—❝TℍE LE꓄꓄ER❞

damian wayne fluff pls

Damian didn’t have much of a childhood, at least not a one he could look back at fondly and proudly. So whenever he saw you indulge yourself in an adult colouring book had him was conditioned into thinking was boring or childish, and yet he would still find himself missing something that he couldn’t put his finger on without becoming irritated.

‘Damian?’ Your voice brought him out of his thoughts as he looked over to you, seeing that you had stopped colouring to stare at him with concern.

‘Yes?’ He replied, not liking the fact that he has been interrupted from his reading Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

‘Would you like to colour in a page of this book with me?’ You asked as you gestured to the book in front of you and Damian scoffed, going back to his book. ‘No, I don’t partake in childish activities.’ He responded.

‘Is that what you believe or what you’ve been told to believe when with the league of assassins?’ You said all of a sudden and Damian bristled as his eyes darted to every possible corner of the room, almost as though the aforementioned league could be overhearing your conversation from their hiding spots.

‘What makes you say such a thing.’ Damian hissed as he moved to look at you but you were far more interested in colouring the page of your book, hyper aware of the stare he was giving you but you didn’t care you just wanted him to know what it’s like to be normal, even if it was for five minutes. ‘I just think you deserve to do something that you can look back on and remember that not everything is bleak and downpours of rain, it can be warm and golden.’ You shrugged your shoulders as you finally allowed yourself to look over at Damian, who had a conflicted look across his face, and you couldn’t help but bring your hand over his and squeeze reassuringly.

‘It’s okay to let the walls down Damian, you’re not there anymore, you’re with me and you can find yourself here if you feel comfortable enough to do so.’ You continued as Damian closed his eyes and sighed deeply. He knew he was in a safe place with you, that he didn’t doubt, but he couldn’t just bring his walls down all that easily even if he wanted to and he really wanted to. However he didn’t know how to without relapsing into old ways that’ll end in you being pushed away as a result; he was scared of how things would end for him if he dared to open his heart just a little.

‘What good would that do me?’ Damian says sharply. ‘End up with everyone I know dead because I decide to give one person an ounce of trust and let them into my life?’ He adds and he felt you squeeze his hand again but also the caressing of your thumb against the back of his own. ‘You’re a great judge of character Dami, you wouldn’t have trusted me otherwise and I’m grateful for that, but have I made you distrust me yet?’ You questioned him and Damian knew that you knew the answer to that, and it was no.

He looks at your hand and squeezes back softly, making you smile, before he gestures to your colouring book. ‘Is the offer to colour one of your pages still available?’ He asks and you were quick to share your colouring pencils with him as you presented the book before him to pick a page of his choice. ‘Oh absolutely.’ You replied as you made yourself comfortable next to him as the next hour you and Damian spent colouring in pages and making the other laugh.

Damian x older batsis. Just something fluffy about batsis being the older sister of the batfam, mainly focusing on Damian tho- she dotes on him and is kinda like his mother figure in a way. And when he gets into arguments with Bruce, she's the one he runs away to, to crash on her couch. She's also incredibly tech savy and inventive, so she often asks Damian to test her gagetry prototype's since everyone else is scared of them (they sometimes malfunction). She's more like Alfred's apprentice than Bruce’s. She prefers working "behind the screens." Also, her and Damian most definitely took the batmobile and batwing out on joy rides without permission🤭

“That’s bullshit, dad.” You scoffed, leaning back against the cold stony wall in the cave. Bruce sighed, pinching his nose between his index and thumb. He was used to this, he had been getting this lecture since he adopted Dick when you were 12. You’d always been motherly to your little brothers — a term Jason often huffed about, reminding you that he’s no longer a fifteen year old boy.

You became all of their protectors but it was different with Damian, something deeper, more connected. Dick assumed that it was because you and Damian were blood related but Alfred knew better.

“You can’t treat the kid like shit and expect him to be okay,” you added.

Right now Damian was in your car, an overnight bag packed for his stay at your house. Bruce wanted to smile at the fact that you drove all the way from Blüdhaven to get Damian and yell at him.

“You’re right,” Bruce says, making you pause and point a finger at him comically opening and closing your mouth as you think. Stunned into silence that he hadn’t tried arguing with you, Jason snickered in the background before Cass knocked him to the ground beating him again.

“He should spend the weekend with you, no suit, no cape. Just as a normal boy,” Bruce stands up, “I can’t give him that, his mother can’t, that’s why he comes to you.”

You merely nodded in response as Bruce patted your shoulder before turning back to his computer, you walked past Alfred who looked equally as stunned as you before chuckling and handing you a tub of freshly baked cookies.

“Thanks,” you mumbled, still somewhat shocked as you make your way up the stairs to the exit of the cave. You’re back outside the manor and sitting in the drivers seat of your car — your bike at home because you knew you’d be bringing damian to your place.

“okay, all set?” you ask, looking at the small boy in your front passenger seat. a bunch of his art supplies stuffed into you back seat and alfred the cat perched on top of it all, you snort amused by the sight, exiting the driveway when he nods.

the drive to your place is quiet, damian dozing off from time to time. “can i live with you?” he asks out of nowhere, green eyes focused on your reaction, you stop at the red light, sighing softly.

“i’m sorry dames, but we’ve talked about this.” you mutter, shooting him an apologetic look, “i’ll talk to bruce about it again.” you offer, he nods.

“i’d like that,” he mutters, arms crossed. you smile, “where would you go to school?” you ask, entertaining the idea. “we’ve got quite a few good ones in bludhaven.”

“which did you go to?” he asks.

“i went to a gotham school, but i did uni in bludhaven. somehow gotham and bludhaven have two of the best universities. no idea why that happened when they’re both shit holes.”

“agreed.”

the rest of the drive is quiet, your brother falling asleep for the rest of it. you chuckle as you park outside your flat, you and dick lived in the same building. it was a lot more convenient, and it eased his worry for you. you being a lawyer, with your little side hobby of building impressive gadgets.

dick was usually the first person to get ahold of the tech you made, and damian would be next in line. you’re careful as to not stir damian, though you know he’s probably already half awake as you lift him out of the car, carrying him into the elevator after you toss his duffel bag over your shoulder. alfred the cat following after the two of you.

he likes this, he thinks. being coddled like child — he is a child, you’re always quick to remind him. you lay him down on the spare bed in your extra room where your other siblings crash. he kicks his shoes off sleepily as you set the bag down in the corner of the room, alfred the cat jumping up onto the bed to sleep on top of damian.

you smile at the sight as you close his bedroom door.

your little brother deserves to be a kid, you’ll make sure his life isn’t spent like yours.

© e-nonsense. do no copy/steal/translate. do it and I’ll bite your toes off

Jay Jo dating hc’s

🚲 Just like with Shelly, Jay will seem uninterested and unimpressed at first. Often being either blunt or not responding. He would rather stay in his studies or ride his bike.

🚲 Unlike vinny, he is not a romantic. He would be straight and matter of factly. He doesn’t see a point in beating around the bush. If he likes you he will say it straight up, but not without contemplating and badly slept nights as well as a lot of advice from Dom and Minu. Maybe even Vinny to keep him down to earth.

🚲 If you are dating Jay you need a lot of patience. His parents are strict and would not approve of a relationship, especially his mother who thinks it will be a distraction and that Jay should focus on studies instead. This would cause things to be like a mood swing.

🚲 If Jay would once again have a fight with his mom or his mom telling him to not come back home for the night he would probably go to your place. He wouldn’t want to talk about it. He’d rather spent his doing something else than talk about his problems.

🚲 ‘babe i fell down the stairs today. It was really funny.’ ‘How’s that funny.’ ‘My friend asked me why i started lying down. Some ppl saw me fall.’ ‘Oh.’ ‘Babe you’re being dry again. Dryer than the desert. You need water.’ ‘Don’t pour water on me again please.’

🚲 he’s more of a listener. So if you yap a lot he wouldn’t mind. He listens and remembers very well. He is pretty dry with responses to he’ll let you do most of the talking, but if you give him a chance to also talk about his things he’ll get a little but flustered because he’ll feel like he’ll be put on the spot

🚲 He would let you ride his bike if you can ride one, if you can’t he’ll teach you. He’s a very stoic teacher, but he’ll make sure you don’t fall, he would hate to see you get hurt. He will let you ride his bike if you asks very nicely.

🚲 Sometimes he’ll cycle you home if he doesn’t have any tournaments or races. You can hop on behind and if you have school bag he’ll carry it for you. If you’re scared to go on the bike he doesn’t mind walking you home either. He’ll just walk with the bike in his hands.

🚲 He would probably like study dates a lot, it means he can spend time with you and do his studies. Maybe the two of you can help each other in different subjects and getting to know each other’s interests along with it.

🚲 ‘what would you do if you caught me eating bugs?’ ‘Why would you eat bugs?’ ‘I don’t know, but if i did. Would you break up with me?’ ‘Probably. I will not be with a bug muncher.’

🚲 If he’s staying over at your place, expect that he assumes its just a sleep over. It’s quite literally too. He’ll be in bed on time and sleeping. Even if he wants to be ‘rebellious’ it’s in his mind and soul that he sleeps on time and gets enough rest.

🚲 If he reads any good books he’ll recommend them to you so that he has someone to discuss the book with, especially if he has to read the book for school. That way he can prepare for the test and bond with you.

🚲 He would want you to get along with his friends. Minu and Dom aren’t super difficult to get along with and would probably tease Jay for having a girlfriend since he was so ‘uninterested’ in girls. Vinny wouldn’t really care and Yuna and Mia would get along with you very well , perhaps even make you their trio

🚲 if you’re a foreigner he’ll guide you trough some basic Korean things like the food, clothes, manners, language. Anything you want. In return he would like to know about your home country and culture as well. He likes the fact that the two of you are so different yet can like each for that same reason at the same time

🚲 Jay actually doesn’t talk a lot in general, so it also means he doesn’t talk much about himself. This means that most of the things he likes or dislikes can be noticed by his expression or body language. If you for example pick up that he’s uncomfortable and help him in the situation it will make him smile a bit out of graduate for you. He isn’t used to others picking up on his demeanor, especially since he’s considered a cold person

🚲 ‘jay! Are you available today?’ ‘Only until 7. Then i have to be home and study.’ ‘Didn’t you leave your mom’s house again?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Where will you stay.’ ‘With you.’ ‘Oh? Well we can invite Dom and Minu too! Maybe even Vinny. Do you think he’ll come?’ ‘If you have food then probably yes.’

That’s all yall (I’m still not finished reading)

it's december so time to stare at my art output for the year!!!

picked out some stuff that i'm ok with. wish i had more art to show but im trying to let it go since i was gone for 4 months this year. here's hoping for more drawing time next year

Taking anti-depressant pills?? Seeing a therapist??? Journaling???? No need babe, my fav writer just dropped another x reader fic.

BATBOYS’ reaction to you asking to do their makeup

Bruce Wayne:

- Would give you a gruff, “No.”

- He loves you, but that’s simply not something he’s interested in.

- You bring it up a few more times and the answer is always the same.

- And then one day, he stares at you while you’re sitting at the expensive vanity he bought you, watching you as you do your eyeliner.

- “You can put that on me,” he says after a few moments of mental gymnastics.

- You turn towards him, slightly surprised. “Huh?”

- He’s not fond of repeating himself, so he’d just pat his thigh.

- You’re getting up, because this is a chance of a lifetime, and you quickly settle yourself on his lap.

- His hands hold your hips. He looks at you with those pretty blue eyes expectantly.

- “Do you want a cat eye? Smokey?” You cup his jaw with your free hand, tilting it.

- He grunts in response. Probably a “be quiet and do it” grunt.

- He waits patiently as your fingers work, following your soft-spoken instructions to close his eyelids or look up. Other than that, he’s not moving an inch.

- You do something simple—just under his waterline, above his top eyelashes.

- When you're done, you drag him over to the mirror. You weren’t sure what his reaction would be.

- “Hm.” The noise is acknowledging, not displeased.

- You smile at him. “Do you like it?”

- There’s a difference between liking it and not being bothered by it.

- Still, he gives you an imperceptible nod. Just to see you smile wider.

- He didn’t take it off for patrol. His kids teased him about it, and Alfred had a barely-concealed humored expression.

- It’s the only thing he’ll let you do. He doesn’t ask, but at this point, he expects you to put it on.

- It’s a reminder of you while he’s out, that you’re waiting for him to come back.

Dick Grayson:

- He would probably ask you to do it, instead of the other way around.

- Just out of curiosity.

- But if you brought it up first, he’s immediately sitting.

- “Make me look pretty,” as if he already isn’t.

- He’d let you do what you want, however he’ll mention how certain colors don’t look good on him.

- Wouldn’t protest if you did a full face. He feels like a pampered princess, and he definitely enjoys the attention you’re giving him.

- He needs progress updates, and information on what you’re using.

- He’ll try to make you annoyed by shutting his eyes when you tell him not to, or talking in the middle of lipstick application.

- “Do you want to be gorgeous or not?” you huff.

- Yes, he does. He quickly stops.

- When you’re done, he’s gasping at himself, fluttering his lashes.

- He wants to match with you, so he offers to do yours.

- Sits in your lap, just like you did with him.

- It’s…a process.

- But it’s not half bad.

- You both take selfies together.

- He’s your devoted expirementee, now.

- He sets himself up by sending some of the photos to the Bat-Family group chat.

- Gets hounded on by Jason. Heavily.

- Does he care? Absolutely not. They are totally jealous.

Jason Todd:

- He’s going to laugh in your face. Sorry.

- And then it turns into confusion when he sees how serious you are.

- He’d shut it down, at first, but he keeps thinking about it for some reason.

- Secretly scrolls on his phone to look at things that he might like.

- Eventually, he approaches you, inspiration picture in hand, and says, “It has to look exactly like this or you’re fired.”

- It’s simple: light eyeshadow, some eyeliner. Stuff that isn’t super heavy and is still “masculine”.

- He can hear the teasing he’d hypothetically endure from everyone as you do it. It pisses him off.

- And then you murmur praises like, “You’re so handsome,” and suddenly he doesn’t care. It’s for you.

- Despite his lighthearted threat, he requests more things, just so you can keep giving him attention.

- Like Grayson, he’d question what you were using. He’d throw in some stupid comments about how using your fingers to apply stuff would be easier.

- When you’re finished and show him, he doesn’t actually mind it.

- “You didn’t fuck it up,” he mumbles.

- He’ll let you do it again. He finds himself enjoying it—the feeling of your soft brushes against his skin, and how you’d gently guide his head to where you want it.

- One time, while you were perched on his lap, focusing on applying, the door opened. Dick was mid-sentence before he finally processed what was going on.

- “Oh, wow.”

- To make things worse, he snapped a picture and suddenly you were moved off of Jason’s lap.

- Cue the super unnecessary and dramatic chase in an attempt to get Grayson to delete it.

Tim Drake:

- He’d look flustered. Why?

- You’d have to explain it’s just for fun, and how you’re bored.

- He’ll begrudgingly agree. He supposed there’s no harm.

- He wants you to tell him what you’re doing as you work. He’s nervous, like you’re going to poke him in the eye or something.

- You don’t want him to be uncomfortable, so you ask, “Do you want me to stop?”

- Well, your presence and warmth on his lap is enjoyable, and he shakes his head.

- It has his brain quiet down. He just listens to you. He absentmindedly leans into your touch sometimes.

- “Do you want glitter?”

- “I do want glitter,” he murmurs. The sentence has his cheeks heat up. When has he ever wanted glitter?

- Of course you don’t tease him, even if it’s cute.

- After you finish, he isn’t sure how to react. He gives an awkward smile.

- “It would look better on you.”

- While you put away your makeup, it seems everyone decided they needed him for something.

- He honestly forgot he had it on, so he’s confused why Jason is laughing and Dick is trying not to. Damian looks as amused as he can get.

- Bruce, a clueless bypasser, pauses for a moment. He makes an inquisitive hum before he keeps walking.

- You force all of them to apologize and send them on their way. Tim, who is so very embarrassed, gets an extra amount of love from you.

Damian Wayne:

- Damian would stare you down for an unholy amount of time, like you just said the stupidest thing he’s ever heard.

- He’s expecting you to backtrack, to take it back. It is a stupid idea.

- But you’re immune. You give him a soft smile. “Please?”

- He dislikes how easily he gives in. Very, very much.

- He grumbles a lot, insulting you, even as he holds still.

- He lists things you owe him for letting you do this. A lot of them are said just to mess with you.

- At some point, he gets less irritated. It’s only because he’s grown tired of wasting his breath.

- You give him the handheld mirror when you’re done, and he takes a long while to inspect himself. He doesn’t care about the fact that there’s winged eyeliner on his face, he cares that they are uneven.

- He gives you criticism. Actual, somewhat informative criticism.

- “You need to blend outwards, not in.”

- He makes you fix it until there’s no mistakes.

- It’s actually a weird and kind of unbelievable experience for you.

- You are never doing it again—you wanted to have fun, not be reprimanded.

- He still has it on when Alfred calls for dinner.

- They all kind of stare. They’re too confused to comment.

- “Am I high?” Jason whispers quietly.

- The only thing Damian says is, “Can someone pass me the salt?”

doing their nails

geg

GEG!!!!

batboys as things i want to experience + things I think they would say

jason todd

"are you warm enough?"

cuddling while watching movies

wears matching necklaces (if u beg him to)

reading dates

leaves little love letters for you

riding on the back of his bike at night

dick grayson

"want the last bite?"

gives little gifts even just in random occasions

cooks for u while y both yap

watching the sunrise together

takes polaroid pictures together

super touchy all the time u're together

timothy drake

"of course i remember"

comfortable silence while we both work

buys u pretty much anything u want

coffee shop dates

hugs u from behind when he's sleepy

holding hands under the table

likes and reblogs are highly appreciated!

HELLO. Vinny pls with a gf thats clumsy asf and doesnt really care like uh, she can fall off her bike and get wounds and stand back up (with shaking knees) ignoring the pain. And real fucking energetic too like first thing she eats in the morning is candy which gets her riled up and always on the go, shes just real loud okay <33 have fun writing pls

f*cking energetic

tw ; swearing words, chaotic, Vinny is a bit of softie

author's note ; guys! don't forget to follow healthy eating habits, being all energetic with just one candy in the morning is cool, but your organism still need to take an energy from somewhere!! luv ya, thank you for request!!💋💌

╴╴╴╴╴⊹ꮺ˚ ╴╴╴╴╴⊹˚ ╴╴╴╴˚ೃ ╴╴

Vinny wiped the sweat from his forehead, his breathing steady despite the grueling training he’d just pushed through. you, on the other hand, were sprawled out on the grass, limbs splayed out like you’d just been hit by a truck. well, not exactly — your energy never truly disappeared, even after he took you on a night run.

“are you dead or just pretending?” Vinny asked, the slightest smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. he nudged your leg with his foot, but you didn’t even flinch, just groaned.

“i’m a ghost now, sorry. i can’t move. you’ll have to carry my body.”

he sighed, looking down at you with a mixture of mild amusement and something else. concern. not that he’d admit it out loud, but it was there, lingering. he crouched down, poking your cheek, watching as you lazily swatted him away.

“you know,” Vinny started, “i've been thinking. how the hell are you always this energetic, but don’t eat? your body shouldn’t even work at this point. like, do you run on sugar alone? is there a candy factory inside you somewhere?”

you cracked an eye open, squinting up at him through your exhaustion. “candy? no. it’s pure willpower,” you joked, sticking your tongue out for a second. “i’m built different.”

“built different, my ass,” Vinny muttered, running a hand through his hair. “you need to be studied. i should just tie you up and ship you to Juwon. maybe he’ll leave me alone if i offer you up as a peace offering.”

you snorted at the image of Juwon receiving you like some strange mail-order experiment. “he'd send me back with a 'return to sender' label.”

“yeah, probably,” Vinny grumbled, but his tone softened. his eyes flickered over you briefly before he shook his head, as if dismissing the thought. “but seriously, though. you don’t eat right. not enough, at least. i know you're all 'go, go, go,' but you can't survive off that alone.”

your teasing expression faltered for a moment as you noticed the shift in his tone. Vinny never talked about his mom much, but you knew — knew how her health had deteriorated because she neglected herself, pushing through until she couldn't anymore. he didn’t want to see you follow the same path, even if your situation was different.

“i do eat,” you mumbled, rolling over onto your stomach. “just… not always at the same time as you.”

he didn’t buy it. “right. that’s why i’m making sure you eat breakfast with me. every day.”

you groaned dramatically, dragging yourself up to sit cross-legged in front of him. “you're like a strict dad.”

“i’m nothing like a dad.” he flicked you on the forehead, causing you to yelp. “and anyway, i found a solution for all that extra energy of yours.”

you raised a brow, suspicious. “what kind of solution?”

Vinny’s lips quirked up into a smug grin. “you're training with me from now on”

your eyes widened. “w-wait, what? Vinny, i can’t keep up with you on your bike!!”

“too bad,” he said, standing up and stretching out his arms. “you said you had so much energy, right? well, show me.”

you sputtered, trying to come up with an excuse, but the words seemed to get tangled on your tongue. Vinny looked back at you, his expression all too satisfied with himself. he knew exactly what he was doing.

it was such a clear manipulation, but you still eat it.

╴╴╴╴╴⊹ꮺ˚ ╴╴╴╴╴⊹˚ ╴╴╴╴˚ೃ ╴╴

as the day went on, Vinny’s plan worked perfectly. he ran you ragged, pushing you to your limits until even you, with your boundless enthusiasm, were completely drained. by the time you collapsed onto the couch that evening, you were so tired that you didn’t even notice the slight smugness in Vinny’s expression.

he watched you for a moment, arms crossed as you drifted off into an exhausted slumber. you’d been so energetic earlier, bouncing off the walls and barely eating a thing, and now, after hours of keeping up with him on his bike, you were finally still.

Vinny leaned against the back of the couch, looking down at you. the soft rise and fall of your chest told him you were out cold, and he let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. the small bit of worry in his chest eased up just a little. at least for tonight.

and, sure enough, as if his plan had come full circle, the first thing you asked for when you woke up was food. Vinny tried to hide his satisfaction, but you saw the tiny glint of victory in his eyes as he handed you a plate.

“see?” he said, leaning against the kitchen counter. “your body still needs fuel, even if you’re running on sugar and chaos.”

you made a face but dug in anyway, too hungry to argue. Vinny watched, not saying much, but the look in his eyes was clear — mission accomplished. he win.

MASTERLIST

Okay okay okay but like imagine loving Jason and helping him with the stuff that he neglects at home. Like he just doesn't take care of himself and will live off of take out and noodles. Even though he's an excellent cook, he just doesn't cook for himself the way he does for you when he spends the weekend with you. So you make sure his fridge is stocked with ready meals that you cooked for him when he's fully expecting to open it and find a half loaf of moldy bread and a single babybell cheese. Like he goes to grab a shirt from the closet after showering from a particularly rough patrol and he's just like fuck I forgot to do laundry but then turns around to a basket full of folded laundry. Or he makes a mental note in the morning to buy toothpaste and after the longest day ever he gets home and remembers he needed to stop at the store, so when he's thinking he's gonna have to cut the tube open and try to salvage whatever he can for the night, he finds a new tube on the counter and an extra in the drawer. He's just so thankful to have someone double checking him, having his back. Knowing that he's not alone in this.

hi, anon! i am imagining all of this, and i will write it in a cute-sey, demure rambling style for you hehe

it begins with small mercies, the kind you never ask for but somehow find waiting in the quiet.

jason stumbles into his apartment, the weight of the night dragging at his bones, sweat, and grime etched into his skin, the stench of gotham’s streets clinging like a second skin. his body hums with exhaustion, with the memory of fists and bullets, and the kitchen light flickers like an accusation. the fridge, he knows, should be empty—half a loaf of bread with its corners curled in defeat, a forgotten drink that’s long past its prime. but when he opens it, there it is. rows of carefully packed meals lined up like soldiers in their neat containers. fresh. waiting.

your handprints are everywhere.

the meals are seasoned just the way he likes, a balance he never manages when it’s just him. he stares at the containers, a strange tightness rising in his chest. the noise in his head—the endless static of violence, of guilt—quiets, just for a moment. he was prepared for the empty fridge, for the grim prospect of takeout or ramen, but this... this is something else.

he knows it’s you. it has to be.

and then the laundry. after a shower that does little to wash away the night’s filth, he pulls open the closet door, fully expecting to find it empty, clothes scattered across the floor, a pile he’s been too tired, too reckless to care about. but instead, the basket is full—clothes washed, folded, and waiting for him, like a kindness he doesn’t deserve. his breath catches, stuck somewhere between disbelief and something that feels too much like gratitude.

you. always you.

there’s the toothpaste, too. he makes a mental note in the morning; one of those fleeting thoughts he knows will slip through the cracks by the end of the day. he’s spent the whole night in the belly of gotham—the kind of night that leaves you hollowed out and aching. he’s forgotten, of course. forgotten until he’s standing in front of the sink, squeezing the last remnants from the tube, prepared to cut it open and scrape together whatever’s left. but there’s a new one sitting on the counter. and another tucked away in the drawer.

it’s the small things, always the small things.

he’s lived so long by the law of survival, by grit and blood and the ferocity of his own will, that this—your care, your quiet attentions—feels like a foreign language, something he can barely wrap his hands around. you’ve managed to slip into the spaces he’s long neglected, filling the gaps without him asking, without him realizing he even needed it. there’s a simplicity in it that cuts deep, a kindness that feels like a betrayal of the life he’s chosen, the violence he knows.

and yet, when he sees those small acts—the meals, the laundry, the toothpaste—there’s a warmth that spreads slow and thick through him, something he thought he’d forgotten how to feel. you’re there, always there, double-checking him, keeping an eye on the things that would otherwise slip away.

for the first time in a long time, he feels the weight of what it means not to be alone. to know that someone has his back, even when he’s too far gone to ask for it.

and it’s that, more than anything, that undoes him.