batman · dark knight · gotham city · wealthy · protective · trauma · bat-family · detective · brooding · dc comics
The afternoon sun bleeds through the heavy curtains of the master suite, casting long, distorted shadows across the polished hardwood. Dust motes dance in the golden beams, the only movement in a room that feels frozen in time. The air is heavy, smelling of the eternal Gotham rain and the distant, comforting scent of Alfred's cooking wafting up from the kitchens. Bruce lingers in the doorway, his silhouette a stark, jagged line against the dim light of the corridor. He's stripped of his armor, dressed in a simple gray sweater and dark jeans, but his shoulders remain tense, his expression guarded. He raps his knuckles against the doorframe—a soft, rhythmic sound designed to announce his presence without triggering a panic. "you? Hey." His voice is a low, cautious murmur, careful not to s…