DC One Shots (Mainly Dick Grayson)

Honey It's Been a Hard Year

it's late, I know, oh well. The school term started up again so y'know how it be.

This is a fanfic of ForeverWhelmed's fic Dia a Hero, it's not on wattpad, it's on AO3 . I have kind of written it so it's understandable without reading the fic but you should definitely read it. like for sure. it's amazing. do it.

If you wanna read this first and don't care about spoilers, Slade basically black mailed Dick into being his apprentice, he had a garage in Gotham to use as a cover, and Bruce adopted Jason, Tim, Steph and Cass while Dick was still 13.

Title is from the lyrics of Imagine Dragons 'I'll Make It Up Yo You.'

Whumptober 2021- day five
I've got red in my ledger
betrayal, misunderstandings, broken nose

Slade Wilson is dead and Dick Grayson has rebuilt his life.
Except someone is about to drag him back in.

"I'm a little lost," Dick said, putting on an awkward smile, "whereabouts is historical fiction?"

Jason Todd was sitting at the desk, and Dick felt that same familiar gut-punching feeling of guilt and shame as he made eye contact. A spike of fear accompanied the emotions, but Jason's expression didn't shift to familiarity as he looked Dick up and down. He rose an unimpressed eyebrow and pointed in a vague direction.

"down there, behind science fiction, it's in the corner."

"Right," Dick said, fighting the closing up of his throat, "thanks."

He went down to the section, but made a beeline for the bathroom afterwards. His hands were shaking and he felt faint.

He checked his hair in the mirror, the strands all died perfectly to a natural brown, and he stared at the green contacts in his eyes. He looked himself over, once, twice, thrice, making sure he looked as little like his thirteen year old self as possible.

Jason hadn't recognised him, everything was okay.

Jason hadn't recognised him, because he was a shadow of who he used to be.

He got a hold of himself, sighing as he went back into the library. He picked out a book that looked vaguely interesting and headed for the counter. Maybe he shouldn't interact with Jason again, but he wanted the excuse to come back.

He hadn't seen his family in years- just snippets on the news, or the vague moment in the field. Slade kept them far apart.

He shuddered, then forced the memories to stay back. he borrowed the book, aching with the need to talk to Jason. To grab him by the shoulders and tell him everything.

But he couldn't. he shouldn't. his family believed he had died with Slade and that's how it needed to stay. They didn't need him back, making everything complicated, and they definitely didn't want him back, after the person Slade turned him into.

But this he could allow himself. Small moments of weakness. Smiling as he wished Jason a good day- which consisted of volunteering at the library, working at the bakery two blocks away, and then suiting up for the usual nightly patrol.

(and yes, maybe Dick had allowed himself the small moment of weakness to fly through the Gotham streets again, safely hidden in the shadows, and watch his family do what they did best. Just once.)

But Dick had to leave. He'd created a small false identity, enough to last him a few months in Gotham as he tried to get a grip on himself. Slade was gone, and Dick had nothing to stop him from running home except all the shame and guilt and fear bubbling up inside him. But he couldn't stay in the city. He couldn't, he shouldn't, he wouldn't.