Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Jason stared down at the deer carefully making their way through the woods. He perched himself up on a tree, hand holding the trunk as he just watched. There were two bucks, 3 does, and a faun littered about in various places about the trees. His eyes focused on the bucks, heart hammering, as everything else faded out into nothing. One of the bucks tensed looking around as if sensing the predator near them. Too bad, just like with Gotham's goons, they never look up.

Jason pounced, quickly wrapping himself around one of the bucks and plunging his little stone knife into the neck to keep hold. He wasted no time in wrapping his arms around the buck and using his newfound strength to crush the windpipe and snap the upper section of the spine killing the deer. He launched himself off the corpse with barely any lost time, whipping a stone spear from where it was tied to his back, and throwing it as hard as he could at the second buck before it could get away. It hit its mark, impaling it to a tree where it writhed but could not get free. Jason sighed, letting the rest escape, as he grabbed his knife from the first buck. He had no intention of killing the doe or the fawn, even if he did need more than what should be humanly possible. The two he got were plenty enough.

"Look at you." Jason lulled softly as he carefully grabbed the still-living buck by the head, clutching his little knife in a firm grip. "Such a pretty man, aren't you? Gorgeous rack and everything." Jason couldn't help but laugh at himself. He was never one who got into hunting for sport. However, Damian did teach him how to appreciate the beauty of nature and to never let a single one of Earth's gifts go to waste. Jason was never one to care before Damian, and even then he wasn't one to cry over this. He wasn't a hunter for sport but he was a hunter out of necessity, and he never cried over a kill. Now though... since coming to this world, it was almost like Jason could feel the pain and panic in every creature, and he couldn't help but feel for it.

"I thank you for providing for me. I won't let your gifts go to waste." Jason whispered softly before sending the knife into the back of the deer's neck, sticking in the bone before twisting to separate the spinal cord, killing the deer. The blade shattered from the force of it all. It was a pretty rudimentary weapon but at least it did its job in the end.

Jason took a second to pull himself out of his mind, before yanking the spear from the deer's body and dragging it and the other one back into the woods. He had much to do now, after all.

Finding his little cabin wasn't hard. He instinctively knew where he set up, something in him drawn to come back with his spoils. It wasn't much, honestly. Jason intended to go out in search of better but after nearly downing an entire tree from just punching it the second day he was here, he decided it was probably not wise to be around people just yet.

The little hut was something Jason had found as he wandered the woods. It appeared to be some sort of an old hunter's shack, having several tools and weapons lying around in various levels of disrepair. The hut itself was practically in ruin. The roof was caved in. A few walls were either falling down completely or had holes in them. The cloth bedspread that was laid in the corner had a literal body pretty eaten up by that point so it was hard to determine what exactly killed the hunter but... Honestly, the first thing Jason did was set up a fire pit and burn the body.

He went through everything, sorting out what was usable, what could be turned into something else, or what needed to be disposed of. The bed quickly went into the burn pile with the body. Jason wasn't risking it.

He took what clothes he could manage and altered them with whatever he could find just to get something that he could cover himself up with but it wasn't much. He felt like a gender-bend Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas with his patchwork leather and cloth garments. It wasn't even that he was too big. No... The hunter was actually BIGGER than his new body was. It was just that a lot of the clothes were decayed or damaged and therefore could not be used.

It took a while, but he managed to fix up the hut and turn it into a suitable place to live. He had no electricity, but he had fire and resources. And at the moment, that was all he needed. He had a roof over his head, clothes on his back, tools and weapons, and the skills to get food. He knew how to survive off of nothing with just a human body, and Jason was anything but human now. He knew that much at least.

Jason fell back into the dirty mattress he had fashioned together in a hodgepodge mess of leaf fiber, fur, and leather. It was long into the night now, having spent his time gutting and deboning his kills. He had the hides hung to tan and the bones were boiling over the fire.

He was tired. He usually was after eating now. Something about this new body he had had to get used to and plan for. Couldn't have him falling asleep when he needed to be alert after all. Little meals didn't cause much of a reaction but a proper meal and he was out for hours. Which did make all that much sense in the beginning since Jason didn't physically need to sleep often. He assumed it was like some sort of a sleep debt. He would get sleep after his meals but besides that, he could last several days without proper sleep. It's the same with eating too. He didn't need to eat all that often... wasn't hungry enough to warrant it. But the longer he went without eating the larger the meal he would need when he finally did eat and the longer the nap he would end up taking after. Jason figured that until he had a better and safer place to properly live and thus sleep, it was better to have more frequent smaller meals than anything else.

He couldn't help but let his mind fall back into the weeks he had been there. It had been strange at first, getting re-accustomed to his new body... again. Sure, at least this time he had an idea how to go about it, having had to do the same after waking up from the Lazarus pit. But still, it wasn't exactly easy. He was used to being a tank of a man, having been taller than Bruce and just as jacked. He got used to fighting with that specific size and weight class.

Now his body was slim, more closely resembling Dick's figure than Bruce's. He was still tall but not as tall as before. If he had to guess he was taller than Dick still but no longer near Bruce's height. He was still pretty defined when it came to his muscles and figure, but he definitely wasn't going to be mistaken for a weight lifter anymore that was for sure. Then there was the hair...

Jason had been here for a while. He had long lost track of the days... the weeks... the months, even. When he first showed up, he had avoided really looking into anything reflective, not that there really was anything like that out in the woods. Just knowing his body's figure had changed, he hadn't wanted to see if there was anything else changed along with it. However, seeing as how Jason couldn't exactly cut his hair as he was, as time pushed forward Jason found himself more and more times pushing silvery strands out of his face. His hair had turned a startling silvery white, reminding him of the snow that was bound to arrive at some point. Despite its reminder of the white he had gotten from the pit, he decided to just let it be. He would rather look albino with his new white hair and now violet eyes than like someone took a hatchet to his head, since he only had the knives he created after his arrival.

Jason let out a puff of breath, making the hair falling into his face fall away again with a chuckle. He couldn't help but wonder how the others would react to his appearance now. He imagines they would be in shock before doubling over in laughter. That and Bruce would immediately want to do tests over what could have made all the melanin in his hair and eyes be stripped and if it would affect his health. Well, Jason didn't know about the melanin thing having an effect, but whatever the hell he was now definitely did.

Jason didn't get sick. Sure the Lazarus pit sure made things have a hell of a hard time actually making Jason sick. The Pit waters made it difficult to get drunk or for medicines to work. It was usually beneficial since that also meant that toxins and poisons really didn't work either but still... he was always the last one standing when it came to drinking having to put all the others to bed. Unless Roy was there... he didn't drink at all.

He didn't know how it was for him now, but he knew for a fact that he hadn't been sick once since his arrival. He heals faster than ever with the Lazarus waters as well, not that it was easy to injure him in the first place. His skin was a lot tougher than it probably should be considering his size. There was a mistake, Jason still hasn't gotten over, where he was practicing with his carved weapons. He hadn't seen the wolf when he tossed his axe, hitting it in the flank. It attacked, obviously, and bit down on Jason's arm, but when Jason had finally dislodged and killed it there was barely any damage. He was bleeding, yes, but his arm was hardly as mauled as it should have been. All that plus the tree during his second day, made it painfully obvious he wasn't human anymore.

He just wished he could figure out what exactly he was. Then again he really needed to know more about the world itself as well. He had pretty much hidden himself away until he could have better control over his strength, he had yet to find a single human. Or... Well... A living human. The dead hunter really doesn't count.

Jason sighed, letting his eyes close as he tried to re-focus his thoughts. He didn't need to worry about all that right now. Right now, he needed to figure out his next move. With winter on the way, there was too much he needed to do to survive it. He didn't have time to be drifting over his damn appearance and sudden meta-like abilities. It wasn't like Bruce was even there to freak out anyway so... Jason growled; a literal growl that vibrated deep in his gut with heat building in his chest. He let out a breath watching the smoke rise with a sad hum. That was enough thinking about that. Tomorrow, he was going to have to travel further than usual to see if he could find anything of use. Like a new pond or more animals... He had a long way to go before he could trust his survival in the winter.

Tomorrow... He'll travel farther tomorrow. Tonight he'll try to sleep.

Chapter Text

Jason wasn't entirely sure how long he had walked through the harsh shrubs and trees before stumbling upon the village. He knew it couldn't have been too long as the sun was still far in the sky but that didn't really mean much lately. He didn't tire as one would normally, and time easily slipped from his grasp without something to properly measure it. And with his new speed and ability on top of it, Jason could have put much distance between his little cabin and where he was now easily with hardly any time lost. All he really knew was he had gone east until the wind picked up the smell of people.

And wasn't that a surprise, in and of itself? Jason hadn't been paying attention, just walking forward following the internal compass that told him he was heading east until his mind stuttered to a hold. The air around him had felt warmer in a way that made his skin itch. No... not exactly that but... Something itched. It felt as if he had scales covering him in small patches that shuddered against his skin, tingling with nerves at the slightest change in the air. He had frozen, staring out into the wooded area before letting himself fall into the urge pressed against the back of his mind, and he sniffed the air. There was what Jason could only describe as a zing or zip of energy as his mind latched onto the smell around him. Sweat, dirt, oil... Jason could smell smoke in the air, blood pumping through veins... meat covered in the thick heavy scent of sweat and grime.

People...Something said in his head. The smell is people. Jason could feel something in him physically tighten, muscles tensing pulling at his back, and something coiling in his gut. People... a village...

Jason reacted quickly throwing himself up into the trees without a single leaf shaking as he moved. He was swift and silent following the scent in the air closer to the source. His ears twitched as he stopped, holding himself steady in a crouch while holding a branch. He could hear the sound of carts moving, wheels rolling over dirt and gravel. He could hear the sounds of feet against the ground, and feel the vibrations through the tree of every movement. But what really got him, was the energy in the air the familiar touch of magic that he could practically breathe in as if air itself. Magic... magic that Jason innately knew was the touch of life itself. He let his mind follow the path of magic, following with his own smoke and warmth until he could feel the surge of life around him. His fingers clenched making the branch creak under his grip, eyes widening as his vision seemed to focus and magnify through the very leaves, not quite x-ray vision but close enough to take Jason by surprise, revealing the very village Jason knew was just up ahead. It wasn't big at all but definitely full of life as people hurried about. Jason could tell just from appearance alone that this village, the very world maybe, was not at all modern. There wasn't a lick of technology anywhere from what he was allowed to see.

Jason would not fit in, that was for damn sure. He was not dressed appropriately to blend in, and that was forgetting his startling white hair and bright violet eyes. He needed something to cover himself up enough to hide in plain sight. Guess Jason was going to have to delve into old habits. Jason couldn't help but grin thinking of the little crime ally street rat that made a comfortable living as a thief before getting caught jacking the batmobile tires. It wasn't a good life but it was as sustainable as an orphan street kid could have, and Jason was nothing if not good at what he did.

Jason let himself fall out of the tree into a crouch before darting further towards the village. This close he had to be careful of any villagers that may or may not be out hunting for food or gathering herbs. He easily slipped past the reaching branches and thorny bushes before coming up on a small farm that was clearly placed at the outer edge of the village.

With no one around, it was hardly trouble at all towards where whoever lived there had hung up their clothes to dry. Jason grabbed himself an outfit, uncaring of whether there were male or female clothes, and quickly bolted to hide behind the house to avoid any possible eyes.

"Welp... at least I'll blend in clothes-wise." Jason hummed to himself softly, practically pealing his homemade attire off his skin. He wasted no time pulling on the large pants, using some rope he had found to makeshift a belt, before putting what was obviously a woman's blouse on. He ignored how the material was scratchy against his hardened skin, in favor of just getting himself covered. He glanced around seeing no one, before smelling the air just to make sure. It was hard, sifting through the overwhelming scents of people to even notice if there was any near him in the first place, before deciding to take the chance and slipping in through the window.

Jason at least had to give them this. They were efficient in what little space they had. The house was tiny and entirely filled up with tools and pelts. Homey for a small village single-family farm in what could very well be the middle freaking ages. Whoever lived here at least knew what they were doing.

Jason allowed himself a moment to breathe, taking in the smell of a long burnt-out wood smoke and herbs that he could see drying from the ceiling. He took in the soft comfortable air before forcing himself to move. He hated the idea of stealing from those who were obviously on the poorer side; Lower-class, peasant-level people who lived off the land and whatever they could earn from it. The problem was Jason didn't exactly have a choice in the matter. Not right now anyway, not when he literally had nothing and no way to pay them back. Maybe Jason could give them some leather and furs when he got back to his cabin.

Jason forced himself to put any possible guilt he might have had to the back of his mind, while he scavenged for whatever he could get. He couldn't take too long after all; he had no idea how long the owners would be gone.

Jason snagged some boots that were resting in the corner of the room, along with a leather bag and a grey hooded cloak. He tied the cloak around his neck, pulling the hood over far enough to shield his eyes before making his way back to the window, only to stop. There on a wooden dresser was a small leather pouch. Jason had played enough games with Tim and Roy to know what a coin pouch looked like. He snagged it and jumped out of the window before he could give himself the chance to regret it. He didn't have a choice. Right now, it was survival. Just like when he was on the streets.

He crouched back behind the house again, opening the pouch to check breath stuttering slightly as a bunch of small metal pieces and coins fell into his palm. it wasn't much. He had no idea what exactly the currency was, even looking at what was in the pouch. But even still, he could tell it wasn't much at all. From his Tim-gotten video game knowledge copper coins tended to be the lower rank in currency, and it would go up from there... copper, silver, gold coins, and so on. Jason didn't know what the non-coin bits were but if they were less than what Jason assumed was the copper coins then he really didn't have much at all. Jason let his head fall back against the wall as he carefully put the coin back into the bag. There was so much he was going to have to figure out about this world.

At least now with his hair and eyes hidden, he can actually go into the village. Now he just had to hope the many lessons from Bruce and Talia also worked in whatever time period this world was in. The last thing he needed was to be labeled a witch for some stupid inane reason.

Chapter Text

Walking into the tavern, Jason suddenly pulled at his hood wanting to block out the sudden onslaught. The scents and sounds slammed into his senses, pulling a whine from his lips as ash filled his throat. It was overpowering everything including the constant smell of fire and ash that's covered him since his arrival. It sent him spinning, his chest burning with a need to burrow and hide. He gritted his teeth, ignoring the heat stoaking in his gut, and found himself a seat in some faraway corner. If he was going to learn about this new world he needed to actually interact with said world instead of just hiding away. He could ignore his instincts. He NEEDED to ignore his instincts if he wanted to get anywhere.

The tavern was rowdy and loud, filled to the brim with humans getting drunk on whatever it was that they sold here. If Jason had to assume just based on what he had already seen, He wouldn't be surprised if it was Mead and Wine, maybe some Ale. Jason groaned, resting his head back against the chair trying to clear his spinning mind. He was getting hit with the culture shock already and honestly, Jason was pretty disappointed with himself. He prided himself on his ability to adapt. Hell, he thought he did damn well with living in the woods on nothing but what he found in the cabin. And yet sitting here, seeing the humans all dressed in their Skyrim-esque attire, drinking out of tankards and singing along with bards playing on a literal lute.

He should have taken Dickie up on his offer to join the Titans on their trip to that fucking Ren Faire. Jason still didn't know who it was that requested it. He just knew the whole team, past and new members, all went. Roy wouldn't shut up about how much fun he had in the archery tournament. Ended up coming back and demanding that he, Tim, and Jason did our own tournament. Jason had to admit, it was not only fun but using the bow again instead of his many guns was nice. Don't get him wrong, he loves his guns. If he had a choose which weapon to use and never use another weapon again, it would be guns. But even he had to admit that the feeling of how the bowstring felt as he pulled it back, the way his breath evened before letting the arrow fly was something unique.

Wait...

Jason paused for a second letting everything come to a stop as he looked around again at all the patrons around him. This was some Middle Earth-type time period; Merlin or Game of Thrones-type shit. There was no way they had guns here.

"Fuck..." Jason whispered to himself, eyeing the many swords and daggers countless men and women had around the tavern. This really was the Middle Ages. Medieval period bullshit. How exactly was he supposed to 'Thrive and Be Happy" in a world so far from modern times... Hmm, Death? "Forget it. At least be happy you're alive at all."

"Greetings Traveler." Jason's eyes shifted slightly, appearing more cat-like, as he finally registered the woman standing beside him in the stereotypical 'Tavern wench' attire he would see in all those video games. Jason noticed right away that there was a dagger strapped to her thigh and he couldn't help but smile.

"Is it that obvious?" Jason forced his voice to lose its fire crackle-like rasp it had since his arrival, making it sound softer and sweeter in a more pleasant and homey tone. Jason had noticed his range had changed his vocal cords were now able to do more than he had before. To the point where Jason was damn sure it was some sort of magic bullshit, after all... If Jason wanted to he could sound like a woman easily and no one would tell the difference and Jason had never been able to do that before. Dick and Tim yes, without issue, but never Jason. This time, however, Jason just softened his tone not wanting to scare the woman with how growly his voice can usually sound.

"When you see the amount of Adventurers as I do, you learn the type. Besides, Honeygrove is a small little village and I've never seen you around before." Jason tilted his head in acknowledgment, eyes passing about the place in watch. "So, what will you be having, hmm?"

"Whatever you recommend," Jason replied easily giving the other a small smile. "And whatever meat you can snag for me." The woman nodded, quickly leaving to go about her job. Jason felt the buzz in his skin, his eyes instantly darting over to meet the sharp gaze from across the room. A large man with a pretty large sword sat hunched over in a chair glaring Jason down as if he were some sort of pest. Jason could practically taste the animosity oozing off the man and he couldn't help but smirk. He hasn't even been there a few minutes and already someone wants to fight him. Guess he must still have that 'Fight me' aura Tim said he had still, even while looking more like doll dick Grayson than the buff tank he used to be.

The man growled lowly, sparking unease in the room as the woman came back with his food. Jason didn't bother to even look over at her just staring endlessly at the asshole as he passed over the money. The woman quickly left again leaving Jason alone with his chicken and what smelled like some sort of spiced apple drink.

Ignoring the man for a while Jason focused on his eating. It wasn't much considering what he usually eats to sustain himself but it should work for now to at least keep him going. He was going to have to start meal planning as if he were some sort of Speedster on Hyperdrive at this point.

The food was good, Jason could give them that. Given the time period and the lack of modern-day kitchen tools. Still, Jason enjoyed it. It was better than the campfire cook dear meat he had grown accustomed to since his arrival. Jason happily washed it all down with the spiced apple mead, purring at the burst of sweet apple and spices that filled his mouth. Okay, it was official, Jason was going to have to learn how to make mead. Jason paused for a bit, lost in thought. He couldn't help but wonder if there was coffee or tea... and if not could he introduce it into the culture. There was no way he was going to survive forever he couldn't have his tea. He was surprised he made it thus far without it.

"Excuse me, Miss?" Jason waved over to the woman who had taken his order before, giving her a bright smile as he held up his cup. "Do you mind getting me some more? Seems I rather enjoy this." Her laughter was light as she called over with a 'sure thing' before finishing up what she was doing to get right to it.

Jason could still feel the angry gaze of the one man, as he turned back to his meal. He had to think of how he was going to go about it. Given the adamant buzz he could feel in the air, he could tell it was only a matter of time before the man reacted. He wasn't entirely sure what exactly he was doing that angered the man so much but if he could get something off of the confrontation he wouldn't turn down a fight. The problem was he didn't have a weapon. He hadn't stolen any when he had taken the clothes and he didn't bring any of his hand-crafted ones given that they were mostly shitty knives and spears for hunting.

He didn't have anything to go against a human and Jason was certain that if he were to fight them with just his hands he would get questions he didn't want. He needed to get himself a weapon sooner than later but he had nothing worth trading for anything decent enough quality. His eyes darted from person to person, tagging weapons and blades and cataloging them for reference. If he could get his hands on one then there wouldn't be a problem. It might even be for the best anyway. He still wasn't perfect at controlling his strength. He might be able to focus better with a blade in his hand rather than with just his fists. He didn't want to kill anyone after all.

"Here you go." Jason lit up smelling the sweet spicey drink as he quickly took it from the woman's hands.

"Thank you so much, Doll. I appreciate it." His voice came out a purr, making the woman's eyes widen a bit. She smiled, turning to leave, before there was suddenly a crash making everything go silent. Jason frowned hearing the steady beats of several hearts and one practically jackrabbiting with rage. He let out a huff, heat stoaking in his chest, as he turned to see the man who had been glaring at him now standing over a broken table, sword in hand. "Guess that was it then." The woman glanced between the two before Jason gave her an apologetic smile. "I apologize in advance. I'm afraid your establishment is about to get a bit more rowdy."

"HEY! FUCKER!" Jason groaned, ignoring the man for as long as he could to focus on his mead, and feeling the alcohol further the burning fire in his gut. He knew it would only aggravate the man more, and considering he could literally hear the man grinding his teeth, he assumed himself correct. "That fucking..." Jason waited, hearing every step, feeling the air move with every second. He could see in his mind how the man inched closer, his grip on his sword tightening. Jason watched, without ever turning around to see, how the man stopped just behind him, lifting his sword before swinging down. Jason moved, taking his now empty cup, and slamming it into the man's head as he dodged away from the blade.

"Fuck!" The man stumbled, blood dripping from all the jagged pieces cut into his forehead. "You Fucker!"

"Do you know any other word?" Jason mumbled more to himself than anything, feeling the air charge with the coming of combat. He could feel the vibrations in the ground, sensing every movement, as another tensed to move.

One second... The main douce stood back up with a growl.
Two seconds... The man lashed out causing Jason to slide left to avoid the swing.
Three seconds... and... There!

The next man moved, the sound of a sword sliding out of leather, causing Jason's ears to twitch, and suddenly it was an all-out brawl. It didn't really take much from Jason's experience. Once a fight gets going many will join in if not all. A lot of people tend to be itching for a fight. Jason was going to use this to his advantage and take whatever he could manage from the fray. Cups and plates went flying as the sounds of fighting filled the air. Jason couldn't help but breathe in the pure energy and grin with vicious satisfaction. He did love a good fight.

"Hang on, Doll." Jason called as he grabbed the woman, quickly moving her away as a large man was thrown at a table. "You ok?" She simply nodded, letting Jason maneuver her around to avoid the more aggressive of the bunch. "Good." Jason smiled letting his hand slowly trail down her thigh. He could see the clear warning in her eyes as he just laughed and grabbed the dagger she had strapped there. He clocked the moment she realized what he was doing. "Don't worry, Doll. I simply need to borrow this is all."

Jason wasted no time running back into the fray slashing at anyone who dared to get to close to him. One hand held tight to the dagger, cutting at arms and sides, as his other hand slipped into bags and pockets getting whatever he could manage. There was a beat and suddenly Jason jumped back to avoid the familiar large sword that was once again coming for his head.

"You really don't like me do you?" Jason teased as he quickly slit the leather of a nearby scabbard, claiming the short sword as his own in a matter of seconds. He held the sword at the man seeing the flame in the other's eyes, tilting his head in confusion. "Seems odd since I don't think I know you."

"Pathetic outsider..." Jason's eyes darkened hearing the hate in the man's tone.

"Surely you're not this mean to all travelers, are you?" The man simply snarled, trying for another attack, forcing Jason to dance around the many men and women going at it around them. Luckily, Jason was able to see where everyone was, and sense their movement, so moving around them wasn't too difficult for him. For the man, however... he tripped up many times resulting in Jason catching him just enough on his close for his pants to fall. They caught at the man's knees making him slam against a table with a groan. "Maybe now you'll learn to calm down, hmm?"

"RAYUS!" Jason sighed, shifting to the right as an arrow suddenly embedded itself into the wall beside him. Jason stared at it a bit before nodding to himself. He grabbed the bag of the asshole still groaning on the floor before bolting into the crowd.

"Time to go, Jason." Jason mumbled to himself, quickly running into the back ignoring the angry shouts that followed him, before throwing himself outside. "This was fun..." He called back dodging yet another arrow. "But I think it's time to go! BYE!" Jason slipped into the woods, jumping up into the nearest tree and using the momentum to throw himself endlessly forward without the slightest sound, until Jason felt he was far enough away.

"What the fuck?" Jason laughed, letting himself fall from the tree with a bright grin. "Ok, maybe it'll be at least a little fun here if fights are going to be like that." Jason glanced at the things he managed to steal with a sigh. "Ok... let's get back to the cabin and figure out the next move." Jason winced remembering he was still had both the short sword and the dagger he had grabbed from the woman. "Shit, maybe I should give them a few days to cool down before going back. I could see if I have anything I can trade..." Jason stopped in his tracks, slowly looking up at the sky as everything hit him at once. This was his life now. It wasn't a vacation or a mission that once ended he could return home to. This was his home now. Living the way he was at the moment wasn't sustainable. "Ok... Ok, I'll figure it out." Jason forced a breath through his teeth as he clenched his hands tight. "I'll figure it out. Death said this was a world I could thrive in... so... Thrive I'll do."