Welcome

[adaptiveimmunities]

You awake on the grass. When you open your eyes, you see that you in the Wood. It is calm here. Quiet. There are no birds singing, nor any other sight or sound of animal life. The sky between the branches is an eternal twilight that lightens and darkens without ever becoming true day and night. Interspersed between the trees are the Pools. Each Pool is only a foot deep at most--enough to splash in, but certainly not deep enough to swim or drown. They are oddly uniform, aside from the occasional Pool here and there that has inexplicably dried out.

As you look around, you notice that a short distance away is what appears to be the remains of a small camp. When you approach, you can see that there are a number of tents that seem to be in excellent condition, and in the middle, a campfire circle with plenty of food supplies around it.

The food replenishes itself when taken.

The fresh water never runs dry.

The sleeping bags and mats within the tents are oddly comfortable and restful.

Welcome to the Wood Between the Worlds.

Comments

[bisexualdisaster]

"Hey, fuck you! Don't forget it was your royal ass that fell on top of me." But Alex can't quite hold back a grin. Henry's so much more tolerable when he's snarky. Almost likeable.

"...but yeah, I do need to deal with my foot. I think I sprained it."

[holyfuckbatman]

Dick is like eighty percent these two knew each other before they got here, but anything else, he's having trouble ascertaining. Are they friends? They're apparently not dating, or at least, not seriously enough to want to share a tent.

He steps away from the table, trying not to look like he's running away from their horrifying amounts of sexual tension.

"Okay, I'll get the first aid kit. Just give me a minute."

[princebuttercup]

"Thank you." He raises an eyebrow at Alex. "Yes, after trying to keep you from falling when you lost your balance. You're right, I am surely the villain in this piece." He shakes his head a little, but he's biting back a grin of his own. At least if he has to deal with fiction becoming reality, he has mildly antagonistic company to share it with.

[bisexualdisaster]

"Keep telling yourself that, highness."

Alex rolls his eyes, leaning his elbow on the table while Dick retreats, but he's not nearly as mad as the antagonism should make him. Maybe because his natural state is being antagonistic. It's nice to hang out with someone who's on the same page.

But then his expression sobers.

"Is this really happening? Like, how is any of this possible?"

[princebuttercup]

"It shouldn't be," Henry says, frowning a little in return. "I think we can both agree that the Chronicles of Narnia are entirely fictional. But as it stands I don't have a better explanation. Especially with our new friend's agreement. Unless you have a better idea, I'm leaning toward accepting this one for the time being."

[bisexualdisaster]

Alex snorts. "Our new friend Dick. Which is almost as unbelievable as being in a fantasy novel. Who would actually call themselves that by choice?"

[princebuttercup]

He wants to point out that it was a nickname for Richard for longer than it's been a euphemism, but that's hardly the point here. The man seems to be contemporary to them, and therefore is certainly not ignorant of the alternate meaning of his nickname. "Apparently--Dick," he says with a little smirk.

[bisexualdisaster]

Alex rolls his eyes. "Well, yeah. I mean I want to know more about him." He scowls back towards the tent. "Besides the fact that I guess he's a really dedicated cosplayer."

[princebuttercup]

Henry gives him a curious look. "Oh?" He's aware of conventions, of course, but it's not something he's ever seen beyond images on the internet or things like that. He's never seen anyone in a costume like Dick's.

[bisexualdisaster]

Alex raises his eyebrows. "What, do people dress like that regularly in England? He looks like a goddamn superhero and--"

He breaks off because, well, now he's thinking more about superheroes and this is so stupid he can't even handle it. He smacks his face in his palm.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me."

[princebuttercup]

"What?" Henry asks. He has a feeling he's missing something, but he has no idea what it could be. It's not as though superheroes are real.

[bisexualdisaster]

"Dick." Alex looks over at him. "Like Dick Grayson? AKA Robin? Come on, you've seen Star Wars but not Batman?"

[princebuttercup]

"Of course I know who Batman is." But why on earth would he have associated Dick with that? "Isn't Robin meant to be smaller?"

[bisexualdisaster]

"He graduates eventually. Takes the name Nightwing." He nods towards the tent. "Wears a costume that looks a lot like that, except more comicbooky."

[princebuttercup]

Henry glances at the tent, then back at Alex. "You're joking." It's hard enough to believe that they're in the land of "lion Jesus," but adding comic book characters into the mix seems like a bit much.

[bisexualdisaster]

"He could be a really dedicated cosplayer," Alex says, though he doesn't sound convinced. That would be the logical explanation. Too bad they left logic behind the minute they woke up in fucking Narnia.

[princebuttercup]

"I suppose we could always ask him when he gets back," Henry points out, but--loathe as he is to admit it--he agrees with Alex and the doubt in his voice. If they can wake up here, it's entirely possible that Dick is exactly who he appears to be.

[holyfuckbatman]

Conveniently, this is when Dick does in fact get back, Dick reemerges, holding a first aid kit and two rings. He puts the rings on the table and moves over to sit next to Alex.

"Here. You'll need these." He holds out a hand for Alex's foot, then pauses, because Alex is definitely staring at him. "...what?"

[bisexualdisaster]

Alex shakes his head, gingerly raising his foot to the bench in front of Dick. "Just wondering if you were gonna hook us up with fetish gear too."

...Alex, that is NOT what Henry was suggesting you ask.

[princebuttercup]

Henry stares at Alex in horror. "Alex! That is--" he shakes his head and turns toward Dick again. "Not what we were going to ask you. He wanted to know if you're 'Nightwing.'"

[holyfuckbatman]

Well, that's not what Dick was expecting to hear. He blinks, straightening. Admittedly, he is in costume and not wearing a mask, but he's been Nightwing for less than a day. Even with the speed of internet to consider, that's fast.

"How do you know that name?"

[bisexualdisaster]

Alex snickers at Henry's reaction, but when Dick--Nightwing responds, his laughter cuts off.

He almost wishes Dick had just said yes. That would have been easy enough to write off as deluded, or a very dedicated cosplayer. But acting surprised they'd even heard of him?

That speaks of something else.

"The same way we know about Narnia," he says, voice flat. "It's fictional."

[princebuttercup]

Henry rubs at his forehead. He can feel a headache coming on already. "This is probably just as difficult to believe as turning up in--" He glances at Alex. "--not actually Narnia, because the Wood Between the Worlds is different, but I suppose that's just semantics at this point."

[holyfuckbatman]

That's... a lot. And Dick sits back, frowning. Then he reaches down to take Alex's foot. "I am Nightwing, yes. I guess I shouldn't be that surprised, considering we're in Narnia."

He tugs off Alex's shoe and sock and starts bandaging it.

"Your ankle's a little swollen, but it should be fine. Just take it easy for a little while."

[bisexualdisaster]

Alex frowns, holding his ankle still as Dick works it.

"You're taking this well."