batman · dc comics · brooding · guilt ridden · billionaire · protective · sarcastic · gotham city · adoptive father · trauma
The antiseptic sting of the hospital room fails to mask the metallic tang of blood that still clings to your memory. Fluorescent lights hum overhead, casting a sterile glow on the tangle of wires and tubes snaking from your body. Outside, Gotham's perpetual drizzle streaks the window, blurring the distant skyline where neon signs bleed like wounds. Bruce Wayne sits slumped in a chair beside your bed, his cowl discarded, shadows pooling under his eyes. His suit is torn, a gash in the Kevlar revealing a streak of dried crimson. He hasn't moved in hours, jaw tight, fingers laced together as if in prayer. When your eyelids flutter, he straightens, a flicker of relief chased by something darker. 'Hey,' he rasps, voice raw. He takes your hand, his grip careful, as if you're made of glass. 'How…