“So, Master Bruce… this is the child who stole two of your Batmobile tires?”
A voice—aged, clear,46Please respect copyright.PENANAUtOWOy0yIP
drifted from the shadows of the Batcave.46Please respect copyright.PENANAgIkG3ucbsu
It was impossible to tell whether it was surprised or amused.
Alfred stood there,46Please respect copyright.PENANAyhXfQ7ycLS
holding a silver tray46Please respect copyright.PENANA0KQiobYbse
with freshly brewed hot milks and two biscuits.46Please respect copyright.PENANAZ27xRbhfgv
His eyes fell on the boy,46Please respect copyright.PENANA1H1zhNAZ4H
who looked absolutely unrepentant—46Please respect copyright.PENANAtE3zW4yPGT
in fact, slightly proud.
Batman frowned,46Please respect copyright.PENANAK05DvcU9lj
his brow creasing into shadow.46Please respect copyright.PENANAt2P0Zhf09u
“The first time he did it, I was so pissed,46Please respect copyright.PENANAvb5Fgzrlsw
I circled the block twice before daring to come back to the car.”
That first time—46Please respect copyright.PENANA9tkTl2aUVn
he hadn’t even spoken.46Please respect copyright.PENANARlvVjFQeiv
Just grabbed the kids, one in each hand,46Please respect copyright.PENANAbWfScUKfbO
and dropped them back near the church in the slums—46Please respect copyright.PENANAkmA8k2q8KJ
the safest place he could find.46Please respect copyright.PENANAYETTmMBjvt
He’d given them one warning:46Please respect copyright.PENANAq5gs38DqJm
“Don’t come near the Batmobile again.”
Jason hadn’t cried.46Please respect copyright.PENANAzgvDyFy0wm
He looked angry.
Nana had kept her head down,46Please respect copyright.PENANAQB9GAFINGT
but her hand had clung tightly to the back of Jason’s shirt.
They got no answers about Robin.46Please respect copyright.PENANAiuAiPva0gb
Just that cold word “Go home,” left behind in the wind.
Three days later—46Please respect copyright.PENANA1PZT2lcyDN
same place,46Please respect copyright.PENANAIw3br4Lule
same car.
This time,46Please respect copyright.PENANAdb8KFeE9NG
four wheels gone.
“Master Bruce,” Alfred said dryly,46Please respect copyright.PENANALYxR7Ubm4y
“I sincerely believe that if this child turns to crime,46Please respect copyright.PENANAv1VmeWdSuv
we may never see your Batmobile’s tires again.”
“…Each of those wheels is taller than him.46Please respect copyright.PENANAJOtBuE6hpc
How did he even—”46Please respect copyright.PENANANQw1uKyMMH
Batman muttered,46Please respect copyright.PENANAYVy4i6W6Pb
somewhere between shock and disbelief.
Alfred calmly added,46Please respect copyright.PENANAfLdJu71iAP
“He also recalibrated the tire pressure.46Please respect copyright.PENANA0llbVJync5
Perfectly balanced.”
This time,46Please respect copyright.PENANA7VpKS7MnUR
Batman was silent for a long moment,46Please respect copyright.PENANAgWEouCV5py
eyes on the two children.
Then he sighed.
He knew who they were.46Please respect copyright.PENANAiXsCBLKSwB
After dropping them off that night,46Please respect copyright.PENANABd3YBTEu1G
he’d looked into it.
Jason Todd—46Please respect copyright.PENANA0ElUVXjsNH
no mother,46Please respect copyright.PENANAkPZOopDPdp
an alcoholic and violent father,46Please respect copyright.PENANATL6J4RQtSU
currently missing.
Nana—46Please respect copyright.PENANA49WV3asWqd
from a crumbling orphanage,46Please respect copyright.PENANAv3M3NFpQ08
records say she’s mute,46Please respect copyright.PENANAMmjiw6i5Pv
but she’d never had a diagnosis,46Please respect copyright.PENANA1tCq0j5Lpj
never any treatment.
He knew what happened to kids like them—46Please respect copyright.PENANA3xSQwx2PnW
especially without guardians.
Some of them needed just a little time46Please respect copyright.PENANAy2Q05BY8bb
to walk the wrong path.
The pair standing before him now?
Definitely a “buy one, get one free” type.
One moved,46Please respect copyright.PENANA3kXf9H3Gdf
the other followed.
Batman stood quietly for another few seconds.46Please respect copyright.PENANAeZabXzIR9R
Then turned and said:
“They’ll stay.46Please respect copyright.PENANANOnEzYmAfv
For now.46Please respect copyright.PENANAiOeyy7IuhI
Observation.”
Alfred gave a slight nod.46Please respect copyright.PENANADducNZ03eC
Though he said nothing,46Please respect copyright.PENANA4l8QMxExzg
his expression seemed to say:46Please respect copyright.PENANAT1RmVkveNk
I thought so.
The children stayed still.
Jason’s eyes were still wary—46Please respect copyright.PENANAnTT4iGw9Zj
but also sparkled with something he couldn’t quite hide: excitement.
Nana stood quietly,46Please respect copyright.PENANAfvUX9zt1JR
her fingers nervously twisted behind her back,46Please respect copyright.PENANAWKeNbrbeeq
but her gaze never left the vast machines and glowing lights around them.
Batman looked at them.
If a kid could steal four tires off the Batmobile just because he was worried about Robin…
Maybe he deserved a chance.
Alfred placed the cookies and warm milk in front of the two children46Please respect copyright.PENANAF7wu8bD4N0
with the grace of someone serving nobility.
“You’ve both done well, children,” he said gently,46Please respect copyright.PENANAreYbjuwQX5
his voice as composed as ever.46Please respect copyright.PENANA4GSv4xu8A9
Then he added:46Please respect copyright.PENANAje2qTUEl8i
“As for young Master Robin…46Please respect copyright.PENANAqMQCCxAbnE
he is currently engaged in a temporary,46Please respect copyright.PENANAp80p7o288x
emotionally-motivated… personal journey.”
Jason bit into a cookie,46Please respect copyright.PENANAXN5EJC7Y7A
frowning.46Please respect copyright.PENANAe5z6jQ0ChW
“…What does that mean?”
Nana tilted her head in confusion,46Please respect copyright.PENANANoKdu2Q56I
signing: “Left?”46Please respect copyright.PENANAKbOAYhgB2v
Then “Robin?”
Alfred smiled,46Please respect copyright.PENANATtFLg3Bao8
his hand gracefully folded across his wrist in a formal gesture.46Please respect copyright.PENANAmYuvI0qDMo
“He has, shall we say…46Please respect copyright.PENANANhmiREcBdg
run away from home.”
Both kids’ eyes went wide.
Then they looked at each other—46Please respect copyright.PENANAktuSAfwDoG
the same expression on their faces46Please respect copyright.PENANAueJoG9t2OS
as if they’d just read that Gotham was going to have a week of sunshine.
Across the room,46Please respect copyright.PENANANYu1KT19mN
Batman sat in front of the computer,46Please respect copyright.PENANAZYGapwWgZZ
scrolling through city surveillance.46Please respect copyright.PENANAeDWK2EPMwr
He gave a grumpy huff,46Please respect copyright.PENANAT0y4ltDt7m
his silhouette full of quiet annoyance.
Alfred, mildly reproachful:46Please respect copyright.PENANAwIoJpkoERk
“Master Bruce,46Please respect copyright.PENANAfb77Q2RXUR
if you softened your tone just a little,46Please respect copyright.PENANAGfJMYQl04c
I do believe the young master would return immediately.”
Batman didn’t reply.46Please respect copyright.PENANASQv4UVw6vz
His shoulders moved slightly,46Please respect copyright.PENANAEb5xYOA1Uu
like he couldn’t even be bothered to argue.
46Please respect copyright.PENANA2sok4eTOSU
Luckily, it was summer break.46Please respect copyright.PENANA4ewGwxd9ay
The kids didn’t need to go to school.46Please respect copyright.PENANAIFGSlMl23n
They were temporarily housed in Wayne Manor.
When Jason and Nana stepped out of the Batcave46Please respect copyright.PENANA0SuFszGGHL
and passed through the hidden passage to the upper floors,46Please respect copyright.PENANAIPFONSPHO0
they both froze.
It was a world they had never seen.
An endless arching hallway,46Please respect copyright.PENANAUnBM8bfuiA
a chandelier hanging from the ceiling like a broken piece of starlight,46Please respect copyright.PENANABWZRDvhkjK
soft Persian rugs underfoot,46Please respect copyright.PENANAOu8mTHwPiP
air scented with cedar and sun-warmed fabric.
Nana instinctively grabbed the back of Jason’s shirt,46Please respect copyright.PENANATxoPXE2wXy
as if afraid she’d dirty the floor just by being there.
“Welcome to Wayne Manor, children,”46Please respect copyright.PENANAn4iySWzHTY
Alfred said from behind them,46Please respect copyright.PENANANr8rxme3Pa
his expression gentle.
They were led upstairs separately.
The hallway was wide enough46Please respect copyright.PENANA4h59B59SZA
for three horses to race side by side.
Jason’s room had a private bathroom,46Please respect copyright.PENANAyGabQW0Qz9
a desk,46Please respect copyright.PENANAl1WtWQrtoX
and a leather chair so grand46Please respect copyright.PENANAAxwIZMM921
he didn’t dare sit in it at first.
When Alfred led Nana to hers,46Please respect copyright.PENANAilcuN4IOrM
he frowned slightly.
“Miss Nana, I must apologize.46Please respect copyright.PENANA2UF9QvtoOx
This room is currently not quite suited for a young lady.46Please respect copyright.PENANAlOEvktwjx6
We didn’t have time to prepare,46Please respect copyright.PENANA2xqkNJbOPP
but in the future,46Please respect copyright.PENANAMtCklKwQWN
I’ll see to a proper space just for you.”
Nana blushed,46Please respect copyright.PENANABMAv9HTfGH
waved her hands quickly,46Please respect copyright.PENANAMTd26VjNTu
and signed: “This is already perfect.”
46Please respect copyright.PENANAIvY7N94tFZ
That night,46Please respect copyright.PENANAWTT28SNnS2
the hallway was quiet.
A small girl in new pajamas carefully turned her doorknob,46Please respect copyright.PENANAM8CS7AcNbt
peeked out,46Please respect copyright.PENANAmiQD9rZJDp
then tiptoed across the hall.
She knocked twice.
The door opened.
Jason—also in pajamas,46Please respect copyright.PENANAwEQLUUvldW
his hair a mess—46Please respect copyright.PENANAF3XV3meOfJ
looked at her.
His eyes lit up.
They stared for a second,46Please respect copyright.PENANAoNIZUAYjB9
hands beginning to move.
“Too big. Can’t sleep.”
“Me too.”
Jason reached out,46Please respect copyright.PENANANEqD3F1w6i
took her hand,46Please respect copyright.PENANAoyEtHRTiEo
and led her in.
46Please respect copyright.PENANAlb9HaooMZd
Alfred stood in front of the monitor,46Please respect copyright.PENANAx6GM8CEV9e
sipping his tea.46Please respect copyright.PENANA7ZnfGAdJpi
His eyes landed on the two small figures on the screen.
He smiled,46Please respect copyright.PENANA4clYiQHpIg
his voice calm and unhurried:
“Master Bruce,46Please respect copyright.PENANA0dkLRs8Quz
those two children…46Please respect copyright.PENANAIOZqG5QBOX
they seem very close, don’t they?”
Batman said nothing.46Please respect copyright.PENANAdEGYZT5HOz
He stared at the monitor for a long time,46Please respect copyright.PENANAqte8X2X0WQ
silent.
Inside the room,46Please respect copyright.PENANAzqeO10TAQO
the lights were off.46Please respect copyright.PENANA3AE4yx4Z1a
Night draped itself over everything like soft silk.
Two children lay on the bed,46Please respect copyright.PENANARQpfyjIWlK
heads resting together,46Please respect copyright.PENANA3Vx60X6pRY
hands moving in soft signs.
Today’s thoughts.46Please respect copyright.PENANAAYHVIurraY
The Batmobile.46Please respect copyright.PENANACZs25QaAUx
Alfred’s milk—it smelled better than church milk.46Please respect copyright.PENANA6S6f7URhfg
And…46Please respect copyright.PENANALUGwqDIlGi
the bed.46Please respect copyright.PENANAmi9RmSxbd6
It was way too soft.
Their hands slowly stopped.
Breathing slowed.
And soon,46Please respect copyright.PENANAr04SarsvzD
they both fell asleep quietly46Please respect copyright.PENANAVxHpeKbJaO
beneath Gotham’s night.
Day Three.46Please respect copyright.PENANA8tywhBkXuj
Morning sunlight poured into the grand study of Wayne Manor. A soft carpet lay beneath the tall windows, and by the window stood an old wooden desk with two thick-cushioned chairs—just enough for two children to sit side by side.
Jason and Nana had come here early. Ever since they discovered this room, filled with what felt like the knowledge of the entire world, they had been excitedly darting through the shelves—leaping from stories of knights to dinosaur encyclopedias, flipping from plant guides to Sherlock Holmes, like two owls who’d just found a secret treasure trove.
Now they sat quietly by the window, each immersed in their own book.
Alfred had placed some black tea and cookies on the desk. The warmth filled the room. Sunlight fell across their profiles, and the children would occasionally point out fun sentences or pictures to one another before diving back into their pages. It was a rare moment of peace.
Alfred watched them with deep satisfaction and whispered to Bruce beside him, “Such a tranquil moment, sir. They’re both good children—I’ve always believed that children who love to read never turn out bad.”
Batman didn’t respond immediately. His gaze lifted from the reports in front of him and lingered on the two small silhouettes at the far end of the study.
There was hesitation in his eyes.46Please respect copyright.PENANAe8iBohx5kA
He had seen too many villains who loved to read.
Just then, a door creaked open softly.
Footsteps entered, familiar yet out of sync with the calm rhythm of the mansion—full of youthful energy.
Alfred’s face lit up with a rare smile. He turned and said, “Master Dick, you’ve finally returned.”
“Of course, Alfred,” the voice was warm and light, straddling the line between a boy and a young man—like a spring breeze in the afternoon. “I missed you. And when I heard we had two new members at home, I had to rush back. Otherwise, Bruce would give them a hard time again.”
The two children in the study poked their heads out at the sound.
A tall teenager stood in the doorway, eyes gentle, a friendly smile on his lips. His gaze landed on them immediately—soft and calm—as he slowly walked over.
“These must be Jason and Nana, right? I’m Dick. Just call me Dick. Welcome—”46Please respect copyright.PENANAZVWOOAa9bQ
He paused, tilting his brows.46Please respect copyright.PENANAcNIpjir9QC
“Wait a minute... Aren’t you the girl who was crying at the junkyard that night?”
Dick stepped a little closer, trying to recall the blurry scene from that late night. It was that voice, that desperate scream of “Robin” that had pulled him across the city.
Nana stared at him blankly, eyes filled with confusion and uncertainty.
That’s when Jason instinctively stepped forward, like a wall against the wind, subtly nudging the girl behind him.
Dick noticed the motion and let out a laugh.46Please respect copyright.PENANACehZ48eLo3
“Oh right—I forgot to mention. I’m Robin. Nice to meet you.”
As he chuckled, he extended a hand to the girl.
Nana blinked, and her eyes suddenly sparkled.46Please respect copyright.PENANAsikNBKaepR
She didn’t say a word, just reached out from behind Jason’s right shoulder and gently took Dick’s hand, her face glowing in a way Jason had never seen before.
Jason stood beside them, watching the historic handshake between one tall person and one small one, his expression unreadable.
He muttered internally.46Please respect copyright.PENANAQwoHn6Y1G0
And in his mind, he drew a giant red X over the title “Robin.”
On Dick’s third day back home, he began to get a sense of the daily rhythm shared by the new additions to the household.
He noticed that Nana barely spoke and communicated mostly through sign language. Jason would occasionally supplement with simple questions or emotions—but most of the time, he used sign too. Their coordination was so smooth it was like watching a well-rehearsed pair of dancers.
But something even funnier happened.
One morning, Dick, feeling eager, headed to the library and grabbed a copy of Beginner’s Guide to Sign Language. He decided to teach himself a bit and surprise Jason later by showing off.
He memorized all 26 letters and even practiced three times in front of the mirror.
But when he finally gathered the courage to talk to Nana, he stared in confusion at what she signed—it didn’t match the book at all!
Puzzled, Dick turned to Jason for answers.
Jason shrugged and replied matter-of-factly, “We made up our own system. It’s faster that way. Plus, we change it every two weeks so no one can crack it.”
Dick was stunned for a second—then burst into laughter.46Please respect copyright.PENANAjIPdCy6YwC
“So basically... this is your version of kids’ secret code? What are you two now, an underground intel network?”
Their encrypted communication reminded him of Bruce’s face whenever he encountered unreadable ciphers.
“Well, you know...” Dick grinned and added playfully, “Batman hates codes he can’t break.”
ns216.73.216.171da2