The pairing is with Dick. They met a long time ago. The older brother's childhood version is the troublemaking kid from TTG!
A psychiatric nurse.
A lonely New Yorker.
He lives in a cheap rental in the Bronx, falling asleep to gunshots every night.
The psychiatric hospital where he works is on the brink of collapse, both financially and in terms of the quality of its medical care. It's always either just short of going bankrupt or just short of killing a patient.
"I heard the director bought Stark Industries stock," his best friend told him one day. His friend was the hospital's attending psychiatrist. After working at this lousy hospital for too long, he'd developed depression. "I bought some too." His friend's face glowed with hope, his expectations of a better life rising along with Stark Industries' share price.
"Hope our pay goes up a little," he said. "Otherwise, I'll jump ship to Arkham." It was just a joke.
"There was a riot there not long ago. It's dangerous."
"But the pay's high, and they provide room and board."
"The pay really is high. But I'd rather have a medical accident here than spend time around that crowd. At least I won't die."
His friend had once wanted to go to Arkham, too. That way, he wouldn't have to kill himself.
Not long afterward, Tony Stark disappeared.
Some time later, Tony Stark returned and announced the closure of the weapons division.
Stark Industries' share price plummeted.
Shortly after his friend went bankrupt and jumped off a building, the hospital he worked at ran out of funding, and he lost his job.
"It's not so bad," he said, standing on the rooftop. "At least you weren't unemployed when you died."
He leaped from the roof.
Then he slammed into the ground and made a crater.
What a shame. He couldn't just die at will. Did that mean he'd have to try to stay alive?
Three months later, he still hadn't found a job. The hospital he used to work at had such a bad reputation that the hospitals willing to hire him had expensive rent, long commutes, and low pay. The ones he liked didn't want to hire him.
Better to scrape by than give up, he thought. Gritting his teeth, he sent his resume to Arkham.
Three days later, he packed his things and set off to work at Arkham Asylum.
"Arkham Asylum welcomes you, Mr. Dylan Monk."
Theme: The secret to success is giving up
