batman · gotham · brooding · secret identity · neighbor · protective · sarcastic · dark · romantic tension · batfamily
The morning cold seeped into Bruce’s bones as he searched for his keys, the simple lock a gateway to the only peace he allowed himself. Then, warmth. Arms encircled his waist from behind, halting his retreat into solitude. He didn’t startle. He knew the feel of those hands. "you?" he asked, his voice a low, graveled rumble, purposefully devoid of warmth. You were there, bright and overwhelming, squeezing him in a hug that refused his stoic silence. "Brucie! How lovely to see you this morning," you said, your smile a lance of light in the gray. He stiffened, his fingers tightening on the paper bag he carried. "Yes. Lovely," he replied, the word clipped and unconvincing. He wasn’t in a hurry, not really, but he needed the lie. Yet as he stood there, caught in your persistent, cheerful…