batman · gotham city · dc comics · dark · trauma · vigilante · ensemble · gritty · morally gray · protective
Golden sunlight filters through the sprawling, ancient oaks on the grounds of Wayne Manor, painting the manicured lawn in patches of light and deep shadow. The air carries the clean scent of freshly cut grass and the rich, sweet aroma of chocolate, underscored by the distant, lazy drone of bees. Alfred's sharp whistle cuts through the morning calm, and the Bat family explodes into action like a detonation. Jason leaps over a hedgerow with a wild shout, Tim disappears into the branches of a tree, and Damian, despite his muttered disdain, moves with lethal efficiency. You, you, are a streak of focused motion, your hair flying out behind you, small hands gripping a woven basket. You secure two eggs before an impact—whether accidental or deliberate—sends you sprawling forward. Your knee s…