Chapter Text
CHAPTER-0
THE MEMORY OF A GHOST <1>
[10 Years After Nightwing's Death]
"TONY STARK!" The name was said laced with venom to its brim. And the one to speak the name was an alien. A creature with malicious intentions, humanoid in appearance yet far advanced and dangerous. And this creature was furious.
"Do You have any Idea?" The Blue akinned creature said. "How long Have I waited for you to Die? I can finally Kill you off and deliver this good news to my Master." The creature had a smirk on his face, so wide that it could creep you out. Although it did not speak a single word of the Human language, Tony could still understand every single word it uttered. He doesn't know why. Maigc was always complicated.
"Hife-X" Tony uttered. (He clenched the clock laced with magic tightly close to him. He couldn't afford to mess this up.)
"Why Earth?" Tony asked. If he's going to go back to the starting point, he might as well learn the reason for all this destruction and chaos.
The creature "Hife-X" didn't reply. He just gave a sharp smile-If it could be called that- as he looked down at one of the Last Breathing Humans in front of him. He still could not understand why this one was different. What made him so resistant to the 'Harvesting' Machine? And why did Master say that he's not supposed to exist?
"For Amphidia."
'CLICK'.
.
.
.
[ One day before Nightwing's Death.]
"What? Don't tell me even food's too good for you now, dick-face." Jason had a smirk on his face yet the venom laced beneath his words and the hatred and hurt under his eyes overshadowed everything else. Dick's mind went blank for a split second. He opened his mouth to answer, but he couldn't force his voice out.
"Did they have better meals at Spyral or do just not want to see our faces beacuse you miss your team?" Tim says with a sneer. And Damian clutches his spoon with strength large enough to crush it.
"Drake! Todd! Stop this nonsense at once or I'll-!"
"Dami. It's fine." Grayson cuts him off before he can finish his enraged threat. He tired. He just wants to go home. He just wants to rest forever and never open his eyes again.
"But-"
"No. It's fine." Damian sits down in disappointment, bottling up the anger in his heart. How dare Todd and Drake treat his baba like this? Does this family, which prides itself as detectives and heroes, not have a rational mind?
Damian peeks at Grayson from the corner of his eye.
'It's unfair.' How everyone treats him.
Damian looks at his Father and narrows his eyes in suspicion.
'Father has yet to speak a word to Richard except commands ever since his return from Spy-'
"Damian?" Bruce looks at him and speaks coldly. So different from Richard's gentle tone.
"Is everything alright?" He questions, not with worry.
"Yes. Everything's fine."
Damian knows that the leg Richard had been shaking this entire time stopped as soon as Father spoke.
"I'm going back home ." Dick says as he gets up from the dining table, his food barely touched. He might as well slip out of here before Alfred comes back. After all, he doesn't have the strength to refuse Alfred.
'Home.' He scoffs to himself. The world feels so foreign on his tongue.
"But Richard..." Damian tries to stop him from going. He noticed how Richard has been eating very little food these days. Was this so bad before Spyral, too? Is he fine? Is something wron-
"Let's meet later, Dami." Dick says and ruffles Damian's head.
"Sure. Run away like you always do." Jason sneers, and Tim huffs, which feels more like approval of his comment. While Bruce?
Bruce stays silent. Just like Always. Always.
Dick takes a deep, sharp breath to calm himself down, but his throat burns with unsaid words.
'Keep it cool, Grayson.' As much as he hates Bruce, he needs to keep it together. For his siblings. Even if they hate him. They're just angry. It's not their Fault. It's his.
No matter how much he hates Bruce. Bruce is still Damian's father. Grayson doesn't have the heart to make the kid his son, his robin choose between him and Bruce.
Besides, the family has gotten so close to each other during his absence. And Bruce has been a good father to his children in Grayson's absence. See? Maybe he was the problem. A leech as the newlets put it, in his childhood. He was never Bruce's son. He was never adopted.
Bruce is the one close to Jason now. Not him.
Bruce is the one always in the Batcave with Tim and treats Tim like a son. Not a soldier. It's Tim. Not him.
Bruce is the one nowadays to pick Damian up from school. Not Grayson.
Bruce doesn't deserve them.
B̵̧̛̮̫͕̃͊̿͌̏̒̅͝r̴͖͎͇͍͓͓̮͎͉̉ͅu̵̡̦̫̿̇́c̴̘̭̩͇̉͗̅͑̇͛e̷̢̨̢̖̼̥̞̥͔̝̿̓̇̂͝ͅ ̶͓̩͖̝̟͓̺͒̀̾͑̔͐̒̍͗̐̓͐̊̃͘͜͝ͅą̸̦̳͎̳͈͈̥̇̀͒̋̊͝͠b̷̨̢̥̥͍̼̝͇̼̺͈̖̱̠̞̙́̃ǘ̵̯̱͔̣̄͗͌̅́̊̀̈́̈͘ŝ̶̛͕͉͉͍͍̜̭̹̙̟̀̓̕͠e̴̥̜͙̘͙̣͛̌̍̓d̸̺̬̤̳̹̜̔̔͆͆̈́ ̸̨̲͙̱̭͉̘̩͚͓̝̽͊̍̈́̈́̕̕ḥ̴̨̨͔̬͙̫͚͓͕͒̅̂̄͒̓̄̔̾͘͘͝ͅi̷̬͈̜͚̙̪̲͓͇͖̽͑̎̀̽̔̉̐͘͘m̷̡͚̞̻͍͍̩͓̘̰̪͖̍͗̒͛͂̈́͜
Bruce saved him. Maybe he's being ungrateful.
B̴̢̢͎͖͎̭̩̤̖͙͙̻̦̤̙̹̳̻͓̤͙̯͍̉̇̅̓̍͗́̀̈́́̒͗̍̕ͅr̴̨̛̯̺͇͚͇̥̘̞̺̪̦̼̟̳̗̜̞̹̗͈̉̈́̌̀̀̉̃͒͆͋̈́̏̆͊̌̓̐͛̂̈́̂́̀͊̿̌͗̓̅̿̀̿̈̊̆̉̓̃̕͘͠͠͠ͅư̵̡̢̛̬̭̜͚͍͇̲̗̩̩̫͈̭̙̭̯͈̟̝͚̙̜͓̘̹͍͈̮̑̈́̉̒̓̑̾̿̍̽̌́̏͋́̑̇̈́̒̓̽̍̀̆̇̏̇͆̓̒̄̇͘͝͝c̷̨̘͈͖͎̞̲͉̜̰͖̆͌̔͛̈͂̑̒͐̕͘͝ͅe̴̡̛̛̞̜̱̩͈͎̠̯̪͍̤̮̝̝̝͚̰͈̼̓̓̊͆̓̐̒͊̊̈́̓̈͌̈́́̍̍͗̎̓̍͆̑̄̍̀̏̐̄̅̀̐͋̏̚̕̚̕͘̕͜͜͜͜͝͠ ̷̧̧̧̹̬̼̟̥͔̰̩̭̲̰̜̱͓͈̙̗͇̦̗̲͍̟̩͖͖̳͖̫̪͙̈́̀̆̇̊̆̔̽́̑̾͛̂̃̌͊̍̿̈́͒͂̂͒͂̃̌͊͑̽̇͒͛̽͋̚̚͜͝͠ͅL̴̛͔̬̎̿̐͛͌̃̍̀̔̄̑̆̽̆́̅̽͠͝ȩ̶̮͔͕̻͉͇̜͎͈̈́̊̆͘͘ͅt̸̨̡̧̡̡̨̢̧̨͙̱̤̳͔̗̘͍͉̮̗̯̖̟̭͕̼͕̲̗̗̱͉̹̳͕̱͖̟̪̺̝̤̯̘̺͔̗̤͚͒̌̏̀͛̈́͋̑͂͊͂͆́̉̏͐̊̅̊̅̎̎́̋͂͒̉͝ͅͅ ̵̡̡̧̢̨̛̮̠̮̺̰̗̟͔̗̞̳̬̝͖̻̖͉̥͎͚̖͉̯̮͓̜͚̬̜̦͈͇̭̫̜̝̜̫̘̮̐̓̾͊́̊͛͂͒̃̍͊̓̾̍̃̓̾̉̎̀̂̒̾̏̿̍̃͂̔͒̽̿̒͂̆̏̒̑̓̃̀͠͠͝͠h̷̢̡̡̤̖̜̻͉̥̲̦͓̹̲͉̮̜̲̟̲̟͕͊͌͝i̸̧̢̢̥̰̟̘̟̙͎̠̻̟̩͚͉͈̮̲̣̻͙͎͍͎̹̟͕̯͖̫̱͕͊̈́́̆̈̊̑̉͊͑̅̌͗̅̓̃͗̽͊̅̅̈̾̒͘̕͜͝͠m̵̛͈̙̱͙̲̻̩͔͖̤̱͚̤͕̳͖̝̪̗̫̯̙̙̓̑̽̎̎̾́͒̑̍͛̑̈́͒̓̾́͗̐̐͌́͐̑̑͑̍͋͒͒̇̈͒͗̚͘͜͝͠͝ ̵̨̧̨̳͚̥͚͉̮̯͙͈̦̭̗̻̥͈̖͈̜̫͔̤͙̼̯̝͇̮̮̻̪͈̬̭̖̘̖͂̑́̐̈̑̅͒̍̑͘͠͝ͅd̶̥̺̱̺̻͓̘̼̭͕̉̈́̀͂̑̌͐i̸̡̨̡̡̳̥͚͖̜͕͔͕͎͉̯͖̩͖̫̲̜͓̳̺͙̪͙̜̜̠͍̱̗͑̅͑́̈́͆͂́̽̆̿̿̓͐̅́̽̏́͒̃̈́̒̊̎̌̈́̃́͆̐͌̑́̈͐̊̓̉́͘̚̚͜͝͝͝e̵̢̨̢̢̨̢̢̡̛͓̫͉͉͍̳̘̬̹̤̞̗͔̜̰̳̘̭̪̱̠̜̠͙͍̱̻͕̙͔̝̪̖͉͎̳̥̙̒͌͛̄̌͐̂͛̎͆͂̓̐̔̇͛̒̿̊͗̏̍̀́́̿̑͂̍͋̌̈́̋̏͂̂͆̚̚̚͝͝͝͠͝ͅ
Bruce Hates Him.
Jaosn Hates him.
I'm Poison.
I'm Poison.
I hate r̸a̸i̶n̴. I'm Poison.
Q̶̧̢̢̢͎͕̠̳̹̞̖̥̳̙̖̱̼͉̳̝̯̬̰̜̼̱̰̭̮͉̺̥̩̝̫̟̔̂̏͂̊̅̑͑̋͐͗̉̓̓͒̉̀͆̎̐͌͗͗̋̃͑̓́̓̉̃̒̚͠͝ư̷̧̤̩͙̬̬͚̖̫̳̯̼͖̳͍̻̣̘̰̻̯͙̘̥͓̯̯͉͓̯̠͍̦͖̟͊̀͒͒͊̈́̊̈́̈́̾͆̓̉̈̓͆̎̆̈́̊͑̂̇̍̓͛̄̉͋̃̈́͛͌́̍͌͛͐̏͆́͗͗́̽͌̉͊̋͑͐͑̂̿̊̈̋̒̓͌̆̀̏̋́̽͛̀̿̏͐̑͐͑͆̓͛̚̚̚̕̚͜͠͠͝͝͝͠ͅę̷̧̡̧̨̡̢̧̧͖̰͓̰̟̮͚̯̠̮̩͈̫̬̘̪͍̮̭̥̲͎̹̗͔̫̜̦͖̹̦̖̳͕̘̹͚̞̠̭͎̻̰̮̦̤͎͇̖̠̟̔͊̃͑̿͑͒͛̏̅͆̈́̉͌͆̔̉̽́͂̅̔̈́̉͑͌̈́̋̂̇̌̊͘̕͜͝͝͝͠ͅȓ̸̨̢͚̱͇͔̯̪̲̤̯̖͓̹͕̰̱̣̻̹͙͍̫͙̟̝̠͙͉͖̠̣͍̮̗͑͂̓̊̀̿͗͘͜͝d̸̨̧̡̢͍̯̞̮̦̮̺͚̺̥̰̝̞̙͔̗̩͍̝̝̦̩͎̥̭͇̼̫̩͈͉͇̃̓̾́͌͂̈̍͐̐̇̾̋̌̒̀̋͒̔̓̈́͌̔͑͗͆̂̌̏̋́̋̀̋̓̽̋͑̃̎̀͌̓͐̾̕͜͝ͅͅͅỡ̸̡̧̛̛̯̖͇̬͙͓̻̥́͛̿̇͊̓̊͑̀́̀͗͗̊̈̈́̅͋̑͊̽̀͗̊͑̾̈́̃͛͑̈́̋͂͆̇͐̀̈́̀͗̈́̉̀͊̽̈́̀̄̾̀̋́̈̐̐̿͐͛̊̍̐̒̏̑̓͛͛̂̄̈̽̉̎͐̌̅̕̕͠͝͠͠͝͝͝ I said no.
Slade! No! Please Master! I don't want this. NO!
L̴e̴x̷ ̵L̶u̷t̷h̵o̴r̵ ̶p̴u̴s̴h̶e̴d̴ ̸t̴h̵a̴t̴ ̷p̴i̶l̸l̵
Ẏ̵̧̮̪̘ò̵̯̩̫̉u̸̗̲͑͐̑ ̵̺̲͈͑̀͠ẃ̷͓͉̗͕͘͠ẻ̵̞̠͈͒̏́ͅr̵͉̣͓̪̅̎͘̕e̵̠̫̽͌̇̍ ̸̜͐͋s̶̡̧̅ư̸̯p̶̺̙̔̄̄p̸̥̗͈̥̈́o̷̜̔͝s̴̨̥͓̜͆͗ẹ̴̐̀͛͑d̵̼͚̱́ ̴̳̗̌̍͜͝t̶̨͎͘ơ̵̝̥̱̏̍ ̶̢̜̰͛̆͘͜b̶̩̰͒̀̕e̶͎̙̙͝ ̷̬͍͒͊̃͝b̴̼̺̿̓͋͜͝ę̷͙̱́̓͝͠t̶̡̯͈͓̀͘t̵̢͚̔ė̴̢̟̔̒̋r̶̯̱̲̘͐ ̴̘͓͓̯̓̌̑t̷̹̒̿́h̶̪̹̭̥̾̚͝á̶̘̰̹ń̴̙ ̷̢́̐͌ͅẗ̸͈́h̷̢͕̪̝͝ï̴̭̬͙̯s̸̫̬̆͘.̷̝̿̈́̾͝
I'm Poison.
I̵t̶ ̸w̷a̴s̴ ̷r̸a̸i̶n̴i̷n̵g̴.̴
I'm Poison. I'm Poison.
ᵐʳ. ᵐᵃˡᵒⁿᵉ
I̵t̶ ̸w̷a̴s̴ ̷r̸a̸i̶n̴i̷n̵g̴.̴
Ș̵̫͙̜̠͉̜̳̹͉͔̰͈̼̜͙̟̺͇̺̞͉̞͎̦͗̆̽̓̀͊̋̍̐̕̕̕͘͜͠͠h̴̖͔̩̙͍̫͔̒͆̾͛h̷̢̧̧̢̡̛̙̞̪͇̳͓͙̤̗͖̙̹̩̬̻͓̖̻̤͎̬̐͋̂̒̅̋͐̆̇̐̑̃̃̄̎́͗̾̑͒̓͑̀̕̚̕.̴̡̧̛̠̞̣̱̬̙͉̤̹̤͍͕̗̻̼̱͙̱͈̗͎͖̩̟͙̙̦̥̯͕̯̗̦̭̹̝́͐͆̈̏͌̎̃̄́̈́̅̋͊͛́̆́̐͂̄̂͌̅̾̿͊̋̑̒͊̔́̾̂́͜͝͠.̶̞͇̱͔̩̯̳̜̝͒̄̍̔̇͒͋͗̂.̶̢̮̹͖̝͕͉͖̪̥͕̹͓͙̭̤̩͇̫̺͎̲̩͓͎̠́͆̈́̿̂̔̔̐̀̓̽̽͝͝͠.̶̛̛̖͚̼͙̬̯͚͈̦͉͉̜̱͒͒͐̓̋͐̃̌̋̑̊̿̐̑͑̒́̋̈̈̐̐̾̇͂̋̽̀̒͐̅̚̚͘͝ͅ ̵̨̧̡̡̧̮̻̝̩̠̪̪̗̞͔̹̰̤̠̘̯͖̟̮͓̗̭̲̞̤͚̦̜̫͈̹̘̰̦̻̰̔͜͜ͅM̷̨̧̢̡̨̡͕̲͚̥̻̮̠̦̘̩͎͎̬̝͓͙̣̟͔̙̮̀̄͌̎͑̈́͗̒̋̀̽̽̑̿̎̑̎͊̈́̀̾̀̌̕̕̚̚͜͠͠͠ͅi̷̛̘̱̗͕͔̫͇͈̳̩͕̓̀̉̾͋̔͂̋̀̐̍̓̉̐͛͌̽̿̽̊̍̓̏̕͝͝͝͝ ̶̢̡̼̳͇̦͙̮̼̝̖̮̪̮̣̫̦͍̞̳̺̰͎̲̱̪̞͔͈̦̲̫͈́̈́̍̆͂̽̓͋́̀̐̐̎͆̇̄́̍̍̇̓̄͋̓͒͒̓͒͑̀̇͛͜͜͜͝͠͝͝͠͝ͅÄ̴̢̛̛̬͍̗̟̝͍͙͓͍͎̤͈̳͚̗̙̙̦̮̤̖̞̩͖͎̭͙̟́̂́͗̾̐̃̍́̀̾̉̌͆̃̂̈́̈́́̑̾͒̔̔̿́̅̚͘͘͝͝m̶͙̭̂̉̿̇̔̅͗̈̇͗̈̑͒̈́͗̃̄̏̄̌́̑͌͊̕o̶̖̪͐̿̿͋̽͆̈̏̒̿̀͗̇͐̈́́͆̚͝ư̴̡̢̛̰̠̹̻̦̮̳̻̟̝͇͙̗̭̝͈̦̘̯̹̬̖͇̖̪̤͓͓͉͆̽͊̌̽͐͒̾̾̚͜͝ͅȑ̴̨̤͎̲͒̋̈́̈́̌͒̊͆̐̆̋̈́̎̋͌̈́͗̈́͌͘͜͠͝ͅ
I'm Poison. I don't Want to die.
.......rɘhↄtawbᴙid ꙅi ꙅihT I'm A̶̧̢̳͔͓̬̩̟̩̫̼̟̙̦̬̽͝ͅͅń̸̨̺̟͇̲̮̝̘̟͚̫͜g̸̘͕̩͆̾̍ŗ̶̧̻̤͓͇͙̥̼̩͓̗̟̤͈̤͓̇͛͗̅̑̎̽ẙ̶̡͍̖̖̘̬̻͓̓̅͋̓̆͂͒̌̈̓́́̕̚͝.̵̨̨̢͍̤͓͎̤̝̝͌̈́̀̈̂̏̀̊͌̎̕̚͜
Can I come Home, please? P̸̨̢̨̠͙̬̳͈̘̦͆͗̿̇̉̚ͅl̶̼̅̒̄̈́͒͑̓̅̽̾͌͋e̶̦̞̤̮͇̖̫͇̺͚̱̳̱̲͎̓́ą̵̭͓̳͕̪̲͔̤̮̩̗̠̮̀́͂́̈́̚͜s̴̮̬͕̲̘͈̺̮̰̦̹̤̙͍̯͑͗́̍͗̕̕ḛ̶̡̛̪̱͙͓̳̟͕̤̦̥͉̺̈̾͂͑̅̏͒̈͋͊͘̚͜͜ͅ
I'm Tired.
I'm Poison.
I don't Want to die.
I don't Want to die.
M̶̻͍̖̰̅́͐͛̂͠r̴̢͓̔̂́̓͑.̵̽̇̅̓ ̶̢͉̝̱̬̘̖́͋̾͋͑̊̕̕͠͝S̸̢̅̇̀̀͝t̸̊̏͝ǎ̵̡̼̘̖͎̦̯̞͓̌̂ŕ̴̥̤̘̬̹́͗̋̊́k!̵̼̦̪͙͍̠̃̂́̃͌̍̀̆͛́ ̴̘̪̩͌̂̍̈́ͅI̸̮͕̩̙͒ ̶̮̺͈̈d̵̥̠̓̐͌̉̿ô̸̡͈̹̭͔̣͌̅́͊̓̐̚̚ͅñ̷̻̘̯̞͜t̵͇̘̞̪̭͔̗̞̒̕ ̷̖̙͈̺̙̞̍̓̄̎͆͒̓̕w̵̑̊́̓̿́̌̚̚a̴͂̀̆̎̽ñ̵̙͑͌́͝n̸̙͚̱͔̥̳͚̑̀̎̋̍̒̓͝ā̵̂̅͋̉̿͆͘ ̵̲͕̫͎̟̩̫̤̙͓̖̝͂̆͋͆̅̓d̶̛̅̒̓̈̃̋͋̕î̷̾̀͘e̸̎̂̈.̶̗̖̠̫̲̫̮̞͉͓̿̈́͛̅͂͌͝ ̷̢͇̯̤̮͕̱̗͉͕̼͉̉́͝M̴͎̜̖̺̤̱̋r̷̢̖̣̯̦͔̍ͅ.̶̥͕̙̺̼̩̤̘̖̟̩͆S̷̔̈́͌t̵̛̃̂̊̋̚ṙ̷͂̆̍ȧ̵̇̋̌̔̅k̸̒͋̚.̸̛͐͆͋̈́̈̽̐̚ ̷P̶̺͓͓͍̦̭̪͛̈̇͆̀̊l̸̓̂͂̋͑e̵̟̙̦̦͍̠͛͐̏̍̉̂̾͐̑̑͝a̷̟̭͆͊̚͠͝s̷̡̩̟̱̯̝̈̑̌̒̕ȇ̴̛̟̀́̌́̄́̆͘ ̷̛̼͍̖̜̬̟́̌̒̆I̸̖̩̓̓̀̓̕ ̷̱̻̼̳̤̣̀̎̔̉̇̕d̵͎̮͌̍̈́̏̒̚ö̶̡̼̫͈͖̹͙̲̍͋̿̒̒n̷̢̡̬̗̞͙͖̝̲͇̆̾͗̈̆̐̀͗̔͘͝'̴̞̰͈̻͐͂t̵̼̺͔͉͍̜̯̗̲͇̯̿̍̈́͑ ̶̨̮̠͎̯̹̀͗͊̋̌̀̈́̏͜͝͠w̵̢̝͛̒̿ã̷̱̖̝̗̍̂̀͠ṇ̶̿͂̀̒̈́̈̈́ṉ̸̝̲͚̌ǎ̶̭̻͇̞͚̮̦͚̟̤̐̓͌̀̄͂͒͘͠ḡ̸̜̳̭̦̺̤o̶͈̮͗.̶͍̈́̌̊͗͜ ̴͉̘̩̳͓̣̲̮̲͗̐͒̂̄̅́͋̀͌P̶̛̲̭̳̟̖͇̜͖̈͗́̈ḽ̵͍͍̯̯̪̙̫̪͔̅̍͛̅̾͂̑̎̍͒̔ͅe̶̟̝̝͓̲͙̎̓̈͐̀̀̈ä̸̳̥̝̻̙̹̬́̌̔̎̍͒s̷̺̠͈̙̳̺̭͙̃͒̐͜ë̸́͂.̸͒̋̈́͊͗̈̆͒́͝I ̵̀̃d̵̙̖̤̻̰̺̰̘̗͆̓͋͛o̷̯̪̦͇̠͙̔n̸̻̻̝̹͖̥̈̿̎͗̇͐̑̔͌̀̿͜͝ͅ'̶͔̖͔͛̐̊̓͗̂̌̀͂̆̕ţ̶͙̲͓̦̯̻̈́͊̓͜ ̷̛͖̟̊̀̏w̶̜̖̜͈̦̍͆͛̿̎̾̀̎̂̓̄̅a̶̖̲͙̰̒ͅn̸̢̞̟͉̘̗̟̼̑͜n̷͈̠͇̟̘̫̯̺̳̻̪̅͂͗͒̎̿͌̄͛͘̚͠ǎ̵͇̣͔̰͓͇̟̹̽̋̾͗̒̕ ̸̙͙̫̮́͛̈̏ğ̸̛̛͙̝͉̍͊͑̈́̈̒̽̍̚o̸͎̺͍̠̰͔̯͛̈́̉̓̑͒̌̓̇́̕̚.̶͐̄̊̇͛̃͆
Grayson lets out a shaky breath and runs walks out of the room. Never once did he look back to see Damian's sad expression, his younger brother's anger, and Bruce's cold silence would have made him have a breakdown right on the very spot he was standing. So he walked. He didn't let out the breath he was holding until he was out of the manor and headed straight to his apartment in Bludhaven.
.
"This feels weird." Tony Stark, now a ghost, looks down on his translucent hands. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to be a ghost again.
Just an hour ago, he was dealing with confusion and the aftermath of time travel.
Tony tries to touch the walls of the living room around him, but his hands pass right through them just as expected. The room is filled with untidy laundry and looks like nobody has cleaned it in forever.
Tony is familiar not only with the young man living in this little space but also with his life.
Dick Grayson, Richard John Grayson or Nightwing. Depending on who you ask.
A bright Young man whom Tony Haunts. Around whom Tony's entire life revolved. For some Reason, which Tony can't wrap his head around, His soul cannot leave this young man for more than seven hours. If he does, he will, by default, get transported right next to him.
And there's one more thing so particular about this kid that he can't figure out. Why Him?
What's so special about this kid that those alien guys wanted his corpse? They wanted to summon his soul? Out of everyone, why him? Why was he only bonded to this Kid?
Sure, This Kid was excellent in his work and troubled with his emotions, but Tony can list a lot of people like him. Even weirder is the fact that this very Kid is someone he has been around as a ghost since the day this child was born.
"Boss. Someone is coming." Friday's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
Yes. Friday. Don't ask Tony how or why? Because ✨Magic✨ is weird. But one thing that Tony is sure about....Is that somehow both his suit and Friday have been connected to his...Soul?? He can summon his suit on will, even in his ghost form, and Friday is almost always with him. Yet her capabilities are limited until Tony gains a physical form. And un-ghosts himself.
Suddenly, the door opens and a very tired Dick Grayson enters inside snapping Tony out of his thoughts.
Like always...His eyes were dull, and his smile had faded. His face had gone completely blank.
"I'm home...." Grayson says not to anyone but himself, unaware that someone uninvited living in the same apartment as him felt warm by the greeting, although it wasn't directed at them.
"Welcome Home." Tony smiles, knowing damn well that this tired young man can't hear him. But it helps him feel a little bit better.
Over the years, he had grown quite attached to the kid, and Tony admits that he feels like some sort of guardian for the kid. Imagine having an invisible ghost Guardian. How cool is that?
Thus, when this young man had........ committed suicide, Tony had felt his world stop for a moment. The death of this sweet broken kid had affected him more than anything else ever since coming to this alternate world as a ghost.
Because Tony had watched this young man grow up right in front of his eyes. This young Kid was part of his eyes. Tony was there during his first birthday, when his parents died, when he was taken in, when He became Robin, when he led the Titans, when he became Nightwing, and when he went to Spyral.
Tony was there each time the kid cried in his sleep.
Each time he was insulted and angered.
Each time he was punched and beaten.
Tony was there each time the kid fell apart and pulled himself back for the sake of the others around him.
And Tony was impressed.
This Kid had again and again pieced himself together. He was always so strong. He had courage. But Life is such a cruel joke for him. It can't just stop throwing awful shit at this poor soul.
The kid was truly an eternal burning flame refusing to give out until the grand scheme of fate decided that he needed to go. It was cruel.
It was so heartbreakingly cruel to see someone who always had hope in humanity and could even see the good in the most degranged give up.
And Tony doesn't think it's this kid's fault.
People were complex and mean. Everyone is selfish. People, espeacially the one's you love have the most power to hurt you.
They say heartbreak can kill.
Yet. This kid still tried toh old on until the very end.
"Haa.." Grayson sighs with exhaustion, loud and clear. The sound of an empty home is deafening. It's a silence that settles deep into his bones and hollows him from the inside out.
It's exhausting.
He crashed on his messy couch and just buried his head between his arms. He doesn't have the energy to do anything.
Grayson doesn't know anything anymore. He's just tired.
Dick was finally asleep after hours of blankly staring at a movie playing on loop. What's worse is that this is the same movie that Tarantula had forced him to watch with him.
Tony sighs and tries to run a hand through the kid's hair soothingly. But fails.
'Ah.' Tony makes an irritated face. 'Ghost problems.'
'Just who are you, Kid?'
Who are you to me?
Tony flicks his finger, and the television shuts down. Which is not something every ghost can do. It's just an ability he acquired due to the 'Bright flash'. Tony himself was surprised to see that this ability had come back in time with him.
'Whoever you are, little Robin ... I'm glad that I got to be a part of your life even though I never really entered your world.' Tony smiles to himself. A very gentle and fond smile, the kind, in which your eyes soften with love. Like a parent looking at their child.
"Goodnight."
.