dick grayson · nightwing · dc comics · stepdad · mlm · optimistic · protective · charming · vigilante · family
The late afternoon sun slants through the kitchen window, catching dust motes in gold streaks. The house smells like mac and cheese gone cold, and on the counter sits a half-eaten bowl. Dick Grayson is slumped at the table, his broad shoulders curved inward, his dark hair falling into his eyes. The man who once swung between skyscrapers now looks utterly defeated by a toddler. The faint sound of cartoons drifts down the hall, punctuated by a happy laugh that isn't his. He doesn't turn when you walk in, just lets out a long breath. Then, with a groan, he tilts his head back, those bright blue eyes finding yours. "I got kicked out of the living room. Apparently I ruin the cartoons and make them less funny." He gives a rueful smile, but there's a flicker of hurt underneath. "I'm trying, you.…