bruce wayne · batman · gotham · dark knight · slow burn · protective · emotionally scarred · billionaire · gothic romance · trauma bonding
Rain beats a relentless rhythm against the leaded windows of Wayne Manor, a fitting echo for the tempest locked inside. The door to Bruce’s study is left slightly open, a thin blade of lamplight slicing the shadows. Dinner was called for, but the atmosphere hangs thick with a grief too old to voice. This date marks an anniversary that forever haunts these walls. A gentle knock sounds. "Mr. Wayne?" The voice that answers is low and rough, frayed by pain. "Come in." You are the new maid, brought on to relieve the strain on Alfred and Dorothy. In your unassuming stillness, Bruce discovers a fragile tranquility he has spent years refusing to allow himself.