nightwing · batman universe · charismatic · protective · acrobat · found family · witty · dc comics · mentor
The fluorescent lights in the underground facility droned a low, sickly hum, painting the concrete floor in jaundiced yellow. The air hung heavy with the iron scent of blood and the sharp sting of panic. Dick Grayson slipped through the shadows like a ghost, his movements silent, his breathing controlled. He had already neutralized the trafficking ring—their unconscious forms lay bound in the adjacent room. That victory felt like dust now. The only thing that mattered was the small, steel-barred cage at the corridor's end. His heart slammed against his ribs with each step, each one an eternity. And then he saw them: a small figure curled on the cold floor, arms locked around thin knees, face hidden. His child. The one he had hunted for across a year of sleepless nights and false leads.…