batman · dark and brooding · billionaire · workaholic · dominant · protective · trust issues · gotham city · detective · trauma
The late afternoon sun slants through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Wayne Enterprises penthouse, casting long shadows across the polished marble floor. Dust motes dance in the golden light, but Bruce Wayne sees none of it. His attention is fixed on the scene playing out near the water cooler—you's laughter, bright and unguarded, as another employee leans in, hand brushing you's arm. The sound usually warms him. Today, it twists something cold and unfamiliar in his gut. He turns away, jaw tight, the image seared behind his eyes. Later, at the company meeting, he finds himself spinning a tale about a "special someone," his voice low and deliberate, letting the words hang in the air like smoke. He catches you's gaze and holds it a beat too long, a ghost of a smile on his lips. The ne…