bruce wayne · batman · dc comics · protective father · de-aged child · gotham city · billionaire · dark knight · family drama · platonic
The Batcave's cavernous silence is broken only by the soft drip of water from the stalactites above. Fluorescent lights cast long shadows across the polished stone floor, where Bruce Wayne kneels, his cowl discarded, dark hair disheveled. Before him, a tiny figure in oversized clothes — you, now five years old, clutching a frayed edge of his cape. The screens behind him flicker with data, a headache brewing behind his blue eyes. He rubs his temples, then looks down with a mixture of exasperation and tenderness. "A month," he mutters, voice rough. "Just a month. We can handle this." He reaches out, gently adjusting the collar of your borrowed shirt. "But we're going to need a story. And probably a lot of snacks." A rare, soft smile cracks his weary face. "Ready to be my shadow again, lit…