an: I swear tim will be in the next chapter guys!!
SYNOPSIS: One week before your second year at Blüdhaven University, your girlfriend falsely accuses you of cheating. After storming out of your shared apartment, Nightwing saves you from almost getting robbed (even though you had nothing on your person). He kindly buys a hotel room for you after you yap to him for about an hour, detailing your whole life story to him. Nightwing seems to be your knight in shining honor yet again after he catches you on your ex-girlfriend's apartment stoop, surrounded by boxes of all your things, and provides you a solution to your evident problem.
CONTENTS: female!reader, bisexual!reader, mentions of abuse (financial abuse, isolation, manipulation, gaslighting), mentions of weapons and violence (guns and robberies), light angst, platonic!nightwing x reader, college setting, reader glazes nightwing, reader uses filipino honorifics (ate-older sister), reader implied to have multiple siblings (third born) WC: 2.2k
chapter one / masterlist / series masterlist / next
The weekend before the first week back at college was supposed to be relaxing. After all, it was the fifth anniversary between you and your high school girlfriend, Erin.
Except, now you found yourself walking the streets of Blüdhaven at–you look up at a nearby clock and see the minute hand on it's first roman numeral, the hour hand lagged closely behind–12:05 AM, with nothing but a thin cardigan to combat the cold gusts of air.
You had impulsively left your shared apartment amidst the heat of Erin's accusatory words of cheating. Getting re-accustomed to college life was a struggle, so you had naively thought that was the reason for Erin being so tense and distant lately. You had hoped the surprise dinner set up for your anniversary would somehow fix all of the problems between you two. Evidently, the dinner only made it worse.
Constantly being by Erin's side was all you knew, maybe the best thing to do was to go home, apologize for walking out, and assure her that you weren't cheating on her. As loyal you were to Erin, you couldn't even fathom cheating. Hell, you had given up half your friends, your full ride at your dream college–Gotham University, and even your cat for her!
Reassuring her seemed like the best option, given that she pays for your apartment plus the other half of your tuition that your scholarship–the scholarship her father pays for, the schools dean–doesn't cover.
Getting out of your own head, you register where exactly your mindless walking had taken you. Taking in the faulty lights and dark alleys, you realize that you had led yourself to the more unsafe area in town. Your apartment is around a 25 minute walk back, since Erin insisted on getting a more expensive apartment in the safer part of Blüdhaven.
Sighing, you turn around to walk back home… just to be met by the barrel of a gun. Just your luck. Eyes wide, you calmly pleaded, "I swear I don't have anything on me, please, just put the gun down."
"Bullshit," the robber growled and lunged towards you, wrapping his arms around your top, trapping your arms. He nudges the cold metal towards your temples. "I literally don't even have my phone," you groan, struggling to be released from his grasp.
All of a sudden, you're thrown to the ground and wincing from the impact. You look up to see a man, clad in blue and black, disarming your perpetrator. Watching your almost-robber take off, the man turns around to you and offers a hand. "Are you okay, ma'am?"
You soak in his get up more thoroughly this time. Your savior dons a black pointy domino mask and a blue bird on his… this must be Darkwing. Confirming your suspicions you half ask and half tell him, "Darkwing."
He chuckles and his hand is still out for you… to take.. You hurriedly grasp his hand, lifting yourself to stand with a thanks. "You are Darkwing… right?"
He laughs again, this time a little dimple making its way into your line of sight. You stare at him with awe and a little bit of confusion at the same time. You meekly try again, this time completely asking, "The vigilante… Darkwing?"
Finally responding, he answers smiling wide, "No no, not like the duck. I'm Nightwing."
Eyes wide with realization, you smack your mouth, mortified, "Oh my gosh I am so sorry."
You rub your neck sitting in your embarrassment and let out a nervous chuckle. Dark–Nightwing promptly clears his throat, "Is it safe to assume you are not badly injured?"
You scratch your head, squinting your left eye as it catches the artificial light of an overhead lamp post. "Yes?"
The masked vigilante nods at that and adds, "Do you–" "Physically? Yes. Mentally? I don't know where I'm at right now."
Nightwing pauses, goes to open his mouth, but then decides against it. You look up wistfully, your index finger connecting to the peak of your chin as you continue on, "I feel like maybe that almost-robbery was a sign, ya' know?"
"Not really," he responded, words laced with confusion. You nod slowly in understanding and grip your chin in thought. "Well tonight was supposed to be relaxing, but…"
54 minutes later, you basically had spilled your entire life story to a man dressed up in spandex, walking and talking with him as if it was a regular routine the two of you had going on. The conversation–well, your ranting, was composed of topics from the problems between you and your girlfriend, the full-ride you'd given up for her, and even told him about your siblings and your cat (which you had shown of photo of him to). After taking one deep deep breath you concluded with a shrug, "… And yeah, that's basically my life story."
Nightwing whistles low, hands stuck to his hips as he tries to process all the information you had dumped on him. "First off… wow. That's…" He trails off and starts rubbing his chin in thought before starting back up, "So, do you want my honest opinion and advice?"
You nod eagerly. Nodding back, he spouts off his thoughts, "I think, you should sleep on going back to your girlfriend–because she sounds really toxic."
You sigh before replying, "I would, but we live together and I really don't know where else I could go."
"How about a hotel?"
Nightwing had guided you both to a nearby hotel and as you stepped into the grand lobby, you took in the high ceilings and extravagant lights with awe. Looking back at Nightwing with concern, "I don't think I could afford to sit on one of these couches, much less a whole night."
You start backtracking your steps, nervous and intimidated by the ladies in their fur coats sipping away at their expensive whiskey, "I can just get a room at the motel that's five minutes away."
Nightwing grabs your shoulders before nudging you both back to the front desk, "Relax I got it covered."
"Oh no, you really don't have t–" "–One room for one night please?"
The concierge nods, giving him a keycard after Nightwing swipes a credit card on the reader. Walking with him back to the entrance you shyly take the keycard he was holding out for you. With a gracious smile you conclude, "Thank you so much for being a listening ear for me tonight and for saving me… and for all of this, I am truly grateful."
He flashes you a slight smile, "You really don't have to thank me, it's what I do."
Tightlipped, you look back hesitantly before rushing forward and hugging him tightly. "I'm serious. Thank you Nightwing, you make a difference in peoples lives."
Squeezing you back he responds so faint, like you weren't meant to hear it, "Thank you for that."
Letting go, you quirk a smile, "I'll see you around Nightwing."
He chuckles, "Stay out of trouble."
"Can't guarantee I will," you salute slightly him with two fingers to your temples.
~
Opening the door to your hotel room, you gasp silently, instantly taking off your worn out sneakers and replacing them with the nice slippers set by the door. Taking a few steps forward, you look at the kitchen to your left, noting the complementary FIJI water bottle and cookie atop the shiny marble counters.
Moving further, you see the king sized bed complete with two side tables that have the prettiest lamps hanging over them. "Wow, I knew this was gonna be nice–but damn this is fancy as fuck."
Slipping off your clothes you hop into the shower, the water pressure hitting just right. The shampoo and conditioner leaves your hair smelling so sweet and feeling so soft to the touch. Adorning the pristine white robe, you pick up the pajamas splayed on the bed and change into them.
Maybe you needed to get robbed more often, because this room was so nice. In the bed, you practically melt. The weighted blanket quickly dragging you down to slumber.
~
After reluctantly leaving the hotel after the most healing breakfast, you take the bus back to your shared apartment–not to apologize, but to talk it out with Erin.
You turn the corner street leading to your shared apartment, walking up the familiar sidewalk to the entrance… only to be met with boxes of all your belongings on the stoop, topped sweetly with a note saying: "get the fuck out of my home, cheater. xoxo erin."
Jaw dropped in shock you sit down on the steps and quickly called your older sister still living in Smallville with your parents, not to be confused with your eldest ate who was currently a nurse in Metropolis. "Hi, Ate?"
Promptly responding in a sleep-induced voice, "…What do you want?"
Quickly coming to tears by your new reality, you swallow the hard rock down your throat. "I think Erin just kicked me out…"
Choking back a sob, you continue, "I don't even know what happened–we seemed fine, I thought we were fine."
Alerted by your teary confession, you hear her rustling on the other end of the phone, sitting up through the endless amounts of blankets she uses on their bed. "How long is the drive to New Jersey from Kansas…?"
No no no, she can't involve herself with your mess. You didn't want her to feel obligated to help you out, that's not fair to her. You mumble a "no," when she asks, "Do you have anywhere safe to go?"
Now angry on your behalf, your sister exclaims, "Why the fuck would she kick you out?!"
You pause before replying: "She thought I was cheating."
That tiny statement seemed to set her off even more as a string of curses and dramatic promises of death threats seem to leave her mouth. You stay silent on your end until a buzzing an beeping alerts you.
Pulling your phone away from your ear, you read, "Incoming call: Blüdhaven University Financial Department"
This can't be good, what could they be calling about? Before hanging up with your sister, you tell her, "Hey I have a call coming in, I'll talk to you later."
Switching your call over, you lift your phone back up to your ear, "Hello?"
There's stale air on the other side until you are met with an automated voice addressing you. "Due to unruly behavior on campus, Blüdhaven University regrets to inform you that your scholarship has been recinded. To get in contact with a representative press one. To fi–"
You hang up the call and suddenly your vision is tunneling and the ground beneath you feels like it's about to swallow you whole. Now you realize what a stupid mistake it was to dictate your life around the girl whom you love. How stupid, so so so stup–
A familiar voice calls your name causing you to look up. Nightwing.
"Hey," he gently greeted, "I'm guessing it didn't go well…?"
You sniffle and hand him the note left for you. His eyes widen as he quickly scans the card. "Oh, wow."
Wiping the stray tears from your face, you finally speak up,"Yeah. I just…" you sigh, "I just don't know where to go from here."
"I mean, i've revolved the last five years of my life on this girl…"
Running your hands through your locks in thought, you carry on, "I mean all the other times we had broken up, it was me who did it."
"She'd always come back to me and apologize–we'd go back to the way it was."
Placing your head in your hand, you add, "I guess that's how it's different this time."
You thrash your head up to make eye contact with him, "Oh my gosh, and I didn't even tell you about the strings she pulled."
He cocked his head at that confused, waiting for you to elaborate, "She got her dad to revoke my scholarship!"
His mouth drops open at that. You exhale frustrated, "The audacity she has for doing all of this is insane."
Nightwing composes himself, "First off, i'm sorry that this whole thing has happened to you.
"Secondly, since I know you have no where to go, how about I set something up for you."
You quirk your head, confused. "What… you don't have to–really. You've done so much for me already I really can–"
"It's no problem." He sits down beside you, hands on his knees. "All I have to do is call my guy and boom."
You think for a moment, "What's the catch."
"No catch." He stills, before rubbing the back of his neck, "Well, you might have to leave Blüdhaven, is all."
"You are a vigilante, right?" You furrow your eyebrows, "Not some human trafficker trying to harvest the organs of a young, vulnerable girl?"
He chuckles, flashing two dimples in your direction, "How'd ya know?"
You sigh dramatically as if you were dying and fall back onto your pile of boxes.
He gets up from his spot beside you and lends you a hand up. You look up at him, the sun highlighting his alluring features. Huffing as he pulls you up with ease, you shield your eyes from the sun. Looking around at the boxes, holding all your dearest belongings, you finally ask, "So what's your plan 'Wing'?"
Damian: The fact that animals that care for their young will sometimes adopt others' lost or orphaned young to raise alongside their own is just so funny to me. I know that it's all hormonal and there's no conscious thought involved in it, but the internal logic of it is so funny.
Bruce: Baby = success. More baby = more success. I have one baby and I found six other baby. I have seven baby. I am being so fucking successful right now.
Bruce understands that the robins will struggle to keep their secret identity more than he does with their friends and socializing. So he needs a contingency plan so if someone finds out they're robin, they won't suspect Bruce is batman.
Cue Brucie being the most overprotective parent ever.
He insists Dick is scared of heights. Dick will be swinging on a chandelier, showing off his skills while Brucie is running in circles under him, with his arms out, screaming "don't worry, baby! Daddy will catch you!". He's clinging Dick to his chest, whispering reassurances to him, while Dick is smiling, soaking up all the praise.
Pretty soon the adults are telling Dick off, "you're gonna give your father a heart attack one of these days".
It's 100% worse with Tim. After losing Jason, the 'Batman who's fine with bringing a kid to fight serial killers' is a lot more of an act than the 'Bruce Wayne who will die from heartbreak if his kid has so much as a scratch on him'. Tim accidentally got hit with a basketball one day in school and all hell broke loose in the principals office. It doesn't matter if that was 1% of the pain Tim feels during any training session or fight. That's his baby boy's precious face.
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