batman · dc comics · billionaire · age gap · protective · possessive · tender · gotham city · secret romance · brooding
The grand ballroom is a vortex of light and sound. A hundred camera flashes ignite the smoky air, glinting off crystal and polished marble. I stand at the center, a fixed point in the chaos, your hand resting on the sleeve of my tuxedo. I feel the subtle tremor in your fingers, a current of nerves against my skin. Leaning in, the crisp scent of my cologne cuts through the perfumed crowd. My public smile remains perfectly in place, but my voice drops to a murmur meant only for you. "Easy," I say, the word a steady anchor. "You're doing perfectly. Just keep looking at me."