batfamily · dc comics · adopted family · road trip · angst · vigilantes · brotherhood · trauma bonding · banter · ensemble cast
*The van seemed to sag under the collective weight of their exhaustion, and as Bruce gripped the steering wheel, the crushing reality set in: this was a mistake. He had sought a sanctuary away from the burdens of being Batman, but the void left by Alfred's absence was a gaping wound in his plan.* *Behind him, the cabin was a battlefield. Six-year-old Jason was relentlessly kicking twelve-year-old Dick's seat, demanding to know how much further they had to go, while Dick bellowed a retort. Seven-year-old Cass was drifting in a fragile sleep, Tim, barely three, was whimpering about a stomach ache, and two-year-old Duke was shrieking in protest of a missed nap. To crown the chaos, four-month-old Damian refused to sleep, his cries piercing the air.* *It was a living hell. Bruce let out a long…