Hi all! So I have been informed by multiple reviewers that somehow I managed to skip posting an entire chapter! My greatest apologies! This is what should have been Chapter 12. Hopefully everything makes sense now! I'll go back and change the chapter numbers after this so they're all correct. Thank you for catching my errors and for your patience!
Enjoy and don't forget to review!
Chapter 12: Batman
Tim's and Harry's ninth birthdays came and went. Harry and Jason spent both days with Tim at his house, luxuriating in the cool air, clean clothes, and all the ice cream they could eat. (Because Tim's parents didn't come back for his birthday. Again.)
For Harry's birthday, Jason had kept back a few dollars from their last heist to buy him a leather bracelet with a hawk stamped on it from a pawn shop. It was, sadly, too big for Harry's wrist and it wasn't adjustable, so it had a place of honor in their base, and Harry spent many nights running his fingers over the elaborate stenciling with his head pillowed on Jason's shoulder or stomach, basking in the feeling of being loved.
Harry also got Jason to finally admit his own birthday—August 16th. Harry asked for Tim's help for his gift. He spent hours on the rooftops with Tim, following tutorials on Tim's phone with scrap yarn bought cheap at a craft store, until finally, Harry was confident enough to do it for real. At the same craft store, Harry spent a dollar-fifty on new colored string (about thirty cents per color), then spent another three nights on the rooftops, his tongue poking out in concentration as he carefully knotted and wove the string into a repeating pattern of spread wings in soft browns and dark reds along the length of the bracelet. He did a fancy knot that would make the bracelet adjustable, and shyly presented it to Jason on the morning of his birthday.
Jason cried as he put it on, and he never took it off. Harry didn't even mind when it got dirty, because it reminded him that Jason loved his gift enough to wear it all the time, no matter what.
Shortly afterward, though, their money and food stores ran short again. And Harry and Jason had outgrown most of their clothes. Both of them were cuffing their pants so it looked like they were showing their ankles on purpose, and Jason had already torn the tight sleeves off his t-shirt to turn it into a tank top. Harry's shirt showed his midriff whenever he raised his arms above his head.
Luckily, Harry's hiking boots—still sturdy, if very, very battered by now—were now just the right size. And Jason had just gotten the new boots of his own. But the clothes needed to be replaced before the nights got cold again. And they needed food. So they started scouting for another score.
One night in late August, they were returning home after another unsuccessful day. Harry had tried pick-pocketing, but the wallet he pulled only had seven dollars in it and not much else. It bought them a few cans of beans and a box of granola bars, but that was it. Tired and hungry, they were trudging past the old theater in the center of Crime Alley when suddenly they did a double-take.
"No. Way." Jason stared, unabashed, at the sleek black car just…parked, right there, in the middle of the most crime-riddled part of Gotham.
Harry's eyes widened. "Jay…I think that's the Batmobile. The real, actual Batmobile."
Jason's lips curled upward. "So…what do you say we mess with Tim's hero? He'll never believe it."
"But it's Batman. He's got to have, like, sensors or something. Wouldn't he?"
Jason shrugged, pulling his tire iron out from under his shirt. "Why don't we try and see?"
Harry bit his lip, but the thrill of taking Batman's tires overrode the fear of being caught. He smirked and nodded. "Let's do it."
Jason smirked back. "You know the drill." He waved absently, and Harry immediately took up the lookout post. Maybe tomorrow he'd argue that he was big enough and strong enough to help take off the tires, too. But they were on a time limit.
Harry kept his eyes peeled, repeatedly scanning the whole alley and keeping his ears pricked for any sound. Harry didn't expect much, because it was Batman. He held on to the hope that, if they did get caught, Batman would go easy on them since they were kids. Batman liked kids, right? Because Robin was a kid. Well, a teenager. But he'd been a kid when he started, according to Tim.
Harry heard two soft thuds that meant Jason had gotten the first two tires off, so Harry moved in, still watching, and rolled them away into an alley. Then he moved in a little closer, his eyes peeled.
A third soft thud. Harry took the third tire while Jason started on the last.
Would they actually pull this off? There was no sign of Batman or Robin. Though Tim had said that Robin had been patrolling alone a lot lately. So maybe Robin was somewhere else tonight. That made it less likely they'd be discovered. Unless, of course, Robin was watching from somewhere up high.
Oh. Harry should be checking the roofs, too.
A fourth thud.
Harry looked up to scan the rooftop behind them just as a shadow detatched itself from a billboard and dropped to the ground.
Harry squeaked, then whistled. Jason left the last tire and bolted.
Harry followed.
A hand closed around Harry's upper arm.
Panic engulfed him. He was six again, and he'd been caught stealing from the pantry, and Vernon had grabbed his arm and—
"No! No! Let me go! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to take it! Please, don't hit me. Please!" Harry squirmed and tried to get free, tears burning his eyes.
Then Harry was lifted off his feet.
He stopped breathing.
"Don't. Touch. Him!"
Harry dropped and he scrambled away, trembling, choking back sobs. A smaller hand gripped his wrist and pulled him up and back.
His breath hitching, Harry cracked his eyes open. After a moment, his vision cleared enough to recognize Jason standing protectively in front of him, one arm across Harry's chest and holding him back.
"Don't you dare touch him," Jason snarled.
Harry caught his breath and looked up. He squeaked again at the large, black figure before them.
Crouched, arms low and spread to show he was unarmed.
Harry shrank against Jason's back, gripping the back of his shirt with one trembling hand.
"I'm not going to hurt you."
Batman—that was Batman!—Batman's voice was gravely but unexpectedly soft.
Jason scoffed. "They all say that. We'll give back the damn tires, but let us go."
"Let me rephrase. I won't hurt you. I don't want to hurt you. But I would like my tires back."
"They're in the alley. Now let us go."
Batman slowly stood up. "Why don't you put them back? That seems appropriate, don't you think?"
"Then you'll let us go?"
"Then we'll talk."
Jason glared at him, then stalked toward the alley. Harry kept his grip on Jason's shirt and followed, glancing back fearfully.
Batman didn't move. He relaxed, in fact, and just watched.
Still trembling a little, Harry helped roll the tires back, and then Jason let him tighten some of the lug nuts. All the while, Jason kept a wary eye on the black-clad vigilante, standing about ten feet away.
When the last lug night was tightened to Jason's satisfaction, they both stepped back.
"There. Now let us go."
"I said we'd talk. But first, I have a very important question for you two."
Harry and Jason exchanged a look.
Batman's stern look lightened ever so slightly. "Are you hungry?"
Harry gasped, then caught himself and hid halfway behind Jason. Jason reached back and grabbed Harry's hand.
"If I say yes, what are you gonna do about it?"
"How do you feel about Batburger?"
Harry gasped again, this time in excitement. " Batburger, Jason," he breathed.
Jason huffed in what could have been a laugh. "Fine. But you don't touch Harry."
"Or Jason," Harry piped up, ignoring the glare Jason sent his way.
"I won't touch either of you without your permission. I promise."
Harry glanced at Jason, eyes wide, lips turned down just a little.
Jason gave him the stink eye. "Fine," he said.
Batman's mouth relaxed just a little more. (It was the only part of his face Harry could see, other than the whited-out eyes on his cowl.) "Hop in, then." He pulled open the back door of the Batmobile. Harry inhaled, then held his breath so he didn't squeal in excitement.
"Tim is never gonna believe this," Harry breathed as he slid in next to Jason.
"Maybe your sticky fingers can find him a souvenier," Jason breathed back, smirking.
Harry gaped. He opened his mouth, then glanced at Batman and reverted to sign language, turning his body sideways to partially obscure the signs. 'I can't steal from Batman!'
Jason glanced at Batman, catching what Harry was doing, and responded with sign language, too. 'It would be the greatest accomplishment ever. But you're right. Knowing him, everything is probably booby-trapped.'
Harry laughed silently, then squeaked as the Batmobile roared to life under him. He covered his mouth, glancing forward. Batman didn't even glance at him.
'Once he feeds us,' Jason signed, 'we need to try and make a break for it. We can't afford for him to turn us into CPS, or the police.'
Harry instantly sobered. 'Would he do that?'
Jason gave him a grim look. 'That would be our best option. Worse…he takes us home and…' Jason made a vague gesture.
Harry barely held back a gasp. 'But he's Batman.'
'And he's probably a rich bureaucrat, too. Powerful men like proving their power,' Jason signed. 'Especially at the expense of the weak.'
Harry shivered, then glanced at Batman again. He still wasn't paying them any attention. Moments later, they pulled up in front of the same Batburger they'd visited back in March. Harry clutched the back of Jason's shirt as they followed Batman inside.
The smell of oil and grease was familiar, but it wasn't as exciting this time. Not with Batman looming over them. This close, Harry was acutely aware that, at any moment, he could change his mind and throw them back into the street. Literally. Or worse, beat them up like he did criminals. Because they were criminals. They were serial car tire thieves. And pick-pockets. And regular thieves. Batman beat up thieves, then left them in the street for the cops.
Bad things happened to people left injured in the streets.
Harry caught his breath and stepped closer to Jason, now clutching his shirt with both hands.
"Order whatever you want."
"Anything?" Jason challenged.
"Anything."
Jason glanced sideways at Batman, then stepped up to the counter (taking Harry with him).
"Two Batburger meals and a kids' nuggets meal with two large cokes. And a vanilla shake," Jason said confidently. (Though Harry could feel the tension in his body.)
"Anything for you, sir?" The cashier asked dully, barely even looking up.
"Regular Batburger meal with a coke," Batman stated. (Harry's terror took a temporary backseat to the sheer strangeness of Batman, in that same gravely voice, ordering a fast food meal so calmly.)
They loitered waiting for the meal, Harry still clinging to Jason's shirt and always keeping the older boy between him and Batman. He could still feel the strong hand around his bicep, his heart still beating a little too fast against his ribs.
Jason's fists were clenched at his sides, his entire body tense.
When their order was called, Batman carried both trays over to a table near the entrance and passed the second one over, also placing the kids' meal between them.
Harry graduated from clinging to the back of Jason's shirt with both hands to just the bottom hem with one hand. Harry reached for his fries, then stopped, looking up fearfully at Batman.
He didn't seem to notice Harry's gaze, but he took a deliberate bite of his burger.
Harry hesitantly put a fry in his mouth, chewed, and swallowed.
His stomach growled for more. Harry suddenly remembered he'd only eaten a granola bar and half a can of baked beans in the last three days.
He didn't remember letting go of Jason's shirt, but suddenly he had his burger in both hands and had taken a large bite.
Beside him, Jason was eating quickly but steadily, half hunched over his tray as though afraid it would disappear. Harry didn't realize it, but he was doing the same.
For a while it was silent as they ate. Harry got the majority of the shake, though he shared it with Jason whenever he wanted. And soon enough, he reached the bottom with a loud slurping noise.
Harry froze as Batman looked up at the noise. Harry quickly put the nearly-empty cup down and shrank in on himself.
"'M sorry. I didn't mean to make noise," he whispered.
Batman paused. "I don't mind."
Harry hunched in a little more, not believing it.
Catching and holding Batman's eyes, Jason finished off his drink with a slow, unnecessarily loud slurp. Then he did the same with the shake, being as obnoxious as possible. Not once did he break eye contact.
Batman's lips twitched in amusement.
Harry slowly uncurled.
Once their trays were empty but for wrappers and empty cups, Harry idly unwrapped the kids' meal toy. He smiled slightly when he saw it was another Robin figure.
"So what do you want from us?" Jason demanded. "You fed us, and you haven't turned us in yet. So what's your aim?"
"I just want to make sure you have somewhere safe to spend the night."
"We do."
"With your parents?"
Jason scoffed. "What parents?"
Batman looked visibly disturbed by Jason's quick dismissal. "I can get you into a good home—"
" No." Jason stared him down. "The homes they'd send us to are fronts for human trafficking. Or run by deadbeats and wife beaters. And they'd separate us. You can't turn us over to CPS. You can't."
"I…didn't realize that."
Jason scoffed again. "Yeah. You don't realize a lot. That anonymous tip you got for the trafficking ring a few months ago? You only got that because they almost got Harry. You think you're helping, but all you're doing is pushing the really bad guys deeper into the dark."
Harry caught his breath and tugged on Jason's sleeve. "Jay, don't."
There was a long silence. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. But I'd still like to help. If CPS isn't a good option…would you like to come home with me?"
Jason immediately stiffened.
"Both of us?" Harry asked softly before Jason could speak. "You…you won't try to separate us?"
"I won't."
"Why?" Jason asked harshly. "People aren't just… nice like that. Everyone wants something. So what do you want from us?"
"The only thing I want is for you to be safe and happy. Nothing else."
"No. That's—that's too good to be true. There has to be something else," Jason insisted, his voice strained.
"Jay…he's Batman," Harry murmured. "No one's paying him to clean up the streets. He risks his life every night to help people."
Jason shook his head. "It's too easy, little hawk," he insisted in an undertone. " Nothing can be that easy."
Harry gripped Jason's hand. "I didn't ask for anything, either," he said softly. "Just your company."
Jason squeezed his eyes shut and squeezed Harry's hand so hard he felt his bones grind together.
Harry didn't mind.
A moment later, Jason's grip relaxed, just enough that it didn't hurt. "Are you sure about this, Harry?"
Harry squeezed back. "Air conditioning," he quipped in a whisper.
Jason choked on a laugh. "Okay, little hawk. You win." He straightened up and squared his shoulders. "Okay, Batman. We'll go with you. On two conditions. You don't touch Harry."
"Or Jay," Harry chimed in.
Jason gave him the stink-eye. "And you don't turn us over to CPS. No matter what."
"Deal." Batman held out his hand to shake. Jason eyed it suspiciously, then hesitantly reached out and took it, shaking once firmly. Then, to Harry's surprise, Batman extended his hand toward him, too.
Harry stared, glancing between Batman and his outstretched hand several times. Then he took a deep breath and reached out. He winced as Batman's hand closed around his, but it didn't hurt. He shook once, then let go.
Harry immediately grabbed Jason's hand in both his own.
"Well, boys. Let's go home."
Exhaling shakily, Jason and Harry got up and followed the vigilante out of the restaurant and back into the Batmobile.