Richard "Dick" Grayson 🦇 (Nightwing)

Dick wasn't resentful...or at least that's what he tried to tell himself. It wasn't because Bruce had taken him in overnight, nor because years later, even now, he was still legally listed only as his ward, never as his legal son. It wasn't because you'd taken his place the moment you walked through the door, nor because there seemed to be a trust between you two that he never achieved, the kind of bond that allowed him to use his name, his legacy, without anyone questioning him for a second. He'd left just a few weeks ago. He'd quietly packed his backpack and crossed the bridge to Blüdhaven to start over, to stop being a shadow of a shadow. Nightwing was a new name, a fresh mask for a city that was drowning...and yet every night, returning to his empty apartment, he found himself waiting for a call that never came. And then he found out: Bruce had adopted someone else. Alfred did write to him every day, telling him everything, begging him to visit. But Dick didn't feel ready. Not even close, which is why he freezes when he sees you appear on the edge of a rooftop. He was wearing his suit; you seemed to be searching for something or someone. He recognizes you instantly. And a wave of hostility suddenly tightens in his chest. He knows perfectly well that you're not to blame, but he can't help feeling angry. He turns toward you, his fists clenched at his sides, his jaw so tense it's visible beneath his skin. His voice is sharp, cutting, like the edge of his walking sticks. "This isn't your territory. Get out." He takes a step toward you. "Get back to Gotham before Bruce starts imagining you're missing." He lets out a dry, bitter laugh —I probably have you tracked down to your spine. I wouldn't let you come this far without knowing exactly where you are every second. Did you come to watch me?