DISCLAIMER - Batman, Gotham etc are all owned by DC Comics. You know this, I know this. Non profit, purely fanmade, yadda yadda yadda. Let's get to the Author's Notes and then we can get onto the actual fan-fiction.

AN: This is an alternate universe-ish thing where Batman and other characters are plopped into a university/college setting instead of a city (no, I didn't know about the would-be show that has a similar idea. Great minds think alike).

Being British, I'm bound to get stuff about the American system wrong, so feel free to nicely point out my flaws in the comments. I still need a beta.

-Gotham College-

Bruce Wayne is a rich orphan who has spent his formative years in an expensive boarding school, but has had to move back to gotham to attend college. His gothic dress sense and introverted personality does little to earn him friends, but certainly attracts the attentions of Gotham College's stranger students…

As Bruce made his way into the cafeteria for the first time, he was met with quite a peculiar sight. There is a definite rift in the students, some flocking to the attractive redhead with flowers in her hair, others sycophantically submitting to the every whim of a short, snobbish-looking boy dressed in (of all things) a tuxedo. The amnesty between these two groups was so intense that bruce felt the need to skirt around the edge of the hall toward the food. As he continued to survey his surroundings, he noticed that there were a few that had were not in the two major clusters of hormones, and as he observed their behaviour it was clear why.

These kids were the ones the dean had warned him about - the ones that hung out in the Arkham wing of the building and gave even the most hardened lecturers headaches. A burly boy, that would have easily fitted in with some of the jocks had it not been for his obvious and unfortunate case of acne, eyed him warily from the far exit, flipping a quarter higher and higher without checking, as if it were a warning… Near to him, huddled away in the corner, were the two most intriguing teens by far; a boy and a girl.

The girl, who was wearing what could only be described as a combination of a fetishised nurse's outfit and some uncomfortably tight red and black leather trousers, seemed to be doting on the boy - who was seemingly unaware of her presence, instead focused on shaping his mashed potato into the shape of the comedy and tragedy masks, giggling to himself all the while.

Bruce managed to get his food without incident and made his way to sit down in a secluded corner, as far away from any potential conflict as possible. However, fortune failed him at this point, and as he passed the second-largest swarm of students, a cold, British voice sailed past him.

"You there, new guy. Your name's Bruce, right?"

Holding back a sigh, he turned to find the source of the interruption to his so-far perfect day… the boy in a tuxedo stared directly at him in anticipation of his response.

"Yes, why?"

"My name's Oswald, pleased to make your acquaintance… Word is that you've got easy access to more than a little cash. You're going to want to be careful, a lot of people here will just try to be friends with you so they can grasp at a few notes here and there. If you like, I can give you a few pointers of who to avoid."

Every word felt to Bruce like it had been carefully constructed to sound as non-threatening as possible, whilst leaving a lingering mist of vague threat in the air. Mentally running through his options, Bruce decided it was best to try and reject the offer without causing too much offense.

"Thanks, Oswald, but right now I just want to eat my lunch before my afternoon workshop."

Silence hung in the air as the majority of the student body fixed their gazes on the two boys… Even the boy in the corner had stopped giggling for a bit and, with some effort, had managed to focus his eyes intently on Bruce.

"Very well, just thought I'd give you a friendly head's-up… Not everyone's as philanthropic as I am, you know"

The silence was replaced by a subdued buzz of whispered conversation as Bruce made his way over to an unoccupied table and sat down. As his thoughts wandered to the social structure of the institution he was in and how best to survive it, a shadow meandered it's way onto his table and the caster of it plopped down with a jovial levity opposite him.

"Cheer up, bat-boy! You were bound to make an impact wandering through the war zone dressed like Count Dracula" came an odd sounding voice from across the table.

Looking up, Bruce found himself face to face (about 3 inches apart) with the giggling boy from earlier. His alabaster skin almost translucent under the fluorescent lighting, the haggard-looking boy in a bright purple hoody smiled eerily at him, showing nearly all of his yellowing teeth.

Backing away to get a better look at his unwanted company (as well as to regain some of his personal space), Bruce realised that the hair he had mistaken at a distance for a dirty blond was actually a poorly died green, messed up to such an extent that it must have been deliberate. Desperately trying to think of a way to get the stranger to leave him alone, he managed to stammer out,

"I- I wasn't sad, I was just thinking."

"Absent minded, eh? It's funny… they say my mind's been absent for years! Can you imagine?!"

"N- No…"

"I certainly can! Anyway, dear old Harley's getting impatient, she wants to play 'nursies' again, apparently. You should swing over to Arkham sometime, Bats. You'd fit right in. We're missing some of the gang today, but I'm sure you'll love them when you meet them!"

Suddenly, like a marionette puppet being jerked up, the strange teenager jumped out of the seat he was in and hazily made his way back over to his corner, humming a song that Bruce was sure he recognised but couldn't place. Groaning at how poorly his attempts at going unnoticed during lunch were, Bruce decided to take his lunch off the tray so he could find a quiet place to sit… Most definitely alone.

Leaning against the chimney top of the currently abandoned La Scala building, Bruce sighed with content and pulled the apple from his bag, taking solace in his brief moment of peace before he had to return down there. Next period was computing, though, so he wasn't too fussed… There aren't many excuses people have to talk to you in front of a computer.