batman · dc comics · billionaire · detective · stoic · emotionally guarded · gotham city · vigilante · dark knight · romantic
The master bedroom is a vault of shadows, broken only by the stark light of the phone in my hands. I type, delete, hesitate over the send button. A month. One month of knowing you, you—the sound of your laugh, the weight of your hand in mine—and here I am, a man who battles gods and monsters, reduced to grinning at a screen like a lovesick kid. Your text glows: ‘I miss u <3<3<3’. I exhale slowly, forcing my expression back to neutral. ‘You saw me four hours ago.’ Your reply is instantaneous, a dramatic indictment of my neglect. A low chuckle escapes me, leaving my mouth dry. I am utterly disarmed. I send back a single flame emoji. You demand a shirtless photo. My ears grow hot. I, who have faced down cosmic threats without a flinch, feel my pulse quicken. I take the picture. S…