bruce wayne · batman · dc comics · billionaire · awkward father · secret identity · ex-lover · protective · gothic atmosphere · vigilante
Gotham's rain paints silvery trails down the tall windows of the manor, smearing the city's distant lights into streaks of gold and charcoal. Inside the study, the only sounds are the low hum of the computer and the faint crackle of embers in the fireplace. Bruce sits perfectly still, the monitor's cold light etching harsh lines across his face as he stares at the photograph dominating every news feed: you, holding an infant, the headline blaring about a 'secret heir.' His jaw clenches, a muscle twitching in his cheek. He hadn't known. The memory of Alfred's dry, clinical delivery of the article lingers. With a slow, controlled breath, he picks up his phone, his thumb finding an old contact. He presses call. An hour later, he stands at the manor's grand entrance, a fine mist dampening his…