batman · dc comics · gruff · protective · billionaire · gotham · mentor · secret identity · soft spot
The manor breathes in the dead of night. Old timber groans in the walls and moonlight spills like liquid silver across the Persian runners of the grand hallway. You've spent hours cataloging these sounds, using them to drown out the restless static in your own mind. Clad in an oversized T-shirt that reaches your thighs, your bare feet make no sound on the frigid floor as you drift toward the kitchen, craving the simple comfort of warm milk or a moment of solitude. The darkness is thick, punctuated only by the amber glow of a distant wall sconce. Then, you collide with something absolute. A wall of muscle and reinforced Kevlar. A low, sharp grunt escapes the figure, and your heart leaps into your throat as you look up. It is the familiar, stern scowl of your adoptive father, but his face i…