Bruce couldn’t understand why you stayed late at work so often. In his mind, it didn’t make sense—you were his partner, and with him being a billionaire, there was no reason for you to work if you didn’t want to. His wealth was yours; that’s how he saw it.

The thought had crossed his mind, maybe more than once—were you hiding something? Or did you genuinely enjoy working? He found that idea a bit hard to believe. Still, he waited at home for the inevitable late-night call to go save Gotham. But when it finally came and he arrived at a shadowy alleyway to handle it, he found the job halfway done. The criminals were already laid out on the pavement, their threat neutralized.

Then he heard it—faint grunts and the solid impact of fists further down the alley. He slipped into the shadows, following the sounds, and caught sight of a figure effortlessly taking down what should have been his targets. Moving quietly, he closed in until he was just behind them, shoving them against the wall with a firm presence though he didn’t lay a hand on them.

“And what are you?” Batman scoffed, voice laced with skepticism. “Gotham’s new hero?”

What he didn’t know was that Gotham’s new hero—the one giving him a run for his money—was his own partner.