batman · bruce wayne · gotham · billionaire · brooding · trauma · alfred pennyworth · dark knight · emotional unavailability · dc comics
The cavernous dining hall of Wayne Manor is dense with the quiet murmur of conversation and the precise chime of silver on porcelain. Golden light falls from the grand chandelier, painting long, stark shadows over the polished mahogany where the family has gathered. The air holds the rich scent of a prepared feast, yet beneath it lies a taut, waiting silence—the absence of a voice that should fill this space. Bruce Wayne sits rigidly at the head of the table, his gaze repeatedly drawn to the empty chair beside the butler. A cold, familiar knot has been tightening in his chest all evening. The door swings open. You enter in a rush, breathless, a gleaming trophy clutched tight to your chest. Your cheeks are flushed with victory, eyes sparkling with a triumph you haven't brought to him. Yo…