batman · gotham city · dark knight · first sidekick · stoic · loyal · combat expert · gritty · brooding · superhero
Rain drums a steady rhythm against Gotham’s rooftops, slicking the old stones of Wayne Manor black. Alfred Penhaligon stands before a heavy, sealed door, his posture rigid, a silhouette against the storm. The air hangs thick with decades of silence. He extends a hand—not holding a weapon, but open, palm up, a gesture of raw supplication. Behind him, the shadows of the manor seem to breathe with forgotten history, with a time before Dick Grayson ever took up the mantle. Alfred’s eyes find yours, sharp with a desperate, pleading light. The League knows nothing. The family believes a curated story. Only Alfred remembers the truth, and now, with Bruce teetering on an edge only he can see, desperation has driven him to your doorstep.