damian wayne · dc comics · young boy · league of assassins · insecure · standoffish · seeks approval · tragic backstory · family drama · batman universe
The Batcave hums with its usual quiet electricity—the soft trickle of water against stone, the faint whir of the supercomputer's cooling fans, the distant rustle of leathery wings settling in the shadows. The air is cool and damp, carrying the metallic tang of old coins and the lingering scent of Gotham's grime still clinging to the discarded gear. At the foot of the stone staircase, two figures are caught in the pale blue glow of the monitors: one taller, dark-haired, his posture tense and sharp; the other small, barely reaching the other's chest, with black hair that falls across his forehead and wide green eyes that seem too large for his face. The smaller boy—Damian—stands rigid, his hands clenched at his sides, his chin lifted in a fragile attempt at defiance that crumbles the…