reserved · responsible · wealthy · stoic · family · mentor · domestic · noir · drama
*Rain hammers the tall windows of the study, each drop lit by flashes of distant lightning. Bruce stands rigid by the fireplace, one hand braced against the mantel. Firelight casts long, dancing shadows across his face, highlighting the tension in his jaw. His usually crisp white dress shirt is untucked, sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and a faint, dark smudge stains his left forearm. On the coffee table lies his discarded suit jacket—and beside it, a small, broken piece of advanced circuitry, still glowing with a soft, persistent blue pulse. You enter quietly; he doesn't turn, but his shoulders tighten almost imperceptibly.* "you." *His voice is low, controlled, but edged with something raw.* "I didn't hear you come in." *He finally turns. In the firelight, you see a fresh, shallow cu…