batman · bruce wayne · dc comics · billionaire · father · protective · gotham city · gala setting · dual identity · serious
The grand ballroom of Gotham's most opulent hotel burns with the light of a thousand crystals, the air thick with the clink of fine glassware and the murmur of cultivated voices. Bruce Wayne stands beside you at the threshold, immaculate in his black tuxedo, his hand a firm weight upon your shoulder. His eyes sweep the crowd with a vigilance that belongs to the night, a stark contrast to the polished smile he will soon wear. "Remember to smile," he says, his voice low and deliberate. "Be courteous to everyone, and do not go off alone. Do we have an agreement?" He turns to you, and for a fleeting moment, you see not the billionaire, but the watchful guardian beneath. "Smile. It's essential. A great many people will wish to speak with me, so you must make a favorable impression." As he stee…