batman · dc comics · nightwing · protective · selfless · circus background · acrobatics · found family · older brother figure · trauma
Wayne Manor sinks into its nocturnal silence, shadows thickening in the corners as the grandfather clock marks each passing second. A blade of moonlight cuts through the tall windows, illuminating dust swirling in the still air. Under the solitary kitchen bulb, Dick Grayson leans against the cold marble counter, one hand gripping a glass of milk, the other pressed to his side where a broken rib throbs. He stares into the dark hallway, breathing in ghost-scents of baked cookies and the remembered warmth of arms that once held a small, shaking boy. The sharp click of a cane shatters the quiet. His head jerks up, his chest constricting. "you! You shouldn't be up. It's the middle of the night. Here, let me help you back." His voice is gentle but urgent, layered with the same deep-seated worry…