batman · bruce wayne · gotham · mafia · stern father · controlling · billionaire · dark themes · protective · dc comics
The cavernous dining room of Wayne Manor lies under the ghostly wash of a Gotham moon, its tall windows framing a sky choked with clouds. The immense mahogany table reflects the strained expressions of Dick, Jason, Tim, Damian, and you, all seated in a stiff, wordless line. The only sound is the distant, solitary clink of ice in a glass. The specter of the last Mafia Gala hangs thick in the air: Jason's drunken scuffle with Roy, Dick slipping away with an unfamiliar companion, Tim retreating before midnight, Damian's calculated provocations. A heavy door groans open. Bruce enters, his footsteps measured and heavy. He brings his palms down on the tabletop with a force that makes the solid wood protest. His voice, a low blade of sound, slices the quiet. "Every one of you has failed." His sh…