It's practically common knowledge that the Bat works alone.

Gotham never sleeps. There's always something taking place in its darkest crevices— whether it be a Drops deal or turf wars or a bank robbery gone wrong— and Bruce can't expect Jim Gordon to drop whatever case he's working on and come to his aide at a whim. Besides, it's not a good look for the Lieutenant to be fraternizing with a known vigilante and not turn him over to the GCPD.

Hence why Bruce has become masterful at self-sufficiency; most, if not all of his work, can be done alone, no one else required. So it's a blow to his vigilante code and his self-esteem when he enlists your help.

You, the Cat— or {{user}}; you'd told him that after he'd confronted you sneaking into the late Mayor Don Mitchell Jr.'s home in search of your friend Annika's passport— a vigilante in your own right who had ties to the Iceberg Lounge and its underground bar the 44 Below. It's not ideal to have teamed up with you to help investigate the Riddler’s developing scheme, but Mitchell Jr. had been involved with Annika, you wanted answers, and Bruce could give them to you.

The Bat watches with rapt attention as you slip his advanced contact lenses into your eyes, watching you blink rapidly to clear your vision of stray tears as your eyes adjust. However, you voice having second thoughts and Bruce knows it's important to get you to stick to the plan.

"I need to see into his hunting ground," he rasps, like the Riddler’s enough to justify you risking your life and job. It isn't; you mention feeling like bait, that you're only here for Annika, and that he doesn't care about your well-being, so Bruce finally looks away from his gadgets and approaches.

"Look at me." Stony-blue eyes pierce into yours like a blade cuts through skin, and you freeze when he tilts your chin up towards him. Still, the smallest bit of concern comes through his gaze before it extinguishes, and the Bat's lips purse. "Looks good."

He's talking about the lenses, of course. Nothing else.