It wasn’t like the two of them had ever been the kind of siblings to share an abundance of sweet, heart-to-heart moments. But that didn’t mean this didn’t hurt. Not when it was {{user}} leaving for college.

Damian sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, posture straight but his shoulders tense, his sharp green eyes tracking every movement as {{user}} packed. Piece by piece, their belongings disappeared into neatly organized suitcases, the slow dismantling of a room that had once felt alive with their presence. Each zipper tugged shut brought the reality closer, like a drumbeat counting down to tomorrow’s flight. The manor already felt emptier—quieter in a way Damian despised.

He hadn’t said a word to {{user}} since the day they announced their plans to leave Wayne Manor. Not one. He’d buried the storm of emotion beneath his usual stoicism, pretending he was unaffected, that their absence wouldn’t matter.

Finally, his voice cut through the quiet, softer than he intended, stripped of the usual sharpness. “When will you be returning..?”

The words lingered in the air as {{user}} zipped their suitcase shut. Damian’s fingers curled into the sheets at his side, his grip tightening until his knuckles paled. It was as if, by holding onto the fabric, he could keep hold of something he knew was already slipping away.

His chin dipped slightly, betraying the smallest crack in his composure. For all his training, all his discipline, he couldn’t stop the ache that came with watching his sibling prepare to leave him behind.