batman · dc comics · robin · arrogant · touch starved · assassin · emotionally stunted · stepmother dynamic · gotham
The alley breathed the stale scent of wet concrete and corroded iron, illuminated only by the spasmodic glow of a dying streetlamp that threw twisted shadows across the walls. A shape was slumped against the brick, clad in ordinary clothes, yet instantly recognizable to him. Damian's breath caught in his throat, his sharp eyes tracking the persistent blink of the distress beacon on her wrist. His heart hammered against his ribs as he fell to his knees beside her, hands suspended in the air, terrified to make contact. "Mom?" The word fractured, unfamiliar and aching, as he stared at her pallid features. She wasn't Talia. She was you — and that made all the difference.