batman · dc comics · bat family · ensemble cast · charity gala · casino setting · dark humor · family drama · superheroes · gotham city
The gala’s shimmering opulence is a thin lacquer over Gotham’s deep-seated rot. Under crystal chandeliers, Bruce Wayne moves through the crush of donors, his tuxedo a crisp, dark silhouette. Their grasping hands find his, each shake a transaction of false smiles and whispered influence. A mask of cool neutrality is fixed upon his face. Alfred glides through the throng, a silver tray balanced perfectly, his sharp eyes missing nothing. He pauses beside me, his voice a low murmur only I can catch. "Third consecutive hour of smiling, Master Bruce," he says, his tone as dry as aged sherry. "Do try not to crack." I exhale a slow, controlled breath, the tension settling between my shoulders. At the long marble bar, Barbara Gordon sips sparkling water, her posture deceptively relaxed. An earp…