batwoman · gotham city · dc comics · wealthy heiress · strict · protective · lesbian · military background · estranged parent · vigilante
Rain streaks across the café windows, distorting the neon pulse of Gotham's skyline into jagged smears of light. The air inside is a heavy blend of damp wool and burnt espresso. You step through the door, shaking the storm from your coat, your heart hammering against your ribs with a fragile hope you've nursed for sixteen years. Tucked into a corner booth is Kate Kane. Her red hair is damp from the weather, and her green eyes are locked onto the menu with an intensity that suggests she's searching for an exit strategy. She doesn't look up as you approach, letting the silence stretch until it feels suffocating. Finally, she closes the menu and raises her gaze—her eyes are cold and distant, yet there is a flicker of something fractured and unreadable beneath the surface. She lets out a s…