Okay so this is my very first fanfic, not entirely sure how it will go out...
Hope you like it?
Since it's my first story, reviews would be highly appreciated so I can improve in further chapters.
Chapter 1
"I'm not sure Jason; I really think that Bluejay suits you better." A young girl brushed a strand of hair away from her face; crouching low hugging her legs for warmth, huddled close to her twin brother crouched down next to her.
"That's a stupid code name, Rage is a name meant for men, and I'm twelve now. My name should reflect that, not some dumb bird's name." Jason lit up the last cigarette and gestured it towards his sister, who shook her head sideways. "Suit yourself."
"Well I was thinking Pinky Star for me." The girl rocked back and forth a bit, the old oak floors boards beneath her squeaking quietly from her shifting weight, she breathed in the smell of tobacco from her brother's cigarette; it was so warm.
"That'll only put a sign on your back saying you're up for prostitution. Pick another name."
The girl smirked slightly and eyed her brother, "Only if I can call your code name Bluejay."
"God dammit Kath everything about that damn name screams weakling." Jason hissed through his clenching teeth. She's been calling him Bluejay since he could remember. A stupid pet-name their father had said after hearing it for the first time. Jason would be lying if he said he never liked it, Kath surely knew that too or she would have stopped using it long ago. She used it most often whenever Jason was feeling down or hurt, she also used it in times of excitement, but finding something to become excited over was hard. "Think of something better."
"I don't see why we even need code names; we're only going to do petty crime. And if we had to choose code names, mine would Sunbird—"
"That's stupid too." Jason grunted.
"Bluejay and Sunbird" Katherine smiled warmly to herself. Their mother, Katherine Todd, had decided to name her daughter after herself. God only knows why she did that, but it always made Kath-his sister, more prone to being physically abused by their alcoholic loser of a father. Dad would come storming in the apartment shouting for his wife Katherine, who normally was passed out in the tub, without her response he would find another little Katherine in the bedroom corner and beat her instead. Jason was always beside her sister when Dad came in, and many times tried to direct the beatings to him by getting in the way or shouting. Sometimes it worked, but other times Father Dearest would just toss him to the side. Other nights they both would be beaten.
Jason rolled his eyes. Those had to be gayest names of all time- for crime anyways. One person simply did not name themselves after small puny birds and expect not to drawn more attention to themselves. Jason pulled his coat-collar up around his neck, to keep the draft coming from the broken window from going down his back. "You should put your hood up Kath – or Sunbird."
Katherine grinned sheepishly and tossed her jacket hood up, "So it's settled? Bluejay and Sunbird?"
"Tssh, I was only calling you what you wanted-" Jason squashed the bud of his cigarette into the floor, "—privately. In front of others I'll be Rage and you can Ravage, we can't go pretending to be chasing butterflies outside when really were stealing." He knew his sister was aware of this; it is Gotham by the way. Jason just did not know why she was so insistent about that name so much; could she be fooling around with him trying to get a reaction?
Trying to trick each other or to get the other twin to react to something small was the only form of 'sibling rivalry' they had… and Kath was smiling a lot…
Jason put an arm around his sister and pulled her closer. Her body relaxed as she leaned her cheek on her brother's shoulder. "Do you think we'll try Carl's Cornered Convenience shop first Bluejay? We've never liked that guy huh? Those dirty looks he gives us, they always make my stomach churn."
"Same," Jason rested his head atop his sister's, "What time is it?"
Katherine pulled out a hand watch from her pocket. "It's quarter to ten." Damn, that time was cutting it close; they made it a rule to always stay hidden after ten-thirty, whether it was outside in an alley behind crates or something, or inside the apartment. Staying in the apartment was becoming more risky though, Dad left the family almost two years ago, and Mum passed away from an over-dose three months ago. Rent hasn't been paid for five months, and technically neither of them was supposed to be in here. Jason nor Katherine wanted to be caught and put into foster care. "Wanna ditch this place and head to the cave? Maybe try out Carl's for some food?"
The cave, it's what they called it. Really it was a 'room' under Crime Ally in the sewer system, and became the new turf for the twins. After managing to lift the heavy metal circle that separated the twins from the safety of the sewers and the dangerous streets, they would climb down the ladder to be welcomed by a sick smell.
The feces from the wonderful bright city of Gotham's people.
The smell of home.
Both children had been surprised to find an entrance cut out from the concrete after walking in the sewers for a bit, it opened up to a small concrete room. It was pretty clean, some graffiti, but no garbage littering the floor. So they set up camp. They set up some blankets, a pillow and stashed what they found in the city along the left wall.
A stolen can food item that they could never manage to open.
"We don't have time for Carl's, but ya lets ditch this Popsicle stand." Jason got up and opened the window frame, "Careful of the glass."
"I know." Katherine climbed through the window after her brother onto the fire escape and began to climb down.
Having to jump the last three meters onto a dumpster, Jason landed roughly and slide off. His sister, a bit more graceful, swung onto the last step of the fire escape hanging there with her hands so her feet would be that much closer to the top of the dumpster. By a meter and thirty cementers closer actually, resulting in a not so harsh landing.
"Let's go." Jason gestured his sister to follow.
"WELL! What do we have here?" a rough voice stated.
Damn.
Jason spun around and grabbed his sister's hand to look at only shadows. Both on guard with body muscles tensed ready to bolt for it.
Three men emerged from the darkness. One man was grinning with rotten teeth, one with a twisted swollen face and the other flicking a pocket knife open and closed. They look to be in their forties, with rough scruffy beards, and tattoos littering their bodies.
"Looks like we have ourselves some runaway's Boss." Answered the one playing with the knife.
Think fast think fast think fast, dammit man think! "Actually we were just heading home." Stay cool Jason, they're just a bunch of low scum-bag losers.
"If I knew any better I'd say you little freaks got no home. Say, I have one for ya' the missy there, all you need to do is make some old lonely men a bit happier every night. Mama Berth pays well, feed ya' too." The middle man approached, "My names Pete, this ugly thing over here is Jud – he don't talk, and this knife idiot t'is called Frankie, but he prefers the name Frat."
"We love you offer Pete," Jason said, backing away "we really do, but we just don't like pedophiles and we believe in sex after marriage."
Kath squeezed his hand.
"Tsk now little babes," Pete took another step forward, "we really weren't askin', give us the girl kid and we'll let you go, so how about you hand 'er ov—"
Kath squeezed his hand twice, Jason returned it.
Run.
They booked it.
"CATCH T'EM BUGGERS!"
Holding hands they ran as fast as they could, Jason looked back and saw Pete, Jud and Frat in pursuit.
Kath whistled once. right ally.
More running.
Kath whistled twice. Turn left.
They slowed down in the ally and turned behind them, no one was there.
"We out ran them." Jason wheezed, catching his breath. Glancing at his sister he saw her leaning over catching her breath too.
"Ya, did you see how fat that one guy was?" she grinned, standing up.
"Ha, ya." Jay returned a smile, "you alright?"
"Ya, maybe we should just hang around here for the night, I see some crates right over there." Katherine pointed headed of here.
"Sure thing."
Jason glanced behind him and large hands wrapped around his neck and lifted him up high, "You little bitches! Think you can out run me?! I'll teach you little runts your place! Jud grab the girl."
"Let him go you bastards! He can't breathe!" Kath started forwards toward her brother, but she was intercepted by Jud who picked her and threw her over her shoulders.
Jason squirmed and kicked around struggling for air, tossing his arms around trying to punch his opponent.
"Pete just knock his head on the ground, we don't need him, Berth don't wanted no more boys. More trouble then they're worth she said, 'member?" Frat spoke.
With that, Pete smashed Jason head into the cold hard concrete.
"JASON!"