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Earth 696 - Rooftop of Gotham Police Station
Red Hood propped his arm against the Bat Signal, gazing up at the overcast night skies as the beacon called Gotham’s Dark Knight.
“Suppose that means he took on a Page…” he mumbled to himself. Following this train of thought he wondered what everyone’s place would be in the Court of Gotham. Gordon was standing on the opposite side of the rooftop, and Hood was pretty sure was ignoring him on purpose.
For that, Gordon was going to be a Baron instead of his original plan in placing him as an Earl. Come to think of it the military service that came with having the title of Baron fit more to Gordon anyway.
He’d have to play a little loose with the rules, since Knights were lower than most other ranks and that just couldn’t be. Hmm… maybe having a Knight King since there was no other being in Gotham who could possibly fit that description other than Batman.
Hood tilted his head as he saw two far off shapes swooping through the skies. “Hm, if he’s a Knight King… then does that make him a Page Prince?”
And that makes you the Court Jester!
He steadfastly ignored the voice as Batman and the boy landed on the rooftop. Bats’ as usual had a soundless landing, but the boy gave his weight a shift and Gordon heard him, turning around to face them.
“Who the hell is this?” Gordon ask incredulously as he points to the boy.
“Language, Comish! Do you speak that way around your daughter?” Red Hood asks as he steps away from the signal. He waves a scolding finger Gordon’s way with his other hand on his hip.
Batman takes the moment to put a hand on the boy’s shoulder, staring down them both. Red Hood had already voiced his objection to the whole thing, as much as it pained him to question Batman’s judgement. That was an argument he never wanted to repeat.
“This is Robin. He’s going to be my-”
“Partner!” Robin pipes up, puffing out his chest.
“-protege.” Batman finishes with a sigh.
Gordon looks to be two seconds away from tossing his hands up and leaving, but he restrains himself. However, he does bitterly mutter, “He looks younger than my Barbara.”
The commissioner shakes his head and turns around, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. If he kept smoking every time something bugged him he’d smoke himself to death faster than the ulcers would, Hood thought. While Gordon was busy, Batman turned to Hood and Hood got the impression he was to make his own introduction.
Waltzing over to them both, he grabbed a fistful of his red cape and made an exaggerated bow. “Greetings Page Prince Robin, I am Red Hood! Call me Hoody for short, if you please.”
“Page Prince?” the boy asked with a confused expression under his black mask.
“Oops! Nothing, nothing, just some playful musings on the Court of Gotham,” Red Hood waved a hand dismissively, before glancing over his shoulder and lowering his voice to a conspiratorial tone, “Gordon over there is a Baron. Bats is naturally the Dark Knight, so that makes you his Page!”
Robin smiled up at him and chuckled, which hit something inside him. Well crud, he couldn’t protest about the boy’s presence if he liked him. “So what does that make you, Hoody?”
Straightening and losing part of the humor in his voice Red Hood looked down at the boy who couldn’t be more than 12. “That’s a good question Robin.”
Thankfully, before the conversation could lead down a path he’d rather not go, Gordon returned to them and held out a file. Batman looked at it first and they got down to business. Robin straightened his posture to try to look more adult, which Hood thought was a shame. Kids should try to be kids as long as possible, being an adult sucked. Then again, maybe being a kid sucked too, it wasn't like he remembered being one.
While they were all discussing their case, Hood kept his focus on the boy. He looked playful and yet he knew it was a mask. Like recognized like after all, and Robin smiled and joked to keep the pain at bay. It was that moment that he knew he’d watch over the boy until he didn’t need that mask anymore. Looking back up at Batman’s profile, he wondered if he wasn’t thinking the same thing.