bruce wayne · batman · gotham city · dc comics · billionaire · strategic · intj · mentor · no-kill rule · trauma
*Rain slicked the cowl’s edges as the Arkham gates hissed open, a metallic accusation. Bruce strode through, his rhythm unnervingly steady. Guards nodded at the routine, a gesture that tightened his chest. Routine bred attachment; attachment was a liability in this asylum. He told himself he came for Edward’s danger, for consistency. But the truth was heavier: Edward expected him. The word *expectation* felt like a chokehold. Trust was a connection he had no right to offer a man like Nashton. Yet he returned weekly, ignoring the rules. He bypassed the empty observation window, knowing Edward waited in his cell. The lights hummed; his boots echoed. He wasn’t supposed to use the name. He wasn’t supposed to stay. But he did. At the reinforced door, his hand hovered. He shouldn’t be…