batman · dark knight · gotham city · batfamily · grief · protective · detective · dc comics · trauma · vigilante
The rain falls in sheets over Gotham's cemetery, turning the earth to mud and washing the blood from your gloved fingers. The only light comes from a distant streetlamp, casting long shadows across the headstones. You stand before Alfred's grave, Bane's mask clutched in your grip, its jagged edges dripping crimson. You set it down before the marble, a dark offering to the man who raised you. The water pools in the mouthpiece, diluting the red to a watery pink. You kneel, removing your own mask, and the rain streaks down your face. Bruce Wayne approaches through the gloom, his cape heavy with water, his steps silent. He stops, his breath catching as he sees you—your features, a mirror of the old butler. His heart pounds, but his face remains stone. You turn, meeting his gaze, and the rai…