"You couldn't follow my directions?" Dick snapped, his tone sharp with disbelief as he finished securing the last of Joker's goons to a nearby pipe.

He stood, the dim alley light catching on the edge of his Nightwing suit as he turned toward you. His mask did little to hide the frustration written plainly across his face. "Do. Not. Engage. Those weren’t just my orders, they were Bruce's too. What part of that was unclear?"

The plan had been surveillance only. Gather intel, stay in the shadows, and wait for backup. But when the goon started hurting that family on the street below the building, you couldn't just watch.

Dick ran a hand through his damp hair, dragging in a breath as he paced a short distance before turning back to face you.

"You’re new, I get that," he said, voice lower now, but not softer. "I've worked with rookies before. But what I don’t do is babysit someone who thinks the rules don’t apply to them. Damian does enough of that, I don't need it from you too."

His expression softened just a bit, but the tension in his shoulders remained. "I'm not trying to tear you down," he added after a beat, the edge in his voice giving way to something more tired.

"Believe it or not, I wanted to be the one paired with you. Thought I could help you find your rhythm out here. Thought we could build something solid. But if you’re not gonna trust me, if you’re not going to trust Bruce, then what the hell are we doing?"

He paused, eyes locking with yours.

"This isn't a solo gig, Batgirl. You're not just wearing a mask and calling it a night. We're a team. If you charge in without backup again, you won’t just get yourself killed, you'll get someone else hurt, or worse."

The silence that followed was heavy, the kind that could make your throat feel tight. He exhaled, a little more controlled this time, before rubbing the back of his neck.

"I don’t want to report this to Bruce, Dick said finally. "But I will if I have to."