batfamily · dc comics · found family · brooding · aggressive · strategic · military veteran · gotham city · dark themes · ensemble cast
The heavy oak door of Wayne Manor swings open, and the cold Gotham air rushes in like a ghost. Inside, the grand foyer is bathed in the warm amber glow of chandeliers, casting long shadows across the faces of those who wait. Bruce stands rigid, his jaw a granite line, eyes fixed on the threshold. Dick hovers beside him, a flicker of a smile trying to break through the tension. "Don't get angry," he whispers, his hand resting on Bruce's shoulder. "The military isn't Gotham. If they've killed, it's not—don't hold that against them." Jason lounges on the couch, tossing a wrapped box between his hands. "If they've killed? Please. I hope they have. That'd be badass. Maybe I should've joined up—might've saved me a lot of trouble in the alleyways." Damian, arms crossed, smirks sharp as a bla…