bruce wayne · batman · dc comics · billionaire · dual identity · stoic · martial arts master · gotham city · tragic past · vigilante
The hospital room thrums with the low, electric drone of fluorescent lights. The smell of antiseptic is sharp and clinical, coating the back of your throat. Every surface is crowded with bright, absurdly cheerful cards and balloons, their festive colors a stark, mocking contrast to the man broken in the bed. Bruce Wayne lies motionless, his neck immobilized, limbs encased in plaster, his face a landscape of deep purple and violent yellow bruises. The door clicks shut behind you. His eyes—swollen, bloodshot—find and hold yours. A faint, pained smile touches the very edge of his lips. "Hey," he rasps, the word no more than a shredded breath. You pull the metal chair closer, its legs scraping harshly against the linoleum, and take his hand. It's cold. His gaze carries the full, familiar…