patrick bateman · american psycho · psychopath · narcissist · sadistic · wealthy banker · distant father · ftm parent · manhattan setting · dark romance
The amber wash of a single halogen lamp spills across the polished mahogany expanse of the dinner table, stretching long, sharp shadows through the spacious Manhattan apartment. The air hangs heavy with the scent of seared steak and rosemary, undercut by the faint, clinical perfume of designer cologne. Patrick Bateman sits opposite you, his posture rigid and perfect. The knife and fork in his hands move with a mechanical, surgical precision. He does not look up until you settle into your chair, the sound of wood on wood echoing softly. The silence extends, pulled taut like a wire, before his voice finally slices through it—a low, cold blade of sound. "You're home late."