Sum: Nightwing is in love with his partner. You. But you're head over heels for your coworker, Dick Grayson. OR miraculous ladybug plot between you and dick.
Content: Fem!reader, no use of y/n, dick is lowkey slow, mentions of violence, some cuss words
Word count: 6k (I was having too much fun)
A/n: YOU GUYS REALLY LIKED THIS FIC (^///^) OMG IM SO HAPPY I FOUND MY AUDIENCE. i just knew the mlb lovers would eat this one up. (i am mlb lovers.) thank you guys for all the love and support. Enjoy this new chapter!
Dividers by: @aanaws
Line dividers by: @hyuneskkami
Part 1 Part 3
Nightwing's arm grip at your waist as you hold onto him tightly. You definitely aren't used to swinging around without a suit.
"Close your eyes, it'll help if you're scared." He laughs and you shake your head.
"This is nothing. You doubt my love for heights!"
He smiles at that. He had no idea you were a risky person.
Once you two land, he places you down gently as you go to fix your hair. You look around to take in your surroundings and realize he had taken you to the same spot.
"Is this the setup you had planned for her?" You ask. You feel like he wouldn't want your pity. So, you ask only to seem like you had no idea.
"Yeah. I haven't found the chance to clean it up yet. Which I was going to do tonight. But.. yeah."
but he had hoped you'd come back. You felt like an asshole now. He didn't know that though and he brought you here so you could both cheer up. You'll ensure you guys do just that.
"Is that gang beasts?" You make your way over to the controllers that sat next to the box. "With chocolates and sour candy?"
Nightwing couldn't tell if you were teasing him or were enjoying this until you looked back with a shit eating grin and a controller in hand. "Sit your ass down. You're about to get demolished."
"It's a losing battle, Nightwing" You lean against the wall with the pillow behind your back.
"You must underestimate my dedication to winning." Nightwing's determination is solid and you can't help but giggle.
"If I did, I would have lost the past 6 rounds."
Then he lost. Again.
"You have to have some stronger character-"
And again.
"Let's do the boxing ring map, that one's a 100% guaranteed win-"
And again.
"Gotham's favorite vigilante 0, GCPD's underpaid detective 11." You laugh as he slumps his head into his hands in frustration.
"You had to have cheated. There's no way! I beat all my brothers in this game!" He exaggerated and you cross your arms proudly.
"I remain unbeatable. I'll accept my reward by cash or another stash of snacks."
"I don't remember talking about rewards." He scrunched his nose, acting oblivious.
"Do you want to go back to the gameplay recordings and watch yourself lose?"
"I gave you an easy win." He points with his controller.
"You gave me an ego boost and a winning streak." A smirk on your face as he sighs in defeat.
"Fine. Whatever." He pouts. Like. Actually, pouts. And you're doubling over in laughter.
"Hey! Don't laugh!" Nightwing watches as you fall over holding your stomach and something in him started bubbling. "I said don't!" But he doesn't know why he's suddenly laughing with you.
He never knew you laughed like this. So contagiously. All he got out of you was soft giggles this afternoon. He can't put a finger on why it felt so nice to hear it.
"Oh yeah." Your laughter dies down and you try to catch your breath. "Yeah.. that should've been recorded. Remind me to play more games with you." Nightwing scoffs at that, but it's more of a chuckle.
"I just might." He comments and you raise a brow at that.
"Not afraid?"
"For starters, I need to clear my name!" And you nearly topple over in laughter again before he continues. "But also because I didn't know how fun you are."
"I hardly ever give off the opposite." You wave the controller around like it's obvious.
"I beg to differ." He raises a finger, "You were scary when we first met."
Okay maybe you were. He had basically ruined your plan, which was to get kidnapped and hopefully take you right to the main source, before he jumped in to save you and you had to play it off by knocking down 3 men and just taking whatever information you could get out of them. You might have been a bit snappy after that towards him.
"That was under different circumstances. I also thought you were a bit.. intimidating." You say looking up as if you were recalling the moment.
"You didn't seem afraid?"
"I never said for how long. Two seconds in, you spoke and I was more worried about the men with skull masks than a man in a spandex suit and two zapping sticks on his back."
"This is not spandex." He deadpans.
"is too."
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"I changed that years ago!" He threw his arms up in frustration and you smirked.
"Oh yeah! Discowing! I remember that. What a shit show."
"Shit show!?" He turns to you like you said the most outrageous thing he's ever heard. And it throws you back into a giggling fit. It then hits him that you were teasing him.
He shakes his head embarrassed you managed to get him to fall for that, but he can't help it. He's smiling.
And once your giggles die down, you try to catch your breath.
"Cleared your mind?" He glances over with a nod.
"Yeah, you?" He replies with a smile.
And for a moment, you two appreciate the comforting presence of the other. Nightwing gazes at you as you stare off into the distance. A sense of familiarity overcomes him and he can't seem to find out what sparked it. But he was thankful. This was exactly what he needed. Who knew he'd find that with you.
And when your gaze lands on his, you feel safe. This was your best friend. You knew that. But something in you hoped you could've given him this comfort as his partner and not as someone he just met. Then.. you also love this. You didn't play video games with Nightwing on patrol. He's not this easily swayed by your remarks when you're his partner. It was like you had the chance to see him from a different perspective. But why would you want that?
And for the first time, you wish you could see through that mask. Just enough to catch a glimpse of the eyes that sit behind the white mesh. But you knew they were looking right back at you.
When a slight breeze blows by, you take the chance to look away and check the time.
"It's getting late, let's get you home"
You agree and start cleaning up the mess you two made.
"It's fine, I'm going to come back and pick this all up." He insists and you shake your head.
"You went out of your way to let me enjoy this with you. This is the least I can do." And with that you continue to pick up the leftover wrappers of candy.
Nightwing doesn't try to argue and goes to help you clean. He uses the blanket as a bag and wraps the pillows inside with the controllers. You stuff the wrappers in your pocket to throw out once you get back home.
"You sure you want to hold the bag?" He asks for the third time now.
"Nightwing. I promise you, you're underestimating my grip strength."
So, with that, he's taking you back to your apartment.
You notice the way the city is quieter now. Not because it was late, but because it was early. Gotham had a weird thing where the closer it is to morning, the lower the crime rate.
Nightwing, on the other hand, was thinking about you. For some reason, he held you tighter this time. Telling himself it's because you have things in your hands, and he wouldn't want the extra weight to be the reason he dropped you. But he knew it was more than that.
Once you two land on your balcony. A yawn breaks free and Nightwing chuckles. "Good night, though I doubt you'll be getting your eight hours." And he nearly smacks himself for the slipup.
"A shame. I cherish those hours dearly." You yawn again and make your way over to the door. He takes that as his cue to leave until you call his name.
"And next time you leave a note, put it in the 3rd window to the right in my office. There's a gap between the frame and the wall. That's also what your partner does." You shut the door after you and he's now alone.
He already misses you.
The next morning, you get to work bright and early. It's not like you had a full night's rest anyway. But then again, when do you ever?
You stop dead in your tracks when you see who's standing in front of your office door. Dick types away at his phone as he stands there. Waiting. You completely forgot about yesterday.
You completely forgot.
And for some reason...it comforts you. You had such a good time with Nightwing this was the last thing you could've been worried about last night. Kinda makes the whole situation lighter than before.
Dick must've sensed you there because he looks up and immediately catches your gaze. No choice but to walk over now.
"Officer Grayson, a bit early, don't you think?" Was that.. pettiness in your tone? You unlock the office and he follows you in.
"I thought I'd stop by and see if you needed any help. Though I forgot you start later than me." He played it off, and you set your things on your desk.
"Um. Thank you, but I'll be fine for today."
Dick knew you probably were mad at him this time. He may have thought you didn't like him before, but now he can definitely see the difference between your actual dislike.
He was supposed to apologize first. He needed to make sure you knew he didn't mean to hurt your feelings yesterday. But before he can say a word, his radio goes off.
"Dispatch, unit 47. Code four at Vineyard Alley. We need to start a detective call-out."
You sigh and push back your hair tiredly. "I literally just clocked in."
Dick raises his hand sheepishly and goes, “I’ll drive?”
That’s how you're now seated in the passenger seat beside Dick in a police car as he drives you to the scene.
Tension fills the car and you avoid saying anything cause you would rather not make a fool of yourself by being petty or stuttering cause you didn’t know how to talk to him after he flat out rejected you yesterday-
His long sigh comes from him. You blink at him like he’s a disturbance, confused on why he’s acting like he’s the one who got turned down. After a second he glances to see if you’re looking and when you are, he’s shuffling to fix his posture. He clears his throat, taking multiple glances around the street and checking his blind spots even though you’re at a red light.
“Grayson.”
“Yeah?” His head shoots your direction.
“The light is green.They’re honking at you.” And he’s stepping on the gas, nearly knocking you against the seat. You grip the side handle and turn to him with wide eyes, but keep your focus on the road because it doesn’t seem like his is.
Once he reaches the next red light, you try to inhale quietly. Kind of worried about why he was acting that way until he turned to you abruptly and apologized.
“I’m sorry.” He says it so quickly you barely miss it.
“Y-yeah, no, It’s- It’s fine. Just lighten up on the gas pedal-” hoping you could ease the tension because the steering wheel looked like it’d snap under his grip on it.
“No, I mean about yesterday.”
“Oh…oh!” You blank for a moment. Unsure on what to say. There’s a moment of silence before he’s rambling.
“I wasn’t in a good mood and I basically took it out on you, which isn’t fair to you at all- I just had to apologize cause I realized that you were only trying to help and I was being a total jerk- I didn’t realize it in the moment but you didn’t deserve that, and i felt like we were finally becoming friends and I really don’t want to ruin that, so I thought it’d be best to apologize as soon as possible but you seemed angry at me, so I was hoping I could get an apology out as I take you to the crime scene y’know?”
The amount of words he managed to throw in your direction within 30 seconds had you short-circuiting for a bit.
“Okay..” You start. Trying to find how to continue because you weren’t expecting an apology. “Yeah.. it’s fine.”
“Are you sure? Let me make it up to you? Coffee?” He keeps glancing between you and the road and you feel more anxious with every passing second.
“Sure.” You manage to say. He beams at that and continues to converse like you were the best of buddies. What a morning.
When you two arrive at the scene, it's worse than you expected. An entire laboratory of scientists killed in gruesome ways. A cop makes his way over to you and starts explaining the situation.
“Based on what we've gathered, these scientists tried to replicate the fear toxin. One wrong move and the toxin broke free. Unsure of how stable it was, it caused them to commit suicide on the spot. Some had harsher ways of escaping but no survivors inside of this lab.”
After the report you walk into the lab wearing a gas mask. They stated they aren't sure if there are any leftover traces so it's best to be cautious.
“We have an updated report from Red Robin.” You turn back to the door upon hearing that.
“Where? Why didn't you show me first?” Immediately walking back out from the lab. If he had got here before you that means there's more to this than what meets the eye.
Dick also overhears and walks over. “What's this about Red Robin?” He asks as you're already reading over the report. Your eyes widen with each sentence.
“Clear the area. The toxin is still in effect. Anyone who’s walked in that room needs immediate medical attention-” before you can finish, shots are fired and Dick pushes you down behind the cop car.
“Someone was contaminated,” pulling out your radio to alert the rest. “Maybe more than one. How many people went in there?”
The officer looks over at you as the gun shots go off behind the car. “There were two people before you. Anybody else who was in there wasn't from our unit.” Well, now you know what you'll be doing tonight during patrol.
“I'll disarm him, you two go figure out who else went in there.” You peek over the vehicle, assessing how you're going to take the gun out his hands but you're being pulled back down and face to face with Dick.
“No. You walked into that lab too. I'll handle this situation, go get yourself checked out.”
You've never seen him so stern before. It's the first time you've ever seen him act like this. Maybe this is how he was on the field. But he was right. You stepped into that room earlier, even with a mask you could still experience hallucinations or even go into psychosis.
All you can do is nod. He's still holding you down. His hand on your arm as if he's ready to protect you under any circumstance.
“Get her to an ambulance.” He tells the officer beside us. Dick doesn't wait another second and jumps into action.
You make your way over behind another vehicle as your coworker helps you get inside the car, and he calls over the radio to inform them what we‘ve figured out.
Once the men disarm the people affected, Dick is quick to look for you. He asks over the radio for someone to update him. So far no one has a clue where you are.
Then someone answers over the radio. It's you.
“All clear. Symptoms are a slight tremble.”
Back at the station, after hundreds of tests, you were finally allowed to go home for the night. The toxin barely had an effect on you. Which was great because you’ve updated Oracle and got home to get ready for patrol.
“Hey Wing.” You walk up to him at your usual meeting spot and he turns to you with a smile.
“Why hello. Oracle fill you in?”
You guys haven’t spoken since that night. As vigilantes of course.. But he seems perfectly fine, so you decide it’s best to just move on.
“Yeah, Red Robin couldn’t join?” You ask and he shakes his head.
“Was being petty and said he’d finish up his other work instead.”
“Just you and me then?” You raise a fist at him and he bumps it with his own.
“Against the world.”
By the end of the night, you guys managed to find some things until Nightwing offered to take it back to RR to take a look.
So, you go back home. Just like that. A simple night. Maybe things weren’t so bad after that day. Then again it’s been a long 4 days. And just when you thought you’ve had enough. You hear a thud on your balcony.
You drew the curtains hours ago. It’s 3 in the morning and you have no idea who stands on the other side. Being in Gotham, you’re going to assume the worst. It could be a trap. If you go next to the door, what if there’s a bomb planted? You grab your bat and crouch behind the sofa. What if it’s a break in? You stay silent to try to hear voices. Or it could be-
A knock. Two more follow. Then your name. And you’re pulling back the curtains-
“Nightwing?”
He stands stiffly, looking down at the bat in your hands then back at you with a wave. “Did I scare you?”
He was hoping you were expecting him. Given the fact that you had your lights on this late.
“You should be worried about how I was about to use this bat on you.” You point it at him accusingly. He laughs as you put it away and walk back inside. “Did you miss me already?
“Tremendously.” He places a hand over his chest like he’s in pain.”I was reminded of your marvelous self and made my way over to your residence in hopes that I could confirm your well-being.” You look at him from the kitchen with an eyebrow raised.
You didn’t expect him to come back so soon. He seemed in a lighter mood than earlier when you two were on patrol. You’re curious as to why he came to visit.
“And do enlighten me, what is it you heard?” You mimic his small talk as he walks into your living room.
“Some toxin nearly getting to you. How are you holding up?” He crosses his arms with a nod towards you and you hum.
“I’m fine. A short case of some jitters but nothing serious.” You say over your shoulder while pouring something into a cup.
“Are you sure? Fear toxin is a lot more dangerous than you think. The smallest amount-”
“I’m sure. Thank you for asking but I had multiple tests and I barely was affected by it.” You could not handle any more worries. You had to reassure the whole office this evening.
He was excited to see you actually. He did want to check up on you but also, he couldn’t wait to be around you again.
He notices the way you're busy in the kitchen and his eyes wander around your apartment. The more he focused on the small details, the more the place reflected you.
“You’re a fan of movies?” He asks and when you step out the kitchen, you're holding two cups of something.
“Hot coco?” You ask instead and Nightwing has to decline.
“Thanks, not a big fan.” He puts a hand up and you can immediately see through his lies.
“It’s not poisoned. I promise.” You knew that’s what he’d be worried about and you can’t blame him.
“I wasn’t-” You take a sip out of the cup and show it to him.
“You were. I don’t blame you, you’re a vigilante. It’s only fair that you’re cautious of everything.” With that, he looks down at the cup and takes it from your hand.
“Yeah, I lied. I’m a big fan.” You chuckle at him and take a sip from your own cup.
“To answer your question, yes. I love movies.” Walking towards the shelves you have organized beside your tv, you gesture to the stacked DVDs and rows of consoles. “And the games. If you’re still in denial that I beat you.” You say much lower than your first sentence as you take another sip.
“At this point, you’re bullying me.” He frowns and you shrug with a smirk.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He goes to say more but spots a small frame on the shelves with a young girl in mid air during a gymnastics tournament. “Is that you?’ he asks.
“Oh, yeah! My parents were really big fans of acrobatics. They hoped I'd go down that path but it wasn’t my thing.” You tilt your head at the frame with another shrug.
“Skydiving too?” And you notice his attention is now on the other frame beside it.
“You’d be surprised how many times I went back.”
“You’re always chasing an adrenaline rush, huh?” He looks over you as he takes a slow sip of his drink.
“That's why I decided to not move.” And he notices the way your gaze softens at the photos.
“Do you regret it?” He finds himself asking.
“No.” Turning towards him. “Not at all actually. Even though my life fell apart the second I stepped into this damned city, I can’t seem to leave it.”
“Sounds about right.” And you raise a brow at that.
“And you? I’ve seen those flips you love to show off.” He smirks proudly like some kid being praised.
“I was quite the acrobat myself.” And you can’t help but slightly laugh at his cheeky grin. “I was!”
You knew that better than anyone. You and him have already had talks about your pasts. Even though they were described vaguely.
Then with every small comment, you sparked up new conversations. Time passes and you barely notice how long you've been hanging out. Once the sun is nearly rising and you have to get ready for work, that is when you finally realize you've been here for too long.
“Shit, the sun is rising. I have work.” You grumble under your breath and he takes a double glance at the window.
Had he seriously sat here all night with you? He has work and still has to get home and change.
“Do you want coffee before you go?” You ask and he's still processing how he lost track of time. “Nightwing?”
“Yeah, I’ll have some, thanks. You’re not worried about losing sleep?” He gets up from the couch and you shrug.
“Not that big of a deal. I’ve pulled all nighters before.”
He leaves after. But that wasn’t the last time. Because he’s back over the day after. You managed to sneak a nap in at work then one right before your patrol. This time he stays for an hour. Worried you need to rest.
Then comes the next day. He’s over with a story of his patrol. You were there, but it was nice hearing him retell it in his own way.
And the day after that.
“Nightwing.. What’s that?” You point at the soft bundle of fur that tucks itself in his arms.
“Isn’t it the cutest?”
And that’s how you ended up with a kitten.
Two weeks go by and she’s a hazard.
“Tikki. Down. Dow- No! Stop it!” You shout as she jumps onto the curtains from your dresser and claws her nails into the fabric.
“Tikki!” You yell as you go to grab her off of the covers.
That night you forced Nightwing to help you cut her nails. Which he was surprisingly good at. Claiming he helps his brother cut his pet's nails. Cute.
Then he's over every night after patrol. You don't really stop him either. Even nights when you're tired, he brings snacks and keeps his stay short. He even helped you restock the hot chocolate. Which he always came by to drink. Every night, a cup is waiting for him on the balcony.
Your relationship as vigilantes continues well. You're nothing more than friends. His nicknames for you on the other hand, shifted to civilian you. On the field, his small remarks of affection had died down, his teasing on the other hand remains the same.
But when he's over at your apartment..
“Okay, sugarplum. We got two new flavors, white chocolate and mint.” He holds the two packets up and you hum in deep thought.
“Which one had an emptier stock at the store?” You go to grab the warm milk from the microwave.
“The mint.” He holds it up.
“Weird.. Mint it is.”
As winter rolls around, you're now wrapped in a superman themed blanket, Tikki between you and Nightwing as you go over which movie to watch.
“Please.”
“We literally just saw that movie last week.” He counters and you roll your eyes.
“What do you wanna see then?” Tossing the remote at him.
“Lady and the Tramp.”
“...Fine, only because I love that one too.”
That night, you barely make it halfway through the movie. You missed some well needed sleep these past few days due to some work you procrastinated on.
Nightwing on the other hand, too invested in the movie, barely notices your resting frame pressing against his side. It wasn't until the movie ended that he grasps the position you two were in.
Tikki sat between you two, her soft purrs filling the silence that carries within the apartment.
In that moment, Nightwing smiles.
He wasn't expecting this. Whatever this is. He hasn't felt this comfort in.. a while. The type that feels nostalgic and warm, like home. Sure he has that back at the manor, but barely. It's rare for all his siblings to be in the same room or to have those quiet moments that speak for themselves.
But with you? He found it instantly. The second he walks into your living room every night, he's already looking forward to it again.
Was it the hot chocolate? Or the movies?
No. No, it was definitely you.
He thought he was coming back because you two were able to connect from being rejected. Now, he's coming back because he can't get enough.
He wasn't fighting crime when he was with you. He wasn't solving mysteries that gave him migraines the next morning with you.
He was just here to be himself. For you.
So, he smiles. He doesn't want to disturb you. He does on the other hand need to get home. But as he tries to detach from you and Tikki, she stirs causing him to halt.
He hears you groan and shift slightly as he still tries to break free before you grumble something under your breath.
“It's late, you should get some rest-” He whispers.
“Stay.”
He doesn't even give it a second thought and sits his ass right back down. All he needed was an excuse. “Alright.”
And when you wake up to the sound of your alarm, you're scrambling to shut it off and rise from the couch. Tikki glances at you from the other end, curled up against a pillow.
You spot a coffee on the table and a note sitting beside the TV remote.
You chuckle tiredly. Of course he woke up and left before you. You force yourself off the couch and check the time.
I fed Tikki and made some coffee for myself. Thought I’d make you a cup cause I was feeling generous.
If it's cold, that's on you.
-NW xoxo ;p
You run a nice hot shower and get yourself ready for the day.
“Grayson, no.” Your eyes go wide in realization.
“Grayson, yes.” He grins and slaps a file onto your desk. All smug. “You owe me a coffee.”
“What!? It had to be suspect 3!” You snatch the file off your desk and laugh in disbelief upon opening it.
“Confirmed by Batman himself.” He crosses his arms. “At this point, I'm doing your job for you, detective.”
You shut the file abruptly and glare at him. “We both know you don't even have half the qualifications for this job to get near my level.”
“You are terribly wrong. See? Already failing at the whole knowing stuff.” He gestures to you like it's palpable.
“I will order you a cold black coffee.” And he's quick to shut his hand and mouth.
“No, you can't do that. They have pumpkin spice with extra cinnamon today.” He sounds offended and you are now replicating that smug smirk he had on earlier.
“That's what I thought.”
You and Dick have also been doing great. After he apologized, you two managed to find equal footing and became good friends. Though coffee runs were now a competition.
After work, you go for coffee at the cafe across the street. Playing around with their new flavors every week. It was nice and something to look forward to.
And looking back now? You can only see Dick as a friend.
Because your mind was now occupied with someone else.
“Now that's petty.” He shakes his head as you show him the texts between you and the lieutenant. “He was definitely being petty.”
“I have the right to be petty back then!”
“I'll tell you what, I'll throw in a good word but it comes with a cost.” He takes a dramatic sip of his latte followed by a smack of his lips.
“Grayson, he likes me more than you.”
“He's weird! I swear he only does that because you're a woman.” He explains like he knows that but can't prove it.
“I was planning on just working overtime tonight or finishing up extra paperwork in my free time to get him off my back.” You wave your hand, not really giving the situation too much effort.
“Want some help?” He asks without missing a beat and you have to refuse.
“No, you help enough, Grayson. I appreciate it, but I'd be taking advantage of you.”
“Well, I let you.”
And you blink at him for a second. He does let you. But you feel bad by the end of it.
“Thank you, but I'll just take the work home and finish it tonight.” You would love the help but he's been helping you constantly whenever he's free and at this point the only way you've paid him back for his kindness was his extremely sweet pumpkin spice lattes.
You two go your separate ways, he heads home and you make your way back to your office to retrieve all the paperwork you need to work on tonight.
Dick gets home and he's quick to suit up and make his way out into the dark streets of Gotham.
He may have gotten a little carried away and made it to your place before you did. He wasn't expecting you to be so late. Maybe you ended up staying in the office.
But once gunshots fired 3 blocks away, he knew.
Nightwing is immediately making his way over to the sound of screams and bullets. Once he drops down into an alleyway to stop the fight, he notices only one guy standing, holding his face in pain and a pistol shaking in his hands.
“S-she wasn't lying!” He yelps and before he can turn to run away a heel kicks him square in the face, colliding his skull with the wall.
“Fuck you.” You spit at him grabbing your things off the ground.
“Princess?”
“Look who decided to drop in.” You smirk and Nightwing's gaze immediately catches the blood running down your lips.
A tight tug at his chest has him reaching out for you.
“Are you okay?” He asks, making his way over to you in swift strides. “Did they hurt you?” His face scrunches in worry as he looks over you. Unsure of where else you could be hurt, he's afraid to grab you.
You're caught off guard. The way his concern was so sudden had you stunned. You've never seen him this worried.
“I'm okay. I'm fine. They were just some low life thugs. I had it handled.” Hoping to light up the mood since this was unexpected for you.
He looks around at the men that littered the floor now. All unconscious or doubled over in pain.
Once he realizes they all are unarmed, because you were able to disarm them, he's immediately checking over you again.
This time he looks over face.
His gloved hands, which are warmer than you thought would be, cradle your face. Careful but electric.
“Nightwing?” You ask because something is bubbling in your chest and it's not from the nasty kick you took to your ribs.
He activates his comms. Letting Oracle know of the thugs and to send the police over. Once she copies, he's deactivating them again.
Next thing you know is he's pulling you closer, shooting his grappling hook up towards the roofs and you're landing on your balcony in no time.
You did everything in your power to not wince when he gripped at your waist. Once you land, you sense some sort of tension in the atmosphere. It mainly comes from him.
“Blue Bird, you alright?” You try to laugh it off but he seems.. serious.
“Are you sure you're okay? Have you looked at yourself?” He asks again and your brows furrow at that.
“I'm fine.” Confused, you open the door and step inside your apartment.
“You just beat the shit out of 4 armed men because they were thugs! You don't even have a jacket on and it's below 50 outside right now!” He's following right after you as Tikki rubs up against your legs.
You spot yourself in the mirror, noticing the small cut on your lip and grime that came from the hits you took.
You turn back to Nightwing and reassure him you're okay. Unsure on what to say right now because you’ve never seen him act this way.
“You can't do that. You have to be careful.”
Something from those words poke at you uncomfortably and your shield is up.
“I'm a cop, Nightwing. I may be a detective but I can still enforce the law. Those thugs were just done robbing the shop across the street.” You threw your arm out, gesturing to the outside.
“They were armed with guns! You could've been shot!”
“But I wasn’t! I can handle myself.”
“And you got punched in the face at least twice!”
You don't know why you two were suddenly raising your voices.
“What is up with you!? I took them down before they could actually open fire on people!”
He has no problem letting you do this when you're a vigilante. Why was he so focused on it now?
“Damn it,” he mutters your name under his breath. “I know that. It's impressive and I'm really happy you're safe.” He's explaining now,
“But what if you weren't?”
And the way his voice shrinks in dread has you pulling back your defenses.
“I.. I’m fine, I know how to handle these things.” You want to try to reassure him now. Maybe he was worried. You've been in that situation before. You can't blame him.
“My heart dropped when I realized you weren't home and I heard the shots.” His head drops as he shoves a hand in his hair.
“I care about you.” He mumbles followed by your name.
You're not standing too far from him and without a second thought, you wrap your arms around him. Embracing him in a way of stability.
Nightwing didn't miss a beat, immediately embracing you and releasing a soft sigh.
“Thank you. For worrying. And I'm sorry I made you worry.” And you feel the way he holds you tighter at that. “I won't apologize for what I did. You know I would do it again if I had to.”
Unfortunately, you wanted to explain to him why. To explain that this was your duty every night. And because you were late, you feared the idea of someone getting hurt from your carelessness. So you did what you could do on your way home.
But it wasn't the best idea to do that in your work clothes.
“I'm sorry. I got worried and took it out on you.”
Nightwing lightly breaks the hug and brings his hands up to cradle your face, running a thumb over the cut on your lips.
Your body tenses at that. The hairs on your arms rise and you glance down at his hands.
Then his mouth.
And you're nearly melting in his hold when his head slightly lifts as if to meet your eyes.
The lights haven't been turned on but the fluorescent glow of the moon was enough to highlight the harsh line between his brows. His mask reflects the glow. The eyes that lay hidden beneath it shadow under this darkness.
His skin is radiant.. and his lips. Those lips. Was there really a moment where you rejected him?
She was a fool.
You could kiss him right now.
“Can't believe you let them get a hit.” He taunts and then you push him away with a roll of your eyes.
“He got lucky.” You snort as you make your way through the apartment to turn on the lights.
Was it hot? You felt like you were suffocating. Maybe it was the outfit.
“Tell me, what sick ass punch line did you say before beating the shit out of them?” He crossed his arms, leaning his hips against the couch.
“I could have just dropped in menacingly and taken them out without a word.” You glance up at him as you put your stuff down and the tension in the room thickens.
His grin is big. Like he's just won some huge prize. “Please. You had to have said something to them. They looked like they regretted the whole thing right after.”
You tug your cardigan off. Suddenly very timid. Your shoes are now uncomfortable too, so you take them off.
“Blue bird. I gave them a taste of my fist an-and they got the hint.” With that you look away, continuing to take off your shoes.
Did you just stutter?
Nightwing takes slow steps towards you, and it feels like an invisible cushion is closing in on you. The atmosphere is getting tighter and you don't like it. It feels oddly familiar in a way you can't describe.
“Did you threaten them? I got there and that blond guy was crying about your brutal honesty."
You laugh at that. But it comes out strained. Forced.
Like you were nervous-
And the feeling hits you all too well. The sweating palms, the delaying basic comprehension to process jokes making your laughs stiff.
You haven’t felt this way since you spoke to Dick while having a huge crush on him.
And you pause within that moment automatically. Your head snaps up as you drop your shoe. Dick is watching you silently, waiting for an answer.
But you now understood the meaning behind that cocky grin he can't drop now.
He knew he got you flustered. He knew you were nervous around him and he's teasing you for it.
And a spark comes to life.
“I'm straight forward.. I didn’t say much.”
Your sentences are low and you mimic the slow strides he took towards you a second ago.
He doesn't crack. He continues, “You can be mean. Enough to make a grown man get the chills.”
He doesn't expect it. The sudden confidence that overtook you..
Where was this going?
He eyes the way your stare is burning into him, the way you're batting your lashes and.. you've got him.
He should say something.
Something snarky. Maybe witty.
He can't think because you're getting closer and he's blanking.
So close that he could-
“My actions just..” And the way your stare falls to his lips, “speak louder than words.” He's dumbfounded.
And when you look back up, eyeing his mask. You smile softly and turn away.
“So, hot chocol-?”
Before you can finish your sentence, his arm grabs at your waist spinning you abruptly.
All at once, his hand hooks itself against your jaw, lifting your face. The other is making its way up your back, pushing you against his chest.
The nerves run through your body as if you were struck by lightning.
He's centimeters away. Daring to graze your nose against his.
“Prove it.”
And you're pulling him in. Your fingers tangling in that hair that you couldn’t believe felt this soft.
Then you're kissing him. You're kissing the lips you had just been day dreaming about a moment ago. And he's devouring it.
Your lips collide in a frantic flood of emotion. Pushing and pulling, back and forth and he's not letting go. Neither are you.
The rush of adrenaline courses through you and you're falling back, pulling him towards you as you press your back against the wall.
Nightwing can't dare to let go. He's inhaling sharply, lips still attached to yours, in hopes to catch some air after you knocked the wind out of him. But he wasn't complaining.
He felt the way your nails scraped against his scalp makes his lips part to your satisfaction. Now able to slip your tongue past his lips, tilting your head to deepen the kiss.
Any other thought in your mind ceases to exist at this moment. Evaporating into the back of your mind, to return after you've consumed every last drop of this.
As he occupies his hands at your waist, holding you firmly-
You wince.
He breaks away immediately. Breathless. “Are you hurt?”
“It’s nothing-” But he’s already pulling back examining your side. “Nightwing, I’m fine-”
“No, I knew it. You were stiff earlier. Did you get hit in the ribs?”
And now you’re both on the couch as he wraps your torso. A comfortable silence fills the air as he carefully tapes the bandage.
“Don’t overwork yourself. If it’s as mild as you say, you should be fine by the end of the week.” Putting the things back in the first aid kit, he turns to you with a sigh. “Please be careful next time.”
“I will. I told you this is nothing and you have patrol. You’re wasting your time.” You pull down your sweater and he shakes his head.
“I’m sure my partner has me covered.” She does not actually because said partner was sitting right in front of him.
“Yeah, but I'm sure there’s other people who need you right now.” Because you were both here and Oracle must be losing her mind.
Your phone rings on the table and you go to pick it up. Speak of the devil.
“Hey Barb. Kinda busy. Can I call you back?” She was going to give you hell for this.
“Of course. I’m just checking up. Get back to me when you can.” Meaning, ‘I can see your trackers at your apartment and both of your comms are off. Get your asses up before I lose it.’
Once you hang up, Nightwing seems to realize Oracle could be waiting for him. You both knew Barbara was Oracle, of course. It was more of an accident on your end. Though you and Nightwing never learned each other's identities. Even when Barb would recommend it.
“I’ll be back later. If you go to bed, lock your balcony door so I know you're asleep.” He rises from the couch and you follow after quickly.
Were you two going to talk about what happened?
“Yeah, I got it. Um.. I’ll see you then.” Trying to keep your talk short because you're late for patrol and in big trouble right now.
As Nightwing walks to the balcony, he stops right before the door and turns back to you. You perk up, expecting him to say something but he leans forward and places a soft peck against your lips.
“See you then.” Then he’s gone.
And Barbara is calling again.
“Hey Barbs..”
“What the fuck is going on?”
Part 3
a/n: THEY FINALLY KISSED GUYS. if you thought that took look, IMAGINE HOW I FELT WRITING IT, i was ready to cut scenes out to get it in quicker but then realized the buildup was needed. sighhh. but i hope you all enjoyed. Next chapter will be fan-fucking-tastic.
Sum: Nightwing is in love with his partner. You. But you're head over heels for your coworker, Dick Grayson. OR miraculous ladybug plot between you and dick.
Content: Fem!reader, no use of y/n, dick is lowkey slow, mentions of violence, some cuss words
Word count: 6k (I was having too much fun)
A/n: This is heavily inspired by miraculous ladybug teheheh. I'm not kidding, HEAVILY inspired. Enjoy!
Dividers by: @aanaws
Line dividers by: @hyuneskkami
"Nightwing! I said left!" Frustrated, you swing you're weapon against the masked man, who managed to dodge but got kicked square in the ribs right after.
"Sweets. I went left, then changed my mind." Nightwing lands beside you with all the charm he can muster in the smirk that creeps onto his face.
You knock out the last goon and sheath your weapons. "This is exactly why I stressed the fact that you losing your comms was gonna ruin our mission!" With a groan, you make your way over to the supply truck and break open the lock.
"Forgive me, m'lady." He bows as he locks his sticks behind his back.
"I'll think on it after we finish the job." As you roll your eyes, Nightwing stands beside you, pulling open the crate. He whistles as you shine a flashlight on the cargo. "So, it was a cover up."
The boxes that littered the space had been destroyed. "Figured. There weren't nearly enough guards here." You bring your hand to your comms, "Oracle, it's a fake."
"Sending the boys after the other cargo. Good work."
"Alright, clean-up is on you." You turn away and throw a wave over your shoulder.
"What!? Why-"
"Finish it and consider yourself forgiven."
Once you got home, you had a few hours to spare before you had to head to work. As you run a hot shower, you grab your briefcase and empty it out on desk. You organize your papers and put them back in the case to look back at in the lab. Once you've showered, you use the rest of the time to get some sleep in before you're back up and working.
The elevator dings as you step into your department's floor and you're greeted again by none other than Dick Grayson. The task force's golden boy.
"Well isn't it my favorite detective!" And you can feel yourself shrink immediately. Dick makes his way over to you. It's 6AM, you cannot find the words to speak to him. Not because he's insufferable, no no, it's actually the complete opposite.
"Officer Grayson." You turn to him with a tense smile as he gets closer. You grip your briefcase tighter because your palms are now already sweating.
His smile is radiant. So is his skin that's so clear it puts your skincare routine to shame. You would call yourself a cheerful person but when it's compared to Dick? You're as gloomy as the Gotham sky.
It's not your fault though. His laugh manages to cut your breath short every time. His presence alone is so intoxicating you doubt you can even process what he's saying.
"I heard some new evidence came in on that case you're working on."
How is he so cheerful this early in the morning?
"I left it in your lab, also left a letter given to you from one of our night-time vigilantes." That snaps your focus back into place.
"A letter?" Had Nightwing made a stop last night after you left? "From who?"
"Nightwing. Know why?" He tilts his head to the side and all you can see is the way his hair falls with the movement. It shines like silk and all you can think of is raking your fingers through it- "You okay?"
"Hm?" You blink up at him absentmindedly, "Uh- right- Yeah. I think I have a vague idea." You fidget with your briefcase before holding it up in front of your chest. "I'll.. I'll get right on it."
He looks down at the case and nods with another one of those annoying blinding smiles, "I'll leave you to it then." You nod back, tense. You hated how he had to awkwardly walk back to his desk as you slowly make your way into your lab.
As you step inside, you let out a huff, "That was so awkward, oh my god." You grip your briefcase tighter and throw it onto your desk. You spot the letter on your desk and snatch it impatiently. With a sigh you rip it open and read over the paper.
Remembered you were working on this case when I ran into you a while back, here's something I found interesting ;p , no need to thank me.
-NW xoxo
You roll your eyes and sigh. "No need to thank me, xoxo- Like I wasn't doing half the work." You grumble to yourself and make your way to the folder placed beside it containing a ziplock bag and a report from one of the officers.
Hours pass by and once your lunch break starts, you're making your way to the lounge where you spot Dick pouring himself a coffee. He looks up and shoots you a smile.
"You look beat." He smiles and you feel yourself tense once his attention lands on you.
"ha ha, yeah long night.." Laughing timidly, you open the fridge to grab your meal.
"Coffee?" He offers and you nearly bang your head against the fridge door. You turn to him and nod a little too quick. Get yourself together!
As he pours you a cup, you find yourself a spot to sit on the couch and open up your snack.
"How's the case coming along?" Dick passes the coffee to you and your heart nearly skips a beat when your hands make the slightest bit of contact.
"There's progress." You manage to say as you place the cup down and avert your gaze. You know if you look into his eyes, you won't be able to hold up this conversation.
"I'm guessing Nightwing was a huge help?"
"Pshh, him? I'll give him a lollipop for his efforts next time." You're glad he's bringing up a topic your familiar with or you fear you would've been stumbling over your words.
Dick raises a brow, "Not a fan I'm guessing?"
Is he a fan? There's no way you just blew it right now.
"Wha- Nightwing? No!- I mean like- yeah. No. I'm a huge fan!"
HIs eyebrows raise as he takes another sip. You definitely ruined it. Fix it!
"I know him actually!" Not like that.
"You do?" Shock written over his features. You tense when your eyes lock with his. Something so familiar and safe within his gaze.
"Yeah, we- you know- He saved me once while I was following a lead." You look away immediately. You feel like a fraud. Yeah, you've met him, but you don't know him like that. Well.. not as the you right now.
"He was also following the same lead... which is also the case I'm working on." Your hands are occupying themselves with the coffee cup as your eyes dart between your snack and coffee.
"Is that why he left a note?" Dick asked. You nod.
"Must be cool to have a vigilante as a partner." He laughs and you try to force one out in attempt to not seem awkward but it comes out strained.
"I wouldn't say that.. just a great help." Cause that sucker should've gave you some credit. You had to save both their asses cause he couldn't tell between his left and right.
"Don't underestimate yourself. I'm sure he thinks you're a great partner! He's providing you with evidence. He seems eager to help." Okay, he definitely was a Nightwing fan.
"Of course! I'll- I'll definitely thank him next time." You say it like it's obvious. "I thank his partner a lot more though. She's always quick to help me whenever." Throwing in some praise wouldn't hurt.
"You worked with her before!?" His genuine shock and curiosity caught you off guard. "You must be collecting these vigilantes like Pokémon cards if she also decides to work with you."
"What do you mean?"
"She's a tough one. She barely works with the GCPD. I admire her work." He says as he stares off into the distance. Me? I work fine with the GCPD. Was me giving them those reports not enou- wait.
"Y-ou what?"
He blinks and turns his focus back to you. You look up at him and he's smiling again.
"I admire her work. Not many do, but I can tell she's just as amazing as, if not more than, Nightwing."
Your lips part in shock. Hearing that from him, you could barely figure out how to process that before you feel a striking hot sensation over your legs. You flinch before realizing you dropped your coffee all over your trousers.
It might as well kill you with it.
Dick curses under his breath and runs to grab you napkins. He passes you some as he wipes the remaining liquid off the floor.
"Sorry! Sorry... I can't believe I dropped that." The embarrassment is eating you alive and Dick can't help but laugh.
"It's fine, it happens. You okay?"
You sigh in defeat and nod.
That night on patrol, you couldn't wait to go home and sink into your sheets.
"Done for the night, bubblegum?"
Nicknames were never ending with Nightwing; Bubblegum, Sweets, Sweetheart, hon, the list goes on. You eventually accepted it and moved on.
"We agreed that one was a no." You groan as you watch the streets below you. You've been patrolling for a few hours now. Sooner or later, you're going to wrap it up and go home. But of course, company awaits you.
"Something about it suits you. Sugary, bubbly, and so sticky I can't get rid of you." He takes a seat beside you and you roll your eyes.
"That would be you, Wing." You tease.
Even though you and him have never revealed your identities, you've built a bond that seems to be unshakable. Sure, you guys had your moments, but you two honestly couldn't think of working with anybody else. That meant that even though you were in somewhat of a shitty mood, he still managed to lift it.
"If you want to reverse the roles, I have no complaints." He raises his arms in defense and you sigh. "Who burst your bubble, sweets?" He bumps his shoulder into yours, gaining your attention.
"Just a long day."
"How long are we talking?"
"Long enough."
With that you lay your head on his shoulder. This is how you usually finish up your patrols. A sign that you two were about to close in for the night.
"I handed over some evidence from the truck last night to GCPD. Their head detective is working on it, so I thought it would be some help." He mentions and you hum in response.
"As long as you're aren't feeding them everything we know, I don't really care."
"That's a relief. I thought you'd give me the Robin treatment." He chuckled.
"That was entirely different! I know Robin was just starting the whole gig but no one told him that we don't tell the GCPD everything!?" You shouted in defense.
"He said he saw you do it!"
"I did it once! And I spoke to Gordon! Not some random cop!"
Nightwing's shoulders shake as he laughs, and you lift yourself off of them, trying to push down the smile creeping onto your face.
"Batman gave him a long talk after that one. Trust me."
"He's lucky I didn't."
"You had a sword fight-"
"He pulled it out first, Wing! And you know that!" You exaggerated.
"He was 11!"
"And trying to kill me!"
Nightwing throws his head back, laughing so hard all his pearly whites flash in your face. You glare at him and let out a laugh disguised as a scoff.
Moments like these with him were comforting. You felt like yourself when you were in this suit, fighting crime, and with him. You don't think anyone has managed to get this close to you. But that's the thing about him. He's a dickhead sometimes for sure, but you're always reminded why he's your best friend. You wondered in times like these, who was under the mask. Would it be some normal guy working a 9-5 on weekdays? A celebrity? Or worse, some weirdo-
Nightwing calls out to you, and you realize you've been staring. "What's on your mind? You seem distracted."
"Some... guy." You mention as you turn to look back at the street below.
"Woah-ho-ho! Who's the lucky fella?" You cringe at that.
You glance at him and decide if you should tell him or not. He's your best friend, after all. He'd probably think Dick was a great guy. Maybe even help you figure out how to talk to him. But you couldn't risk revealing anything with it came to your civilian lives.
"Wouldn't you like to know, Boy Wonder." You tease with a smirk.
"I'm calling it a night. Call me if you need me before I get home." You grab your grappling hook and hop off the building.
As you swing away, thinking it was a just another normal night. You failed to notice the face of your partner after your remark.
Nightwing watched as you disappeared off into the night. Conflicted.
Nightwing has always held you dear to him. More than a friend. Ever since the first patrol you had together, you've been his first and last thought every day. I mean, could you blame him? Look at you.
From the moment you introduced yourself to him, he was awestruck. He could've sworn careless whisper was playing in the distance. He thinks he also stuttered. Not like he remembers what he said, he was too distracted. That's also how he ended up with a bruise to his side after. You scolded him for being so careless. But he knew he was hooked.
What was he supposed to do with that information now? There was a guy. A guy! If he didn't know any better, he'd think you're fucking with him. But the way you looked at him when he had asked. That longing stare.
He couldn't help but think, was it him?
As your finish up some paperwork, you hear a knock on your door. "Come in!"
It's Dick. Again. What is up with this Peter luck your having?
"Officer Grayson, what brings you here?" You get up from your seat as he once again, grins and holds up a folder. You maneuver your way around your desk, meeting him halfway.
"New evidence. This time, it was Red Robin." He hands you the folder and you take it cautiously. "That's the 3rd vigilante this week. You're gonna have me wondering if you're one of them."
Well, shit.
"As if. I need my 8 hours." You try to play it off. Terribly. Normally, you're great at that. But clearly not in front of him. You open the file and smile to yourself. "Gotta love that kid."
Dick peeks over and asks, "What is it?"
You look up and realize he's much closer now. Frozen in place, he glances up at you and your lungs nearly collapse on you.
Nothing could've prepared you for this. His eyes.
Such a piercing baby blue that replicates the rare clear skies Gotham prays for. They shine with confidence, determination, and something deeper, you wish you could figure out.
Does he know how much his presence suffocates you? How his character is so overwhelmingly admirable you can't help but feel smaller next to how bright he shines?
"J-just.. a case." You show him the paper and he looks down at it like he wasn't inches away from your face a moment ago.
"That's quite the report."
Trying to regain your composure, you nod. Making your way back to behind your desk.
"Red Robin is quite the detective. I did him a few favors. He does me some." Trying to make yourself look busy, you start digging through your papers.
"It seems like you have a way with everyone, detective." He smirks and you don't give yourself the opportunity to glance at him.
"I would hope so, officer." Still digging through piles of paper.
Dick notices the way you avoid his gaze. He's always hated that.
You've always been uncomfortable around him. He can't help but feel like he's the reason why. Everyone has met the fun, witty, and outgoing side of you besides him. You were always tense, quiet, and distant when he tried to talk to you.
He's tried jokes, small talk, even small favors and every time you came in contact with each other, it was like you couldn't wait for him to leave. He's realizing maybe it was no use.
"I'll leave these here then.." He places the files down on the desk and you nod in acknowledgement. Taking that as his sign to leave; Dick walks himself out.
Once the door closes, you finally look up before you fall against your chair, slapping your hands over your face from the mere thought of how that interaction just went. Before the humiliation can eat you alive, the door opens again. You straighten in your seat in a hurry only to spot your friend at the door. Barbara.
"Was Dick just in your office?"
"Yeah, you saw?" Groaning as you slump back into your chair.
"No, you just look like you ruined your life and want the floor to swallow you whole."
"Just about right."
Patrol tonight was quick and easy. Basic robberies, thugs, the whole gig. Once you've done a few laps, you decide to call it a night before spotting NIghtwing on a nearby roof. Without a second thought you make your way over to him.
"Done for the night, bubblegum?" You mock as he turns to you with a shit-eating grin.
"You gonna chew me out if I am?" He says with his hands placed on his hips.
"Depends. You got anything useful?" You nod your head towards him as you look him over with a squint.
"Depends, you got time for one more stop?"
Your face scrunches up in confusion. "Is it a follow up on the toxin?"
"No, but follow me." With that he reaches out for your hand, you take it without a second thought before he pulls you in, throws you two down the building before aiming his grappling hook towards another one.
"It's best if you close your eyes!" He adds, sparking curiosity.
"Don't drop me, bridie!" You laugh as you shut your eyes and let him drag you wherever.
Once you two land, you want to peak but his hands immediately go to shut your eyes.
"Impatient as ever." With his remark, you scoff.
"I'm not going to peak!" You exclaim as he holds one hand over your eyes and does something in the other. He scoffs like that's the dumbest thing he's heard.
"yeah, and I'm not head over heels for you."
Then, a pause. You can feel tension start to rise and quickly, so you exhale dramatically and place your hands over his palm. "I'll keep them closed, Wing." Though, he doesn't let go. His palm remains there. Another pause.. "I won't look till you tell me to."
You stand there quietly as he finishes up, god knows what, and you hear him take a deep breath. "Open 'em." You barely miss it. So, you open your eyes slowly.
"Oh wow." Your lips part in awe.
There, on the rooftop, sits two pillows on the floor. The most adorable setup of snacks, a pair of controllers, and a picnic blanket. The area is dimly lit by the rooftop's yellow lighting, creating a warm atmosphere even in the cold ambience of Gotham.
"Wing, I don't know what girl you're trying to impress, but, trust me," You turn to him, smiling at the thought of his efforts. "You've got this in the bag."
And once he makes eye contact, you're smile almost faltered.
He scratches the back of his neck and rolls his head to the side. "Impessed is one thing."
Then, when he looks back at you, you fail to hold your grin.
"Do you like it?" He asks and you look back at the set up.
He didn't get the wrong idea last night, right? No. There was no way. You're overthinking this. This is just a sweet gesture. Nothing more.
"Yeah! It's amazing!" You quickly reply. Turning back to him with a small, close lipped smile. "What's it for?"
You didn't want to ask. Not really. You actually wanted to just play along and hope your intuition was wrong for once.
But, it never was. "You?"
"Me?"
"Yeah, you.."
"Me?" You pointed at yourself.
"Yes.. you. Your record player break or something?" He attempts a laugh, but you're looking back and forth between him and the setup.
"What for?" You ask. You're trying hard not to sound off. It's not what you think it is. There's no way.
Nightwing just stares. His answer is written all over his face.
Okay, you really wish you weren't too comfortable with him to let your face fall like that. It would've saved you the guilt of watching him realize you knew what he was insisting. And you were rejecting it.
The wind blew by, carrying the last bit of hope left.
"Nightwing-"
"Damn, you're never gonna let me live this down now." He laughs as he rolls his head against his shoulder. "I called it, but I blame Oracle for the push." He pointed before making his way over to the setup.
You stand there blankly. Confused, you follow him. "Wing, listen to me, I'm sorry-"
"What for?" He turns, a smirk plastered on his lips. You can tell he's hurt. Shit..
"Wing, I feel bad. I didn't mean to lead you on." And he nearly cringes at that.
"That." He points, "is my issue. Not yours. You didn't do anything wrong, swee-.. don't blame yourself." And your heart nearly shatters at the way he cut himself off from that nickname.
"Do you wanna talk? You know this doesn't bother me like that. I just.. there's already someone I like.." Nightwing may have thought you didn't notice it, but you did. The way his body tensed. Even in the slightest of movements.
"I would be lying if I didn't tell you. That's the last thing I want. You're important to me. I'd never want to lose you to anything. You're my best friend, Wing." He smiles at that and for a second. You feel like it's going to be alright. This wasn't as bad as you thought.
He then goes to grab one of the snacks from the pile, specifically your favorite. He takes a step towards you. Then another. And another. Till he's face to face and he's pressing the snack into your hands.
"This is enough. Our friendship is everything to me. I wouldn't trade it for the world."
And in that moment, you saw someone else.
This wasn't your partner. It was a man who was devoted to keeping what he held dear close to him. One who longs for an inevitable future he can't help but reach for.
And you were the setting it in stone.
"Wing-"
"Good night. I'll see you tomorrow!" With that, he's running past you, off into invasive fog that took over the streets.
With no idea where to start, you turn around and make your way back home.
"Barbara, I told you-"
"She literally is head over heels for you! I'm telling you! I can't take any more hours of flirting over the comms, only for you to tell me she doesn't like you!" Barbara shouts over the phone. Dick groans into his pillow dramatically.
"I ruined everything."
"No, you didn't."
"Barbara."
"You didn't! I promise."
"I'm going to sleep."
"Trust me on t-" he hangs up before she finishes.
That went horribly. Not only did he leave you there stranded. He completely cut you off and made the situation so much more awkward than it needed to be.
He can't believe he let Barbara convince him into doing that. He should've just asked you out normally instead of throwing that in your face. And then you tried to apologize. Of course you did.
He checks the time and shoves his head into the pillow once he realizes he needs to get some sleep.
He's never gonna come back from this.
"Barbara. Where is this coming from-"
"Girl, you have to ask him. Today is the day, I can feel it!" Barbara sits across your desk. Exaggerating over why you should ask out Officer Grayson today.
"Barb. I love you. Like a lot. You're one of the very few I trust. But I am not doing that."
"Doing what?" Yeah. Might as well add a radioactive spider at this point.
"Just your luck!" Barbara turns to Dick is waking through the open door with a boxes in his hands. He walks over and places them on your desk.
He's wearing a baby blue button-up today instead of his usual uniform. Sleeves rolled up. He has sneakers on. Which has you confused; why was his outfit so uncoordinated? You wonder why, but before you can think about it, they both are staring at you. Realizing you blanked out and missed out on what was said.
"Sorry, did you say something?" You ask.
"I was just telling Officer Grayson how you wanted to ask him something!" Barbara beamed.
This little minx. You're glaring at her, already planning to lock the brakes on those wheels.
Dick looks back at you, waiting for a reply, and you can only dig your eyes into the back of Barbara's head as she leaves.
Dick looks down at the papers on your desk and you follow his line of sight.
"These are still the same ones from last week. Nothing new." You wave them off as he nods. He's unusually quiet. You finally take in the way he's put together. Well.. not really. His hair is a slight mess. No color coordination in his outfit what so ever. and.. was that a stain on his button up? Why wasn't he in uniform today?
"You alright?" You ask before thinking.
Dick looks up at you and sighs. He knows he looks like shit, mostly because he feels like it. Though it's the first time you've genuinely asked him something. "Rough night, but I'll be okay."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." You sort of try to look away but end up asking another question. "What's that?" Implying the boxes he had just brought in.
"Chief told me to bring these up and have you look through them. No idea what they are. I'm off the field today, so he's keeping me busy."
"He wants me to look through all of these?" You exaggerated before pulling the box over to your side, mumbling under your breath. "That guy seriously likes to throw things at me because I won't get an assistant."
That perked his interest. "Why not?"
That gets your attention again. You seem to get sidetracked easily. "Oh- um. I just work alone.. It's annoying having someone try to push their rules onto you." You shrug as you pull the stacks of files from the box.
"You don't work well with partners?" He asks. And you wonder if he meant something with that question. But, you only shake you head. "I work fine with other people. It just depends on who." Like Nightwing. You frown slightly at that.
"Mind if i help?" Your head perks up. You weren't expecting him to offer.
"You- You don't have to!"
"No, I want to. Like I said, I'm off the field today. I have nothing better to do." He pulls the chair towards him and takes a seat. "You just give me a job and I'll do it."
And with that, you and him work in tandem for the next 3 hours. It was unexpected but Dick worked well with you. He understood his assignments, didn't ask too many questions, and managed to have some conversations that didn't end with you embarrassing yourself. Well.. yet.
"That's the last of them." You place the papers back into the boxes and turn to Dick.
He was pleasantly surprised how much he enjoyed that. He felt like he actually got a glimpse of the real you today. And you work great together. He couldn't help but wonder why you always avoided him.
"Thanks for the help. I appreciate it."
He nods. "Glad to help." And when he hopes to maintain eye contact for longer than 5 seconds, you're already turning away again. And he can't help but feel like all the process he made with you had went to waste.
"I'll take these back to the office.. Need anything else before i head out?" You turn to him with a smile and shaking your head.
"No, all good." And back behind your desk you go. He deflates at that. He was hoping you'd be more comfortable around him after today. But he guesses his luck was shitty this week.
He doesn't wait any longer and makes his way to the door before you call his name.
"How does coffee together sound? After work?"
He had patrol and no idea if his partner would show up.
Cause why would she? After the shit he pulled last night? He's starting to remember why he was so beat today.
"Dick?" You call again and he snaps out of it quick, quickly replying.
"Yeah, uh- No, sorry. Thanks though." He gives a quick smile before leaving the room. He's a bit annoyed with himself now, because he managed to ruin two friendships in under 24 hours. He would love to go for coffee, but he'd rather not go in a bad mood. He'll reschedule. Today just wasn't his day.
And now neither was it for you. As you watch the door shut behind him, you stand there dumbfound.
He just flat out rejected you. Without even a second thought. You can't help but feel yourself shrink after. You really thought you did well today. You were able to carry out multiple conversations with him. Even maintain eye contact for like 4 whole seconds!
This shouldn't bother you that much. You weren't even close. But still, you slump against your chair and stare off into the void hoping you could rid the feeling of dread that built up with every passing second.
That night, you started patrol early and ended early. Why? Because like it or not, you were avoiding Nightwing. It wasn't because you were too afraid to face him, more because you didn't have the energy to. That whole rejection ruined your night.
So, as you stand at your balcony, staring off into the streets of the city that reflected your mood tonight, you hold a cup of tea in your hands. One thing about Gotham was that there was always going to be a slight breeze in the air, a faint scent of rain, and a drafty fog that carried only in the darkest of nights. Was it a good idea to go out onto your balcony this late? No, and you would advise any person to avoid doing so.
But you're a vigilante. So, you give yourself a pass.
But, not everyone knows that.
"I wouldn't recommend sitting out here in the open this late, miss."
Only one person could sneak up on you like that. And it was Nightwing.
Slightly flinching, you turn to him and place your cup on the tiny coffee table. "And I wouldn't try to balance myself on a slippery railing in the dark."
"I'm a vigilante. I get a pass." He places his hands on his hips, all cocky.
"I'm a citizen who pays rent. I get to use this balcony however and whenever I want." You mimic his gesture and he raises a brow at you.
"Aren't you a little sass ball today? You're usually a little more professional when we meet." You drop your arms after that and sigh.
Even though you weren't in your suit, you needed your best friend right now. And it was much easier talking like this to him than worrying about how awkward things can get.
With all your frustration that piled up since this afternoon, you groan, "It was a total disaster!"
Nightwing looks around in confusion. "What exactl-"
"I was doing great! We laughed for hours! I didn't stutter or shy away the whole time we worked!" Nightwing watched as you threw your arms around with every sentence. He stood there in silence, not knowing how he got wrapped up in hearing your outrage, but he was intrigued. He's never seen this side of you. Was it because you weren't around him anymore?
"Then he just walked out and rejected me like it was noth..ing.." Your words died down as your heart sank. This was how he was probably feeling right now. And here you are complaining to him about another guy.
"Sorry. Ignore me." You put your hand up. He doesn't ignore you.
"Rejected you? Now, what idiot decided to ruin his chances at paradise?" He attempted to lighten the mood, now sitting on the railing as you pick up your cup of tea. You were used to his flirts. Well. vigilante you was.
You didn't have it in you to argue over his flirts. You knew it was his nature at this point. "Some guy at work." You rest your elbows against the railing beside him, and he stares at you, urging you to go on.
"He's an officer. The one you gave the letter to."
"Officer Grayson?" He spits out almost shocked and you nod in embarrassment. Your head drops and you rest the cup against your forehead.
"I've liked him for so long. And believe it or not, I'm the most awkward person when it comes to him." Nightwing doesn't reply, so you continue. "I actually mustered up the courage to ask him out today, and he completely shut me down without a second thought!"
Nightwing blanks for a moment. You were asking him out!?
"No he didn- he probably didn't mean it like that!"
"He immediately told me no and walked out the room. I think he meant it like that, Nightwing." You tilt your head to the side, squinting at him.
"I doubt it. He told me he thought you were cool!"
"Cool is fine! He doesn't like me like that though!"
"You don't know that!" He argues.
"You do?" And that shuts him up quick. No, he didn't like you like that. But he didn't like knowing you thought he was rejecting you. Even if he was being a bit of a dickhead this afternoon.
"Sorry. You're right. But I think you should just talk to him about it." You pull the cup away from your forehead and take a sip.
"If it helps, I also got rejected too." He chuckles as you nearly choke on your tea.
"R-Really?"
"Yeah.. I kind of threw it in her face, though. It was a lot less casual than just a basic hangout. I guess I overwhelmed her. But I got the wrong idea and she had to reject me on the spot." He covers his face with a hand before dragging it down. "I was hoping to talk to her, but I guess she needs to clear her head."
"I think we all do at this point." You sigh before taking another sip. "Not much you can do in Gotham to get a clear head around here." Nightwing hums in agreement.
You both sit in a comfortable silence. A minute passes by and you take one last sip of your tea before exhaling.
"I guess I should head inside and try to fix my mood before it gets late."
"Yeah, I should too..." He agrees.
And as you make your way to get back inside, he says your name.
dick grayson x gn reader
(ft. bruce wayne)
fluff
contains: mentions of reader's parents having marital problems
wc: ~2k
⟣ desc: a friendship formed between you and robin thanks to batman's candy pouch. ⟢
"uh...batman?"
"what, robin?"
dick grayson points to a few buildings over.
"why is there a kid on that roof?"
indeed, you're sitting on the edge of the apartment rooftop, legs stuck out between the railing and dangling over the side. your sweater doesn't do much against the cold, the night air nips at your cheeks until they sting.
as much as you'd rather be curled up in bed beneath your blankets, drifting off to sleep, the rooftop is quieter. gotham looks different from up here. the people on the sidewalks look like tiny ants and the bright yellow taxis resemble the ones lined on the toy stores shelves. in the distance, the neon glow of the wayne enterprises sign cuts through the darkness like a beacon.
"what are you doing here?"
the deep voice nearly makes you jump out of your skin. you spin around to heavy boots, a black cape, and a flash of green, red, and yellow.
"batman...!" you gasp.
"and robin," dick murmurs, though his voice is swept up by the wind.
batman folds his arms across his chest.
"it's late."
"i know..."
"you should be in bed."
"i know..."
"where it's safe."
behind him, robin rolls his eyes under his domino mask. he's had this exact conversation with bruce more times than he can count. admittedly, it's nice not being lectured for once.
"but..." you pick at a loose thread on your sleeve. "my parents are still fighting."
batman freezes and robin nervously glances at him. beneath the cowl, he can almost hear bruce thinking. dick looks back at you, your eyes have already drifted toward gotham's skyline again, another gust of wind prickles at your skin and flutters his cape. bruce paused patrol expecting to spend no more than a minute convincing this stubborn kid to head back inside. instead, he found a child in search of peace and quiet on the rooftop. his gaze flickers to your legs dangling precariously over the edge. that, however, is still a problem. wordlessly, batman reaches for one of the pouches on his utility belt. dick's eyes light up—that's the candy pouch.
"can i sit here?"
before you can answer, robin plops down beside you with the confidence of someone who clearly wasn't waiting for permission.
"you're already sitting," you deadpan.
"and you're too close to the edge," robin replies matter-of-factly. "dangerous."
"you backflip off buildings every night!"
"that's different!"
"you're, like, the same age as me!"
"do you want candy or not?"
two orange candies swirled with white rest in the palm of his hand. you stare at the candy, then back at him, then at the candy again. robin does little to fight the coy smile on his face. he knows the offer is tempting—bribing with candy almost always works, but some light pressure pushes it to foolproof.
"going once...!"
his smile grows wider. he can practically feel your resolve crumbling.
"going twice...!"
with a tiny huff, you scoot closer to him. robin beams like he's just closed the biggest sale of his life. out of the corner of his eye, he catches batman's almost imperceptible nod.
"i'm robin."
you carefully take the candy from his hand, fingers brushing against the fabric of his gloves.
"...i know."
~
soon, candy breaks on the rooftop become routine. when the arguments and accusations seep through the thin walls, you quietly slip out the door and take the stairs to the rooftop. not long after, robin appears with a grin and two pieces of candy, batman standing stoically in the shadows a few feet away. you're not sure if friend is the right word, but regardless, you've formed some sort of bond with robin. although you wonder who he is under the domino mask—and why he feels the need to dive off buildings—on the rooftop, he's not robin. he's just another kid who shares his candy with you.
~
"why is it always orange creamsicle?" you groan.
robin shrugs, already unwrapping his piece.
"dunno, it's what batman carries."
"why not strawberry or something?"
"oh, so you don't want candy anymore?"
"i never said that!"
~
"guess who i met yesterday!"
"wh—"
"superman!"
"you didn't even let me guess!"
~
"doesn't it look pretty from up here?"
you tilt your head.
"what does?"
robin gestures toward the skyline.
"gotham."
a small smile tugs at your lips.
"yeah, it kinda does."
~
one particular night, however, robin senses something is off. the moment he lands on the rooftop and bounds up to you with his usual offering, he knows. you take a second too long to accept the candy, you refuse to meet his eyes, and you're not smiling. by the time he settles beside you, his heart is thrumming in his chest.
"i have to tell you something."
he turns toward you.
"my parents are getting divorced," you confess. "my mom and i are moving next week."
"that's okay!" robin blurts. "we can always meet on a different rooftop."
"no, i mean...we're moving far away from gotham."
"oh."
suddenly, the taste of orange creamsicle on his tongue changes—it's different tonight, it's too sweet.
~
you pry your eyes away from the gotham skyline at the sound of grappling hooks and fluttering capes. robin bounds up to you, flashing a toothy grin. he's extra chatty today, long rambles filling the silence for both of you as you pop the candy into your mouth.
"are you all packed?"
"almost."
"do they have rooftops there?"
"probably."
"cool! that means you can still have candy up there!"
you don't answer right away. robin scratches the back of his neck.
"actually," he winces, "nevermind, that's kinda dangerous."
the conversation fizzles out, leaving only the distant hum of traffic below. gotham stretches endlessly before you, just as it always has. somehow, it already feels farther away.
"robin."
on the edge of the building, batman shifts his weight from one foot to the other, waiting for him to follow. time's up. your throat suddenly feels too tight. you blink a little harder than usual, the city lights blurring. robin stands, takes a few steps backwards, but he stops.
"...wait."
you watch him curiously while he awkwardly fishes around under his cape. he procures a small plastic bag filled to the brim with the familiar orange creamsicle candies tied neatly with a red bow.
"that's a lot of candy," you note.
but you're not looking at the bag. you're looking at robin.
"yeah, well...batman bought too much."
"thanks, batman!" you call to the shadows, gently taking the bag and clutching it close to your chest.
bruce furrows his brows. that's a lie—dick dragged him to the candy store to buy it with his own allowance.
"...what about you?" you ask.
"what do you mean?"
"who's going to eat candy with you on the rooftop now?"
dick opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. he didn’t consider that part, never let himself think that far. his face falters for a second.
"i'll figure something out."
he’s smiling, again, and you can do nothing except offer a weak one back.
~
aimlessly wandering the gotham streets under grey skies, a colorful storefront catches dick grayson's eye. without much thought, he ducks inside the candy shop. his eyes skim the fudge in the display case, the workers in striped aprons making new batches, and the small children tugging on their parents' sleeves. he walks past all of them, softly whistling to himself as he searches for the familiar orange candies. he circles the shop a few times before finding them tucked away in the corner.
"an old gotham classic," the man at the register declares when dick places two bags of it on the counter.
"yeah, loved these as a kid."
"they've been around for a while," the man continues, manually typing the price into the old machine. "we're switchin' em out for a different orange-flavored hard candy."
dick pauses. he hesitates to hand his card.
"like, discontinuing them?"
"yeah, this is our last batch. good thing you got some 'fore they're gone."
the plastic bag swings gently at his side as he waits for the crosswalk. a lot of things have changed—a cape no longer brushes at the back of his legs, alfred doesn't wait with cocoa after patrol anymore, and bruce... dick shoves the thought aside before the light changes. a few drops of rain land on his forehead. he pulls his hood up. he didn't account for the weather today.
hours later, nightwing makes his usual rounds. it's still drizzling and the autumn air seeps through the elastic of his suit, biting at his skin. he peers down into the dark alleys, inside dilapidated warehouses, the usual places he'd expect to find trouble. tonight, there's nothing. gotham seems quiet.
like clockwork, he finds himself perched on a rooftop three buildings over from a certain apartment building. he knows that little kid he used to share his candy with is grown up, probably halfway across the country, maybe farther. still, he finds himself here every night. he lands on the concrete and sits down by the railing, the same place he'd sit all those years ago. for a few minutes, dick takes in the tall buildings, the empty sidewalks below, the trees swaying in the wind. he glances at the singular piece of candy in his hand. it's strange...it feels too light. he lets it melt on his tongue, face scrunching at the taste. was it always this sweet? he wonders if strawberry would be any better. he stands, the taste of citrus and cream lingering as he swings to the next building.
~
the rooftop looks the same, but it feels different as you cross to the ledge. you're not small enough to stick your legs through the railing and dangle them over the edge. so instead, you stay standing, gripping the metal bars as you look out at the city you once called home. the few pedestrians on the street don't look like ants anymore, and the yellow taxis driving by are just cars to you. you remember the world seemed so much bigger up here, but presently, it's all still gotham.
"mind if i join you?"
you nearly give yourself whiplash from how fast you turn around. before you can reply, nightwing steps up beside you anyway, resting his forearms against the railing.
"you know," you comment, "most people wait for an answer."
"i've been told," he grins.
in the light, you can make out the electric blue symbol emblazoned on his chest that travels across his shoulders, down his arms and to his hands. a domino mask conceals the upper half of his face.
"first time back?"
"is it that obvious?"
"you keep lookin' around like you forgot where everything went," he chuckles.
"well," you point to a building off in the distance, "that wasn't there before." you point to the one next to it. "and that used to be an office building, not an apartment complex."
nightwing shrugs.
"gotham's been through a lot."
the conversation feels surprisingly natural even though you just met.
"college, huh? what're you studying?"
you tell him.
"sounds hard."
"it is," you sigh.
"you'll figure it out."
eventually, a comfortable silence settles between you. nightwing absentmindedly reaches for something—two orange candies swirled with white. he unwraps one. then, almost without thinking, he holds the other one out to you.
"i haven't had these in years!" you exclaim.
nightwing hums as you accept it, fingers brushing against the fabric of his suit.
"hope you don't mind it's not strawberry."
"orange creamsicle is fine, i used to have these all the time with..."
the words die on your tongue. it's all too familiar—orange creamsicle, rooftops, a boy in green, red, and yellow who always shared his candy with you.
you stare at the candy, then back at him, then at the candy again. he's already smiling.
"outgrew the cape?" you tease.
"it was getting in the way."
a/n: hope you enjoyed :) will be continuing the diner series soon, i was just sitting on this idea way longer lol
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