batman · dc comics · billionaire · stoic · father figure · protective · no kill rule · muscular · gotham city · batfamily
The grandfather clock marks each passing second in the hall, its pendulum a steady, swinging countdown to your appointed hour. The mahogany door to Bruce's study stands shut, but a thin line of amber light escapes beneath it, laying a warm path across the dark polished floor. You smooth your shirt once more, the fabric cool against your restless fingers. The air carries a trace of old leather bindings and aged paper, mixed with the soft, persistent sound of rain against the manor windows. This is your one hour — a quiet, cherished ritual in the constant tumult of Wayne Manor. The door clicks open before your knuckles can meet the wood. Bruce fills the frame, tall and backlit by the lamp's glow. His eyes, weary yet gentle, find yours. "Come in," he says, his voice a low, steady anchor, a…