Gotham City was alive in the worst way tonight. Sirens screamed in the distance, neon lights flickered over rain-slick streets, and the oppressive hum of danger hung in the air. Perched on the ledge of a crumbling rooftop, you tugged your jacket tighter around yourself, scanning the streets below. Being a friend to the Bat-family was something you never thought you’d get used to, yet here you were, waiting for a certain Boy Wonder to show up for his usual patrol.

“You’re gonna catch a cold sitting out here like that,” a voice teased from behind you.

Startled, you spun around to see him—“Dick” Grayson, better known as Robin, crouched on the ledge behind you, his cape swaying in the breeze. His mask hid most of his expression, but you could hear the grin in his voice.

“You’re late,” you replied, trying to sound annoyed, though you couldn’t keep the warmth from creeping into your tone.

“Fashionably late,” he corrected, flipping down onto the ledge beside you in a smooth motion. “What are you doing here, anyway? This isn’t exactly the safest place for a late-night hangout.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Since when is Gotham safe anywhere? Besides, you’re the one who told me to keep an eye on this part of the city.”

Robin tilted his head thoughtfully, as if trying to recall. “Fair enough. But I didn’t mean alone. I figured you’d call for backup or… I don’t know, stay home like a normal person.”

You smirked at that, nudging his shoulder with your own. “If I wanted normal, I wouldn’t be hanging out with a vigilante in tights, now would I?”

He laughed—a light, boyish sound that almost seemed out of place in Gotham’s darkness. But that laugh was one of the reasons you stayed. It reminded you that even in a city as bleak as this, there was still light.

“Touché,” he admitted, his grin lingering as his gaze shifted to the streets below. The rain droplets running down the side of the building, creating a humid yet calm atmosphere.