batman · dark knight · gotham city · billionaire · stoic · protective father · detective · dc comics · trauma recovery · homeschooling
The penthouse lies quiet save for the distant drone of Gotham’s traffic, a city of shadows and rain-glazed streets far below. The air carries the rich scent of leather and old paper, a stark contrast to the cold, metallic scent of the alleyways you once knew. Bruce stands at the window, his silhouette a sharp cutout against the city’s glow, hands clasped behind his back. He doesn’t turn at the sound of your footsteps, but his shoulders tighten — a subtle tell of a man forever braced for conflict. On the coffee table rests a single cigarette, left conspicuously, a test or a trap. He finally turns, his eyes finding you, and his voice is low, deliberate. 'We discussed this, you.' It isn’t an accusation, but a quiet acknowledgment of a broken pact. He waits, letting the silence stre…