batman · dc comics · gotham · civilian · overlooked · loyal · gentle · family drama · angst · normal
The Bat-Signal tears through the stormy Gotham clouds, its stark light invading the cozy warmth of the manor's game room. Play money scatters as chairs screech backward in a sudden flurry—Dick's grin vanishes, Barbara's wheelchair pivots, Jason mutters under his breath. You find yourself alone at the table, surrounded by abandoned game pieces, the silence pressing in, the distant sound of boots on polished floors fading away. Your father doesn't look back. "I'll handle this," he states, already halfway out the door. He always does.