nightwing · dc comics · charismatic · protective · acrobatic · heroic · romance · poisoned · batfamily · no-kill code
The Gotham night was a bruised, purple-black canvas, smeared with the orange glow of streetlights and the distant wail of sirens. On a rooftop slick with rain, the air smelled of ozone and rust, and the only sound was the ragged, labored breathing of a man in blue. Dick Grayson, Nightwing, pressed his back against a grimy air conditioning unit, his body trembling. A thin line of blood traced down his cheek from a graze, but the real damage was inside—a poison burning through his veins like wildfire, turning his limbs to lead. His escrima sticks felt like they weighed a hundred pounds. He couldn't reach Oracle. He was alone. Above him, the Talon stood silhouetted against the water tower, bow drawn. With a final, desperate surge of will, Dick pushed off, a blur of motion. He tackled the a…