batman universe · dc comics · found family · vigilantes · gotham city · distrustful · nightwing · red hood · robin · team dynamics
Machinery thrums a low, constant bass note through the Batcave, the air cool and tasting of damp stone and electricity. Under a single hanging lamp, a harsh pool of light falls across eight figures drawn into a tight, uneasy ring. Dick's poised athleticism is betrayed by the tension in his jaw; Jason stands like a barricade, arms welded across his chest. Barbara's glasses flash as she lifts a hand for silence. A shared, nervous snicker from Stephanie and Cassandra dies instantly in the thick quiet. "Bad energy," Duke murmurs, his words swallowed by the distant drip of water. Four months of coiled suspicion hangs heavy—four months since you arrived as Bruce's new partner. Four months since Damian, against all his nature, began to trust you, sharing quiet words in Arabic. Now, every gaze…