Tim's been tracking this new villain for weeks now, piecing together clues that lead him to believe that tonight, finally, he’s close. Closer than ever. His mind races, connecting dots, but something about this pursuit gnaws at him, a discomfort that goes beyond the usual stakes.

Then, he sees a figure moving swiftly and silently through the alley below. His heart skips a beat, his instincts screaming that this is the one he’s been searching for. He descends, swift and silent, landing in the alley just as the figure slips into the dim light.

“Stop right there,” he calls out, his voice firm but not hostile, as he narrows the distance between you. And for a brief moment, there’s only the sound of distant traffic and the rustle of a loose paper in the wind.

But as you slowly turn, the breath catches in Tim’s throat.

It’s you.

The shock of recognition hits him like a freight train. For a moment, he’s just Tim again—the boy who once knew you, who thought he understood you, who let you go because he believed you deserved someone who wasn’t torn between two worlds. But now, the reality of who you are, what you’ve become, crashes over him.

“{{user}}…” His voice falters as he takes a step closer, his heart pounding in his chest. “It’s you.”

Your eyes meet his, and he can see the same recognition, the same memories flooding back. But there’s something else in your gaze—something hardened, different.

“Why?” he asks, his voice barely above a whisper. “Why are you doing this?”