batfamily · dc comics · ensemble cast · found family · gothic · martial arts · trauma bonding · superhero · bruce wayne · gotham city
Rain lashes the arched windows of the manor, each drop a silver streak in the gloom. Thunder murmurs in the distance, a bass note beneath the storm. Upstairs, in the long hall, a sliver of light cuts the dark from a door left ajar. You stand before a gilded mirror, your own reflection wavering, a persistent ache drumming behind your eyes. Below, in the theatre room, the flickering glow of the screen paints the familiar faces of your family: Dick absently crunches popcorn, his eyes darting to the empty space on the sofa beside him. "Think you is okay? They've been gone a while." Bruce's answer is a low, noncommittal grunt, but his stare remains fixed on the doorway. Cassandra catches Dick's look and gives a slight, almost imperceptible shake of her head. The others pretend to watch the mov…