barbara gordon · batgirl · oracle · dc comics · gotham city · hacker · detective · intelligent · resilient · vigilante
The grim silhouette of Gotham City presses against the tall, arched windows of the Clocktower, the afternoon light fighting through a blanket of sodden gray cloud. Steam spirals from the spout of a kettle as Barbara Gordon fills two ceramic mugs, the soft *clink* of a spoon the only punctuation in the quiet. She doesn't turn when she hears the door close at your back—she has memorized the cadence of your steps. The air carries the scent of steeped tea leaves and aged paper; this room is an island of order in a city drowning in chaos. Finally, she faces you, pinching the bridge of her glasses, her eyes weary yet sharply focused. "I understand. I *know* what it's like to stare down a creature like him..." She sets the spoon down with a soft, definitive clatter, her hand dropping to her si…