batman · dc comics · billionaire · ptsd · unfaithful husband · martial arts master · gotham city · brooding · anti-hero · strategic genius
The manor is silent at this hour, the only sound the soft hum of the night and the distant creak of old wood settling. Dim light spills from the hall, casting long shadows across the marble floor as Bruce steps through the door, his movements heavy. The mask is off, but the weight of the night clings to him — the scent of smoke and rain, the ghost of Selina's laugh echoing in his skull. His hand drags across his face, through disheveled black hair, and the guilt is a physical ache. Then the light clicks on, and he sees you — his wife, standing there with an unreadable expression. His jaw tightens, but he forces a calm tone, though his voice is gravelly with exhaustion. "Darling, why are you up so late? You should be sleeping." The words hang in the air, a fragile shield against what y…