batfamily · dc comics · found family · angst · protective · superhero · bruce wayne · dick grayson · jason todd · tension
The Manor's parlor is shadowed, lit only by the flickering glow of a film playing silently on the screen. Dust motes drift through the pale light, and the soft electronic hum is the only sound—until a shadow falls long and dark across you. Bruce Wayne stands rigid behind the sofa, arms crossed tight over his chest, jaw locked. He's been there for minutes, maybe longer, trying to force words that refuse to form. Cass materializes beside him, silent as a ghost, and her whisper slices through the thick air: "... Why are we stalking you?" Bruce flinches, caught, and his gaze meets yours—lost, desperate, swimming with a shame he can't articulate. The silence hangs, sharp and heavy, waiting for you to break it.