“So, Master Bruce… this is the child who stole two of your Batmobile tires?”
A voice—aged, clear,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMabmJm1y4J
drifted from the shadows of the Batcave.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8N4Zu37OHQ
It was impossible to tell whether it was surprised or amused.
Alfred stood there,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl925yUdn2v
holding a silver tray31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxA5ONdkV3Q
with freshly brewed hot milks and two biscuits.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUgclaenXy
His eyes fell on the boy,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpTRwwGEXS
who looked absolutely unrepentant—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnp8KF2UCso
in fact, slightly proud.
Batman frowned,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HanrbPZLA
his brow creasing into shadow.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEwTIVn6h7
“The first time he did it, I was so pissed,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuLUmF6aO4
I circled the block twice before daring to come back to the car.”
That first time—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOH5lq5eLM
he hadn’t even spoken.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxOOdTrEtb
Just grabbed the kids, one in each hand,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5DMlcOT5p
and dropped them back near the church in the slums—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJr88i63TuG
the safest place he could find.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqVREQai5M
He’d given them one warning:31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFANQaSpao
“Don’t come near the Batmobile again.”
Jason hadn’t cried.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWGckSWKhU
He looked angry.
Nana had kept her head down,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxReqxnmCr6
but her hand had clung tightly to the back of Jason’s shirt.
They got no answers about Robin.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4Q16BpfFG
Just that cold word “Go home,” left behind in the wind.
Three days later—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17j4jJrcbF
same place,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0kEoCwEyK
same car.
This time,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHhIg4IacT
four wheels gone.
“Master Bruce,” Alfred said dryly,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLYgyefxv2
“I sincerely believe that if this child turns to crime,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrZEhYXDrn
we may never see your Batmobile’s tires again.”
“…Each of those wheels is taller than him.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOB3pS0YRN
How did he even—”31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHseJyctJ6
Batman muttered,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Z6QNPs0mv
somewhere between shock and disbelief.
Alfred calmly added,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3owGmTEmk5
“He also recalibrated the tire pressure.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIyZUo23qq
Perfectly balanced.”
This time,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwje1bmebz
Batman was silent for a long moment,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkOhPjvGgA
eyes on the two children.
Then he sighed.
He knew who they were.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9njlrCLMc
After dropping them off that night,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbT6hHptyn
he’d looked into it.
Jason Todd—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09HoI173ui
no mother,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5a9jsL5sq
an alcoholic and violent father,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpCIi5mZOIg
currently missing.
Nana—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPTFQVoCfd
from a crumbling orphanage,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdAIousIJ6E
records say she’s mute,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpPDuFEDDe
but she’d never had a diagnosis,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkaDJcZESs
never any treatment.
He knew what happened to kids like them—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybDnKipFl9
especially without guardians.
Some of them needed just a little time31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbKvyqJpLF
to walk the wrong path.
The pair standing before him now?
Definitely a “buy one, get one free” type.
One moved,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Os1O4jgXC
the other followed.
Batman stood quietly for another few seconds.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGNhoDK9dZ
Then turned and said:
“They’ll stay.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKpguhpnfU
For now.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3ugx8BktT
Observation.”
Alfred gave a slight nod.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlmbVH1p8G
Though he said nothing,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybeSb2hck7
his expression seemed to say:31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5Bqkm33BC
I thought so.
The children stayed still.
Jason’s eyes were still wary—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVeJhSVBvvy
but also sparkled with something he couldn’t quite hide: excitement.
Nana stood quietly,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33YE4JoXfR
her fingers nervously twisted behind her back,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1xNMVv1Hc
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 children31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyfXWz45BQ
with the grace of someone serving nobility.
“You’ve both done well, children,” he said gently,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAsSrtydYz
his voice as composed as ever.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3HBIdvkp4
Then he added:31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFIXhagCoq
“As for young Master Robin…31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlORFvIhpL7
he is currently engaged in a temporary,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXlcaJl6A3
emotionally-motivated… personal journey.”
Jason bit into a cookie,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUouC4ZwSs
frowning.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojl1GTAm1V
“…What does that mean?”
Nana tilted her head in confusion,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPSN07z1th
signing: “Left?”31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGSyCeNLh7
Then “Robin?”
Alfred smiled,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvKaGo53dv
his hand gracefully folded across his wrist in a formal gesture.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2WkzkwBm1
“He has, shall we say…31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FyC97hPV7
run away from home.”
Both kids’ eyes went wide.
Then they looked at each other—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQX4xtcP0t7
the same expression on their faces31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jzCgG0D6u
as if they’d just read that Gotham was going to have a week of sunshine.
Across the room,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxY1b2KWMe
Batman sat in front of the computer,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuFyqy3wmZ
scrolling through city surveillance.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRl66exZrA
He gave a grumpy huff,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpFNlyNCOG
his silhouette full of quiet annoyance.
Alfred, mildly reproachful:31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYw6BDNn2Nx
“Master Bruce,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglrUgPNmJT
if you softened your tone just a little,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtGX7WEXRC
I do believe the young master would return immediately.”
Batman didn’t reply.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpd7HwtXuZe
His shoulders moved slightly,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpT7NCPpYc0
like he couldn’t even be bothered to argue.
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVmmcKKft2
Luckily, it was summer break.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuE3OXIRIG
The kids didn’t need to go to school.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwxi120WnV
They were temporarily housed in Wayne Manor.
When Jason and Nana stepped out of the Batcave31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTSLRHa0ZC
and passed through the hidden passage to the upper floors,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZ8yLHFMgT
they both froze.
It was a world they had never seen.
An endless arching hallway,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6pDzEfyoBL
a chandelier hanging from the ceiling like a broken piece of starlight,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6gAA197oH
soft Persian rugs underfoot,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxR6gjQGKL7
air scented with cedar and sun-warmed fabric.
Nana instinctively grabbed the back of Jason’s shirt,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbfP4gn0Ts
as if afraid she’d dirty the floor just by being there.
“Welcome to Wayne Manor, children,”31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡatIsikZU57
Alfred said from behind them,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycF8LNNwop
his expression gentle.
They were led upstairs separately.
The hallway was wide enough31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6gpj9mLGU
for three horses to race side by side.
Jason’s room had a private bathroom,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyHiRmfhZp
a desk,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2KHawvsJWd
and a leather chair so grand31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUYyXWslq8
he didn’t dare sit in it at first.
When Alfred led Nana to hers,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqlFM9ccvP9
he frowned slightly.
“Miss Nana, I must apologize.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ52xy0EEQ83
This room is currently not quite suited for a young lady.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDAkw1W2Gl
We didn’t have time to prepare,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqV95v3OUC
but in the future,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkICCF5L3h
I’ll see to a proper space just for you.”
Nana blushed,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTSC4Etxtw
waved her hands quickly,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcX5ir5HDY
and signed: “This is already perfect.”
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfoFIZ0EhmL
That night,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KVnkNje1p
the hallway was quiet.
A small girl in new pajamas carefully turned her doorknob,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPIhAVmt7m
peeked out,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtlnvWepNn
then tiptoed across the hall.
She knocked twice.
The door opened.
Jason—also in pajamas,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8ht3cQ6E7
his hair a mess—31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8JfAthoM2
looked at her.
His eyes lit up.
They stared for a second,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1vdTRphuBK
hands beginning to move.
“Too big. Can’t sleep.”
“Me too.”
Jason reached out,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvDPzrHJxB
took her hand,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkHzE0KYfP
and led her in.
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTdNHCkCHB
Alfred stood in front of the monitor,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjO9JY2zwSO
sipping his tea.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvD7u1hgo8w
His eyes landed on the two small figures on the screen.
He smiled,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkz2Xw5ivzf
his voice calm and unhurried:
“Master Bruce,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rLJ8p8BBo
those two children…31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhVYXBVAx2
they seem very close, don’t they?”
Batman said nothing.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjF7iws67C
He stared at the monitor for a long time,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqoBpBA1GTE
silent.
Inside the room,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuhYXBMvQx
the lights were off.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQJCjzzI7a
Night draped itself over everything like soft silk.
Two children lay on the bed,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0cmpO6BOW
heads resting together,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbf0WfWfar
hands moving in soft signs.
Today’s thoughts.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GTGp99Cn1
The Batmobile.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbbSTfFZ4t
Alfred’s milk—it smelled better than church milk.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1U2RXjozkD
And…31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNVXcv9a5C
the bed.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDDNc6b8pe
It was way too soft.
Their hands slowly stopped.
Breathing slowed.
And soon,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRYHBjnGIR
they both fell asleep quietly31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnjHoVO4oo
beneath Gotham’s night.
Day Three.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLy6lBmuoEo
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.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAfVSbQrLp
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—”31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RlieLxupr
He paused, tilting his brows.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUeP0X9YGI
“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.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16dVJ9W7br
“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.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPzq48Ntte
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.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvszuhS2Gp
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.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUDGaKM22E
“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.”
ns216.73.216.251da2
