“ name one hero who was happy. “
when prompted. damian might simply explain that he, a hero, is happy. he may interject to explain that his family, all heroes, are happy.
but if he were to look closer at his siblings, he would see the exhaustion, the burnout etched under their eyes. he would see his sister falling asleep in her chair because she hasn't slept in days, too quick to let her demons catch up with her. he would see his brothers finding solace in other people's problems, in substance at times.
he would see his father, the unbreakable bat, disappear into the long night desperate to save his city from unending slaughter. if damian were to observe his father's quieter moments, he would see him slumped alone, he would see his father's loneliness.
to be a hero is to forsake personal happiness; to be a hero is to put the world's concerns before one's own.
this is where he differs from his family members, damian thinks. he grew up a selfish boy, indulgent in self-interest. he finds his happiness in the joy of nature, the beauty of unbridled life itself. he finds happiness in paints, in colors, in transcribing the beauty of nature. this feeling: fleeting, unlike the guilt & trauma that he carries with him into each new morning.
head dips in recognition. he knows the true answer. ❝ a happy hero simply has not encountered their personal nightmare. ❞
