"And... hit," Jason muttered, leaning slightly toward you.

His hands carefully helped you guide your fist toward the dummy you'd been practicing on for the past couple of days. His garage was quiet. The air of your concentration hung heavy, and he undoubtedly found it slightly adorab-... Who said that?!

It's already October. Autumn is almost fully in full swing. Brown, red, and dirty yellow leaves fall onto Gotham's dirty sidewalks, mixing with the slush left over from the recent rain, creating a slush on the floors. It's getting colder. People are taking their autumn jackets out of their closets, wrapping themselves in scarves, and putting on boots.

And of course, let's not forget the short sunny day—part of the main reason Jason decided to teach you some self-defense techniques. He really thought long and hard about it (perhaps because he was embarrassed to seem too insistent about your safety), but he ultimately decided that even if you thought he was a bore and a worrier, at least you'd be able to do something about that big guy in the alley on your way home from work. Well, something.

He's not saying that as soon as he gets your text that you're heading home, he won’t drop everything and go watch you from the rooftops as you make your way home. So, in your bag now are pepper spray, a small taser, and a whistle, which he'll undoubtedly teach you how to use. Overkill? Not at all. He's just found someone for whom he's willing to return home early from patrol, or leave the nightly walks through Gotham's stinking streets to other members of the Betfamily, and he'll never let anyone harm you.