Chapter 23: When streetrats become humans

142 6 7
                                    


Jason grumbled angrily to himself as he and Damian roamed the city streets. They both wore hoodies with the hoods pulled over their faces. Everything only in order not to attract attention. Even thought Jason wasn't hunted by Batman, if he happened to catch sight of him through a surveillance camera and Jason had a child with him, it would be more than easy to put 1 and 1 together. So the black-haired man grilled away on this hot sunny day, in this thick piece of cloth. And all this only because he had the devil's spawn with him. Why had he brought him again?

"Todd, if you walk any slower, even the snails will outrun you."

God, this snob was such a pain in the ass.

Annoyed, he replied:

"If it makes you feel any better peck, we're almost at Station 1."

Damian just snorted disapprovingly:

"Be aware that we have to get back to Grayson before nightfall, so he doesn't do anything stupid. And I'd prefer to get this mundane thing over as quick as possible."

Jason was clearly fed up right now. In a fit of immense annoyance, the Outlaw sped around and tapped that brat provocatively against his slim chest:

"Now you listen to me, you little maggot. I've agreed to take you along and I expect you to shut the fuck up about it. Because there are a few rules for you on this tour!"

Damian just rolled his eyes. Oh man, what was next?

"First, there will be no bitching, nagging, or even a snark."

Damian crossed his arms as he looked to the side in annoyance:

"-tt-"

"Exactly that. No more of it!"

Jason raised another finger:

"Second, you do what you're told to for once without any back talk. Got it?"

The boy just raised a brow in disapproval and ended up in a eye duel with the taller one. Jason, however, only became more insistent:

"Do you understand?"

It took another moment for the two to scowl at each other before Damian finally relented and broke their eye contact, annoyed:

"Fine, but I'm not going to do humiliating things!"

"Just do what I tell you."

A Third Finger joined the other two:

"And lastly, if even once the word street rat or any other derogatory remark in that direction leaves your mouth, you'll be back to Bruce faster than Flash banging his old hag. I expect you to be respectful of the people we are about to meet. You're just Damian today, my little brother and no Wayne. So on the same level as any other citizen. I don't want to stand out here. Got it?"

Damian groaned with strain:

"Let's just get this over with Todd."

"Jason."

"Excuse me?"

"Jason to you from now on. No last names. Besides, brothers don't usually address each other by their last names."

Damian was already fed up with all this. Why had he come along again?

They finally stopped at a small inconspicuous store whose entrance was adorned with both green fruit and vegetable crates and Jason once again said admonishingly to Damian:

"Three rules, got it?" before they entered the store, accompanied by the ringing of the old fashioned doorbell.

It was a supermarket with all sorts of products, but nowhere near the size and selection of more common market concerns. Shelves of eggs of various types of husbandry next to refrigerators of a wide variety of dairy products adorned the back of the store, while the middle compartment was for the non-refrigerated stuff. Damian didn't understand what this idiot wanted in such a small junk store anyway. There wasn't even a clerk in sight.

To tame a Demon (english)Where stories live. Discover now