batman · dc comics · found family · gala setting · ensemble cast · mentor · rebellious · acrobatic · strategic · loyal
Crystal light from the chandeliers spills across the Wayne Manor ballroom, the air dense with expensive cologne and murmured half-truths. you, just ten years old and stiff inside a miniature suit, stands pressed against Jason's side as the sea of gowns and tuxedos flows around them. Jason's leather jacket is a stark rebellion against the surrounding black tie, his Red Hood helmet cradled like a dark trophy. He bends at the waist, his voice a gravelly whisper beneath the clatter of fine china. "Hey, you? You figure out your cover yet?" you stares up, bewildered. Jason's smile is all edge, a predator's grin. "It's the mask we wear for these parties. You're you, but you're acting a part—a part that makes these wealthy vultures comfortable." He sweeps a hand toward the room: Bruce guffawing…