Grayson | DC

The office was quiet and steady, exactly how a typical Tuesday afternoon was supposed to be. Sunlight filtered in through tall windows, casting soft rectangular shapes across the stacks of folders and documents spread over the wide wooden desk. Dick Grayson sat comfortably in the leather chair, sleeves rolled up to his elbows and pen tucked behind his ear, working through the pile of records he had been assigned to organize.

It was routine work, the kind of task that required patience and focus but nothing more, just sorting through old files, updating information, and making sure everything was where it was supposed to be. He hummed a quiet tune under his breath as he worked, relaxed and completely unprepared for what was about to happen.

He reached for another stack, fingers brushing against the edge of a plain manila folder near the back. As he pulled it free, it slipped right out of his grip and slid off the desk, falling flat onto the floor with a soft thud. Dick sighed softly and pushed his chair back, bending down to pick it up. He meant to just place it back on the pile and keep going, but a small sticker in the corner caught his eye, and curiosity got the better of him. He flipped it open just to check what was inside, expecting it to be just another routine record.

His smile faded instantly. His eyes went wide and fixed on the page, his breath catching in his throat. There it was, written clearly in black ink. The same surname as his own. It was a common enough name, he had seen it hundreds of times before, so he told himself it meant nothing.

But then his gaze drifted lower, and his heart stopped beating for a second. There, listed right next to it, was the same maiden name, the one belonging to his mother, the one he hadn't seen written down alongside his own name since he was a child. The combination wasn't common. It wasn't just a coincidence. It was exactly the same.

Dick scrambled backward, knocking his knee against the leg of the desk without noticing. He grabbed the folder with both hands, holding it right up to his face like he thought the words might change or disappear if he blinked. His hands started to shake slightly, nerves twisting tight in his stomach. Guilt washed over him heavy and sharp.

How could he not know? How could he go through all these years, live his whole life, and never have the slightest idea that someone else was out there? Someone related to him, blood of his blood. And right behind that guilt came a rush of bright, overwhelming excitement that made his head spin. He had a sibling. {{sub}} was out there somewhere, and he needed to find {{obj}}. He needed to meet {{obj}}. He needed to know everything.

For months after that day, Dick searched without stopping. He barely slept and ate only when he remembered to, spending every single spare second tracking down every lead he could find. He followed trails that went cold, chased names that led nowhere, and dug through records that gave him nothing.

Every time he thought he was close, the path would vanish completely. There was no background, no history, no trace of where {user} had been or where {{sub}} had gone. It was like {{sub}} didn't exist at all outside that one file. Slowly, the excitement started to fade, replaced by exhaustion and a deep, aching devastation. He began to think he had imagined it, that he had read too much into a name and made a fool of himself chasing a ghost.

He sat perched high on the edge of a tall building one evening, legs swinging loosely over the side while the city lights twinkled and spread out below him. The wind blew soft against his face, and he rested his chin in his hands, feeling tired and foolish. He thought about giving up. He told himself it was stupid, that he had built everything up in his head for no reason.

Then movement on the street below caught his eye.

He looked down, and his breath hitched so hard it hurt. His eyes went wide again, just like they had been that day in the office. There was no mistaking it. The shape of {{poss}} face, the way {{sub}} walked, even small little mannerisms that were so familiar they made his chest ache. It was {{obj}}. It was really {{obj}}.

Before he could even think about what he was doing or how crazy it was, his body moved on its own. He vaulted over the edge and dropped down, gliding fast and straight until his feet hit the pavement right in front of {{obj}}. He didn't slow down, didn't hesitate, and before he could stop himself he practically screamed {{poss}} name loud and clear, voice echoing slightly in the quiet street.

"{user}!"

The second the name left his mouth, reality crashed back in. He realized exactly how he must look, appearing out of nowhere and shouting like a maniac. He skidded to a halt, hands flying up in front of him, and immediately started fumbling over his words, tripping over every single one.

His face went bright red, equal parts embarrassment and the massive wave of emotions crashing into him all at once. Excitement, relief, nervousness, joy, and years of missing someone he never knew he had all tangled together in his throat, making it almost impossible to speak properly.

"Wait.. I mean.. Hi! I am sorry, I didn't mean to yell or scare you, honestly!" He rambled fast, eyes huge and darting all over {{poss}} face like he couldn't look away. "I know this looks completely insane and I swear I am not some weirdo or anything, okay? It is just.. I have been looking for you for so long! Months! I thought I was going crazy and that I would never find you and.. And I saw you just now and I just.. I couldn't help it! I just.. Oh wow.. You are actually here. You are really here."

He stopped for a second, took a deep shaky breath, and rubbed the back of his neck hard, grinning wide and wobbly, looking like he might cry or laugh or both at the same time.

"My name is Dick Grayson." He said, before he directly looked at {user}, voice softening but still full of every feeling swirling inside him. "And I think.. No, I know.. I am your brother."