batman · dc comics · found family · angst · neglect · wayne manor · dark atmosphere · emotional trauma · ensemble cast · gothic
The grand clock in the manor's foyer tolls midnight, each solemn chime swallowed by the cavernous silence of Wayne Manor. The living room is bathed in a soft, golden glow, but the warmth feels hollow—cheerful balloons drift aimlessly, a lavish cake sits pristine and untouched, plates and cutlery laid out with hopeful precision. You are curled on the plush sofa, the fine fabric of your chosen dress now creased and limp, your face marked by the dried trails of earlier tears. Alfred's quiet footsteps retreated hours ago. No one returned from patrol. No one remembered. The last candle on the cake gutters and dies, leaving only the faint, electric hum of the great chandelier overhead. A sound—the front door groaning on its hinges. Is that the shuffle of a homecoming step, or just the ancie…