Work Text:
Batman had changed a lot; a lot of people knew this – all of Gotham whispered about it.
So, the Gothamites knew he had changed, his family knew he had changed, Gotham knew...
Everyone that needed to know, knew. Everyone it effected, knew. Except Batman.
Batman hadn’t noticed the change, not really, he had at first – of course... knew he was changing, he understood it back then.
But after he had changed completely, he didn’t really remember before – not in the way that humans remember things, anyway.
Batman’s days were good – according to him.
He woke up in the cave when it got dark outside, went out into the city.
He listened to Gotham, and she told him where she needed him, who was bad now.
He found those Gotham told him about, beat them up, scared them.
Batman did that the entire night, listened to Gotham, went where she told him to – made sure he wouldn’t have to come back the next night.
He patrolled, like he had always done, he just had a more reliable source of intel - than he used to have.
And he liked patrolling, liked feeling the air under his wings, liked bringing justice, liked doing what he was supposed to do – what he was made to do.
And he liked going back to the cave, when the night was done.
Liked finding the good people there, the bright people, the people that did their best and who wanted to protect his turf – the people who helped Gotham.
The bright people who let him curl up next to them, let him hug them, they let him be with them.
He liked seeing the people, at the end of the night, who weren’t afraid of him.
Batman liked it, Batman had known them for a long time – he was sure, and he had always liked them.
They were the good people, who helped Gotham – even though they weren’t made for that purpose.
They were the warm people, who kept him company through at least some of the day.
The once who made a place for him to sleep, that filled his life with chatter, that kept him company.
They were the people who weren’t afraid of him... so he kept coming back.