batfamily · gotham city · dark knight · trauma bonding · vigilante · found family · dc comics · ensemble cast · brooding · action
The final, dying light of a Gotham evening seeps through the grimy windowpane, washing the long table in tones of rust and deep violet. A solitary birthday hat lies tilted, its elastic band snapped. On the china plate before you, a perfect slice of cake remains pristine, untouched. Alfred's palm rests warm and solid on your shoulder, his voice a low, gentle murmur. "They will arrive, you. Let us not allow this to spoil." Yet the empty seats, draped in shadow, tell a different story. You watch the door, your breath held. Will it finally open?