Batman fell silent.
He didn't know how to describe what he was feeling. To be honest, baring his soul to someone else was terrifying for him.
He was more accustomed to internalizing everything, setting his own goals, and solving them alone. Ever since he was young, perhaps from that gunshot and the scattering of pearls, he had rarely relied on anyone.
He didn't even understand why he had come to see Lance Prescott.
All Batman could do was remain silent.
"Alright, alright." Lance raised his hands in surrender, once again reminded that he was surrounded by problem children.
That was the truth. Whether it was Waylana Jones, Tony Stark, Peter Parker, Matt Murdock, Batman, or even Stephanie Rogers, every one of them had their own psychological issues.
What was worse was that these powerful individuals were, in many ways, emotionally immature. Some of them even had the mindset and emotional awareness of children.
Among them, Batman was considered relatively mature. But when someone like him became stubborn or regressed into childish behavior, it was far more troubling.
"Want some coffee?"
Batman shook his head.
"If not coffee, then sit down. You're not seriously going to make a good lawyer like me, offering free consultation, look up at you, are you?"
Lance tilted his chin toward the sofa in front of him, indicating that Batman should take a seat.
Jones had already closed the door and returned to the kitchen, continuing to fuss over the cooking. It was hard to believe Lance could actually stomach the abominations that kid called food.
Batman sat down without resistance.
"Let me guess." Lance clasped his hands together on the table and leaned forward, studying Batman's face for any sign.
Unfortunately, half of his face was concealed beneath the cowl, and his gaze was deliberately lowered, avoiding eye contact. He was clearly shutting himself off.
Even so, Lance didn't really need to guess. Anyone with basic sense could tell that Batman's unusual behavior had something to do with Catwoman.
After all, as far as Lance knew, they were supposed to have a date today.
"So, the date didn't go well? You got dumped?" Lance asked with a mischievous glint. He knew Batman wasn't some naive youth who would lock himself in a room, crying and smashing things over a failed relationship.
Still, Lance couldn't resist trying to see him lose composure.
Preferably while wearing the Batsuit. No particular reason beyond his own questionable tastes.
Batman nodded, then shook his head.
His voice came out low and rough. "I heard some stories… about Gotham."
This time, Lance understood.
Master Wayne had clearly taken another hit from Gotham.
Since he knew the problem, prescribing a solution was easy.
But before that…
"Five thousand dollars an hour." Lance raised five fingers toward Batman.
Batman felt a rare sense of speechlessness. Ever since meeting Prescott, the man had a unique talent for provoking negative emotions in him.
"I seem to recall you just said you were a good lawyer offering friendly consultation. If it's friendly, why is there still a fee?" Batman asked.
"Of course there is." Lance's tone turned solemn. "Everything we just discussed falls under friendly consultation, but that's where our friendship ends. If you want to keep talking, I suggest you keep paying. Otherwise, I'll have to ask you to leave."
Batman: "…"
Seeing him remain silent, Lance raised his voice toward the door.
"Jones! Show our stingy guest out!"
Caught between laughter and exasperation, Batman stopped him. "I understand. The money will be transferred to your account as agreed. Can I speak now?"
"Of course." Lance gestured to Jones, who had already opened the door and stepped inside. She gave a knowing look and left. Lance turned back to Batman, once again wearing a polite and warm smile.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure you feel it's worth every penny."
"That, I've never doubted," Batman replied.
"So, you said you heard a story. From Catwoman?" Lance asked.
Batman nodded.
"What did she tell you? About Gotham? About herself? Her past?"
Batman continued nodding, clearly unwilling to speak unless Lance offered something of substance.
Lance fell silent for a moment, studying him carefully.
It had only been half a year since their first meeting.
And yet, Batman seemed to have changed.
Not in some abstract, intangible sense of growth, but physically.
The Batman Lance had first met was Bruce Wayne, driven by burning vengeance. Now, he had grown into a half-qualified vigilante.
His jawline had sharpened noticeably. When he scowled, he looked like a grumpy man, it was difficult to associate him with Gotham's playboy, Bruce Wayne, at all. He kinda looked like that Looks-maxing Squidward meme.
"Hearing Catwoman's story left you confused. What exactly are you confused about? You've already seen Gotham's darkness, even experienced it yourself. So that isn't the issue. Then what is?"
Batman remained silent.
Lance snapped his fingers and continued, his tone sharpening.
"Is it because you realized that the Gotham you thought was completely rotten is actually more structured than you imagined? That it has its own rules? You discovered that not every Gothamite deserves to die. Some criminals ended up that way because they were pushed there by this miserable fate. And what pushed them wasn't necessarily deeper evil, but the combined efforts of certain people in Gotham, both good and bad, trying to make the city slightly less rotten."
"Is that it?"
"Yes…" Batman finally spoke, his expression filled with confusion and pain.
"I thought I was saving it. Fighting crime. Doing everything I could to drag this city back on track. But I realized people had already been doing that for years, and Gotham is still on the edge of collapse."
Batman said little, but his thoughts ran far deeper.
He had come to a chilling realization. Sometimes, the more he acted, the closer he pushed Gotham toward the abyss.
He had taken down the Marone Family and struck at the Red Crows Gang, but the Marone Family had long controlled the East End. Under their rule, that area had been relatively stable.
Now, without Marone's control, the East End was spiraling into chaos. Countless emerging gangs were fighting over territory and power.
A few days ago, Gordon had told him that the death rate in the East End had begun to surge. That had never happened when Marone was still around.
For the first time, Batman clearly understood that Gotham would not improve simply because he took down a gang or solved a problem.
Through a chain of consequences, it could even become worse.
And yet, even with that realization, he found he could not stop. He could not abandon Gotham.
All he could do was keep throwing himself into its darkness.
He was like a lone traveler moving against the current, destined to sacrifice everything for this city.
This was not something that would end in a day. It meant binding himself to Gotham until death itself separated them.
Was it worth it?
"See? Talking to me does help." Lance suddenly smiled.
His tone turned firm.
"You've known the answer for a long time, haven't you?"
___
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