WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Red Hood: Outlaw #48, by Scott Lobdell, Brett Booth, Danny Miki, Arif Prianto, Ben Meares, Ben Abernathy and ALW's Troy Peteri, available now.
The relationship between Jason Todd's Red Hood and Batman has always been tempestuous with Jason now being given rules whereby he can't shoot anyone within Gotham City limits. Admittedly, he's had a rough road, being beaten and left for dead by the Joker, then undergoing resurrection and a bout of madness as the Red Hood in his initial return as a vigilante.
He felt Bruce Wayne let him down by not killing the likes of the Joker, and as a result, Jason found it tough to fit in with the rest of the Bat-Family. But in Red Hood: Outlaw #48, we see the reason why, no matter what, he'll always remain to loyal to Bruce despite his disobedience.
With "Joker War" going on, Jason is in town, and he's taking down some of the clown's gang with rubber bullets before heading back to Ma Gunn's home, where she raised wayward boys like him. Jason was sent there thanks to Bruce when he was caught trying to steal the Batmobile's wheels. Jason started learning the ropes, becoming rougher and making his first steps towards being the Bat's sidekick, but as he traipses through the abandoned place in the present, other memories begin stirring up.
He breaks in and rummages through the kitchen where a flashback shows the first night Bruce showed up at the house. Jason found it weird because he didn't feel right eating with the billionaire. Despite owning a mansion that people assume is filled, Bruce tells him that it's not and that he hates the idea of being alone, which leads to Jason revealing he's not looking for a friend.
Bruce says he isn't either, but he's hungry and proceeds to make a sandwich. Jason jokes about rich guys having chefs for such jobs, but the playboy says he's got a butler he hopes Jason can meet someday. It's a nice nod to Jason becoming Robin soon after, but what really stands out is the epic sandwich Bruce makes for him and Jason. After all, he just wanted to pop in to see if the teen was happy, and that night, seeing as Jason didn't have his parents in his life, they bonded in a way we've never seen with Damian or even Tim.
The wide smiles say it all, and Jason also makes it clear that while he didn't know Bruce was Batman back then, he does reconcile that night with when he was caught. Batman took him out for burgers and they sat on the hood of the Batmobile, talking about life and getting to understand each other. It's why Bruce believed in Jason, which started them down this path of partnership. Despite their many differences, this is why Jason will always consider Bruce his 'dad' and someone who will always care for the underprivileged.