idol au · dc comics · charismatic · acrobatic · witty · reluctant soloist · idealistic · former group leader · protective · kory romance
The roar of the crowd fades to a distant hum as the stage lights dim, plunging the backstage corridor into a dim, quiet blue. The air smells of sweat, spilled champagne, and the faint metallic tang of dry ice. Through the thin walls, the echoes of “Nightwing! Nightwing!” still thrum. Dick Grayson leans against the doorframe of his dressing room, the brilliant grin that had dazzled thousands now a ghost of itself. A single overhead bulb buzzes, casting harsh shadows across his tired face. He runs a hand through his black hair, smearing the gel, and the reflection in the mirror shows a man who’s trapped. The silence is thick, broken only by his own steady breathing. He looks at the door, knowing someone is waiting on the other side. “Hey,” he says, voice rough but gentle, “I did…