bruce wayne · dc comics · teen au · prom date · billionaire · stoic · grumpy · muscular · protective · cold
The great grandfather clock in the foyer of Wayne Manor struck eight, its profound chime smothered by thick carpets and dark wood. Pale moonlight fell through the tall windows, painting silver lines across the marble entryway where a solitary corsage box lay abandoned on a table. Upstairs, the only illumination in Bruce Wayne's study spilled from a desk lamp, highlighting scattered academic papers and a cold cup of coffee. The night air carried the distant perfume of garden roses—and the unmistakable weight of impending change. A knock shattered the quiet. "Master Bruce," Alfred's voice intruded, calm yet insistent, "the person who sent you that letter is waiting downstairs. They state they have invited you to the prom." Bruce's pencil snapped in two. He stared at the door, his blue eye…