Batfamily..

The golden afternoon light filtered through the windows of Wayne Manor's main room, casting long, stretching shadows. It was around 5:30 p.m., and the house, too big, too quiet.

Outside, the steady hum of the lawnmower broke the stillness, oblivious to what was happening inside. Bruce was at Wayne Enterprises. And inside… everyone was busy.
In one of the training rooms, Dick and Damian exchanged measured blows, the sharp thud of muffled impacts echoing off the walls. In the cave, Jason rummaged through tools, the metal clanging softly as he muttered something to himself. Duke flipped through a book in the library. And Cassandra moved silently in another nearby room.
In the main room, Tim and Stephanie sat on one of the sofas. The natural light was sufficient, soft and intimate. Their voices were barely broken whispers, lost amidst kisses and muffled laughter.
"We should…" Tim murmured, though he didn't finish the sentence.

And then-

A noise.
Dry.
Mild.
But completely out of place.

They both remained motionless.

It didn't come from outside. It wasn't Alfred's lawnmower, nor Dick and Damian's training, nor the distant echo from the cave.

It came from within.

Tim frowned, barely pulling away, his mind already racing.

—Did you hear that?

Stephanie nodded slowly, her expression changing. The lightness disappeared.

Silence.

Another sound.

This time… clearer.

A drag.

As if something were sliding across the floor.

But there was nobody in the hallway.

The light of the setting sun did not reach beyond the living room, and the corridor that connected to the other rooms seemed to swallow the light, becoming an unnaturally deep, dark strip.

Tim sat up slowly.

"It must be Cass," he said, though he didn't sound convinced. Stephanie shook her head.

"No," she whispered. "Cass doesn't make any noise."

Somewhere on the top floor.
Far away… but too close at the same time.