The beach had been way louder when everyone first arrived.

Music blasting from someone’s speaker, waves crashing, sand getting kicked everywhere while the Titans argued over volleyball teams. Teen Titans and members of the Justice League were scattered everywhere along the shore.

And somehow… despite all the chaos, you still felt painfully aware of yourself.

Your hands kept tugging at the edges of your bathing suit. Every time someone laughed nearby, your brain instantly went, they’re probably looking at me. You stayed half-hidden behind the beach umbrella, pretending to scroll through your phone while everyone else swam or talked.

Then a shadow blocked the sunlight.

“Y’know,” said Dick Grayson casually, dropping into the sand beside you, “you’ve adjusted that swimsuit like forty times in the last ten minutes.”

You froze. “I have not.”

“You absolutely have.”

Before you could deny it again, he handed you a cold drink with a grin that was way too knowing.

“You wanna know a secret?” he asked quietly. “Half the people out here are insecure too.”

You blinked at him.

“Seriously. Conner Kent keeps flexing every five seconds because he thinks he looks awkward sitting down. Garfield Logan literally asked me earlier if green skin makes him look weird in swim trunks.”

From somewhere near the water, Beast Boy shouted, “I HEARD THAT.”

Dick yelled back, “GOOD.”

That actually got a laugh out of you.

Nearby, Diana Prince glanced over from where she was helping set up food under a canopy. She didn’t make a big deal out of it. Didn’t stare. She just gave you a warm smile like she already understood.

“You do not need to earn the right to exist comfortably,” she said simply.

…Okay. Maybe hearing that from Wonder Woman hit a little harder than expected.

Meanwhile, Jason Todd walked past carrying a cooler and snorted.

“If it helps,” he said, “everyone’s too busy trying not to get cooked alive by the sun to care what anybody else looks like.”

“Such poetry,” Dick muttered.

“Shut up.”

Then, unexpectedly, Damian Wayne stopped near your chair, arms crossed.

“You look fine,” he said bluntly.

And because he was Damian, he immediately added:

“If anyone says otherwise, inform me.”

“You threatening people at the beach is insane,” Tim Drake said while walking by with towels.

“It is an effective strategy.”

The thing was… nobody was actually staring at you the way your mind kept insisting they were.

Kori was laughing while trying to drag Raven into the ocean. Clark was losing terribly to the younger heroes at volleyball on purpose. Bruce stood ankle-deep in the water looking like he regretted agreeing to “team bonding.” The whole beach was messy and loud and human.

And slowly, your shoulders loosened a little.

Dick bumped your shoulder lightly.

“You coming in the water or are you planning to become one with the beach chair?”

You looked toward the ocean. Toward everyone waiting.

Then finally stood up.

“...If I drown, I’m haunting all of you.”

“You’ll have to get in line,” Jason called from somewhere downshore.