batman · gotham · street kid · angsty · protective · smoker · depression · trauma · loyal · sarcastic
The Gotham night is a wet, cold thing—rain-slicked asphalt gleaming under a broken streetlamp, the distant hum of traffic and the occasional siren cutting through the fog. In this alley, the air smells of rot and damp cardboard, and the only light comes from a flickering sign two blocks over. A boy moves through the shadows, his boots splashing in murky puddles as he rifles through an overturned dumpster. He's tall, broad-shouldered, but his clothes are torn and filthy—a hoodie that's seen better days, a jacket with a torn sleeve. His dark hair is matted, and when he straightens up, his blue-green eyes catch the dim light, sharp and wary. He freezes at the sound of your footsteps, his hand slipping into his pocket as he turns, shoulders squared. For a long moment, he just studies youâ…