Chapter Text
Chapter One
“Hey, Sunny,” said Jason as he walked up to one of the women who worked the corner. The blonde-haired woman wore a bright purple dress that barely covered her ass. She shook her head as she saw Jason approach.
“Jace, you shouldn’t be talking to me,” said Sunny, “not while I’m working. Last time you did someone thought you were one of us.”
Jason pulled out a $20 bill, “I was just wondering if.”
“Cigarettes,” said Sunny as she reached into her purse and pulled out a box, “I shouldn’t be giving you these. Go on kid before someone drives up and starts asking your prices AGAIN!”
Jason rolled his eyes before giving her a lopsided smile, “Thanks, Sunny. You are the best!”
Sunny shook her head before reaching over and ruffling his hair, “I swear if I wasn’t living on a couch in a one room apartment sharing it with five other girls, I would take you home and get all obnoxiously big sisterly with you.”
“I get that, but life isn’t nice,” said Jason. Sunny smiled softly before pulling him into a hug.
“I love you, bean,” said Sunny, “now get going.”
Jason pushed away, “I love you, too, Sunny.” He quickly turned away from her and ran up the street. He knew she was watching him go and shaking her head. She was one of the few friends he had.
He glanced down the streets and specifically at people’s tires. Tires, can get expensive. He remembered the first time his dad taught him to change a tire from a car.
He was six years old. His dad pulled his shoulder length, black hair back into a pony tail to work. Jason was nursing nasty shiner on his chin from an embarrassing fall from the day before. His dad the day before yelled at him for being clumsy and shook him so hard his teeth rattled in his head. The person that was supposed to babysit him that day bailed because of reasons he was too young to understand. So, he ended up sitting in a chair pouting and feeling sorry for himself at the shop his dad worked. It was one he was coming on his tenth-year anniversary working at. Jason knew that people would come in and get keys to expensive cars that came in. Over the years he has seen on days he got to follow his dad to work he has seen him go out on the sales floor and talk to some pretty woman who would come in, go from stoic to giggling in just a matter of seconds.
He remembered a time when his dad, was staring at a Chevrolet Camero. His hands dirty from its engine.
“Hey, Kiddo, c’mere,” Willis said, “I – about yesterday -”
Jason watched him stutter.
I – Let’s forget about yesterday okay.” Jason watched him stutter, before his dad sighed, “do you want to learn how to change a tire? One day you will have to learn how to drive and well it’s a need to know how to change tires and by the time your sixteen we might be able to save enough for you to get a car or a bike. So, you will need to know this type of shit.”
Jason nodded his head, “Yeah, sure, Dad.”
“We’ll start with me showing you how to do it, then the next one you get to do it yourself and I’ll pull the tire from the car. Then after we’ll have a race to see who can get the last two tires off. Loser pulls the tire off for the other person.”
Jason stared at the car intently, “Okay. I – yeah – sounds great. I am going to beat you.”
Willis ruffled his hair, “I bet you will.”
He did win that day. He never did find out if his dad purposely held back so that he could finish first so he could help pull his tire off for him, but he remembered his dad taking him out for ice cream afterwards and telling him to not tell his mom. They went home and he later heard his dad telling his mom about the tires and ice cream. His Mom looked so tired back then. He remembered thinking adults don’t make much sense.
Now he sits in a small condemned apartment building, his mattress he slept on very much had bed bugs because he woke up every day with new bug bites, he looked around at his make shift furniture he winced before glancing at his posters he bought to make the place feel like a home with art work on the wall.
From where he sat the man looked big from the third story window and he stared at the gaudy, black, bat-inspired car. He knew by just looking at it that it was custom made everything. The tires would be worth a lot of money maybe even $500 each. That was a lot of money something that could help a lot of people eat with money like that including himself. Jason swallowed back the guilt he had to swallow each time he stole. He was doing what he needed to survive. If he died tomorrow, he would be forgotten in manner of minutes.
He had a fit that would for them and he looked around and saw enough stuff he could prop the car to the right height. The worst that could happen is the man catches him and kills him. Then he looked really looked at the car. He slowly looked under it and saw there was on the other side wires that hooked up to a not ordinary object to the tires. He slowly took some wire cutters from his pocket and cut them on each tire. He then went and grabbed some concrete blocks that he saw lying around in the abandoned construction site near by enough for each tire and quickly made it back to the car.
He gulped and looked around for the Bat and when he did not see the man, he got to work. He slowly pried off the first hub cap and put in is bag before he started to loosen the tire’s nut bolts, listening for any sudden noises. After every nut was loosened, he put his jack underneath the car and pumped it up to a reasonable height before removing each nut on the tire, placing them in his pocket before removing the tire. He quickly placed each brick under until it was a nice height. He quickly lowered his jack until it was not touching the car and grabbed it and placing it under his He raced to get the tire to his little room that he found before racing to the second tire. He knew now he could quicken his pace up.
The second one was difficult with the car not balanced. He felt giant queasy waves in his stomach. Batman could be back any second and he would be in big trouble. But as soon as it came off, he raced to get to it up top in his apartment. Jason felt a heavy weight in his stomach as he ignored the feat of getting caught. Because it was half way done but any moment the Bat could come back. Any moment he could be beaten to a pulp from a very dangerous man. The second the second was off and safely off, he went back for a third. He needed to make all four or the whole shit show wasn’t going to work. He wouldn’t be able to sell those tires and not be able to feed multiple other unwanted people who need food. He was able to take that third. He went around and put his jack under the car to help keep the afloat a little bit longer before taking the third tire to his hiding place.
He was on the clock and he needed to get that fourth tire before Batman returned. He could feel the pride and ego hit him. He stole the tires from The Batman. The man that put mob bosses and supervillains into the hospital. Since his prints aren’t in any system he was almost in the clear. He just needed that last tire.
Jason felt giddy. He was so close to his goal. He didn’t see the tall man crouched behind his car, staring at the one tire still left on the car. He was so busy running a high of being so close.
The second Jason saw the Batman, he felt a cold wave of terror hit him as he stared up at the giant man. He tightened his grip on his wrench. He was not going to end up in prison for stealing from the man. He just had to think and think fast.
Batman looked at him as he shook his head, “did you come to finish the job, kid?”
“What job,” said Jason as he held his wrench behind his back. He internally winced because he knew the man could see his tire iron that he was using behind his back. The man might look strange but he’s not an idiot. He knew he could see the tool behind his back
“Taking my tires,” said Batman as he stood up and towered over Jason. Jason felt his knees shake as he stood just a little taller than the man’s belly button. The gigantic lunatic in a full leather suit, “and you will be giving those tires back.”
“I didn’t take no stinking tires,” said Jason, “you’re crazy.”
“Then, what else do you need that tire iron for,” asked Batman.
Jason looked Batman in his eyes as he made up his mind. He had only one chance to pull this off. “This,” Jason shouted before slamming the tire into Batman, “This.” He went running down an alley.
“You little son of a gun,” he heard Batman say.
Jason shouted back, “try and catch me, you big boob.”
Jason ran through several alleys and back ways before turning around and not seeing Batman before racing to his homebase. He crawled up the fire escape to the third floor and made his way through the halls to his make shift room where tires from a couple of other times he has stolen tires. He sat down on his mattress and sighed in relief as he lit a cigarette. He felt the hunger pains ebb away as well as the edge of his nerves. He would probably pick one of the books to read. Most likely Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. He just needed this smoke. He groaned as he remembered his last words to Batman. He called the man a boob. Out of anything he could have called the fucker, it was a boob.
“Those will stunt your growth,” said a gravely voice coming from the doorway. Jason cussed as he stood up.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” he said.
Batman raised an eyebrow up at his words.
Jason glared at the man before sighing, “Over there is your shit, there take your tires and get out of here. Just, leave me alone!”
He watched as Batman stalked around his living quarters. Looking at all his stuff that he had in his make shift home. Jason could feel the judgement before the man opened his mouth. “Son, do you live here?”
Jason felt red with rage, “Yeah! It’s damn straight mine and I put hard work into making this place mine and I like it! I love it in fact!”
Batman shook his head before crossing his arms, “Where are your parents?”
“I don’t know,” said Jason, “where are yours? They obviously didn’t teach you manners into not walking into someone’s home with out invitation.”
Batman stared at him, his expression going colder at Jason, that he started shifting uncomfortably in the Bat’s gaze. Jason rolled his eyes, “Look, my old man is most likely in jail or has gotten out and never came home.”
“And your mother,” asked Batman.
Jason felt sick as he remembered his mother’s cold body on a bathroom floor and a needle in her arms. He felt the tears behind his eyes form.
“She’s dead. She got sick and died. Are you done with the twenty questions and happy now? Now get outa here!” Jason made a fist as he turned around and got ready to fight, “Or do I have to make you?”
Batman raised an eyebrow at him. Jason felt his anger welling up as he threw his fist and his wrist was grabbed by the man. Jason felt fear well up in him as he was yanked off the ground. He could feel the presence of the mattress near by as he tried squirming his way out of Batman’s grasp using his body and trying to punch the man.
“You are a scrappy one. I’ll give that much to you.”
Jason felt the fight ebb from his body, if the man used him, there was nothing he could do to stop him. Batman slowly let him down. Jason waited for the man to throw him down on his bed. He hoped it was a then and there and he won’t be aching from pain afterwards. Not— Jason felt tired.
Batman shook his head, “Now let’s put my tires back on my car.”
Jason sighed as he rubbed his throbbing wrist. “Yeah, let’s do that. Look if we used some of my rope, the easiest way to get your tires back to you would be to lower them down to the alley and then I can put them back on the car.”
Batman nodded as he turned and walked away. Jason rolled his eyes as he grabbed rope, he used to pull the tires up the fire escape and walked down the hallway to where the fire escape ladder’s he used every day were.
He watched as the man paused and looked at the escape ladder and frowned. He could see the man judging them. Jason sighed, the place was going to be demolished some day, the date hasn’t been confirmed but he has been watching the news. It was safe so far. He tied one of the tires as he watched the man go down to the alley and watched him untie the first two of his tires. They worked in silence as Jason placed each tire back onto the Batmobile.
“There I am done,” said Jason as he wiped the grease of the car onto his pants, “are you happy?”
Batman glared down at him, “get in.” Jason and Batman stared at each other for a good long minute. Jason felt a shudder hit him before getting into the car. Jason sighed as he put on the seatbelt and closed his eyes.
“Are you hungry,” asked Batman as he pushed a button and started the engine.
“Starved, haven’t eaten in two days,” said Jason.
The man grunted as they drove off. Jason sat back and kept his eyes shut, he didn’t want to see the way to the closest police station before they pulled into a drive-thru for the Batburger and Batman turned to him and asked him what he wanted. Jason gaped at him as he told Batman the type of burger he wanted, a burger with bacon and cheese with an order of fries, jokerized and a root beer. He watched the man order a very similar order and pay for it with a credit card that said Batman on it.
He watched the man drive up and take his orders from the takeout window and drive off. He kept staring at Batman and then down at the food before they got farther away.
“We’ll eat somewhere else,” said Batman, as he plopped the bag of food between them. Jason stared at the Batman and back to the order of two burgers and their drinks before Batman drove them to a park.
“Agent A, doesn’t like food get eaten in the car,” said Batman as he got out with the food.
“Okay,” said Jason as he scrambled out of the car, “who’s Agent A? Is he your boss or something?”
Batman paused and he watched a smile twitch onto his face, “or something?” Batman handed him his meal. Jason immediately dug in as he perched on the hood of the batmobile.
“You know it’s not enough that you gave me back my tires,” said Batman.
Jason tensed as he thought about what that meant, “So you’re going to fink me to the cops. Fuck!” Jason stared down at his meal, it wasn’t enough to ruin it.
“No, not them. I think that Child protective services,” said Batman, as he carried two of the tires back to the car.
Jason tensed up at what he said, “Look, I have been looking after myself just fucking fine. I have had to do it for a long time and I am good at and I enjoy being on my own because I know I can keep myself safe. I don’t want to end up in state care and having to depend on someone that may or may not use it against me. I don’t need some fucker who looks down at me for how I ended up on the street like as if I had a choice. I, Jason Todd, am my own person and I am making sure I am safe.”
“Jason Todd,” said Batman, “that is a good name.”
Jason tensed, “Beside I have looked after my mom when she was sick. I was the one making sure bills got paid on time, that there was food in the refrigerator. I was the one making sure she got her medicine and alive as long as I could and I can do that with me.”
“What about school, son,” said Batman placing a hand on Jason’s shoulder.
Jason shrugged it off, “I quit when my mom needed me to bring money home, when she couldn’t work and my old man wasn’t in the picture.”
“You can’t-”
“I can and if you report me and bring me in. The first thing I am going to do is run and I know I can disappear fast if I want too.”
Batman sighed, “how about this? I won’t tell cops or social workers but I know of a school for boys like you. Boys that need knew starts. It’s right here in crime alley and is brand new. You could learn things there that you can’t learn on the street that can make sure that you never have to live on the streets again and be an even better man than you are today.”
Jason sighed as he closed his eyes, “no social workers or cops?”
“Neither, what do you say chum?”
“That chum is a little to close to my liking to the word chump,” said Jason as he finished off the last tire, “I’ll do it but if anything goes weird-”
“Nothing will go weird,” said Batman, “I have checked the place out myself, today as I am friends with someone that want to put money into the place to make it a school many boys in your situation can go and get a chance at a better life. The school is even in Row. By going to school there is more ability to get into anything?”
“I could be a college professor,” asked Jason.
Batman raised his eyebrows at that.
“Look I watched an old TV show about this archeologist that would teach classes but get called from them to look for relics and I know that isn’t how it works but Sydney Fox was cool,” said Jason, blushing bright red.
“I am sure you if you study hard at Ma Gunn’s school for boy and that is your dream, you could become that,” said Batman.
Jason sighed, “Fine. Deal.” Jason held out his hand. He raised an eyebrow at Batman, who held out his hand and shook it.
“I’m proud of you, Jason,” said Batman.
Jason felt his breath get sucked out of his lungs. He nodded his head.
Batman opened the bat-mobile passenger door for Jason. Jason bit his lip as he got into the spacious and very custom car. The drive was in silence to this school that was just a few blocks.
The school was nice brick building. It looked like a school. Jason sighed and thought to himself that Batman would look into this school if it was a danger. He followed behind and stood to the side of the door as Batman knocked on the door. It didn’t take long before an old woman in a very old-fashioned pink bathrobe that he could see went down to her ankles that were covered in a pair of ancient looking slippers.
“Sorry to wake you, Mrs. Gunn,” said Batman, “I found this young man. This is Jason Todd. I found him trying to sleep in a very dangerous place.”
Mrs. Gunn gasped, “oh the poor dear. Faye Gunns school is always open for new enrolees like Jason, Batman. I am glad you came at this moment. I know your school takes in kids to help them in situations.”
“About his sleeping arrangements,” said Batman
“Oh, the poor boy could sleep right here. The school has housing because I have several poor children like Jason or kids who don’t have safe home to go home that this is their safe home.”
Batman nodded, “the world is in a sad state. One of my benefactors will pay for Jason and any other kids that need help.”
“That is quite a sweet offer but it is getting late and this when the boy needs to get into a bed and get a good night sleep. Jason, do you have any clothes outside of the ones you are wearing?”
“Not really. When my mom died, I didn’t have much time to grab things but my most valuable. Hey about the stuff I had in my old place.” Jason felt his stomach feeling nauseous at the idea of losing his parent’s faces picture. Memories can fade and he didn’t want to lose that.
“I will be getting someone to bring it all to the school tomorrow,” said Batman patting his shoulder.
“Okay,” said Jason, “I’m ready for enrolment.”
“I’m glad, chum,” said Batman, “Thank you, again, Mrs. Gunn.”
“No, thank you, Batman, for everything you have done for not just Jason here but the city of Gotham.”
“See ya, Batman,” said Jason as the old woman placed a kind hand on his back and edged himself into the school.
“I hope you get your dreams, Jason,” said Batman as he headed towards the Bat-mobile.”
As soon as the door closed, Jason was slammed against the wall by a larger boy and he felt something sharp sitting being held to his neck. Jason could barely breath. He didn’t want to die.
“This is our new little pupil. The Batman has sent the lil’ shit. I am so proud of you Frankie for your quick actions on grabbing the very obvious little singing canary that he sent into our school.”
Jason slammed his knee right up into the boy’s crotch causing the boy to drop the switch blade. Jason slammed the base of his palm into Frankies nose, which let out a sickening crunch before Jason pushed the boy off him. Where he saw to other boys coming at him. Jason ducked under one guy coming at him but slammed his elbow in the guy’s sternum as he kicked another guy in the chest. He turned and saw a big guy wearing a dog collar like a tool coming at him.
Jason grabbed both his hands and slammed them into the other boy’s face causing him to fall backwards.
“Get him you damn fools before he gets away and starts snitching to Batman,” said Ma Gunn.
“Sorry, Ma,” said one kid as several other kids came running from upstairs and jumped Jason. Every boy that he had to fight. It didn’t take long for Jason to be taken out
“Spunky little shit,” said Ma Gunn, “I will personally be slitting that throat.”
“I ain’t no snitch,” yelped Jason, “I ain’t a friend with Batman. He brought me here because I tried stealing the bat-mobile tires. He promised he wouldn’t turn me into cops or social works if I came here,” said Jason, “I promise I ain’t no snitch.”
He stared at the old woman who picked up a switch. The woman let out a laugh. “Find him a bunk, Boys! I think we found ourselves a very, very promising pupil.”
Jason shook as he was yanked up the stairs. He couldn’t think. He needed to just get his balance.