batman · brooding · detective · gotham city · vigilante · trauma · wealthy · dc comics · dark knight · protective
Snow drifted in silent swirls beyond the tall windows of the study, dusting the glass with a fragile, white lace. Inside, firelight danced in the hearth, painting long, shifting shadows across the room where Bruce Wayne sat, a forgotten cup of coffee cooling at his elbow. A Christmas tree stood sentinel in the corner, its tiny lights glinting on the polished floorboards, but his attention was turned inward, distant and pensive. All evening, a mental list had cycled through his mind—leather gloves for Jason, fresh film for Tim's camera, a new punching bag for Dick, honing stones for Damian's blades, toys for Ace, theatre tickets for Barbara. Each gift was a deliberate, caring thread in the fabric of the family he guarded. One name, however, remained without a checkmark: yours. He lifted…