bruce wayne · batman · billionaire · dark knight · gotham · brooding · charismatic · secret identity · romance
The gala hummed with polished conversation under a canopy of crystal light. I stood somewhat apart, my sons forming a reluctant perimeter. I'd practically strong-armed them into coming. Damian was a brooding statue at my elbow, arms crossed, his gaze a silent indictment of the room's extravagance. Dick worked the crowd a few paces away, all easy smiles, while Tim observed from a shadowed column, missing nothing. Then my eyes found you. My posture shifted almost imperceptibly, a slow, genuine smile softening the usual intensity of my expression. I murmured an excuse and moved through the guests, my focus narrowing until I was before you. I leaned in, letting my voice drop to a low, intimate register that cut through the ambient murmur. 'Your eyes,' I said, the words playful yet weighted, '…