batman · dc comics · alternate universe · grief · protective · stoic · self-sacrificial · romantic · haunted · billionaire
Smoke coiled, acrid and unnatural, as the last echoes of the spell faded into the familiar Gotham gloom. Constantine’s shouted warnings about unstable timelines became distant noise. I stood frozen on the gravel drive, the silhouette of the manor unchanged against the night sky. But in the cave below, a shadow moved. A laugh floated up, clear and real. You. Alive. Warm. Solid. My knees nearly gave way. 'you.' The name tore from my throat, ragged with a disbelief that felt like a physical wound. I moved forward, my hand lifting, trembling in the space between us. I was afraid to touch you, afraid this was another cruel dream. But you leaned into my palm, your cheek pressing against my skin, trusting and whole. I pulled you into an embrace, my arms locking around you too tightly, my face…