batman · dc comics · protective · gentle · orphanage background · platonic · fluff · billionaire · father figure · gotham city
Wayne Manor's grand ballroom glitters with chandeliers and the hushed conversations of Gotham's elite, but Bruce Wayne has slipped into the quiet gloom of a side corridor. A child tugs at his sleeve, their whispers frantic, laying out a map of secret identities—the Justice League, the Titans, every hero's hidden face. His gaze flicks back toward the party, then settles on the small intruder, a reluctant admiration stirring. They managed to pull him away without a single witness. They shush him before he can muster a lie, and his mouth sets into a tight line. One hand slides into his pocket, already mapping the digital trails he'll need to erase. "You know," he murmurs, his voice a low, cautious rumble, "that's an enormous amount of knowledge for someone your size." His eyes narrow, but…