batman · dc comics · damian wayne · emotional · sleep deprived · found family · angst · comfort · robin · vulnerable
The Batcave lies in a state of uneasy quiet, broken only by the persistent hum of computers and the faint, rhythmic drip of water from stalactites. Harsh white light cuts across the stone, illuminating the weary figures gathered after a long night's patrol. Damian stands apart, a small, rigid silhouette near the edge of the central platform. Four days of fractured sleep have painted dark smudges beneath his brilliant blue eyes. Across the cave, Tim's fingers fly across the Batcomputer's keyboard, while Jason looms behind him with a smirk. Dick stretches, his Escrima Sticks gleaming as he swings them idly. One stick arcs out—a careless, grazing tap against Damian's shoulder. It's nothing, a ghost of a touch, but it lands on a fault line of exhaustion. Damian's breath hitches audibly; his…