Huh, I'm really getting good at one-shots... Now to get back into a continuous story mood XD. Anywho, here's another. And for those of you who don't understand the Connor comment, in the comics, Tim and Kon were BFFs. So of course fans made a ship. Which I fully support. Ergo, the Connor comment.
Nightwing sat on the gargoyle, one hand behind him to keep him from falling on his back as he looked on over Gotham city.
His brow furrowed with worry, he pondered about the last few days.
Artemis had had her 'funeral', but instead of her body being in her grave, they had put a very, very lifelike dummy in an effort to convince everyone that she was actually… Well, dead.
He had kept away from his teammates, hoping that they would think his aversion was because he was mourning, when in fact he was being eaten up by guilt.
How could he have done this? To his friends, the League, Artemis and Wally even?
The more he thought about it, the more Dick was sure that his fear was realizing: He was becoming like Bruce.
It wasn't that he didn't love the man like he was his father; but he was still scared of what would happen if he tried to become him, a fear that had haunted Nightwing for years.
He still remembered the rising terror and horror as he had realized that he had sent his most trusted friends to their deaths, when he was supposed to lead, when he was in charge.
Of course, the whole thing had simply been an exercise, but as he had told Black Canary, he had realized what it felt like to have responsibility, and to not be able to carry it.
And then what had happened with Jason…
Nightwing had managed to shake of his feelings of guilt over the last few years, but now they were back, in full force.
How could the Team forgive him if they found out? Would they scorn him? Take away his title as leader, cast him out? He wouldn't have been able to blame them.
He was so distracted and distraught that he didn't hear the boy until he called his name.
"Nightwing?"
Nightwing leaped up and turned mid-jump, his hand already reaching for the holster where his eskrima sticks were before he registered the voice.
Tim took a step back, his eyes wide. "Wow, jeez, I don't want to die yet!"
Robin flinched a half-second later as he realized how insensitive he sounded.
"Sorry, I wasn't thinking. Everyone wants to know how you're doing, so they sent me to track you down." Tim said, a small, smile quirking his mouth up for a moment.
Nightwing tried to grin back, but it was half-hearted.
"Yeah… I thought it'd be better if I spent some time… Away from everybody." Nightwing said before sitting down again, his back leaning against one of the many gargoyles adorning the building.
Even though he couldn't see him, Dick could practically hear the frown in his adoptive brother's voice.
"You shouldn't be mourning off on your own. You're starting to act like-" Tim abruptly stopped talking, but Dick knew what he was about to say.
You're starting to act like Bruce.
"What I'm saying is that you should be spending time with your friends, not off on the rooftops on your own." Robin said.
Nightwing let a sad half-smile slip onto his face for a moment. "You're starting to sound like you're the older sibling here."
"Because I have more common and logical sense." Robin said immediately.
"Not to mention you're a workaholic who can't take a joke." Nightwing replied, his voice slightly joking, but the sad undertones were still there.
"Eh, that's true too."
Dick cracked a smile, a real one this time, but it quickly faded. "I'm a horrible person."
"Don't say that!" Tim said forcefully, but Dick detected an undercurrent of panic. "It's not your fault."
God, but it is. Nightwing thought. If only you knew how much it is my fault…
Tim placed his hand on Dick's shoulder, causing the eighteen year old to start yet again.
"Come on. We're going to Bibbo's." Robin said before tugging the older man up.
"Isn't that in Metropolis?" Nightwing said in confusion.
"Yeah, and we need to change into our civilian clothes at the Batcave, but then we can Zeta there. Connor suggested it." Tim said, still pulling his brother along.
Despite himself, Nightwing arched an eyebrow. "Connor, huh?"
A faint blush painted Tim's cheeks, but he wisely decided to ignore the jibe. "Let's go."
Without another word, he threw himself off the building, his grappling gun already in hand. With a small exploding sound, he pressed the trigger, sending the grappler to the next building. It attached before he reached the peak of his jump, and used his momentum to swing onwards.
Nightwing rolled his eyes.
"Show off!" He called before leaping gracefully after him, for the moment forgetting his fears.