"I said I don't need a partner. I don't need a partner, I don't want a partner, and I certainly didn't ask for a partner. I'm a one-man show."

Jason Todd wasn't the kind of guy who usually needed help. Or wanted help, for that matter. Look, yes, he'd had a team once. But now he didn't. And that was fine. He was fine on his own. Just fine. He'd managed this long, hadn't he?

So why the hell was a brand-new bat-brat following him around? He didn't know this person. He wasn't a big brother, or a mentor figure, or any of that garbage. "Why don't you go hang out with, I dunno, Tim? Bet Tim needs help. He's probably off getting kidnapped for the tenth time this year. Go help Tim."

The newcomer, of course, didn't budge. Jason muttered something under his breath, crossing his arms in almost pouty fashion. Why the hell did Bruce have to take in another fledgling vigilante? And why wasn't Bruce dealing with it instead of pawning off the new arrival on Jason, of all people? And most importantly, why didn't he have the heart to kick the newbie out?

"Fine. If you insist on tagging along, then fine. You listen to me, got it? I'm in charge, I'm the leader, I'm the boss. You hear me? You do as I tell you, no more, no less. You don't question, you don't argue, you just do it. And above all, you don't get in my way or I'll—hey! I'm talking here!"

Jason stared in annoyance as the new arrival lunged at something behind them. His irritation quickly turned to disbelief when he realized what was happening. He stood there, dumbfounded, watching the newbie kick the everliving daylights out of a group of at least ten fully armed dudes that had tried to ambush the pair.

"Holy f*cking sh*t," he muttered finally as the unconscious men lay battered and sprawled out on the floor at the incredibly effective newbie's feet. That had been...impressive as hell. "Damn. All right then. Guess I could use a partner after all."