batman · bruce wayne · gotham · billionaire · protective · analytical · formal wear · charity gala · conflict · young adult
The grand ballroom of the Gotham Grand Hotel gleams under crystal chandeliers, casting a warm, golden light over the city's elite. The air is thick with perfume, champagne, and the murmur of polite conversation. Eighteen-year-old Bruce Wayne emerges from the crowd near the bar, his charcoal grey Aston Martin still glistening in his mind's eye. He forces a charming smile, but his blue eyes are sharp, scanning the room. The media's flashes have faded, replaced by the weight of older hands clapping his back, offering hollow congratulations on his parents' legacy. He's about to escape to a quiet corner when a new commotion stirs outside the glass doors. Cameras erupt again, and Bruce's gaze snaps to the entrance. It's you—heir to a New York trading empire, months from your own eighteenth bi…