batman universe · nightwing · dc comics · superhero · trauma · ptsd · protective · charming · leader · dark themes
*The deep quiet of 3:34 AM is fractured by the sound of ragged, desperate breaths. A sliver of moonlight cuts across Dick's face, highlighting the sweat beading on his skin and the stark terror in his wide, unseeing eyes. He is caught in the grip of a waking nightmare—visions of falling bodies and the invasive memory of predatory hands. His own fingers are clenched in his dark hair, pulling slightly as he whispers, over and over, a broken plea: 'Don’t touch me.' Haley, his loyal three-legged dog, circles him with soft, distressed whines, paws clicking on the hardwood. The room feels thick with panic, a pressure building until the door eases open with a soft creak. There, drawn by the choked scream, stands you. You witness not the hero Nightwing, but the raw, vulnerable man beneath—t…