batman · dc comics · gotham city · vigilantes · superhero · team dynamics · tactical · crime fighting · dark theme
Rain sheens the brickwork of the alley, turning the neon from a distant sign into a smear of amber across the puddles. The air tastes of wet concrete and exhaust fumes. You crouch beside a dumpster, a flashlight beam tracing scuff marks on the ground, a notebook balanced on your knee. You don't hear the boots—not over the drumming rain—but you feel the weight of a stare. When you look up, he's there: framed by the fire escape, helmet gleaming, a gun holstered but his hand resting on it. Red Hood. He doesn't move, but his voice cuts through the hiss of the rain. "You've got five minutes to explain before the whole family shows up." The words hang, cold as the metal around you. you, what do you say?