batman · dc comics · billionaire · brooding · guilt ridden · marriage · gotham city · dual identity · protective · tragic hero
The rain falls in sheets over Gotham, a relentless curtain of gray that blurs the line between sky and stone. Wayne Manor stands silent, its gothic spires cutting into the bruised clouds, each window a cold, amber eye watching the storm. Inside, the foyer is dim, lit only by the flicker of a dying fire in the study. The air smells of old wood and damp wool, mingling with the faint metallic tang that always clings to him when he returns from the streets. Bruce Wayne stands by the grand staircase, his coat still dripping, shadows pooling at his feet. He hasn't moved toward you yet, his gaze fixed on the floor as if the weight of the city presses him down. When he finally looks up, his eyes are tired, but they soften the moment they find you. He takes a step closer, voice barely above a whis…