Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kenji stood in a city where the sky was grey, the streets looked run down, where women pulled their children to their side anytime they passed someone. Kenji stood there for a moment taking the scenery in, before some man came up to him telling him to move to the side, out of the middle of the sidewalk, so Kenji gave a polite smile and did as told. This was really weird…

Kenji was all alone, and he didn’t know where he was, but he only had a tiny idea how he got there.

It was a normal day at the detective agency, Kunikida was getting bad at Dazai, Atsushi was having to sit in between them, the siblings, uh they were being their self’s, and Ranpo was eating sweets. The day was normal, they even got a case! The case was about a bunch of missing people, and Kenji was send with Kunikida to get information on the missing people, their family’s, did they have any enemies? And other questions, they thought Kenji would be best to ease the distress of the situation, and Kunikida to ask the right questions.

“Hm? Do I think he did it? No, he said he didn’t, so why would he?” Kenji said as he made sure to garb his hat so it didn’t fly away in the wind.

“Why did I even ask” Kunikida sighed.

“Don’t worry Mr Kunikida, if we believe others and keep asking then the culprit is sure to reveal itself!”

“I just hope it’s not too late for their new victim. Hm, If we have the pattern right then the next victim would be a young male.”

“Wowh! It’s amazing how you know that Mr Kunikida! But, I don’t know how you know that? How did you get that from what we heard today?”

“Well, it seems this criminal is changing their victim base, every time, it’s to throw us off their track, they seem to be after someone that can lead the victim to themself. That’s why they are going after everyone, it’s to throw us off their track completely. We can’t find the bodies, so they might have an ability, what is it is unknown, but they won’t stop until they find the person they are after.”

“Or maybe they think it’s a game! And they are after no one!”
Kenji more ahead of Kunikida, rushing into the crowd of the road.

“Oh, that could be it too, but that just doesn’t make sense,”

Kunikida seemed lost in his thoughts and when he looked up the teenage farm boy was gone.

(This feels like déjà vu)

Kenji really didn’t know how that happened, when one moment he was speaking with a very nice man wearing a suit, the next moment the man tapped his shoulder and he was here, Kunikida was right about the ability thing.

Kenji looked at his hands, okay he was fine, nothing was wrong with him, so maybe he just got teleported to a new city or country? But what where in the world would he be?

Kenji put on a smile, as he garbed his hat and brought it down to his chest to hug, the best thing he could be at this time is positive, and Kenji was always a optimist, so this optimist will find a way home!

….. People here were mean, Kenji knew that meeting new people could be scary to some but here it seemed to be an annoyance to people here. Every person he has talked to has either threaten him or look at him like he was crazy when he asked where he was. This was harder than Kenji thought. While Kenji was walking his stomach started to growl, as he looked around, there was no places to eat, and he also had no money, maybe he could use the agencies credit card, does he even have the card? Kenji check around himself, looking through his pockets, nothing, not even his phone… wait where did his phone go?! He had it when he left, did… did he drop it? Kenji let out a sigh, as he keep moving.

“No need to worry! Everything will come together!” Kenji said to himself,

“AHAHAHAH!”

Kenji ears shot up as he heard a a scream or maybe a laugh? Kenji couldn’t tell but he knew he could help so he put his hat on and ran. He ran to where the noise was coming from which was a ally way, Kunikida always said it’s not best to go in these alone not after what happen on the first day Atsushi joined and the mafia thing happened.

When Kenji finally found the source of the noise he saw a man with green hair with a purple suit, oh was that clown makeup? City people were always so cool!

Wait not the main point, he was standing in front of a women with blonde hair with pink and blue at the ends! Like cotton candy colours- she had a red and black outfit on and she seemed mad.

“I thought I told y’all not to come looking for me anymore.” She said as she blew a really big bubble gum.

“Well Harley, I thought we could talk these little issues out”

“Talk it out?! You are such a bad boy! Thinking you can talk your way out of anything!”

“Well, it’s been awhile I thought you were done being so rebellious! I tell women these days, not as fun as they used to be”

Well that was rude! All women are fun, why is this man being rude? Kenji didn’t want to hear much more of this,

“That’s a rude thing to say mister!” Kenji said.

Harley Quinn‘s POV:

A blonde farm looking boy stepped out of the shadows, and while he was at it also talked back to the fucking joker?! This kid had balls, but balls couldn’t be the only thing keeping you alive, and no sane person would step up to the joker Harley knew that, maybe a bat kid? No they still had common sense to stay clear, or come with backup, also all the boys only had black hair, can’t be one of the bats new kids. Maybe a superhero? But what superhero stepped into Gotham? Harley didn’t know who this kid was, but she knew he needed to leave.

“Huh? A kid, such a cutie! How about you ran on home to see your mommy and daddy!”
Harley said with a smile and laugh.

The kid looked a little confused, why was he confused? Harley was giving this kid an out, TAKE IT! Don’t make your self visible when talking to the joker! Duh!

“No no, no need, you can come and play with us too kid! You’ll make this game so much fun! Right Harl, should we get the green hair dye, joker Junior, number two, you did said that getting a kid can solve our problems! Let’s try again!” The joker Laughed.

The boy didn’t seem to know what that meant at all but from the what Harley face was trying her best to tell without saying(she should have been a actor with how good she was at portraying her emotion) was a bad thing! But this kid wasn’t scared though!

“I’m not sure about dying my hair however I’m sure we can all talk about why we are upset!”

Harley might have broken up with the joker but she knew when he was joking and serious, he was going to make sure to hurt the kid for being so stupid, Harley was about to speak before Joker took the initiative as always.

“I like this kids smile! Let’s get this party started!”

The joker ran to Kenji with a knife in hand as he went for a stab, Kenji garbed his wrist with ease.

“A knife? Say you seen like a knowledgable guy, do you know where I am?”

……

WAS THIS KID DUMB OR JUST CRAZY?! No one in Gotham was this chill when handling the Joker! Joker was non stoppable, he instilled fear in everyone not even Robbins or Batman had this much gut. Harley just knew this kid wasn’t from here she kicked the jokers back hard when he went to garb his pocket gun,

“Not from around here kid? This is Gotham.”

Harley said with a laugh, she was trying to be calm she was really trying!

The boy nodded “Mhm! Hi I’m Kenji! I’m from Yokohama! Well I’m from a farm originally though!”

He moved his other hand to sake Harley‘s hand.

Harley shook the kids hand, this kid was cute maybe she could convince Ivy to keep him, just as long as they get away from the joker, this kid had no black hair so the bat won’t want him! Finders keepers losers weepers! Well that was a second thought first Kenji and her needed a way out.

“Hey! So how about you let me take care of this jerk and we can go out for ice cream!”

The kids eyes lit up

“Food?! I’m so hungry! Okay miss..?”

“Miss Harley! Harley Quinn!”

With that Kenji nodded and pushed the man a little causing him to fall, then walked out of the ally,

Harley appropriately beat the joker up, then out the bat signal not taking any chances! After that she left to talk and get this kid some food!

Chapter Text

Harley Quinn wasn’t the sane, no she wasn’t sane at all, however she even knew when a kid was to native, when a kid was to trusting, it usually meant that the kid that was native was well cared for, looked after, however this kid couldn’t be older then 13, and he was left alone in Gotham, and worse he was in crime ally. Harley didn’t like that one bit, nope! She didn’t. Who ever could leave this kid was a monster-

“Miss Harley, are you alright?”

“Oh? Yep! Just fine, you liking the ice cream!”

Kenji nodded eating his second ice cream.

“It tastes so good! Do you think I could get a third!”

Aw sweet summer child? Who doesn’t feed this kid? He’s so small all skin and bones(not really BUT close enough) he had the brights smile, and the kindness words, Kenji knows just what to say to make anyone’s day!

“Aw! Of course, get as many as you want kid!”

“Thank you so much miss Harley!!!”

“So, where are you from?”

“Oh! Yokohama!”

“Huh, I thought I heard you say that, but don’t think that’s around here”

“Hm? Where are we?”

“Kid have you not been listing to me? I said we are in Gotham! The city of the bats!”

Now Harley might not be sane but she is brilliant, she thought this kid was cute and all however he didn’t seem to know anything about Gotham villains, saying he isn’t around here is a understatement. However Batman was well known if the kid didn’t know him, then his parents might have been living under a rock or maybe he… he must be from… A ABUSES FAMILY! Bad bad family! If he didn’t know the bats, which isn’t normal, Batman was in the justice league. Every kid knew about him, every kid wanted be like him. It’s not normal for a kid to not know him, there must be something wrong with the kids home life, or maybe the kid lost their memory, but Kenji remembers himself just fine, no memory loss, wait but Harley still hasn’t gotten the answer, but she thinks she knows it.

“Oh the bats? Yep! I think the bats are cute! I wonder where they are right now!”

Okay maybe Harley was wrong?

“Oh? No one knows where the bats are, until they want you to know!”

“Ooo!”

“Mhm! You really haven’t leaned, anything about the bats!”

Kenji nods, okay so he does know about Batman and stuff because otherwise he would ask about him, he seems like the kid.

Kenji POV:

There are bats here?! Maybe they can be his friends like how he is with the cows, aw! He misses his cows, he always brings them to the agency but Kunikida would always brings them back to a farm. Sigh. Anyways! Bats sound like good friends hopefully he meets one soon!

Kenji eats up the last of his ice cream as he yawns, wow he is full now, maybe a little nap would do him good- Yawnnnnn

“Kenji?! Kenji?! Kid did you fall asleep?”

:)

Kenji rubbed his eyes, as he sat up, but this wasn’t his room or the agency, this was a random house, and it sure did have a lot of plants. All the plants were so pretty Kenji wondered what crops grew, Oh yum! Farmed goods would taste so good right now.

Oh yeah, he was in, uh um, Oh! Gotham! He was in Gotham, and he meet someone named Harley and she was nice, he ate some food and then fall asleep, so she must have given him a place to stay, aw how nice! Maybe it’s a custom here?

“Aw! Looks like the sweet kid is awake!”

Harley said with a big smile, and a oversized shirt, she seemed calm and more cheerful, Kenji didn’t know how the women could look more happy, when she is already from what he has seen a very positive person!

“Good morning!”

“You know sleeping in front of a stranger is very brave but very dangerous, has your parents never taught you to not talk to strangers?!”

“Well, where I grew up, everyone knew everyone, and there wasn’t any strangers!”

“Oh? So farm boy life?”

“Mhm!”

A woman walked to the door frame beside Harley, Kenji looked up to see who it was, and he saw a green woman?! Wow! A green woman, Kenji has never seen that before is that normal in Gotham? Cool! She had long red hair, and eyes that looked like it was staring into your soul, or just uninterested, Kenji couldn’t really tell.

“So this is the kid? Yep, no black hair so we don’t have to worry about the bat coming to adopt” The green woman said.

“See that what I was thinking Ivy, however I just don’t know, I mean he does have that spoiler kid, she has blonde hair doesn’t she?”

“But none of the boys? So very low chances”

Kenji didn’t know what they were talking about, bats like the animal bat, can adopt kids? Wait did they only adopt kids with black hair? This whole bat thing here was weird…

“Well, anyways how long are you planing on keeping him?”

“Can we keep him forever! Come on Ivy! Please!”

“Nope! No! And nope, we are not becoming the next Batman, taking kids left and right, if I say yes to one, then I’ll have to say yes to all and I already have enough plants to take care of.”

“Huh? I don’t need to be adopted! I’m 14! I’m good on my own!” Kenji was quick to defend his freedom.

“Only 14?! In Gotham?! Come onnnn! We have to! He needs help! He went up to god fucking Joker with no fear, not even an insane person like me is that stupid, wait no, too mean to say that. Umm not the smartest decision!!!”

“Then we give him to the Batman or Gordon! It’s safer with them anyways!”

“Aw! Do we have tooooo!”

“Yes.”

Harley seemed upset by the decision made, as Kenji gave her a smile.

“No need to let a smile go! Everything happens for a reason! And I’ll still be in Gotham! I’ll always be happy to meet up with you!” Kenji said sweetly

Harley shrieked as she went to the bed and pitched Kenji cheeks and started talking to Ivy about why they should keep Kenji and Ivy saying why they should give him to the Batman- let’s just say Harley didn’t win the discussion.

Chapter Text

Ivy was finally able to convince Harley when she made one very good argument- (“Hey hey! No male of Batman has ever had black hair? So if we give him to him, good chances he doesn’t become a vigilante! Right?”

“Hm, I guess but do we really have too!!!! I like the kid so far! Also joker might be after him!”

“Huh?!”

“Well he tried to fight the joker, while not fight, just stop! But he gets petty so he might be after him after he gets out of Arkham”

“And you think we can beat him while looking after the kid??”

“Hey! The kid is strong?”

“Strong doesn’t mean he can beat a gun!)

Well she had a point, joker played dirty, Kenii was strong but he native, like if you told him gullible was written on the ceiling he would look. Joker was the type to use that against the kid, so best decision was to ship Kenji off to the big bad Batman…

(Space)

Kenji POV:

“So Kenji, kid, little one!”

Harley said as she walked intro the living room where Kenji was watering the plants. The plant was interesting with big teeth! And yes, a plant can have BIG teeth, cool right! This plant also had a interesting pink and a little bit of yellow colour, Ivy said it could eat anything, but it’s better to just feed plants water just like the farm.

“Oh miss Harley! Where is miss Ivy, I wanted to ask her more about this plant! And can I name it!”

“Name it anything you want kid! Hell Kid you can name any plant! However you know what would be cooler if you got to name the BATS!”

“Bats?” Harley mentioned bats before… just what did she say about? Eh, it’s probably not important, bats should be cool! “Where are they?!”

“UH! In a cave! But you’re not becoming a Robin, so don’t get your hope up! I’ll make sure he doesn’t make you robin! Just Batman is helping us! I mean police could try to hide you but, they will like die if they tried, joker doesn’t really care for the damage he does! So not cool soooooooo Batman will be better help!”

The Bat?! A bat was going to help Kenji against the joker? Why did Kenji need help? He was strong? Also he wasn’t planing on staying here much longer, The agency was bound to find him soon!

“Oh! No need! I don’t need protection! I’m strong!”

That’s when Ivy came in leaning on the doorframe, “Strong doesn’t mean mentally strong! That means you still need help!”

“I’m mentally strong!” Kenji argued

“Mhm! You might be emotionally, but not with Logic. Remember when Harley said gullible was written on the ceiling and you looked? You’re too trusting kid. Also just with general sense, you touched my plants without fear, so yeah, no you need protection!”

“Huh? But if you-“

“Trust others and treat them with kindness. It will repay you? That doesn’t work in Gotham, look it’s good for you, Batman is a good guy, and nothing really bad will happen if you stay there.” Ivy interrupted.

Kenji stood there for a few seconds, he didn’t understand, he didn’t understand how they were so untrusting of everyone. It really made one wonder where he was, and yes Kenji knows Gotham, but what does that even mean?! Anyways Ivy and Harley were nice, and they seemed to want what best for him, so he nodded.

“Okay!” Kenji said with a big bright smile.

Staying with bats and having himself protected by them was going to be some fun! Maybe the bats are really smart in Gotham!

(Space)

Kenji stood on a roof with Harley, as a man with a red hood and black shirt with a cool leather jacket stood, there was a man behind him with a black bodysuit and a blue wing on his chest, he also had a mask on. Kenji didn’t know who these people were but they seemed interesting!

“Hey bat boys, where is the big batsy!!!”

“Not here.” The man with the hood said.

He seemed to be uninterested, as he didn’t turn his head looking at the city, he was really tall by the look of it, maybe even taller than the president. The other man turned around with a smile, however it seemed a little strange like it wasn’t real?

“Yep, he is out for a bit, went on a mission with the league, should be back in a week!”

“Ohhh! I get it that’s why your in town, covering for the big bat, I thought you would have to wear the suit like last time?” Harley said as she put her arms around the Blue winged man.

“Hopefully putting on that suit is a only one time thing, it still haunts my nightmares”

Haley throw her head back in laughter, “Well then, I guess I’ll have to give the kid to you two?”

That made the man in the red hood turn around, “What?! Were you going to give a kid to Batman?!”

“Well that’s why I was looking for him” she rolled her eyes.

“Why are you giving your kid to us?” Blue wing shirt asked

“Huh? My kid, he isn’t my kid, I wish we could keep him but Ivy said no…”

“Wait?! so you mean to tell me that you and Ivy didn’t adopt? That’s what I thought when I first saw him, blonde hair you have blonde hair, could’ve fooled me”

“Lots of things can fool you” The man with the hood said as he stood up.

“Not true.”

“Uh huh, anyways why should we take the kid?”

Harley gave a dramatic sigh, “I know that joker was put away in Arkham however it still isn’t safe the kid stood up to him, watching for a little and then maybe… uh knowing the bat, he will keep him? So think of it as free trial? Wait maybe keep him, he doesn’t have black hair”

“I don’t think hair matters, I mean spoiler has blonde hair?” Blue wing added,

“Ah Night Wing Night Wing!” -So the man’s name is Night Wing? Wowh cool!, “The girls may have any colour hair they wish, however, the boys always must have black hair, foolish child”

The two men thought for a moment, then the man with the hood laughed, “Wait dude she is right”

Night wing also looked shocked at the revelation, “omg he does…”

The hood man looked at Kenji, “So you pissed the joker off? What kind of idiot kid would do that?”

Hey! Kenji wasn’t an idiot! He was just helping!

Kenji was about to defend himself as Harley hugged him tightly- “A heart of gold this one! Way nicer than you bat boys! He thought I was in trouble, so he went to help out risking his own life!”

That’s an overstatement whoever the joker was he couldn’t have been that strong! Kenji has fought many people who are way stronger! However maybe Harley thought the man was scary, and if so he couldn’t really say anything, because that would be rude? Wouldn’t it? Kenji has dealt with victims before, so never belittle their feelings!

“It’s okay Miss Harley! I like protecting people, it’s the right thing to do!”

The two bat boys looked at each other “We can’t let Batman meet him.”

The hood man said, Night Wing nodded, “We can’t. He might not have black hair but who says Batman will make him a robin? He’ll make a new type a superhero hero name! The kids heart is too hero-like.”

“What do we do?”

“Well, I have an idea but I don’t know if you’ll like it too much.” Night wing said as he coughed.

“What.”

“I’ll keep him before the bat gets home, and when he gets home… he’ll stay with you?”

Harley backed away, “seems you have it figured out, I’ll be going now.”

Night Wing looked at Harley, “Wait if you didn’t adopt him, where did this kid come from?!”

With that the blonde hair was lost in the wind. Huh must have been the wind.