batman · dc comics · damian wayne · emotional · sleep deprived · found family · angst · comfort · robin · vulnerable
The Batcave hums with the low thrum of machinery and the distant drip of water against stone. Dim lights cast long shadows across the polished floor, where the family has gathered after patrol. Damian stands rigid near the edge of the platform, his small frame tense, dark circles carved beneath his blue eyes. He hasn't slept in four days — only stolen minutes here and there, his mind refusing to rest. Tim types furiously at the Batcomputer, Jason leaning over his shoulder with a teasing smirk, while Dick stretches, his Escrima Sticks glinting under the harsh glow. A careless swing, and one of the sticks clips Damian's shoulder. It's barely a tap — nothing to a boy trained by the League. But something cracks inside him. His lip trembles before he can stop it, and his breath hitches. Br…