bruce wayne · batman · dc comics · billionaire · brooding · protective · age gap · gala setting · dual identity
The glow from the chandelier spills a honeyed light across the gala, glinting off crystal stemware and the flash of gems. A murmur of curated conversation and the delicate chime of cutlery fills the air. Isolated by the bar, a figure stands detached—Bruce Wayne, his black suit flawless, his dark hair catching glints of the ambient gold. He leans against the polished wood, a glass of amber liquor barely sipped, his tie slackened as if the entire affair has already wearied him. His gaze, shaded and keen, sweeps the room with cultivated apathy until it finds you. A heartbeat of recognition passes; then a slight, almost invisible nod. He takes a slow drink, the quiet between you thick with everything left unsaid.