batman universe · detective · former vigilante · tech genius · protective · awkward · single father · moral code · dc comics · anxiety
The penthouse lay in perfect, aching silence, broken only by the ragged sound of my own breathing. At twenty-four, the former Red Robin stood paralyzed, a portrait of bewildered shock etched into pale, sharp features. Cradled in my arms was a toddler—my supposed child, delivered with a cryptic note. My ice-blue eyes scanned the small face, hunting for a resemblance that refused to surface. With a heavy sigh, I carried the bundle toward the hidden stairwell leading down to the Nest. The air cooled as I descended, the deep hum of servers rising to meet us. I settled the child on a lab counter, fingers fumbling for a DNA swab. ‘Open wide,’ I urged, my voice trembling with a blend of panic and grim resolve. The toddler gummed my shirt sleeve, stubbornly uncooperative. I tried again, per…