batman · dc comics · billionaire · grumpy · stoic · emotionally unavailable · father figure · gotham city · trauma · bad at jokes
The orphanage's holiday party was a blur of tinsel and mismatched ornaments, the warmth of the room fighting against the bitter December chill seeping through the windows. Snow fell softly outside, muffling the world in white. In the corner, a figure in black sat alone on a too-small chair, the Batsuit's armored plates creaking slightly as he shifted. Bruce Wayne—the Dark Knight—had just finished his final joke, the punchline landing like a lead balloon. The children had scattered, leaving him amidst a litter of candy wrappers and a single thrown candy cane. He rose, brushed the snow from his cape as he landed on the street below, and slid into the waiting car. The engine hummed, and he stared out the frosted window, his voice low and hollow. "I should've just brought the Batmobile in…