Red hood Legacy

Chapter 8: Reunions and Revelations

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Gotham sprawled beneath the rooftop, its fog-laden streets pulsating with shadows and a life as dark as the city’s foundations. Izuku stood beside Jason, watching the familiar streets of Crime Alley stretch out like memories painted in ash and steel. The silence between them was thick, holding every unspoken word, every scar, every grudge. Izuku’s heartbeat drummed in his chest, the weight of Jason’s past—and now, his own—pressing against him in this place where Jason had first been broken, only to rise again.

Jason’s jaw was set, his gaze hard, fixed on the edge of the rooftop. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” he asked quietly, his voice low with an intensity Izuku hadn’t heard before.

Izuku took a breath, steeling himself. “Yes,” he answered, meeting Jason’s gaze with a determination of his own. “If you are.”

Just then, the faint sound of footsteps approached, figures materializing from the shadows. Nightwing, Red Robin, Batgirl, and finally Batman himself emerged, each a pillar of shadowed resolve. But the tension in their faces was palpable, their glances flickering from Jason to Izuku, suspicion pooling in their eyes. And then, one last shadow appeared, a small yet fierce figure trailing behind—Damian Wayne, his stance defiant, his gaze sharp as he took in the sight of Jason and the unfamiliar young man beside him.

“Why are we here, Todd?” Batman’s voice was a calm, deep rumble, his eyes narrowed as he studied them both.

Jason exhaled, his hand tightening around Izuku’s shoulder. “I called you here… because you all deserve to know the truth.” His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat before continuing. “This is Izuku. My son.”

A stunned silence rippled through the group, shock flashing in their eyes, none more intense than the fury brewing in Damian’s.

Nightwing’s expression tightened as he glanced at Jason, disbelief lacing his words. “You have a son? And you never told us?”

“It’s not like that,” Jason snapped, his voice laced with frustration. “I didn’t even know until recently.”

Damian scoffed, stepping forward with a dark, disdainful glare fixed on Izuku. “So, what? You found some stray on the streets and decided to call him your son? Just like that?”

Izuku felt a surge of anger rise within him at the accusation, but he forced himself to stay silent, reminding himself that this was about Jason and his family—at least for now.

Jason bristled, his gaze flicking to Damian, his tone sharp. “Watch it, Damian. This isn’t just some kid. He’s my blood. My son.”

Red Robin, arms crossed, looked between Izuku and Jason, skepticism etched into his features. “And you brought him here, why? To make him part of this?”

“I brought him here,” Jason replied, voice growing hard, “because he deserves to know his family. And because I want him to have what I didn’t.”

Batman’s gaze shifted to Izuku, studying him in that piercing way he had, as if seeing right through to every weakness, every doubt. “So you’re Jason’s son,” he said, his tone cold and unyielding. “But the League trained you?”

Izuku nodded, the words sticking in his throat but finding their way out. “Yes. Jason’s been training me too. I know what I’m getting into.”

Batman’s jaw tightened, and something dark flickered in his eyes. “Do you?” he asked quietly. “Because the League isn’t a place for a child. It’s where you learn to be ruthless, not to protect.”

Damian stepped forward again, his voice filled with contempt. “So, you think you can just waltz in here, Todd’s ‘son’ or not, and suddenly you’re one of us? Part of the Batfamily?”

Izuku met Damian’s glare, anger simmering beneath his calm. “I’m not here to impress you, Damian,” he replied, his tone steady but with a quiet edge. “I’m here because I belong. Jason is my father. That’s all the reason I need.”

Damian’s lip curled in disdain. “Oh, really?” he sneered, stepping even closer, his voice a low taunt. “Well, if you think you can just walk in and claim that right, maybe you should prove it.”

“Damian,” Nightwing warned, his tone laced with disapproval. But Damian ignored him, his gaze locked onto Izuku with a fierce intensity.

“Come on, then,” Damian challenged, fists clenched, stance poised for a fight. “Show me what you’ve got. Let’s see if you really belong here.”

Izuku hesitated, feeling the pressure of the Batfamily’s stares, the expectation, the judgment. He glanced at Jason, who gave a subtle nod, a sign that he was on his own now, that he had to earn his place. Gritting his teeth, Izuku took a step forward, facing Damian head-on, his own stance steady, prepared.

But before he could move, Batman’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. “Enough.”

Both boys froze, Damian’s glare shifting back to his father, frustration tightening his features.

Batman’s gaze was locked on Jason, his voice cold, even. “You’ve brought a stranger into this, Jason, into the family… and yet you’re no closer to trusting any of us.”

Jason’s jaw clenched, his expression hardening. “He’s not a stranger, Bruce. He’s my son. And I’m not asking for your approval—I’m telling you. Izuku’s part of my life, whether you like it or not.”

For a moment, Batman’s expression softened, a flicker of understanding in his eyes. But then his gaze shifted back to Izuku, stern and unyielding. “If you want to be part of this, then you’ll follow our rules. Our way of doing things.”

Izuku nodded, determination strengthening his voice. “I understand.”

Damian scoffed again, crossing his arms. “We’ll see.”

Nightwing sighed, running a hand through his hair as he looked between Jason and Izuku. “This isn’t going to be easy, you know. Not for any of us.”

Jason’s expression softened, a rare look of vulnerability flickering in his eyes. “I know,” he said quietly. “But I’m willing to try.”

With a final glance at Jason and Izuku, Batman nodded, a silent acknowledgment of the new reality they all faced. “We’ll discuss this more later,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “For now… welcome to Gotham, Izuku.”

The Batfamily turned, disappearing into the shadows, leaving Jason and Izuku alone once more. Izuku felt a weight lift from his shoulders, but the lingering tension of Damian’s glare, Batman’s hard stare, clung to him, a reminder of the battle he had yet to fight.

Jason placed a hand on his shoulder, a faint, proud smile tugging at his lips. “You did good,” he murmured. “Better than I did, once.”

Izuku nodded, a small smile of his own breaking through. He had faced the Batfamily, stood his ground, and, in a way, he had earned a place in this dark city.

But he knew, as he looked out over Gotham’s shadowed streets, that the hardest trials were yet to come.