Dick Grayson one-shots

A knock on the door

"Damian, you need to be more careful coming in through my window as Robin. Someone might see you!"

Dick could practically feel the eyebrow raise in disgust. "Honestly Grayson, i'm not Drake" he tutted "I was raised to remain invisible, I am competent unlike some previous Robins."

Dick stifled a sigh, popping his empty cereal bowl by the sink. His quiet night was officially over. "At least use my bedroom window to enter.....its far more concealed. We can't risk our identities or civilian friends who may be seen entering or leaving" He put a hand up to stop Damian from arguing further. "Please?"

"Fine"

" Thanks Dami"

---------------------------------------------------------

A few days later, Jason was his next visitor. Dick had come home from his day job to find Red Hood lounging on his couch. Dick always enjoyed when his adopted siblings visited, but judging by the open window in his living room, Jason had left his stealth in the Batcave. Paranoia nagged at the back of mind, one day he will enter his apartment and come face to face with a stranger, a dangerous stranger. He crossed the room and closed it. He hesitated and finally locked it.

"Hey Dickhead." Jason waved, his attention mostly focused on the TV, Alfred's cookies in hand. Dick grabbed one from the box before flopping onto the couch beside his brother.

"Hey Jay, what brings you here, at....." Dick checks his watch "seven in the evening, kinda early for Red Hood, no?"

"Meh, was getting crowded at the cave, decided to chill here before heading out." Jason mumbled, his eyes were still following the football game on the TV.

"Understandable"

The two fell into a comfortable silence, sometimes cheering for their team. Happy.

------------------------------------------------

Tim visited later that night. Dick had gotten home early from patrol, nursing bruised ribs. He sighed as he watched Tim clamber in his living-room window. The window wasn't out in the open, it was facing towards the alley, shadowed with a fire escape to provide cover but Bludhaven had eyes everywhere. His bedroom window was even deeper in the alley, around the back of the building, hardly visible, safer. His brothers were good, but sometimes they forget you can't be too careful.

"Hey Tim" Dick smiled brightly, he knew he was being paranoid. He has brought up using the bedroom window to his brothers many times before and they would use it for awhile, but habits are hard to break, plus no one has seen them yet.

"Hey Dick, how are you doing? Oracle said you got a beating" Tim laughed.

Dick scoffed light heartedly "A beating is a bit of an exaggeration. Just some bruised ribs, i'll be right as rain in a couple of days."

Tim chuckled in reply, peeling off his mask before pulling something from his utility belt. he displayed it proudly to his brother. "Movie night?"

"Hell yeah!"

-----------------------------------------

"I'm telling you boss! I've seen all of them coming in and out of this apartment for months!"

Bane listened, his heart beating a little faster.

"They come and go like flies! I've seen it with my own eyes. It must be some kind of hideout or something!"

Bane nodded, standing from his chair to cross the room and inspect his gear. If Batman won't come to him, Bane will force him out himself.

"Leave the address, I'll visit their playhouse myself"

-----------------------------------------

After Dick had told Damian to use his other window, Robin rarely came through his living room window but Damian Wayne would knock on his door. That's why he didn't check before he swung the door open, smile wide and eyes gleaming. Damian was always so formal, except this wasn't Damian or Robin. It wasn't any of his brothers.

The inhumanely large fist slammed into his chest, sending him backwards and hitting the floor, winded. He gasps, vision wavering as he props himself up on his elbow in time to watch Bane duck through his front door. Dick scrambled up to a standing position, slightly hunched to protect the ribs that had received their second battering this week. Only one thought raced through Dick's mind, 'does he know who I am?'

"You're not one of the brats my boy told me about. Who are you little man?" Bane sneered, taking a menacing step forward, mirroring Dick's step back. He needed to get out, the apartment was too small to manoeuvre, it played to bane's strengths. Fortunately Bane confirmed he didn't know who Dick really was, which made this visit even more confusing.

"Why are you here? I have no idea who you're talking about!"

'play dumb, Grayson. Until you can call for help.'

Bane laughed, progressing further into the room, closing in on the sole tenant. "Don't play dumb little man, I've seen the Bat's brats come in here. Where are they, why do you know them"

Dick's blood ran cold. Bane didn't know who he was, but he knew he had some connection to the Bat family.

"I'm their water boy" a stupid response really, but there was no use in trying to deny anything anymore. He went to speak, try to un-knit himself from the dire situation he found himself in, but Bane was moving. His solid form collided with Dick, jerking him harshly and forcing him even deeper into his apartment. Grayson could feel large fingers gouging into his chest with a bruising force. His legs struggled to keep under him, his knees unable to take all the weight as they moved backwards. He tried to beat at the arm holding him but the green glinting under his attacker's skin told him this was a loosing battle. That was Dick's last coherent thought before he was slammed into the wall, again and again. His head snapping back with each impact. He was going to die.

Bane's grip disappeared suddenly and Dick opened his eyes slowly. He was in agony. It was a constant thrum of pain as it brought Dick into a state of consciousness. Adrenaline brought the clarity. He could still see his intruder, standing before him, Laughing. Dick tried to move, but the dry wall was holding him hostage.  Realising the reason he was even still standing was because he was sitting in his wall, he pushes himself clumsily out, hissing as his body pulled himself out of the Grayson shaped dent in the wall, shards of drywall following.

"Well little man? No words? Maybe I'll just kill you and leave your body for the young one to find"

Dick finally pulled himself out, stumbling forward a few steps, but his natural balance won out. His effort, however was seen as defiance. His delicate state of standing was ripped from him as Bane clawed his face and squeezed.

Dick scrambled to free himself as the pressure grew. He was yelling now, it was hoarse and painfully and hopefully attracting the attention of some neighbours. Huffing in annoyance, Bane threw Grayson to the floor, silencing him with a heavy boot to the chest.

There was no air left in Dick's lungs to yell as his ribs caved in. His mouth opened and closed like a goldfish. How had this happened? He never got the chance to fight back. The weight was lifted but was quickly followed by a hard strike to the face. Once. Twice. The third was followed by the taste of blood. The beating continued.

Finally Bane left, seemly bored by the lack of response. Dick lay panting, spit and blood dribbling down his face. He couldn't move his mouth, he couldn't wipe his face. His consciousness was fading quickly but he needed to call for help. He rolled onto his belly, yelling briefly in pain as he put his mangled chest under pressure. He dragged himself towards his bedroom, towards his Nightwing suit, towards help.

His fingers fumbled at his belt, pressing the button hard. He could hear the whisper of a voice through his com unit kept near his ecrisma sticks. He couldn't answer, his mouth refused to cooperate, the blood in his throat choking any noise. He clutched his suit as tight as he could, his battle to stay awake was over. He lost.