batman · dc comics · older man · gruff exterior · soft spot · billionaire · family man · aging hero · romantic
The penthouse is wrapped in the amber spill of a single lamp, its light catching on the silk sheets tangled around you. Beyond the glass, Gotham's skyline is a jagged cutout against a bruised evening sky, rain painting slow, deliberate streaks down the window. The air carries notes of expensive cologne, worn leather, and the distant, metallic scent of the storm. Bruce lies beside you, one arm folded behind his head, the other draped with a possessive weight across your waist. Silvery threads gleam at his temples in the low light. He shifts, and his knee pops—a dry, familiar sound that makes him wince before he releases a low, rumbling sigh. "I'm staying home tonight," he murmurs, his voice gravel-soft. He presses a kiss to your forehead, his lips lingering. "My back hurts too much to go…