Chapter Text
Either Batman was an idiot, or someone had made a really good knock off of his car, and that person was an idiot.
It didn’t really matter one way or the other to Jason, because if he got caught, he was dead either way. Anyone rich enough to afford a car that good was rich enough to disappear Jason and probably anyone else who crossed them. That was why he had to work fast.
The tire iron practically flew across his fingers as he spun it again and again with a practiced grace. It was the closest thing to a talent he had, and even though he’d promised himself that he wasn’t going to be a thief like his dad and shoplifting his first meal after his mama died had made him puke it all back up, it brought a smile tugging at his lips. He was good at what he did.
The bolt dropped, landing on the scrap of cloth beside the tire with a deadened thud and a small clink as it rolled into a couple of the other bolts.
Jason wrapped up the cloth and shoved it into the pocket on his hoodie, then pulled the wheel off and rolled it into the next alley where he’d hidden the other two under a bunch of trash bags. If anyone happened to notice that the pile was slowly growing, they might get suspicious and check to see what was under them, but in Crime Alley, most people would just assume bodies and keep walking.
It was only when he’d started on the fourth tire that everything went to shit.
There was a small whoosh and a nearly-silent mechanical whir that Jason had only ever heard that one time he’d seen Batman and Robin racing across the city to stop the Joker from blowing something up.
It was Batman’s car.
And Batman was right behind him.
Jason swallowed hard and kept spinning the iron. Maybe if Batman thought Jason hadn’t noticed him yet, then he’d wait a minute before attacking, and Jason would have a chance to come up with a way out, but then there was a subtle shift in the air behind him, and his time was up.
Jason turned and raised his tire iron with a vicious snarl, bringing it crashing down in the same movement.
He missed, but only because Batman moved back, which was enough room for Jason to lunge around him and—
A hand snatched the back of his hoodie, and Jason’s feet nearly flew out from underneath him. He snarled again, letting as much feral alpha rage into his scent as he could and hoping it overpowered the scent of a terrified pup, then swung the tire iron hard at Batman’s knee.
Batman dropped Jason and stepped backward to dodge the blow, which was all the time Jason needed.
Jason surged forward again, toward the mouth of the alley. Ten feet, and he’d be out. Batman couldn’t beat a kid with witnesses, not and keep Gordon’s support. Jason would still have three tires and the bolts, which would get him enough cash for food for a month, even though he would have gotten more money for all four. Hell, if Batman was that stupid, Jason might even be able to find the car again the next night and take one of the tires—only one, because he’d had enough testing fate.
He was nearly out when Batman recovered.
“Stop,” Batman boomed in a strong alpha command.
Jason’s muscles seized abruptly, and he stumbled to a halt, unable to fight the instincts that said told him to submit to a powerful alpha to protect himself from the alpha’s wrath.
Dammit, Jason should have been immune. He was an alpha too! A young one, albeit, but an alpha! He’d had a much easier time resisting the alpha commands of the freaks on the streets since he’d presented a couple months before, but Batman’s voice had stopped him in his tracks.
“Do you know whose car this is?” Batman asked, his voice lilted in amusement.
Jason tensed and untensed his muscles, trying to shake free of Batman’s control. Slowly, he managed to turn around and give Batman a flat stare.
“Do I look stupid to you?” Jason snapped. “Of course I know whose fucking tires they are. It’s not my fault you were stupid enough to park your car in a place that’s literally named Crime Alley.”
Batman was smiling. Sort of; there was a definite lift of the lips, and it was absolutely terrifying.
“It’s actually named Park Row,” Batman said, and oh, god, he’d just made a pun, hadn’t he?
Jason scoffed. “If you’re dumb enough to think that means it’s safe to park in, you’re definitely batty.”
Dammit, Jason had made a pun! It was contagious!
And worse, it seemed to amuse Batman even more. Amused people weren’t afraid because they knew that they were in control, and Jason was not going to be controlled by anyone, especially Batman.
“I see. I’ll definitely take that into consideration,” Batman told him.
Jason nodded curtly. “Good.”
Jason turned and started walked away like he could just do that. Who knew, maybe he could. Wouldn’t that be—
“Stop.”
Jason swore in his head. He hadn’t even gotten two feet. Batman hadn’t put much force into the command, but it was a definite reminder that he could if he wanted to at any time.
Jason spun around with his best alpha snarl, mimicking the growl his dad had given that time one of his “pals” had tried to buy Jason for the night and baring his teeth in challenge.
Batman frowned at him. “What are you doing?”
Jason snarled again, fiercer. “Challenging you.”
Jason couldn’t see them because of the cowl, but he was sure that Batman’s eyebrows had just gone up.
“I see. For what?”
Jason growled, swinging his tire iron in a wide gesture at the last tire before an idea occurred to him.
By law, if he won the challenge, then he owned whatever Batman had wagered.
He wasn’t going in with no chance. He knew how to fight, and he’d beaten off bigger guys than Batman before. People underestimated him because he was small, and it usually ended poorly for them, which meant that they might make riskier bets.
“I want the car,” he demanded.
Batman’s mouth twitched in amusement. Good. Annoying, but good. “All of it?”
Jason nodded firmly. “Yes. All of it. If I win, you give me the keys, and I get the car.”
“And what do I get if I win?” Batman asked.
Jason’s stomach lurched in terror. He hadn’t thought of that. Really, it was 50/50 on him winning, but he had to wager something of equal value, and he didn’t have anything of equal value, which meant that there was no reason for Batman not to beat the shit out of him and toss him to the police.
Batman’s posture shifted, straightening his shoulders and leaning back, regarding him calculatingly, like he was taking Jason apart piece by piece with his eyes.
“Where are your parents?” Batman asked out of nowhere.
Jason glared at him. It would be obvious even to someone who was blind that Jason was packless. The only scent on him was his own, but even the bad parents in Crime Alley made sure their kids were cleaner than Jason was.
“Dead,” Jason snapped.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Batman said, something like sincerity in his gravelly voice. “What about guardians?”
Jason snorted. “Orphans get trafficked. Doesn’t matter what kind.”
“I see. In that case, if I win,” Batman started, and Jason stiffened. There was no way this was going to be good. “I want you.”
Jason’s throat tightened. Batman wanted him.
There was only one reason adults ever wanted pups who weren’t theirs, and even though most people didn’t want alpha pups, there were those who loved the thrill of dominating an alpha, no matter how young and helpless the alpha was. Batman was an ideal candidate for a power kink.
He almost turned and ran, but that would take his chances of escape from .5 to zero immediately because of Batman’s alpha voice and even just his long legs. There was no way out, but one way through.
Jason took a deep, steadying breath, and tightened his grip on the tire iron.
“Fine,” Jason spat. “I agree.”
Batman took a step back, considering Jason. Jason could feel the eyes roaming up and down his body, and it made him want to hurl. Jason couldn’t smell Batman at all, but Jason made sure that all Batman was smelling was defiant-fierce-angry! and not the bone-chilling terror beneath.
Jason circled to the side, pressing closer without being obvious that that was what he was doing. Batman mirrored him, circling closer to Jason at the same rate. Batman had longer arms and legs, though, so he’d be able to hit Jason a lot quicker than Jason could hit him. Working on his side was the fact that Batman wanted his body, which probably meant that he would try to avoid causing any horrible injuries that would make Jason harder to…use later.
Just before their paths brought him into Batman’s reach, Jason lunged forward, feinting like he was going for the ribs, swinging past them like he’d missed, and slamming the tire iron into Batman’s knee. Batman crumpled to one side and actually fell.
It was an insanely lucky shot, but it wouldn’t be enough to win. Jason needed to bite Batman’s neck—he was just now realizing that he’d made a stupid mistake not making Batman take off the neckpiece in the first place, which meant that he was going to have to keep Batman down long enough for him to get the mask off and bite—in order to force submission and legally end the challenge, and Batman wasn’t going to fall for that again.
Jason raised the iron for a head shot—Batman probably wouldn’t die with his mask-helmet thing and all, but he would probably be dazed or unconscious long enough for Jason to win—but before he could bring it down, Batman’s hand snapped up and caught it.
Jason only had time to think oh, shit! before Batman twisted the iron sharply, wrenching it from Jason’s hands as he stood.
Jason backed away until his back hit wet brick. Batman looked a lot bigger towering over Jason with Jason’s only weapon in his hands.
Batman paused a moment before tossing the tire iron to the side.
Jason’s heart leapt with terror and wild hope. Batman was still underestimating him. There was still a chance, a tiny chance, but a chance nonetheless.
Jason leapt forward to grab the tire iron, realizing only too late that it was a trap.
Batman pounced.
Jason tried to roll to the side to get away from him, but Batman snatched his wrist in his massive hand. Jason screamed and tried to wrench away, but Batman’s grip was unyielding.
“Let me go!” Jason shrieked, trying to dig his fingers underneath Batman’s, but he may as well have been trying to unbend iron.
Tears welled in his eyes. He didn’t want to be a whore. “Please, let me go!”
Jason barely pulled his hand back before Batman could grab his free wrist, but then Batman yanked Jason forward, pulling him off balance. Jason tried to balance himself with his other hand, and Batman took the opportunity and grabbed that too.
“Calm down,” Batman rumbled, just an edge of alpha command in his tone. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
Jason snarled in tearful defiance and kicked at Batman’s bad knee as hard as he could, but the older alpha merely sidestepped before forcing Jason to his knees on the cold pavement.
Jason thrashed and pulled and threw himself backwards, anything to get away, but it was all useless. The tears and fear in his scent he’d been holding back slipped out, cutting clean streaks on his grimy cheeks and filling the alley with the scent of a terrified pup.
“Let me go, please!” Jason begged, but Batman was unfazed.
He should have just let Batman do what he was going to do to him in the first place, whatever it was. It would have happened, and then it would have been over, but now Batman owned him. All that was left was a bite, and Batman would be able to do whatever he wanted to Jason with impunity, and it was all Jason’s fault, his idea.
“Just give up,” Batman told him, “and we can be done.”
“No!” Jason screamed, trying again to thrash himself free.
He wasn’t just going to give in and take it willingly. Whatever Batman wanted from him, Jason wanted it to hurt, wanted Batman to know that he was not submitting to him without force, that Jason was not some good little bitch.
Batman sighed. “Fine, then.”
Batman leaned toward Jason’s neck, and Jason snapped his ear to his shoulder. Batman didn’t try to switch side and get the exposed section of Jason’s neck before Jason could snap his head to the other side and delay the inevitable, though. He just lowered his head underneath Jason’s and started pushing up, forcing Jason’s head upright and exposing his neck.
A sob shook him as he struggled against Batman, but it was useless. Batman had already won.
When Batman had Jason’s neck exposed, he stopped again. “I’m not going to hurt you. Give up the challenge, and I’ll let you up.”
“Y—you’ll let me go?” Jason begged.
Batman hesitated. “I’ll take you somewhere you’ll be safe for the night. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
The brief flicker of hope burned out painfully in Jason’s chest. He’d known it was too good to be true.
Jason choked on an anguished sob. “But I’m fine by myself.”
Batman frowned; Jason could feel it through his face and hear it in his voice. “You’re a child. You cannot be living on the streets, and if you won’t go to foster care, you—”
“Fuck you,” Jason cried, abruptly tilting his head away from Batman’s as far as he could before slamming it back with all the force he could muster. It probably hurt Jason more than it hurt Batman, but Jason was clinging to the frayed strands of his dignity with all the strength he could muster.
Batman sighed again, and Jason could feel the shift of muscles as he opened his mouth, then the graze of teeth right before—
There was a sharp pinch, then Jason crumpled into Batman’s waiting arms with a submissive whine that sounded more like a scolded puppy than a defeated alpha. Jason sobbed in shame and humiliation as his whole body was flooded with submission hormones making him compliant for and obedient to the alpha he’d offended.
Batman wrapped one arm around Jason's back and the other around his knees and lifted Jason in one easy motion, pulling Jason’s head up against his chest. Jason could feel the muscle under the suit with every rise of Batman’s chest, and Batman’s deep alpha rumble, usually meant to calm an alpha’s pups, vibrating in his head.
Jason choked on another breathless sob. Batman was so big, and Jason was so small. It was going to hurt so much, he didn’t want to do it again, he didn’t want to have to please another alpha, but he’d been so stupid and Batman owned him like a slave and could do whatever he wanted to Jason because Jason had been dumb enough to steal his tires.
“Sh, son,” Batman hushed, and Jason keened desperately for a pack that didn’t exist anymore to save him. Son, Batman had said. Jason was never, ever calling him Daddy. “You’re safe now.”
Batman carried Jason to the car—oh god they were starting he was going to take Jason right there—and opened the passenger door. He knelt down and pushed a button that made the seat recline, then slowly, carefully set Jason inside.
Jason turned his face against the cold leather and prayed that Batman just killed him quickly and got it over with, but he was never that lucky.
“What’s your name, pup?” Batman asked softly, all fluff and soft edges now that he’d won and Jason was his whore forever or until Jason could beat Batman in a real fight.
Or kill him.
The submission hormones coursing through his veins compelled him to answer even though he didn’t want to.
“J—Jason.”
Batman nodded his understanding. “Alright, Jason. I want to get you home as soon as possible. Where did you put the tires?”
Jason keened again, but Batman made a disapproving noise. Jason flinched as much as his liquid muscles would let him—the bite that triggered submission and weakness in Jason would be sending Batman’s possessive and domination hormones into overdrive, and adults always hurt more like that—but Batman just tugged off one of his gloves.
The scent of alpha-concerned-obey-protective filled the space between them as Batman raised his hand and started to gently run it over Jason’s matted hair, trailing the scent of his new pack all over Jason. Batman didn’t smell turned on, but apparently that was coming later.
“Shh, I won’t hurt you. I promise, puppy, you’re going to be alright.” Batman’s voice was nothing like it had been before because now Batman knew he couldn’t get away or ever identify Batman. “You’re so thin…we’ll get you some food when we get back, okay? Then a warm bed. Tell me where the tires are.”
He tried to pull away from Batman’s hand on his head, tried to resist, but he had to whisper, “In the next alley. Under the trash bags.”
Batman nodded and stood up. “I’ll be right back.”
“Go away,” Jason snapped.
Batman paused a moment, and Jason thought he was about to be slapped for mouthing off to his alpha, but then Batman closed the door.
Time passed in a flux, every moment bleeding into the next as his head spun with hormones he should be big enough as an alpha to resist. It was too hard, though. His body was to heavy, his mind was too heavy, and Batman was coming back any minute…
Jason didn’t remember falling asleep, but he woke to the gentle sway of footsteps. His head was pillowed on a strong shoulder with his nose right beside a scent gland giving off the warm scent of father-protective-possessive that folded over him like a blanket, and his small chest was pressed against a much larger one. Jason could feel the muscles of his protector, how hard it would be for anyone to defeat him and try to take Jason away.
He relaxed in the hold another minute before remembering that his father was dead.
Jason tried to tense, but his limbs were heavy with submission and his movements were sleepy and dull and his mind even more so. He tried to open his eyes, but that was so hard.
He heard the quiet creak of a door opening and the slight shift in air currents as they entered a different room, but couldn’t remember why he was supposed to be scared. He wanted to go back to sleep.
There was a swish of fabric, then the strong arms holding him lowered Jason onto the softest bed he’d ever felt. It was like falling into a cloud.
Jason whined in distress, worried he was going to keep falling right through and suffocate, but the alpha who’d carried him chuckled and pulled warm blankets up to Jason's neck and tucked them in.
A large hand fussed over his hair a moment, nearly engulfing Jason’s whole head. Jason purred happily, and the hand stayed a moment longer to tease through Jason’s snarled curls.
“You need sleep,” the alpha rumbled, his voice calming and deep.
Jason purred louder. Sleep was good. Stop talking, alpha. Sleeping.
A pair of soft lips pressed against Jason’s temple. Jason’s nose twitched. Bad alpha. Sleep. Then the alpha rubbed his cheek against the side of Jason’s head, depositing his protective alpha scent onto Jason so everyone would know Jason was off limits. Mmmm, good alpha.
“We’ll get you plenty of food tomorrow, then,” the alpha decided.
Jason nearly drifted off entirely, but that plan sounded too good to pass up, so he answered with an awkward nod.
“Goodnight, Jason.”
No.
Bad alpha.
Sleep.