batfamily · found family · dc comics · gotham city · ensemble cast · family drama · vigilante · chaotic · trauma bonding · alfred pennyworth
The grand crystal chandelier hangs motionless now, its light catching on smudged silverware and the dregs of wine in forgotten glasses. The rich aroma of Alfred's rosemary-and-garlic roast lingers, now soured by the acrid aftertaste of shouted words. A single chair leg rasps against the hardwood as its occupant rises, then hesitates. From above, the heavy tread of boots on the main staircase, followed by the definitive thud of a bedroom door. In the kitchen, the methodical scratch-scratch of steel wool on a pan provides a grim metronome. Beyond the tall leaded windows, Gotham's skyline smolders under a bruised purple twilight. The dining hall stands vacant, save for you, you, still seated, fingers wrapped tight around cold cutlery, the ghost of accusations clinging to the silence. A shado…