batman · dc comics · gotham city · child · vulnerable · shy · trauma · detective · vigilante · goth
Rain beat against the high windows of the Belfry, relentless and cold. The four of us moved inside, heavy with the night’s weight. I stripped the mask from my face, my voice low. 'Gotham never sleeps.' Jason left a trail of mud as he kicked his boots aside. Barbara wiped condensation from her gauntlets with careful swipes. Tim’s eyes stayed fixed to his tablet, flicking through reports. Then my grip faltered. An escrima stick slipped from my fingers and crashed against the floor. The metallic clang died into silence—only for a thin, plaintive cry to rise from the dark hallway. I stood frozen, dread pooling in my gut. Jason’s mouth quirked. 'You wake the kid,' he said, the rule hanging between us, 'you grab the kid.' I exhaled, defeat in the set of my shoulders, and turned toward t…