“So, Master Bruce… this is the child who stole two of your Batmobile tires?”
A voice—aged, clear,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIFeN6FZV6
drifted from the shadows of the Batcave.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvez6kKw9E
It was impossible to tell whether it was surprised or amused.
Alfred stood there,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeR3BxygJw2
holding a silver tray29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjyD4vsrYd
with freshly brewed hot milks and two biscuits.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6QbBn888S0
His eyes fell on the boy,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kpyxrL1wJ
who looked absolutely unrepentant—29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9W6QnDfSJ8
in fact, slightly proud.
Batman frowned,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLY0gq0ip2
his brow creasing into shadow.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiC7ARUygN4
“The first time he did it, I was so pissed,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4U1xpYewLm
I circled the block twice before daring to come back to the car.”
That first time—29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqNrRZaerX
he hadn’t even spoken.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRi7ontjwV
Just grabbed the kids, one in each hand,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpIRqwyi7I
and dropped them back near the church in the slums—29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnq428XHvb
the safest place he could find.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1FbiJjkLQ
He’d given them one warning:29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqygyuO38q
“Don’t come near the Batmobile again.”
Jason hadn’t cried.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEH2rFtMQMg
He looked angry.
Nana had kept her head down,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZLrrF5Rcu
but her hand had clung tightly to the back of Jason’s shirt.
They got no answers about Robin.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hIEmP7PAm
Just that cold word “Go home,” left behind in the wind.
Three days later—29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiekuN7miuE
same place,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwX4yZR8tWK
same car.
This time,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0iExR9XpED
four wheels gone.
“Master Bruce,” Alfred said dryly,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOD3427FlH
“I sincerely believe that if this child turns to crime,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkGzcO8fOW
we may never see your Batmobile’s tires again.”
“…Each of those wheels is taller than him.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OQLKYLvf3
How did he even—”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pSDAUBemQ
Batman muttered,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9F9V0gtbFo
somewhere between shock and disbelief.
Alfred calmly added,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyJ3Bk9iGQ
“He also recalibrated the tire pressure.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugwqp1KsP3
Perfectly balanced.”
This time,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofdr14nqdS
Batman was silent for a long moment,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2oCQTgtCqX
eyes on the two children.
Then he sighed.
He knew who they were.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgNuXzjhVG
After dropping them off that night,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaobsm0LeIU
he’d looked into it.
Jason Todd—29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIyPdGNn0E
no mother,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsZc9rH1oJ
an alcoholic and violent father,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWArGn1YKqm
currently missing.
Nana—29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTb5WPQj1z2
from a crumbling orphanage,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5qQDsrCLx
records say she’s mute,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJ9qnMoQw1
but she’d never had a diagnosis,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuczkxGHvBP
never any treatment.
He knew what happened to kids like them—29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqmeu51vYw
especially without guardians.
Some of them needed just a little time29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkav4dxl0NL
to walk the wrong path.
The pair standing before him now?
Definitely a “buy one, get one free” type.
One moved,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEN6QLEFXe2
the other followed.
Batman stood quietly for another few seconds.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4rmL3Ous5
Then turned and said:
“They’ll stay.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vxDtK85oB
For now.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBgFc5Pg78
Observation.”
Alfred gave a slight nod.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAjXHPiuZ7
Though he said nothing,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9i34XST7d
his expression seemed to say:29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJe5GEb3hN
I thought so.
The children stayed still.
Jason’s eyes were still wary—29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnEhw4RPdT6
but also sparkled with something he couldn’t quite hide: excitement.
Nana stood quietly,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnbIlGr5ly
her fingers nervously twisted behind her back,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYPu2LoXlm
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 children29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq24W9Y7CCk
with the grace of someone serving nobility.
“You’ve both done well, children,” he said gently,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEh72LjHS2U
his voice as composed as ever.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRu9HNOCtAR
Then he added:29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifJK99GpWg
“As for young Master Robin…29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5j5wSLB0X
he is currently engaged in a temporary,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡisYafg2OLX
emotionally-motivated… personal journey.”
Jason bit into a cookie,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3ekCTCa1r
frowning.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5OlA5q0Sg4
“…What does that mean?”
Nana tilted her head in confusion,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgln85YsusX
signing: “Left?”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIHky2462c
Then “Robin?”
Alfred smiled,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjgHQ06FAq
his hand gracefully folded across his wrist in a formal gesture.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7E4BHezNsz
“He has, shall we say…29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSl3lYyLto
run away from home.”
Both kids’ eyes went wide.
Then they looked at each other—29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVGkdNrRHp
the same expression on their faces29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIgcp6GgRd
as if they’d just read that Gotham was going to have a week of sunshine.
Across the room,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75ZQrWg1MZ
Batman sat in front of the computer,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6m40z83N5
scrolling through city surveillance.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHMWg8luc1
He gave a grumpy huff,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegTxXKniia
his silhouette full of quiet annoyance.
Alfred, mildly reproachful:29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsO4dK6G9c
“Master Bruce,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAN1fYhcwX
if you softened your tone just a little,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSFdACF46s
I do believe the young master would return immediately.”
Batman didn’t reply.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWWAWWnWx6
His shoulders moved slightly,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnfD5WhkKJ
like he couldn’t even be bothered to argue.
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡasiUYEI2pb
Luckily, it was summer break.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dEXXWQwYX
The kids didn’t need to go to school.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2ZJhFERmf
They were temporarily housed in Wayne Manor.
When Jason and Nana stepped out of the Batcave29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rMz3XvQ9u
and passed through the hidden passage to the upper floors,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbrw2d95s7
they both froze.
It was a world they had never seen.
An endless arching hallway,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhU2SDziG2i
a chandelier hanging from the ceiling like a broken piece of starlight,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDuGfZO0cx
soft Persian rugs underfoot,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBc8s2zIFo
air scented with cedar and sun-warmed fabric.
Nana instinctively grabbed the back of Jason’s shirt,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY44E2QjWQN
as if afraid she’d dirty the floor just by being there.
“Welcome to Wayne Manor, children,”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglYbk7M0RD
Alfred said from behind them,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNzQOqabSR
his expression gentle.
They were led upstairs separately.
The hallway was wide enough29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKxfwa5ljC
for three horses to race side by side.
Jason’s room had a private bathroom,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZswrIaCBj
a desk,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOd2KpuQRew
and a leather chair so grand29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFoejJUgo0
he didn’t dare sit in it at first.
When Alfred led Nana to hers,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqidp8PTnqm
he frowned slightly.
“Miss Nana, I must apologize.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3wRmYp7WY
This room is currently not quite suited for a young lady.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrxP9RCjR3
We didn’t have time to prepare,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7xMCQrB2g
but in the future,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZJSiRmntZ
I’ll see to a proper space just for you.”
Nana blushed,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8z3Ey1vaB
waved her hands quickly,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK67AKQaLlF
and signed: “This is already perfect.”
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHZ5XOrnsW
That night,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVt0olykiY
the hallway was quiet.
A small girl in new pajamas carefully turned her doorknob,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIohf5rVrjw
peeked out,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcHvGl0rpg
then tiptoed across the hall.
She knocked twice.
The door opened.
Jason—also in pajamas,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTzekU2pR6
his hair a mess—29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVuSSOZCzR
looked at her.
His eyes lit up.
They stared for a second,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbm0tmSWEy
hands beginning to move.
“Too big. Can’t sleep.”
“Me too.”
Jason reached out,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUUmGOebyd
took her hand,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEjigwzz8yo
and led her in.
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcGzHqm3k6
Alfred stood in front of the monitor,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4njj3TlpXF
sipping his tea.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSwbLrsYP2
His eyes landed on the two small figures on the screen.
He smiled,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2LLYbdQJW
his voice calm and unhurried:
“Master Bruce,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ573KI3EIDq
those two children…29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojMMOUnfpp
they seem very close, don’t they?”
Batman said nothing.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxWPZpKiZY
He stared at the monitor for a long time,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFB7OwVUElm
silent.
Inside the room,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbzDoneJPf
the lights were off.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4g5XV3eggA
Night draped itself over everything like soft silk.
Two children lay on the bed,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuK6deiJeWb
heads resting together,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESfgiWiMZX
hands moving in soft signs.
Today’s thoughts.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYQaTpnVZR
The Batmobile.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9KmG55B2B
Alfred’s milk—it smelled better than church milk.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukiExaTCGj
And…29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhnH2rQBss
the bed.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWsy2kokgF
It was way too soft.
Their hands slowly stopped.
Breathing slowed.
And soon,29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YQsYSze4x
they both fell asleep quietly29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkyQnpuknj
beneath Gotham’s night.
Day Three.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WGNFEG4La
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdKjMAbkUP
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—”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsqS7Zo3RJ
He paused, tilting his brows.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91xfULs2cC
“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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6ykb6hD9f
“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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4qK2K8MIB
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1c1dqR1sOU
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjeluuqNie
“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.”
ns216.73.216.109da2
and then Add to home screen.