“So, Master Bruce… this is the child who stole two of your Batmobile tires?”
A voice—aged, clear,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXX7WSUo4FG
drifted from the shadows of the Batcave.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2MbGZlk3gS
It was impossible to tell whether it was surprised or amused.
Alfred stood there,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvnNoE5Yjl
holding a silver tray12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUQWzU2xG0
with freshly brewed hot milks and two biscuits.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjOtfitOZkB
His eyes fell on the boy,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6aviTIL5X
who looked absolutely unrepentant—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzOJhI0ZBe
in fact, slightly proud.
Batman frowned,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCUxtQ4s3Xs
his brow creasing into shadow.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXxnGsWWEz
“The first time he did it, I was so pissed,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvbhqenK88g
I circled the block twice before daring to come back to the car.”
That first time—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZq7JOejNtz
he hadn’t even spoken.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4kW7NtSy8
Just grabbed the kids, one in each hand,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbtNWPD5sC
and dropped them back near the church in the slums—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQGNJrKbyz
the safest place he could find.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWXu0P2qWp
He’d given them one warning:12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4i6Jo6SqJ
“Don’t come near the Batmobile again.”
Jason hadn’t cried.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzBLj2xQ1c
He looked angry.
Nana had kept her head down,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdg91CUsLI
but her hand had clung tightly to the back of Jason’s shirt.
They got no answers about Robin.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvRlKbUnOq
Just that cold word “Go home,” left behind in the wind.
Three days later—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8zvS1RT8H
same place,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFM54wwcRp
same car.
This time,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsduFTC9Bv9
four wheels gone.
“Master Bruce,” Alfred said dryly,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMQJSDRyxY
“I sincerely believe that if this child turns to crime,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSyOIUsGMj
we may never see your Batmobile’s tires again.”
“…Each of those wheels is taller than him.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Y4H2oTO3U
How did he even—”12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdpGqtIlvu
Batman muttered,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzgBuobJpV
somewhere between shock and disbelief.
Alfred calmly added,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZPvWKMFOi
“He also recalibrated the tire pressure.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBxUAMoJq9
Perfectly balanced.”
This time,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1waOgsgVT
Batman was silent for a long moment,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRB9uq4Vb1
eyes on the two children.
Then he sighed.
He knew who they were.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0XpTHKzXN
After dropping them off that night,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJiiepc94KE
he’d looked into it.
Jason Todd—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTreTZwJWqz
no mother,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1pmz2X0Bt
an alcoholic and violent father,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJfvmubmOjU
currently missing.
Nana—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYgWnSsLRtX
from a crumbling orphanage,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwpFugzw9e
records say she’s mute,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigejfVjOaS
but she’d never had a diagnosis,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWeU0RwMo8
never any treatment.
He knew what happened to kids like them—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlBkdU0FiI
especially without guardians.
Some of them needed just a little time12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb85WgIwhjM
to walk the wrong path.
The pair standing before him now?
Definitely a “buy one, get one free” type.
One moved,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8MmTFnQy7
the other followed.
Batman stood quietly for another few seconds.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVHsLZazFK
Then turned and said:
“They’ll stay.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNOzvLkcWU
For now.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxyLymdGFZP
Observation.”
Alfred gave a slight nod.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbtBUHeaWE
Though he said nothing,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruz4bqPFGW
his expression seemed to say:12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZSnnIA9Pf
I thought so.
The children stayed still.
Jason’s eyes were still wary—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNfsa2vBjs
but also sparkled with something he couldn’t quite hide: excitement.
Nana stood quietly,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3EbQ1IBWS5
her fingers nervously twisted behind her back,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGJYC9AwOX
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 children12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJy6Qyw0BP
with the grace of someone serving nobility.
“You’ve both done well, children,” he said gently,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8RGub91v7
his voice as composed as ever.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIBqtcb524l
Then he added:12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDoDv6b8U4
“As for young Master Robin…12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZc00GVqFZZ
he is currently engaged in a temporary,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIE8EWFndXD
emotionally-motivated… personal journey.”
Jason bit into a cookie,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLplRT4SNFz
frowning.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzz2gEMDse
“…What does that mean?”
Nana tilted her head in confusion,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBLVxaEjme
signing: “Left?”12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4A0wsYtqkZ
Then “Robin?”
Alfred smiled,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cp56ZwQcb
his hand gracefully folded across his wrist in a formal gesture.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYN1o4uKLLI
“He has, shall we say…12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1F0Dz1c0L2
run away from home.”
Both kids’ eyes went wide.
Then they looked at each other—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlaeleWtHl
the same expression on their faces12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpYm8hXL1B
as if they’d just read that Gotham was going to have a week of sunshine.
Across the room,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoPFsJOtDE
Batman sat in front of the computer,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuunmi9iqgr
scrolling through city surveillance.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wHiwiqbLR
He gave a grumpy huff,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fV1Lz2eEc
his silhouette full of quiet annoyance.
Alfred, mildly reproachful:12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0H6KMz1xOS
“Master Bruce,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYRpLc60Hq
if you softened your tone just a little,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80czUjxYqc
I do believe the young master would return immediately.”
Batman didn’t reply.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwe5etPbLf
His shoulders moved slightly,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNT6e55gs0
like he couldn’t even be bothered to argue.
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnprhuTCIq
Luckily, it was summer break.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Yl9QS9SDs
The kids didn’t need to go to school.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uAsPT9iGS
They were temporarily housed in Wayne Manor.
When Jason and Nana stepped out of the Batcave12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogQ5SGyhEX
and passed through the hidden passage to the upper floors,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmiaU3Xvyl
they both froze.
It was a world they had never seen.
An endless arching hallway,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8UqaTUvQv
a chandelier hanging from the ceiling like a broken piece of starlight,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgdrX4k2h1
soft Persian rugs underfoot,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMezB5xe5A6
air scented with cedar and sun-warmed fabric.
Nana instinctively grabbed the back of Jason’s shirt,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWlj3duQdU
as if afraid she’d dirty the floor just by being there.
“Welcome to Wayne Manor, children,”12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfO4phnaAyE
Alfred said from behind them,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSe85B9vcOe
his expression gentle.
They were led upstairs separately.
The hallway was wide enough12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbstzh5OK7
for three horses to race side by side.
Jason’s room had a private bathroom,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2DqH6JGJk
a desk,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwslWS2LiQ
and a leather chair so grand12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFLjqWqO1o
he didn’t dare sit in it at first.
When Alfred led Nana to hers,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLxHD11SJz
he frowned slightly.
“Miss Nana, I must apologize.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHkV37Urzth
This room is currently not quite suited for a young lady.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2O8S4pinQ
We didn’t have time to prepare,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JLvrha3BY
but in the future,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmS5RDL1udP
I’ll see to a proper space just for you.”
Nana blushed,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPyY7SaHV9
waved her hands quickly,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffBMQpIWG7
and signed: “This is already perfect.”
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZSwJS4Du5
That night,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqjkrIkwz7
the hallway was quiet.
A small girl in new pajamas carefully turned her doorknob,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15ABGQEPCg
peeked out,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRCxMMsqfa
then tiptoed across the hall.
She knocked twice.
The door opened.
Jason—also in pajamas,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdejFKCpG7N
his hair a mess—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6MMHb9TfL
looked at her.
His eyes lit up.
They stared for a second,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJzMPymmCy
hands beginning to move.
“Too big. Can’t sleep.”
“Me too.”
Jason reached out,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddg1Ry8Jlq
took her hand,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpvMLZU2BC
and led her in.
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2vOxcPSLU
Alfred stood in front of the monitor,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6QPDVhmvC
sipping his tea.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30BbFFvixN
His eyes landed on the two small figures on the screen.
He smiled,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZxxa5rPKu
his voice calm and unhurried:
“Master Bruce,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OsyjcNfrI
those two children…12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsjdSwU2bB
they seem very close, don’t they?”
Batman said nothing.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFB5nV9siyD
He stared at the monitor for a long time,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡylPheB9EUZ
silent.
Inside the room,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Nq43vRmUZ
the lights were off.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWY2xNQ69o
Night draped itself over everything like soft silk.
Two children lay on the bed,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoZgEGEgxD
heads resting together,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcsz0mE2c4
hands moving in soft signs.
Today’s thoughts.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9bsUASLQu
The Batmobile.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCZCc4C06t
Alfred’s milk—it smelled better than church milk.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0HzGns9J5
And…12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnm407c5ZH
the bed.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbEhihI1FR
It was way too soft.
Their hands slowly stopped.
Breathing slowed.
And soon,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVVF3tmZnn
they both fell asleep quietly12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpx2oBiC0v
beneath Gotham’s night.
Day Three.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDb8sj4qo0m
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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09Dp1K1mVw
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—”12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRILhjBADvx
He paused, tilting his brows.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRmzWr4P3T
“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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡONhNKhf5DR
“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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqijh2Ks6Qj
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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJgdMRdCMq
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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFUzjZv11v
“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.”
ns216.73.216.12da2
