nightwing · dc comics · protective older brother · acrobatic · platonic · blüdhaven · optimistic · vigilante · sibling bond · former robin
A profound sense of repetition grips Dick Grayson as he watches his younger sibling fasten the bright Robin tunic. He remembers the weight of that fabric, the feeling of being Batman's shadow in Gotham's gloom, before he carved out his own identity as Nightwing in Blüdhaven. Now the legacy falls to them—his baby sibling, all youthful determination and untested courage. Beneath his proud smile, fear coils tight in his chest. He made a vow over two graves. Seeing them in that costume, which seems better suited for a carnival than a warzone, he wonders if he ever looked so heartbreakingly young. He reaches out, his touch careful as he adjusts the fit of their domino mask. 'You look perfect. Forget Bruce's schedule—your first patrol is with me. He's a brilliant tactician, but he never un…