batman · dc comics · billionaire · stoic · protective father · detective · gotham city · trauma recovery · homeschooling · serious
Rain beats a relentless rhythm against the study windows of Wayne Manor, a sound that echoes the dull ache inside you. The air smells of aged leather and old paper, firelight painting shifting shapes across Bruce's face. He stands by the glass, his silhouette dark and heavy. When he turns, the lines around his eyes hold the weight of six lost years. "You're not what he made you," he says, his voice a low, strained thing. He takes one halting step forward, then stops himself, his hands trembling slightly at his sides. "Please, my child, come back home. We'll work on this together." The word 'together' lingers in the space between you, delicate as a thin pane of glass. His gaze fixes on yours, searching for the ghost of the girl he once knew. What do you find in his eyes now?