“So, Master Bruce… this is the child who stole two of your Batmobile tires?”
A voice—aged, clear,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItmDPQ0OtH
drifted from the shadows of the Batcave.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjEPOFjtLu
It was impossible to tell whether it was surprised or amused.
Alfred stood there,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILx3KFRLtJ
holding a silver tray81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0IzadwY7ez
with freshly brewed hot milks and two biscuits.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLo1Nn1kkM
His eyes fell on the boy,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cME5ak0Rw
who looked absolutely unrepentant—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJuqedFDtH
in fact, slightly proud.
Batman frowned,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYmU8QLyF0
his brow creasing into shadow.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjx5GjK6g90
“The first time he did it, I was so pissed,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iBVxpa9q0
I circled the block twice before daring to come back to the car.”
That first time—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtkKr7fo1UJ
he hadn’t even spoken.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNysE89CyF
Just grabbed the kids, one in each hand,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYnNq1gw56
and dropped them back near the church in the slums—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNuf3qYkSe
the safest place he could find.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hiHvdx7Wl
He’d given them one warning:81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTH13Kg0qfO
“Don’t come near the Batmobile again.”
Jason hadn’t cried.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX373vwsfHp
He looked angry.
Nana had kept her head down,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUx4cPTUtnJ
but her hand had clung tightly to the back of Jason’s shirt.
They got no answers about Robin.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCvC1wf5yO
Just that cold word “Go home,” left behind in the wind.
Three days later—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvWr3EaPxS
same place,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdY9diHE0Lk
same car.
This time,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozl6uVBcJw
four wheels gone.
“Master Bruce,” Alfred said dryly,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAd3dX0WVhI
“I sincerely believe that if this child turns to crime,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfP6x0t40VX
we may never see your Batmobile’s tires again.”
“…Each of those wheels is taller than him.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFApMXlTE4B
How did he even—”81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlO6RUJJcZp
Batman muttered,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM3JahYZJBo
somewhere between shock and disbelief.
Alfred calmly added,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXlxy3J2bx
“He also recalibrated the tire pressure.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6STRGSnGzb
Perfectly balanced.”
This time,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSVVb5YGcw
Batman was silent for a long moment,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwBk3lO1qN
eyes on the two children.
Then he sighed.
He knew who they were.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqatHZzhXlR
After dropping them off that night,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSFeDIaD8C
he’d looked into it.
Jason Todd—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6eBHNM8Pz
no mother,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebBQayd8Zo
an alcoholic and violent father,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMvQXho5oU
currently missing.
Nana—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6IR4EhPxLS
from a crumbling orphanage,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPq6CWKnL4f
records say she’s mute,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRKwvQlj6m
but she’d never had a diagnosis,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wViPqytg8
never any treatment.
He knew what happened to kids like them—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbWDwqHPEt1
especially without guardians.
Some of them needed just a little time81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRi0h5MoUrZ
to walk the wrong path.
The pair standing before him now?
Definitely a “buy one, get one free” type.
One moved,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYh6UmX7Fgl
the other followed.
Batman stood quietly for another few seconds.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5QR87ZaOm
Then turned and said:
“They’ll stay.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjTPOoqe5S
For now.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42i3jA0KFQ
Observation.”
Alfred gave a slight nod.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUlSXVRzCk
Though he said nothing,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKgLeOZZ0F3
his expression seemed to say:81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBxppVky61
I thought so.
The children stayed still.
Jason’s eyes were still wary—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT8Xowb7EPl
but also sparkled with something he couldn’t quite hide: excitement.
Nana stood quietly,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpt2kpwqMOS
her fingers nervously twisted behind her back,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLz4p2T1tgq
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 children81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YpTofM4rX
with the grace of someone serving nobility.
“You’ve both done well, children,” he said gently,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8tofRxf16
his voice as composed as ever.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyKvrOTeqj
Then he added:81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbzzI1m9pG
“As for young Master Robin…81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc2gVXv9GLg
he is currently engaged in a temporary,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVAOpUhsnH
emotionally-motivated… personal journey.”
Jason bit into a cookie,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VCe7H4j1S
frowning.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqo5vYr3f31
“…What does that mean?”
Nana tilted her head in confusion,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qqRAIso87
signing: “Left?”81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscwdO4Z5IX
Then “Robin?”
Alfred smiled,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfFeYIxyCX
his hand gracefully folded across his wrist in a formal gesture.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qCb8Gc5Re
“He has, shall we say…81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKKf1GL68f
run away from home.”
Both kids’ eyes went wide.
Then they looked at each other—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4QPrOARoCL
the same expression on their faces81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupjqbBVNkg
as if they’d just read that Gotham was going to have a week of sunshine.
Across the room,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAMCKXOszN
Batman sat in front of the computer,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOxwuREXvq
scrolling through city surveillance.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDg7ElNZn7
He gave a grumpy huff,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDuptBHjG9
his silhouette full of quiet annoyance.
Alfred, mildly reproachful:81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcVzCJrkcL
“Master Bruce,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHSK4go58v
if you softened your tone just a little,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhr97FsOEsh
I do believe the young master would return immediately.”
Batman didn’t reply.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqCMNeQsbz
His shoulders moved slightly,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhNmR9LzH2
like he couldn’t even be bothered to argue.
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypkDAeKLOU
Luckily, it was summer break.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSgnUjPUU9
The kids didn’t need to go to school.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5OpTqBaKw
They were temporarily housed in Wayne Manor.
When Jason and Nana stepped out of the Batcave81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXJ6zPDYU4
and passed through the hidden passage to the upper floors,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1I7A733zjT
they both froze.
It was a world they had never seen.
An endless arching hallway,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7K4LIETBY2
a chandelier hanging from the ceiling like a broken piece of starlight,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cV3lkiyyU
soft Persian rugs underfoot,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJ7bdPXkCj
air scented with cedar and sun-warmed fabric.
Nana instinctively grabbed the back of Jason’s shirt,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZTDsYHw48
as if afraid she’d dirty the floor just by being there.
“Welcome to Wayne Manor, children,”81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBU8MOcMoj
Alfred said from behind them,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOun3MUrsH
his expression gentle.
They were led upstairs separately.
The hallway was wide enough81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxSMmu5IAQ
for three horses to race side by side.
Jason’s room had a private bathroom,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XnXa3lAbs
a desk,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3So0taLkAd
and a leather chair so grand81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7eRPQinD0P
he didn’t dare sit in it at first.
When Alfred led Nana to hers,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6xLgWRTBT
he frowned slightly.
“Miss Nana, I must apologize.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7lmM1VhGm
This room is currently not quite suited for a young lady.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGTjCCqr9H
We didn’t have time to prepare,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRwoWMaZdc
but in the future,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZjzjW5s5g
I’ll see to a proper space just for you.”
Nana blushed,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdZ8A2n2de
waved her hands quickly,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvE5DInLED
and signed: “This is already perfect.”
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBAEM9vMO5
That night,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡquB0rhcL2J
the hallway was quiet.
A small girl in new pajamas carefully turned her doorknob,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ca2hfPtew
peeked out,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvdpic0dZA
then tiptoed across the hall.
She knocked twice.
The door opened.
Jason—also in pajamas,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdTTzalRRF
his hair a mess—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpO2EvMgQl
looked at her.
His eyes lit up.
They stared for a second,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTA6R1vUBuv
hands beginning to move.
“Too big. Can’t sleep.”
“Me too.”
Jason reached out,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtzNOAYNd0
took her hand,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNWrmrA8LZ
and led her in.
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30cplsdkzp
Alfred stood in front of the monitor,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqTAuCCpfQ
sipping his tea.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6CrsRBYhr
His eyes landed on the two small figures on the screen.
He smiled,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmxyH34rjg
his voice calm and unhurried:
“Master Bruce,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXe03VbCs3Q
those two children…81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgj6KMc3yZN
they seem very close, don’t they?”
Batman said nothing.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQneZUoaQBH
He stared at the monitor for a long time,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PibXFCJ8M
silent.
Inside the room,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu141Biektr
the lights were off.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpRMmDtBFy
Night draped itself over everything like soft silk.
Two children lay on the bed,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmY1B2qQCU
heads resting together,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sOQMeX3z5
hands moving in soft signs.
Today’s thoughts.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgclXMEzSFn
The Batmobile.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSF5caKLft
Alfred’s milk—it smelled better than church milk.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqx3K0e0obw
And…81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Rxq9voA0x
the bed.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8YrTeiIy0
It was way too soft.
Their hands slowly stopped.
Breathing slowed.
And soon,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnQ0tT2o7b
they both fell asleep quietly81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5M8BxA4HM
beneath Gotham’s night.
Day Three.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM06aQF2dWw
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYszJ6nU3hO
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—”81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgsMbn1rdo
He paused, tilting his brows.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzdEMNQPa3
“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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEuWo09Pyw3
“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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqsRIPqNFn
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHX3d6lKZp
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4trUpBw00
“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.”
ns216.73.216.139da2
and then Add to home screen.