“So, Master Bruce… this is the child who stole two of your Batmobile tires?”
A voice—aged, clear,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mMSFrzjaw
drifted from the shadows of the Batcave.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsWugyqsOx
It was impossible to tell whether it was surprised or amused.
Alfred stood there,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhPaiU3KGi
holding a silver tray12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9YIdezlxQ
with freshly brewed hot milks and two biscuits.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsoPcDR0JTO
His eyes fell on the boy,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjHEy9c7R4
who looked absolutely unrepentant—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqBiC4wABv
in fact, slightly proud.
Batman frowned,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvl2nrA7Q1
his brow creasing into shadow.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqeQ6joTHxa
“The first time he did it, I was so pissed,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVyRyvkAn8
I circled the block twice before daring to come back to the car.”
That first time—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDBAqWjXPy
he hadn’t even spoken.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHaM1mx47bJ
Just grabbed the kids, one in each hand,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLYx80UiHE
and dropped them back near the church in the slums—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhpuFZiAdW
the safest place he could find.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvReLmg6pxs
He’d given them one warning:12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWfCSSqQbr
“Don’t come near the Batmobile again.”
Jason hadn’t cried.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6PqdkHGQgE
He looked angry.
Nana had kept her head down,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6hxLhdDUd
but her hand had clung tightly to the back of Jason’s shirt.
They got no answers about Robin.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHfuuMkiwi
Just that cold word “Go home,” left behind in the wind.
Three days later—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnyNFu0oaqA
same place,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBT3NKZr9Cc
same car.
This time,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQN9ZyT9Id
four wheels gone.
“Master Bruce,” Alfred said dryly,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BAyomZ18e
“I sincerely believe that if this child turns to crime,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmpJCgcnEe
we may never see your Batmobile’s tires again.”
“…Each of those wheels is taller than him.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19Vv7Vqgll
How did he even—”12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmG6UyPLdJ
Batman muttered,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjH0huDY9Bz
somewhere between shock and disbelief.
Alfred calmly added,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6DO56cq1W
“He also recalibrated the tire pressure.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1HXgEkwk9
Perfectly balanced.”
This time,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFx1ep8m0OC
Batman was silent for a long moment,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFr6O3ca2q
eyes on the two children.
Then he sighed.
He knew who they were.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmzRaL17PB
After dropping them off that night,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfY5tuUwBdx
he’d looked into it.
Jason Todd—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwOxG71Wn6
no mother,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKinnRYtYE
an alcoholic and violent father,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBsx75rgpY
currently missing.
Nana—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡep772dwOGz
from a crumbling orphanage,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmDXnbFh7F
records say she’s mute,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVYupeOzd5
but she’d never had a diagnosis,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIeWpDx6zY
never any treatment.
He knew what happened to kids like them—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnftwwk8N2B
especially without guardians.
Some of them needed just a little time12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2wiZr4PUr
to walk the wrong path.
The pair standing before him now?
Definitely a “buy one, get one free” type.
One moved,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgcPxCtxo17
the other followed.
Batman stood quietly for another few seconds.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡis9Y0IOVmN
Then turned and said:
“They’ll stay.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiPtos5QuN
For now.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXaLcUHAK7
Observation.”
Alfred gave a slight nod.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡggLRnjyNbQ
Though he said nothing,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40e0hg4roS
his expression seemed to say:12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuGWo7sUvF
I thought so.
The children stayed still.
Jason’s eyes were still wary—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8VdIyyYNzJ
but also sparkled with something he couldn’t quite hide: excitement.
Nana stood quietly,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmt3jQDVgQv
her fingers nervously twisted behind her back,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pVeUiZ6jT
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcuCRUQM2p
with the grace of someone serving nobility.
“You’ve both done well, children,” he said gently,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXzxGdDpOw
his voice as composed as ever.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSw6vn68SOp
Then he added:12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbA4fcRnYL0
“As for young Master Robin…12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsR34epMtyZ
he is currently engaged in a temporary,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6K5UFXE8Bp
emotionally-motivated… personal journey.”
Jason bit into a cookie,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNHtsfaWVk
frowning.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4n8faL4No
“…What does that mean?”
Nana tilted her head in confusion,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSkn0rzRwd
signing: “Left?”12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAeBT7WwRP
Then “Robin?”
Alfred smiled,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgRPBrhvFK
his hand gracefully folded across his wrist in a formal gesture.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIB6ZADBUt6
“He has, shall we say…12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnj07nJ41S6
run away from home.”
Both kids’ eyes went wide.
Then they looked at each other—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvxymmUxnZ
the same expression on their faces12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkx6w64H5TK
as if they’d just read that Gotham was going to have a week of sunshine.
Across the room,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98wReZGMfi
Batman sat in front of the computer,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NIH94gx4m
scrolling through city surveillance.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBi6jo9xUzW
He gave a grumpy huff,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHzH2kXMsy
his silhouette full of quiet annoyance.
Alfred, mildly reproachful:12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCK6orgwWe
“Master Bruce,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCJRHFC9Hd
if you softened your tone just a little,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAb1fyaDFDQ
I do believe the young master would return immediately.”
Batman didn’t reply.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVudSD6fjJP
His shoulders moved slightly,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOX0K5YeeOz
like he couldn’t even be bothered to argue.
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEw0hDwl9Ka
Luckily, it was summer break.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJ09Qyp1rO
The kids didn’t need to go to school.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGN5JOznuX1
They were temporarily housed in Wayne Manor.
When Jason and Nana stepped out of the Batcave12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Xg0C1FPtf
and passed through the hidden passage to the upper floors,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd77CYG75ZB
they both froze.
It was a world they had never seen.
An endless arching hallway,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6l0hiRimJQ
a chandelier hanging from the ceiling like a broken piece of starlight,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTW9YQbIoC
soft Persian rugs underfoot,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdPmhRn9zi
air scented with cedar and sun-warmed fabric.
Nana instinctively grabbed the back of Jason’s shirt,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAyqOMsJ2F
as if afraid she’d dirty the floor just by being there.
“Welcome to Wayne Manor, children,”12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsUF6qsYab
Alfred said from behind them,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUoVcuLswe
his expression gentle.
They were led upstairs separately.
The hallway was wide enough12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3K6C8EQwX
for three horses to race side by side.
Jason’s room had a private bathroom,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3FrI52o36
a desk,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1oagmZxEp
and a leather chair so grand12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEV6FHWOPn
he didn’t dare sit in it at first.
When Alfred led Nana to hers,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc2JYNMmFgw
he frowned slightly.
“Miss Nana, I must apologize.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3e3bNiqb0
This room is currently not quite suited for a young lady.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fdT1fQBIW
We didn’t have time to prepare,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMVgmI3ANz
but in the future,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6AeiO8KFg
I’ll see to a proper space just for you.”
Nana blushed,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKValSh1aX
waved her hands quickly,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqAoCHMuPCy
and signed: “This is already perfect.”
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9mNBZ7Pnnj
That night,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIPkE8pnF3
the hallway was quiet.
A small girl in new pajamas carefully turned her doorknob,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8YFoWUJhg
peeked out,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ371lbtFUZ
then tiptoed across the hall.
She knocked twice.
The door opened.
Jason—also in pajamas,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeJZHqftKM
his hair a mess—12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyNjo1kVWt
looked at her.
His eyes lit up.
They stared for a second,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wyv7Zjpyy
hands beginning to move.
“Too big. Can’t sleep.”
“Me too.”
Jason reached out,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBABQY7eTTh
took her hand,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhzsOMj2Yv
and led her in.
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMuyUiAqOF
Alfred stood in front of the monitor,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4DFBoNfv0
sipping his tea.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGyzkbq3z0
His eyes landed on the two small figures on the screen.
He smiled,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpaHEbf0sjS
his voice calm and unhurried:
“Master Bruce,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuV2x9NES6
those two children…12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtHdjQlBpx
they seem very close, don’t they?”
Batman said nothing.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSTaoNfFG8
He stared at the monitor for a long time,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtgA5GXjEP
silent.
Inside the room,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPCHqOHOie
the lights were off.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMeCE5IlmJd
Night draped itself over everything like soft silk.
Two children lay on the bed,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlT2MtRxqi
heads resting together,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7Vju41DFM
hands moving in soft signs.
Today’s thoughts.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmz8cMik4Cq
The Batmobile.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIWbg6ny81
Alfred’s milk—it smelled better than church milk.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmrCReAfyD
And…12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWKUewfDSt
the bed.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwRPS3wNg0
It was way too soft.
Their hands slowly stopped.
Breathing slowed.
And soon,12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5w5XiJAW5H
they both fell asleep quietly12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1YiQ1fAW9y
beneath Gotham’s night.
Day Three.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkJCoNDccB
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdA4f59aDd
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVqTFrFdy5s
He paused, tilting his brows.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡONPIMIknCM
“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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmHoLq8RKZ
“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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahsqYhK3OH
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkiiDYKznH
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtcsgQgpTW
“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.”
ns216.73.216.146da2
and then Add to home screen.