Title: Seraphina

Chapter: 3/7

Author: MrGrayson24

Rating: T

Author's Note: Day 3/3! I didn't know if I'd get it out today but here we are!

-x-

"What're you guys doing?" Dick asked as he and Jason exited the forest.

Conner was in the middle of laying out his sleeping bag, while Artemis and Megan had begun to make a fire in the middle of the clearing.

"Well… we figured..." Conner looked to the group. "Since you were gone so long…"

"I was only gone…" Dick glanced skyward to see the sun disappear behind the mountain and he sighed. "Alright, I'm sorry. Let's get some rest and we'll start first thing tomorrow." He glanced around. "Where's Wally?"

"He chose to make camp by the stream." Kaldur pointed to the edge of the clearing. "I think he's waiting for you."

Dick glanced over his shoulder at Jason who struggled to unlatch his sleeping bag from his pack. "Can you watch after Jason while I'm gone?" Dick asked. Kaldur nodded and went to help Jason while Dick followed the sounds of the stream.

-x-

"Dick!' Wally beamed as he ran up to Dick and planted a kiss on his lips. "I've been waiting for you!"

"What's all this?"

Within the roots of a large tree, Wally had set up camp. Their sleeping bags were placed side by side to make one huge blanket, and he'd made a fort of the fallen branches.

"Wally-" Dick stuttered. "This looks-"

"Wait! There's more!" Wally zoomed to the tree and pulled down more branches so they covered the small trench he'd made for them to sleep. "Instant privacy!" He grabbed two catines from behind the trunk.

"And I made us juice! It took a lot of water… sorry about that… but-"

"You heard I was out with Jason, didn't you?"

Wally's face dropped. "Yeah… but that's not what this is about." He let out a breath. "I know I can trust you. I just wanted to do something nice."

He wants to leave you.

Dick pressed himself against Wally. "It's perfect." He kissed him. "Thank you."

-x-

"We're out of water!" Conner groaned. "I know Wally took it."

"He was doing something nice for Dick." Megan giggled. "There's a stream right there, I'll go grab more."

"Be careful." Conner called after her.

"I'll be twenty feet away!" Megan yelled back. "I think I'll be fine."

As Megan trudged down the path, to the brook, a voice called to her.

Pick one.

"Hello?" Megan turned around, but there was nobody there. She shrugged and turned back to notice an enormous apple tree.

Pick one.

Without thought, Megan glided toward the trunk and reached upward.

Take it.

The moment her fingers brushed against the apple's red skin, it seemed to drop into her hand.

Take a bite.

-x-

Dick awoke to the sound of moving rocks barely audible over Wally's loud snores. Through the leaves surrounding them, he could make out a campfire back at the team's sight. He slipped out from underneath Wally's arm and crept over. Seated at the dying campfire was Jason, poking it with a stick.

"Couldn't sleep?" Dick took a seat on the log next to him.

"Not usually." Jason looked around. "Especially not here."

"You'll get used to it." Dick leaned back and looked up at the sky. "After a while, I think I started sleeping better on missions. Just felt like what I was supposed to be doing."

"I think it'll be a while until I get there."

"Well, the best way to handle excess energy is to burn it off." Dick smiled. "How about a sparring round?"

"Mmmm…" Jason looked toward the forest. "I've got a better idea." He bopped Dick on the forehead. "You're it." And he disappeared into the dark line of trees.

Dick hesitated, but with the roar of Wally's snoring still clear behind him, he took off after Jason.

-x-

He crept through firefly illuminated forest, and tried his best to follow Jason's trail. But, it wasn't long until he lost sight of it and he was forced to stop.

From up above, Dick heard a mischievous chuckle, and he turned just in time to see Jason fly at him from an upper branch. The younger man brought them both to the ground.

"You're not supposed to tag me!" Dick laughed.

"Yeah, but when I saw you standing there, I couldn't help myself." Jason had a proud smile. "I'm already getting better at the tree thing, aren't I?"

"Yeah…" Dick looked him in the eye. "You are." It was then he realized he was laying on top of Jason, but he didn't move.

Jason pushed Dick's hair from his face. "Well, you're a good teacher." He said quietly.

They stared at each other through a long silence.

Kiss him.

Dick closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to Jason's.

-x-

Wally thrashed back and forth, and groaned in his sleep until he his eyes shot open.

"Phew, just a bad dream." He closed his eyes and turned on his side. "Dick? I need snuggles…" But there was nothing. "Dick?" He turned over but the sleeping bag next to him was empty.

The forest.

A small distance off, Wally heard shuffling in the foliage. He pushed himself up and followed the sound. A few meters beyond their camp site, Wally could make out two bodies, one atop the other, kissing in the high grass.

-x-

Megan? It's time to wake up

Megan's eyes opened, but they were hollow.

The coast is clear. The voice whispered. It's time to move

Megan rose and marched away from the campsite without looking back.

Her bare feet bled as she absent mindedly walked through the forest, the voice acting as her guide.

-x-

"We've found em'!" One of the guards yelled at Psimon. "Why aren't we moving in?"

Psimon smiled. "Because, Seraphina wants to get out of that mountain as much as we want her out. So, all we have to do is wait nearby and-"

Megan broke from the trees and stood in the middle of Psimon's campsite.

"-she'll do the rest for us."

-x-