Batman au - Origins - Chapter 2
Tw: violence, child abuse, major character death(spoilers: it’s temporary but isn’t solved in this chapter), physical injury to child, explosions, funerals
Another night, another alley, another citizen to protect. The city noticed Robin’s disappearance and feared the worse, until a new hero with the same happy-go-lucky attitude and bad humour appeared in Blüdheaven. The city sighed in relief to know the boy who grew up on its streets was safe.
Batman worked alone now, well as far as the city knew. After all Thomas still had Alfred, and his butlers care was all he had for a long time before.
Why didn’t it feel like it was enough now?
The batman had taken to the streets again, leaving the batmobile behind as he swung onto the rooftops, taking in the evening. The sun had just set, not that it was noticeable in the dark streets but a soft wind was blowing. The streets were still buzzing below, yet on the roof it was quiet, calm.
A young boy had been nearby, unnoticed in the shadows. His hands shook slightly as he pulled his jacket closer, stumbling forward towards the batmobile. In his hands there was a rusty and bent crowbar that he held onto as if it were a lifeline.
He wouldn’t do this usually, but he was desperate. No decent cars had made their way into this area for a while and he had run out of money a week ago, living off scraps in crime alleys bins and burnt bread from the bakers if he was lucky, but then luck was almost never on his side.
He began to take off the tires, wheel by wheel, looking around anxiously for any witnesses, pulling his hoodie over his head in an attempt to mask his face in case someone saw him. His hands were shaking and he eventually dropped the crowbar on the floor, scrambling to quickly pick it back up.
“What are you doing?” Batman had appeared behind the boy, his voice firm and his shadow looming over Virgil.
The boy froze and backed away, gulping “I’m sorry sir! Please…please don’t hurt me.” He started playing with his sleeves, attempting to hide the small stutter appearing in his voice, looking around for a way to hide, knowing he would never get very far running.
Thomas looked over the boy, noticing his blue eyes, his paper-thin body, the bruise on his cheek, his Jacket that looked like it had been torn and mended with scraps of fabric over and over again. He couldn’t be much more than 13, although his malnourishment did cause him to seem younger than he was. Thomas softened, frowning under his cowl.
“What’s your name? Where are you parents? Or anyone who cares for you?” He asked, attempting to seem unthreatening but still firm enough to have an answer.
“Virgil…Virgil Todd. My parents are dead and I look after myself.” Virgil stuttered a little still, gaining his confidence slightly “Can I leave now or are you going to call the police.”
Thomas laughed slightly at the second statement. “Virgil? I’m not going to call the police on you. You can leave if you want but if you want, you can come with me. You can have a warm bed and food for however long you want.”
Virgil seemed to think over the offer for a few seconds “What work would I need to do to get it?” He asked, hoping it wasn’t anything too dangerous, cleaning and that kind of thing he could manage but anything else, well…he was running out of options.
Thomas heart sank “You wouldn’t have to do anything, I just want to help you Virgil.”
This statement seemed to surprise Virgil more than the rest of it. He had after all heard of Batman’s goodness and the boy his used to work with. Everyone in crime alley had seen the batman at some point, possibly even been helped by him but this? This was different.
“I can’t! What about the money? The cost of the bed and the food over the years? It would be a lot of money, to be a burden…”
“No, you wouldn’t be a burden, money’s not an issue.” Thomas thought for a second before looking around and taking off his cowl, trusting the dark to cover his face. Worse case scenario, Alfred could hide the pictures before they got too far. “See? No issue and I could use the company, the Manors been a little lonely recently”
Thomas sanders was batman? Virgil was shocked to say the least, it did make a bit of sense and he was trusting him with the secret and so Virgil nodded, starting to put the wheels back on the car.
“Okay,” Thomas replied, replacing his cowl and gently taking the wheel from Virgil, putting it back on the car and getting in the car himself, gesturing for Virgil to get in the other side. “Come in, I’m going to take you back to Sanders Manor okay?”
“Okay sir.” Virgil replied, getting in, careful not to touch anything, not wanting to upset Thomas already. It all looked so expensive and any second he could leave and throw him out again. Virgil’s fathers words echoed in his ear. Be a good kid and don’t be a nuisance, no one likes a loud kid.
“No need to call me sir Virgil,” Thomas replied, starting up the car and driving towards the manner “Hey Alfred, heading back now, I’ve got a kid here who I think will need some new clothes and food.”
“Right you are sir, I’ll be waiting to meet the new kid.” Alfred replied with a nod.
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“Are you sure?” Virgil stared at the plate in front of him, his mind racing at the idea of eating. He was hungry, his stomach ached for the nutrition but it was too much, too expensive, he would never be able to repay it.
“Of course, Master Virgil, Master Thomas is a billionaire. He wouldn’t notice the money if he cared about it at all.” Alfred replied, attempting to ease Virgil’s worries even slightly. He instantly felt protecting of the boy, he couldn’t decide if it was because he reminded him of Patton and Thomas or the fact he seemed so small, so thin.
Virgil began to eat tentatively, looking over at Alfred for reassurance until he found himself unable to resist anymore and he quickly finished the meal.
“There are spare clothes upstairs that should fit, until you and Master Thomas go shopping tomorrow. They are in your room.” Alfred replied, clearing up the table. “Is there anything else you need before I show you to your room?”
“No, you’ve done loads already” Virgil replied quietly, getting up and helping Alfred finish the dishes, after all he felt he had to do something to help after all he’d been given and Alfred seemed grateful for the help anyway.
Once the two had finished, Alfred led Virgil to the room and let him inside. Virgil felt small in the room, it was bigger than whole houses he had visited before. On one side was a desk with shelves around which was covered in books of all different types and authors, fiction and non-fiction in all different colours, Virgil wanted to go and explore the books straight away but stopped himself, unsure if he was allowed. Next to this was a wardrobe which had some clothes in it that used to be Pattons: a few pairs of trousers and a few T-shirts, which had various cartoon designs on them. On the other side of the room was a large double bed with white sheets and more pillows than Virgil had ever seen in his life.
“The room will be sorted to fit you better tomorrow, you should get some rest, I will leave you to get settled in, goodnight Master Virgil.” With that final message, Alfred left Virgil alone.
Carefully, Virgil walked over to the bed, looking around to check he was definitely alone. He sat down and it felt soft, like what he imagined a cloud would feel like it a marshmallow. He just wanted to fall into it and wrap himself in the warmth.
No. Virgil jumped up. It was too good for him, to good. If he chose to use the bed he would be punished, the one night of comfort would cause days of pain, weeks even, that’s if he wasn’t thrown out of the house immediately.
Virgil sighed, carefully walking to the middle of the room and curling up on the floor, wrapping his hoodie around himself. He shivered slightly, curling tighter into a ball and resting his head on his arms. Eventually, after a while of settling, he finally fell asleep.
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Thomas found himself walking down the hall, following a path he used to travel often to see the first child in the house. He stopped for a second in front of Patton’s old room, placing his hand on the door with a sigh before moving to the one next to it.
He knew Alfred chose that room for a reason, the butler still believed that Patton would return some day and having the kids next to each other…well the house could get lonely sometimes. Thomas wished he could have the same faith that things would work out between them but after the argument? Patton probably hated him. Thomas wished that he could find the strength to call him some day. He missed his son.
Now was not the time, after all, there was a new boy behind the door that needed his care. Thomas opened the door, looking over to the bed. He panicked slightly when he didn’t see Virgil, when he saw that the covers hadn’t even been touched. Maybe he got the wrong door? Or maybe he had run away or someone had been waiting for him? These thoughts swarmed through Thomas’s head until he looked down. There, a small pile was barely noticeable in the dark, shivering slightly and curled into a tight ball. Thomas sighed, this new kid…his second son…was going to be a challenge. He couldn’t understand the actions the boy had, refusing to eat even though he was starving, refusing the things given to him but he understood why, partly, the streets were never kind, even to children, especially in crime alley.
Gently, Thomas picked Virgil up, careful not to wake him. Virgil snuggled into Thomas slightly, making the older man smile. Thomas gently placed Virgil on the bed, tucking the boy in before sweeping Virgil’s hair to the side.
“It’s okay, V, you’re allowed here.” He spoke with fondness, despite only knowing the boy for less than a day, he felt a sense of protection over the boy “Good night, Virgil.”
Thomas walked out quietly, turning back to see Virgil snuggle deeper into the blankets, hugging a pillow like a bear. Thomas smiled, closing the door and finally going to his room to sleep, his worries satisfied.
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“Alfred, I really think Robin would help.” Thomas said with a sigh, playing with his hair slightly as he looked down at the table, “But it was Pats thing…”
Alfred passed Thomas a coffee before going back to cooking breakfast. Virgil had been in the manor for three weeks and he was as anxious as ever. Too many times, Thomas had returned to find Virgil sleeping on the floor or stealing food from the cupboard. He learnt not to let him know that he’d been spotted stealing food, it wasn’t stealing anyway, any food in the kitchen was his to eat if he wanted.
Thomas wished more than anything that he could show Virgil that.
“Maybe you could create a new identity for the young Master?” Alfred suggested, walking back over to give Thomas his breakfast.
“Thanks Alfred.” Thomas replied, beginning to eat “I’m not sure that would work, I think the legacy is something he needs, proof that he’s part of the group you know? It’s just I haven’t spoken to Pat in seen…well you know.”
“Do what you think is best, Master Thomas, you seem to have the young masters best interests at heart.”
“Yeah…Thanks Alfred.”
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“Are you sure?” Virgil spoke softly, looking wide eyed at Thomas, waiting for approval to take the Robin suit that was in Thomas’ hand.
“Yeah I’m sure, Batman needs a Robin, right?” Thomas replied, holding the suit out a little more until Virgil let it gently land in his hands “Go on, try it”
Virgil nodded, running to the nearby bathroom to change. Thomas smiled as he watched him leave, noticing the same excitement Patton showed on his first day as Robin. It was so many years ago now, yet Thomas remembered it as if it were yesterday.
“It fits.” Virgil returned quickly, playing with the edge of the costume and looking up at Thomas.
“Yeah, it suits you Virge, so what do you say? Partners?” Thomas asked, smiling softly at the young boy.
“Yeah, sounds cool.” Virgil replied, pretending not to care but even after only a few weeks, Thomas could tell how excited he was.
“Well, let’s do some training then.” Thomas replied, getting up and heading towards the gym.
Virgil took the few seconds out of Thomas’ few to smile jump up and down before controlling himself once more and running after his new mentor, feeling just a little more secure in the world.
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“Are you ready to go, Robin?” Thomas asked, heading into the Batmobile. Four months had passed and Virgil was beginning to come out of his shell. Thomas had deemed him ready to finally join him on patrol.
“Yeah,” Virgil replied with a shrug, placing the final pieces of equipment in his belt and tidying up the remains of his homework and joining Thomas.
Thomas nodded, waiting for Virgil to get in before he began to drive, heading into the streets of Gotham for the night.
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“Hey, over here dipshits” Robin landed behind the two men, who turned around to Virgil, letting the young girl escape.
“A new kid huh?” One of the men spoke calmly, looking up to the rooftops.
“Robin, I told you to stay on the roof” Batman replied, landing on the other side, blocking off the men’s exit.He was slightly annoyed at Virgil of course, but at the same time, this was the most comfortable he had seen him. “And Language.”
“I’m Robin to do good aren’t I Bats?” Robin replied with a smirk “So are we going to fight these guys or what?” He asked, looking over to the men who were between the two.
“Fine,” Batman replied, smiling from under his cowl not that it was noticeable. “But if we’re doing this, you need to listen to instructions, or you could get killed. Understand Robin?”
“Yeah yeah.” Robin replied with a shrug. Both men ran towards him to fight, deciding that they had a better chance with the inexperienced boy. Batman pulled one back towards him by his clothes, taking him down within seconds. Robin began to fight the other man, managing to dodge more that hit but eventually taking him down too.
“Good job, I’ll call the commissioner.” Batman replied “Stay here, and listen this time.” He added before walking out of the alleyway.
A few minutes later, he returned and looked around “Robin?” He called before sighing and pulling up his Tracker, hoping this time that the boy had disobeyed his orders. After a moment, the tracker appeared, showing Robin to be a few blocks away, on a rooftop.
“Robin?” Batman called, landing on the roof and seeing the silhouette of Robin. “What did I…” Batman stopped, hearing the sound of gently sobbing nearby. He moved closer.
“Robin? What’s wrong?” He asked, sitting down next to him.
“I’m sorry” He began to frantically wipe away his tears, “please don’t throw me out.” He added.
Batman caught Robins hands, gently holding them “No, I won’t throw you out okay? I was just worried that’s all.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“Yeah I know, but now you don’t need to, we’re partners.”
Robin looked up and smiled slightly, seeming to think for a moment before he gently pulled Batman into a light hug. Batman responded by pulling the boy closer, playing with his hair.
After a few minutes, Robin pulled away “Can we go help more people?” He asked, looking up again and wiping his eyes one final time.
“Yes, lets go.” Batman replied with a nod, getting up and swinging onto the next building.
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“I want you to visit someone before we head back, in the city over from here.” Batman spoke as soon as Robin settled in the batmobile.
“Who?” Robin asked, yawning slightly as he looked out the window.
“Your brother, the previous Robin…we haven’t talked in, well, a while , but I have a feeling he would be even more upset with me if I didn’t let him meet his younger brother.” Batman replied, typing in directions into the car, looking over at Robin.
“Oh..” Robin replied, letting the car fall into a comfortable silence. He was deep in thought, wondering if the boy he looked up to for years would hate him, for taking what he had. An older brother? He liked the idea, after all, the bigger the family, the better in his mind but it had to mean something more than words.
Around half an hour later, the car pulled up near the sight of a blue dot on the map.
“We’re here?” Robin asked, looking at the rooftops above.
“Yes, He should be on top of that building.” Batman replied as robin began to leave the car “Oh, Robin? Tell him Alfred drove you if he asked.”
Robin nodded, swinging up onto the building next to the car.
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Nightwing was on the roof, typing on a computer, checking security Cameras and calls. Next to him lay his Batons and a cup of coffee he picked up occasionally.
“Nightwing?” A voice from behind called, they sounded young, a little nervous. He didn’t recognise the voice, which was a little strange but then there was a lot of people in the city. He had been here for over a year now, most people at least knew of him.
It wasn’t like Gotham here, it was usually sunnier for one thing, which suited him fine. It was still run down for the most part but it was getting better. The people were generally nice enough. There were less huge Villains, no Joker but the crime rate was still high, despite Nightwings best efforts.
“Hey kiddo? Need a hand?” Nightwing asked, turning around and stopping in his tracks. Alfred has kept him up to date on the new boy, even that he was going to become Robin. It stung a little, the name that was so important to him being passed on like an old toy but from what Alfred said, the boy needed it. “So you’re the new kid huh?”
“Yeah, did Agent A tell you?” Robin asked, walking slightly closer.
“Yeah! He had to tell me about my new Brother.” Nightwing quietened down slightly “It’s Virgil right?”
“Yeah, Patton isn’t it? I think I stole some of your clothes on the first night, sorry.” Virgil was a little confused at the older boys immediate description of brother, the two had hardly met but Virgil found that it made him feel a little warm inside.
“Yep you got that right kiddo! First night out?”
“Yeah, went alright, I think I’m heading back soon I think.”
“Yeah, makes sense, Agent A doesn’t like kids out long,” Patton replied, heading over to his computer and taking out a piece of paper “Take this, it’s my number, if you’re ever around again or what a chat or help with a case or any other brother stuff you know.”
Virgil took the piece of paper and gently placed it in his belt with a muttered “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome kiddo, better head back now.” He replied with a smile, rubbing the younger boys hair slightly “See you around.”
“Yeah, see you I guess.” Virgil replied, putting his hair back into some sort of order before heading back to the car.
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“Did you find him?” Batman asked as Robin entered the car again.
“Yeah, he’s pretty cool I guess.” Robin replied, yawning again and curling up against the seat. Batman smiled slightly, taking out a blanket and placing it over Robin before heading back to the Mansion.
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Virgil woke up. The floor felt cold beneath him. He sat up, trying to reach for a tracker. The chains shook. He bit his lip, trying to slip his hands from the chains.
“Nuh huh huh baby bird, no escaping this one.” The voice of the Joker spoke into the empty room as the man stepped forward, a crowbar in his hand which was dripping red.
It was supposed to be a normal night. It was an easy take down really, some henchmen trying to rob a jewellery store. If anything it was too easy, the henchmen gave up in seconds.
Then one of them ran. Robin has followed, quickly landing in front of the henchman with a quick self confident pun, like usual. Robin remembered being hit from behind.
It dawned on him that this was the second time he’d worked up in the room.
The first time he had tried to do the same thing. Then came the pain, hit after hit. He cried out, begged for Batman to find him, save him. He never came.
Virgil has blacked out after 20 minutes.
He looked at the Joker and gulped, trying to ignore the pain that covered his body as he shuffled as close to the wall as he could.
“Oh I wish I could of had more fun, but it seems our time is up, well, yours is anyway, goodbye!” The joker slipped into the shadows again, his laughter ringing through the room.
Virgil began to untie his hands again, looking around the room for anything to help him.
He noticed a timer on the wall, counting closer to 0 faster than he would like.
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Thomas was stressing out, well that was an understatement. Virgil had already been in the hands of his worst enemy for nearly four hours. Half an hour ago, he had finally found a signal, in a broken and abandoned hut just outside the city.
“I’m coming Robin…” Thomas muttered, driving up to the house. He stopped the car, running outside towards the house.
The blinding red and orange light came first, then Thomas was hiding behind his cape as he was pushed back, wood hurtling towards him. His ears were ringing as he gripped onto the fabric of his cape. He could feel the heat of his cape as his hand began to burn but he ran forward, crying out. He searched through the rubble, trying to find Virgil.
“No…” He fell to his knees, brushing the boys hair out of his face as he sobbed, pulling his son close. “I’m sorry…”
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“Tommy?” Patton spoke softly as he walked towards the older man. Both men were in black suits, Patton had a blue flower on his Jacket and his pocket contained tissues, crumpled up from use. His eyes were red but dry, empty of the usual sparkle. He was quieter too, the bounce in his step had disappeared.
Thomas didn’t turn around. He stared forward, seemingly lost in thought. He dropped the Lilies and White Roses he held onto the floor, touching the top of the gravestone.
“I’m sorry Pat…It shouldn’t have been this way…” Thomas spoke seemingly calmly, as if he was holding something in, afraid to let go.
“Why didn’t you call me? Tell me my brother…” Patton stopped, biting his lip and stepping closer. He looked at Thomas, noticing the bags under the older man’s eyes and the dry rivers that ran down his face not long again, the redness in his eyes.
“I’m sorry, I…I don’t know…I guess I thought it would be easier coming from Alfred, we haven’t exactly talked…”
“Seems stupid huh? One little argument..”
“Yeah, I guess it does. I’m glad you’re here though, I think he would of wanted you here. He really looked up to you…”
Thomas looked over at Patton, wiping his eyes slightly again.
Patton chuckled “Yeah he seemed that way when we met, did he tell you what happened?”
“Yeah…I was the one who took him, not Alfred. I thought you hated me Pat, but I guess I couldn’t deny you two the chance to be brothers, at least a little.”
“I never hated you, not really, but I thought you would call when you were ready. You never did though.”
“I should of, long ago.”
Patton nodded, stepping closer once more and pulling Thomas into a hug. Thomas held Patton close, promising himself that he wouldn’t lose another son.
Patton looked over at the gravestone once more before burying himself in Thomas’s shoulder.
A hero, A son, A brother.
