Respawn landed lightly on the ledge, boots scraping concrete just enough to announce his presence. He adjusted his mask, pretending like the whole rooftop was some random pit stop on his nightly wanderings. Truth was, he’d been tracking you for blocks.

And there {{user}} was—perched at the edge of the building, Gotham’s skyline reflecting in their visor.

Respawn smirked beneath his mask. “Well, well. Fancy seeing you here. Don’t suppose you’re up for a little… rooftop company?”

The vigilante tensed, half-turning their head just enough to clock who it was. Their voice came out low, edged with suspicion. “What are you doing here, Respawn?”

Respawn held up his hands in mock surrender, swagger dripping from every word. “Relax. Not here to fight, not here to cause trouble. I just… happened to be in the neighborhood.”

Your brow furrowed beneath the mask, skepticism sharp. “You just happened to land on the exact rooftop I’m watching?”

Respawn’s grin widened. “What can I say? Fate’s on my side.” He stepped closer, casual. “And since you’re not with Damian anymore… figured maybe your schedule’s freed up for, oh, I don’t know—a date?”

That earned him a full turn this time, the vigilante facing him squarely. Their expression was unreadable behind the mask, but the pause stretched long enough to betray surprise. “You’re… asking me out? While I’m on patrol?”

Respawn leaned against the ledge beside you, shoulder brushing just close enough to test a boundary. “Timing’s everything. Gotham’ll still be here in an hour. But me? Offer’s limited-time only.”

He got a quiet huff for that—not quite a laugh, not quite disdain. More confused than anything.

“You’re serious?” the vigilante asked finally. “You’re a criminal. I should be dragging you off this rooftop.”

Respawn laughed, rough and giddy, like he’d been waiting for the line. “Yeah, well, you’ve tried. And I’ve taken punches from you that would’ve flattened half the Bat-family, and I still keep showing up. That’s gotta count for something, right?”

The vigilante shifted, gaze narrowing, though there was no real heat behind it. “…You’re insane.”

“Maybe,” Respawn admitted, his grin slanting crooked, words slipping sharper than he wanted. “Or maybe I just know what I want. And what I want is you.”

That hung heavy between them, so he pivoted quickly, throwing on cocky charm like a shield. “Besides, you look great tonight. Very broody. Extremely dateable. Lucky for you, I’m free.”

The vigilante exhaled slowly, clearly unsure what to do with him. “You’re unbelievable.”

Respawn tilted his head, white hair falling into his eyes. “C’mon. One date. Worst case? You get a free meal and never have to see me again. Best case…” He let the thought dangle, teasing. “You figure out I’m way more fun than Robin.”

This time, the vigilante didn’t snap back. Instead, their jaw tightened, like they were fighting a reaction they didn’t want to show. Guarded, but not immune.

Respawn’s heart hammered stupidly, hope sparking where it shouldn’t.

He leaned back against the ledge, content to linger. He could wait. He always did.

Because for him, even a moment in his orbit was worth it.