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downthe-f4ndom-rabbith0le · 5 months ago

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Always Been You (Dick Grayson x Reader) - Chapter 6

Always Been You (Dick Grayson x Reader) Reader Insert: she/her pronouns Word Count: 2946 Warnings: death, violence, fighting, bloody wounds, angst, infuriatingly oblivious love interest, slowburn Spoilers: Young Justice Seasons 1-3 plot partially, but it ended in 2022 so catch up.

Y/N Prince - miracle daughter of Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor - and Dick Grayson - first adoptive son of the Batman himself - have been best friends since day one. They went to school together, trained together, kept each other's alter ego secret from everyone else, and they founded the Young Justice alongside their friends together.

But as time progressed, Y/N and Dick grew up and Y/N found herself wanting more than friendship with Dick. But he never seemed to indicate that he reciprocated her feelings. And when Wally died and Dick abandoned the team, Y/N realised he never would. So she heads to the one place she knows will help her become a stronger warrior so that one day she can take her mother's place: Themyscira.

Two years after his leave, Dick reaches out to his old friends to help him with a mission. But when he finds out Y/N left too, he chases after her in the hopes to bring her back.

However, when the two finally reunite, it isn't as warm as he hopes. Not to mention Themyscira becomes under siege as they go to war against Echidna, the Mother of Monsters in Greek Mythology, and her army of monstrous children.

Will Dick and Y/N be able to put their past behind them and save the Amazonians' homeland? Or will they fall, unable to tell one another their true feelings?

~~~

'...Starting tomorrow, we prepare for Echidna's war,' Queen Hippolyta announced to those in the War Chamber.

After Echidna's kraken attack, the Queen had called for an emergency meeting in the War Chamber to discuss matters. Generals and their lieutenants discussed the right protocols and procedures they would instruct their soldiers to carry out over the coming days. It was well past midnight now, but no one in the chamber looked as if sleep would come easily when they returned to their own chambers.

'For now, head back to bed. Hera knows we are going to need all of our energy to face what lies ahead.' Everyone simply bowed their heads in understanding and left the chamber. Except for Y/N.

She was staring intensely at the small sculptured map of the entire island - as if trying to commit every stair, every mountain, every grain of sand to memory - when a hand on her shoulder pulled her from her trance.

'You too, my dear,' Queen Hippolyta said gently. 'You have endured much tonight. Go. Rest.'

'What? No.' Y/N shook off her grandmother's hand and stood up tall, but she could not help rubbing her tired eyes as she strained to keep them open. 'We should be preparing now, Grandmother. Echidna will certainly not be resting before she tries to destroy all of Themyscira. I will not let her.'

'I know, dear child.' Queen Hippolyta gently cupped Y/N's face and turned her attention away from the map. 'But what good are soldiers if they do not rest? We have three days - there will be plenty of time for sleepless nights then. For now, I am telling you to rest.'

Y/N had to admit she was exhausted. She had been training all these months, but hadn't been in a real fight with real danger since she'd left the team. Her body was already starting to ache, and so she conceded. 'Is that an order from her Royal Highness?'

'It is an order from your grandmother,' the queen replied with a soft smile. She brought Y/N's forehead to her lips briefly before she finally let go. 'Rest. Our work begins tomorrow.'

Y/N nodded then headed for the War Chamber doors. Now that she'd acknowledged it, her exhaustion was now weighing on her eyes more heavily, and the thought of falling into her crisp linen bed sounded heavenly.

As soon as she opened the door to leave, however, she was met with, 'So what did you talk about?'

Dick Grayson didn't look an ounce tired as he pushed off from his place on the wall and sauntered up to her. Damn, had he waited there for three hours? It didn't matter. All that mattered was getting to her bed and he certainly wasn't going to stop her now.

'Nothing you need to worry yourself about,' Y/N deflected as she made her way down the corridor. She was hoping her stern tone would hint that she was in no mood to talk, but Dick Grayson was not one to read such obvious signs.

'What's that supposed to mean?' he asked, following swiftly after her. 'You woke up every general and their lieutenant to discuss what then? A new uniform?'

'If you want to make jokes about my people's future existence, then we definitely don't have anything to talk about,' Y/N bit back, increasing her pace as she turned around a corner.

'Then what did you guys talk about in there?' Dick insisted. Y/N had to give it to him, he was persistent. 'Look, I want to help. But how can I if you won't talk to me?'

'Just because you caught me tonight, does not mean I am obliged to answer your every question.'

'Catching you? I saved your life! Speaking of which, I think a "thank you" is at least the minimum you can say to me right now. Which, by the way, you're welcome for. But if you won't say it, then tell me why I can't possibly help you with this.'

'Because this doesn't concern you,' Y/N replied, reaching the spiral staircase that led up to floor of her chambers. She started her ascent as she continued. 'This isn't your war to fight. You weren't even meant to be here.'

'So what do I do then?' Dick asked, his tone offended as he still followed her up the stairs. 'Just jump on a sailing ship tomorrow and head back to Blüdhaven like none of this ever happened?'

'Oh, so that's where you've settled down. How noble of you.'

'I'm being serious, Y/N.' Dick grabbed Y/N's wrist with a grip tight enough to halt her charge, but loose enough to let her know she could escape any time. She had just reached the next floor when he did, leaving him two steps below her eyesight.

'So am I,' she hissed back, but her anger was superficial. Her bed was just down the corridor and Richard bloody Grayson was doing everything in his power to stop her from reaching it.

She tugged her wrist out of his grip and looked down at him with a glare so severe she hoped he would catch fire. 'Go home. To your life of freedom and abandonment, to the girl who undoubtedly is waiting for you in your disgusting apartment, to the team, I don't care! Just go.'

The pair stood looking at each for the longest time. The window beside the staircase entrance allowed the light of the full moon to shine onto Dick's flawless, sharp face. The pale light cast shadows under his eyes, hollowed his cheekbones. And for the first time since coming to the island, the cocky glint in his eyes wasn't there.

It was the most serious Y/N had ever seen him, even when they were both on the same team together doing the most craziest and dangerous missions that either of them could've died on.

He was telling her the truth, and that one fact made her soften her glare.

'Why do you hate me so much?' he asked, his voice cracking slightly as if he were on the verge of tears.

This took Y/N aback.

Hate. She'd never used the word in association with Dick. Even when he left, even when he never came back, even when he never spared her another thought or word. She wanted to slap him, tell him he was stupid because how could she ever hate him after she'd spent so much time feeling the very opposite for him?

Y/N didn't hate Dick Grayson, but she couldn't forgive him for what he'd done either.

'You left me,' she finally said, voice low so as not to release all her emotions at once. 'You left all of us behind as if we were nothing. As if we weren't family. You left when we - when I needed you the most. What? Did you expect me to just be waiting for you when you decided to come back? Were you ever going to come back, Dick? Well?'

He had no reply, only a face expressing a full range of emotions. Shock, sadness, guilt, shame.

The last one gave Y/N her answer.

It wasn't until Dick reached for her cheek that Y/N realised she was crying. She was too shocked to bat away his hand as he wiped her cheek gently, smoothing away her tears. Despite the cold night, his hand was warm, and in her moment of weakness, Y/N allowed her eyes to close for just a moment and lean into his touch.

Once or twice she'd dreamed of a moment like this, where Dick would hold her as if she were the most precious thing in the world. But that's all it was, a dream.

Remembering herself, Y/N pulled away from Dick's hand and hastily wiped her tears. His hand hung in the air for a moment longer before letting it fall to his side in defeat.

'I should go rest,' Y/N said after an eternity of silence. 'We start preparations and training at dawn. I will make sure someone sets you on your way early tomorrow. It will be as if you never had come to Themyscira.'

'But I will remember,' Dick said gently. 'I will know what is happening.'

Y/N nodded in agreement. 'But it is not your war to fight.'

Dick stared at her, the blues in his eyes swirling like tumultuous waves as if battling with himself. Eventually he nodded and took a step down.

'We both leave at dawn, then?' he asked.

'So it would seem,' Y/N answered.

'And I will never see you again?'

Y/N hadn't contemplated this, but now that it was out there, there indeed was a high chance that they would never see each other again. Not only him, but the rest of the team, her mother.

Y/N swallowed the lump in her throat and said, 'It is a sacrifice every warrior offers up before every battle.'

It wasn't a straight answer, but it was enough for Dick it seemed as he said, 'Then I wish you the best of luck, Princess.'

Y/N didn't like how distant he sounded when he used her title. It wasn't him, it wasn't her. All of it was wrong, but had it not been herself that insisted he call her by such? To put distance between them? To communicate her anger with him, and make it clear that she wanted nothing to do with him ever again?

She'd dug her own grave, and so now she must lay in it.

'You too, Nightwing,' she managed to get out, and then Dick was descending, leaving Y/N alone with her jumbled thoughts and emotions on the stairs. She'd been exhausted before, but now she was wide awake.

Y/n stayed at the top of the stairs well after Dick's footsteps stopped echoing, unable to move over the threshold of the past into the future. She'd just unofficially said goodbye to her best friend and the love of her life. So much was left unsaid - maybe for the best, or possibly it would be her biggest regrets if she didn't make it through this war.

Y/N finally managed to pull herself away from the staircase at that thought. I must rest now, she told herself as she finally made it to her chambers. Tomorrow, I have a war to try and win.

~~~

T minus three days until Echidna's War

Y/N doesn't remember when she fell asleep, but she does remember taking a long time to do so after her conversation with Dick. All that had been said - all that hadn't been said - had left her tossing and turning for a long time after she slipped into her linen bed.

However, she was very much awake the moment she felt warm sun rays bathe her skin.

Her eyes flew open as realisation shocked her into action. I'm late! Y/N looked out the window briefly and saw the sun high in the sky; it was well and truly past dawn.

Faster than she'd ever done before, Y/N dressed in her warrior uniform, grabbed her sword that she always had on hand in case of an emergency, and sprinted through the palace and down to the training grounds.

The other women were never going to let her live this down if they were to survive Echidna's war, but they were not going to survive by sleeping in. It only appeared to be early morning, but the warriors would've been working for a solid few hours by now. Precious hours that Y/N had wasted sleeping in, instead of training or making blockades or literally doing anything more helpful.

By the time she reached the training grounds, she was the most out of breath she'd ever been in her life. Y/N quickly spotted Calliope supervising a group of young warriors as they practised using monster nets against some wooden dummies.

'Well look who finally decided to wake from their beauty sleep,' Calliope said with a smirk as Y/N approached her.

'I slept pretty bad last night,' Y/N explained. 'And no one came to wake me up. Where is the group I'm meant to be taking?'

Still smirking, Calliope pointed to a large crowd seemingly gathered around one person. Whoever it was, they had to be interesting, as women and young girls were enamoured with whoever was talking.

'Who is that?' Y/N asked, unable to see the instructor through the thick crowd.

'The reason you slept bad last night,' Calliope answered smoothly, and Y/N felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment and shock.

Not wanting to be teased any further, Y/N staunched over to the crowd and forced the women to part so she could reach the front of the crowd. And there in the centre on the ground, pointing at seemingly random points on a map of Themyscira, was Dick Grayson.

'...Now we don't know specifically what Echidna is going to throw at us,' Dick said to the group, 'but my guess is she is going to send big and small creatures alike. With the small creatures, I suggest setting up traps here, here, and here where the passages are narrow and there is only one way out. We'll lure them into the passageway and then take them out from above.'

'What if they can fly?' one soldier asked.

'Then we lure them to places like the caverns on the east side of the island. Or we make nets to secure the creature's exits out over the passages that have no roofs. Let's go scout those areas today and start setting up what we need weapons and equipment wise there. Any questions?'

'I do,' Y/N found herself saying, finally drawing everyone's - including Dick's - attention to her arrival. 'What do you think you're doing?'

Dick stood up and made to step towards her. 'Y/N, I-'

'Give us a minute,' Y/N directed at the crowd, and they all quickly dispersed at her stern tone. When everyone had either started their own conversations or started sparring to kill the time, Y/N finally addressed Dick.

'What in the name of Hera do you think you're doing ordering my soldiers around?' she seethed, though she was more angry at herself still than him. 'I thought I told you to go home. You're meant to be on a ship sailing back to Blüdhaven by now.'

'I was,' Dick agreed, and that seriousness from last night returned to his stupidly beautiful face once more. It made him look older, wiser. He still looked good, much to Y/N's chagrin. 'But what you said last night got me thinking that... that maybe I need to stay.'

'What?' Y/N couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was he mad? 'Dick, this isn't some silly little mission to complete. We are preparing for war.'

'I know that,' he insisted. 'But... all I've done since Wally's death is run away. It's true; I left the team, I abandoned you - all because I was too scared to try and be brave. Brave... like you.'

Y/N was too shocked to respond, so Dick continued.

'You may hate me, Y/N,' he said, and the look in his eyes surprisingly pained her, 'but I want to stay, I want to help.'

'If you're doing this to make yourself feel better, then you can just leave now-'

'I'm not, Y/N,' Dick interrupted her, now looking into her eyes with such sincerity she knew he was telling the truth. 'I'm doing this because it is the right thing to do. I also just can't accept that I will never see you again. You're too important to me, to the world, to leave behind.'

Y/N's breath hitched as Dick took a step closer to her, never once breaking eye contact. 'I won't abandon you. Never again.'

Those words alone almost broke her facade of cool and uncaring. He meant it. He truly meant it. If he had not just said the words, she would've seen it in his eyes for it was there - the same sentiment.

He would not leave her. Regardless of Themyscira's fate, he would not leave her.

Her Dick Grayson was back.

She regathered her composure by taking a small step away from him. He might be back, but Dick would have to prove himself still if he wanted her back in any capacity.

'Just because I was late, that doesn't mean you take over my training,' she muttered grumpily.

Dick chuckled. 'I didn't steal them. I spoke with Queen Hippolyta herself. She thought it would be a wonderful idea if I stayed to help.'

Y/N sighed in defeat. 'Of course she did,' she muttered. She made a mental note to have a word with her grandmother later about this.

For now, she - and now Dick, it seemed - had a training to conduct.

She spun around to the slightly dispersed crowd of warriors and called out, 'All right. Everyone, grab what you need for the scout today. Half of you will go with Nightwing here to the East Caverns and map out our traps there. The rest of you will come with me to the Northern Passages between the mountains. We leave in ten minutes.'

'Yes, Princess!'

'Well, then, Nightwing,' Y/N said as the group dispersed again to gather their equipment, 'are you ready to go win a war?'

Dick flashed her his signature smile, though his eyes had a renewed sparkle and Y/N wondered if it possibly was because of her.

'Always, Princess.'

'Don't call me that.'

'Oh, but I insist, Princess.'

'One more remark and I'll order the warriors to set you up as bait for the monsters.'

'Whatever you say... Princess.'

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serafilms · 1 year ago

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song 69! loser of the year (simple plan) + dick grayson requested by @celamoon (2023 spotify wrapped event) (this works so perfectly holy shit?? also hi cressie ilysm i’m such a big fan)

you make me wanna shut it all down, throw it all away, ‘cause i’m nothing if i don’t have you

Dick Grayson has no shortage of blessings.

He wakes up every day with a full head of silky hair, skin glowing and a bank account fuller than that house on Full House. He has a great job (that he doesn’t even need. Thanks, Bruce) and great friends, old ladies love him and even his smile has been known to make a few people faint.

He’s a celebrity. His life is great. He’s on top of the world.

So why is he still staring at his phone, waiting for the screen to light up?

Because of you. You, his good friend of three years and silly little crush of one.

Yesterday, his life was perfect. He’d met up with you in the city because you’d promised to help him get his new tux for the next gala. He’d made a few jokes and got to see your smile, and got to meet a few fans on the street. Then, when the two of you were sat in a coffee shop, he looked over at you and his heart stopped.

The sunlight was caught perfectly on your face, lighting up your eyes and bouncing off your hair and god, he was so down bad.

Well, no time like the present, he’d thought.

The conversation lasted about one excruciating minute, before you were throwing a few bills on the table, giving him an apologetic look and walking out the door.

“I’m in love with you,” he’d said.

“I need to think about it,” you’d replied.

His world has slowly been crumbling ever since.

Yeah, his hair and skin are still perfect, his bank account is still loaded and everything else in his life is totally fine, but none of it seems as useful anymore.

His phone buzzes and Dick lunges for it.

Jason: hey

Jason: when r u coming for the gala

Jason: damian’s extra homidical today

He frowns down at the screen. That doesn’t seem good. He shoots back a quick idk and promptly mutes the conversation so he isn’t baited again.

He’s alone with his thoughts for long enough to start thinking about his next move. Dick is starting to think you’ll never give him an answer, and you’re just ghosting him now to avoid rejecting him. Therefore, the obvious solution would be to move far, far away from Gotham. Nightwing will just have to relocate. The Bats will be fine without him.

Maybe Hawaii? No, still too close. Somewhere in Europe, maybe? Or is that too high profile a place for a celebrity? Australia seems nice. The sun would be good for his tan. He could live in a little house by the beach. Learn to surf. A simple life.

Without you, he doesn’t think he has much need for any luxuries. He’d give it all up for you if you wanted, he’d give it all up if he didn’t get you anyway. He’s nothing without you. Money or not, he’s a total loser.

There’s an incessant knocking on his door and he groans.

“Oh, come on, Jason! Did you really need to come to my apartment to drag me out?”

He makes his way to the door and throws it open, preparing to see the face of his annoying younger brother. His scowl drops instantly.

You’re standing there, all dressed up, a bouquet in your hands.

“Hi,” you say, smiling shyly, “I was wondering if you might need a date to the gala.”

Dick grins, grabs you by the waist, and pulls you in for a kiss.

He guesses he won this time.

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dark-night-hero · 5 months ago

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We're just friends with Richard Grayson (twt ver.)

[ⓒdark-night-hero] 2024° ;D

#dark night hero #dcu smau #dc smau #richard grayson #dick smau #dick grayson imagine #dick grayson #dick grayson x reader #dick grayson smau #dick grayson x you #dick grayson x y/n #nightwing x reader #nightwing imagines #nightwing smau #dc imagine

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thenyoumightaswellwrestleangels · 20 days ago

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And you were trapped in this curse (before you ever even knew)

Day 5 of The Long Halloween - event masterlist here

pairing: dick grayson x reader (gender neutral)

length: 8.3k

genre: horror, fluff, hurt/comfort

warnings: mermaid dick grayson, witch reader, talk of burning at the stake like one time vaguely, reader almost drowns once

a/n: the trapdoor works bc it's magic and that's the only thing we need to know ok ?? anywaaay here's the one we've been waiting for here's the one we're excited for

"Just one more thing," the mariner says as he tosses the keys to you, watching as you catch them and glance towards the boat that you've just bought. "Don't go in the water."

"Yes," you respond bluntly, watching as your new houseboat bobs and rocks in the waves and tugs at the ropes securing it to the wooden dock. It's a mass of tangled cords weaving through the darkness, and you thumb the keys in your hand as you look back to the mariner. "I know… I've heard."

"Good," he nods firmly, spinning on his heel and beginning to walk away, toward the endless labyrinth of shipping containers and dockworkers and boats pulling in and out of the harbour. "Make sure you keep it in mind. Don't go in the water… for anything."

You watch as he walks away, slipping into the mess of the docks and vanishing from sight, leaving you alone to climb up onto the plank and into your boat - into your new home. It's dark inside, of course, old and musty and crumbling. But it's tucked away in an inconspicuous corner of the docks, away from the city and the police and the witch hunters who walk the winding streets of Gotham. It's safe, or as safe as you can be, practicing the illegal arts.

A larger wave crashes against the side of the boat and you sway on your feet as the wooden vessel rocks and groans with the movement, the water beating against the sides constantly - as if it's alive, as if it's trying to pull you further under. You know the stories told about the Gotham Harbour - you were warned when you fled to this place.

"Don't go in the water." people say. "There's something out there."

You'd asked around, of course, poked and prodded and peeled back layers of the tall tales that were spun in the darkness of the docks. You're not afraid of it - not the way that the others are. You're a creature of the night, yourself, of course, and things that move in the shadows don't scare you too much these days. It's humans who do the scaring, with their threats and their leering and their witchhunts.

They were small stories, at first - silly little anecdotes that the workers used to tell when their ships pulled into the docks. They would claim to have seen something moving in the water - glimpses of a shimmering, shining, fish-like tail seen out of the corner of their eyes and the faint sounds of a song sung through the fog, tempting and alluring, buzzed through their ears.

But they were harmless - just little stories the sailors would tell for fun to keep one another awake at night while they worked. They were all so sure that it was just tricks of the night and the mist… at first.

But then the casualties started. Sailors began to go missing from ships as they pulled into the harbour and some of them began to swear that they would watch their friends just walk right off the edge of the ship, stumbling and lurching like they were being pulled by something invisible.

"There's something out there," they'd swear. "And it's after us."

But nothing could be proved, of course, and none of the workers hauling illegal magical goods in and out of Gotham by the shadows of night wanted to be caught, so no one went to the authorities. And people just kept… disappearing.

And over time, naturally, the stories began to grow. The size of the tale began to double, then triple, until the tales told of a huge, serpent-like, scaled appendage that had the strength to crack the hull of a ship with one swipe. For some of the smaller vessels, the huge tail would wrap around the body of the ship, snapping it in half and dragging it to the bottom.

It glowed, they said, bioluminescent blues and greens and violets lighting up the water, a shimmering, shining beacon of death moving silently through the blackened depths.

But, you think pointedly as your boat rocks and sways and you swing the door open to let the sea breeze fill the stale interior. It's all speculation - some twisted story to justify the ships that suddenly began to go missing, some kind of hallucination that the survivors spun in the wake of trauma.

As you walk back outside to lean against the railing of the boat and peer into the murky depths of the harbour, you remember what the mariner had said to you when you bought the boat, watching as you'd counted out bills in front of him, both of you insisting on a cash-only transaction.

"The ships still come in and out," he'd said lowly, his arms crossed as he stared out towards the rolling waves. "But folks are getting antsy - scared. Some of the buyers want their shit moved other ways. You know, coming through the city on trucks instead."

"And does that work?" you'd asked absently, stacking money neatly as you half listened.

"Not really," he'd admitted. "It's all still taken to the docks, and… well, you know."

As the boat rocks and you shake your head in an attempt to rid yourself of the conversation, you can't help but let the mariner's words spin around your mind just a bit more. You can't help but picture it in your head - dockworkers, moving through the thick fog that filters through the night, wandering off the wooden edge and into the water like those sailors, pulled and pulled and tugged under by something monstrous.

Droplets of rain begin to fall from the darkened, thunderous sky and you shiver as you stare down into the water for a moment before crouching. Slowly, carefully, you stick your arm through the railing of your boat and let your fingers dip just below the surface, feeling the icy waters for a moment before pulling back and inspecting your hand.

"Don't go in the water," people had said. "There's something wrong with it. There's something cursed about it." You hum in thought as you try to rub warmth back into your fingers, the freezing sensation from the water sticking to you and travelling up your arm as the rain begins to fall steadily.

You've heard the stories, you know what Gotham is - a festering breeding ground for illegal magic, with its waters serving as a dumping ground for the pollution that comes with it. Years of it have turned the harbour into a magical chemical wasteland, and you shudder as the coldness seeps further into your skin and begins to turn your fingertips blue.

"Don't go in the water," people had said, lest you find yourself developing a glowing blue-green tinge and struggling to breathe in air above water - lest you freeze over and stumble back in and fall down into the depths.

Don't go in the water - it will never let you out.

Below the surface of the water, two milky blue eyes stare forward - stare at you. Afternoon rolls into night and days roll into weeks and he watches, lets his tail swish through the water, sending waves crashing against the side of your boat. The vial that you'd been dipping into the water slips from your grasp and into the depths below. But you just sigh, mostly unbothered, before filling a second vial with the murky, darkened substance.

You're not like the others, he finds - you're not scared of him the way that the others are. You're curious, instead, and it's a curiosity that he finds himself mirroring throughout the days, watching you as you study the water, filling vials upon vials with it and bringing it into your little floating home.

But there is, he realizes over time, still a fear in you. As he haunts the waters underneath your boat, he sees the way you shrink away from the dockworkers - the way you back away from the lights and noises of the city and keep to the relative safety of your boat. He sees your fear and recognizes it - sees it the way that he sees his own.

He knows, somewhere deep and intrinsic, that you're hiding from the same world that he is. And that curiosity in him becomes bravery as he watches you dip that second vial into the water and he sees your fingers, once tinged blue-green and frozen from the polluted waters. They look healthy now, warm and nimble as they pop the cap onto the vial. He stares, as much as he can with his milky, clouded eyes, down towards his own hands and wonders, ever so hopefully, if you can help him, too.

So he watches. And you, in turn, watch back. You begin seeing it, every now and then and out of the corner of your eye - glimpses of a large, powerful, scaled tail. Flashes of that glowing blue-green hue. Whispers of a song over the breeze. And that curiosity that he's become so fond of as he circles your boat in the darkness of night, trying his best to watch you - he finds that curiosity mirrored as you lean over the railing, eyeing him through the rippling waves.

It's late one night, the moon hanging low in the darkened sky as the waves roll through the harbour, when he swims idly through the waters underneath your boat. He wonders, ever so curiously, if all people like you are so clumsy as you drop a vial you'd been working with, the dropper in your hand falling into the waters below and sinking towards the bottom. You sigh, a long-suffering sort of thing as you grip onto the railing and try to balance with the boat's swaying and rocking.

You're standing slowly, your hand still wrapped tightly around the wooden rail when something crashes out of the water towards you. You lurch back a bit, your feet unsteady on the damp wood, but a strong arm wraps around your waist and keeps you upright while you stare at the being in front of you.

The creature haunting the Gotham Harbour, the monster of the deep, the serpent stalking the waters and pulling sailors to their deaths. Here he towers before you, his arm retracting away from you so that he can prop himself up on the railing of your boat and let his lengthy, scaled tail swish through the water beneath him.

You slip towards him as the force of him - as the weight of his enormous finned tail tips the boat ever so slightly and brings you closer to him. He looks down at you, leaning forward with his human torso as his eyes, milky and blurred, stare down and you grip onto the railing between the two of you in an effort to keep yourself upright.

When your knuckles brush against the jagged scales, though, an intricate pattern of blues and greens and violets scraping against your skin, he hisses and bares sharped, razor-like canines at you.

But you just blink, tipping your head back to look up at him - at his eyes and the white swirls clouding them over. Because you know what it looks like when magic rots you from the inside, when it eats away at you and turns you into something nightmarish. And you've been studying this water - you know of the pollution and the poisoning and the horrors that it causes.

So you reach, out of instinct perhaps, towards him. You reach as your eyes sweep over his hair, bluish-black and dripping, over the water droplets that run down his abs and towards the gills covering his ribs, twitching and fluttering and struggling. You reach, and you're not all too surprised when he hisses again and lurches away from you.

But he reaches a cold, wet hand towards you instead of fleeing further and all but throws something at your chest, making you stumble back with a huffed breath and grab it before it falls. And it's the vial, you realize numbly as you stare down at it in your hands - the one that you'd dropped. His claws, you notice slowly, have hit you, too - ripping through your shirt just a bit and prompting little trails of blood to ooze out, darkened by the blanket of night that covers the two of you.

"You -," you begin, but the creature is already pushing himself away from the railing, diving gracefully back into the water with a deadly silence and leaving you with your head spinning and your lungs burning as you stare at the water where he once appeared.

Admittedly, the next time you drop something over the edge of your boat, it's more intentional than it usually is, and you crouch rather close to the water with your arms wrapped around your knees while you wait to see if he'll show up again. Sure enough, it's mere moments before he propels himself out of the water and drops the lost object onto the wooden deck, staring toward you with those milky, vacant eyes.

You stand slowly while he stares, his arms propping him up on the railing while you move towards him. He stays still, this time, tense and unwavering as you step closer and look at his faded, unfocused eyes.

"I can help you," you say, pointing first at your own eyes and then at his. "Let me?" He just stares, though, white, glazed eyes looking on as the gills that line over his ribs twitch and shiver, morphed and altered by the harbour waters, forgetting the feel of the clean, cool oceans. He can't leave, you realize. Gotham Harbour has ensnared him, turned him into a monster that could only ever exist and survive here.

He disappears as you study him, slipping back into the murky, blackened water and leaving you sighing, your shoulders slumping in momentary defeat.

But then you hear it, a faint banging sound coming from inside your home - and you lurch, moving to rip open the door.

You see it then, the trapdoor that you have partially covered by a rug and the latch trembling with the force of something shoving at it from underneath. You move forward in a rush, after staring and blinking and letting your mind reel for a moment, to unlock the latch and let the trapdoor swing up and open, wrinkling the rug and covering it in that cursed harbour water as the creature pulls himself up through the opening and leans on his arms to look at you.

You stare, mouth slightly open as you take in the creature in front of you, letting his tail swish and move in the waves beneath him and dripping water onto your floor.

"…Help me," he says slowly, and his voice is smooth, soft and sing-songy in a way that makes you walk towards him and fold yourself down onto your knees to look at him face-to-face.

"You can speak?" you ask in lieu of a response. He frowns, his dark, water-slicked brows bunching together as he stares in your direction.

"There is a part of me that's human, after all," he says quietly. You huff out a breath and reach for him ever so slowly, letting your fingers hover for just a moment before making contact with his cheek. He makes a surprised little noise, jerking his head away from you for a second before shifting on his palms and leaning back into your touch.

"Thank you," you murmur quietly as you trace a finger over his brow bone before letting your forefinger hook under his chin so that you can tilt his head slowly and look at his eyes.

"Can you… fix it?" he asks slowly, a hesitance in his smooth, silky voice.

"I can," you respond simply, smiling ever so lightly even though you know he probably can't really see it. "I said I'd help you… and I will."

It's a slow process, of course, to begin to heal and change him after that, bringing the colour and life back to his eyes. It's weeks of him pulling himself up through the trapdoor in the bottom of your boat to let you poke and prod at him, giving him various vials to drink from and coaxing him to tip his head back so that you can drop strange liquids into his eyes.

It's difficult for him, you know, odd and uncomfortable and frightening. So you don't mind, really, when he hisses and snaps his teeth and grabs your arm to dig his blue-black claws in until blood runs down your skin. He doesn't mean to, you know. So you let him.

And it works, much to his delight - the magic you use on him begins to soothe the symptoms of the polluted water. He's still this thing, of course, he'll never go back to being a regular mermaid, but he's not in pain - not the way he was before. His eyes don't burn and his head doesn't feel light and dizzy anymore, riddled with haziness and pain.

Eventually, the white milkiness fades and his irises shine blue once more - it's not the blue they used to be, you're sure. They're vibrant and glowing and unnatural, but they're blue and they're his and he can see the world through them, finally. He can see you - really see you for the first time.

"Hi," you breathe quietly, a smile flitting gently across your lips as you watch him blink rapidly, his eyes glancing quickly around the space to take in his surroundings properly for the first time in so, so long.

And then, of course, his eyes find their way back to you, kneeling on the cold, wooden floor so that you're at eye level with him and looking at him with those big, hopeful eyes of yours. He reaches for you, then - he can't help it, not when you're kind and gentle and staring at him like he's something precious. You let him, though your brows shoot up in surprise when he leans forward.

"You're beautiful," he says lowly, close enough to you that his breath touches your face. You make a small, surprised sort of sound and glance away from him, but he reaches for you with a firm hand, cupping your cheek and smashing his lips against yours in a firm kiss. You make a high-pitched, surprised noise somewhere in the back of your throat and when he pulls away you shift on your knees, clearing your throat and looking at him in bemusement.

"Thank you," he says simply, and you nod and hum in mock understanding.

"I'd like to, uh, I'd like to try fixing your gills a bit, too - if you'd let me." The grin that he gives you in response to your request makes you bite your lip in immediate regret.

"I think I'd let you do just about anything to me now," he says flippantly. You sniff indignantly and rub a hand over your face harshly, but cold, smooth fingers wrapping around your wrist stop you.

"Oh, that's just…" but you trail off as he pulls up your sleeve slowly, revealing dark, crimson welts where he'd dug his claws into you so many times. You stay still as he stares, holding your breath as he runs a delicate finger over the cuts and looks unblinkingly down towards them.

"It's… it's ok," you say slowly. "It's alright."

"Seems like such a monstrous thing to do, doesn't it?" Dick says, ignoring your words. "To hurt the thing that's trying to help you." When he looks up at you then, you take notice of his clear, unblemished eyes for the first time. They're sharp and flashing, the deep blues and violets swirling in them as they draw you further, further, further in.

He looks… dangerous, you realize sluggishly. He looks a bit like a wild animal, and as the waves beneath your boat crash against the wooden hull and water sloshes up from the opening onto his torso and your floor, you think, rather distantly, about the stories of the creature who haunts the harbour - who drags people to the depths.

"Are you?" you ask quietly as your heart hammers against your ribs. "Are you a monster?" His grip on you tightens and you find yourself entranced by the shimmering colour of his eyes - a part of your mind begins to panic, begins to try to break away, but you find that you just… can't.

"Oh, I wasn't always," he murmurs lowly. "But I think I am now. I think I was turned into one, don't you?"

"No…" you respond slowly, placing your hand over his where it grips your wrist and watching as the touch seems to shock him out of whatever trance he'd been in. "I think that's up to you." He blinks at you for a moment then, reeling, it would seem, from the entire interaction before he looks back down and sees the way he's gripping your arm, the cuts blemishing your skin there, oozing thin trails of red over his hand.

You sigh in relief, much to your own guilt, when he wrenches his hand away from you and steadies himself as water sloshes up against him. As he breathes deeply and runs a cold, blue-tinged hand through his hair roughly, you stand and turn to rummage in a chest for bandages and ointment and whatever else you need.

"I didn't -" he starts.

"I know," you cut him off, tucking yourself into a chair some distance away from him and rolling up your sleeve so that you can dab at the wounds gently. "It's alright."

"Then why won't you look at me?" he asks, and there's a harsh edge to his voice that makes you pause. It's a divergence from his normal smooth, silky voice that wafts over the breeze and has sailors stumbling towards him in a haze. It's wavering, now, jagged and honest and it makes you huff out a breath.

"Careful," you quip, but you still don't look up. "You sounded almost human there." You hear him sigh quietly and the waves rock the boat as he shifts his stance and pulls himself up and further out of the water.

"What are you doing?" This time you do look at him, throwing down the bandages that you'd been unravelling as he pulls himself further into your boat, letting his tail propel himself out of the water until he's laying almost on his back on your floor, propping himself up on his elbows and tipping his head back to stare at your ceiling as he drips water onto your rug.

"You're overextending your welcome, Dick," you say eventually, but there's a distinct lack of bite in your voice and his lazy grin proves that he knows that it's not a real jab, not when you say his name so sweetly - the name that he's whispered against you like a secret all those nights ago.

"I'm looking at your home," Dick responds easily, and you follow his gaze up toward the dried herbs hanging from your rafters.

You sigh, then, rolling your neck to try to ease some of the tension as you gather your first aid kit and bring them back toward him. He watches out of the corner of his eye as you kneel beside him once more, your knees hitting the soft rug with a dull thud as you begin unravelling the bandages once more.

Dick rolls onto his side to face you, though, propping himself up on just one elbow and reaching to take the bandages from your hands and coax you into giving him your arm.

"You're a bit hot and cold, aren't you?" you observe quietly, your voice a low murmur as he takes your injured arm so delicately in his hands and begins wrapping the bandages over the damaged skin.

"I don't mean to be," he answers honestly. You just shrug.

"I don't mind… I think we all are sometimes," you say honestly. He glances up at you, the blue of his eyes shimmering as he draws his brows together.

"You've only been kind to me."

"You haven't known me that long," you point out, but he just shoots you a scathing look.

"You might… just not give yourself enough credit," he offers as he finishes bandaging your arm, securing it and smoothing his hands over it to ensure that everything is as it should be. "I think you're a good person," he says earnestly.

"I think you're a good person, too," you reply easily, but he freezes at your words for a moment before he pulls his hands away from you and rolls onto his back, letting his shoulders thump against your rug as he lays his hands over his stomach.

"There's not much of me left that could be seen as a person," he says quietly, and as his tail swishes, it bumps against the side of the trapdoor opening. Glancing at it for just a moment, you wonder how big it really is - how far down into the icy, blackened depths it really goes.

"I don't know," you start, and your teasing tone has him narrowing his eyes at you as you raise yourself up to shuffle closer on your knees and lean over him, bracing your hands on either side of his head as you look down at him scrutinizingly. "Your eyes look pretty good to me. Almost human."

He makes a face at that, wrinkling his nose as he lifts his hands off of his stomach to let one wrap gently around your wrist and the other smooth over the back of your thigh where you're still leaning over him.

"I don't care for being human," he huffs. "Just not… this." You let your eyes flicker over his torso at his words before they settle on the gills lining the sides of his ribs. He watches, one hand still trailing up and down the back of your thigh as you shift your weight slightly. When you place one hand overtop of the gills ever so gently, your palm just barely brushing against them, you watch as they twitch and move.

"I said I'd help you with that, didn't I?" you murmur, looking down at the way they move underneath your touch.

"That was -" he starts, and he looks away with a bashfulness - with a guilt that doesn't look like it belongs. "That was before I hurt you."

"Oh, I don't mind," you respond easily, shifting your weight back onto your palms where they now rest on either side of his head again. "Just as long as you never look at me like that again." You lean down as you speak, comforting the guilty look in his eyes with a kiss on his cheek that has him sighing underneath you.

"I think you should keep it unlocked," he says quietly, and you hum in confusion before glancing at the lock of the trapdoor and grinning just a bit.

"What, you planning on dropping by?" you quip, but one of his arms slides around your waist and he pulls you closer to him, your thighs widening as he tugs you down.

"Probably," he answers easily, and you huff a bit.

"What if something else decides to come pay me a visit, hm?" You say it mostly as a joke, but Dick's look sours and you catch a glimpse of his sharp, deadly canines as his lip curls in unhappiness.

"I won't let that happen," he offers firmly, his grip on you tightening. "I won't let anything happen to you."

"Well," you say, a bit breathless. "I guess I have nothing to worry about, then."

"You're distracting me," you murmur, sighing long-sufferingly when you're met with nothing more than a watery giggle in response to your chastising. You're sitting on the edge of your boat, cross-legged to keep your feet from touching the water as your hands flit over his gills to check the progress of their healing.

But his hands roam over you, too, smoothing over your ribs and twirling your hair through his cold fingers as he watches you work. Below you, somewhere in the impossible, twisted depths of the harbour, his massive tail thumps against the underside of the boat and tips you forward until your forehead knocks against his chest and he giggles again in that tantalizing, siren-like way of his.

"Really, Dick," you continue as you plant a hand on the smooth, cold skin of his chest to steady yourself and huff in mock annoyance. "You should be much better now. Is it… do they feel different?"

"Of course," he answers quickly, but when you purse your lips in annoyance, he grins flippantly and you feel his twisted gills twitch under your fingers. "They do," he assures gently, a bit more serious this time. "I… I feel like I can breathe again. I feel like…"

He stops then, looking out towards the docks and the endless, tangled maze of shipping containers and docked boats as you watch him. You smooth your hand more firmly over his side as another wave rocks the boat and you wonder, with a bit less concern than perhaps you should have, if it's him that's churning the waters down below - or if there's something else down there in the blackened depths.

"You're free now," you supply for him when he doesn't finish speaking, and he starts in surprise and snaps his gaze to you, looking at you imploringly with those widened, twisted blue eyes.

"Free?" he asks haltingly.

"Mhmm," you nod slowly. "It's… I don't know. It's this place, isn't it? It's that water." You reach up as you speak, smoothing his bluish-black hair out of his eyes and pressing your lips together as you consider how to explain it - how to define the twisted curse of this place that you've both found yourselves trapped in.

"It's like, once you're here," he begins, pausing and looking out towards the vast harbour, the endless darkness of the water seemingly swallowing the sunlight that touches it. "Once you're here… you can never really leave."

"It's… yea. Something like that," you agree, chewing your lip as you roll his words over in your mind. And it's like he knows - it's like those impossibly blue eyes can look right through you when he stares, because he taps his finger against your hip and you blink up at him.

"What about you?" he asks softly. "What curse is keeping you here?"

You open your mouth to respond, to say something in comfort as the twisting trap of the harbour looms behind you, but a noise on the dock startles the two of you. By the time you realize that it's a couple of dockworkers wandering too close to your secluded little safe haven, he's already slipped from your grasp, disappearing into the icy, cursed waters below and sinking to somewhere where you can't follow.

Huffing a bit, you stand and stretch and stare out towards the water for just a moment before heading inside. And as you look out, as you stare and hope and wait, you see the ripple of something breaking through the surface - you see the shimmering, finned tail pop out of the water just enough so that you know… he's still down there. He's right underneath you, haunting the waters that he now calls home.

"I'm going to start keeping that locked again if you don't stop doing that," you say breathlessly as you put a hand over your heart. The trapdoor at the bottom of your boat had just been swung open rather abruptly, slamming against the wooden floor so that he can pull himself out of the water.

"Why are there so many people searching the docks for you?" is all he says in response, his eyes flashing as he stares intently towards you. You just sigh and move to sit next to him, crossing your legs on the plush carpet and leaning on your palm as you look at him.

"They're witch hunters," you say simply. "This is illegal, you know."

"But you help people," he presses, something swirling in his eyes as he leans closer to you in anger. "What will they do to you when they find you?"

"Haven't you seen the smoke?" you shrug, leaning back and blinking as the intensity rolling off of him in waves makes you dizzy. "They're witch pyres."

"What?"

"It's a death sentence," you explain patiently. "If they can prove that someone's using witchcraft, it's… there's a death penalty. They're just hanging around to see if they can catch me. They can't arrest me without proof."

He stares at you, then, for a moment long enough that you shift where you sit and sigh deeply. But then he turns to stare out of one of the glazed windows, eyeing the flickering shadows of the world outside as if every one of them is a threat.

"Why not stop, then?" he asks quietly, keeping his gaze on the window.

"Stop?" you splutter. "Why would I?"

"Because you'll die," he says firmly. You smile gently, a bit too at ease with the whole thing than he is.

"We all die for something," you say softly. "I may as well die for living." He looks back at you, then, something large and sad and haunting in his gaze as he stares down at you. A bit of water sloshes up onto your floor as his tail trashes through the water below and you cock your head to the side in question as you wait for him to speak.

"I thought that once, too," he says slowly - haltingly, like the words scrape at his throat on their way out. "I thought that, when the poachers caught me - when they shipped me to this place like cargo. And when I escaped… I thought these waters would kill me."

"But isn't it better," you respond softly, smoothing a hand over his heart as he looks down at you with furrowed brows, his hair dripping water down his face. "To die free, in the seas, instead of in a cage?"

"That's what I thought," he nods.

"And now?" you ask slowly. A frown tugs at his lips and he sighs as he looks down at you, his lips pressed together into a thin line.

"Now I wonder… if this is what this place has turned me into… what will it do to you?" You straighten at his words, huffing out a breath in surprise as he stares imploringly at you. But then you clear your throat and let your gaze rake over his figure. Glancing at the gills that now sit healthy and fluttering, at the crystal clear gaze of his eyes and the steady beating of his heart.

"Don't say it like there's no going back," you say instead of really answering. "I can't turn you back into what you were before, but you're whole again now, aren't you? You're free, remember?" He just sighs at that, though, and lets his eyes close as he leans forward to press his forehead against yours. Droplets of water drip from his face onto yours, leaving tangled trails of shining, cold wetness over your cheeks.

"But what will you do, then?" he asks quietly. "If I'm not here to keep you safe?"

"I'll be alright," you whisper back, smoothing a hand over the back of his neck to rub soothing circles into his skin with your thumb as you let your eyes flutter closed.

Dick's hand finds your waist and he tightens his grip, his fingers pressing in as if you'll disappear if he doesn't hold on. He thinks of it - of the wide blue seas, of the breeze and the rolling waves and sun beating down. He thinks of the freedom beyond this tangled web of darkness and something painful tugs at his heart.

As he opens his eyes and tilts his head back to look down at you, small and alive and looking up at him with a trust that he's never known before, he wonders if perhaps this is the real curse of Gotham. It's not that you can't leave - it's that, suddenly, you find that you never really want to.

But, of course, the stories have continued to rage on outside of your little safe haven, and whispers spread through the tangled streets about the creature in the deep… and now those stories include you. People have begun speculating that there's a witch practicing in the harbour, and stories tell of someone helping the monster of the water, making him stronger and more powerful and more capable of harm than ever before.

And you hear them, of course, the tales and the rumours and the fear that begins to spread. It seeps into your home, oozing through the wooden planks and wrapping around you at night as you sit alone, no longer finding company in the blackened waters below.

You sent him away, you remind yourself. You gave him freedom and now he's gone. It's a fact that you remember with a startling zip of panic one night, when the moon hangs low and your breath fogs in front of your face as you wind through the maze of the docks quickly and quietly.

It's not often that you leave your boat these days, but it has to happen sometimes - and judging from the glinting stares of the dockworkers, you're not the only one who knew that. You know that you're being followed - you know how this night will end. The law may have to wait for proof to see you dead, but the poachers slinking around the docks and hauling illegal cargo aren't bound by such rules, and the menacing cloud hanging over you proves that.

You freeze suddenly, jerking yourself out of your thoughts as you stare out at the dock in front of you - at the raging water beyond and the poachers that you can see just beyond the shipping crates. You have nowhere left to run, you realize haltingly. There is no safety to be found for you on this cursed night.

You think idly, as you stare out towards the abandoned waters, about what he'd said to you before you'd sent him away. You'll die for this, he's promised. If you set me free and you stay behind, you'll die in this cursed place.

Of course I will, you'd thought. But you hadn't expected it to be so soon. A thunderous wave crashes up onto the wooden dock and you consider, for just a moment, how lucky you may be to die free, standing on the edge of this curse and leaning out towards the open seas.

And then you hear it, the dull footsteps and the jeering of approaching poachers, violence dripping off of them and staining the space between you all. You see it, the glint of a knife being pulled from somewhere hidden, the rolling shoulders of a man succumbing to fear.

And then… and then…

The huge, finned tail of a creature born of cursed nightmares and vengeance, breaking the water's surface to arch high overhead and make everyone stumble to a halt. You think, rather alarmed, that you really, really hadn't realized just how much of him he'd kept unseen - you notice it for the first time as the sheer size of the scaled tail fills the sky above you, the shimmering, thick fins blocking out the moonlight and casting a great, swallowing shadow over the dock in front of you.

And then it moves, swift and powerful enough to send a gust of wind in your direction, tearing through your hair as you watch the tail smash through the wooden dock between you and the poachers. They scream, panicked and stumbling as the dock splinters and cracks and crumbles underneath you all, and the tail simply raises again to slam down a second time, now aiming directly for the men.

You hear it, as you stumble and misstep, the wooden planks collapsing beneath you - you hear the sickening cracks of the poachers being slammed by the tail, crushing them as they scream.

But then the wood under your feet finally gives way, and you find yourself plummeting into the icy, darkened waters below.

And these waters, you recall in a hazy, far away sort of way, aren't fit for humans - even ones like you. Dark and cold and murky, it burns and freezes and blurs out your mind and thinking. Stay out of the water, you think as you sink further down, down, deep towards the bottom, the faint lights of the dock disappearing above.

Stay out of the water - or it will never let you out.

You notice it in a sort of trance, as if it's happening to someone else and you're watching through a window - you can almost feel it, the arms that wrap around you, cold and firm. You can almost feel the water move around you as he begins to pull you up, out of the impossible depths and back towards the surface, towards the light and the warmth of the open night sky.

The water is impossible to see through, dark and muddy and hazing your vision, but you can see, through the cloudy ripples, the bioluminescent glow of his tail - like pinpricks of light, blue and violet and green, swirling all around you.

You let your eyes try to follow the lights, but they twist and move and spread so far away that they fade into the depths, and the sight has you choking out a gasp and spluttering as the toxic water begins to fill your lungs - it has you reeling as you wonder, yet again, just how monstrous his figure really is.

But then the trapdoor of your boat is being slammed open from underneath and he's pulling you out of the water to lay you onto the plush rug in your home, letting you cough and splutter and gasp for breath. You tremble and shake, the cold from the water seeping into you and freezing you from the inside out as your lungs struggle and burn from the air you're trying to gasp in.

Dick's learned, though, you think distractedly as you watch him pull himself up and out of the water after you. He understands the witchcraft that you do and the potions that you make. It doesn't take long for him to have you pressed against him, curled into his chest as he brings vials to your lips gently, urging you to drink until your lungs begin to expand properly and your eyes focus on him.

By the time your mind begins to clear again, your chest rising and falling in a steadier pattern as your breathing evens out once more, Dick's laying on the rug next to you, curling around you in a protective sort of embrace, and you sit up just enough to see the beginnings of his tail winding around you as well until you're in a makeshift sort of nest. As your eyes follow his tail through its twists and curls and settle on where it continues down into the murky water, you can't help but think back to the impossible power of it that you'd witnessed before.

"Don't move," he murmurs sternly, tugging you back down to press you against his chest again. You're still shaking, trembling from the cold that still lingers under your skin, and the sight makes him frown as he swipes a thumb over your lips as they stay stained blue from the freezing temperatures of the water. His skin, as he shifts against you, you're sure doesn't help - always cold to the touch, always inhumanly freezing.

"Just let me get something," you respond quietly, your voice raspy from the strain you'd put on your throat and lungs. A frown tugs on his lips, but he lets you stand on shaky legs and take just a few steps away from him to snatch the blanket off of the back of your armchair before you're stumbling back to him. That frown of his doesn't begin to ease until he's got you pressed against him again, the blanket tucked securely around you and his hands flitting around, smoothing down the fabric and tucking in the corners.

"I thought you were gone," you admit softly, your face pressed against his chest. His hands still a bit before he's smoothing a palm over the back of your hair and pressing a kiss to your forehead.

"I wouldn't leave you like this," he responds gently, his voice soothing in that soft, slow way of his. "I couldn't leave you to do this alone."

"But what about you?" you push. "Don't you want to go home?" Dick sighs at that, wrapping the blanket tighter around you where it's begun to slip off of your shoulder.

"There's something about this place," he muses, like there's a point that he's sidestepping - like there's something that he doesn't want to admit. "I guess I couldn't really find it in me to - there's something about… I don't know, this place. This city and this harbour and… and you. It's like I'm rooted here."

"I'm… sorry," you offer gently. He just places a soothing kiss to your cheek and squeezes you gently in his arms as if to say it's not your fault. This isn't your curse. This isn't your trap.

"I think…" he begins slowly, smoothing a hand up and down your spine. "That there may not be anything for me out there anymore. Not… not with this curse of mine" He glances down at himself as he speaks, at his twisted tail and the way the scales ripple and catch the light. You may have healed his pain, sure, but not even you could turn him into what he was before. He's this monster now, warped and twisted and deadly… and that's just the way it is, he thinks.

"I suppose," you respond slowly. "There's no breaking curses like ours. Maybe there really is no escaping this place."

"But is it so bad?" he offers gently, crooking his forefinger under your chin to make you look up at him, to sweep his thumb over your bottom lip once more and feel the warmth returning to you, flushing your skin. "Is it so horrible to share a curse like this?"

"No," you murmur as his lips find yours, soft and gentle and cold to the touch. "Maybe it's not."

"And besides," Dick adds, a humour seeping into his voice that has you narrowing your eyes in suspicion. "It seems you clearly need something lurking in the water to look out for you."

"Um… do you need to deal with that?" The woman you're speaking to is staring at the trapdoor in the bottom of your boat with a concerned sort of shock as the hinges rattle and the lock creaks.

"What? No, no, it's -" you say as you slam your foot onto it, stomping the wood aggressively. "It's just the waves." She's looking at you like she doesn't believe you, and the banging sound that's coming from the trapdoor isn't helping much, you're sure.

"Alright, I - um, that's right. I - I have your payment here," the woman continues politely, handing you an envelope. You flip it open to count the bills in it quickly, keeping one foot planted firmly on the rattling trapdoor. It may be illegal, this practice of yours, but condemning witchcraft has yet to make it unhelpful. Even now, months after your move to Gotham, you have a steady stream of customers slipping into your boat and asking for your help.

"Ok, come back soon!" You call as the woman makes a hasty exit after you've approved her money, glancing back to the trapdoor with a scared sort of look before she disappears.

It's once she's gone, then, that you lift your foot and unlock the latch before stepping back just in time for Dick to throw the door up and open with a loud bang.

"Why did you lock it?" he huffs as he pulls himself up, catching the towel that you toss to him.

"I always lock it when I have customers," you sigh good-naturedly, sitting next to him and watching as he hastily dries off himself, keeping the polluted harbour water away from your rug. "We really… we really can't be seen like this."

"I don't know what you mean," Dick sniffs indignantly, but the sly look that he shoots you as he tosses the towel aside says otherwise. You let him get away with it, of course, doing nothing but settling further and letting him sprawl himself across your lap.

"I'm serious," you say, but you begin to card your fingers through his hair gently as you chastise him and you watch as he lets his eyes flutter closed, his tail swishing through the water below you and rocking the boat in soothing movements. "All of us have to be careful. There are rumours of a purge going on - people are even talking about bringing the vampire hunts back."

"Vampires?" Dick opens one eye to squint up at you. "In Gotham? That can't be true."

"You'd be surprised," you murmur, but you shush him nonetheless, letting him close his eyes again as you smooth over his furrowed brows with your thumb.

"You're not… you're not really upset, are you?" he says slowly - quietly, like he's afraid of the answer.

"With you?" you respond easily. "No, never." You lean down to kiss him, then, delicate little things placed first on his lips and then across his face as he relaxes against you. You both know, by now, that you're not really upset. How can you be? When you have a home and a practice and a rather vicious guard dog who loves you so much.

How can you be upset? With this life that you've built for yourself and this curse that you've tamed.

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sanguineterrain · 1 year ago

Note

For the drabbles!!

Can you walk? I need you to walk for me! With Dick, if that sounds interesting to you!!

Loved the Drabble you posted, you’re a talented writer!

thanks very much nonnie 🥺❤️ wanted to switch it up and whump dickie boy >:)

"can you walk? i need you to walk." - dick grayson x gn!reader. tw: injured dick, bullet wound, reader tasers a bad guy. dick's not dead i prommy!! Loosely based on the Nightwing 2021 comics.

prompt lists are here! i reblog all fics to @sanguinelibrary

****

You wake up to the beeping of the distress signal. Instantly, you're awake, fumbling for the comm bud to put in your ear.

"—in, do you copy? Nightwing needs help, he's—"

"Where is he, Babs?" you ask, flinging the sheet off of your legs and jumping into your suit.

"Blüdhaven City Hall."

"What the hell? Alone?"

Barbara sighs. "Yes. I didn't know until the mayor texted."

Anger flares. You tamp it down because Barbara hasn't done anything wrong, and it's not fair to snap at her for Dick's stupid choices.

Besides, the anger is only to mask the chilling fear that bubbles up.

You stick to the rooftops like Dick himself had taught you when you were first getting the hang of the vigilante thing. You're more like Barbara in that you prefer to stay on the sidelines and help.

But if Dick is in trouble, you're there.

Your heart pounds; you can barely hear the instructions Barbara's giving you as you approach City Hall.

"Is he conscious?" you ask, interrupting her.

She doesn't answer at first.

"Oracle," you press, gritting your teeth as you descend down the roof access stairs. "Is he awake?"

"I don't know. I lost his comm link."

The fear sharpens. Your heart beats so fast, you're afraid you might collapse.

"He's alive, though. His suit vitals are still elevated."

You run faster, flying down the stairwell. It takes some searching to find Dick since his mask camera is also destroyed, according to Barbara. But you manage to track him down relatively fast.

Dick is bound to a chair, puddles of blood at his feet. You rush over and pull at the knots without thinking, growing frustrated when they don't turn loose.

"Blade on your left side."

You startle hard at Dick's voice. He lifts his head slowly and you stifle a gasp at his face. One of the lenses of his mask is cracked. His cheek is bloody and nearly black with bruises. His suit is torn and dirty.

They'd left him for dead.

"I found him, Babs."

You hear her sigh of relief. She starts to organize your exit route. You're only half listening as you slice through the ropes with the blade you forgot you had in your left pocket.

Dick's arms hang at his sides even after you free them. They'd done a number on him.

He watches you as you free his legs next.

"Suit looks good on you," he says, head lolling. "Peak design, if y'ask me."

"You're so stupid," you say, bowing your head so he can't see the tears that sting your eyes. "This was an idiotic thing you did, Dick."

"Alias names only in the field," he reminds you.

You yank the rope harder than you mean to and free his legs.

Dick has to use his whole body to push himself off of the chair. Even so, he stumbles, and you rush to catch him. Your heart jumps to your throat. Of course he'd hide how bad his injuries are.

"Oracle, call Batman."

"No," Dick grits, shaking his head. "Don't call him."

"You can barely move. I can't carry you myself."

You wish you could. As furious as you are, you'd carry him home.

"Am I calling him?" Barbara asks in your ear.

A door slams somewhere upstairs. Cold sweat erupts all over your body. Dick looks at you, and you know he heard it too.

"Guys, am I calling Batman or not?"

"No, we can do it," you say against your better judgment. "Can you move?"

Dick nods rapidly, though you don't totally believe him. You sling an arm under his arm, then wrap your other arm around his waist. He puts nearly all of his weight on you, though you can tell he's using what little strength he has left to try and shift his weight.

The two of you go like that, Dick half limping. You try not to think about how his blood stains your suit.

You move slowly, which unfortunately means that the goon upstairs catches up to you. He pulls out a gun, and Dick shoves you aside before you can advance. He pays the price for it when the goon shoots his leg.

Dick screams.

Quick as Flash, you grab an escrima stick and charge the taser to two thousand volts. Then you ram it into the goon's gut.

He drops like a sack of potatoes. You don't check if he's breathing.

"We don't kill," Dick says as you return the stick to his back holster.

You harshly cut the goon's shirt with your blade and tourniquet Dick's bullet wound. He hisses in pain.

"I didn't kill him," you snap.

"You could've. What the hell was that?"

"That was me stopping him before he blew your brains out!" you shout. "That was me making sure the commissioner doesn't have to fish your body out of the river!"

Dick's head thumps against the wall. His suit is slick with blood. "That wouldn't have happened."

"You could've died tonight, Dick! Why can't you get that through your head?"

His eyes close for too long on the next blink. You kneel in front of him immediately, shaking his shoulder. He grunts.

"Dick, no. Wake up. Don't do this, you gotta stay awake for me."

"'M awake," he says groggily. "I'm..."

"Oracle," you say, panicked. "Vitals."

"His heart rate is sluggish; he's lost a lot of blood. You have to—"

"Dick," you say, shaking his shoulder again. "Dickie, you gotta get up. Can you walk? I need you to walk for me."

"'Kay," he whispers, barely lifting his arm.

"Okay, I've got you. Ready? One, two—"

You lift him and stagger under his full weight.

"Sorry," he murmurs, and you feel sick.

"It's okay. You don't have to apologize. I shouldn't have yelled, I'm sorry. Stay awake, okay?"

He hums. You manage to establish a decent gait between the two of you. Dick stumbles along, trying his best to walk independently.

You're almost out of City Hall when Dick collapses. This time, he doesn't get up.

"No, no. Wake up, Dick, wake up. Come on, come on!"

You shake him as hard as you'll let yourself. Dick doesn't stir.

"There's so much blood," you say, your hands sticky with it. "B-Babs..."

"I'm sending help right now. B's on his way, okay?" She sounds just as wrecked as you feel. "Just hold on."

You cradle Dick's head and suck in gasping breaths, keeping pressure on his thigh.

That's how Batman finds you, shaking and hunched over his son.

#dick grayson x reader #dick grayson x you #dick grayson x y/n #dick grayson fanfiction #nightwing x reader #nightwing x you #nightwing imagines #batman fanfiction #dc fanfiction #inbox #blurb

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hanluex · 1 year ago

Note

Something really really painful sad with dick Grayson but happy ending

♡ I’M SORRY — DICK GRAYSON

bf!dick x fem!reader | wc : 0.7k words | content : possible grammar and spelling mistakes, lowercase intended, angst, established relationship, mentions of an accident, mentions of blood, crying | request : um i mayhaps have forgotten the happy ending part, so a part two soon hopefully 😭

“wow, this is all your fault. i can’t believe you, y/n.”

dick grayson mumbled under his breath playfully, enjoying the disgruntled expression on your face.

“babe, i said i’m sorry!” you whined, pouting as you grabbed your boyfriend’s arm. “honest mistake, my bad.”

the two of you were invited to a charity ball, and you hadn’t realized you left the invitation back home until you were at the venue.

fortunately, you were a couple of blocks away from your apartment, which was why you two were walking back, with dick grumbling the whole way.

“we should’ve taken the car. i told you we should, but no!” dick stifled his smile, looking away so you couldn’t see his façade. “you insisted we walk. who even walks to a charity event?!”

you frowned, disheartened. “i’m sorry, babe. i didn’t think taking the car was necessary,” you confessed sincerely.

dick smiled, unable to keep up with his charade any longer. “i was just joking, love. gosh, you are so fun to play around with,” he stated, chuckling at your look of betrayal.

“you are such an idiot. i hate you!”

“now, you better take that back because we both know that’s a lie.”

you fastened your pace, walking away from the brunet. "nope, i'm being very honest." you laughed, amused by his reaction.

"y/n, come here!" dick called, chuckling as he followed you. "babe!"

the traffic lights turned red, causing the cars to come to a stop. you continued teasing your boyfriend as you crossed the road, sticking your tongue out in a mocking manner.

dick laughed as you did a little dance in the middle of the road, amused at the extent you went to make him laugh.

a loud zoom made the brunet freeze in his place, watching as an oncoming bike increased its speed despite the red light.

just as he opened his mouth to warn you, his gaze was filled with the slow motion image of the bike hitting you, your body being thrown a few feet away at the impact.

fuck, fuck, fuck. no, please, no. fuck, no.

"y/n!" dick yelled, his heart beating harshly against his chest as he ran towards you.

his breath quickened as he saw the blood, shakily taking out his phone as he kneeled next to your half-conscious body.

"i called for help. they said they'll be here in ten minutes."

the phone fell out of his hands, immediately reaching out to hold you in his arms as tears filled his vision.

"oh, baby." he touched your face gently, hot tears falling from his face to yours. "no, please."

you blinked softly, in a dazed state. "dick?" you called out, causing the brunet to nod in reply, more tears falling down his face.

"you have t-to talk to m-me, babe. how e-else am i g-going to stay a-awake?"

"i c-can't." dick cried harder, feeling your hands on his face. "i'm so sorry."

"richard, t-take … take a deep breath, p-please. calm down, o-okay?"

"how can i stay calm? y-you are … you—"

you felt lightheaded. "i'm sorry," you apologized, wiping away his tears. "i got blood all over you," you added.

"is that what you are worried about?!"

"i know this is your favorite suit."

despite your attempt at a joke, dick cried harder, feeling worse as he was supposed to be the one to console you.

yet here you were, lying in a pool of your own blood, still having time to make lighthearted jokes about the situation.

dick grayson ignored your words as you assured him you were fine, rambling away about anything and everything under the sun.

he didn't even know what language he was speaking in, let alone what he spoke about. he just rambled, hoping you'd stay awake until the ambulance came.

"i l-like this view." you interrupted his chattering, smiling through the pain. "r-really good an-angle of y-you."

"not the time, y/n."

you heaved a breath as you reached out to hold your boyfriend's hands, groaning quietly as the pain became unbearable.

"does it hurt bad?" dick asked softly. "is there anything i can do for you?"

you took a deep breath, wincing. "i-if i don't m-make it, i h-hope you know how much … m-much i love you. and if p-possible, look out for jay b-because—"

"no! don't give me this 'last word' talk." dick shook his head. "you'll be fine, and you will be the one to look out for jay because he'll listen to no one except you, and only you can handle him."

"babe, please—"

"no, just no. i will not let you leave me. if you even think about dying, i'm going to kill you."

"i love you, richard grayson. so fucking much, i do."

taglist : @maverick-wingman (to be added, please send a dm or ask!)

#[📝] works #dick grayson x reader #dick grayson fluff #titans dick #dick grayson imagines #titans imagines #titans nightwing #nightwing imagines #nightwing scenarios #nightwing x reader #nightwing drabbles #titans drabbles #nightwing fluff #nightwing angst #titans tv show #titans scenarios #nightwing #dick grayson

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dc-and-arfrona · 1 year ago

Text

Night Time - Headcannons - Batboys

—

Bat Boys x GN!Reader

Type: Fluff

Word Count: 2.3k+

Masterlist

Summary: Your gifts to them after a night of patrol.

—

Jason Todd - Home Cooked Meal

After a long and exhausting night of patrolling Gotham City, Jason Todd, the Red Hood, returned to the sanctuary of his home, a mix of weariness and anticipation coursing through his veins. He opened the door and was immediately greeted by the enticing aroma of a home-cooked meal that filled the air.

As he entered the kitchen, he found you, the person who held his heart, standing there with a warm smile on your face. The sight of you preparing a delicious feast tugged at Jason's heart, washing away the fatigue of the night's battles.

"Welcome home, Jason," you said, your voice filled with affection. "I thought you could use a good meal after tonight."

Jason's lips curled into a grateful smile, his eyes reflecting his love and appreciation. "You always know how to make me feel at home, Y/N. Thank you."

He joined you in the kitchen, stealing a taste of the dish you were preparing. The flavors exploded on his taste buds, a testament to your culinary skills. With every bite, he felt nourished not only by the meal but also by the love and care you poured into it.

As you both sat down to enjoy the meal together, the exhaustion from the night's battles faded into the background. The warmth of the home-cooked food mirrored the warmth that enveloped the space between you, strengthening the bond you shared.

In those moments, Jason realized the true meaning of coming home—finding solace and comfort in your presence, in the simple act of sharing a meal together. The home-cooked meal became a symbol of the love and care you bestowed upon him, a reminder that amidst the chaos of their lives, he had found a haven in your arms.

As you exchanged smiles and conversation, the weight of the night's battles lifted from Jason's shoulders. In your embrace and through the flavors of the meal, he found peace—a respite from the darkness he fought against. He cherished these moments, knowing that they were the threads that wove their lives together, creating a tapestry of love and support.

And so, in the glow of the kitchen, Jason Todd and you discovered that the simplest acts—a home-cooked meal and the shared moments around the table—could heal wounds, rekindle spirits, and remind them of the love that burned bright in their hearts. In each other's presence, they found a home—a place where they could truly be themselves, nurtured by the warmth of love and the taste of a home-cooked meal made with devotion.

Dick Grayson - Pillow Fort

After a grueling night of patrolling Gotham City as Nightwing, Dick Grayson returned to his apartment, his body weary but his spirit alive with anticipation. Little did he know that you, his partner and love, had prepared a surprise that would chase away the weariness and envelop him in warmth.

As he stepped through the door, he noticed a soft glow coming from the living room. Curiosity piqued, he followed the light and discovered a sight that brought a wide smile to his face—a cozy pillow fort filled with blankets, fairy lights, and a collection of his favorite movies.

Dick's heart swelled with joy as he realized what you had done. The thoughtfulness and care behind the gesture warmed his soul, washing away the fatigue of the night's battles. He couldn't help but feel a deep appreciation for the effort you had put into creating this haven of comfort and relaxation.

"You've outdone yourself, Y/N," Dick said, his voice filled with awe. "This is amazing."

You stepped out from behind the fort, a playful grin on your face. "I thought you could use a little relaxation after tonight. Come on, let's unwind and enjoy some movie magic."

Without hesitation, Dick joined you in the pillow fort, sinking into the softness of the cushions and reveling in the cozy atmosphere you had created. The dim lighting, the warmth of the blankets, and the presence of the person he loved turned the living room into a sanctuary—a place where the weight of the world could be momentarily set aside.

As you snuggled close, laughter and whispered conversations filled the air. You shared stories, whispered secrets, and basked in the comfort of each other's company. The movies played in the background, but the real magic was the connection between you and Dick.

In those moments, as they lost themselves in the embrace of the pillow fort, Dick realized the true meaning of home—a place where he could find solace and love, where the weariness of the night could be cast aside in favor of moments of pure joy and relaxation.

Together, you created memories—moments that would be etched in their hearts forever. In the gentle glow of the fairy lights and the soft whispers that filled the fort, Dick Grayson and you discovered the power of simple pleasures—a pillow fort and movie night became a symbol of their love and the sanctuary they had created together.

As the night wore on, Dick's weariness transformed into a profound gratitude for the person who had brought this beautiful moment into his life. With every laugh shared and every stolen glance, their love grew stronger, nourished by the comfort of the pillow fort and the magic of movie night.

And so, in the embrace of the fort, Dick Grayson and you found respite from the darkness of Gotham, a safe haven where their love could bloom. In each other's arms and in the flickering light of the movies, they discovered the true power of home—a place where they could be themselves, surrounded by the warmth of love and the gentle embrace of a cozy pillow fort.

Tim Drake - Coffee

After a long and demanding night of patrolling Gotham City as Red Robin, Tim Drake returned to his residence, a mix of exhaustion and appreciation coursing through his veins. He opened the door, expecting to find a familiar mess of books and gadgets scattered about. Instead, he was met with a pleasant surprise.

The house was impeccably clean, everything in its place. The sight instantly eased the tension in Tim's shoulders, a smile of gratitude gracing his lips. He could see your thoughtful touch in every corner, in the tidy rooms and the polished surfaces.

As he made his way to the kitchen, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. Tim's senses awakened, and he spotted a cup waiting for him on the counter—a steaming mug of decaf coffee, perfectly prepared to his liking.

Tim couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth and love. The consideration you had shown him, taking care of the chores and providing him with a comforting beverage after his patrol, touched him deeply. It was a testament to the bond you shared, a connection that extended beyond the mask and cape.

With a grateful sigh, Tim settled into a chair at the kitchen table, cradling the cup of decaf coffee in his hands. The warmth seeped into his palms, matching the warmth he felt in his heart. As he took a sip, the rich flavors danced across his taste buds, providing a moment of solace and comfort.

In that quiet moment, Tim's weariness faded into the background. The clean house and the cup of decaf coffee became symbols of your love and care, a reminder that amidst the chaos of their lives, he had found a haven in your presence.

As you joined him at the table, Tim's gaze met yours—a silent expression of gratitude and affection. He didn't need words to convey his appreciation; the gentle smile on his face said it all.

Together, you shared a peaceful moment, savoring the quietude and the gentle companionship. The clean house and the decaf coffee became touchstones in their relationship, reminders that even in the face of darkness and danger, love could create pockets of serenity and understanding.

And so, in the gentle embrace of a clean home and the comfort of a cup of decaf coffee, Tim Drake and you discovered the true meaning of love—a partnership built on consideration and support. In each other's presence, they found a sanctuary—a place where they could recharge and find solace, nourished by the warmth of love and the taste of a perfectly brewed cup of coffee.

Damian Wayne - Night Cuddles

After a long and challenging night of fighting crime as Robin, Damian Wayne returned to the comforts of the Wayne Manor. As he entered his room, a familiar sight brought a small smile to his face—the bed was made with precision and care, a soft glow emanating from the bedside lamp.

Beside the bed, his loyal companion Ace, the Bat-Hound, eagerly wagged his tail, sensing his return. Damian's heart swelled with warmth, knowing that you, the person who held his heart, had prepared everything for a night of peaceful rest and the comfort of shared cuddles.

As Damian approached, Ace jumped onto the bed, settling himself in anticipation. Damian couldn't help but appreciate the thoughtfulness behind your actions. The meticulously made bed and the calming ambiance set the stage for a moment of respite—a sanctuary from the trials of their crime-fighting endeavors.

Climbing onto the bed, Damian wrapped his arms around Ace, feeling the softness of his fur against his fingertips. He couldn't help but feel a sense of serenity, a calmness that washed away the weight of his responsibilities.

And just as he settled in, you joined them on the bed, a gentle smile on your face. Damian's eyes met yours, a silent expression of gratitude and affection. The world outside may have been chaotic, but here, in this moment, he found solace and a sense of belonging.

With Ace snuggled against his side and you resting against his other, Damian experienced a moment of tranquility. The warmth of the embrace and the comfort of shared affection brought a sense of peace to his heart. The trials and tribulations of their lives seemed to fade away, replaced by a profound connection—a reminder that love could thrive even in the midst of darkness.

As Damian drifted off to sleep, the bed made with care and the nightly cuddles with Ace and you became symbols of comfort and security. They were reminders that, no matter the challenges they faced, there was a haven waiting—a place where he could find solace, embraced by the love of those closest to him.

And so, in the gentle embrace of a perfectly made bed and the soothing presence of Ace and you, Damian Wayne and you discovered the true meaning of love—a sanctuary built on trust, understanding, and shared affection. In each other's arms, they found a respite—a place where they could recharge and find solace, surrounded by the warmth of love and the unconditional support of their loyal companion.

Bruce Wayne - Bath

After a long and relentless night of protecting Gotham City as Batman, Bruce Wayne returned to the solace of Wayne Manor, his body aching from the battles fought in the shadows. As he made his way to the master suite, he was met with a sight that filled his heart with gratitude and anticipation.

You, the person who had captured his heart, had prepared a luxurious bath, the warm water cascading from the ornate taps, filling the room with a soothing ambiance. Candles flickered, casting a soft glow that danced along the walls, creating an atmosphere of tranquility.

Bruce's eyes met yours, and a genuine smile played upon his lips. The tension that had gripped his body began to dissipate, replaced by a sense of calm as he realized the depth of your thoughtfulness.

"You've outdone yourself, my love," Bruce said, his voice filled with appreciation. "This is exactly what I need after a night on patrol."

You stepped closer, your presence comforting and grounding. "I thought it would help you relax and ease the weariness from your body. Let me take care of you, Bruce."

Without hesitation, Bruce shed his suit, the weight of the night's battles fading with each discarded piece of armor. He stepped into the warm embrace of the bath, the soothing water enveloping his tired muscles. As he settled, you joined him, the fragrant scent of bath oils filling the air.

Silence settled between you, broken only by the soft lapping of water and the steady beating of their hearts. Bruce's eyes met yours, conveying a depth of gratitude that mere words could not express. In your presence, he found a sanctuary—a respite from the darkness that consumed his nights.

As you gently washed away the dirt and fatigue from his skin, Bruce allowed himself to lean into the tenderness, embracing the vulnerability that came with allowing someone to care for him. The weight of the cowl and the burden of Batman were momentarily set aside, replaced by the intimacy and comfort of the moment.

In the quietude of the bath, a connection deepened—an unspoken language of love and understanding. You saw beyond the mask and into the vulnerable heart of the man beneath, tending to his physical and emotional wounds with gentle care.

And as the warm water enveloped them, Bruce Wayne and you discovered the power of love—a force that could heal the wounds of the night and soothe the weariness of the soul. In each other's presence, they found solace—a place where they could truly be themselves, embraced by the love and care of the person who saw beyond the façade.

In the realm of tranquil baths and shared intimacy, Bruce Wayne and you found a haven—a place where they could find respite, supported by the warmth of love and the understanding that they were not alone.

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fandomgirlz01 · 11 months ago

Text

My Place In This World Pt. 2

Fireworks

Dick Grayson X Reader

Imagine on my fandom instagram?: No

Prompt?: No

Request?: No

Requested prompt?: No

Edited: Yes

Word count: 8,463

Ko-fi

Masterlist

Warnings here

You can listen to the story be read out loud here.

Post Date: December 14th, 2023

Post Time: 10:41 pm

Summary: Growing up in Haly's circus and losing their parents in the same night makes the reader and Dick closer than anyone else. Together they go through life having one another's backs though every life change, even eventually becoming Robin and Blue Jay together. What happens when feelings have changed and slowly start to be revealed?

youtube

Y/n’s Pov:

“Time runs short. You must awaken,” a weird ominous voice speaks.

“You must awaken now!” The voice shouts and my head shoots up as I open my eyes.

We all awake with a gasp as we find ourselves locked up in pods. I try pulling at my arms only to find that they’re restrained above my head. I try wiggling my feet only to find that they too are restrained.

Looking back up, I see the clone standing in front of us just staring at us with a very stoic look on his face. I look over to my left to see Dick next to me and he looks at me. He silently asks me if I’m okay and I nod before silently asking him the same thing, feeling pleased when he nods.

“What? What— what do you want?!” Wally yells out, making me turn to my right to see him before looking back at the clone.

“Quit staring. You’re creeping me out,” Wally continues to yell at the clone standing in front of us and I shake my head.

“Uh, KF, how about we not tick off the guy who can fry us with a look?” Dick calmly asks in a soft tone and I hum in agreement.

“Listen, we only sought to help you,” Kaldur states in a calm and soft voice.

“Yeah. We free you, and you turn on us. How’s that for grat—” Wally berates the clone and I roll my eyes.

“Kid, please, be quiet now,” Kaldur interrupts as he turns to look at him.

“Yeah. KF, quiet. Even I know now’s not the time to get angry, and I’m the most angry person here,” I add onto Kaldur’s words and Dick scoffs.

“Blue Jay. Stop. You are not,” he pointedly says with a roll of his eyes.

“Enough. I believe our new friend was not in control of his actions like we are,” Kaldur cuts in and I look over at Dick with a light smirk when I see him pop out his lock pick from his glove.

He nods at me and I nod back before pressing the small button in my glove. My lock pick pops out as his had done and we both start quietly working on our shackles.

“Wha— what if I… what if I wasn’t?” The clone asks in a hesitant tone and Wally’s eyes widen.

“He can talk!” he shouts in shock and I roll my eyes.

“Of course he can, KF. He may be a clone, but—” I go to defend it in an annoyed tone, but the clone cuts me off.

“Yes, he can,” he comments in anger as his fists clench at his side.

“And I thought I had anger issues…” I mumble with another roll of my eyes.

“Jay…” Dick warns and I stifle a giggle as I shrug when Dick gives me his disapproval look.

“Not like I said it,” Wally defends himself and I chuckle, shaking my head.

“You might as well have, KF,” I exasperate with a roll of my eyes and he huffs.

“The genomorphs taught you telepathically,” Kaldur asks, changing the subject as he turns his head to look at the clone.

“They taught me much. I can read, write. I— I know the names of things,” the clone tries to convey what he knows.

“But have you seen them? Have they ever let you actually see the sky?” Dick asks but pauses for a moment.

“Or the sun?” I finish Dick’s thoughts, making him look at me before looking back at the clone.

“Images are implanted in my mind, but no. I have not seen them,” the clone answers in a melancholy tone and I frown.

“Well, you deserve to see them and feel the heat from the sun,” I tell him in a sympathetic tone, still frowning.

“Do you know what you are, who you are?” Kaldur asks and the clone seems to stand a little straighter.

“I am the Superboy, a genomorph, a clone made from the DNA of the Superman created to replace him should he perish…” the clone starts to explain, but pauses.

“To destroy him should he turn from the light,” the clone finishes explaining and Dick turns to look at me. I frown at him and he shakes his head before looking back at the clone.

“To be like superman is a worthy aspiration, but like superman you deserve a life of your own, beyond that solar suit, beyond your pod, beyond Cadmus,” Kaldur tries to get our point further across to the clone.

“I live because of Cadmus! It is my home!” The clone angrily shouts out as he argues back.

“Your home is a test tube. We can show you the sun,” Dick starts to try explaining what else he can have and I smile.

“Uh, pretty sure it’s after midnight, but we can show you the moon,” Wally adds on and I roll my eyes in annoyance at the boy for the millionth time.

“Robin’s point is that we can show you how to have a real life outside these walls,” I add on and Dick smiles softly at me as Wally rolls his eyes.

“We can show you, introduce you to superman,” Kaldur tells him and for a moment it looks like the clone is thinking about it.

“No, they can’t,” another voice speaks up, making the clone turn around as we all look up.

“They’ll be otherwise occupied,” the scientist creepily tells us as he, Guardian and another scientist walk in through the door.

“Activate the cloning process,” he demands the other female scientist as he and Guardian come to a stop.

“Pass. Batcav’s crowded enough—” Dick comments and I have to hold back a giggle.

“Tell me about it, Rob. With you, me, Bats and now Batgirl, I can’t take on any more added to the team,” I agree with him, playfully rolling my eyes and he smirks as I hold back my laughter.

“And get the weapon back in its pod!” The male scientist demands again as he looks at Guardian, who then starts towards the clone.

“Hey, how come he gets to call Supey an it?” Wally whines out and I sigh, shaking my head.

Guardian walks up behind the clone and puts a hand on his shoulder. The clone watches him walk up from the corner of his eye until he touches his shoulder and turns to look at Kaldur.

“Help us,” Kaldur tells the clone one last time.

The clone then shoves Guardian's hand off of his shoulder and turns to look at him. He gives him a glare before the scientist walks up behind him.

“Don’t start thinking now,” the scientist exasperates as he walks past the clone and the genomorph on his shoulder jumps off onto the clone’s shoulder.

The genomorph’s horns glow and the clone's eyes widen before becoming void of emotion. The scientist moves to stand in front of the clone and comes to a stop.

“See, you’re not a real boy. You’re a weapon and you belong to me! Well, to Cadmus. Same thing. Now get back to your pod!” The scientist tells him as the horns continue to glow.

The clone then turns and starts to leave. The door closes behind him and the scientist turns to the woman at the computer station. She types on the keys for a minute before a metal arm with prongs on the end pops up in each of our pods.

They launch forward towards each of us and before we know it, there’s a shock flowing through our bodies. We each scream out as it seems to last forever. The scientist starts to speak, but it’s hard to make out what he’s saying as we all continue to scream out in pain.

The scientist talks to the head genomorph that we fought earlier on, but again it’s hard to hear anything as we scream in pain. The pain continues on and on for a while. I look over at Dick and frown harder, wishing I could stop his pain.

Then I look at Wally and tears well up in my eyes. Last I look at Kaldur, who seems to be whispering something and I wonder what he’s saying. Slowly black starts to take over my vision and closes in slower and slower as I start to feel utterly drained.

“Sir, this one can’t handle the cloning process. She’s lost far too much blood,” the lady scientist calls out as my eyes droop more and more.

“Then don’t worry about cloning her. Just get rid of her now then,” the emotionless male scientist barks out and the lady nods solemnly.

“Don’t you dare touch her. You lay a hand on her and I’ll never let you have a moment of peace again,” Dick growls out in anger and I try to formulate some words to try to comfort him, telling him I won’t go down without a fight, but the words won’t leave my mouth.

My tongue turns and turns in my mouth, but the more effort I make, the more tired I feel. I look over at Dick one last time before there’s a loud banging noise, making us all look over to see the door being ripped open by the clone. It sparks as he holds it over his head before throwing it aside and suddenly the pain that was flowing through my body stops. I feel a little bit of life flow through me as Kaldur lets out a sigh of relief when he sees the clone and he walks in ominously.

“I told you to get back to your…” the main scientist starts as he turns and looks at the clone.

The clone only ignores him and continues towards us, pushing Guardian to the left and the scientist to the right, making them all go flying back into the walls. He stands straight over the scientist, all big and tall.

“Don’t give me orders!” The clone seethes out before turning and walking closer to us.

“You here to help us or fry us?” Wally asks and the clone glares at him.

“Huh, I don’t seem to have heat vision. So I suppose helping is my only option,” the clone smugly tells Wally.

It’s quiet for a literal second before there’s a loud hiss to my left, making me turn weakly to see Dick finally release himself from his shackles. As soon as his arms and legs are free, his pod opens. He quickly jumps down and starts to rub at his wrists.

“Aha. Finally, lucky Batman isn’t here. He’d have our heads for taking so long. Right, Jay?” Dick jokes but stops when I don’t reply.

He slowly turns and looks around before looking up at me. His face falls when he sees me looking down at him tiredly. I give him a soft smile and his eyes widen as he shakes his head.

“Seriously, that’s what you’re worried about?” Wally deadpans, making Dick look at him.

“The whole league will have our heads after tonight!” Wally finishes as Dick doesn’t even really listen to him, he just rushes over to the panel with all the buttons and pushes one.

After he pushes it, there’s a faint buzz before the pods open. Dick then turns to the clone, who looks at him.

“Free Aqualad. I’ll get Blue Jay then kid mouth,” Dick orders and my vision slowly starts to swim some more.

“Don’t you give me orders either,” the clone angrily seethes at him before taking a leap over to Aqualad.

The clone breaks Aqualad’s arm shackles and he falls forward into the clone's arms. Kaldur lets out a small ‘thank you’ before smiling at the clone. As he helps Kaldur the rest of the way, Dick climbs up to the top of my pod and again pops his lock pick out from his glove.

He quickly picks up where I left off on picking the lock and soon my hands come free along with my feet. I stay in the pod and lean tiredly against the wall of it. Dick quickly climbs down before looking back up at me and I shake my head before sluggishly motioning to Wally.

Dick gives me a worried glance before nodding at my persistent look. He then goes and climbs up Wally’s and helps him get out. Once Wally is out they all jump down to the floor and the others start to run.

“Guys, hold on. Blue Jay’s hurt!” Dick yells out, making the others come to a stop.

They all slowly turn around and Dick now has his back turned to me. They all stay quiet for a moment as I lean against the wall.

“What do we do? I can’t hack and carry her,” Dick quickly explains through a fearful tone and Kaldur smiles softly at him before he walks over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“I will carry her. You just worry about hacking. I promise Blue Jay will be safe with me,” Kaldur assures Dick, who nods before looking at the floor for a moment as Wally puts a hand on his shoulder in comfort.

Kaldur jumps up into my pod and slowly picks me up. He holds me tight before getting ready to jump down, but I stop him.

“Please make sure he’s alright, Kal…” I whisper out and he chuckles lightly.

“You are the one hurt and you are making sure he’s ok. You two really are two birds of a kind…” he tells me and I smile weakly at him as I shrug.

“I love him, what can I say?” I whisper out super quietly as my vision starts to really fade now.

“You have my word, Blue Jay. You both will make it out okay,” he tells me softly before everything becomes completely dark.

Dick’s Pov:

Kaldur jumps down with y/n in his arms, but her eyes are closed. I scramble in my utility belt for a moment before finding what I need. Wally gives me a confused look when I pull it out, but I quickly walk over to Kaldur and y/n.

“What’s that?” Wally asks as I quickly put the tab on y/n’s neck.

“Heart monitor. Batman made it after the last time she was injured on a mission. He made it so we can make sure she’s still doing ok as we make our way outta here,” I explain as I open my holo computer up on my arm.

“Woah. That little patch is a heart monitor?” he asks in astonishment and I nod.

“Yup. Sends the stats right to my computer here so I can hack and monitor it at the same time,” I tell him as I make my holo computer pop up and his eyes widen.

“That’s so cool! Me and Flash have ours in our suits,” he tells me and I nod in agreement.

“We have them in ours too, but for some reason hers hasn’t been working, hence why Bats made this… backup,” I explain as I start typing stuff in to bring up the monitor on my computer.

“So she’s been hurt before?” Wally asks and I swallow back my emotions.

“Yes. Four missions ago she was hurt badly. Had to be hospitalized for a few days. We’ve been trying to fix hers, but we just can’t figure out why it won’t work after that one mission,” I explain as I continue to type before finally pulling it up.

“She’ll be ok. She’s a fighter. If you want, me and the Flash gang can take a look to see if we can figure it out for you guys,” Wally tells me and I look up at him in thanks.

“We should be good to go, but we gotta be fast. She needs medical attention soon,” I tell Kaldur and he nods.

“Ok. Let’s go then,” he agrees with a nod and before I know it, we’re all running past the scientist who unfortunately seems to wake up.

“You— you’ll never get out of here! Your friend’s gonna die!” he shouts to us as we run past him.

“I’ll have you back in pods before morning!” he finishes off as we just make it out of the door.

“That guy is not whelmed. Not whelmed at all,” I tell Wally as we both come to a stop.

“What is it with you and this whelmed thing?” he asks as I throw four explosive batarangs.

“Inside joke with Blue Jay…” I tell him as I begin running again.

The wing dings perfectly hit the pods before exploding as we continue running away. We quickly catch up to Kaldur and the clone only to keep running.

“We are still 42 levels below ground, but if we can make the elevator…” Kaldur starts to explain the plan as he runs with y/n in his arms.

We make it down many halls before we hear a gowling, making us come to a stop when we see the big genomorphs coming our way. We turn around and look behind us to see the bumps on the walls start glowing a bright red. Soon more of the genomorphs start popping out of them and coming towards us.

The one behind us bangs on the ground quickly, making us all turn and jump back. The clone quickly jumps up and hits one in the face as we run to get around them. The clone quickly stands, ready to fight some more before one punches him down into the floor.

Kaldur, Wally and I jump over the one and land on the other side before turning to watch the clone start fighting. I look down at my computer and watch y/n’s heartbeat, letting out a sigh of relief when I see it’s still semi-steady, even if she’s passed out.

“Superboy, the goal is escape, not to bury ourselves here,” Kaldur shouts out to the clone and he continues to fight.

“You want escape?” Superboy yells out as he turns back to look at us.

“Aha, yeah, that’s the whole point. Not to mention we have an injured party who needs medical attention soon,” I shout after Kaldur as I point to y/n.

“Aha!” Superboy yells out as he turns and continues to fight the huge genomorphs.

“Let’s just keep going,” Wally states and Kaldur hums, nodding in agreement.

“Kid, take Blue Jay. I need to pry the doors open,” Kaldur tells Wally, who nods before taking y/n from his arms.

Kaldur walks up to the doors and I turn to Wally. He gives me a look as I hold my arms out.

“You sure?” he asks and I nod.

“Yeah. Can’t hack anything right now anyway. I can get us up the shaft so you can climb,” I tell him and he nods before hesitatingly putting y/n into my arms.

I nod in thanks to him before he takes a leap, landing on the side of the shaft and I shoot my grappling gun. I hold onto y/n with a single arm as tightly as I can while we shoot up the elevator shaft. Superboy grabs onto Kaldur and takes a big leap.

Once at the end of my grappling gun, I swing lightly before landing on the side and keeping y/n with me. Once on the side, I plop down for a moment and just hold y/n a little closer as I watch Superboy and Kaldur get to about halfway up the shaft before they both start to fall.

“I— I’m falling,” Superboy says in shock before they start to fall quicker.

My eyes widen in shock before I reach into my utility belt and grab a batarang. I quickly toss it at the wall they’re about to fall past and Kaldur reaches out to grab it as he grabs onto Superboy as well.

“Superman can fly,” Superboy comments in sadness as he and Kaldur hang from the wall.

“Why can’t I fly?” he solemnly asks as he looks up at Kaldur.

“Don’t know, but it looks like you can leap tall buildings in a single bound. Still cool,” Wally tells him from beside me now and it’s quiet for a moment.

My mind quickly wanders to what y/n would have said. She’d probably agree with Wally before making some joke about how it’s cooler then what Wally can do. I hold back a laugh at the thought as Wally helps Superboy down so he’s on the ledge with us.

“Thank you,” Superboy calmly tells him with shame in his eyes as Kaldur hops onto the ledge right behind him.

“How’s Blue Jay doing?” Kaldur asks, looking at me and I sigh.

“Not good. I’ll have to add a bandage around her wound, but I can’t do it here. I need solid ground first,” I inform him and he gives a curt nod.

“Ok. How much farther until we are out?” he asks me and I go to answer before there’s a loud sound coming from above us.

“This will have to be our exit!” I quickly shout out and Kaldur nods.

“Superboy. Help me with these doors!” Kaldur tells him and he nods.

Together they each kick at one door and they both cave in. I grab onto y/n before we all rush though the new opening in the wall just before the express elevator quickly passes us going down. We all turn back for a moment watching as it passes.

We then turn back to hall only to see more genomorphs start rushing towards us while growling. Kaldur takes y/n from me before we all quickly turn to the right and start running again.

“Go left! Left!” Superboy yells out and we do as he says, turning left before continuing to run.

“Right!” he yells out again as we again do as he says before coming to a dead end.

“Great directions, Supey. You trying to get us re-podded?” Wally angrily asks as he turns to Superboy.

“No. I- I don’t understand…” Superboy replies with confusion laced in his tone.

“Don’t apologize! This is perfect!” I shout and they all look at me in confusion.

“How can this be perfect?” Wally asks and I smirk.

“Take the vent off and we start crawling…” I inform them as I rip the vent off the wall.

“Ok. You do that, but how exactly do you plan on getting Blue Jay through the vents?” Kaldur asks and I pause a moment.

“Uhh… here. Tie her to my waist,” I quickly tell him as I pull out a small bit of rope from my utility belt.

“How exactly is tying her to your waist gonna get her though?” Wally asks in clear confusion and I shrug as I finally close my holo computer.

“Best thought is that I pull her along as we crawl,” I reply with a shrug.

“That doesn’t really sound like it’d work to me,” he comments and I shrug.

“Got any better ideas on how to get her out?” I ask as anger flares up inside me and he throws his hands up in surrender.

“You're right. Only plan we got, so let’s do it,” he agrees and I sigh.

“Sorry KF, but it’s that or leave her behind and I’m not too fond of leaving her behind,” I tell him and he nods, putting a hand on my shoulder.

“I know, Rob. I know. We got this. Let’s get going,” he tells me and I nod as Kaldur now hands me the rope.

I take it and pause a moment before hesitantly tying the rope around myself. I look at Kaldur and he gives me a nod of confirmation.

“I’ll be right behind you. I’ll make sure she sticks with you. Do not worry,” he tells me and I nod, taking a deep breath before climbing up into the small air shaft.

Once inside, I turn around and Kaldur quickly passes y/n up to me. I slowly pull her though before turning back to start crawling as best as I can. Kaldur climbs in right after us and quickly props y/n up against me so she’s not full on laying on the bottom of the air shaft.

I continue to slowly crawl, trying to keep her from moving too much. Soon both Superboy and KF are following us in and we all slowly keep crawling.

“Ah, at this rate we’ll never get out,” Wally comments after a while of crawling.

“Kid, not now,” Kaldur sternly tells him.

“Shh. Listen,” Superboy tells us and we all pause to listen.

Suddenly there’s a sound coming and we all quickly figure out that it’s genomorphs crawling after us. I look at Kaldur and he nods.

“They can’t find us, don't worry, just follow me. I have a plan,” I tell them and we continue crawling for a few more minutes.

Soon we find another way out and I pop the grate off before sliding out. Kaldur then slowly slides y/n down to me and I pull her down the rest of the way. I set her down against the wall for a second before pulling my holo computer out and connecting it to the panel on the wall.

The others all climb out and I continue to type on my computer for a second. I take a quick look at y/n’s monitor before pausing to fish my kit out. Once I have it, I hand it to Wally.

“Here. Wrap her wound for me while I do this. You do remember how to do it don’t you?” I ask him as I hand him the first aid kit and he nods, taking it from me.

He walks over and starts wrapping her wound as I turn back to my computer. I work for a minute before he tells me he’s done and he hands me the kit.

“Thanks. That should keep her from getting worse then she already is,” I comment as I put the kit away and he nods.

“So what are you hacking now?” Wally asks just as I’m finishing up.

“I hacked the motion sensors,” I proudly tell him as I smirk.

“Sweet!” he says as he throws his arms up.

“Still plenty of them between us and out,” I explain as I start hacking to find a faster way out.

“But I’ve finally got room to move,” he states as he puts his goggles over his eyes before rushing off.

“Ok… I guess we’re moving now,” Kaldur comments and I nod as I stand up.

“Robin, I’ll carry Blue Jay. You pay attention to those sensors,” Kaldur tells me as he picks y/n up and I nod.

Wally runs in front of us and we all run up the stairs after him. He takes out some genomorphs that are coming down at us and I keep my eyes on my holo computer.

“More behind us!” I shout out behind myself and Superboy stops.

He turns so he’s facing the genomorphs that are coming before stomping and making the set of stairs so it breaks off. He then turns and catches up with us as we continue to run up the rest of the flights of stairs. Wally continues to run and just as we all round the corner of one of the many halls, the room starts flashing red.

An alarm of some sort starts going off and we watch as Wally tries to skid to a stop before banging into the door that just closed off. He flies back and lands on the floor as we come to a stop next to him.

“We’re cut off from the street,” Kaldur tells us as Wally rubs at his head.

“Thanks. My head hadn’t noticed,” Wally comments from the floor, still rubbing his head.

Superboy just walks around Wally and to the door. He then pulls his hand back and punches at the door. Nothing really happens, so Kaldur hands y/n to me before going over to help him.

They both pull at the door from either side and nothing happens, so I set y/n lightly on the ground, leaning her against the wall. I pull my holo computer up and stick the plug in the USB before quickly starting to try to hack into the door.

“Can’t hack this fast enough. If Blue Jay were here, maybe I could, but I can’t,” I exclaim before I turn my holo computer off just as a growl comes from my right, making me look up.

I quickly take a look around and find a door. I pick y/n up and walk over to it.

“This way!” I yell out to the others as I kick the door open before running through.

We all run through and come to a stop when we see a whole army of genomorphs in front of us with Guardian standing in the front. We all turn around when we hear more walk up behind us and we all take a fighting stance. Suddenly all the genomorphs' horns start to glow and I’m slowly sinking down to the ground as does Kaldur and Wally.

As I sink down, I keep as tight of a hold on y/n as I can and lay her on the floor before falling onto my back. Just as my back hits the floor, everything seems to go dark.

~Small Time Skip~

After what feels like forever, my eyes slowly open and I blink. I sit up and quickly look over y/n, who’s still unconscious. I quickly pull up my holo computer and check her vitals before letting out a breath of relief when she’s still semi stable.

Once I know she’s still doing okay, I start to stand with the others and feel a little dizzy. I hold a hand to my head for a moment as the dizzy feeling goes away.

“Feels like fog lifting,” Guardian says as he holds his head.

“Guardian?” Kaldur asks as he looks at him and Guardian stands straight.

“Go. Get her out of here. I’ll deal with Desmond,” he tells us as he nods at y/n.

“I think not,” comes Desmond’s voice from behind Guardian, making the Genomorphs all part as Guardian turns to look at him.

“Project blockbuster will give me the power to restore order to Cadmus,” he sinisterly says as he holds up a vial with blue liquid in it.

He takes a step back before pouring the liquid into his mouth. He starts to groan and his bones start to make loud cracking sounds as Guardian slowly moves back to us. Desmond tosses the vial to his left and it smashes against the ground.

He then starts writhing around in pain all while still groaning and soon he’s throwing himself down on the ground. He hunches over in a ball before his body seems to grow, ripping his lab coat the more he grows. His skin starts to rip and his teeth become like fangs.

I look at Wally, who looks at me in fear before looking at Blue Jay. Like I read his mind, I quickly bend down to gently pick her up once again. Once I’m standing straight, there’s a loud roar that Desmond lets out as he too fully stands, but now he’s a giant, tall blue monster.

He stands there in his monster form, breathing heavily as we watch him carefully. He stands straight and Guardian stares at him for a moment.

“Everyone back!” Guardian shouts as he uses his hands to hold us back.

He then runs off towards Desmond, who just backhands him and he goes flying to the side before he hits the wall face first.

Superboy is the first to react and he launches forward at Desmond with a primal yell before punching the new monster in the face. Desmond just punches back, but Superboy again throws another punch of his own and quickly gets the upper hand. He lands a few punches, but again Desmond gets one in, making Superboy fly back.

Superboy quickly recovers after flying back on his back and spinning. He lands and quickly moves into a crouched position before jumping back up. He starts like he’s going to slam him into the ground, but Desmond jumps at the same time and they both crash though the ceiling.

“Okay. That’s one way to bust through the ceiling,” I comment before grabbing my grappling gun.

“You think lab coat planned that?” Wally asks and I shrug as before me and y/n shoot up though the hole.

“I doubt he is planning anything anymore,” Kaldur comments as we land at the top.

Kaldur grabs Wally and leaps through, landing right behind me. Once we land back in the lobby, we watch as Desmond grabs Superboy. He throws him and he comes flying at us.

Wally and I quickly move out of the way as Superboy flies past us. He collides with Kaldur and they both go flying back. We quickly run over to them and Wally helps Kaldur up as I reach a hand out for Superboy.

“Robin. Get y/n somewhere safe,” Kaldur tells me and I quickly nod before turning and looking around the room.

I run over and set her down behind one of the pillars before checking her stats one last time. I frown when I see the small influx of a change making her less stable. I sigh and shake my head before turning my holo computer off.

“Stay with me for a little longer, Jay. We’re almost out of here,” I tell her as I lean my head against hers for a moment before sighing and standing.

“I’ll be right back. I promise,” I speak out to her even though I know she won’t say anything back.

With one last sigh I walk back over and we all stand in a fight position, waiting for Desmond to make a move. When he does, we all move forward; Wally runs in first and goes under his legs, making Desmond turn to look at him. He looks back at Wally for a moment before turning just as Kaldur and Superboy jump together to punch him in the face.

Wally goes down on all fours, making Desmond fall back and trip over Wally. He lands with a loud thud on the ground and Wally stands straight.

“Learned that one in kindergarten,” Wally comments as I jump over him and throw a couple wing dings at him.

Desmond turns and blocks them with his arms before coming face to face with Superboy again. He growls, jumping up and slamming Superboy into the pillar behind him. Superboy fights back but Desmond quickly stops him and throws his own punch.

Kaldur takes his water bearers out and quickly uses the water to try pulling Desmond’s arm back from Superboy. However, it doesn’t work when Desmond just pulls Kaldur to him. Kaldur quickly switches his water bearers from rope form to a mace form while in the air and tries to slam it down onto Desmond.

Desmond reaches up and wraps his hand around the mace before pulling Kaldur to the floor. He slams down onto the floor and Desmond throws Superboy into another pillar. Superboy falls to the ground and a piece of the pillar falls on top of him.

Wally runs around and past Superboy over to where Desmond starts to fight with Aqualad. Desmond picks Wally up mid-run and flings him around. Kaldur tries to hit Desmond from behind, but he swings Wally around and throws him into Kaldur.

Both Wally and Kaldur fly back and slam into a pillar behind them. I watch as they both fall to the floor before Aqualad is standing back up. He quickly starts to try fighting again, but once again gets slammed into a pillar.

I watch the top of the pillar start to break away from its support system and my eyes widen as I get an idea.

“Of course!” I speak out in wonderment as I pull up my holo computer and a holographic map of the pillars pop up.

“KF, get over here!” I yell out to Wally, making him look up at me.

He quickly comes over and I start to go over the plan with him as the others continue to fight off Desmond. The holograph blinks red, pointing out to him the breaking points of each pillar.

“Got it?” I ask him as I pull my arm down with the holograph disappearing as I do.

“Got it,” he confirms with a nod.

“Go,” I firmly command him just as he takes off.

Superboy now is getting lifted by Desmond as Wally races over and grabs his face. I quickly rush over to y/n and check her signs one last time before turning back around.

“Got your nose!” Wally playfully sings out as he holds up a piece of skin he ripped off of Desmond.

Desmond growls as he throws Superboy aside and heads for Wally. He starts to chase Wally around and I quickly start to pull up the hologram again.

“Superboy! Aqualad!” I yell out to the two across from me and show them the hologram.

“Come and get me, incredible bulk!” Wally yells out before running again and leading Desmond where he needs to.

Wally keeps Desmond distracted for a moment as Superboy and Aqualad come over to me. I quickly show them the hologram again before explaining.

“This one and that one,” I point out the pillars that need to be taken out.

Both Superboy and Aqualad give me a firm nod before rushing off to the pillars. As they run off, I quickly pull out some chalk and run to the center of the building. Superboy takes his pillar out first, then Aqualad takes his pillar out and Wally gets Desmond to take out the one behind him.

“Sorry! Try again!” Wally taunts Desmond before running off.

I quickly go to the middle and draw an ‘X’ in chalk and Aqualad makes a puddle over the top of it with his water bearers. As I stand, I quickly throw some explosive wing dings at my pillar. Wally then runs over and skids to a stop before turning back to look at Desmond.

He goes after Wally, but Superboy comes in from behind and lands a punch, making Desmond fall on his back into the puddle with a loud thud. I rush over and pick y/n up before going to stand next to Kaldur.

Aqualad then leans down and electrocutes the puddle, which in turn electrocutes Desmond. Together we stand watching him growl and wither in pain for a moment.

“Move!” I yell out as I press the button to activate the wing dings in the pillar.

They beep as we all run for cover before doing what they’re made to do and exploding. The whole ceiling starts to give way and Desmond lets out a roar as he looks up at the piece of ceiling that’s falling. The whole building starts to crash around us after Desmond gets crushed and we continue to run for cover.

I quickly drop down and cover y/n as Superboy grabs Wally and drops down over him. Aqualad drops down over me and we all wait until the rubble settles before Superboy punches his way through. Once he has a hand through, he grabs onto the piece that’s still above us and shoves it off.

Slowly we all stand and look around at all the rubble. We all breathe heavily as we slowly calm down from the moment.

“We… did it,” Kaldur says in shock as he looks over at me as I quickly sit y/n up against the side of some rubble.

“Was there ever any doubt?” I ask him as I look back at him and rub my neck.

Wally looks at me and we smile at one another before swinging our hands up in a high-five. We both quickly cringe though as we feel pain flow through our ribs. Superboy walks over to Desmond still under the rubble and we follow him.

“See…” Wally speaks up, making Superboy turn to look at us.

“The moon,” Wally finishes as he motions up at it and we all turn to look at it.

We all stare up at the moon for a moment, but I look away before I go and sit down next to y/n. I pull her into my lap and hold her close as the others continue to watch the moon.

“Oh. And Superman. Do we keep our promises or what?” Wally asks and I look up when he says it to see the whole league fly in behind him.

I sigh in relief and stand with y/n in my arms when I see Bruce being lowered in by Green lantern. Bruce steps off and stops next to Superman as all the other members stand around us. There’s a moment of silence and the heroes look over us all before Superboy is stepping forward.

He walks up to Superman, who has a cold, parental glare on all of us. Superboy stops and takes a moment before lifting his ripped shirt to show the S symbol on his chest. Superman falters ever so slightly in shock before straining up.

“Is that what I think it is?” Bruce asks Superman, who stays quiet.

“He doesn’t like being called an it,” Wally informs them through the side of his mouth as he walks up beside Superboy and uses his hand to hide his mouth from Superboy.

“I’m Superman’s clone,” Superboy interjects in a matter of fact tone.

Everyone seems to have different reactions, but all stay quiet nonetheless. The eyes of Batman’s mask narrow and I hold y/n a bit closer.

“Start talking,” he tells us and the whole league starts to move around.

“Bats. Can we get y/n medical first, please?” I ask him as I walk up to him and he frowns.

“What happened? How’d Blue get hurt?” he immediately asks and it’s then I’m thankful for my domino mask as it hides my eyes welling up with tears.

“We don’t have time to talk about it. Can I just tell you later? Her pulse is very faint,” I tell him and as if he reads my mind, he nods and turns around for a moment.

“Arrow!” Bruce shouts, making the archer in question turn around to look at him.

“Do you think you can take Blue Jay to medical?” he asks him and Green Arrow walks over to us.

“Of course I can, Bats,” he tells him with a nod before coming over to me.

He holds his arms out to me and I back away a little, not wanting to leave her. He sighs and turns to Batman, who sighs and walks over.

“Robin… she will be ok,” Bruce tells me as he places his hands on my shoulders.

“I promise, Robin, I’ll make sure she’s taken care of. You have my word,” Green Arrow tells me and I take a gulp before handing her over to him.

He smiles gently at me before turning and starting to walk away with her. I quickly try to follow, but Batman holds me back.

“Hold up, Robin. I promise we will both go be with her after, but first, you boys have some explaining to do,” Bruce tells me as he holds onto my shoulder with a firm hand.

“Ok…” I whisper out, bowing my head down.

Kaldur, Wally and I stand with our retrospective mentors. We quickly all start to explain ourselves and when we finish, they nod before telling us to wait aside. I huff as we walk off while our mentors have a quiet conversation.

“This is insane. I should be with Jay right now. I wish we could leave already,” I groan out and Kaldur nods solemnly at me.

“I know, my friend, and I wish you could be there with her, but Arrow will take good care of her and you’ll be with her when all this is over,” he tells me in a soft tone as he grips my shoulder and I sigh.

We all stay quiet for a moment as we all try to hear what’s being said, but our mentors know us well and keep quiet. Superboy just keeps looking at Superman, who seems like he doesn’t know what to do. Soon, though, Superman comes walking over to us and stops in front of Superboy with a sigh.

“We’ll, uh, we’ll figure something out for you,” Superman starts. “The League will, I mean,” he quickly adds on.

“For now, I’d better make sure they get that Blockbuster creature squared away,” he tells him in a cold tone before turning and flying away.

“Cadmus will be investigated, all 52 levels, but let’s make one thing clear—” Batman starts as he walks up behind us, making us all turn to look at him.

“You should have called!” Flash cuts him off and Batman very clearly squints his eyes in annoyance, making me hold back a laugh at the thought of what y/n would have said.

“End result aside, we are not happy. You hacked Justice League systems, disobeyed direct orders, endangered lives and over everything, Blue Jay got injured,” Batman informs us.

“You will not be doing this again,” he tells us in a very straightforward tone.

“I am sorry, but we will,” Kaldur states in a very clear tone and I take a step forward.

“Aqualad, stand down,” Aquaman demands in a very stern and angry tone.

“Apologies my king, but no,” Kaldur starts and Aquaman almost looks shocked for a moment.

“We did good work here tonight. The work you trained us to do. Together on our own we forged something powerful, important,” Kaldur explains as he takes a step forward as he stands his ground and we follow his lead, standing straight.

“If this is about your treatment at the hall, the four of you—” Flash starts to defend the mentors.

“The five of us, and it’s not!” Wally angrily cuts his mentor off before his tone softens.

“Batman, we’re ready to use what you taught us. Or why teach us at all?” I speak softly as I step forward and hold my hands out in confusion.

“Why let them tell us what to do?!” Superboy angrily asks with his arms crossed. “It’s simple,” he continues as he uncrosses his arms. “Get on board or get out of the way.”

“Batman, you know Blue Jay would be on our side,” I add in as we all stand talking in front of our mentors, but they all stay quiet and Batman gives his famous glare that I know all too well.

July 8th 8:04 EDT

Dick’s Pov:

“This cave was the original secret sanctuary of the Justice League. We’re calling it into service again. Since you four—” Batman starts to explain to the four of us standing in a line in front of him, but I hold up a finger.

“Five, Bats. You know Jay will want in when she’s better,” I add and he sighs, nodding.

“—you five are determined to stay together and fight the good fight, you'll do it on League terms,” he continues to explain.

“Red Tornado volunteered to live here and be your supervisor. Black Canary’s in charge of training. I… will deploy you on missions,” Batman explains and I roll my eyes behind my glasses.

“Real missions?” I ask him and he takes a step closer to us.

“Yes, but covert,” Batman curtly answers me.

“The League will still handle the obvious stuff. There’s a reason we have these big targets on our chests,” Flash speaks up from behind us, making us turn to look at him as he points to the symbol on his chest.

“But Cadmus proves the bad guys are getting smarter. Batman needs a team that can operate on the sly,” Aquaman takes over explaining with crossed arms, making us turn to him and Batman again.

“The six of you will be that team,” Batman tells us and I smile.

“Cool! Wait. Six?” I ask in confusion and Batman looks behind us, making us turn around once more.

“This is the Martian Manhunter’s niece, Miss Martian,” Batman introduces as Martian Manhunter and a girl version of him walks up to us.

“Hi,” she nervously says as she uncrosses her arms and gives a small wave.

“Liking this gig more every minute,” Wally comments in a sly, charismatic tone and I raise an eyebrow at him.

“Ow! What was that for?” Wally asks after I slap him on the head.

“You know Blue Jay would have done it for that comment, so until she’s fully rested and back, I’m doing it for her,” I tell him with a shrug and he gives me an angry look.

“Rude!” he groans and I chuckle as he just straightens up.

“Uh, anyway. Welcome aboard. I’m Kid Flash,” he immediately changes his mood, making me roll my eyes.

“That’s Robin,” he adds on as he introduces me and I give her a peace sign as I walk out from behind Wally.

“Aqualad, it’s cool if you forget their names,” Wally continues to introduce each of us.

“But I thought there were five others?” Miss Martian asks in confusion and I nod.

“Oh, there is. You’ll meet Blue Jay later. She was injured so she can’t be here, but don’t worry you’ll definitely get to meet her,” I inform her and she smiles softly.

“Well, I’m honored to be included,” she adds on, clasping her hands in front of herself like prayer hands. We all walk closer to her to talk a little more except Superboy and I turn around.

“Hey, Superboy!” I call out and he looks at me.

“Come meet Miss M!” I tell him as I wave him over and he turns before walking over to us.

He comes to a stop and closes off the little circle we’ve made. Miss Martian’s outfit starts to change so the colors match Superboy’s shirt and she looks at him shyly.

“I like your t-shirt,” she tells him and he just gives a small smile in response.

I reach up and elbow him in the side as Wally zooms around so he’s on his left. Wally wraps an arm around his shoulder as we all smile softly at her.

“Today is the day,” Kaldur says, making us look at him.

To Be Continued…

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stephstars08 · 1 year ago

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The two characters I would write the most about would be Jason Todd (Red Hood) and Dick Grayson (Nightwing) since they are my two favorites!

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happyimagines · 2 years ago

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gay-dorito-dust · 8 months ago

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How they’d react to you not kissing/hugging him before leaving for a mission…

Dick acts as though you told him his ass isn’t that fat in his spandex suit-

He’s insulted.

You always, always remember to kiss his cheek before he leaves. His ‘good luck, be safe and kick ass’ cheek kiss!

It’s your thing as a couple! Do you want to see him cry because he fucking will! He’ll do it!

Dick will pout, huff and whine loud as possible in hopes that you’d realise your error and rectify it tenfold. He won’t tell you what’s wrong. No, he wants and expects you to figure it out for yourself, which doesn’t get him anywhere when you’re looking at him confused and lost as to what he was whining about; Literally.

His mood will be down for the entirety of the day and you’ll no doubt have texts from his teammates and family members asking what was wrong with Dick to look so down.

You’re just as confused as them seeing as how Dick didn’t disclose his innermost thoughts and feelings to you despite being his partner, so you were at a loss on how to help them with something even you weren’t privy to knowing…it’s probably one of your biggest issues as a couple but that’s for another time.

Dick will do that pathetic thing where he looks back at you expectantly the closer he gets towards the door, even going so far as to walk extremely slow when he was within reaching distance of the door handle as to buy you enough time to notice before he genuinely had to leave.

When you don’t however, Dick acts like a kicked puppy for the rest of the day and will proceed to exaggerate to anyone with ears about how his lover was restricting him of his affection.

On the other hand, If you do manage to remember to give him a good luck kiss, planting an extra one on his other cheek for extra, extra luck. Dick will have a permanent smile on his face that will not go the fuck away, even when he’s beating someone’s ass, the smile remains glued on his face as though with gorilla glue.

Seeing Dick brutally beat someone’s ass with a smile was horrifying for anyone to witness but it’s okay bc he’s happy that you remembered to kiss him good luck.

Jason will immediately call you out on your bullshit.

And by that I mean cross his arms over his chest and stare at you saying. ‘Well?’

And you’re like: ‘well what?’

And he’s like: ‘where’s my good luck kiss that you owe me? Roy is waiting on me and here I am waiting on my kiss, so give me my kiss chipmunk.’

Jason doesn’t piss about and gets to the meat of the issue at hand. He wants his good luck kisses and he wants them now and he will not leave the apartment until he gets them.

You’d raise a brow at his not so subtle neediness for your affection and decided to tease him. ‘I thought you didn’t need my good luck kisses remember? You’re a big boy who can fight with or without my good luck kisses.’

Jason groans, not expecting you to pull that out. ‘I said that one time. One time and I was being a dick back then too because all you wanted to do was show me that you cared about me and didn’t want me to get hurt.’

You smiled and got up from the couch and walked over to him, resting your hands on his biceps. ‘So now that you admit that you were a dick and the way that you acted was wrong…’ you trailed off as you pressed a kiss to his lips once, twice, three times because you loved to kiss Jason whenever possible and will try to plant as many kisses as you could.

‘Thanks chipmunk.’ Jason murmurs against your lips, feeling everything has gone back to being right again. ‘Now I better be off or Roy will tease me for lingering too long-‘

‘Too late.’ Roy said from the doorway and Jason closed his eyes and silently curse while you smiled and waved at Roy. ‘Hi Roy!’ You said. ‘Hi y/n, mind letting Jason come out to play?’ Roy joked. You played along by making a thoughtful face as Jason mutters under his breath; ‘are you being serious right now?’

You snapped your fingers. ‘As long as you make sure Jason doesn’t get into trouble then yes, he may go out and play.’

‘I hate you both.’ Jason groaned as he walked past you and playfully shoved Roy aside to leave the apartment. Roy then cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted after him. ‘Are you sure you don’t want your goodbye kisses?’ You and Roy laugh together upon hearing Jason cursing him out from a distance.

Damian acts indifferent about it.

He doesn’t need a good luck hug, hell! he doesn’t need luck at all!

He’s skilled enough to win any fight without relying on something silly as Luck. Luck was just probability under a different name and definition. (A/n: Don’t quote me on that.)

So when you forget to give him a hug before a mission, Damian doesn’t think anything of it but it will linger in his mind unnecessarily much to his annoyance.

Why was he so hung up on not getting something a silly as a hug? Or was he instead more upset over the fact that you, his closest friend/partner, completely forgot about it as though it wasn’t anything worth remembering.

Either way he was conflicted and didn’t know how to go about saying any of this to you without getting frustrated over his apparent loss for words. He was a man of action more then anything so when he finally catches up to you, he will stride towards you and stop just a couple of inches and silently stare at you with his resting bitch face.

‘Damian?’ You asked. ‘Are you okay?’

Damian doesn’t say anything because he couldn’t think of anything to say in that moment and instead stays silent as to save himself from further embarrassment.

‘Damian?’ You asked again, getting worried over his unusual silence. ‘I can’t help you if you don’t tell me-‘ before you could finish your sentence, Damian had lunged towards you and brought you into a very tight hug. You smile softly and gladly hugged Damian back, not saying a single word other then;

‘You don’t need me to say it but I’ll reaffirm it anyway, you’ll do great out there Dami. I know you will.’

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downthe-f4ndom-rabbith0le · 10 days ago

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Always Been You (Dick Grayson x Reader) - Chapter 7

Always Been You (Dick Grayson x Reader)Reader Insert: she/her pronouns Word Count: 5017 Warnings: death, violence, fighting, bloody wounds, angst, infuriatingly oblivious love interest, slowburn Spoilers: Young Justice Seasons 1-3 plot partially, but it ended in 2022 so catch up.

Two years after his leave, Dick reaches out to his old friends to help him with a mission. But when he finds out Y/N left too, he chases after her in the hopes to bring her back.

Will Dick and Y/N be able to put their past behind them and save the Amazonians' homeland? Or will they fall, unable to tell one another their true feelings?

~~~

T-minus 1 day until Echidna's War.

'All right, everyone!' Y/N called out to the group, forcing them to stop sparring in their pairs and look at her. 'That's enough for today. Go, shower and get ready for our feast. You deserve to enjoy this night before tomorrow.'

'Yes, Princess!' the warriors said in unison, then quickly dispersed, leaving the training grounds to head back into the city to prepare for tomorrow.

'You should get ready too, Princess,' Calliope said, looking after her sisters-in-arms chatting and walking down the stairs to their homes. Y/N's heart pulled at the thought that she'd never see such happy smiles again after tonight.

'In a moment, Calliope,' Y/N answered, looking around the remaining groups that were finishing up their drills. Her gaze fell on one particular acrobat who was teaching the group blocking techniques and some acrobatic manoeuvres to avoid an opponent. All the while doing so, Dick was smiling, encouraging the women to keep trying.

'He's not too bad,' Calliope said with amusement. 'For a mortal man, that is.'

Y/N turned to Calliope only to see a knowing smile on her friend's face. Only then did Y/N realise she was smiling stupidly wide, and made quick work to get rid of it. 'I guess so. But he's stupidly naive and impulsive. He'll get himself killed because of it.'

'Maybe,' Calliope said thoughtfully as she looked back at Dick for a moment before facing Y/N again. 'But isn't that how a true warrior should die? In battle fighting for what's right?'

Y/N didn't like the thought of Dick being clawed open or beheaded by monsters, so she quickly said, 'It's not his battle to fight in, though. He shouldn't be here.'

'But he is, Y/N,' Calliope insisted, coming to stand in front of Y/N so she had no choice but to make eye contact. 'And that's what makes him even braver. He's here helping us save our home; a home he had never seen until a few days ago; a home that has no connection to him whatsoever but he is here trying to save it.'

Before Y/N could protest, Calliope gripped Y/N's hands in a manner that was desperate and insistent. 'You should tell him. Before it's too late.'

Y/N furrowed her brows in confusion. 'What are you-'

'Oh, don't play dumb with me,' Calliope interrupted. 'I see how you look at him. You're worried about him. Which means you care, despite everything you say to convince us otherwise.'

Y/N went to deny it but couldn't find the words to do so. Her heart was being torn in so many different directions any time she thought about Dick, she didn't know what exactly she felt for him. It was hard to put into words what he meant to her, the good and the bad.

When she remained silent, Calliope patted Y/N's hands gently then dropped them as she too walked away, leaving Y/N standing frozen in a battle with her head and her heart.

Y/N could've been standing there for one minute or an hour for all she knew, until someone waved their hand in front of her face and broke her from her trance.

'Y/N,' Dick said, his brows furrowed in concern. 'You okay?'

Y/N took a deep breath in as she came back to the moment. 'Yes. Yes, I'm fine. Just...'

'Worried?' Dick offered, and Y/N was grateful for the change in subject. 'Well, I wouldn't be if I were you. These women are stronger than some of the heroes back home.'

Y/N raised a playful eyebrow. 'Only some?'

Dick chuckled. 'Okay, all of them.'

The two shared a quiet laugh, and it brought Y/N a sense of normalcy and nostalgia that warmed her heart.

She looked around as the remaining warriors finished their trainings and made to leave for their homes. Y/N could almost name each and every one of them, and there was the possibility that after tomorrow she would never see them again.

'Echidna is the one who should be worried,' Y/N said, her voice slightly shaky with anger and determination. She knew that if death were to come tomorrow, Y/N wouldn't be able to save them all. But she'd be damned if she didn't try to.

A warm calloused hand tentatively enclosed her fist, and the touch was enough to cease Y/N's shakes. 'I agree,' Dick said, two simple words seemingly echoing around the quiet training ground. His smile was smooth but genuine and Y/N could've believed they were eighteen again and back on the mainland and with the team. Back when his smile eased all her problems, back when Wally and all their lost friends weren't gone. Back when it was just them, and everything in Y/N's world made sense.

But now Y/N felt like she was on another planet, and they were about to go to war with the Mother of Monsters and nothing made sense anymore.

Y/N slowly pulled her had away from Dick's and cleared her throat as she stared straight ahead. 'We should probably get ready for the feast. Could be the last one we have in a while.' Or ever, she wanted to add, but Dick was an optimist and would ridicule her for thinking such thoughts and she really didn't want to keep talking with him.

'That's right,' Dick said, eyes brightening up at the thought of food. 'I bet you guys put on the best meals, as well.'

Y/N just rolled her eyes as they made their way across the training grounds to the stairs that would lead them back into town. 'A true boy. Only ever thinking about food.'

'A true girl. Turning every compliment into an insult.'

Y/N shoved him and he shoved her back and the two couldn't hold back radiant smiles. It astounded Y/N how easily they fell back into old habits. How familiar and safe Dick was.

'You should tell him. Before it's too late.'

Tell him what exactly? Y/N could hardly discern what mixture of emotions was running through her, let alone wheedle down to a specific point what her true feelings were for Dick. She'd been upset for so long, then angry at him. But the past three days he'd shown himself to be the Dick she'd always known and come to love. Kind, brave, funny, strong, compassionate.

It all lead her to a very confusing fork in the metaphorical road of her heart.

Even so, there was something she felt for him...

Just as Dick took a step down the stairs, Y/N found herself reaching out to him this time, bringing him to a stop with her soft grip on his shoulder. 'Wait.'

Dick looked over his shoulder immediately, his piercing blue eyes glued onto her with curiosity and wonder. 'Yeah?' he asked.

Y/N took in a deep breath, calming her racing heart as she said, 'I'm sorry.' When Dick only frowned with confusion, she elaborated. 'I'm sorry for doubting you. For being... well, I haven't been the most welcoming of people have I?'

Dick didn't say a word, but he turned fully around to face her, his face as serious as it was the other night on another staircase. Y/N's hand dropped to her side, and she found she could not look away from Dick's eyes as the words started falling out.

'I guess... I just didn't think you cared about us anymore,' she said. 'About the team, about me. And it made me so angry, but then you came to the one place I thought I could finally find peace again and I just couldn't accept that you were here for me. But I see now I was wrong.'

'No, I was the one who was wrong,' Dick said with a shake of his head. 'You had every right to be angry with me, in fact you still do. You were right, I was ignorant and only thought of my pain in those years I was away. I didn't think how coming here would affect you after everything I've done.'

Dick returned to the landing, now towering over Y/N, and took her hands in his and said in a gentle voice, 'I know I am far from forgiven, but I promise you, I will spend whatever time I have left on this earth trying to make it up to you.'

Y/N could hardly breathe with the way Dick was looking at her. It was almost dream-like, and suddenly all of her teenage emotions came rushing back into her bloodstream. The adoration, the awe, the love - it had remained all this time, she'd just repressed it in her time of pain and loss.

And it could've just been her, but something flickered briefly across Dick's face - the slightest arch of his brows, the minuscule twitch of his mouth. An emotion Y/N had no time to discern before Dick was the one stepping back and resuming his journey down the stairs, a careless smile on his face like the moment never happened.

'The showers await us, Princess,' he jested as he waved her after him. 'Wouldn't want to be late for the feast!'

Y/N stared after him for a moment, trying to process what just happened. He was serious, he would do anything to make it all up to her. And that look on his face...

Y/N shook herself out of her imagination. Probably just seeing things, she told herself as she followed Dick down the stairs. She wouldn't get her hopes up again.

Not for Dick Grayson of all people.

~~~

When Dick Grayson arrived back at his room, he drew himself a bath and allowed himself to relax if only for a few minutes. The first night in his room he'd been affronted to find a group of women ready to bathe him like a child. He'd argued with Y/N about them, her saying it was their tradition and all. Eventually she caved and dismissed the women from his room. He laughed at the memory, thinking beneath his own anger that she looked cute riled up.

There it was again - the thoughts he had never thought before.

He couldn't deny Y/N had grown into a beautiful young woman, one who stood by her values and always fought for the right thing. She'd stuck by the team when he couldn't, and for that he would always admire her.

But then again he had always admired her. That's part of the reason she was his best friend. She was this strong and loving individual that had always stuck by him and the others. She had the most infectious smile, and her laughter was like music-

Dick bolted upright in the bath, his heart racing at a million miles per hour as an alarming thought entered his mind. Do I like Y/N?

Well, it wasn't a matter of like. Of course he liked her, she was his best friend after all. But they'd never... she'd never implied...

He recalled when they were younger how many people - including their parents - said that he and Y/N would end up together. They were each other's better half, and honestly part of the reason he ended up breaking up with each and every one of his past girlfriends. Because they couldn't see how important Y/N was to him.

That didn't mean he liked her like that... did he?

Dick splashed his face one last time before leaping out of the bath to get ready for the feast. Maybe all the training he was doing was making him tired and delusional. After all, even if he truly felt that way for her, she'd never feel the same. Maybe once - though there was no telling so - but certainly not now.

However, they'd had a moment on the stairs this afternoon, and something felt... different. The way she looked at him had sent his gut rolling with something akin to a roller coaster, and the vision of her hair in the golden rays of sun had taken his breath away completely. Dick couldn't remember the last time he'd felt that way - completely and utterly entranced.

Dick dressed himself in the only set of clothes he'd come in and opened his door to find Calliope and other guards standing in the corridor.

'We are to escort you down to the feast, Mr. Grayson,' Calliope explained. 'By order of the Queen herself. You will be seated at their table tonight.'

Dick found this surprising as he usually sat with the soldiers of the group he'd trained that day, getting to know them and laughing with them. But he was to sit at the royals table, which consisted of Queen Hippolyta, some generals, and Y/N.

When they entered the dining hall, the feast had pretty much begun as hundreds and hundreds of women were already seated at long tables that ran almost from the door to the dais where the Queen sat chatting with other generals at their own long table. Dick made sure to greet any woman he knew as he was guided up to the royals' table.

'So nice of you to join us, Mr. Grayson,' the Queen said as Dick was seated.

'The pleasure is all mine, your Majesty,' he replied politely, then noted the empty chair between him and the Queen. 'Is Y/N not down yet?'

'She is usually late to these sorts of things,' the Queen replied defeatedly. 'She always fights with the maidens about her hair and dress. In that respect, she is very much her mother.'

As Queen Hippolyta turned back to the speak with the generals, a quiet voice leant in behind him and quietly said, 'Eager to see the princess are we?'

'W-What?' Dick exclaimed to Calliope. 'No, I'm not. I just... I'm just making conversation, that's all.'

'Whatever you say, mortal,' Calliope teased, her smile knowing and irritating as she remained by Dick's head.

He turned to her, annoyed. 'What do you mean by that?'

Calliope just shrugged. 'Nothing nobody doesn't already know.' When Dick just stared blankly at her, she rolled her eyes and said, 'You cannot tell me you do not feel for our princess. Do you not?'

It was like she was reading his mind or something. It was a little freaky and off-putting. But Dick was used to off-putting questions - journalists used them all the time on him when Dick did press interviews with Bruce.

So he calmly sat in his chair and looked out to the busy hall in front of him. 'Well, I still have the bruises from our first sparring match when I first got here so I guess I do feel something because of the princess.'

Calliope chuckled and shook her head. 'Avoid the question all you want, mortal. But Truth always has an interesting way of making itself known.'

Dick didn't like her know-it-all tone, and so finally turned around and said in a quiet but hard tone. 'My relationship with Y/N isn't up for debate here. She is my best friend, and the only thing I'm interested in is restoring her trust in me and saving your island.'

'How noble...' Calliope started, but her attention turned to the opening of the hall's doors and so Dick's eyes followed. He was struck still at the vision he was met with.

It was Y/N, draped in a flattering arrangement of white cloth that was synched at her waist with a golden chain. Her H/C hair had been put up in a loose bun, held together by golden pins. Plain sandals covered her feet as she made her way towards the dais, the many bracelets and arm bands adorning her arms flashing golden in the firelight.

Dick knew he was gaping, but he couldn't help it. No one could it seemed, as Y/N greeted many women along the way, and whispers of her beauty echoed throughout the hall. When she drew closer, her eyes connected with Dick's, and instead of the cold or distant expression she'd given him since day one, she offered him an embarrassed smile.

That brief interaction sent his heart in motion. It reminded him of the time they had gone to prom in their junior year of school. It had been the first time Dick had seen Y/N with makeup and in a dress. She'd given him the same embarrassed look, and he had been just as transfixed.

Dick felt someone lean in to his ear as he continued to watch Y/N make her way to the dais. 'But are you sure there is no other reason that you are here?' Calliope finished with a whisper.

She stepped back into her position before Dick could respond, not that he knew what he would say anyway. His gut was rolling so much with indecision that he thought he might throw up.

He was brought out of his thoughts as Y/N took her seat between him and the Queen. 'Grandmother,' she greeted coolly.

'Y/N,' the Queen responded, a kind smile stretching her lips. 'You look beautiful, my dear.'

'Thank you, but I still do not understand why I must wear this to every feast we have,' Y/N argued.

'It is tradition, and you are Themyscria's princess,' the Queen explained, tapping her granddaughter's hand in comfort before returning to her previous conversation.

Y/N sighed in mild defeat as she sat back in her chair. After a moment, she clocked that Dick was looking at her and sighed again. 'Not a single word from you, Grayson.'

'I wasn't going to say anything!' Dick retorted, quickly collecting himself.

'I can see it in your eyes that you're going to laugh at me.'

It took Dick a moment to realise she wasn't joking. She fidgeted with the loose cloth that draped over her body, eyes flickering from him to the crowd and back. She genuinely thought she looked ridiculous. If he was sixteen still, maybe he would've made a comment or two.

But sixteen was a long time ago now.

'No, I wasn't,' he said, and his answer must've surprised him as she turned to him with a perplexed expression on her face. 'You look... You look beautiful, Y/N.'

Y/N's E/C eyes scanned over his face, possibly searching for any kind of lie or detection of amusement. But she obviously didn't find anything, as she smiled at him, her eyes shining with surprise. 'Thank you. I would offer you the same compliment, but you've looked the same as you did the day you got here.'

'Ruggedly handsome?'

'Hmm, I'd say a bit worse for wear.'

Dick let out a painful groan as he slapped a hand across his chest where his heart was encased under. 'Wow! Way to wound a guy.'

Y/N just laughed, and Dick joined her, genuinely happy to see her smiling as they used to together. Once the laughter died, he said, 'But seriously, Y/N, you look great. And... I'm just glad you're not calling me Nightwing anymore.'

'Well,' Y/N started, fiddling with one of her bracelets, 'I figured you deserved that much after all your help.'

Help. That's right. He was helping her save her new home and new family. It wasn't because she'd forgiven him and were suddenly best friends again.

'I'm sorry to interrupt,' a young girl said, coming to stand on the other side of the table. 'But I just had something to discuss with you, Princess.'

'Of course,' Y/N answered, turning all her attention to the girl. 'Go ahead.'

Throughout dinner, Y/N was kept busy by other conversations with warriors and young girls and teachers alike that all had questions for their princess. Y/N answered every single one of their queries with enthusiasm and grace, not batting an eye as she ate and spoke and listened.

She was a natural and a pro. The whole time she spoke, Dick couldn't help but think about the two years he'd been gone for and how many times Y/N had to soothe a fear, had to deliver a confident speech that would encourage the team to keep going no matter how bleak the future seemed.

It saddened and pained him to think he'd forced that responsibility onto her in his absence. But she'd done it, held the team together and she was doing that right now as well for her people.

Upon the conclusion of dinner, the Queen called for silence as she rose to address the hall. 'Evening everyone,' she started, her voice radiating composure and control. 'Tonight, we are in the presence of our own history in the making. Tomorrow, we face Echidna, the Mother of Monsters.'

The mention of the goddess sent whispers of fear rattling throughout the crowd, but they were quickly silenced by the raise of the Queen's hand. 'I know some of you, if not all of you, are fearful of the coming events. Echidna is a foe that will not be so easily defeated. However, this is what we have trained for. This is what us Amazons are built for.

"Think of the young women, young girls and infants in their houses sleeping peacefully right now. Think of the women you grew up with, of the friendships and sisterhoods you have forged in those years. Think of the woman beside you now. That is who you fight for when Echidna comes. Not ourselves, but the women" - the Queen made a pointed look at Dick as she continued - "and man that reside on this island tonight. They will need you when the fight comes. So are you ready?'

The entire hall exploded with cheers and whistles of eagerness, and that brought a bright smile to Queen Hippolyta's face. 'In that case, enjoy tonight. Dance, eat, drink, sing. Be free.'

By the flick of the Queen's wrist, the band in the corner Dick hadn't seen started playing beautiful music and the tables were moved to create room for a dance floor.

'Princess, you must join us for a dance!' Some young girls came around the table and gently pulled Y/N from her seat, to which Y/N just laughed as she allowed them to drag her to the dance floor. Dick watched Y/N join the other women, watched her smile stretch wide and bright, watched her embrace and let herself go as she danced.

When was the last time she'd done that?

'...when we last spoke, she sounded like she didn't want to be found. That she would come back to us when she was ready...'

'Maybe she doesn't want to see you, have you considered that?'

Kaldur's words haunted him, had been since he left M'gann and Connor's house. He just hadn't taken his friend's warning seriously until now.

Kaldur was right.

Dick rose from his seat and quickly excused himself from the party, suddenly overwhelmed by the music and the full room. He escaped to one of the balconies nearby and was relieved that he could finally hear himself think. And yet now he could hear it all in the outdoor silence - the conflicting emotions and thoughts running through him.

Did she really belong here or back home?

Did he mean as much to her anymore as much as she meant to him?

What did he truly feel for her?

What will happen when Echidna strikes tomorrow?

So many issues and so little time to solve them all.

He didn't know how long he stood there, looking out over the mountain and ocean, over the flickering lights of those who feasted in their homes. It could've been hours, and yet the full moon barely moved.

'What are you doing out here?'

Dick was knocked out of his mind at the sound of the sweet voice, and he turned to find Y/N standing on the steps that lead back inside to the bustling party, an exhausted grin adorning her flushed face. With the firelight behind her and the moon shining onto her dress, Dick could've sworn she glowed divinely.

'S-Sorry?' he called out, confused as to why she was out there in the first place.

'I asked what are you doing out here all by yourself on such a beautiful night?' Y/N repeated, walking down the steps before making her way over to him at the balcony's edge. 'You're usually one for parties if high school was any indicator.'

Dick tried to laugh, but it came out as a weak cough. 'Yeah well, we're a long way from high school, aren't we.'

'What's going on with you?' Y/N asked, and Dick could feel her stare on him. 'You've been oddly... quiet this evening.'

'I just don't feel well is all. Don't worry I will be fine for the battle tomorrow.'

'That's a load of crap, Grayson and you know it.'

Dick didn't reply, just looked out over the ocean in the hopes that she would leave. But she didn't and Dick finally turned to meet her stare. It was like she was undressing him, but not in the physical sense. In the way she'd always been able to read him and say silently that she knew he wasn't okay.

That one stare made him feel more vulnerable than being naked, or doing flips off a podium twenty metres in the air with no safety net to catch him.

'I just... I've been doing some thinking,' he started, 'and I think that... if we both survive this... that you should stay here. On Themyscira. If that is what you want.'

Y/N scrunched her brows in confusion. 'So... you're giving me permission to stay here if we all live through Echidna's war? Seriously?'

Dick turned to her fully. 'No, I mean yes- But no you don't need my permission to stay, I just... I'm sorry this is coming out all wrong.' He took a calming breath before starting again. 'What I mean to say is, I came after you for the wrong reasons. I was being selfish and stubborn. But I want you to be happy. And seeing you dance tonight with the other women... well, I can't remember the last time myself or any of the team brought you that kind of happiness.'

'What about your mission?' she asked, her voice distant, almost scared.

Dick flashed her a casual smile. 'Don't worry about it. I'll manage. I never should've come here in the first place. I'm sorry.' Dick gestured back to the stairs and started back-tracking towards them. 'Let's go rejoin the party while we still can, huh? You're right, I do love a good party.'

Just as he turned his back, Y/N called out. 'I'm not.'

He paused for a moment, then looked over his shoulder to find Y/N looking at him with an intensity that almost sent him staggering. 'What?' he asked.

'I'm not sorry you came,' she answered, taking a deep breath in to maintain her composure.

Surprised by her answer, Dick turned back to her. 'You're not?'

She shook her head, then started fidgeting with her dress and looked down. 'Am I angry you came? Yes, initially. Am I still hurting because of what you did, and is your presence just a daily reminder of that pain? Most definitely.'

That last one struck him deep. He had never wanted to be the cause of so much pain. Not to her of all people.

After another deep breath, Y/N finally looked up at him. 'But that doesn't mean I didn't miss you.'

There it was again, that look she'd given him on the stairs earlier, in fact she'd given it to him many times before, he realised. Not just on Themyscira but back home, back when they were sixteen. It was the look of truth and honesty, of adoration and care.

His heart thumped so heavily in his chest he swore Y/N could hear it, and while he didn't understand what the thought of Y/N missing him implied, he knew how it made him feel.

'I missed you too,' he said honestly, returning to stand in front of Y/N. He didn't know why, but it felt right to reach for her hands, and she didn't push him away as he enclosed his fingers around hers. 'A-And being here has made me realise something else, too.'

'What's that?' Her breath fanned his face they stood so close, closer than what simple friends should. But he didn't care, it felt right, it felt natural.

'That I... I just...' He couldn't get the words out, they were so heavy with meaning they got stuck in his throat. Both afraid and excited to say them aloud, he couldn't decide what fate would be worse. Be honest and rejected, or be honest and see if she felt the same.

'You what, Dick?' she whispered, eyes never leaving his.

They both realised that it was the first time she'd called him by his first name since he'd landed on Themyscira. And if that wasn't a sign, then Dick didn't know what would be.

'I just...' Dick started, but a shadow crossed over Y/N's face and he quickly turned to find a a giant winged creature with fangs and a humanoid body reaching to him with its claws.

'Get down!' Dick cried as he turned and dove to the ground with Y/N. He felt the talons of the creature brush against his back as he partially covered Y/N out of natural instinct. The creature screeched as it soared high above again, disappearing into the darkness despite the moonlight.

'Are you okay?' Dick asked as he helped Y/N to her feet.

'Yes, I'm fine,' Y/N said, her eyes trained on the sky.

'What was that?' Dick asked, trying to spy the creature but there was no sign of it anywhere.

'That was a harpy,' Y/N answered, then her eyes locked on to something in the sky, her face paling with fear.

Dick followed her gaze and found himself frozen with fear himself. The harpy had come back but with more of its kind. Many more. So much so they blocked out the moon and engulfed the palace in darkness.

'Echidna's war...' Y/N breathed out in disbelief. 'It' has begun.'

---------------------

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dark-night-hero · 5 months ago

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Episode one: 'Ex and whys ft. Richard `Dick` Grayson-Wayne and you'

↳ ‘Episode one featuring one of the princes of Gotham, Richard 'Dick' Grayson-Wayne, the eldest among the Wayne sibling and a police officer. And (First name) (Last name) one of the highest paying model and artist with a humble origin. Have come to share us the up and down of their relationship that eventually lead into their parting ways.’

On the screen with a typewriter font appeared the words 'Episode one: 'Ex and whys''. Before it went black once again.

Then comes the on set footage, Fake was shown first, fidgeting on her seat with a nervous smile on her lips. Suddenly her eyes lit up as noise, footsteps could be heard from the background before it got cut off.

Just like on the other side of the story, Slacker could be seen. He sat there looking all relax and flamboyant as much as to his oblivion. Suddenly, his eyes widen as a figure creep up on the corner then it got cut off.

[Going back to where they are]

"Hi, hello, how are you?" An unknown voice came forward as Fake shows them a smile. "Hiiii! It was so nice to finally meet you in person! I was a huge fan of your speciallly on the last season runway!" "Oh dear! What a coincidence, I was a fan of yours too, I love your travel vlogs with Slacker, it makes me want to travel too." Emerging from the corner of the screen was a figure dressed up in all good fashion, hair styled neat, not looking all fancy, just casual. But that did not take away the amount of aura and appeal that they have. Goddamn they are gorgeous. "Oh." Fake blinked in awe and looked st the camera for a second before she snapped back into reality. "Sit. Please take a seat, a one hell of a conversation is about to come."

"Woah, it's been a while since I made an interview." Richard Grayson-Wayne, or more commonly known as Dick Grayson for his close friends walked into the room with a flamboyant smile on his lips. /s: such a pretty boy T-T/ "Hello Sir." Slacker stood up and offered in a somehow stiff posture a handshake. This causes Dick to laugh as he walk close. "Oh please don't be too nervous. I don't bite." Dick spoke and went in for a handshake before gently pullin the other man into a bro hug. "I've seen some of your vlog. It's wonderful." "Thank you sir." "Just call me Richard, or Dick. My family and friends calls me that." "Sure si- Dick." Slacker snicker.

[10 minutes later...]

Both were a quick scene of the two sets where it seems like the duos were now looking comfortable around each other. Fake and (First name) looking rather invested on their current conversion as Dick and Slacker seemed to be having a story telling in which could be seen with Slackers wide eyes and Dick's excessive hand movement.

Suddenly the two sets appeared on the screen with only a black divider on the screen, this time it seems like the camera got their attention before everything went black.

"I guess it's time for the main course a.k.a the question and answer." With the screen still black, all that can be heard was the voices of Fake followed by Slacker with a chuckle. "It's time for the hot seat."

[What makes you come forward and go on in this talk?]

"Now this is good." Fake laughs as she put the card on the back of the deck. "I'm actually curious about this one. Coming on a show with your ex, knowing that you're jut rooms away from your ex, and talking about stuff... Not everyones choice." She added. And then you laugh. You laughed enough to make someone around them smile without even knowing. "True, that's not the wisest choice for everyone. But the truth is. Dickieb-Dick weren't just an ex. He was a friend, still even after all those times. Even if we did have such history. He was a good friend of mine to this day and it wouldn't hurt to go into this talk." You explained with a sigh. "When I first seen Leanne's email, I found it funny and interesting. Ex and whys... it's such a funny content. So as soon as I read the contexts and the stuffs. I immediately talked to Dicki-Grayson about it."

"The first time I have heard about it is via (First name) and not Leanne... Come to think of it. Leanne reach out to my father and not for me..." There was a momentarily pause after that. "Anyway I was on duty that time to be honest. I was reluctant to go at first. Don't get me wrong. I love attention. It comes natural for me. But we- (First name) and I never really got to talk about it. We just kind of went back into being friend and never really talked about it. So I assumed our break up is a no go conversation for us. So I was kind of taken a back when she told me if it was okay for me- for us to go on a show that would talk about the 'Ex and whys' of your relationship." Dick Grayson explained. "Then again, since it seems alright for (First name). I just decided to go alongside it. I was told there would be a joint interview at the end. I haven't seen them for like a year now so..." Dick added, giving the camera a wink when it suddenly focuses on Slacker on the other seat. "Sounds like one of the main reason why you decided to go for the talk." All that could be heard after that was laughter and the screen went black again.

[Describe the first time you two met.]

"A (radicated) ungrateful (radicated)." This causes Slacker to cough out an incoming laugh. "What?" He eventually let out a laugh, "Why?" Dick rolled his eyes and sigh dramatically, leaning back on the chair. "So I was on duty, okay? At night. I happened to come across them- thankfully as they were in the middle of trying to rob- threatening to kill'em so I did what any cops would do, I apprehended them. Because that's what I do, right?" Dick reasoned out with a frown. "So by the time I was finished dealing with the goons, I was trying to approach them for some sort of assistance because who knew what was happening before I arrived? Anyway..." This time were was a pout on his face as he seemed to be recalling back that very same night. "(First name) snapped at me." He spoke with what it seemed was a very shocked and hurt expression, there was a hint of laughter before it got cut off.

"I snapped at him." You admitted. Then frown and ran a hand through their hair. "(Radicated) he's gonna be so (radicated) dramatic about this I bet." To their side was Fake looking at you with anticipation. "What? Whywhy?" She bounce in her seat causing the other to laugh. "Well, it was a long story that eventually lead to that faithful encounter." You sigh. "Richard John Grayson was my first crush. The truth is that he is my childhood crush. I'm guessing you have heard of the 'Flying Grayson' no? If not then ask Leanne about it." Then there was a small smile on their lips. "I've known Dick for a long time, more than he have ever known me." You laugh. "I was a fan of him and his parents. He was then kept by Bruce Wayne- Hello Uncle Bruce by the way. Those were the topics back in the days and well, I was kind of updated. Anyways, that crush kind of went away as time passed by, there was not much of a news about him after that and well, he just kind of linger in the back of my mind? I kind of forgotten about him to be honest." You admitted with a smirk, as if know a certain individual would be watching this upon released. "And how does that take you snap upon finally seeing him for the first time in person?" Fake asked in anticipation but there was only a moment of silence before a deep sigh can be heard followed by mumble. "What was that?" Fake asked. "...rrassed" "Huh? What was that?" "I said I was embarrassed." Despite the sudden calm demeanor, your ears were hot red. "I mean, he was literally my first, greatest crush. How come our first meeting was me getting almost kidnapped my some goons? Do you know how embarrassing that was on my part? I (radicated) hate it to death. God knows how much I prayed to be swallowed up by the ground back them." You groan. "Oh my goodness, looking back. That was really. Really embarrassing. I don't even remember what I did after getting approached by him. I was so embarrassed my mind functioned on it's own and decided to just forget that ever happened." "Oh my go-" the screen went black.

[Do you think the two of you would last forever?]

"Actually, I did." Dick chuckled forward and Slacker did not missed the sadness that linger in those blue eyes before it went away with a blink. "It may not seemed that way but I really did think we would last forever."

"Can I be honest in here?" You look around before your (eye color) iris eventually fall back to Fake's violet ones. "I mean, honestly, you could lie right here and now and we would not even realise it was a lie." "Good point." You chuckle before taking a deep breath and saying. "No, I did not think about it." Eventually, you looked away and stared far away. "The thing is, I never think that we would last forever. Was it some kind of instinctual sense? In the end I was correct, we did not last forever at all."

[Who broke up with who?]

"It was a mutual decision." You and Dick spoke as the scene switch back and forth between the two of them until Dick's frame stayed. "At some point to our relationship, we, not them, not I, we came up with the decision that it would be the best for us to partways." Dick explained and the screen was swallowed up with darkness.

[What do you like about the other?]

"I can be myself when I am with him/them." Once again, the frame switch back between the two of them.

"Does it make sense if I told you I don't know?" Frustrated, (First name) run a hand through their hair. "I feel like a simp for saying this but back then, everything he does drives me crazy, in both good and bad way." You laugh.

"I've been in a different relationship before, but with (First name). It was different." Dick looked longing while saying that, as if he was looking back into yesterday. "I was myself, my true seld when I'm with them. No expectations, no questions, no responsibilities. It was as if I was enough. Not Richard Grayson of the flying grayson, not Richard Grayson-Wayne. Just Dick Grayson."

[What do you dislike about the other?]

"How little he cares about himself." You roll your eyes on the camera. "Even now, he should take a better care of himself, I am no longer around to take care of him so too bad for him." You spoke in a teasing manner before looking all serious on the camera. "Seriously Dick, take care of yourself before Alfred- Hello Alfie, I miss you- drag your sorry ass into bed." You wink into the camera.

"How hard it is for them to admit they needed help." Dick sounds frustrated when he said that. "I wish they could just lessen their burden, you know? That I could help, that I am willing to help. Just like how they always hold up a hand when I needed it. I want to be there for them too." He then looked at Slacker who then opened his mouth. "Do you-"

[Why did you two break up?]

"I/They want to settle down." The frame switched between the two, "He/I wasn't ready."

"I really wanted to settle down, you know." It was you who was on the screen. "We're not getting any younger and we were dating for like, two years. So I thought it was about time." There was a moment of silence after that. "Looking back, I thought I wasn't enough I mean, before he dated me, he was had a long history of dating someone else, one he actually proposed marriage to, so I thought.." You zone out for a moment before snapping out of it "Anyway now that I think about it. Maybe I was really asking for too much." You smile gently at the direction of the camera.

"It was around the third time (First name) proposed and well... I told them still, I wasn't ready that everything about us started to go south." There was a pause. "Not really south, everything was well and still even after that. But I could tell something was shifting, something was changing." Dick chuckled painfully. "I was busy, patrol and cases. The distance between us, the different schedule. Before I knew it they were already slipping off my finger. And by the time realise it. We made the decision to take a break and then we part ways." "Wait, so are you saying the two of you never really called it quits?" Slacker deadpan at Dick and he laugh, "I don't know, I don't know man. Think of it the way you want."

[Did you cheat on the other at some point within the relationship?]

"Can I ask a question?" You hold up a hand. "That's suspicious." Fake narrowed her eyes at you. "Spill." "Is it considered cheating if I have a crush on Nightwing too all throughout our relationship once?"

"No." Dick reply without any second thoughts causing to Slacker to nod.

[Rumours says that Miss. Barbara Gordon is the reason why the two fo you broke up, is that true?]

"100 percent a lie. Babs have nothing to do with ot break up. She was just a friend-" Dick got cut off follwing a similar sentence from you, "She was just a friend. And even if she was Dick's ex. Well damn girl, she's gorgeous, if it wasn't for Dick being the first one to caught my interest, I would definitely fall for her. Take note of his official ex too, she's one hell of a hotie, 100/10. Kori, darling, whenever you are, I miss you, hangout with you soon!" You spoke with a flying kiss before the camera switches back to Dick. "What I'm saying is that, if there is someone who would cheat on me with my ex, that would be 34 percent be (First name) and not me." He pouted, "What the fu-"

[What happened after the break up?]

"Day went on like it normally does, you know?" Dick started. "We never really move into each others house so there was no moving out of anything." This time there was a bitter smile on his face. "Were you lonely?" Suddenly asked by Slacker. Dick then looked at him, "We... we never really break up didn't we?" He asked back as if hoping, looking for something. "We just took a break and then parted ways... While I remained in Bludhaven, (First name) went away."

"I left the states." You admitted with a serious look on your face. "I want some time for myself and being near to Grayson, I wouldn't be able to do that. The truth is that Grayson being friends with his ex, being around so many gorgeous woman back then was one of the sources of my insecurity. But then looking back, maybe I was just trying to find a reason- someone to blame. Nevertheless, I left." You sigh, a deep yet somehow a kind of relieved sigh. "I flew and wander around Europe and trust me, it was so un I almost never want to go back." You chuckle then look down into your lap. "I was in there for months, focusing on myself, working on my insecurities, my dreams- other dreams and then one day I looked back on the things that I felt behind, thinking I was finally okay, I went back after a year and yeah, I came back and continue what we should have remained to be. Friends." You conclude but then almost laugh when you look into your side and Fake was looking at you jaw dropped. "What?" "Nothing. Does that mean you're jealous of his ex and girl friends?" "Jealous? Nah. I knew Dick loved only me and only me when the two of us were together, there has never been a doubt about that. It was kind of my fault that even after all of that, I felt so damn insecure. So yeah, there was no other to blame but myself. But then again." You look back at the camera with a genuine smile. "I'm okay now."

[Do you regret it?]

"Regret what?" Both asked.

[Everything, the relationship, how things ended, something like that.]

Dick laugh, like for real laugh, throwing his head back with his shoulders shaking up and down before he eventually calm down after a good minute. With a smile on his face, he answered. "The relationship? No. Never." He said softly. "How things ended?" There was a momentarily pause. "A few, I do regret." He sigh.

You blink "Well, the relationship? I do regret it sometimes. I think we were better of as friend after all, but after a while, I would often think that being in a relationship with him was also a good thing, I get to see the side that only a lover would see and not a friend." You smirk at the camera. "But with how things ended, I think there was none, I give myself, my everything in the relationship, so no. I don't regret everything, not with how things ended, nor the overall relationship that we have." You smile at Fake who gives you a smirk. "I think you're the only one who thinks that." "Nah, I bet Dick would agree with me." After all, he did nothing even before you left.

[What is one thing you could have done differently?]

"I wouldn't ask him for marriage." "I would have accepted the proposal." With one black line separating then at the screen, seriousness could be seen from their side frame as they answered.

"Things started going south after that." You laugh. "Looking back, it's not that I want to tie him up to me, it was just a proposal- we could engage now and well, get married in years to come. Back then, I was just really looking for some sort of-"

"(First name) was just looking for some sort of clarity." Dick lean back on his seat. "It took me a while after we parted way that that was what they wanted." He sigh. "When I couldn't give them that, they started doubting themselves. And it was already too late by the time I realised that." He looked at Slacker. "As much as I want to say that not going after them after our break up was the thing I could have done differently. I bet with whatever is going on on their mind at that time, even if I were to chase after them, they would have still left."

[Second phase: Joint talk]

This time, it was a different segment, within the left side of the room was a long and wide looking couch where five people could easily fit. Right next tk it on the right side was another couch but a rather small looking one, one were two to three people would fit. On the background was cream wallpaper, painting and plants as well as lamo that is currently on.

It did not take too long for two figures emerged in both corner of the room followed by series of gasp and laughed on the opposite corner of the room. "Grayson! Its been a while hasn't it!" You laugh, sounding so excited as you walked towards him on the opposite side of the room looking as excited as you. As soon as the two of you were within ech others reach, Dick was quick to reach out an arm and hug you. "It's been a while. I missed you." He whispered on your neck causing you to giggle. It tickles. "You big baby, We saw each other on the gala two months ago." You pat him in the back and eventually pull away.

"Wow, the two of you look more comfortable than we thought." Fake spoke as Slacker walked behind her. "Is there room for two more people?" She joked but then halted when she saw the two invited individuals sitting on the smaller couch- the one that was supposed to be their seat- not this huge one. "Aren't we supposed to seat in there?" Whispered by Slacker. "Yeah." Fake nodded but upon looking at the duo siting comfortable with Dick leaning into you as you sat there cross legs looking comfortable. "But let it be."

[Two truths and one lie]

"What was that supposed to mean?" Asked by you, raising a brow at the twin sitting opposite to you two. "Well here is the mechanics." Slacker straighten on his seat. "Each of you get to ask the other three questions while the other get to answer with two truths and one lie." Slacker explained. "At the end of the game, the other would try to guest which one is the truth and which is the lie." He added. "And it is up to you who answered whether to admit their guess was wrong or right."

"What do you think Dickhead? You think you can do this?" "Why ask me? You should ask that yourself." Dick laugh and snuggle close to you whom almost push him away out of annoyance of moving too much. "How about this. Let's have a fast talk instead of prolonged ones. No complicated answer, just the truth and well, I guess one lie." You suggested with a laugh and he said, "Alright let's do that."

[Richard Grayson to (First name)]

Dick: Did I ever do anything that hurts your feelings?

You: After all that happened? No. Never once did you ever hurt me.

Dick: Did you ever lie to me?

You: Yes.

Dick: Do you still have feelings for me?

You: laughs* what do you think Richard? Yes Dick. I do, aren’t we friends?

[What are your thoughts about it?]

"It's a tricky answer." Fake chuckles, right behind her was her twin nodding at her words. On the background not too far from the two was you and Dick. "It's tricky indeed. I mean at some point it was kind of obvious which one is the truth and the lie but you cannot help but to think twice and overthink." This time it was Slacker voicing out his opinion.

[(First name) to Richard Grayson]

You: Were you happy with me?

Dick: laughs* Of course. I was the happiest when I was with you.

You: Did you ever lie to me?

Dick: No.

You: laughs* That's what I thought, last question. What made you fall out of love with me?

Dick: Nothing.

[What are your thoughts about it?]

"I could not even tell what was the lie and what was the truth." Fake laughs in frustration. "The effff. They're so meticulous! I couldn't get a read on them!" This time, it was Slacker holding his head as a distant laughter could be heard in the distance before the camera zoomed in and focuses on the two figures laughing on the couch. "They're enjoying this." "This is driving me insane. They look so good together, I have never seen such exes looking like that-"

[Moment of truth.]

"I'm guessing you lied at the second question?" "Why do you sound so unsure about that?" You scoff and roll your eyes at him. "Also, wrong." That was not your lie. "Then was it-" "Nope, not revealing it." You laugh when he pouts and attempt to tickle you by your side. "Hey! Stop. Sooooo I'm guessing you lied the third question." You almost hate how you sounded to confident by your answered and he frown. Mouth went open and shut before it draws into a thin line. "Why would you think that?" "Huh?" Your smile almost dropped by the seriousness of his look and tone. "I mean- we broke up and-" "We did not broke up." He emphasizes and your jaw dropped. What the hell? "What do you mean we never- what?"

"We agreed to take a break, not break up." "Didn't I left? What do you mean we never break up. Me leaving was clearly the end of our relationship." "Sure you left, but that doesn't really means the end of it." "Dick" You called him out gently "If me leaving does not end the relationship, then you letting me go and not going after me was clearly the end of it." There was a painful, awkward silence after that. "Nothing made me fall out of love with you." "Yeah I know, what a great lie-" "What makes you think that was a lie?" The way he sit up to properly look and face you suddenly made your heart skip a beat out of nervousness. Why are you nervous? You are so sure about this.

"Because it was a lie?" You smiled but eventually dropped as he looks frustrated than ever. "I said nothing because I never stopped loving you." What? "It wasn't a lie. That was the truth." He said. "I lied about the second question okay?" He admitted while you remained there seated in silence. "Because I lied. I lied okay?" Then he looked away. "I lied back then about not being able to settle down." That sent an ache within your heart. "I lied about a lot of things and that was one of them."

"We were so young back then, it's not that I don't want it to be you. But I got pressured, I saw future for us but I got pressured, when I turned you down for the third one. I started doubting myself, will I be able to make you happy? After all that shit I gave you? Was I stil worthy for you? Will I be able to really give you want you wanted? Looking back I got pressured thinking I needed to give you everything when all you ever wanted was me and only me." There was a bitter smile on his face. "I want to settle down with you but I was scared, so I turn you down and started lying to myself." He chuckles, unable to look at you. "Do you really think I am okay with this? Just being friends with you?" He let out a scoff. "It kills me to be just a friend to you knowing fully well I could have been more than that."

"Well... I lied too." "The second question?" "No, the third one Dick. I lied when I told you I still have feeling for you, as a friend, of course I still have feeling- romantic feelings for you, wond-" Dick grabbed you by the back of your neck and pull you for a k- the screen went black.

["A lie for a lie' End of Episode one]

[Extra scene one]

Fake: I think this was a set up for them to get back up together.

Slacker: looking exhausted* I never want to do again.

Fake: Too bad buddy, this is just the beningging pfff-

[Extra scene two]

At the very end of the talk, the two guest has their hands intertwined with one another.*

Slacker: Do you two ever consider going back together?

You: looking very serious at Dick* I don't know. What do you say, pretty boy?

Dick: holding up their intertwined fingers for everyone to see* Well if you would do me the honor of accepting a dinner date for tonight then-

[The end...]

:bruh, how did this turned out to be so f long T^T

: part of the series 「Talk with Fake Slacker」

#dark night hero #richard grayson #richard grayson x reader #dick grayson x y/n #dick grayson x you #dick grayson imagine #dick grayson #dick grayson x reader #dick grayson angst #dick grayson fluff #nightwing imagines #nightwing x reader #nightwing #nightwing angst #nightwing fluff #dc dick grayson #dc imagine #dc angst #dc fluff

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