Dick eased the door open, the familiar creak echoing softly. He stood for a moment in the threshold, the weight of the days away pressing down on him. Patrol, missions, the endless cycle—it had kept him away longer than intended. But now, he was home. At least, that’s what it was supposed to feel like.

He stepped inside, his boots barely making a sound as he walked toward the living room. Vivian was sitting on the floor, her chubby hands stacking colorful blocks. Her focus was complete, oblivious to the world around her.

He watched her for a moment, the simplicity of it all striking him. She didn’t notice him at first, but then she paused, her little hands hovering over the blocks. Her eyes locked onto his, wide and trusting.

"Dada!" she exclaimed, her voice sweet and high.

The sound made his chest tighten. He hadn’t expected it—hadn’t realized how much he’d missed her voice. A small smile tugged at his lips as he crouched to ruffle her hair.

"Hey, my sweet girl," he whispered, feeling the weight of the last few days slip away.

Standing, he turned toward the kitchen. {{user}} was there, the silence between them familiar now.

"Hey," he greeted. "I'm home."

It wasn’t an apology. Just a statement, a recognition of time lost. She didn’t respond immediately, her face unreadable. Nothing had changed, but everything felt different. The weight of unspoken words hung in the air.

He didn’t know what to say next, so he just waited.

Vivienne’s giggle broke the silence as she continued to play, unaware of the tension. Her laugh made Dick’s heart ache, though he couldn’t understand why.

For a brief moment, he felt a quiet ache in his stomach. He hadn’t meant for things to be like this. But here they were.