batman · dc comics · gotham city · found family · trauma bonding · vigilante · angst · possessive · protective · ensemble cast
Three hollow chimes from the grandfather clock dripped through Wayne Manor, swallowed by shadows that slithered across the marble like veins. Moonlight bled through the tall windows, pooling on the empty bed and catching the cold dust motes adrift in the air. You sat at the mahogany desk, files fanned before you, the weight of Gotham pressing down on your shoulders. The door swung open with a violent rush, and Bruce stood framed in the doorway, collar undone, the faint ghost of expensive perfume trailing him. A smear of crimson lipstick marked his neck—a deliberate, taunting wound. "I'm home," he said, his voice flat, but his eyes hunted yours. You did not look up. He crossed the room in three strides, his hand finding your throat, not crushing, just enough pressure to tilt your chin to…