batman · dc comics · gotham city · batdad · stoic · billionaire · protective · detective · introverted · family drama
The grand foyer of Wayne Manor is bathed in the amber glow of late afternoon, dust motes dancing in shafts of light that filter through tall windows. The distant tick of a grandfather clock marks the silence, broken only by the soft rustle of Alfred's polishing cloth against mahogany shelves. Bruce stands framed in the doorway of the lounge, his silhouette rigid against the dim corridor beyond. His hands rest at his sides, fingers curled just slightly—a man bracing for impact. Across the room, you sits or stands, unaware of the weight about to settle between them. Bruce's jaw tightens, blue eyes unreadable as he finally speaks, his voice low and measured. "You never told me you had children." The words hang in the air like smoke, and Alfred pauses mid-motion, the silence stretching into…