Terrible Sting, Terrible Storm
Series Metadata
Listing Series
-
Terrible Sting, Terrible Storm by airyoubreathe
Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), DCU (Comics)
23 Feb 2025
Tags
Summary
This story has been completely rewritten and updated, with 24,000 words and two new chapters added.
Dick stood stock still, his heartbeat hammering in his ears. As the rain pattered against his suit, his shoulder throbbed violently. The man in front of him was talking, but Dick couldn’t hear what he’d said. The rain was so loud. He felt something awful crack open inside him that he’d carefully never examined before.
Years of pushing every painful thing aside have built up a heavy debt, and it's time for it to be paid. Dick Grayson is due to face the storm.
Series
- Part 1 of Terrible Sting, Terrible Storm
-
And the Trust We Put In Things by airyoubreathe
Fandoms: Nightwing (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
20 Apr 2024
Tags
Summary
Yes, Damian's family were idiots. Anyone worth their salt knew that Richard was an excellent liar and an incorrigible conman. They would also know that you didn’t just ask Richard if he was okay. The emotionally stunted imbecile would never tell the truth.
When a storm blows in on Christmas Eve, Damian is the only one to see the tightness in Dick's smile. As the family grows merrier on Christmas cheer (and Alfred's lethal eggnog), Dick only grows more distant. But Damian knows what to do...
Series
- Part 2 of Terrible Sting, Terrible Storm
-
Feathered & Frayed by airyoubreathe
Fandoms: Nightwing (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
22 Dec 2024
Tags
Summary
“Dick,” the therapist said seriously. “Why are you here?”
Dick floundered, searching for words that wouldn’t come. “I…” He thought of Catalina’s hands washing soap from his body, massaging his back, feeding him sweet strawberries one by one. “I… I had a girlfriend.”
It doesn’t matter if Dick always feels Catalina's hand on the back of his neck, or her breath ghosting against his lips. He needs Nightwing. He needs to do good. How else will he counterbalance the sin weighing on his soul? So he’ll lie to his brothers, to Bruce, to Alfred. He’ll even lie to his reflection in the mirror. Because he knows that he'll be alright eventually. He'll be fine.
He'll be totally okay.
Series
- Part 3 of Terrible Sting, Terrible Storm
-
No Gifts to Give, They’re All Right Here by airyoubreathe
Fandoms: Nightwing (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
24 Dec 2024
Tags
Summary
“I wanted you to have a good Christmas,” Damian said quietly.
“I am having a good Christmas,” Richard said, sounding a little confused.
“No, I wanted you to have a perfect Christmas,” Damian said, clenching the wool of Richard’s Christmas sweater tightly in his hands. “Something good enough to erase the pain of the past year. Something to make you happy."
It wasn't the old Dick Grayson that had shown up to Christmas Eve at the manor. This new man was a little too sad, a little too thin and a little too fearful. His family were trying their best to politely turn a blind eye to the frayed edges that had appeared, but it was difficult to ignore the fact that the brightest star on their tree had suddenly dimmed.
--
The tale of a Christmas Eve woven into five vignettes from those who love Dick Grayson dearly.
Series
- Part 4 of Terrible Sting, Terrible Storm
-
No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross by airyoubreathe
Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), DCU (Comics)
21 May 2025
Tags
Summary
Jason stared down at his older brother, watching the blank, unnatural stillness of his face. It was strange to see him that way, when Dick was usually an unstoppable force of motion, of freedom, of light. “I’m sorry,” he breathed, leaning down to place his forehead against Dick’s. He moved his fingers to Dick’s throat, feeling the weak flutter of his pulse. “I’m so sorry, Dick.”
After weeks of trying to hold the frayed edges of his brother together, Jason finally felt Dick slip through his fingers - and he knows that he'll never forgive himself for that. Now that Dick is taking the first tentative steps towards recovery, Jason is adamant that he won't make the same mistakes again. He's going to be a good brother, even if it kills him.
Series
- Part 5 of Terrible Sting, Terrible Storm
-
Hurricane Heart by airyoubreathe
Fandoms: Nightwing (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
05 Oct 2025
Tags
Summary
“You’re not gonna get out of this unscathed," Jason said desperately. "You know that, right? This mission is gonna fuck you up, Dick.”
Yeah, I know, Jay, Dick thought. “I'm gonna be fine," he said instead. "I'm gonna be totally okay."
Moan2 is many things all at once; Gotham's hottest new party drug, an awful scourge that Dick and his family can't seem to stem, and an unassuming pill that strips its user of all free will and autonomy. Dick knows intimately just how dangerous this pill is, but it doesn't matter how much he tries or how hard he works, he just can't solve this case.
As more users become hooked, more dealers turn up dead and more people disappear from clubs never to be seen again, Dick feels his desperation grow. He'll do anything to solve this case. He'll give everything to save all of those people. He'll give it all.
Series
- Part 6 of Terrible Sting, Terrible Storm
-
Arnika by airyoubreathe
Fandoms: Nightwing (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
04 Jan 2026
Tags
Summary
As an eight year old Robin, Dick had traversed the tightrope of good and evil effortlessly, understanding how to navigate the world's morality in the way that only a child could. He knew right, he knew wrong and he knew how to differentiate between the two. As an adult, Dick didn’t have that certainty, and he no longer ran, skipped and cartwheeled over that tightrope. Instead, he crawled in a way that felt humiliating, even when no one else knew how much he was struggling to stand.
It's been six months since Nightwing dragged himself from the burning warehouse he'd been held captive in; bloodied, broken and with the fury of an avenging phoenix. And Dick Grayson has spent that time painstakingly putting his persona back together in a way that belies the total destruction wreaked over his mind and body.
Sure, the lie isn't as perfect as he wishes it was. But none of that matters. Not really, anyway. Because as the curtains open on the performance of Dick Grayson's lifetime, he knows one bitter truth; this is his path, and he has to walk it alone.
-
A study in pain, grief and the relentless sting of finding a way to heal.
Fully written and updated twice per week
Series
- Part 7 of Terrible Sting, Terrible Storm