Jason Todd

The Bat looked bigger than Jason had imagined. Stronger too. Scarier. He found himself looking at the famous hero of Gotham in childish awe and fear, two things he swore he would never do if he saw the man.

Nevertheless, he broke from his daze quickly. He had learned the hard way that he couldn't react slowly in the streets if he wanted to dodge a fist or a knife. This time was no different.

Jason had fought against big guys before; it didn't matter if this one in particular was dressed like a stupid bat, so he braced himself and slowly hid the tire iron behind his back.

"You're going to give me back my tires" Batman ordered flatly, glaring at the boy.

"Who says I took'em?" Jason glared back.

The Bat blinked as if he wasn't used to people talking back to him, but his frowning got bigger. They both knew what had happened to the tires.

"What else is the tire iron for?" he asked bluntly, placing his right hand over his hip.

"THIS!"

Taking advantage of the moment when Batman had slightly lowered his guard, Jason stroked him in the gut with tire iron using all the strength he had.

"You little son of a…" Batman groaned.

"Try and catch me, you big boob!"

Jason didn't wait for the Dark Knight to retaliate and ran towards the nearest alley. No matter how many times he looked behind him, he didn't see the Bat. Still, he wasn't going to stop until he reached his apartment.

He would wait a few hours and then he was going to the old man and try to sell the tires and get some food. After that… he'd figure something out, like he always did.

Batman had to admit that he was a little impressed. Most of the thugs he fought, and even his own allies, wouldn't dare talk back to him. Yet, this small, skinny child had not only stolen from him but had the guts to actually face him when he got caught and attack him.

Bruce didn't know if the kid was brave or just foolish, maybe both. Still, he was impressed.

The boy had a strong swing and good reflexes. He had also been able to notice when Batman's body relaxed enough for him to attack. If he was older and stronger, Batman would have to be wary.

It would have been easier for him to simply run after the kid and catch him, but he decided to follow the boy from afar and watch him. That way, he was likely to lead him to his tires.

The kid stopped by a rundown building, with several warnings about collapsing, and climbed the rusty fire escape stairs before entering through a broken window. Batman followed him shortly, using the shadows to hide his presence until the boy got into one of the apartments, sat in a mattress on the floor and, to the hero's chagrin, lit up a cigarette and started smoking.

"That will stunt your growth, kid" Batman said, moving from the shadows.

The boy's blue-green eyes widened with shock and the cigarette fell on the floor. For a few seconds, the kid looked young and scared like the small child he was. But his eyes hardened almost instantly and he stood up to face Batman again.

"There!" the boy cried out angrily, pointing at three tires leaning against the wall. "Take your lousy tires already and go! Leave me alone!"

Every inch in boy's body was filled with anger and defiance, his eyes dark and devoid of innocence. Though Batman's expression remained impassive, he couldn't help thinking that no child should look like that. It… it reminded him too much of his own eyes.

Slowly, he looked around and saw the drifty apartment, the old and worn-out mattress and the pieces of wood and paint coming off of the rotting walls.

"Do you… live here?" he asked softly.

If possible, the boy's glare got even darker. "Yeah! What of it? It's mine, and I like it!"

Batman crossed his arms over his chest. Fortunately, his past years with Dick and the other sidekicks had given him plenty of patience with broody children and enough experience to know that any well intentioned questions would be perceived as unwanted snooping.

"Where are your parents?" he asked slowly, his voice a bit softer.

The boy shrugged and also crossed his arms over his chest.

"I don't know where my old man is. Doing time again, most likely" the boy said with contempt.

"And your mother?"

The kid's arms slumped slightly and his gaze turned towards an old photo of a woman near the mattress. For the first time, he looked sad.

"She's dead. She got sick, okay? Now get outa here!" he yelled before trying to punch Batman. "Or do I have to make you?"

It was easy to grab the boy and lift him since he weighted close to nothing, but he never stopped fighting Batman.

"You're a scrappy one; I'll say that much about you…" Batman said flatly as he held the struggling child arm and lifted him in the air effortlessly.

"I don't care what say about me! I don't care what you think. Just leave me alone!" the boy yelled in frustration. "And put me down!"

"I will if you stop trying to hit me" Batman said with a tone of voice that sent most of Gotham's thugs running for the hills, but only made this boy's pout grow even bigger as he stared at him with a glare almost as frightening as his own. "You know you can't beat me and you know that you can't make me do anything by force, so stop moving!"

They continued their glaring contest for a while until the boy eventually lowered his eyes and his body relaxed.

"Fine!"

As promised, though still vigilant, Batman put the boy down. Sulking, the kid picked up one of the tires and his tire iron while Bruce grabbed the other two before leaving the building.

The boy remained stubbornly silent until they reached the Batmobile. Bruce wasn't particularly fond of conversations himself, but he couldn't help wondering more and more about this street kid. Besides, there was no way he was going to let him go back to that decrepit apartment and keep stealing to survive.

"I'm afraid it isn't enough to just give me back my property" Batman said.

The kid glared at him again before focusing on rolling the tire down the alley.

"You're gonna fink to the cops, huh? Figures" he said bitterly.

"Not the cops. I think we do have to tell the juvenile authorities about you…"

"Social workers? Give me a break!" the boy interrupted angrily. "I can fend for myself just fine! I know how to make it on the streets… and I like it here!"

Batman seriously doubted someone would like to live on the streets, but this kid was stubborn.

"I don't want to wind up on some crummy orphanage or some foster home with ten other kids where I'll just be another meal ticket. I'm doing just fine on my own!"

The worst part of it was that Bruce knew what he was saying was the ugly the truth of the foster system. Obviously, there were exceptions and some kids found new homes just like Dick, but boys like this kid usually ended up hating the place and run away after years of waiting for someone to adopt them.

"What is your name?" Batman asked, watching the boy place his tires back in his car.

"Why do you wanna know? What is it to you anyway?"

"Maybe because I care."

His answer seemed to surprise the boy, but he quickly shook his head. "No, you don't. You don't care about me. You just wanna make sure I don't steal anything again."

"That too, but I do care about you" Batman said. "You've been on the streets for too long and this isn't the kind of life a kid like you should have. You deserve better."

The boy's expression went from angry to surprised, before he looked down and put the last tire in its place.

"Why would you care? You're the Batman. Why would you care for some stupid street kid like me?"

The boy sound so miserable and lonely that Bruce almost placed a hand on his shoulder before controlling himself. He obviously wasn't used to people caring for him, which made the Dark Knight feel even worse.

"I think you're far from stupid" Batman said. "Why wouldn't I care about you?"

The rubbed in nose on his sleeve and got up, staring awkwardly at the ground. "It's Jason. My name, I mean. Jason Todd."

Batman nodded, glad for this small victory. "How long was your mother sick, Jason?"

Jason looked at the Batmobile, avoiding Batman's gaze. "Over a year… I found her food and stuff…kept her warm… and alive… as long as I could."

This time, Batman did place a hand on his shoulder. Jason cringed, but he didn't push him away.

"What about school, son?"

"Tch! I graduated a long time ago from the streets of crime alley. That's all I need to know!" Jason got up and moved away from Batman's hand. "And don't call me son. I'm no one's son."

Batman nodded and lowered his arm, that's what happened when he got emotional. "Alright… We'll make a deal."

"A deal?"

"No social workers. No cops. But you have to go to school."

"What school?" Jason asked.

"Ma Gunn's school for boys… right here on Crime Alley."

Jason crossed his arms over his chest, considering his options. "Well… I hear that's better than a real school. Alright, deal!"

When the kid stretched out his hand, Bruce almost smiled before taking it.

Moments later, he had knocked on Ma Gunn's door who opened the door herself. She looked like everyone's favorite grandmother and smiled sweetly at Jason while Batman asked her to take him in. Not only he was going to school, but he was also going to have a roof over his head.

"Learn something, Jason" Batman said, turning around.

Jason looked torn about what to say, until he finally smiled for the first time since they had met.

"See ya, Batman!" the boy waved.

Hiding his own smile, Batman disappeared.

"Come on in, Jason" Ma Gunn said, pulling the boy inside the school.

As soon as the door close, Jason was surrounded by several older boys, armed from knives to baseball bats. He looked at Ma Gunn, who simply grinned at the scene.

"We've got a new pupil, luvs" the old woman said, pulling a cigar from her robe. "The Batman sent 'im… Now, who wants to snuff the little stoolie for old Ma?"