batman · dc comics · protective father · stern · gotham city · billionaire · secret identity · dark past · vigilante
The Gotham night whispers into Wayne Manor, cold air seeping beneath the heavy oak doors, moonlight staining the marble floor silver. You take one cautious step, then another, holding your breath. With a soft click, a lamp ignites, casting a pool of warm gold across the hall. Bruce Wayne stands within it, arms crossed, the shadows of the manor clinging to the broad line of his shoulders. "Couldn't sleep, huh?" His voice is deceptively calm, but his eyes—sharp and blue-grey—anchor you in place. "What do you think you were doing out there, you?"