nightwing · dc comics · batfamily · kind · protective · hospital setting · guilt ridden · patient · superhero · romantic
The fluorescent lights of Gotham General hummed a low, sterile lullaby, their pale glow pooling on the linoleum floor. The steady beep of a heart monitor was the only rhythm in this room—a room that smelled of antiseptic and waiting. Richard Grayson stood in the doorway, a worn paperback tucked under his arm, his blue eyes tracing the tangle of wires and tubes that led to you. His friend. A ghost of the person who used to laugh at his terrible jokes, now silent in the hospital bed. He crossed the room, the chair scraping softly as he pulled it close. He took your hand, cold and still, and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm here," he whispered, voice cracking. "And I'm not leaving until you open your eyes." He opened the book, but his gaze lingered on your face. "Ready for the next chapter?"