Chapter Text
By the time Jason woke up he found himself curled up in some big ass bed with silk sheets and that immediately threw him off.
He jolted up, panicking more at the strange old man who was standing next to his bed setting down a tray of food.
“Calm dow-“
The man barely got two words out before Jason was trying to rush past him. Shocked by the speed of the old man, he caught Jason by the arm with one hand and pulled him right back to sit on the bed.
Jason opened his mouth to speak but ultimately was stunned into silence as he sat there in bed in clothes that weren’t his because he had never been to a circus nor ever heard of the Flying Graysons and there it was square on the center of his t-shirt.
“Breathe, son. My name is Alfred Pennyworth, you are safe here.” The man - Alfred, as he said - spoke calmly, elegantly. He even dressed that way. The whole scene was something straight out of a movie compared to the streets of Gotham.
Jason followed his hands as Alfred poured a glass of orange juice to go with the assortment of breakfast options on the tray.
“Don’t fret, none of it’s poisoned” Alfred hummed as he offered the glass to Jason, waiting patiently until the boy ultimately accepted the glass. He didn’t drink anything from it yet though, still eyeing the butler wearily.
The room fell into a silence as both of them had a stand off of wills.
Alfred simply moved about, tidying things up and occasionally making conversation to see if Jason would comply.
Jason, however, wouldn’t crack. He sat in silence, refusing to speak or acknowledge any questions he was asked. It was harder to do so when the man started to repeat questions and offer second chances to answer in case Jason wanted to.
“Jason…”
Alfred paused for a fraction of a second, just barely stopping what he was doing when Jason spoke.
“Your name I presume?”
Jason nodded slightly as Alfred acknowledged it and tucked that information away.
“Well then, Master Jason, why don’t you eat some breakfast and I can check your feet, hm?” Jason gave him a look at that, confused before glancing down to see his feet wrapped up in bandages. It seemed that the shards of glass he’d been walking around on all day yesterday had been removed and he’d actually gotten treatment for it.
“Oh” Jason mumbled as he stared at his feet. “How…what’s the bill look like.?”
Alfred let out a soft sigh as he turned to approach Jason, crouching down with the medical supplies he had also brought along with the tray. He watched Jason’s body language as he began to unwrap the bandages, being sure he wasn’t too uncomfortable.
“There is no bill, young master. This was all taken care of by master Wayne” Alfred said gently as he examined the wounds.
He could visibly see Jason’s brain processing his words, his face contorting in confusion, awe, and fear.
“Yes, that Wayne. Bruce Wayne. Fear not, lad, there’s no debt to be paid.” Alfred assured him gently. He was more than aware the boy had clearly been struggling to come to terms with the information and just assuming Jason’s background he wasn’t one to think anything came for free.
“My master has chosen to take you in.”
Jason didn’t know what to say or how to react. This was shocking information to him especially after realizing that meant Batman had to have brought him here.
“Why” Jason blurted out, staring at the old man as he finished rewrapping Jason’s feet.
“Well, you have nowhere to go, correct? This means you won’t fall into the hands of the foster system.” Alfred’s voice was warm, comforting, something Jason was scared of more than anything because he knew a situation like this would eventually always come with a price.
Jason wanted to say something else but the door began to open.
Bruce stepped into the room with that confidence that Jason had only ever seen on the front of newspapers other people read.
“Morning” Bruce said simply with a small smile, one that left Jason pitied.
“I would like to discuss something with you” Bruce offered politely as he moved to sit on the bed, Alfred simply moved to exit the room quietly.
Bruce waited for Alfred to leave so the boy wasn’t feeling crowded.
“So, I’ve seen you like to fight?” Bruce hummed with a small smile that left Jason uncomfortable with his access to such information.
“Why do you know about me?”
Jason’s words were blunt and to the point, he didn’t want to drag this on longer.
Bruce sighed before getting straight to the point.
“Because I’m Batman.”
He let the words sit in the silence between them before adding “and I would like you to be my Robin.”
Jason stared at him in shock with a look of disbelief behind his eyes as well. This was news he was never expected to be told or offered. Maybe this was the price, the way he would have to pay the man back for everything he’s offered and done.
“You don’t have to accept” Bruce assured. “But it’s something you can think about.”
“And yes you can still stay here if you say no, I’m not going to kick you out.” Bruce had said it before the thought could fully form in Jason’s head that he was obligated.
“…yes?”
Bruce let out a small chuckle at the way his answer sounded like a question.
“Are you certain?”
Jason felt the weight of that. The need for reassurance, the need to know that Jason was wholeheartedly invested in this.
It was new to be given such a huge choice, but it meant that Jason was more adamant about accepting it, at proving to someone he could be trusted.
“Yes. I’m sure” Jason repeated a bit more firm in his decision as he sat up.
“Very well…you’re gonna do good” Bruce said with a softness that was weird to think about when he tried to imagine him as Batman.
“And from this point forward” Bruce started as he stood. “You’re never alone in anything. You need help, you ask. For anything.”
And it was true.
Jason was always offered help anytime he needed it, even if he was certain he could do it himself. The only time he never got that help was when he was laying in that warehouse aching, and even then he couldn’t blame Bruce.
He had asked for too much, he knew that.
“Please…I don’t wanna be alone again” Jason pleaded to himself as he curled up.
His tears didn’t even reach the floor before the heat consumed him.