Prompts: Amnesia, Soulmates, Prodigal, Different Successor.
He ducked behind a stack of pallets, heart thundering madly in his throat. The wood dug into his back, catching on the yellow cape wrapped around his neck. He didn’t answer, even though that was him, HE was Robin, because only his mom called him that, and this creature was definitely not---
A looming shadow peeked down the alleyway, blocking out the light from the street. Dick made the brash decision to lunge instead of staying put, following his instincts to climb up, up, up, away, OUT.
“Wait,” the shadow barked, harsh and grating and annoyingly demanding, but Dick was triumphantly nearing the top. He grabbed for handhold after handhold, hauling himself an’ his numb leg up the wall to a broken fire escape, a ledge, a windowsill, and then the roof--- Rolling over the edge with a daring grin flung at the ground below. Ha.
The shadow raised its arm… and SHOT at him. He startled back, falling on his butt, as a metal claw exploded right up past his face. Fear, the kind he had been shoving back under I can do it I can do it I can do it, flooded his whole chest.
This was not just a random kidnapper.
“What did they want from us, Mom?”
“Don’t you worry about it, Dickie… I’ve taken care of them for now.” Her hands fussed with his curls, something they always did when she was nervous. “They should NOT have come to see us here at the trailer, and certainly not at this time of night--- did they scare you?”
Dick thought about lying to her, he really did. He wanted to ease those worry lines across her face. In the end, it was easier to give in, to nod, to soak up the comforting smile she always gave him.
“Those men won’t bother us again,” she said ominously, cupping her calloused fingers around his cheeks. “Their organization might. Listen to me, Dickie--- listen. If you see a man in a mask with pointy ears, a man with talons, you don’t worry about us; you run the other way.”
Dick somersaulted to his feet as the shadow with pointy ears, the shadow with metal talons, reached the edge of the roof. He booked it, ignoring the pain shooting through his leg in favor of speed. He judged the distance between rooftops, sprinted, LEAPED--- and crashed into a clothesline with a yelp.
“What are you DOING?” that same voice called, sterner now, younger, and he glanced back--- the shadow was still on his heels, jumping after him, wings flaring---
He rolled away, throwing a pink bra at his potential kidnapper’s face. “Leave me alone!!!”
“You’re HURT, Robin; this is no time for games---” The shadow plucked the clothing from its pointy ear, raising its wing to shield itself as Dick threw a handful of gravel next. “Stop.”
Shoot, Dick had a belt on--- could he throw that? Oh, something pointy--- He flicked it out at once, following muscle memory, and flung it behind him without looking back. A grunt, a stagger, a few extra seconds he’d bought himself--- He eyed another big gap, running, and LEAPED--- Someone grabbed him, wrapping around his wrist like iron, and he screeched as gravity yanked his body to a swinging stop. He kicked immediately, scrabbling at the huge hand clutched around his arm. “Let GO of me!!!”
(Read the rest on my AO3!!! https://archiveofourown.org/works/83479846/chapters/219923086 )
