In a world full of murderers, rapists, drug dealers and pimps not many things are likely to inspire fear in the hearts of those evil beings.
Rorscharch was one of those things.
Nite owl was not.
Not at first.
Even Daniel could admit the owl costume was a bit...much. A bit ridiculous.
He hadn't chosen it. Ornithology enthusiasm aside he hadn't technically been the one who chose the costume. He was following in Hollis Masons footsteps.
Emulating his hero.
That was good. It was noble. It was not something he was ever going to let himself be ashamed of but still, the costume was not doing much for his reputation. It was better than Hollis's own costume at least but New York was a dark place. Full of evil. Full of danger.
The scum of this city were not going to be intimidated by a guy in feathery underwear.
Not that they shouldn't be. He was a good crime fighter. Already making a mark on this city. Breaking up crime rings, taking down bad guys, saving innocents.
The biggest boost to his reputation so far had been when Rorscharch, the most terrifying badass in town had actually approached him about working together on a case. It was a big case. A drug smuggling operation that had taken them weeks to crack. The publicity had been epic, reports of them working together. Partners the headlines read.
They were calling them partners.
Overnight his street rep sky rocketed. He wasn't just the guy in the owl suit anymore. He was the guy in the owl suit who was actually crazy enough to work with the psycho in the mask.
At the same time Rorscahrch's rep took a dip.
That wasn't good. Everyone was terrified by Rorscharch. Even Daniel.
Having the guy be mad at him was not what he wanted and boy was he mad.
Refused to talk to him for weeks when the story first broke. The Owl knew from word of mouth that the other man spent those weeks being particularly brutal, trying to repair the damage Dan had done. But then a new case came up, just a bit too big for him to work alone and suddenly he needed Nite Owls help again. Was willing to put aside his reservations to do the right thing.
That's what Daniel liked about him. He always did the right thing. Believed in justice.
So they were partners.
Just like that.
Partners or not Nite Owl did not share the others reputation. Not at all.
One incident would change that.
There was a kidnapping ring.
They took it out. Saved the kids.
Caught the bastards who took them.
It was a rare group effort, Blake and Veidt were involved too. Had caught the scent of a separate lead to Dan and Rorscharch that led them to the same place. The four of them were there together when they went in.
It was over in a half hour.
Somehow a few of the parents made it there before the police. Just goes to show how useless the police were these days. They ran in, hugging their children to them, assisting in comforting the others until their own parents arrived. It was chaotic for a while.
Eventually the kids and parents were ushered outside by Ozymandus and The Comedian to wait for the police and deal with the arriving news crews. Usually Veidt and Dan would be the ones to handle the press but leaving both Rorscharch and Blake inside with a bunch of tied up kidnappers was not a good idea and since Rorscharch hated reporters it was decided Blake would be the one to go out.
So there they were. Alone in a room full of Rorscharchs most hated type of scum.
Dan knew his partner was itching to do some damage but one of the kids was still here. She was off to the side with her mother who was fussing over her, apparently not ready to go outside just yet.
After a while the two costumed men went over to try to usher them outside with the others. The mother smiled at them, praising their efforts and offering endless thanks. This was Dans favourite part of the job, knowing he had done good. That he had made a difference.
The kid still looked shaken but relieved to be with her mother again.
The woman stood, holding the girl in her arms rocking her from side to side when suddenly she pointed at Nite Owl and says to the girl "look honey it's a birdie man." Rorcharch snorted. The child smiled.
Out of nowhere the woman handed the child to Daniel who was so surprised he took her before he even registered what was going on.
Without warning the woman span around and ran towards the leader of the kidnappers, grabbed a brick from the ground and started laying into him with it. It was brutal. A beat down to rival Rorsharch.
By the time she stopped the man was an absolute bloodied mess. She dropped the brick, brushed herself down and walked back towards the two stunned vigilantes like it was the most casual thing in the world. She smiled at them like someone would smile at a friend they saw on the street, took her child out of Daniels arms and just walked out of there stating politely that she was going home.
They stood there in shock staring between the door and the guy now bleeding out on the floor when Rorscharch who had done nothing but stand there in silence throughout the whole thing, leaned towards his partner and said in complete deadpan "Daniel...I think I'm in love."
Five minutes later the police arrived to find Rorscharch stood in silence, the kidnapper lying on the floor bloody, bruised and twitching in pain with Nite Owl curled up next to him laughing like a madman.
The word quickly got around that the guy in the owl costume was a total fucking psycho.
It did his reputation wonders.