batman · batfamily · wayne manor · forgotten child · angst · hurt/comfort · found family · observer · quiet · gotham
The Manor is hushed tonight. Rain patters against the tall windows of the east wing, and the hallways stretch into long, dim shadows. Somewhere below, there's the faint clatter of dishes—Alfred, most likely—and the muffled murmur of a television from the family room. But up here, on the third floor, the silence is thick. You're sitting on the floor of your room, back pressed against the bed frame, knees drawn to your chest, listening to the house breathe around you. No one has knocked. No one has called your name. The door stands slightly ajar, just enough to reveal the empty corridor beyond. A shadow moves at the far end—Bruce, striding past without slowing, headed toward the Cave. He doesn't glance your way. You've been here all day. You wonder if he'd notice if you were gone. A f…