We Met Once A Night Long Past

For as long as I can remember, I have followed Red Hood.
I follow him each time he changes bases. I follow him as he protects the Crime Alley kids. I follow him with frozen fingers, with icy breath, and with belief.
Belief that when I need him, he'll come. That when any of us need him, he'll come.
He has to.
Who else is going to?
Batman?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wait, that's not Hood!" One realizes, and they all scatter. I look over the roof.
He waves, laughing. The guy is tied up.
"Gonna come down?"
I debate.
"I seriously wanna know about this Papa Hood thing." I do, moving with the grace of someone who has done this a thousand times. "What's your name?"
I look over him and answer cautiously. "Eve." My knife has disappeared in the sheath I took from a mugger awhile ago.
"Nice. I'm Nightwing. And not Red Hood." I smile, and shake his hand. It's so surreal to shake Red Hood's brothers hand. "You're the one who yelled?"
I nod.
"That's Teressa's apartment. She's really nice." I say, making sure he knows not to attack her. The kids are hiding, along with their mom.
"She is? Is she your mom?" I look at him, confused.
"No." I move on. "But she has 6 kids, and raised them after kicking the abusive asshole out." I smile, because she's so kind, and sometimes gives me food and lets me stay the night when she can. "She's a good mom."
"What's up with the Papa Hood name?"
"He's a dad person." I answer, the duh implied. I should probably go, in case Batman shows up. "He's really fun."
"Red Hood...is fun?" He sounds utterly confused. I nod, rolling my eyes.
"He tutors us, or shows us how to drive. And sometimes he gives dating advice, and it's always really bad. It's a joke, you do the opposite of what he says." I smile. "And if he knows that your parents beat you up, he beats them up."
His face is softening.
"What else does he do?"
I talk about him, and everything he does for the random street trash.
"He'll buy us food, or jackets, which is awesome because it's always freezing. And he'll help the parents find jobs, or help siblings find each other." I wish I had a sibling to find.
"Who started calling him that?" He asks, and he sounds so happy.
I shrug.
"'Dunno know. We all do now."
"And you were all cheering for him?" He sounds so happy and glad and relieved.
"Yeah, he's our favorite." I say, and it's easy to talk to Nightwing. He's so weird and not like Batman at all.
He pretends to be offended.
"I saved you!"
I shake my head no. He doesn't understand.
"If I had known it was you, I wouldn't have yelled out."
He pauses, and doesn't get it.
"Why not?" I think he actually wants to know.
"Because, Red makes sure no one finds us after we rat them out. You all just leave."
He stares at me.
"Thanks for telling me."
I nod, smiling, and remember that Bats will show up any second.
"Uh, bye." I turn and start to move off.
"Uh, wait!" He sounds unsure, and like he doesn't want to scare me off. 
I pause from my ascent of the fire escape, looking back.

"How did you move so fast?"
I shrug.

He offers me a meal. I take him up on it.

"You know, you really shouldn't go with strangers."
"I could still go."
"I'm not a stranger! I'm Uncle Night right?" He jokes, as we walk out the alley.
"No, you're Uncle Wing." I clarify.
"Wait, I'm actually called that?" 

I bring back the money he gave me, and give it to Teressa. For the window.
It's cold outside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I watch Robin and Red Robin attack someone. I'm curious how they fight so well with each other, but keep yelling rude things. Must be brothers, I decide, and note where Robin leaves Bat-a-rangs. I'll take them, and make sure that only kids who can use them get them. Too many have gotten hurt trying to figure it out.
One thug is about to hit Red Robin over the head from behind. I send a knife into his throat, and he falls down. Easy.
"Whoa! What was that?" RR asks.
"It was a small child." Robin answers. "What are you doing here?"
"Why are you in my house?" I ask, smirking. They can't see me, as I move deeper into shadows.
"This is a street." He says, befuddled. 
"Yep. Did you wipe your feet on the mat?"
RR laughs. They're cuffing them, and avoiding the one I killed easily. "Thanks for the save."
"Only a weakling would need an untrained child to save them." Robin says, smugly.
"I'm not untrained. I have good aim with knives, clearly."
"You're like 8, according to the sound of your voice. Why do you have a knife? Actually, why are you out here?" RR asks, correcting himself. "You were kidding, before. Right?"
"Uh...no?" I answer. "Why else would I be out right now?"
"Correct, Red Robin. What other reason would a child have for being outside of their home at night in Gotham?" Feel like that's an inside joke Red Robin wants forgotten.
"Oh shut up." He mutters. Yeah, definitely an embarrassing story. "Seriously, this isn't safe."
RR looks in my direction sadly. 
"You still there?"
He looks sad, and the look makes me pause. Why does he look like he understands?
"Yes." I answer, and am getting ready to run.
"Why'd you stick around a fight?" He asks, and he's trying to get closer without spooking me. Robin is just watching, a look of...something, on his face.
"I was hoping you were Hood." I admit. 
"Why in the world would you want that guy to show up?" RR asks, defensively.
"He's the best." I say, quietly. I flush, and snap back.
Batman could show up at anytime, I can't be here when he does. 
"Have fun explaining dead guy! Can you toss my knife back to me?" Robin does, while Red Robin blinks. "Thanks!" 
"No, wait!" RR says as he hears me disappearing.
"Bye Not Robin! Bye, New Robin!" I smirk. I wipe the blood of on my shirt, and start disappearing. They won't follow, never do.
"Why do you want her to wait?" Tiny Angry Robin asks as he scales a fire escape to get to the roof. 
"I...I don't know." He sounds lost, sort of.
"We must get back." He sounds...stilted. Stuck.
"Wait, do you feel bad for her?"
"NO!"
"You Do have feelings!"