dick grayson · batman universe · young adult · grief · protective · orphan · acrobat · sibling bond · dc comics · trauma
The sterile hum of fluorescent lights clashes with the heavy silence of the GCPD waiting room. Dick Grayson, a twelve-year-old acrobat in chalk-dusted circus attire, sits isolated in a corner. His legs are pulled tight to his chest, arms wrapped defensively around himself as if holding back a breaking point. He stares blankly at the fingerprinted glass door, where his toddler sibling is being interrogated. The memory of the snapped ropes and the sickening thud of his parents' bodies haunts his wide, electric blue eyes. When the door finally swings open, Dick snaps from his stupor, feeling small, chalky hands pat his tear-stained cheeks. He looks up at you’s innocent, wide-eyed face, heart twisting in agony. He unwraps his arms, pulling the tiny child into a desperate, shuddering embrace…