Jason woke up later on, the door to Danny's room still firmly closed. The only relief was from the lack of almost silent sobs, instead replaced by soft snores. It didn't make him any less concerned, but it was easier to think now. The man made himself a chicken taco, and left a bowl of chicken with a note on top that told Danny he could make his taco however he wanted. He made sure to also add on the note that Danny didn't have to eat chicken tacos either, but that he did need to eat. As the kid's unofficial guardian, it's Jason's job to make sure he's healthy. -It felt like he was the kid's parent, and he was surprised when he found that he didn't really mind.-

After that he left, using the shadows to sneak into a broken down apartment building he used to hide his Red Hood costume. He knew that if anybody saw him enter and then see Red Hood leave, that they'd realize the two were one and the same, so he made sure that nobody stayed there. It didn't stop a few homeless people who attempted to, having nowhere else to camp at, especially when nights would become too cold or the storms too strong. He didn't kick them out, but whenever Jason Todd came around the next day he made sure to give them an actual shelter, a place where they can truly be safe.

He went straight from the shattered window to the largely empty bedroom, only a few piles of trash and mouse drops scattered about. He lifted up a board, relieved that his costume was still there. He knew he should find a better place, one that wasn't so accessible and the ceilings wouldn't leak, but didn't bother with that right then and slipped into his costume instead. He left his civilian clothes behind, shifting the board back into place. Checking his grappling gun as well as his regular guns, he left the building, quickly scaling up the wall and onto the roof.

Up there the city felt much calmer, the sounds of gunshots and roaring vehicles far into the distance. The peacefulness of it only made him more restless, reminiscent of the calm before a storm. He hopped from roof to roof, checking each street and alley as he did so. It was only a matter of time before he was needed, Crime Alley was the worst of the crime ridden city that was Gotham.

In a few hours of doing this he stopped a few creeps from trying things on working girls and those alike, forced thugs from beating up the defenseless homeless people, and stopped a shoot out before it happened. Yet, he felt like the night was more relaxed than most, something he'd usually be grateful for. Now it only reminded him of the night he found Danny. The damp and dirty alley way that he swooped down in after hearing a loud thud sound, only to see a beaten up teen who would change so much without him realizing it...

It seemed like no matter how many criminals that Red Hood took down, his thoughts always traced back to the worrisome matter that was Danny, and it took a lot to continue his patrol instead of returning to his apartment to check on the teenager. He didn't know whether he should give the boy space or comfort, he didn't know what Danny needed, -and he couldn't just ask-. He felt useless and out of his element, and he was beginning to think that somewhere -somebody- else would be better than him when it came to emotions. Danny needed help, but Jason may not be the help he needs.

Deep in anxious thoughts, Red Hood didn't notice whenever a figure walked up behind him. He only felt their presence whenever they tapped him on his shoulder, the anti-hero spun around, both guns out and pointed at whoever snuck up on him. The person held up both hands, and Red Hood already knew who was foolish enough to creep up on him while he was distracted, the carefree grin clear on the other's face.

"Nightwing, are you an idiot? You would look like swiss cheese right now if I didn't have more restraint. Honestly, I should have just put a few bullets in that thick skull of yours, might knock some common sense in you." Red Hood huffed, annoyed, as he let his hands lower. He was tempted to keep his guns out as Nightwing began chuckling while he slid them back in the holsters of his utility belt.

"I didn't know you were so out of it. Usually you're way more aware when you're on patrol." Nightwing teased, yet there was a hint of worry in his voice, one Red Hood knew all too well. The older vigilante sat down on the edge of the roof, patting the space beside him. Red Hood reluctantly sat next to the other man, slumped forward while resting his head on one of his hands, his legs dangling carelessly off the side.

They sat like that for a few moments, before Red Hood got tired of the silence, not wanting his thoughts to wander too much again. "What do you want, Nightwing? I'm sure you didn't just come here to sit and ogle at the Gotham scenery."

Nightwing turned to Red Hood, laughing lowly in a way he knew riled Red Hood, except for Red Hood didn't really have the patience or energy to go along with the other. Nightwing seemed to notice this, his laughter dying down to a soft sigh. "I see you aren't in the best of moods."

"You're right, so just spit out what you want to say before I leave." The anti-hero was already shuffling, serious about his threat. If Nightwing was here to just waste his time then he would hurry and finish his patrol and return to his apartment, so he could at least check to see if the kid ate supper or not.

Nightwing raised his hands in a palaciting manner, his smile falling with nervousness. "I don't wanna make you mad, little wing, I just wanted to ask about the new kid you have with you." The blue themed vigilante said lightly, knowing that it was easy to tip off Red Hood, and that it was even easier whenever he was in a bad mood. Maybe right now wasn't the best time to swing over and talk. He was curious though, and right now was the best time to get answers before the dinner that day. Red Hood would become more closed off then, as all the other bats would immediately hound him with questions. -Nightwing may have also been missing their usual patrols together whenever he visited.-

Red Hood glared at Nightwing, which was somewhat muddled by the red helmet he wore, but Nightwing knew that look anyway. "You couldn't wait until tomorrow at the dinner? You can get to know him when he's there." That was if they went, Red Hood didn't know if Danny would want to go anymore after earlier, and he wouldn't force him to go. He could already tell that everybody at the dinner were all going to be excited with the prospect of a new guest, and after he tells them all that he was the new meta in Gotham that they'd be more excited. It would be overwhelming, especially if everyone was showing up. He didn't need to tell any of that to Nightwing though, he'd only bug Red Hood with more questions. Even if he wanted to tell Nightwing everything, which he didn't, some of it wasn't for him to tell.

Nightwing scratched the side of his face, his smile becoming more lopsided and smaller with each exchange. Red Hood felt slightly guilty for being so snappy, but he was too aggravated to try and fix any of it or his attitude. If Nightwing couldn't handle it then he was free to leave, or Red Hood would leave before he became too explosive. "I know, it would probably be better to hear about the teen from his own mouth, but that's not what I really want to know."

Red Hood furrowed his eyebrows, though it must have looked like he was glaring through the helmet as Nightwing tensed a bit. "What do you mean? You just said you wanted to know about him."

Nightwing nodded, "Yeah I want to hear about him, but nothing really personal. Like, how did you meet him?"

Red Hood relaxed a little, understanding washing over him. He would most likely have to answer all of this with some of the others, but if he told Nightwing some, then the blue clad vigilante could tell them and make it easier on him. "I found him in an alley, passed out, and took him to one of my smaller warehouses as he was pretty banged up."

"What happened to him?" Nightwing seemed hesitant, and Red Hood wanted to roll his eyes, but he didn't bother as he knew it wouldn't be seen.

"I don't know, he hasn't told me." The other vigilante nodded again, yet he seemed concerned now. Red Hood was concerned too of course, but he couldn't have Nightwing assaulting Danny with questions as soon as they met. "Don't ask him either, he'll tell when he's ready."

"Don't worry Red, I'm not going to ask him anything too intrusive." Nightwing assured, easily reading Red Hood, and for some reason that irked something in him. "Okay, so, how did Danny end up staying with you?"

"Well, he couldn't stay on the streets." Red Hood crossed his arms over his chest, only causing Nightwing to roll his eyes. He wasn't going to go into any more details, about how he put Danny in a warehouse for weeks and then left him on the street for another week. Or how skinny and broken the poor teen looked when Red Hood finally gathered enough courage to take him in, because he felt guilty for allowing a kid to be on his own. He definitely couldn't explain how Danny was actually a meta as well, making it ten times more complicated, especially with the whole bat gang on his tail.

"Probably for the best, he almost seems sickly with how pale he is." Red Hood picked at his belt, hoping that Nightwing didn't dig any more into that right then. "Alright, um, what's your thoughts on him? You two seem to be pretty close already."

The question made Red Hood want to squirm, almost too personal for his liking. "He's a good kid, I like him." He answered plainly, and Nightwing gave him a look of exasperation.

"And?.." Nightwing made a go on motion with his hands, only causing Red Hood to raise an eyebrow. "Tell me what you like about him, or how he's been, I don't know! You can't have nothing to say about him."

How has he been? Then it hit Red Hood. Nightwing had more experience with comfort and children in general, perhaps he would know what to do. Though the thought of asking him made Red Hood's tongue feel heavy, like he couldn't ask, -or perhaps he didn't know how-.

Red Hood cleared his throat after a few seconds, it sounding weird coming out of his highly modified voice, before deciding to just answer Nightwing so he'd leave him alone. "Danny... Well, he has a lot of guts, and I don't know if that makes him a complete idiot or brave. Probably an idiot, because although he can be pretty clever, I wouldn't put it past him to put his shoes on the wrong foot. Not only that, but he's super clumsy. Worst of all, he called Pride and Prejudice boring!" Red Hood shook his head, remembering that day. "He's uncultured and ignorant, but I guess he makes good points for some books, it just takes him forever to read." He paused for a second, then remembered something and started again. "He's got some talent for drawing, I've seen some of his doodles and it's better than anything I could do while taking my time, so that's probably where a lot of his smartness goes."

Red Hood realized that he had been talking for a few minutes without much of a break, not even giving a chance for Nightwing to comment. He quickly became embarrassed, knowing that he practically just gushed about Danny like some proud parent. He grumbled and wanted to remove his helmet so he could rub his warming face, hating how Nightwing stared at him with a goofy smile and twinkling eyes that showed even through the mask. He could hear the teasing already.

"Seems that you like this teen a lot more than just him being a 'good kid'. I could almost hear the affection through that thick helmet of yours." Nightwing nudged the side of the anti-hero, who smacked it away, yet he didn't feel as annoyed as earlier. He wouldn't tell Nightwing that, he'd probably assume that it was either because of talking about Danny or from the vigilante's presence alone. He definitely didn't need any sort of ego boost like that.

"Whatever, I answered your questions, now leave me alone and go bother somebody else." Red Hood was shuffling more, about to get up whenever he remembered how Danny was back at the apartment, the sound of long lasting sniffling bringing him back to reality. He got so sidetracked rattling off about Danny that he, in a way, forgot about him. How, he didn't know, but it caused him to settle back down and look at Nightwing.

The other seemed to notice this, still as perceptive as always, and gave Red Hood a teasing grin. "What, you have a question now?"

The crime lord hesitated, not knowing how to phrase his question, or how much he should let Nightwing know. He didn't want to overstep any untold boundary that Danny had set, but he also had a strong urge to help, and he couldn't ignore it. He also established earlier that he didn't know how to help, which he couldn't ignore either. He sighed heavily, feeling stuck.

Luckily, Nightwing seemed to understand, like he usually seemed to be able to with Red Hood. "You know I will answer anything you ask, if I can anyways. I won't judge you, little wing." He gave Red Hood an encouraging smile, and although Red Hood hated that nickname nowadays, he could admit that he felt a little reassured.

He huffed, swinging his legs as he lifted a hand to rest on his helmet. "It's just, I- don't know..." Asking for help seemed much harder than Red Hood thought it'd be. "How do I- What do I-"

"Take your time, Red." Nightwing said after the few pitiful attempts of the younger man trying to get a cohesive sentence strung together. Nightwing was curious, but he was more so worried, only having seen Red Hood this hesitant and nervous a few times before.

Red Hood sat there for a few minutes, gathering his thoughts before he tried to speak again. "I don't know if I can take care of him, help him in the way he needs anyways. I don't know if I can do it. I try, but what if I'm only making things worse?" He finally spit out, only noticing how desperate he sounded after he was done, and he couldn't stop the small amount of shame and embarrassment that washed over him.

Nightwing didn't answer immediately, trying to gather himself, taken back. He hasn't heard Red Hood be so honest or emotional like this in a while, a vulnerability that his tough front didn't usually allow. He couldn't help but wonder how much Danny really meant to him, or how the teen had made such a huge effect on him that his own -family- teammates weren't able to cause.

Red Hood was becoming much more nervous the longer that Nightwing stayed silent, but eventually the older man spoke up. "I may not know Danny, or what help he needs that you're talking about, but I do know that you aren't making things worse. I can tell that you care a lot for him, and the fact that you're so cautious with making him upset allows me to know that you're not so dense that you wouldn't be able to tell if you hurt him or not.

"The only thing I can tell you is to keep being there for him, and that he'll probably come to you when he feels comfortable enough. Just because you don't know what he needs doesn't mean you're not good enough, it just means he needs to tell you, and that you have to wait. Unless, of course, it's an emergency or he's hurting himself and you can't stop him, then you need to get some help outside of your own capacity." Nightwing finished with confidence, looking back at Red Hood to gauge his reaction.

Meanwhile, the younger man was trying to absorb all of what Nightwing had told him. It was good advice, and it put most of Red Hood's worries at ease, the constant restlessness he'd been wrestling with melting a bit. It was a reminder to why he admired the other so much when he was younger, -to why he still admired and looked up to him-.

After a few quiet moments, Nightwing's comms came alive, taking him by surprise. He almost forgot that he was currently on patrol, getting so caught up in helping his -little brother- little wing any way he could. Oracle told him a location that was recently called in for suspicious activity, saying that he should probably check it out. He sighed, looking back over at Red Hood, and was glad to see that the younger vigilante wasn't as tense as earlier.

"This was a nice chat and everything, but I gotta go. Duty calls." Nightwing stood up, stretching with his arms above his head, relieved when he felt a few pops. Then after sending a quick salute to Red Hood, which caused the anti-hero to glare at him without any real bite, he dived off the roof with a grapple hook in hand. Red Hood watched with mild exasperation as Nightwing gracefully swung away, all the while waving wildly at Red Hood in-between swings.

Red Hood waited a few seconds, feeling much more tired and yet so much lighter than he did minutes ago. He looked up at the inky black sky, noticing how he could now see one single star, the Northstar. A smile slowly formed on his face when he thought about how Danny would probably be happy to finally see a star again after being in the polluted city for so long, even if it was only a single star.

He stood up, more determined than before, taking his grappling hook and finishing his patrol. He'd wait for Danny to come to him, for him to feel comfortable enough to seek his help. Until then, he'd keep making sure Danny ate and got something to drink, offer hugs whenever he cried, and listen whenever the teen asked for his ear. He'd just keep doing what he was doing, and although it was difficult at times to know what he should do, he also knew that he must not be doing too much of a shabby job.

-

Jason returned to his apartment, having hidden his costume back. The bowl of chicken tacos was gone, the small amount of dishes having been washed and laid to dry on a mat. Jason almost felt bad about Danny doing the dishes, but brushed it off whenever he knew that the boy most likely wanted to do them.

He was the same way when he was younger and first moved in with Bruce, always insisting Alfred that he would help with the dishes, saying it was only polite of him. Alfred eventually caved, compromising that they would do the dishes together. The butler washing them or setting them in the dishwasher while Jason would either rinse them or dry them off and put them away. Since Jason was so short then, he would have one of the other three living there to help him put some of the dishes away.

Jason pushed those memories away, a stir in his gut already starting to pick up, and he couldn't tell if it was nostalgia or longing. -A part of him was still afraid that it was something much more dangerous, something he always tried to convince was no longer there.- He then saw his note that he left, it was turned on its other side, a new note written in sloppy cursive. The man quickly picked it up, dread and panic having replaced his sense of ease, and sighed with relief as he read the content. He wouldn't be going back out tonight at least, there was no upset teen to chase down and drag back into a safe environment.

He reread the note, much more calm than moments ago.

"Thanks for the food, and sorry for making you worry. I'm fine now, just needed to get that off my chest. See you in the morning and don't stay up too late! You can't be too tired for the dinner. :)

P.S. I did the dishes, but I couldn't put them away since I didn't know where they went, you gotta tell me if I'm staying here longer"

Jason couldn't help but smile, the note settling the uneasiness that was lingering. He yawned, deciding to listen to Danny's words and going to his bedroom. He changed into some shorts and a loose fitting shirt, slinking underneath his covers and relaxing into his soft bed. He was asleep almost instantly, head filled with dreams too hazy to remember in the morning.

He woke up a few hours later, still feeling as drowsy as he did the night before, but decided it was too late to go back to sleep. The whole Wayne Family and Co. had terrible sleep schedules, most of them being vigilantes or something else of the like, so they were used to the eye bags that all of them wore most of the time. Hopefully Danny wouldn't be added to that list, the teen needed the rest, and he didn't have any nighttime activities that Red Hood knew about. There could be only so many things keeping the teen awake if he did have dark circles under his eyes, and most of them weren't good.

Not bothering to change yet, Jason left his room and went straight to the kitchen, his throat feeling dry and desperate for water. In his half-asleep mind purely focused on getting a drink, he didn't realize there was another being in the room.

"Good morning, Old Man." Jason whipped around at a speed he didn't think possible so early in the morning, his groggy brain waking up in an instant, before relaxing whenever he remembered Danny. He was sitting at the counter, slumped forward with his head resting on his hands. The teen was smirking, seeming pleased with himself that he was able to spook Jason so easily. "I thought you were supposed to be a vigilante? Don't you need to be aware of your surroundings for that?"

Jason rolled his eyes, taking a few greedy gulps of water before daring to speak. "It's too fucking early for me to even try to think of a good comeback for that."

"Or is it that you have nothing? Hm, you old fart?" Danny continued to tease, a wolfish grin on his face that showcased his ever-growing fangs. Jason didn't know how he didn't constantly accidentally bite himself with them.

"Shut up you brat." The man pushed Danny's head back, getting a mumbled complaint in return. He scratched at his face, his rudely awakened brain trying to fog backup once more. He really wanted to take a nap and he just woke up a few minutes ago. He almost cursed whenever he remembered that he and Danny were meant to go to the dinner later that evening.

"So, what are we having for breakfast?" Danny asked, deciding to cross his arms on the counter and lay his head on them as he stared up at Jason. The man examined him closely, seeing how he seemed much better than the night before. He knew how quickly that could change though, and how it could be anything that made Danny spiral once more.

Jason realized that he hadn't answered Danny, and he began looking across the kitchen. He was too tired to make food at the moment, so he opened up a cabinet. "Cereal." He answered plainly as he took out a box of some generic brand of corn flakes, heading over to the fridge to grab some milk as well.

"Sounds good to me." Danny hopped off the chair, grabbing two bowls for them before pouring himself some of the cereal.

They both ate in silence, and although Jason thought it would have been awkward from what happened yesterday, it was surprisingly comfortable. He slowly woke up the rest of the way, allowing his thoughts to drift from one topic to another. Danny was unsurprisingly done eating first, Jason soon finishing his meal too, and they both flopped onto the couch.

Jason turned on the television, stopping at a boring news channel, only slightly curious as to what terrible mishap happened in Gotham recently. He couldn't help but imagine every morning being like this, both of them getting up and eating breakfast together, then relaxing in the living room for a bit as they watched the morning news. He found that he wouldn't mind if they did, feeling so calm that if it wasn't for his strong will he would have easily fallen back to sleep. The room was warm but not too hot, and there was a soft light that filtered through the blinds, making everything seem so serene.

It felt perfect, a normalcy neither of them was used to, and neither of them wanted it to be interrupted.

Of course it would have to be, as about a half hour later Jason's phone began to ring. He took it out of his pocket, switching it on and grumbling whenever he saw that it was Dick. He stood up, leaving Danny on the couch as he walked down the hallway a bit, just far enough to have a bit of privacy.

He purposely waited a few more seconds before answering, knowing that it drove Dick crazy whenever he didn't immediately answer the phone. "What could you want so early, Dickie Bird?"

"Early? Jaybird, it's already eleven o'clock." Dick said, and Red Hood rolled his eyes, wishing that the older man could see it. "Anyways, I was just wanting to ask if you and Danny are still going to the dinner or not, Alfred needs to know."

Jason clicked his tongue, putting his hand to the phone after a quick "hold on". He walked down the hallway and peered around the corner. "Hey kid." Danny, who was staring distractedly at the television, turned his attention on Jason questioningly. "Do you still feel like going to the dinner or not?"

"Well duh, didn't you read my note last night? Don't tell me you are so unaware of everything that you didn't even notice it." Jason flipped Danny off, the teen sticking his tongue out in retaliation, before going back down the hallway.

"Yeah, tell Alfred we'll be showing up." Jason told Dick, who was slightly snickering, and Jason knew that he must have heard Danny. "On second thought, I don't think you'd be a good influence on Danny, he's already annoying enough as it is without you rubbing off on him."

"Awww, so I can't see my little brother's kid? How rude. Honestly I thought you were bett-" Jason didn't allow Dick to finish talking, hanging up as soon as he started his long-winded dramatics. He walked back into the living room, to see that Danny had switched the channel to some Sunday cartoon, seemingly having gotten bored of the monotonous news station.

He didn't flop back down on the couch, no matter how much he longed to and fall back to sleep. "I'm going to take a shower, so sit here and watch your cartoon like the good kid you are." The man teased, watching amused as Danny's face reddened from embarrassment.

"Cartoons aren't just for kids..." Jason heard the teen mumble as Jason left to take his shower.

-

A few hours later the two of them were ready and driving over to the mansion for the dinner. Both of them were anxious. Jason because of how much he was going to have to explain, and Danny because of the amount of people who will be there and the want to make a good impression on them. He knew that they were a rich family, and not only that but vigilantes as well. Danny felt almost insignificant compared to them, and the ghost side of him wanted their acceptance, even if he was still very much wary of rich people since Vlad. Yet, even he still wondered how the unhinged halfa was doing right now.

Has he heard the news yet? Was he upset? Did he know that Danny was still alive? -Would he blame him for what happened?-

Before they knew it they had arrived at the Wayne mansion. Jason pulled his motorcycle besides the several other cars sitting in front of the huge house. He let Danny get off first before getting off himself, hanging the biker helmet he forced Danny to wear on the handle bar. The man saw how much Danny was fidgeting now, almost like he couldn't stay still.

"Are you sure you want to do this? We can always wait until next weekend or something." Jason laid a hand on Danny's small shoulder, who leaned into it a bit.

Danny took a deep breath, before turning his head to Jason with a nervous riddled smile. "Might as well go ahead and go in, we're already here, ain't we?"

Jason chuckled softly, releasing Danny's shoulder and gesturing towards the house. "After you then."

Danny visibly swallowed, but began walking towards the mansion anyways, mentally preparing himself. He hesitated at the large opposing doors, not knowing if he should knock or not. Jason laughed and stepped forward, swinging open the doors without a second thought, much like he did every time. He didn't care about something like knocking, no need to announce himself if he acted like he owned the place anyways.

A few seconds later, only being able to take a few steps, there was already one of the many bats in front of them, Steph.

"Hey Jason, glad you could make it. Oh, who's the newbie?" The blonde girl stepped forward, causing Danny to take a step back, subconsciously hiding a bit behind the much larger man. Jason grabbed Steph's head and pushed her back, the girl letting out an offended squawk as he did so. "What? I'm just trying to say hi!"

"We all know how you are. I shouldn't allow you five feet near Danny. You might infect him with your bad behavior." Jason crossed his arms, shifting his weight to one leg, efficiently blocking Danny out of her view.

The teen girl whined, trying to look around Jason to see Danny. "A bit of chaos never hurt anybody, plus, he seems like the type to like that! I'd know for sure if you let me at least talk to him, I mean, I don't even know his name yet!" She pouted, still trying to get past the man, failing as he was practically built like a fridge.

"Chaos, you say?" Jason groaned, seeing the scheming glint in Danny's narrowed eyes, his grin becoming much like it was that morning.

"This is why I didn't want y'all to meet, now I have to deal with two brats." Jason muttered, but didn't stop Danny whenever he slipped past him and towards Steph.

"The name's Danny, nice to meet your acquaintance." The raven haired teen stuck out his hand.

"You can call me Steph, excited to see what great things we'll be able to accomplish together." She lifted her hand to shake Danny's outstretched one, giving one firm shake before letting go.

"Alright, you nerds done with your weird little greeting? We should go to the dining room with everybody else." Jason said, already moving to the room. Danny and Steph followed behind, whispering quietly about what the man could only assume would cause him a massive headache later on. He was worried that Danny would be too nervous to talk to anybody, but now he's worried that the teen may get along too well with everyone. Specifically the ones that he can cause trouble with.

They all stepped into the dinning room, where most of the people were. Tim was the first to notice them, freezing as soon as his eyes landed on Danny, who wasn't paying him any mind as he stared amazed at the large room. Damian, who was in the middle of an argument with Tim, turned to see what caught the older boy's attention. He quickly straightened up whenever he saw Jason.

"Ah, Todd, I see you have brought a guest today." The tween spoke with well taught mannerism, wanting to appear as the mature kid he was, whenever he was suddenly taken back. He tensed as Jason moved, properly getting a look at who the man brought. Jason lifted up a brow, but Damian didn't notice as he stared at the other teenager who was still distracted by the bright and fancy room.

"Danny?" Damian called out hesitantly, his carefully created exterior slightly cracking as he stared surprised by the guest.

Danny immediately snapped out for his amazement, his light blue eyes locking on Damian's emerald ones. He smiled sheepishly, his hand going to scratch the back of his neck with newfound nervousness, remembering that he had run in with a few of them already beforehand. "Oh, um, hi?.."