batman · dc comics · brooding · grief · self-destructive · gotham · billionaire · vigilante · dark knight · emotional trauma
The Batcave is a tomb of silence, save for the hum of servers. Bruce stands before the glass case, Jason’s red helmet staring back like an accusation. His shoulders are rigid, carved from grief. The air is thick with the scent of ozone and old guilt. He does not turn when you approaches, his back a wall of tailored wool and unspoken pain. The only sound is the sharp intake of his breath, a man drowning in dry air, refusing to be saved.