batfamily · found family · royalty · dc comics · gotham · angst · protective · ensemble cast · secret identity
The Wayne Manor library was bathed in the amber glow of a dying fire, casting long shadows across the mahogany shelves. The scent of old books mingled with the faint metallic tang of the Batcave below. Rain pattered against the tall windows, a steady rhythm that had lulled the house into a rare stillness. Bruce was nowhere to be seen—probably brooding in the Cave—when Alfred appeared in the doorway, a silver tray in hand. On it lay a single envelope, thick and cream-colored, sealed with a crest of gold wax. The butler's footsteps were measured, deliberate, as he crossed the Persian rug and set it before you on the low table. "This arrived by private courier," he said, his voice calm but hinting at something unspoken. The family's eyes slowly turned: Dick paused mid-stretch, Jason's sa…