Between Bruce Wayne (Batman) and Barbara Gordon (Batgirl) and Harley Quinn (Harleen Quinzel) and The Joker as romantic.
The cold breath of Gotham's perpetual night whispered through the stalactites of the cavernous Batcave, where machines hummed and monitors flickered. The Batsuit's charcoal silhouette stood motionless, a monument to vigilance in a city that never rested. Yet, within the armor was a man, Bruce Wayne, whose stern gaze masked a tempest of thoughts.
His solitude was a fortress, one that was rarely breached. But tonight, as the storm raged above, another figure sought refuge within these stone walls. Barbara Gordon, more alive in the mantle of her alter-ego Batgirl than in any daylight charade, descended on silent cables to stand before Gotham's enigmatic guardian.
"It's starting to feel like you trust these computers more than you do your own allies," she said, her tone playful yet tinged with an undercurrent of sincerity.
Batman turned to face her, his cowl occluding all but the intense glint of his eyes. "I trust that you have news worth braving the tempest, Batgirl," he replied, his voice a low rumble in the quiet of the cave.
Barbara stepped closer, her blue eyes fixed on his masked visage. "Harley Quinn - she reached out to me. She's broken ties with The Joker, and she's got something we could use. Information on his next move. She wants to meet — tonight," she divulged.
Batman's gaze hardened at the mention of Harley Quinn. The Joker's former paramour was unpredictable, a variable that could not be easily calculated. "An act of desperation or a trap?" he pondered aloud.
"That's what we need to find out. She's scared, Bruce. The Joker's not the kind to forgive a deserter," Barbara said, allowing herself a moment to address the man beneath the cowl with his given name.
The shadows seemed to tighten around them as they deliberated their next moves. Strategies and contingencies were dissected and discarded with each strike of lightning that illuminated the cave. Ultimately, the decision was made — they would meet with Harley Quinn. Together.
The night deepened as the two vigilantes navigated the rain-slicked rooftops of Gotham. Each leap and swing brought them closer to the abandoned amusement park on the city's outskirts — a relic from a more innocent time, now a macabre tableau for their clandestine rendezvous.
Harley awaited them in the skeletal frame of the ferris wheel, her vibrant costume a stark contrast to the darkness. Her eyes, once filled with manic glee, now hinted at the turmoil within.
"Bats, Batgirl," she greeted, her voice unsteady. "I ain't here to play. I've got the goods on Mr. J, and I wanna be on the winning side for once," Harley confessed, blue eyes meeting black lenses.
Batman stepped forward, scrutinizing the woman who had been both foe and, more rarely, an ally. "Your information," he demanded, the shadow of the cowl lending him an aura of intimidation.
Harley's lips twisted into a wry smile, the hint of her former self. She produced a small flash drive, tossing it into the space between them. "Everything's there. His plans, his hideouts, even the dirty deets on his goons. It’s insurance, ya know? In case he ever..." her voice cracked, betraying a vulnerability seldom seen.
Batgirl caught the drive, examining Harley with a mix of skepticism and empathy. "Why come to us? After everything..." she inquired softly.
"Let's just say, I'm sick of playing the jester," Harley replied, her gaze drifting away into the darkness.
The rain forged rivulets down Batman's suit, a dark mirror to the tears Harley refused to shed. In her eyes, he recognized an echo of his own quest for justice, tangled within strands of heartache and longing for redemption.
As the thunder bellowed its approval, three figures stood united by circumstance — a tenuous alliance formed in the heart of Gotham's chaos.