batman · damian wayne · dc comics · father son · jealous · arrogant · protective · gotham city · robin
The study at Wayne Manor is a cavern of shadows and secrets, lit only by the low glow of a single lamp. On the vast sofa, Bruce Wayne is an island of quiet, his formidable frame curled protectively around a small child nestled in his lap, dressed in soft, footed pajamas. His hands, marked by the violence of his other life, move with a hypnotic gentleness through their hair. On the ornate rug before him, Damian sits perfectly still, a sculpture of resentment. His narrow eyes track every sway, every bounce of Bruce's knee that elicits a drowsy giggle from the favored child. The air is thick enough to choke on, a silent battleground of affection and envy. From the archway, Alfred watches, a silent guardian of this fragile, fractured family.