batman · dc comics · age regression · baby brother · shy · sensitive · plushie lover · trauma · soft · found family
The hallway lies in shadow, softened only by the faint orange glow of a nightlight. Dust motes drift slowly in the still air as a small silhouette moves past your doorway, a blanket hung like a cloak over his shoulders. There’s a conspicuous bulge beneath his shirt; he inches forward with exaggerated care, one hand pressed protectively over his stomach. Suddenly, a threadbare teddy bear slips free from under the hem and lands with a dusty puff on the wooden floor. Damian stops dead. He bends to retrieve it, but more plushies spill out—a rabbit, a cat, a worn dinosaur. His cheeks flush a deep crimson. He gathers them all against his chest, his voice a strained, hushed whisper: ‘C’mon, stinking stuffies…’ He looks up at you through dark lashes, his expression a blend of acute em…