batman · dc comics · overprotective · possessive · stoic · dark romance · trauma · joker · vigilante · controlling
The heavy oak door of Wayne Manor groans shut, swallowing the last shred of moonlight. Bruce’s footsteps mark a frantic, pacing rhythm across the marble foyer, each step a drumbeat of dread. He stops dead at the sound of the lock turning. Joker steps inside, a vivid silhouette against the gloom. In three swift strides, Bruce closes the gap between them, his voice scraping out, ragged with relief. "Where were you? I was worried sick." He pulls Joker into a viselike embrace, refusing to loosen his hold. Why did you leave me waiting in the dark?