to try and find a universe beyond the games entirely.

There was no guarantee it would work. No guarantee they'd go to the same place, or even... anywhere.

But what other option did they have?


And now Dirk was here, in a dumpster.

It smelled terrible in a weirdly unfamiliar way to him. It was the kind of terrible that came from cramped living conditions of too many people in one place, and he had literally never experienced that before. When he managed to push himself up and crawl out of it (and get all the ... leavings... off of himself) just looking to the other end of the alleyway where cars went back and forth gave him pause as he thought that every single one of those had at least one person in it. Watching for just a couple minutes, more people walked by without a glance in his direction than he'd ever seen in one place in his whole life.

Wherever they'd landed, it wasn't his home. Not when he knew it.

Distracted by that utter culture shock, he managed to miss the sound of someone coming the other direction until they spoke.

"Hand over your money - anything you have on you," the gravely voice ordered, and Dirk turned slowly to see the barrel of a gun staring him down, and attached to it a man that could either be twice his age or a little younger with a hard life behind him. Dirk was guessing the second was more likely.

"Are you fucking deaf? Hand. Over. Your. Cash. Fucker!" the man repeated when Dirk just continued to stare at him.

Oh, this? He'd seen this in plenty of movies. He knew how to handle this.

"Yeah, no," Dirk said, with a careless flick of his wrist his clothing glitched and blurred into a different but similar set, his pointed sunglasses doing the same to be a fully face covering gas mask. The people who fought crime always wore masks in those stories, right? From the same place his new clothing came from he drew his katana.

He was used to enemies that put up a fight to someone on his level, and maybe would be over-estimating this guy's abilities.

Comments

[evenindeath]

He'd asked first, hadn't he? Given Jason a chance to back out. Whether or not he was the type to hardly mattered, he'd had the opening and he hadn't taken it. So Dirk carefully reached out to grab the front of Jason's shirt and give a tug to close the little distance there was between them, closer than they had been in the alley right after the fight.

"You can change your mind at any time," Dirk reminded him, the final warning before leaning in to press his lips to Jason's. It was positively chaste, all things considered - just a hint of teeth, because Dirk couldn't stop being Dirk even when he tried - a gentle opener that could be pressed or walked away from as Jason chose.

[lazarusinred]

The part of Jason that was always situationally aware was very thankful he had already closed the blinds. The rest of him was caught up in the kiss. It was soft and given in a thoughtful way, a contrast to how they had met. Or perhaps more that both could exist in each of them. Violence and a kindness.

Where he lacked experience, he had trained for the majority of his life to read how people moved. He could make it not completely awkward. As the kiss came to what felt like a conclusion shaped as a question he pushed forward, wordlessly asking for more.

[evenindeath]

With the way Jason fought, Dirk expected him to be able to follow a lead easily. He was glad to be right, that his read had been correct - and even more glad when as the initial kiss softened to a close Jason pushed forward to keep it going. Dirk's hand tightened where it still gripped Jason's shirt, other hand coming up to rest partially against his neck and the back of his head so he could give the gentle indication for how to tilt his head just so to make it easier to deepen the kiss. Dirk opened his mouth to it, tongue swiping at Jason's in a challenge for him to keep up.

[lazarusinred]

It was easy to follow Dirk's gentle directions. Tilting his head Jason opened his mouth in deepening the kiss. His tongue seeking Dirk's. To rise to that challenge, he would hungrily keep up.

The ice pack did not seem so important now and could be retrieved later. He slid his cooled fingers up Dirk's neck and into his hair. Reaching forward with his other hand Jason ran his fingers across Dirk's ribs. He pressed forward slightly in question. The chair did lack armrests, it would be easy to join Dirk there.

[evenindeath]

The cool touch of Jason's fingers was much better against Dirk's skin than the ice pack, really. It had done its job, and now Dirk was distracted by the growing heat between them. He leaned back in the chair instinctively, making as much room as possible in invitation even as he continued to pull Jason towards him. That gnawing hunger for more that came with finally being fed after a lifetime of starvation.

[lazarusinred]

That hunger was not unfamiliar to Jason. He had not been starved, but had spent a lifetime getting just enough to always be hungry and telling himself that was a point of pride. Feeling Dirk pull in answer, he pushed forward to close what little distance there was. Even with his eyes closed it was easy enough to straddle Dirk and join him. Pressing as close as he could, gently applying pressure to the back of Dirk's head. Closer. More.

[evenindeath]

The sour-sweet after taste of the soda on Jason's mouth was in that moment the best thing Dirk had ever tasted. He let go of the front of Jason's shirt only so he could get a better grip around his waist, so there was no more space left between them for even air, everything narrowed down to every point of contact between them and where it was skin meeting skin it felt hot enough to be a brand. The hand around Jason's waist was quickly sliding up under his shirt, fingertips dancing along his spine - and still Dirk wanted more, he wanted everything Jason would give him-

Even if the arms had been removed from the chair, it was fundamentally not made for two people to be in it. Eventually leaning back and into one another led to what was surely the inevitable for anyone watching from the outside- the sudden shot of weightlessness for a heartbeat before it overbalanced and crashed to the floor.

[lazarusinred]

As hot fingertips fluttered up his spine Jason's fingers had found their way along Dirk's side. Skin eager to be touched and he was eager to oblige. He had spent so long pressing the things that he wanted for himself down. Everything weighed down under the need to be right and make the world right. All that had slipped away and all he wanted was to give Dirk everything and take everything in return. Devour and be devoured.

In that moment of breathless moment of freefall his training kicked in, despite the razor edge of focus he had on Dirk. Instinct born of falling hundreds of thousands of times he rolled to the side. Perhaps because of where he focus had been, he pulled Dirk with him. He landed on his back, one arm flung to the side to transfer the brunt of the momentum from him. It was not the most graceful fall since Dirk was still caught between his legs, it knocked the wind of of him a little. A split second later Dirk also landed. Which fully knocked the wind of of him.

A wheeze was all he could manage as he tried to get his breath back.

[evenindeath]

Dirk wanted to believe that in literally any other circumstance he would have reacted more quickly, himself. But god - Jason was so distracting and he wanted so much and well, all Dirk could think when the chair tipped was a bland 'This might as well happen.'

Prince of Bonehead.

The message flashed in his skewed glasses as he fell, the pair falling off his face and tumbling under the work bench when Jason flipped them to the side, Dirk landing on top of him instead of under him. They were still tangled together, Dirk blinking owlishly down at Jason at the sudden change in position.

"... You okay?" he asked, one hand on the floor to push himself up a bit while the other just kind of rested on Jason's chest.

[lazarusinred]

Here it was not the years of training under Bruce that helped Jason, but the years after where he followed old footsteps to be able to meet his old master head on. Tenacity and force of will. And being able to work through after being kicked in the ribs a whole lot.

He took a shaky breath that became a laugh as he exhaled. Never had he felt so okay about something going wrong before. It could not undo how he had felt right up until that moment. "Yeah... I'm fine..."

As if they had a mind of their own his hands came up to rest on Dirk's waist. Nearly back to normal. "You?"

[evenindeath]

Seeing that Jason was fine, that this wasn't a complete mood ruiner did a lot to turn Dirk's restrained concern back to that flirtatious half-smile. It was easier to see the expression without the sunglasses covering his eyes, and he didn't make a move to fetch them again.

"Yeah. Nice moves there, Jason Redhood," Dirk said with a raised eyebrow. The hand on Jason's chest slipped a little lower to tease at the hem of his shirt, watching his reactions carefully to make sure he was still up for anything before moving forward on it. "Saved me from that bruise getting worse."

[lazarusinred]

"Mm, not actually my last name," Jason said with a smile forming on his lips.

The reaction Dirk got was an overall positive of a deep breath and a long blink where Jason's smile softened. "I am very gallant you know," he said and slipped a couple fingers under the hem of Dirk's shirt, "just ask anyone."

[evenindeath]

Dirk thought as much, but also new universe it wasn't like he knew what was normal here... but also, he liked the way it sounded, so fuck it. The way Jason's smile turned soft twisted up his insides with how much he wanted. Wanted badly enough to know he shouldn't have, but he wasn't good enough to stop himself.

"Oh, I can tell. Regular hero," Dirk replied, a little breathless. Goosebumps pricked at his skin where Jason touched. He slid his own fingers under Jason's shirt, caressing his stomach. "How can I ever thank you?"

[lazarusinred]

The caress sent a shiver up Jason's spine and a flutter in his chest. Any advice he had ever heard that could serve him here talked about drawing lines where you did not feel comfortable. Jason felt anything but uncomfortable.

"Did you have something in mind?" He slid his fingers higher - slowly so he could feel the goosebumps arise where he touched.

[evenindeath]

Dirk only had movies and recorded shows to guide him here - the robots weren't exactly programmed to give him 'the talk', and while he'd hacked into the Alternian database, their ... rituals... weren't very applicable to humans.

"Gotta make sure you know how grateful I am... how to do that..." Dirk said, thinking aloud with exaggerated care. His heart was never going to stop racing at this rate. He wasn't sure he cared for it to. This time when he leaned in his lips only barely caressed Jason's before moving away again, down, to press against his neck instead.

[lazarusinred]

It was not like Jason had much more to go off of. His education on anatomy had been through, but clinical. Bruce certainly was not equipped to have given Jason 'the talk.' The only advantage being his ability to see people and their myriad of interactions.

If his heart had not already been racing the feather brush of Dirk's lips would have done it. Another shiver went through him as Drik pressed his lips to Jason's neck, where surely his quick pulse could be felt. Tilting his head to give Dirk better access he said, "This seems a good start."

[evenindeath]

It did seem like a good start, didn't it? The feel of Jason's pulse against his lips was exhilarating, Dirk's mouth tracing every line of that terribly vulnerable spot. His hand was moving far enough up Jason's stomach now to be pushing the shirt up with the exploration.

"Glad you approve," he murmured, breath hot against Jason's throat, edge of teeth caressing the skin there, too. He didn't seem bothered about being injured, maybe he healed fast... Dirk wondered how easy it would be to leave a mark.

[lazarusinred]

Some of the scars on Jason's stomach could be felt, a subtle change in the landscape of his skin. His own fingers traced lines up the small of Dirk's back.

Dirk's teeth on the soft skin of his neck got a hitch of breath. "I don't break easily," he said. It was true that he healed quickly, but it depended on the injury. Bruises tended to last, cuts from a stupidly sharp blade did not (as long as it was not too deep). Leaving a mark would be a worthy challenge.

[evenindeath]

"Good to know," Dirk murmured, teeth yet again skating over his pulse before he delivered a sucking, biting kiss to the junction where shoulder met neck. Easy-ish to hide, as far as hickies went, though Dirk could not be certain any others he left would be so polite. Even trying to tell himself he didn't know Jason, he couldn't help but think that actually made it easier than it had been with Jake in certain ways. He didn't necessarily have to worry about pushing Jason into this because he didn't fucking know how to manipulate Jason.

"Me neither," he added. He had his own share of scars on his skin, brighter points among his constellation of freckles that covered every inch of him. Only touching his back, the collection of points that were starbursts of scar tissue didn't make immediate sense. Not unless paired with seeing the ones that perfectly aligned with them on his front as well. All Dirk's scars were from times he had died and come back.

[lazarusinred]

Jason was no stranger to pain. Sometimes it was barely endurable, others nearly pleasant. Dirk sinking his teeth into his flesh, that was a hot and wholly pleasant pain. Pleasant enough that it expressed itself in a sound that escaped his lips.

"Good to know," he replied more than a little breathless.

All the scars Jason had from his death were gone. Magic was strange like that. He pressed his hands more firmly to Dirk, feeling the warm solidness of his body. It was perhaps a little regrettable that Jason kept his nails so neatly trimmed that when he dug his fingertips in there was not much more than pressure.

[evenindeath]

A little regrettable, but Dirk was confident Jason could figure something out. His own nails were also short by habit, but he knew just how to use them to still get the sensation of the edge of them even if it wasn't much. God, though, that sound Jason made when Dirk bit him- He swore under his breath, leaning back just enough to be able to tug at Jason's shirt with both hands.

"C'mon, off-"

[lazarusinred]

The hands on Dirk slid away so Jason could squirm out of his shirt. No amount of natural grace made getting out of a shirt while laying on the ground look graceful. Refusing was always an option of course, but every thing Drik had asked for Jason had wanted. If he had a line it was so far from where he was that he could not see it.

After he finished pulling himself free greeted Drik with a flirtatious smile of his own. "Better." Statement, not a question. Jason had the physique of a man who spends most of his waking hours in physical activity. Training, working out, beating bad guys into paste. The usual. Scars of course. Just enough to tell the story of the kind of dangerous life Jason lead.

[evenindeath]

"Much better," Dirk agreed, though he didn't return to where he had been before right away. He took a moment to sit back on his thighs and just look at Jason, his normally carefully practiced stoicism not quite perfect enough to hide the want in Dirk's eyes.

Jason was gorgeous. No fair universe would allow Dirk to have this. Not even a little bit. When he kissed Jason's mouth again it was with that needful hunger all over again, an edge of starving desperation. He blindly yanked off his fingerless gloves so he could feel more of Jason's skin on his own, hands setting about memorizing the glorious new territory open to them.

[lazarusinred]

Want was met with want in the small exchange of looks before Jason's eyes slid closed again. Dirk was so much that he had wanted and denied himself. Forceful, just respectful enough, attractive, and fell on him with a hunger that outstripped his own.

This was much better. He reached up with one hand to the back of Dirk's head - curled fingers tangled in blonde hair. With his other hand he tugged slightly on Dirk's top, to expose his stomach and where their skin did not touch he ran his fingers. Determined to learn what brought about the best reactions in Dirk.

[evenindeath]

Even once Dirk was no longer utterly starved for touch, what he got was so little so spaced out it would be considered that for anyone except those who had gone utterly without before then. His shirt slid up easily - the more it was touched the more it became clear the material was something more synthetic than cotton, but not quite normal. He hissed softly as Jason's fingertips brushed against his flanks, the odd almost-ticklish sensation of being touched there gently. With his shirt raised the constellation of freckles was visible on his skin, the matching scars on the front that would line up perfectly with those on his back.

Dirk was panting when he pulled back to breathe, to shrug his own shirt off before he ducked down again to leave another bruising kiss to the other side of Jason's neck, this one higher up and much less easy to hide.