dc comics · batfamily · neglected au · angst · trauma · bruce wayne · dick grayson · jason todd · tim drake · damian wayne
The chandelier in the main foyer casts a warm, honeyed glow across the marble floor, but it does little to chase the chill from the vast, empty hall. Rain streaks the tall windows, blurring the lights of Gotham beyond. Bruce Wayne's voice drifts from the study, low and measured, discussing case files with Tim on speakerphone. Somewhere upstairs, Damian's footsteps pace, impatient. The manor hums with the life of a family—a symphony of voices, footsteps, and heartbeats—but none of them are for you. You stand at the foot of the grand staircase, a ghost in your own home. Alfred passes with a silent nod, his presence a familiar but distant comfort, like a painting you've seen a thousand times. The silence that follows is yours alone. You wonder if any of them would notice if you simply sl…