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downthe-f4ndom-rabbith0le · 17 days ago

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Always Been You (Dick Grayson x Reader) - Chapter 8

Always Been You (Dick Grayson x Reader) Reader Insert: she/her pronouns Word Count: 2929 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?

~~~

'Get to your stations! Grab any weapon you can!'

Dick weaved and dove in and around the swarm of women running through the halls of the armoury that encircled the palace, all the while trying not to lose Y/N as she stormed through the halls shouting commands. The walls thundered around them as harpies attacked the palace walls, trying to get inside. All the noise and speed of its all had Dick's blood thrumming in his ears.

'Y/N! Wait up!' Dick called out to her, but still she ran on, picking up Amazons who'd been shoved to the floor in the rush and pushing them onward to their posts. All while still wearing that stunningly beautiful gown.

'Keep moving!' Y/N encouraged as they continued through the armoury. 'Those harpies are not waiting for us, and I can only imagined there is more where they came from.'

'Y/N, hold up-' Dick tried again, but was cut off.

'Not now, Dick,' she said as she waved at him, clearly not listening.

'But I think you should-'

The shattering of a glass window interrupted Dick once more, the cause being one of the deadly harpies that were attacking them. It lashed out at some nearby Amazons, slicing legs and arms in its wake. Y/N leapt into action, seizing a lance lined up on the wall and charging at the creature.

She pierced the lance through one of its wings, wrenching an ear-piercing screech from the harpy. It slashed at her with its taloned hands, but Y/N leapt back out of reach, ripping the lance from the harpy's wing before plunging it into the harpy's exposed chest.

The creature spasmed and made a horrible, wet sound before it collapsed to the floor dead.

Dick watched as Y/N withdrew the lance from the harpy, green blood dripping from its sharp end. The same blood that had spattered all across her white dressing. She looked up to see a crowd of stunned warriors watching her. 'Go! There is no time to waste. We must secure Themyscira.'

The watchers scrambled to find a suitable weapon before darting away to attend to their posts. Without missing a beat, Y/N turned to Dick and motioned for him to follow her. 'Come on, we've got to go.'

'Y/N wait,' Dick tried one more time.

'Oh for Athena's sake, what is it Dick?' Y/N asked, angered as she turned back to face him. Some of her hair had escaped its bun and now framed her face, her flushed cheeks. Dick had to bite his tongue lest he tell her he thought she looked cute when she was mad.

Instead, he motioned to her green blood-spattered dress. 'Don't you think you should change first?'

That just only seemed to anger her more. 'Are you serious right now?' When Dick just nodded, she groaned in frustration but leant down, grabbed the dress from just below her knees, and sliced it until all that was left of her dressings was a shorter version that finished just above her knees.

In a frustrated huff, she threw the remaining scraps to the floor and pointed said to Dick, 'Happy now?'

'I am, but your Grandmother is going to be so pissed.'

Y/N rolled her eyes, but before she could retort, the sound of a high-pitched horn resounded from outside. The thundering around them stopped as well. Y/N and Dick shared twin looks of curiosity with one another before rushing to the broken window.

'They're retreating?' Dick questioned, watching the hundreds and thousands of harpies retreating to the beach he arrived on.

'No,' Y/N said, 'they're preparing to attack us with something worse. Quick, we've got to get our forces down to the beach.'

~~~

Y/N stood with Dick and Calliope on the beach she first arrived on all those months ago, staring out to the ocean where the harpies just hovered over the wild waves.

'What are they doing, Princess?' Calliope asked, and if Y/N didn't know any better, she would've thought Calliope sounded partially afraid.

'I don't know,' she answered, never taking her eyes off the creatures. 'They seem to be waiting for something.'

'Well I think we should take them down now,' Dick said, pulling out his escrima sticks the weapon masters had forged for him. They weren't his usual ones equipped with tasers, but they suited him far more than a sword or lance, along with the shuriken stars he'd requested be made as well.

'How, genius?' Y/N asked, pointing to the hovering harpies. 'They are ten metres above water that could be concealing even more dangerous creatures. You really want to test what the outcome of that fight will be?'

Dick gave her a frustrated look, one she'd seen many times before when they'd been in battles, but he shook his head in response and relaxed his stance once more.

'Princess, look!' Calliope called out, pointing to the ocean.

The waves drew higher, crashed on the shoreline more heavily and creating more foam. But that wasn't what scared Y/N. It was the green light emanating from underneath the water's surface. It seemed to circle the entire coast of the island.

'Warriors, at the ready!' Y/N called out, and she heard her cry echo either side of her until it faded around the corners of the island where other units of warriors waited to defend their home. Calliope drew her sword and Y/N took up an offensive stance with her lance, its green-crusted tip flashing emerald in the moonlight.

As the light grew more bright, the waves finally came to a chilling standstill, the surface mirroring the harpies and the night sky beyond them. But just as quick as the stillness came, it was broken as hundreds of thousands of black sea-like creatures with glowing green eyes came splashing and thrashing out of the ocean.

'Attack!' Y/N cried, and she, Dick and Calliope were the first to charge towards the creatures.

The beach exploded with the battle cry of thousands of Amazons as they charged towards the shoreline. The monsters howled and growled and hissed and screeched as they too charged away from their watery entrance to meet the warriors on the beach.

The two armies clashed like steel on stone, the mighty crash resounding up and down the beach like firecrackers being set off. Y/N threw her lance at a fish-like crocodile straight down its throat as it lunged at her with an open mouth. She didn't wait to see if it died, only pulling her lance from its throat as it deflated onto the sand and moving onto the next creature.

Hours could've passed, perhaps only a few minutes had, but Y/N felt trapped in a bubble of never-ending fighting. She struggled for breath as she fought off a human-sized octopus-like creature, trying to pull her lance out of its grip. It had seven tentacles on her lance, but the eighth rose high above, ready to strike down on her.

Y/N braced for the blow, but the sudden rush of air past her ear and the screech of the monster had her looking around to see Dick running towards her, preparing to throw another shuriken star.

As the second star hit its mark, the monster released its hold on Y/N's lance, giving her an opportunity to pull it free of its clutches and slice precisely and ferociously at its other tentacles before throwing it at its huge head.

Piercing its brain, the creature fell silent and collapsed to the ground. Y/N quickly picked her lance out of the creature's head and fell back to back with Dick.

'Thanks for the save,' she admitted, batting off a slithering eel-like creature as it lunged at her.

'Don't mentioned it,' Dick grunted as he kicked back another creature. He leaned over his shoulder to get a partial look at Y/N, an exhausted smile on his lips. 'Just like old times, right?'

'Right, because the last time I had to fight a greek goddess was, uh, when again? Hey, behind you!'

Dick and Y/N flipped around fully to attack oncoming creatures on both sides, and Y/N felt the familiar rhythm of working with Dick fall back into place. He had her back, and she had his. When he would duck, she would strike; when she made a feint, he would be ready for the hidden blow.

Dick breathed heavily as he turned to face Y/N, that damning smile bringing light to the midnight battle. 'Is it wrong to say I kind of missed this?' he said between heavy gulps of breath.

Y/N couldn't help but huff in amusement at his statement. 'Really? You want to reminisce now?'

He shrugged. 'Why not. No time like the present!'

'I'd beg to differ.' Y/N slashed at an oncoming creature's throat, barely flinching as green blood splattered all over her already ruined gown. Dick was right. If Y/N survived the night, her grandmother was going to kill her.

When she turned back to Dick though, he was still giving her that damn smile - the one that always sent her heart aflutter, the one that threatened to melt her resolve every time he flashed it - and she couldn't help but smile back.

But as if in slow motion, Y/N saw a black blur over Dick's shoulder, but before she could warn him, a tentacle wrapped itself around his ankle and dragged him backwards.

'Dick!' Y/N went to go after him but something slammed into her back and pushed her to the ground. She managed to rollover and put her lance up for the sea lion-like creature to bite on instead of her neck. It kept gnashing its teeth at her, and all she could do was block with her lance. She looked around for any help but all she saw were the Amazons.

Wounded, bleeding, fighting, lying dead in the sand. The cries of the injured deafened her, suffocated her to the point Y/N didn't think she was breathing. They'd fought valiantly, but the monsters just kept coming.

They were fighting a losing battle.

Anger and sadness overwhelmed her as she heard her name being called out to her. As if she could answer their prayers. As if she could help them.

I have to. I have to help them.

All her anger and hopelessness surged through her, along with something that was unfamiliar. As she looked up at the sea lion, her vision went white.

~~~

'Y/N!' Dick called out to her as he saw her be slammed into the ground by the sea lion. But the octopus had a grip on him which was not so easily escaped from.

Dick rolled onto his back as he came face to face with the creature apprehending him and threw two stars at its flashing green eyes. It screeched in pain, releasing Dick as it floundered around now blind.

Dick didn't pay the creature anymore mind, instead turning back to race for Y/N. But just as he approached, he was knocked back by some force that exploded from Y/N and the sea lion. When he refocussed he couldn't believe what he saw.

Y/N hovered just above the sand, haloed in a white energy that radiated power. Her loose hair floated as if she were suspended in water, and her eyes glowed pure white. Her lance appeared to be burning too, a white hot flame in her hand that did not flinch at its heat.

Y/N looked directly at him, but Dick saw no recognition on her face and knew in that moment he wasn't dealing with just Y/N.

'Get everyone to the mountainside,' she said, her voice echoed by a deeper, more resounding voice. It was almost like someone else was present with Y/N.

When Dick didn't move, Y/N lunged her lance at a large group of creatures running their way and expelled a large blast of energy that vaporised them in seconds. She then turned back to Dick and, seeing he still hadn't moved, shouted, 'Go!'

He didn't know what she was going to do, but he didn't wait around any longer to be reprimanded again. Dick scrambled to his feet and started ushering any Amazon he could find back towards the stairs that led up to the city. 'Get to the stairs!' he cried, running and fighting through the battlefield. 'Get to the stairs! Grab anyone you can and get to the stairs! Spread the message!'

Quicker than expected, his message wrapped around the whole beach and the thousands of warriors on it started retreating from it. One young warrior fell as she ran away from a creature chasing her. It lunged at her with fangs bared, but Dick slammed his escrima sticks down on its head before kicking it away.

'Here, come on!' he said, offering his hand out to help the young girl up. She couldn't have been any older than sixteen.

She gratefully took his hand and let him lead her to the stairs. Once they were high enough up, Dick turned to see Y/N drawing in the monsters and fighting them all. He was transfixed. She acted as a beacon on light, giving him and the Amazons time to reach safety.

But what would she do from there?

'Y/N!' He called out to her, and to his surprise she looked his way, those pure white eyes piercing his soul.

Without a word, she rose high above the crowd of creatures and Dick felt her drawing in energy from all around her as she glowed brighter and brighter. Suddenly, she took off, flying around the corner of the beach, and just when Dick thought she'd left them alone, she came flying back around the other side.

Dick held onto the young girl protectively as Y/N flew circles around the base of the mountainside, getting faster and faster until all she appeared to be was a blurry white line encircling the island. It was only then Dick noticed a sheer barrier building from the ground upwards and arc towards the middle.

She's creating a dome? Dick didn't quite understand how, but Y/N was creating an almost invisible barrier over the entire mountain of Themyscira.

Y/N finally began to slow down when the dome appeared complete, then floated down to where Dick, Calliope and other warriors crowded on the steps. She stared down at the monsters crowded on the beach, waiting for their attack.

As if realising they'd been pranked, the monsters howled and hissed as they charged at the stairs. But just as the first few creatures hit the base of the stairs, they disintegrated. Vaporised, as if they never existed.

A few more crossed the threshold to the stairs before realising they were heading to their deaths. The smart ones stood just before the stairs, growling up at Y/N as she finally floated down to the landing Dick and Calliope stood upon. As soon her feet touched solid ground, the white energy faded and Y/N dropped her lance as her knees buckled beneath her.

Dick was quick to catch her, throwing one arm under her should to hold her up and the other to gently hold her face. 'Y/N? Y/N, come on,' he said, worry threatening to overcome him.

Relief washed over him as Y/N's eyes fluttered open. 'Dick?' she asked, taking in her surroundings as she stood up properly. 'What happened? What's going on?'

'You just single-handedly saved us, Princess,' Calliope injected, turning to her fellow warriors and igniting cheers and claps of joy and success.

'What?' Y/N finally looked down at the beach to see the hoards of monsters standing by the dome. She looked up to the top of Themyscira, admiring the dome all around them. Dick noticed a hint of fear as she looked back at him and asked, 'I did that?'

All Dick could do was nod, very aware that he still held onto her and that she hadn't pulled away yet. He had questions, so many he didn't know where to start. But the semi-shocked and fearful look on Y/N's face told him that she was not up to answering them now.

He turned to Calliope, pulling her away from the celebration she had ignited. 'We should set up a guard around the base of the dome. We can't assume this will remain all night. Echidna will try her best to bring it down and get through.'

'Then I say she can try, but she will have a fight waiting for her on the otherwise if she does manage to get through,' Calliope answered, her face and tone serious once more. 'I will set up a guard immediately. You take the princess back to the city for rest. I will join you as soon as I have set up the guard so we can discuss our next moves.'

Dick nodded his thanks as Calliope turned to speak with the warriors nearby. Gently, he grabbed Y/N's hand, drawing her attention to him. 'Hey, let's get you up to the city. We should regroup there.'

Surprisingly, she didn't fight him, but instead let him lead her through the crowd of warriors who cheered and clapped her up the stairs. Dick couldn't help but notice however that she barely paid any of them any mind. She made the climb back to the city with her head lowered and her eyes distant.

What are you thinking about? Dick wished he could read her mind like he used to. But whatever had happened to her just now, he knew this time he couldn't help her.

And that thought alone broke his heart.

~~~

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