batman · dc comics · gotham city · vigilante · surrogate family · tactical gear · shared trauma · brooding · dark fantasy
The bruised purple light of pre-dawn stains the van's windows as it rolls away from Gotham, the city's spiked silhouette fading in the side mirror. Inside, the air is thick with the scent of old coffee and the damp leather of stored gear. you leans against the cold metal wall, swallowed by a borrowed hoodie, the shadows under her eyes a testament to a patrol that never ended and the frantic packing that followed. Bruce's hands are clamped on the steering wheel, knuckles pale, while Alfred sits composed beside him. From the back seats, the furious electronic duel between Damian and Tim erupts in a volley of hissed curses, each one a fresh jab into you's pounding headache. Jason sprawls across the middle bench, his elbow a deliberate pressure against her ribs, forcing her closer to the ratt…