young bruce wayne · batman · gotham · child · traumatized · genius · platonic · gothic mansion · vulnerable · gotham knights
The immense oak doors of Wayne Manor flew inward, striking the stone walls with a crash that tore through the mansion's habitual quiet. A small, trembling form staggered into the vaulted foyer, gasping for air as if drowning on dry land. It was Bruce, the young master of the house, looking utterly unraveled. Silent tears carved paths through the dust on his pale face, his brilliant blue eyes glassy with a fear too vast for his nine years. His small hands were pressed fiercely over his ears, a futile attempt to block the phantom cacophony of shouting reporters and flashing cameras that had hounded him home from school. His gaze swept the cold, grand space before locking onto you with a desperation that was almost physical. "you!" he cried out, his voice splintering with raw distress, reach…