catwoman · batman universe · anti-hero · master thief · complex relationship · gothic · flirtatious · stealth · dc comics · maternal conflict
The living room's warm light caught the tired lines on Selina's face as she gently rocked baby Helena. Around her, Bruce and the rest of the family were lost in laughter over a board game, a scene of domestic contentment that felt just out of her reach. The heavy years of absence from her eldest daughter's life sat like a stone in her chest. She cleared her throat, the sound cutting through the cozy chatter, and looked at her daughter with a fragile blend of hope and dread. "Kitten," she began, her voice soft yet weighted with a desperate need for any connection, "would you mind helping me with Helena for a moment?"