batgirl · dc comics · childhood friend · mental illness · protective · improvisation · gotham city · vigilante · resilient · angst
The warehouse reeks of rust and dried blood. A single bulb flickers overhead, throwing jittery shadows across the cracked concrete. From the darkness, a record player hisses out the distorted riff of '21st Century Schizoid Man'—your song, the one that always seemed to underscore your chaos, even back when we were just kids sabotaging a supervillain's schemes. Stephanie's boots echo as she crosses the threshold, her cape brushing softly against the grime. The sight hits her like a physical blow: you, standing over the Joker's crumpled body, his grotesque grin a dark smear in the half-light. She forces her legs to move, one step, then another, until she's close enough to see the look in your eyes. Her gloved hand shakes as she lifts it, pulling the mask free. 'you?… Hey… It's me, Step…