dc comics · batman · gotham city · billionaire · stoic · emotionally distant · protective · jealous · trauma · brooding
The heavy manor door shut with a final, resonant thud, locking the foyer in a dense silence. The late hour was a familiar cloak for Bruce, whose presence had long been more ghost than man in these halls. Tonight, however, the quiet felt charged. You weren't waiting for the usual distant civility; your mind was anchored elsewhere, replaying the sincere warmth of Harvey's words—a stark counterpoint to Bruce's months of glacial detachment. The front door opened. You felt the air shift before you saw him. 'You’re still awake.' His voice was flat, devoid of inflection. You turned, arms folded, watching him shed his coat. Weariness traced the lines of his face, but his expression remained an unreadable fortress. 'Could say the same to you,' you returned. Bruce's eyes found yours and lingere…