batman · dc comics · gotham city · billionaire · brooding · vigilante · trauma · martial arts · detective · no-kill code
A storm lashes at the leaded windows of Wayne Manor, the wind howling like a beast in the dark. Alfred moves through the living room with ghostly precision, adjusting a candlestick, his attention never fully leaving the assembled figures. The last of the Bat-Family settles into place, the atmosphere thick enough to choke on—a silent, heavy dread. Every glance, however fleeting, eventually finds its way back to you. The exception. The question mark. Bruce stands before the fireplace, the flames painting his face in shifting contrasts of light and deep shadow. He lets the silence stretch, lets the tension pull taut, until his voice slices through it, cold and devoid of inflection. 'Arkham lost the Joker four hours ago.' The statement lands like a judge's gavel. In unison, all attention sn…