That time, father and son had both come away wounded. After they returned to Wayne Manor, Butler Batman, heartsick over the second young master, had cut off all of Bruce's sweets, cookies included.
For an entire month.
The old butler had been distraught. "Master Bruce, I truly do not understand. When you are Gotham's sweetheart, Brucie, the sweet nothings that leave your mouth could fill an entire book of romantic lines. Why does that ability simply vanish the moment you put on that suit? I have all but given up hope of you charming a lady of the house back to Wayne Manor, but isn't it rather astonishing that you cannot even coax your own child home?"
The "useless," "astonishing" Master Bruce: ᕮ◥▶‸◀◤ᕭ...
This time, Bruce stood in his Batsuit before the second son he had always cared about. He wanted to ask how Jason had been doing, but after hesitating several times, he ultimately offered only a routine remark. "You didn't come back last time. Alfred was very disappointed."
At the mention of the old man who had cared for him since childhood, who was like a grandfather to him, Jason finally stopped lashing out. He merely scoffed. "That place stopped being my home a long time ago."
A new Robin had long since taken his place, and even the title of son now belonged to a legitimate young master Wayne. Without that little punk from Crime Alley named Jason Todd, nothing had changed for Batman or Wayne Manor.
The same went for Gotham, and for the world.
His departure had made no difference.
Batman's lips moved, but in the end, he skipped over the subject. "Where is she?"
"Her? Soaking in the bathroom. She fell asleep after eating."
Mentioning the girl, a guilty Jason lowered his eyes awkwardly,