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Jason smiled as he poked through the bushes. All the lights in Wayne Manor were off. The rumors that Wayne was taking a trip to Metropolis were right. The home of one of the richest men in the world was empty, and everything in it ready for the taking. He’d spent weeks scoping out the place, finally finding a gap in the fencing he could sneak through. He’d watched as Wayne complained to his butler (any man with a butler deserved to be robbed) that the security system had to be shut down for repairs, and wouldn’t be updated till next month. Jason still couldn’t believe that Wayne would abandon his house without any security system, but he wasn’t going to question it. Every tabloid in Gotham said Bruce Wayne was nothing more than an idiotic playboy who only survives because of his parents’ money. There had to be some truth to that.
It took a few minutes to run across Wayne’s backyard. He’d snuck in through the side, a crowbar in hand to get through the door. Jason had seen Wayne let a dog out- a German shepherd puppy- through the side door. A part of him hoped to see that dog again because it was really cute, but the rest of him knew it would just bark and maybe pee on the floor.
Jason didn’t even have to use the crowbar. The side door to a gigantic mansion was unlocked . “Guess you’re more of an idiot than I thought, Wayne,” he chuckled to himself.
He was in some sort of sitting room. Bookshelves lined the walls and comfy chairs formed a semi-circle around a fireplace. A gigantic painting of a man and a woman hung above the fireplace. It was Thomas and Martha Wayne, who’d been murdered in Crime Alley decades ago. Jason remembered that Bruce had lost his parents as a kid too.
“Least your parents left an inheritance,” he whispered.
He scanned the room, trying to find valuables. All he saw were the books. And it wasn’t just stupid books. There was Pride and Prejudice , And Then There Were None, even The Shining . All Jason had was a beat up copy of the first Harry Potter book that his mom had bought for his birthday. He bit his lip. Bruce Wayne was a billionaire. He had more than enough money to replace the books.
He took whatever title grabbed his eye. He left the room with six books stuffed in his bag. It was a little heavy, but Jason didn’t care. He could just leave a book or two behind if he couldn’t carry them all. It’s not like Wayne would be observant enough to notice.
He quietly left the room and found himself in a long hallway with a gazillion doors on each side. How many rooms did this mansion have? Jason shook his head, trying to be as quiet as possible, peeking through the rooms. Most of them were just more sitting rooms. He saw a fancy piano in another, though he doubted he could fit that into his backpack.
He bit his lip. He couldn’t just leave Bruce Wayne ’s house with a few books. He needed jewelry or a vase or even a wad of cash Wayne had left lying around.
The hallway ended and Jason reached the foyer. Jason’s stomach growled. It had been a day since he’d had a substantial meal. Wayne probably had some snacks in his kitchen.
The papers all said Wayne would be in Metropolis until tomorrow. He had plenty of time.
The kitchen was on the other side of the foyer. All the appliances looked shiny and brand now, like Wayne bought a new oven every two months. There were a ton of cabinets. His stomach growled even louder, and he smiled. He was in the presence of food.
The first Cabinet had snacks. Pretzels, goldfish, granola bars. Jason shoved them into his bag. The next had some apples (Jason ignored those.) The third cabinet had Chips Ahoy and Oreos and the one with the elves, as well as donuts and cupcakes. Jason stared at the sweets in front of him. Wayne wouldn’t notice. He just wouldn’t.
He dropped his bag and dug in, opening the box of Oreos first. They were the vanilla kind, his favorite. He shoved as many in his mouth as he could. It had been so long since he’d had sweets. The last time was when his mom had saved up to buy him a cake for his birthday, just a few weeks before she died. His eyes widened at the sight of donuts from one of the best bakeries in Gotham. The baker even had his own TV show that he used to watch, back when his mom was better. These donuts were worth more money than the clothes on his back.
He hesitated.
Wayne wouldn’t notice. Jason ripped the box open and shoved a donut in his mouth. The chocolate melted in his mouth, and Jason smiled. Even if he couldn’t find anything else, robbing Wayne’s house was worth it.
He was about to grab another donut when a bark jolted him back to reality. The German shepherd puppy raced into the kitchen, jumping up at Jason, tail wagging. Jason shooed the dog away.
“Shhhh,” he said through the donut.
Wait. Would Wayne just leave his dog alone for a few days?
His heart stopped. The house hadn’t been abandoned. Someone was here.
He shoved the donut box back into the cabinet and raced out of the kitchen. Whoever was watching the dog would be here soon, would notice the crumbs he’d left behind and realize the house had been broken into. Jason had to get out before Wayne tracked him down and sued him to oblivion.
Something blocked him as he exited the kitchen. Jason fell to the floor. The puppy caught up and crawled on top, kissing his face.
“Ugh, get off!”
“Don’t be afraid,” a deep voice said, “He is very gentle.”
Jason froze. In front of him stood Bruce Wayne, smiling and clearly not in Metropolis.
“Ace,” Wayne said, not alarmed at a random kid in his kitchen. “Come here.”
The puppy jumped off and Bruce offered Jason his hand. He didn’t take it. All he could think about was how he was going to go to prison for the rest of his life.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t going to take a lot, I promise-”
“Lad,” Wayne said, voice still calm and steady. “Please stand up.” Wayne didn’t wait for Jason to take his hand. He grabbed him, forcing Jason to stand. “I am not upset.” He grasped Jason’s chin and tilted it up. “Any child that breaks into my house just to get food is not a child that needs to be punished.”
Jason swallowed. “Mister Wayne-”
“Let me see your bag.”
Jason reluctantly handed the bag over. Wayne chuckled as he saw the mess of snacks and books stuffed inside. “You are a little too young for The Shining ,” Wayne said. “But you have good taste.”
I-” he bit his lip. “You- you said you’d be in Metropolis.”
Wayne smiled again. His eyes, however, weren’t so joyful. There was something steely in his gaze, like a predator had finally caught up to his prey.
“I did, didn’t I?” He ruffled Jason’s hair. “I also told Alfred security would be lax. I should have realized I would be robbed.”
All the pieces fell into place. The convenient gap in the fencing. The unlocked side door. The fact that Wayne outright said there would be no security when Jason was listening in. “You knew I was going to come here.”
Wayne nodded. “I spotted you eyeing my house months ago. Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?”
Jason backed up. The puppy followed him, jumping up and down, like Jason hadn’t just stumbled into the lair of a psychopath.
“Jason Todd,” Bruce Wayne said. “You have been through a lot, haven’t you?”
His heart pounded. Wayne knew his name ? Wayne was gigantic. There was no way he could sneak past Wayne and get out of the house. He thought he could sneak a few pieces of jewelry and now he was probably gonna get murdered.
“Mister Wayne,” he said, “I’m so sorry.”
Tears formed in his eyes. This was it. He’d fallen into the hands of a creepy stalker and now he was gonna die. “Jason.” Wayne put a hand on his shoulder. “I know what happened to your parents. You have been on the run for the past two years. You have not visited a doctor in months.” Wayne frowned. “You can’t survive like this Jason. Let me help you.”
He blinked. “I- I don’t understand.” Was Wayne just a well-meaning weirdo? “You’re going to give me money?”
Wayne chuckled. “And let you spend it on donuts and books? No, Jason.” Bruce Wayne’s steely eyes locked with Jason’s. “I have watched you, Jason Todd. You are an intelligent, driven child. You do not deserve a life on the streets. I can give you a better life here, in my house.”
His mind blanked. “You’re offering me a job? I thought you already had a butler.”
Wayne’s weird smile didn’t falter. “Not as a servant, Jason. I want to adopt you.”
“What?” Jason sputtered. “I- I don’t even know you!”
“I didn’t know Dick Grayson either,” Bruce Wayne said. “But we just connected. He already agreed that you were a perfect fit for this family.” He pointed to Ace, who was rolling on the floor. “He suggested buying a puppy for you. I noticed you had an inclination for German shepherds.”
“You-” Jason usually hung out near a prostitute named Maggie’s apartment. He liked to curl up with her old-as-shit German Shepherd, and often slept next to the dog on the couch. “How-?”
“Like I said, Jason,” Wayne said, “I have been watching you for some time. Let me take care of you.”
This morning, Jason was a street rat with a plan for a heist. Now, his future was mapped out in front of him. Wayne didn’t look like he was planning how to dispose of Jason’s body. He looked, as crazy as it seemed, like he was telling the truth. Jason would be another Wayne. He’d live in this gigantic mansion and play with a puppy Bruce Wayne had bought for him and eat food every day and buy whatever books he wanted. But he also saw how Wayne did not stop looking at him. How Wayne’s body blocked any route of escape. How Wayne said that he’d planned for months to trap Jason.
“Okay,” he said, as if he had a choice. “Okay.”
Wayne squeezed his shoulder. “Welcome to the family, Jason.”
Jason smiled, trying to mask his fear. He would have to be quiet and unassuming. He would do everything Wayne asked of him; he wouldn’t talk back or disobey. He would do anything he could to survive.
Fuck , he thought, I should’ve robbed the Drakes instead.