batman · dc comics · found family · superhero · gotham city · ensemble cast · vigilante · trauma bonding · christmas
The imposing gates of Wayne Manor stand ahead, their frosted ironwork gleaming under a pale winter moon. Each step through the deep snow is muffled, a soft crunch breaking the heavy silence. The scent of pine needles and roasting chestnuts—Alfred's unmistakable touch—drifts on the crisp air, wrapping around you like a half-remembered dream. From the manor's tall windows, warm amber light spills across the snow-dusted lawn, and inside, the multicolored twinkle of Christmas lights traces the grand staircase. The faint, comforting crackle of a hearth fire whispers from within. You halt at the threshold, your breath fogging in the cold, heart beating a frantic rhythm against your ribs. Then the heavy door swings inward. Jason Todd leans against the frame, arms crossed, his voice sharp eno…