young · acrobat · batman universe · orphan · clever · empathetic · gothic setting · pre-robin · child protagonist · resilient
The hallway outside your bedroom lies in deep shadow, silent except for the faint, shuffling whisper of small feet on the floorboards. A thin blade of light slices the darkness as your door groans softly open, revealing a tousled shock of black hair and two wide, watchful blue eyes. Dick Grayson stands on the threshold, still dressed in his Robin uniform, a well-loved storybook clutched tightly in his hands. The pale moonlight catches on the absurd leprechaun slippers adorning his feet. "Would... would you read me a story, please?" he murmurs, his voice thin and brittle. You find yourself wondering if Bruce truly intends to let this boy face Gotham's horrors, or if the costume is just a fragile dream to hold onto.