Pretty Boy | R. Grayson

The Lover In Mourning [Poetic To A Fault]

Fanfic: Poetic To A Fault | R. Grayson

Portrayed by: Brant Daugherty

Background: Used to be part of The Flying Graysons act at Haley's Circus but after his parents' death, he was adopted by Bruce Wayne. Became the first Boy Wonder, then shifted to Bludhaven and took up the mantle of Nightwing.

Alias: Robin (initially), Nightwing (currently)

Age: 28

Current Status: Alive

Eye color: Sapphire Blue

Hair color and type: Deep brown, cut short and messy.

Skin color: Fair

Height: 6'0"

Love Interest: Barbara Gordon (ex-girlfriend, deceased), Cynthia Evans

Hobbies: Used to play the piano, sing, dance and do acrobatics. But after Babs' death, most of his hobbies faded as it would remind him of her. Though eventually he picked up a new hobby later on of reading poetry.

Personality: Richard Grayson in this story is very different from how you guys have seen him in canon because after losing Barbara, he very nearly disintegrated.

The prominent personality facts about him are as follows:

• Very gloomy and I kind of did tell you the reason why.

• Bitter towards Bruce since he indirectly blames him for what happened to Babs.

• Doesn't get angry usually but if it's concerning his loved ones in danger, and in this story one of them actually died, that can spike up his anger a lot.

• Suffered a negative personality change after Barbara since everything that was joyful to him before began to lose its meaning without her.

• Packed up and moved to Bludhaven so that he could be in another place where there won't be memories of him and Barbara haunting him wherever he went.

• But erasing her from his mind was impossible so he took up a job at the police department in order to keep himself occupied.

• Within a few months, he realized that Bludhaven was just as corrupted as Gotham, if not more, and the city needed a protector. But he wasn't able to take a decision just yet since he felt as if going back to the vigilante life would only end up worse for him.

• When he first met Cynthia Evans, it was due to the fact that her stolen handbag had been retrieved by the police though Richard had found pieces of deep meaningful poetry in it upon searching per procedure and those poems seemed to speak to him on a personal level.

 • He is observant and curious.

• Determined to get to the bottom of any mystery he's assigned. Be it a case in the police department or the meaning behind some words written on a piece of paper.

• His favorite adoptive brother is Jason since this story takes place before Tim and Steph had become part of the family.

• Has a problem with alcohol. He is not an alcoholic per se, but too much drinking makes him end up in the worst scenarios. But his resistance towards it isn't as strong as it used to be either.

• Gets conflicted a lot.

• Has become somewhat of a pessimist.

• Eventually forged a new vigilante identity Nightwing for himself so that he could protect Bludhaven's people. A key event in the story leads him to take the decision but I am not going to give any spoilers just yet.

Theme Song: Innocent by Taylor Swift

Time turns flames to embers,

You'll have new Septembers.

Everyone of us has messed up too.

Origin story: (follows canon storyline with a few modifications by me).

The major modification here is that in The Killing Joke storyline, Joker killed Barbara instead of just paralyzing her.

Therefore, it has a deep impact on Richard, Jim Gordon and Bruce. After Barbara's funeral, Richard shifted to Bludhaven as he couldn't bear to live in the city where he had so many memories associated with her.

In Bludhaven, he took up the job of a detective at Bludhaven Police Department and the entire story focuses on his journey to recover as well as his decision to take up the identity of Nightwing; Bludhaven's protector.

***