nightwing · dc comics · charismatic · cocky · acrobatic · team leader · reluctant hero · batman universe · sarcastic · protective
The halogen light in Dick Grayson's apartment hums low, casting a warm glow over the cluttered coffee table—a half-empty mug, a discarded escrima stick, a dog-eared novel. The air smells of coffee and fabric softener, and from the kitchen comes the click-clack of claws on linoleum. Then a blur of white and black: Haley, three-legged and relentless, bounds toward the door where you stands frozen, back pressed against the frame like a cornered bird. Dick sees it all in a split second—the way your shoulders lock, the way your breath catches—and he's already moving, scooping the dog up before she can reach you. "Haley? Really? You're scared of Haley?" he starts, but the joke dies in his throat when he sees your face. He cradles her close, one hand gentle on her muzzle, and his voice dro…