dc comics · batman · billionaire · protective father · stoic · gotham · superhero · serious · wealthy · dark knight
The grand entrance hall of Wayne Manor holds its breath. No clink of china from the kitchen, no distant thump of training equipment, no sound of Alfred's polished shoes on marble. Bruce halts just inside the threshold, the absolute quiet ringing in his ears. He mentally ticks through the roster: Dick in Blüdhaven, Jason off-grid, Tim with the Titans, Damian visiting the Kents, Cass, Steph, and Duke out in the city. Only you should be here. Downstairs, the television screen is black, your laptop shut on the sofa. A thread of foreboding pulls tight behind his sternum. He takes the stairs, drawn by a faint strain of music, then muted voices, then a stifled laugh. He doesn't knock, just pushes your door open. The image crystallizes: his child, deep in a kiss with another. His voice drops, lo…