We're not dating! Or are we?
Tim Drake × Fem!Reader
Wc: 13.7K
Tags and TW: Mutual pining, best friends to lovers, Tim Drake is bad at relationships, fluff, soft, comfort, civilian!reader, mndi (just a bit at the end), clingy!Tim, touches, body dysmorphia, CEO!Tim, mid-twenties!Tim, mid-twenties!Reader, sleepy!Reader, tension, kisses, ooc!Tim, no use of y/n for Reader, touchy!Tim.
Content ig: Tim and Reader have been friends for two years, at some point they started liking each other, they act like a couple and everyone knows it except them, a few touches and kisses at the end of the text. I don't know what else to put here, curse words, the bat-kids communicate with whistles.
Please read it, I swear it's not that bad. (Now that I read it calmly, it's almost 14K words of pure nonsense, I'm sorry. I'll try to edit it soon).
"Do you think they wear capes just because it looks cool?"
Your question had thrown Tim for a loop. You'd been sitting on the couch in your apartment for a while, just hanging out. Your legs were draped over your friend's lap, one of his hands casually caressing your skin as he checked some work emails.
"What do you mean?" he asked in a soft tone, stopping the caresses as he finally turned slightly to look at you.
"I've been watching some videos of Batman and Robin. Also several of Red Robin. I like how the cape looks, but wouldn't it be a bit of a nuisance in some cases?" you asked, slightly pursing your lips. You had started watching a pixelated video of Batman and Robin jumping across rooftops, their capes billowing in the air.
And then you had ended up watching each and every one of Red Robin's available videos.
That man was fucking hot.
"Well, I don't know... It might get in the way during some fights, but if they're still alive, it must be useful for something." He muttered, shrugging his shoulders. His eyes lingered for a few seconds on your lips, soon pressing his own together before returning to caressing your legs, adjusting them more comfortably on his lap.
"Edna Moda says no capes," you shook your head, moving your finger in the same way. "What if they get caught on an industrial fan or something? It's a possibility."
Tim just sighed, setting his phone aside so he could place both hands on you. "I don't think that'll happen. Their capes look kind of heavy, probably made of some special material. Their suits rarely tear too."
"Hmm... I don't know. I'm just as worried about it." you sighed, letting out a heavier sigh. Batman had been wearing a cape for years; Tim was probably right, it must be helpful. "I guess his capes are useful and look cool."
“Do you really think they look nice?" he chuckled softly as his attention returned to you.
"Obviously! They look incredible. They're always up there on the roof, looking so serious, and their capes move in the wind. If I were a criminal, I wouldn't even dare to peek out the window." You raised both your hands as if in a sign of surrender, shaking your head.
"Although… I wouldn't mind seeing Red Robin up close..." you murmured a little later, your gaze fixed on the tree-shaped stain on your coffee table.
Your statement almost made Tim choke on his own, instantly averting his gaze. "Why would you want that? All the media outlets say he's weird."
"Timothy Jackson Drake." His name came out of your mouth with such seriousness that you could see his body tense completely. He only glanced at you out of the corner of his eye; you never called him by his full name. "You don't seem like you're my best friend. Do you even know me?"
"Of course I do, why wouldn't I know you? I just don't understand why you'd want to be near him," he tried to explain quickly.
"Because he always looks so awkward! Haven't you seen the few videos of him talking to some citizens? He's always so stiff and you can see him trying to soften the interaction but he just can't. He's so weird, I love him."
As you explained your reasons, you let out little giggles. You really did find that boy very handsome, even with the domino mask on. It didn't matter anyway; you knew you'd never meet him in person.
"And I really like how the colors of his suit look on him! And haven't you seen that picture where his cape is completely closed? He could practically disappear into the dark!” As you continued talking and talking about him, a small smile appeared on your friend's lips; he hadn't imagined you were such a fan of his "other self."
"It would be terrifying to run into him at night after you'd committed some crime. Can you imagine? Just seeing his white eyes from a ray of light that hit them." You feigned a shiver before continuing to ramble. Not many people really believed that Red Robin could be truly scary, but in your opinion all the vigilantes managed to terrify criminals at least a little. "Although, since I'm not a criminal, I must admit he looks incredible when he's around."
"I didn't think you liked Red Robin that much. People don't usually take him into account for some things; I've seen them prefer to go directly to Batman." He shrugged, his hands gently massaging your legs; you had realized quite a while ago that he was someone who liked a lot of physical contact.
"I guess it's because of how long they've been seeing him… He seems intelligent and efficient." You muttered, tilting your head. They should give him more recognition. "I think he does his job very well... And he looks good doing it, by the way."
Drake just rolled his eyes, chuckling softly before turning his attention back to his phone to try and hide his flushed cheeks. If he'd known you liked Red Robin so much, he would have tried to interact with you at least once.
Although he had to admit that it made him feel somewhat shy that you thought he looked cute with all that equipment on him.
Perhaps there was a possibility that you might also find him cute without all that? He hoped so.
Tim met you almost two years ago, more specifically at a flower shop he frequented to buy bouquets for Bernard—it was his attempt to get forgiveness after missing his date because of work at the company or as a vigilante—
With so many visits, you ended up becoming friends. Many times he would write to you in advance, asking you to put together a bouquet that would express "regret, longing, and shame." More than three times per week.
Meanwhile, you started joking around. He would tell you the dates he had a date with his boyfriend, and you would text him that afternoon to find out if everything went well or if you should arrange another bouquet. On several occasions he would just appear in the store, looking like a puppy in the rain, putting the bouquet together with you while you explained the meaning of each flower.
There was a day when you asked about his date and he told you there was nothing more to be done. The guy had broken up with him that same day and you certainly couldn't blame him, he stayed in that relationship with Drake for too long.
Somehow you two ended up in a pretty decent bar, drinking some beers while you listened to him moan a little. He was also very aware of all the mistakes he had made during that time; rather, he was surprised that the blond guy hadn't broken up with him sooner.
As time went on, you grew closer. He would occasionally drop off a smoothie at your work, you went out together, and on several occasions you came to visit his office, always carrying a pair of flowers with you to leave in a small vase that you had given him.
Suddenly, you also started hanging out at each other's apartments, cooking together, and even having sleepovers in the living room. You were just two friends in their mid-twenties; Tim didn't always have free time, but when he managed to free up a little, he tried to come see you.
He didn't even know when it happened, he only knew that your smile began to brighten his days, the sound of your voice silenced all the thoughts in his head, and your touch relaxed his body.
Even so, he remained silent, he liked the way your relationship was at the moment and it was no secret to anyone that he was terrible at dating, he didn't want to ruin your friendship. Then yes, he started being much more attentive to you and sometimes used very cute nicknames, but nothing more. It was something you already considered quite normal and you loved being around him.
That afternoon you let out a deep sigh as you left your boss's office. You were supposed to watch movies with Tim that night, but apparently some people had a craving to order 250 flower arrangements for the next morning. You weren't going to leave early, not even if you wanted to.
At the same time as you reached for your cell phone in your back pocket to send him a text, you received a call from him, answering almost instantly.
"Hey, Dollie. Are you off work yet?" he asked in a soft tone, almost too soft. You knew him perfectly well.
"No, and I won't be able to leave until much later. Someone ordered too many flowers for tomorrow morning, and well, you know how it is." You muttered, heading to the back room. At least three other workers would stay with you to assemble them. "But they'll pay us well, that's something."
"Oh... Okay, that's good because I was just about to tell you I wasn't going to be able to make it to the movies, but it's bad because what the fuck, you were supposed to have closed an hour ago, what's your boss doing taking orders?" The guy immediately complained, glancing at his watch. You'd be leaving way too late for it to be safe. "How are you guys supposed to get home? Did he at least call you a taxi?"
“Uh… No, but it's okay, I'll call one when I get done.” You shook your head. It wasn't the best idea, but there was no other option.
"You're not going to go alone in a taxi that late, have you lost your mind? I'll come get you, just let me know when you leave." His voice became much more stern; he knew you liked doing things on your own, but she couldn't allow something like that.
"Tim, really, don't worry about it. I'll probably go with one of my coworkers. If you can't make it to movie night, it's probably because you'll be working late." You didn't want to bother him, much less interrupt his work. "Besides, my apartment isn't that far away; I'll be there quickly."
"Then I'll send you the money and you'll share your location. What are you going to do if the driver goes off course? You didn't want me to teach you self-defense." If he couldn't take you himself, then Red Robin would have to keep an eye on you.
You sighed heavily. Ever since you'd become friends, he'd never let you pay for much; the only times you managed to do so were when he wasn't paying attention. "It's not necessary, really, everything will be fine. I'll let you know when I leave and when I get home."
The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds, only speaking again when you were about to say something. "Let me know when you're about to leave."
"Okay. You'll see, I'll be there in a few minutes, it's not a big deal." Despite how simply you said it, you were aware it wasn't so easy. Anything could happen in a couple of blocks.
"Boyfriend?" one of your coworkers asked with a laugh once you hung up the phone. You shook your head a little.
“Just a friend.” The girl hummed without believing you too much, just bringing together the things they would need to put the arrangements together.
Just as you were about to put your phone down, the screen lit up—a notification from your bank. He'd sent you more than enough to pay for taxis for two months straight. "This dumbass..."
You'd have to get his information somehow to pay him back; you weren't planning on spending it—you weren't planning on taking a taxi. You were going to run all the way back to your apartment.
When you finally stepped out of the store, it was nearly two in the morning. You had only sent a short message to your friend letting him know you were on your way home.
You adjusted the hood of your sweater, saying goodbye to your companions before starting to walk.
Gotham nights were always cold and had an eerie silence. It was always just a matter of time before the sirens of a police car or ambulance wailed, or perhaps you'd hear screams, a car crash, or gunshots. If you were lucky enough, you wouldn't run into any villains up to no good so late.
As you walked, you began to feel watched. The only sounds around you were your footsteps and the small drops falling from the rooftops. You wanted to get home before it started raining again but the dark clouds looming over the city didn't seem to agree with your idea. However, the feeling wouldn't let you feel completely at ease; You were more afraid of the possibility of being watched by something dangerous than of arriving home soaked.
When you were just a couple of blocks from your building, small drops began to fall on your body, and you muttered to yourself that you'd forgotten your umbrella at home. Tim was going to give you a lecture for hours if you ended up with a cold.
The drops had begun to get thicker and the heavy rain had begun to cloud your path, until suddenly none of it was falling on you anymore.
As soon as you looked up, the first thing you noticed was a pair of white eyes beside you. Out of pure instinct, you tried to move away, but a hand briefly touched your waist. "Don't be scared, it's okay.”
You had to blink a couple more times before you realized that the boy in front of you wasn't just any masked man, he was your favorite vigilante. One of your hands flew to your mouth, covering it instantly as you raised your eyebrows and your eyes widened in surprise. "What the—what are you doing here?"
"That's what I should be asking you. It's the middle of the night and it's raining terribly. What are you doing?" His voice seemed familiar, but at the same time it seemed deeper; you couldn't quite place where you had heard it before.
"I... I got off work late and didn't want to call a taxi," you explained, sounding a little embarrassed. You hadn't expected to run into any of the Bats that night, but you weren't complaining either; at least you could feel safer.
"And you preferred to walk alone? At night? In Gotham?" You couldn't see it very well, but you thought he had raised his eyebrows a little.
"Well, if you put it that way, it does sound really bad... But I don't live that far away, nothing's happened to me so far, just some rain." You complained, puffing out your lips, walking slowly while he followed you, you hadn't even noticed that he was covering you from the rain with his cape.
"Just because nothing has happened to you yet doesn't mean it couldn't have happened. Someone was being robbed just two blocks from here." You were only able to look away; you didn't want to agree with him. "Was there really no one to pick you up?"
“My friend offered to pick me up, but I didn't want to bother him... Now I have to figure out how to pay him back for the taxi, that idiot never lets me pay for anything." You almost spat, rolling your eyes. Tim was too sweet to you—when he wasn't bothering you—and you didn't know how to repay him.
"And that's bad ‘cause...? I think it shows he's well-mannered." He muttered, shrugging his shoulders as he kept his arm over you, shielding you from the raindrops. His hair was already soaked, but that was the least of his concerns.
"Oh, no. It's not a bad thing at all, actually I think it's very sweet, but I'm embarrassed that he always ends up paying for everything. It's not fair." You shook your head calmly, quickening your pace to try and get there sooner. You didn't want him to get any wetter.
"Hmm. You should just let him spoil you, of course, as long as it doesn't make you uncomfortable." You only made a small sound while nodding a little. Tim was always very attentive to you, always ending up with a grimace whenever you didn't let him buy you something you liked.
And for nothing, because in the end you always ended up finding what you wanted in your room after one of his visits.
"I live here. Thank you so much for walking me home and for..." You pointed to his cape, which was still covering you. "...for the makeshift umbrella. You should go get a hot shower."
"You're the one who should be taking a hot shower and having some tea. From what little you said, I doubt that friend of yours would be happy if you ended up with a cold." A small smile appeared on the vigilante's lips as he nodded towards the door of your building.
"Yeah, he's going to freak out if he finds out I walked here," you murmured, pressing your lips together. It would be best if he didn't find out. "Goodnight, Red. Thanks again!" you finally said goodbye with a smile before entering the building, closing the door behind you.
It was only when you went upstairs and were inside your apartment that you realized what had just happened.
Several excited squeals escaped your lips as you closed your eyes and a wide smile curved your face. The Red Robin had walked you home!
"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god," you repeated several times while you jumped slightly in place. You had won in life.
Your excitement was only interrupted when the apartment filled with the sound of your cell phone; it was the specific ringtone you had for Tim. "Damn," you muttered before quickly pulling your phone out of your bag.
"Timmy! I thought you'd be asleep or something..." you said as soon as you answered the call, finally taking off your wet shoes and heading to your room.
"I was waiting for you to tell me you had arrived, you didn't share your location and you didn't say anything about the taxi either." In the background of his voice you could hear the rain falling, he must have been near a window because of how loud it was.
"Oh, it's just that... I forgot that part, but I'm home now, don't worry." You chuckled softly, knowing that despite your best efforts, you wouldn't be able to hide the fact that you hadn't called a taxi for long. "Are you finished with your work? I'm going to take a shower and go to sleep."
“I'm almost finished. I just need to check a couple more things and then I'll go home." You were talking to him while you were looking for the pajamas you would wear.
“Are you still at the company? I really don't understand how you can stay there so late so many days a week." You sighed wearily at the thought. "Luckily, they gave me the day off. I'm going to sleep in."
"You know how it is, sometimes unexpected things happen." You hummed as you headed to your bedroom window. You were going to open the curtains a little to let in some light, but you weren't crazy enough to open the window.
"I'll let you finish working, Tim. See you later, okay? And send me your details so I can return the money I didn't spend." On the other end, you heard the click of his tongue and rolled your eyes.
"Leave it like that. Better use it to buy something nice on Saturday, I'll come out to eat with you that night." With some hesitation, you agreed. Finishing picking up the curtains. "See you later, make sure you get a good night's sleep, sweetheart."
"Yes, yes. You too, dummy. Rest and don't drink so many energy drinks, you need to sleep at least a little while or you'll short-circuit." You said goodbye with a chuckle, hanging up and leaving your cell phone on the nightstand. When you looked out your window, you could see the vigilante on the roof of the building across the street.
His cape covered his entire body; you could only see his mask by the light of some lamps. Contrary to what you had said a few days ago, he came across as more beautiful than terrifying.
With a small smile, you waved your hand towards him, doubting that he had seen you, but you noticed how he nodded in recognition of you. A few seconds later you heard what sounded like a bird singing, but you were pretty sure you hadn't heard it before. The guy immediately turned his head to another spot and you instantly saw him disappear among the rooftops.
"Well... Vigilante stuff." you muttered as you headed to the shower for a well-deserved hot bath.
The night hadn't ended as badly as you had expected.
Timothy had spent the day in his office at the company. He had been forced to review several documents that had been sent to him by his secretary, and on occasion he took breaks—breaks he used to review some cases he was working on.
Although the day had been passing by very quickly, he had made sure to send you lunch at the time he knew you should already be awake. He knew your habits and quirks very well; he had your schedule memorized and often used it to his advantage.
It was very likely that you wouldn't leave your apartment that day, not even for the slightest reason. Maybe if he left early, he'd check on you to make sure everything was alright. He was a little annoyed that you had decided to lie to him about your return home, but he could understand your reasons—even so, he still didn't like the shady dealings—it was only a matter of time before you gave yourself away.
Since he was completely sure that he would not receive much of a sign of life from you during the day, he did not worry about being on the lookout for who might come to his office.
That's why his assistant took him by surprise when she knocked on his door and announced the arrival of "his girl".
His girl must be sleeping very comfortably under the covers, wearing one of the many sweaters he had left in your apartment for you to use.
All his mind could only think about was what kind of crazy woman had sneaked into the building this time; he didn't want to have to deal with it. He was tired of several people trying to approach his workplace with other intentions; the crazy ones seemed endless in that city. How long would he have to—oh, it actually was his girl.
"Dollie, I thought you'd be asleep, what are you doing here?" he asked, tilting his head, his furrowed brow instantly relaxing as his pupils seemed to dilate as you approached his desk.
"I came to have lunch with you. It's not fair that you send me so much money for a simple taxi and then, on top of that, send me food when I'm pretty sure you skipped your breaks, Drake." Your voice was stern, your brow furrowed. You weren't truly angry with him, but it frustrated you that he was so careless. Soon you were on his side of the desk, moving aside some pens and a stapler to sit on the edge. You left the food near the opposite corner.
You seemed to have a magnet for his eyes; the poor fool just stared at you, his expression becoming almost pitiful as he noticed the tone in which you spoke to him. "I ate a sandwich when I arrived, I haven't eaten again because I haven't been hungry."
He tried to explain himself as one of his hands instinctively went to your thigh; he didn't like that you were upset with him. He was the one who should be upset!
"Besides, I'm almost certain you didn't use the money for the taxi. You took ages to let me know you arrived; I even had to call you." He remarked, resting his elbow on his desk, his work completely forgotten now that you was near.
"That's not the point, Tim." You denied it instantly. "The point is that you should at least take a break every now and then."
The man in front of you sighed, leaning back completely in his chair as he tried to loosen his tie with his free hand, the other remaining on your thigh, even unconsciously giving it a slight squeeze.
Suddenly you wondered if he had always looked so hot in his formal clothes.
Tim was attractive, and you weren't blind. You could see why so many people were after him. You could even congratulate whoever had been with him at some point, but that was all.
You couldn't imagine anything more, no matter how much you wanted to; it was becoming increasingly difficult to pretend you didn't mind every time he used cute nicknames for you. Light touches had always been common in your friendship, but there were times when they felt much more intimate.
“Tell me, did you get enough rest? When you have days off, you try to sleep in." he asked softly, his eyes remaining on your face. He was dying to look down and explore your body, but that would be too intrusive. "I don't like it when they make you work so many hours out of the blue."
"I don't like it either, but there's not much I can do. We get paid extra when something like this happens anyway." You shrugged, reaching for the hand he had on you, and he intertwined your fingers with his in an instant.
Anyone who saw you acting like that could swear you were dating.
His voice softened considerably, as did his gaze, leaving gentle caresses on the back of your hand. "I've already told you I can get you a job in the labs, doll. I know you like working at the flower shop, but don't fool me, you miss being in a lab."
“Tim…” You sighed, looking away. It was a complicated issue for you.
You had studied biochemistry, you loved being in a lab, and your first years as a graduate were incredible. However, in an attack by the scarecrow, several labs were rendered inoperable. Getting another job in your field had become almost impossible, and you only managed to find one at that lovely flower shop.
"I'm serious. You'd have a more convenient schedule and better pay. It won't be a problem," he insisted once more, giving your hand a gentle squeeze. He groaned when you shook your head again.
"I know that, but I don't feel competent enough to work in such a prestigious laboratory. You know I haven't even got my master's degree yet." You sighed, looking down at your clasped hands. If you looked directly into those beautiful blue eyes, it would have been hard to say no.
“But that's no problem, sweetheart. I'm sure you'd do fine.
"No, honey. I don't want to get a job just through connections and if my resume isn't up to par... Let me study a little more and maybe I'll consider it."
The dark-haired man could only manage a heavy sigh, moving closer to you and letting his head fall into your lap. Your free hand instantly fell into his hair, murmuring a thank you.
"At least tell me why you lied to me last night. I know you, I know you didn't come back in a taxi." He whispered after a while of silence, only receiving your caresses in his hair.
You pressed your lips together, focusing on tangling one of his strands around your finger. There was little point in hiding things from him when he always found out the truth somehow.
"I didn't want to bother you so late, much less worry you," you whispered, shrugging your shoulders.
"It doesn't bother me, if I tell you I can come get you it's because I really can. I don't like you being alone on the street so late." He hid his face even more against your legs, shaking his head a little. "What would I do if something happened to you and nobody knew anything about it?” He whispered your name, almost in pain.
“But nothing happened and I'm fine. Don't be sad, Timmy." You gently tugged on his hair, chuckling softly in an attempt to cheer him up a little. "Besides, I wasn't completely alone, guess who I ran into."
"Batman?" he asked, uncovering his face a little to see you, even though he already knew the answer.
"Much better, Red Robin." You smiled, gently running your thumb along his cheek. Every time he acted like this, you felt your heart clench.
But you were just friends and that was more than perfect.
“Seriously? And how did it turn out?" he asked as he finished wrapping his arm around your waist, his other hand holding yours firmly.
"He's so sweet! And so attractive too." You laughed as you swung your legs in the air. "He's a total gentleman."
"Oh, really?" He laughed, looking at you without moving from his spot, his cheeks just getting a little color.
"Yes. He was covering me from the rain with his cape, you should have seen him, Tim. He was soaked to the bone and he was still covering me." Your smile was getting bigger and bigger. At other times Timothy would be more than jealous, but since it was his second persona, it wasn't so bad.
"Well, I could have driven you in the car, with the heating on and without you getting a single drop of rain, but the girl doesn't like it when I do that," he complained falsely while giving your waist a gentle squeeze.
"Oh, don't be like that, Tim." You pouted as you ruffled his hair. "I really didn't mean to upset you... And I came out on top! I even saw him on the roof with his whole cape covering him." You moved your legs more excitedly, smiling again.
"Yeah? And he looked terrifying?" He asked, rolling his eyes as he closed them, almost opening them abruptly when you spoke again.
"He actually looked really cute, like a wet chick," you laughed, shaking your head slightly. "It's great not to be a criminal, cute vigilantes help you and make sure you get home safely," you hummed, gazing dreamily at the window of his office.
"I don't think he'd appreciate knowing he looks like a wet chicken." He muttered in a dejected grunt. His idea was to impress you, not to touch your heart.
"It doesn't matter, he'll never know anyway." You shrugged. "Can one have a crush on a vigilante? Because I think I already have one on him. He's just too cute, Timmy!"
Despite everything, a small smile played on the man's lips; he liked hearing you speak so animatedly... even if it was about 'another man.' "I don't know, I suppose so," he complained again as he lifted his head from your lap, finally looking you in the eyes.
"But it infuriates me that you call him a gentleman and then come and scold me. I'm the one who takes care of you every day, sweetheart. Not him," he insisted, frowning slightly.
"Oh, Tim." You pursed your lips again, raising your hand to his cheek to leave a soft caress. "You're right, you're a gentleman too... with a real knack for spending your money on unnecessary things."
"They're not unnecessary; often they're things you like or things I send for your safety. I could even send you one of the company's drivers, but you get all worked up every time I mention it." He shook his head, finally loosening his tie and unbuttoning the first three buttons of his shirt.
Your eyes couldn't help but drift down to his chest, swallowing hard before you answered. "It's just... I feel like I'm taking advantage of you, and I don't like that." You tried to explain, returning your gaze to his face, a heavy sigh escaping your lips as you rolled your eyes at the crooked smile on his lips. "Don't say a word."
"About what? That you were looking at me?" he asked, his smile unchanged. "I know you like me, beautiful. You don't have to play dumb," he said, his tone clearly joking but full of self-importance. "Don't worry, there's plenty of Tim Drake here for you."
You quickly let go of his hand as you climbed down from his desk, about to turn around when his hands caught your hips, pulling you down onto his lap.
A loud laugh escaped his lips as he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you closer to his body while placing a noisy kiss on your shoulder.
"Don't be mad at me, I just like teasing you." He murmured, leaving more noisy kisses. Giggles continued to escape his lips. "Come on, give me a smile, doll."
"I'm not going to give you anything, you're annoying," you complained, crossing your arms. Your cheeks were flushed red.
You couldn't concentrate on complaining when you could perfectly feel his strong arms around you and notice how well-defined his chest was. From afar, one wouldn't believe Tim was strong, but you had already confirmed it several times.
and his biceps—you wanted to bite them
"Ah, but I'm sure you'd smile at Red Robin," he insisted, poking you on the ribs, making you squirm a little.
"That's another matter, it's Red Robin. He was getting wet just to get me home safely." You turned slightly away from him, wanting to be further from his face.
"How silly of him, he probably has some kind of raincoat and forgot it." he muttered, rolling his eyes; it was exactly what had happened to him because he'd been in such a hurry. "Meanwhile, here you have a nationally recognized CEO, with tons of money, who worries about you every second. But no, you don't smile at him."
"And I'm not going to smile at you while you keep bothering me," you almost whispered, keeping your gaze fixed on his office door.
"Sweetie, come on. Don't be like that." He almost whined as he placed another kiss on your back. "If we eat together, will you not be upset anymore? We can even take a nap on the couch, don't you want to?"
When you hesitated to answer, a wide smile curved the boy's lips, and he gently patted your hips. He knew that had won you over. "Let's go eat. When we're done, I'll close the curtains and we'll take a nap."
He finally let you get up from his lap. You took the small bag with the takeaway food and headed to a small table near the couch. He rarely offered to rest, so you had to take advantage of it.
"Don't you have any meetings coming up? Then someone walks into your office out of nowhere, they see us and the Gotham Gazette ends up saying we've been together for five years, have three kids and two dogs.”
You sat on the floor as you began to unwrap everything, Tim shaking his head as he headed for the door, completely ignoring the fact that he was a mess, his hair disheveled and his shirt open. "I'll tell them not to bother us."
By the time you finished putting everything away, he had already returned to your side, sitting next to you. Being close was almost an unconscious thing he did; he always sought to feel at least a little of your body heat.
Tim knew he wasn't a good match, but he was trying harder than ever for you—and you didn't even have anything going on—. He also knew the image you projected to outsiders; his brothers often asked if you were his girlfriend, looking at him incredulously every time he denied it.
Likewise, he didn't complain about it. There were several photos of you two on his Instagram profile; some people claimed you both looked in love, but you just ignored it.
As you began to eat, you would occasionally offer him pieces of stir-fried meat to try. He did the same with the sweet and sour chicken, bringing it to your mouth for you to take.
You were both too infatuated with each other, but you had been friends for so long that you thought it was your dynamic and nothing more.
"Do you have a lot of work to do?" you asked in a gentle tone as you finally began to clean up. He shook his head slightly.
"I just need to review some documents and that's all. I was thinking of coming to see you tonight," he said, getting up to throw the rest in the trash.
"If you want, I can stay here with you and we can go together." You slowly got up, stretching in your seat before taking a seat on the sofa.
Tim made a sound of affirmation, wiping his hands with a napkin and throwing it in the trash before closing the automatic office blinds and turning to you again. Without paying much attention, he rolled up his shirt sleeves to his elbows, taking off his shoes as he went.
You had seen that same scene so many times that you should have been used to it, but each time you were surprised by how fast your heart was beating. When he was completely in front of you, you raised your head to see his face, returning the smile he was giving you.
"You look cute when you're not mad at me," he said, crouching down in front of you and taking off your shoes as if it were already part of his routine.
"It's not my fault you're always trying to annoy me," you murmured, letting him do it, patting the seat next to you when he finished.
"You also look cute when you pout and look at me like you hate me." He giggled as he settled down beside you, took your waist before lying back on the sofa, bringing you with him along the way.
You settled more comfortably, resting your head on his chest, one hand on his chest, while one of your legs found its place over his. "You're a pain in the ass."
"You love it when I tease you, don't play dumb," he whispered, giving a gentle pinch to your waist, chuckling softly as you pressed closer to him in surprise.
"I hate you." you murmured finally, closing your eyes, more than ready to sleep.
"I love you too, beautiful," he murmured with a smile on his lips, letting out a sigh as he gently caressed your waist.
His caresses, the citrusy and woody scent of his perfume, the dark office, and the rhythmic beating of his heart were the perfect mix to put you to sleep—and Tim knew it very well.
His eyes were fixed on you as his free arm rested over his head. He'd noticed that when he wore that perfume you slept better beside him, not to mention that the first time he held you to sleep you fell asleep within seconds.
He knew that at night you didn't like to sleep uncovered, but in the afternoons you preferred to sleep only in a pair of comfortable socks. He knew that when you entered a deeper sleep you tended to make very low noises, almost as if you were trying to talk.
And he knew very well that when you woke up you needed at least a few minutes to realize that you were no longer asleep. He loved seeing your disoriented little face while you woke up.
Contrary to what many believed, Tim could fall asleep almost anywhere. That's why he constantly kept a caffeinated drink on hand. He tried to meet all his responsibilities on time, and that meant sacrificing his sleep.
At that moment he should have been reviewing documents, but if he moved too much while hugging you, you would wake up.
So his duty at that moment was to rest with you, finally allowing himself to close his eyes for a while.
You woke up after a long while because of other voices in the office and Tim's absence. You frowned slightly as you ran a hand over your face. Your eyes remained fixed on Tim's back; he was still sitting on the sofa but was no longer by your side.
You shifted slightly, muttering under your breath before fixing your gaze on the person in front of him. "Mmm... Hi, Mr. Wayne."
"Hi, darling. Is Tim treating you well?" His voice was low and deep, and he smiled very slightly at you. He liked seeing that you were getting closer and closer. He knew very well how much his son cared about you and was really just waiting for confirmation that you were dating.
“Mhn? Monday to Friday” You answered without really understanding what he was asking. Tim just shook his head a little.
"Oh, so not on weekends?" You frowned at Mr. Wayne's question, looking at Tim for a few seconds.
"Yeah."
"Don't pay any attention to her, she doesn't even realize she's awake." The boy shook his head, pushing you back towards the cushion when you tried to sit up. He wasn't very happy to have woken you up like this, but Bruce needed to talk about some things very urgently.
"Sleep a little longer, we'll go home in a bit." He whispered softly as he placed his hand completely over your face. He didn't want to be so affectionate in front of Bruce. Soon he heard your moan, quickly pulling his hand away when he felt you bite him.
"I've slept a lot. Keep talking, I'll wait outside." you murmured before trying to sit up again, just resting your head on his back, your eyes still trying to close on their own.
"No, no, don't worry. We've finished talking about what we needed to." Bruce shook his head gently as he stood up, straightening his jacket. "You should go home right away. Tim has something important to tell you."
"Okay," you murmured without moving an inch. You could fall asleep right there if you wanted. It wouldn't be the first time Tim had carried you somewhere.
Once the boy said goodbye to the older man and he left, Tim turned slightly to look at you. "Doll, let's go home. I'll order something to eat and you can rest without worrying about it."
You groaned, drawing out his name as you slumped back down on the couch, your hair spread across the cushion as you kept your eyes closed. Drake smiled slightly, his eyes wandering over your face and lingering down to your exposed collarbones.
He would like to see you like that in other circumstances, but it wasn't very polite of him to think about those kinds of things.
With a sigh, he bent down to pick up your shoes and began to put them back on you, getting up from the armchair as he stretched and went to gather his things.
"You know I like carrying you, sweetheart. But right now we're a mess and if we go out like this, rumors will start, I know you don't like the idea." He tried to explain while straightening his shirt and taking off his tie completely, putting it in one of his pockets.
He put his shoes back on and went to his desk to put away the briefcase he was going to take. letting out a low laugh upon hearing your whimpers.
"Oh, let them talk already. It's not like it's the first time they've seen us together." You finally complained, standing up and heading to an office mirror to fix your hair. Your steps were a little shaky from sleep.
"I know, but it's one thing for them to see us looking presentable and another for them to see us looking disheveled." His tone remained soft, running a hand through his hair, picking up his jacket to bring it towards you. "When you wake up you'll thank me, I'm sure that if there was an article saying that someone was sleeping with Timothy Drake-Wayne in his office and a picture of you underneath, you'd cut my head off."
"You have a point," you murmured, taking his jacket to put it on and leaving a fleeting kiss on his cheek. You grabbed your phone from the small table and waited for him to turn off the lights so you could leave together.
Once he had turned everything off, he placed his hand on your lower back, and you both left the office, only giving his assistant a brief goodbye as you headed for the elevator.
While they waited for the basement doors to open, you looked up at him, finally realizing. "You know? This doesn't help with the accusations that we're dating."
"Hmm? Why not?" he asked with genuine curiosity, lowering his gaze to your face.
"Well... we spent hours in your office, we left looking a bit disheveled, I'm wearing your jacket and you won't let go of me," you murmured, pointing at the elevator mirror. The image it projected was of a couple who had been together for a while.
"Mhn...well, but Bruce was there for a while and everything was fine." He shrugged, pulling you closer and tightening his grip on your waist. "If anyone says anything, I'll take care of it."
At that point, everyone knew you were a couple, except for yourselves.
"Your apartment or mine?" he asked when you were both in his car. The passenger seat was adjusted just the way you liked it. Tim immediately turned on the heater for you and, almost instinctively, fastened your seatbelt.
"Yours. I like your bed." You replied absentmindedly, taking out your cell phone to check some messages you had.
[...]
"The food's here!" you heard Tim's voice coming from the living room, you were still in the bathroom finishing getting dressed.
You had plenty of your own clothes at his house, but wearing his pajamas ended up being more comfortable. It was funny because he would sometimes even subtly pass you his clothes so you would consider it as an option.
When you finished. You detangle your hair and dry it more carefully before going out to the living room.
"It smells good," you murmured, approaching to see what she had ordered, smiling at the sight of the pizza. He always managed to order it with the ingredients you wanted that day; it still surprised you when she did things like that. He seemed to read your mind—or perhaps he had you studied too well.
He placed the pieces he knew you would have chosen for yourself on your plate, leaving it on the counter and then serving himself. There were already two open cans of soda for both you.
"What was the important thing Bruce mentioned?" you asked as you sat down, looking at him attentively. You didn't like to eat before the person you were with did too.
"Ah, that." The boy tilted his head from side to side, turning it before moving his shoulders. He was wearing an oversized t-shirt and a pair of loose shorts. "He wants you to come with me to the gala next week."
"Has he gone crazy?" you asked bluntly, looking directly into his eyes. Tim was trying hard to avoid your gaze.
"I told him that too, but he insists it would be a good idea. He says that at least something has to keep me interested during the night."
"I'm the sacrifice, I understand." Your words made him laugh a little, finally sitting down to take a bite of one of his slices, only then did you start eating.
"He said I can't look so distracted when we talk to some contributors and that I never try to pay attention to them." He rolled his eyes; it was the same old conversation. "He wanted to talk directly to you because supposedly I pay more attention to you than to other people. So he wants you to keep an eye on me so I don't look so... bored."
"So, I'll babysit, right?" you asked with a giggle. "Tell him he has to pay me a hundred dollars an hour and I might consider it."
"Oh my god. You spend all day by my side for free."
"Yes, but that's in your natural environment, not at a gala full of pretentious people." You waved your free hand before continuing to eat. "I'll go, but I have to find a nice dress; I don't have anything for that kind of event."
"I'll go with you to buy it," he said instantly. He wasn't going to let you spend money on a dress you probably wouldn't wear very often.
"You know what? There's no point in saying no anymore." You shrugged. At the end of the day, he'd always find a way to be with you.
And if not, he still knew where you were; you still hadn't figured out how he did that.
"By the way, it's more likely that your appearance at the gala will generate a lot more rumors. Are you okay with that?" His voice was softer this time. He had no problem being linked to you, but he understood that Gotham's elite and the press could be suffocating. He respected your decision not to get too caught up in all of that.
"Yeah... In the end, we always get paired up anyway; a couple of articles and silly whispers shouldn't be a big deal." No doubt some people would call you a gold digger, but that was the least of it.
Tim loved being paired with you, and the idea that all of Gotham believed it thrilled him a little. No guy with two brain cells would try to get close to you with ulterior motives; you'd practically be his girl publicly.
Perhaps at some point you would also be his in a more private setting.
Sometimes he even thought that you liked him too, that your gentle glances at him, the kisses on his cheeks and the caresses you gave him meant something more, but he was terrified of trying anything further and that you would regret it.
When they finished eating and organized the entire kitchen, they finally did their routines before going to sleep. First you lay down. Stretching out on the big bed and burying your face in the pillows momentarily, they smelled completely of him, a small smile appearing on your lips.
Once you were more comfortable, he climbed onto the bed, wrapping his arms around you and resting his head on your stomach without hesitation. Your hand went straight to his hair, beginning to twist a strand around one of your fingers.
"Timmy..." you called in a whisper, soon big blue eyes were looking at you through his eyelashes. "We're not exactly beating the dating allegations."
"So what? It's just the two of us, and I like being near you." He whispered, smiling at your soft giggle. In moments like these, he longed to confess his feelings for you.
"When I met you, I didn't think you were so clingy. It's sweet." With a smile, you continued stroking his hair. He settled back down without letting go of your body.
If he was like this just as friends, you couldn't imagine what he'd be like as your boyfriend. The mere thought of it made you want to cover his face with kisses, but that would be too much right now.
"It really doesn't bother me that people think we're a couple," he admitted in a murmur, biting his tongue to try not to say too much.
"It doesn't bother me either. I know I often joke about it, but I don't have a problem with it," you explained without stopping the caresses. "I like being with you... I'm glad you decided to go in and buy flowers for your ex." You laughed lightly. If it weren't for that, you wouldn't have met him.
"Yes... I'm glad I did it too," he replied in the same tone, taking his blankets to cover you well. He settled more comfortably in bed, wrapping his arms around you more snugly. "Now go to sleep. We'll go get the dress tomorrow."
With a soft sound, you snuggled closer to his body, relaxing completely in his grip.
You didn't know at what point things had changed between you two either, you were only aware that you spent more time thinking about him and wanting to see him, that you liked being surrounded by his scent much more and that you loved it when he teased you despite pretending not to.
You knew very well that you were just playing dumb about your feelings, wanting to assure everyone that you were just best friends.
But best friends shouldn't want to kiss.
"Your feet are fucking cold," you laughed loudly when you heard it, having hidden your feet under his legs.
By the time the sun was about to set, you had already spent hours between boutiques. None of the dresses you had tried on really appealed to you; they might have been beautiful, but you didn't think they would make you look pretty.
If you liked the cut, you thought the color was awful. And if the color was perfect, you didn't like how it looked on you.
"Tim, I really don't think this is a good idea anymore," you sighed inside the fitting room. You had refused to let him look at you several times because of the way the dresses accentuated the wrong areas. You felt so embarrassed for wasting his time and just wanted to go home.
"Honey, try at least one more, okay? If you don't like that one, we can leave and I'll ask them to make a design just the way you'd like it. What do you think?"
You felt it was too much to ask for an event that was only a couple of hours long, but Tim's worried voice made you give in. "Just one more."
And that was enough to make him feel a breath of fresh air. Perhaps, just perhaps, he had been going through your private Pinterest boards—it's not important how he got them—and had searched the entire store until he found a dress that matched the design of one of the ones you had saved.
"I chose this one for you. I think the color is pretty." He said, passing the dress to you from the side of the fitting room. The saleswoman just watched him with a smile; that guy was head over heels for you.
You couldn't deny that the color was one of your favorites; the crimson red made a nice contrast with your skin. “Okay…”
Even so, you tried it on without much enthusiasm, thinking long and hard before turning around to look in the mirror. It was a long dress; you were going to need slightly higher heels, but you didn't have a problem with that. The fabric was soft to the touch, and the skirt of the dress fell freely from your waist, where it was fitted just enough to accentuate your figure without being too exaggerated. It had a slit along one side; depending on the movement, your legs could be seen. The top part was simple, It was a draped neckline and fell softly over your chest.
And it was perfect.
It might seem silly, but your eyes filled with small tears.
You'd spent the whole day feeling terrible about yourself, you were so frustrated and felt like your body wouldn't look good in any dress. Tim finding the perfect one felt like seeing the gates of heaven. "Tim..."
"What's wrong? Didn't you like it? We can do what I told you, don't worry about it, we just have to—" He had started speaking very quickly, only stopping when he was interrupted by your voice. In his opinion, many of the dresses you had tried on throughout the day were simply perfect on you, but what really mattered was that you were comfortable, not that he liked it.
"It's perfect, Tim." you finally said, stepping out of the fitting room, letting him look at you.
Tim Drake, The Red Robin, who was the leader of the Teen Titans and the Young Justice, who had fought with hundreds of criminals and deranged villains.
Ended up breathless when he saw you.
"You... you, uh-" You could see his Adam's apple rise and fall as he swallowed, his breathing had become somewhat heavy. "Uh, you look-you look gorgeous… Really gorgeous." He whispered, the boy could feel his cheeks tingling, even his ears had turned a little red.
He took another deep breath, his eyes wandering over the dress. A mocking little smile played on your lips. You hadn't expected a reaction like that. "Now I hope you find a tie the same color. We have to match if I'm going to be with you all night."
His eyes darted to your face. Nodding enthusiastically, he said, "Of course, I actually already ordered one to match your dress. I was... I was hoping you'd like it."
"Well, I loved it." You smiled, approaching him and wrapping your arms around him in a tight hug, leaving a loud kiss on his cheek. If you had charmed him before, now you had left him speechless and completely mesmerized.
His hands found their way back to your waist, smiling a little before gently kissing your forehead. "Then we'll take this one. Tomorrow we can talk about accessories and your heels. Right now I just want us to go eat and rest; you've been too busy today."
His voice was low and soft, just loud enough for you to hear. The tone he used reminded you of someone, but you couldn't quite place who. "Go get changed, I'll go pay for it." He gave a gentle squeeze to your waist, only letting go when you did.
Tim felt completely fulfilled at having found a dress you liked. Anyone could tell he puffed out his chest with pride, holding his head high as he went to pay.
You, on the other hand, could only think about how much you loved that fool.
“Do you think Red Robin would like to see me in that dress too, or not?" you asked once you were both in the car, smiling and shaking your head. You chuckled at Tim's sigh.
He found it amusing that you spoke of his other self with such emotion, but at that moment he didn't want you to mention any other man or woman. He had chosen your dress!
He murmured your name softly as one hand remained on the steering wheel and the other rested on your thigh. You could feel your heart leap at the sight; his brow furrowed, his eyes fixed on the road. "I chose your dress, and you liked it. I couldn't care less what Red Robin has to say right now." His hand tightened gently. "If he wants to see you in something he likes, he can come with you and choose it himself."
Tim couldn't see it completely, but a big smile was forming on your lips and a pretty blush was rising on your cheeks. "Are you jealous?" you asked with a giggle.
"Yes, I am," he replied without hesitation. Many people were going to see you at the gala, and that was nagging at him, but he didn't care. You were going there with him; you were his best friend, not theirs. For God's sake, he was closer to kissing you than anyone else you knew.
But Red Robin had gotten under his skin for a moment - even though it was him -
"Don't be, I just like to joke about it." You laughed again, leaning in to place a soft kiss on his cheek. "Thanks for picking out the dress for me, Timmy. You have great taste."
"Of course I have good taste. In fact, from now on I'm going to go shopping with you." He couldn't leave any space open for someone else to do it. It had to be him.
"Okay. But I need more feedback than 'you look very pretty' with little, bright blue eyes.” You settled back into your seat, a silly smile lingering on your lips.
"I'll see what I can do..."
When the day of the gala finally arrived, you felt more nervous than you could have imagined. It was just a matter of being next to Tim and reminding him to pretend to be interested in what the guests were saying, but out of nowhere you felt your stomach churn and a bad feeling in your chest.
"I'm going to throw up," you blurted out, even though you were almost ready. All that was left was the accessories you'd wear and putting on your heels. Tim had wanted to hire someone to do your hair, but you refused several times; you didn't want to look too flashy.
His head turned toward you instantly, and he got up from your bed to come closer. He was already fully dressed, just waiting to help you with the details. "Why?"
"I don't know, I just felt like throwing up. I don't want to go anymore, Tim." You shook your head several times as you started pacing around your room in an attempt to calm down.
A pair of hands reached for your waist as you walked past him again, making you stop right there. "Look at me."
With a whimper, you raised your gaze to his eyes, your lips pouting involuntarily at how relaxed he seemed. His blue eyes looked at you tenderly, and his hair was neatly styled but with a touch of tousled looseness.
"Breathe with me," he murmured, taking one of your hands and placing it on his chest to begin taking deep breaths. You soon imitated him. "Everything's going to be alright. I'll be by your side every moment, and we're not going to stay all night."
You nodded gently as you continued to mimic her breathing. "You spent so much time doing your hair and makeup, sweetheart. You look gorgeous, we can't let all that effort go to waste, can we?"
You murmured a negative while shaking your head slightly. His hands gently guided you to the bed, helping you sit down as he bent down and took your new heels out of the box.
With great care, he helped you put them on, leaving a soft kiss on the leg that was now exposed thanks to the dress. Tim had no idea how to restrain himself, but he was dying to explore your entire body with his hands and lips. He wanted to cover you with so many kisses that you would have no doubt whatsoever about how much he loved you.
Still silent, he stood up again to find the accessories you would wear. Gently placing your earrings and necklace on you, the touch of his fingers against your skin made you shiver.
"And that's it. Quite a doll."
You smiled slightly as you nodded gently, getting up with the help of his hand. "If at any point you feel too overwhelmed, we can take a walk in the gardens. I always find a way to escape conversations, don't worry."
"Tim, I'm supposed to be here to stop you from running away from people." You shook your head gently, straightening his tie a little before you left the room together, your cell phone in his pocket as well as the lipstick you had used.
He just shrugged as he placed a kiss on your temple. You worried him more than any work conversation.
You had been to the manor a few times before when you were invited for dinner; it wasn't a new place for you, but you had certainly never seen it so crowded. Your eyes searched for familiar faces, but you couldn't spot any of Tim's brothers.
You hadn't even managed to see Bruce when two men had already intercepted Tim, starting to talk to him about who knows what regarding the company's stock.
You were just hanging on to his arm, almost like a keychain. It was insulting that they didn't even glance at who was with Tim, but you didn't feel like talking to them, so it didn't bother you too much.
On the other hand, there were a few people who were only paying attention to you. Seeing Tim Drake with someone on his arm? That hadn't happened for many months.
Soon the whispers began to spread from person to person, asking who you were and where you came from. They didn't remember ever having seen you before.
You were with him while he was talking to several people; some were more decent and even greeted you politely before returning to the business topic. Sometimes they tried to convince you so that you would then be the one to finally convince him.
You just smiled politely before denying it; you weren't planning on getting involved in those things, you didn't have a very deep understanding of business administration. Your thing was more laboratory-based.
At a certain point you could notice that he was completely frozen at the same time as what sounded like a whistle could be heard throughout the room.
"Did a little bird get in?" you asked curiously, raising your gaze a little; you didn't want to look for the little animal so blatantly.
"Yes, I'm sure of it," he murmured, apologizing to whoever he was talking to before taking your waist and starting to lead you towards one of the hallways.
"Where are we going?" You tilted your head, following him without hesitation. "Bruce won't pay me if I don't do my job properly."
"Don't worry about it, he'll understand." You frowned slightly, still looking at him. He seemed too tense, his eyes darting from one point to another.
Going deeper and deeper into the place, moving far enough away from the main hall.
"Tim, what's going on?"
"Nothing too bad," he said as he stepped into one of the many small rooms in the manor, closing the doors behind him. "I need you to stay here."
"Why?" you asked, truly confused, taking a seat in one of the armchairs. You hadn't realized how tired your feet were until now.
"It's... there are people here who shouldn't be and things could get tense," he explained quickly as he began to look for something to block the door with, dragging a shelf towards it.
"And that's why you're locking us up?" You were thinking it was all very exaggerated, but it was Gotham, anything could happen.
"I'm locking you in. I have to go." That made you jump up, ignoring the discomfort of your heels.
"What are you talking about? If you're locking me in, it's because it's dangerous. What are you going to do outside?" You instantly denied it as you approached him. Tim just kept locking the door.
"I need to get help. You'll be okay here."
"No, I'm not going to stay here while you leave, what's wrong with you? And what if you don't come back? The people in this city are crazy." Your heart was beating desperately and your breathing became rapid; you didn't want him to leave.
"Look, I'm just going out for a little while and I'll come back for you. If I can't do it myself, I'll send someone, okay? I won't leave you alone for long." His hands went to your face, gently cradling it. He hated seeing the fear in your eyes, but he couldn't take you out of there without knowing if there was more danger outside.
"Tim-" You pressed your lips together as well as your hands on his arms when you heard a loud bang in the distance. His eyes went straight to the door.
"I'll be back, I promise." He whispered, leaving a loud kiss on your cheek, quite close to your lips, before letting go and heading for the living room window. "Don't leave here." he repeated firmly before escaping through the window, the curtain covering the space once more.
The banging and shouting outside was not long in coming, your eyes were wide open as you moved away from the door and windows as much as you could.
The place was completely dark except for a small lamp; you hurried to turn it off before hiding in a corner behind a bookcase, crouching on the floor.
You had no idea what was happening, but you knew the need to run might come, so you quickly reached to take off your heels; your hands were trembling too much.
Your breathing was noisy, startling you every time there were loud noises. You didn't know if they could get closer to the room you were in.
You had left your heels somewhere near you; every now and then you looked out the window to see if Tim was coming back. You were starting to get desperate and wanted to get out of there.
You didn't know how long you'd been there, but at some point the noises began to stop. All you could think was that Tim still hadn't returned and you had no idea where he was.
A couple of knocks on the window alerted you, making you get up but not go any closer. The curtain moved slightly before revealing your favorite vigilante.
"Where's Tim?" was the first thing you asked; it probably didn't make sense to do it, but you couldn't help it.
"He's fine, I need to get you out of here." He said, approaching you. He looked very agitated, his hair was disheveled, and he seemed to have some recent bruises on his face.
"Okay, where? He said he'd be back soon and he didn't. Where is he?" You shook your head, moving further away from him as he approached. You weren't going to leave without him. You knew that many times they said your loved ones were fine just to keep you from panicking.
"He's outside with the others. He came to find you, but I stopped him. Now let's go. We have to get out of here; it's not over yet." You roughly pushed his hand away as he reached for you.
"What do you mean it's not over yet? How can you leave him out when there's still danger?!" Your voice was getting louder; you knew Tim could defend himself, but you didn't know the magnitude of the matter.
Red Robin seemed to be having an internal crisis, covering your mouth with one of his hands. "If you make noise, they'll come this way. I'm going to take you to him, but I need to get you out of here first." You were about to complain once again, but he wouldn't let you.
In an instant he had taken you, settling you on his shoulder before hurrying back to the window. "Let go of me! I have to find Him."
Your hands were pounding his back, his grip tightening. The blows you were delivering were pointless given his armor. "Let me go!"
You thrashed your legs, trying to kick him, but he managed to hold you tight as you left. You immediately tried to find your friend among the people around you. "Tim!" You couldn't see him anywhere, nor could you see his brothers. Fear grew stronger inside you.
His family had organized the gala; they had surely come for them, and you couldn't do anything. "Where is he?" you finally sobbed, stopping the blows as Red Robin ran through the gardens.
Your sobbing made him feel like his heart was breaking into pieces; he needed to get you to safety before saying anything. "Red, please. Just tell me the truth, where is he?" You pleaded between sobs, you didn't like where the whole thing was going.
"I'm right here." He whispered as he led you as far away from the manor as possible, approaching a greenhouse they had fixed up some time ago for his adoptive mother. "You'd be safe there."
"I know you're here! That's not what I'm asking. Where's my boyfriend?!" you asked, hitting his back again, shaking violently to try to break free from his grip.
The mere word made him smile, but it was more important to calm you down; he might get emotional later. "I'm right here, doll. It's me," he finally said, setting you down on the floor, his hands going straight up to your cheeks so you would look at him. "It's me, I'm fine, dollie."
Your eyes scanned his face, not quite understanding what the hell Red Robin was saying to you?
"Do I look stupid to you?" the question came out without further ado, still looking at him in confusion and annoyance. A short laugh escaped his lips, a laugh you knew very well.
"Of course not. And I'm telling you the truth, darling." He tried to calm you down, his voice becoming softer until you recognized it was him; he knew that fear clouded people's judgment. "I'm your Tim. I didn't want you to find out like this."
Your mouth was slightly open, looking at him in disbelief, quickly your hands went to his hair, removing it from his forehead, right on one side you could see the beauty mark that you had kissed so many times.
"You... You damn bastard, Timothy!" You slapped him hard across the chest, taking him by surprise. "What the hell is wrong with you? You leave me alone in the middle of a disaster and then you show up saying you're a vigilante?! I thought you'd been killed, you— you motherfucker!"
"I know, I know, and I'm sorry. I didn't mean for things to turn out this way, but I couldn't tell you with all those other people around. I needed to get you to safety first, sweetheart." He tried to explain as he grabbed your wrists to stop you from hitting me again. "Don't be mad at me, sweetie. I don't like it when you get really upset."
"Don't tell me how to feel! I thought you were gone, and Red— and you wouldn't tell me where you were, you just kept running away." Your voice broke as a thick tear ran down your cheek. "You scared me so much, Tim."
His hands released yours to cradle your face again; he was frustrated by having gloves on and not being able to feel your skin directly. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm so sorry," he whispered before wrapping you completely in a hug. "I promise I'm okay, and I'm going to be okay."
He held you close for a few seconds, only pulling away slightly when your breathing calmed down a little more. "I have to get back to the others, but I'll come as soon as we're finished and we'll talk properly, okay? I promise."
"You said a while ago that you'd come back," you shook your head slightly, but you still let him get away. There were other people in danger.
"And I did, didn't I?" A wide smile appeared on her lips, leaving a quick kiss on your cheek. "Give me a moment and you can scold me all you want. I'm not going to leave my girlfriend alone for too long again.”
‘My girlfriend' only when he left did you realize that you had called him your boyfriend a couple of minutes ago.
With a sigh and feeling your cheeks burn, you entered the greenhouse completely and took a seat in one of the rocking chairs. The moon illuminated the place through the large windows. You could see the flowers and plants that Tim's mother had there. You'd been told it was a gift for her on her first Mother's Day in the Wayne family.
There were some photos hanging on one of the columns; it was her with all the boys and some individual shots. You had met her a while ago and found her very warm. You could understand why they loved her so much.
Seeing Tim as a teenager had been very endearing; he still had the same smile as always. You were still a little nervous, but you managed to distract yourself enough by looking at things around the place.
Every now and then you looked towards the garden; your cell phone was still in his suit pants, so you couldn't try to find out what was happening through the news either.
A low sigh escaped your lips. Your Tim was Red Robin.
You certainly hadn't expected that, but now you understand many things. Including the time he appeared to shield you from the rain, covering your face with both hands when he remembered you telling him how attractive you found him.
But oh well, now you had a 2-for-1
While you were waiting for him, it wasn't hard to make connections. Without a doubt, Mr. Wayne must be Batman; his brothers were also pretty obvious, now that you thought about it.
After what seemed like an eternity, you heard the small door open again. Turning around, you saw Red Robin—or Tim?—enter the place, completely exhausted.
You stood up instantly, approaching him with concern; you could see that the bruises were becoming more visible. "Are you okay?"
"Better than ever," he murmured as his arms wrapped tightly around you. Instinctively, you brought your nose to his neck. He smelled of his usual cologne, but mixed with sweat and dust, perhaps even a hint of gunpowder.
"You're sweaty, Timothy," you murmured. You wouldn't usually let him hug you like that, but today you'd make an exception. You chuckled a little as you felt him hug you tighter.
"Oh well, you'll just have to deal with it." His nose buried itself in your hair, leaving a soft kiss. He didn't want to let go of you just yet.
You stayed like that with him, just closing your eyes and allowing yourself to enjoy the moment. "You have no idea how much I've wanted to tell you."
"Don't worry, it's something delicate, I understand that you haven't done it before." you whispered, still with your eyes closed, his hands caressing your waist as he became more relaxed.
"I wanted to tell you when I told you I liked you and wanted to be your boyfriend... But things got a little complicated," he admitted, somewhat embarrassed. He didn't like it when his plans got out of control.
"Well, technically I declared you my boyfriend and then you told me. It didn't turn out so bad." You smiled slightly, pulling back just enough to look at him, groaning when you met his domino mask. "I want to see your eyes."
With a small smile, he removed her mask, leaving it somewhere but continuing to look at you. "Better?"
"far better"
"So... are we officially dating?" He asked, tilting his head. You could swear it was one of the hottest pictures you'd ever seen.
"I think so," you whispered, bringing a hand to his cheek, caressing it very gently. "I take it back, Red Robin isn't cute. He's definitely fucking hot."
"Oh, so that's what we have?" he laughed, tightening his hands on your waist and moving much closer to you.
Your noses brushes with every slight movement, his gaze lingering on your lips for a couple of seconds. "Couples kiss, right?"
"From what I know, yes." you replied in a murmur, just feeling his lips finally meet yours.
Your whole being seemed to explode with excitement, your hands circling him tighter as you returned the kiss. Although it had started gently, it soon escalated to something much more intense.
Your fingers began to play with the hair on the back of his neck while one of his hands went down to your hip, the other went a little further, resting on your ass in an instant.
A small giggle was stifled by the kiss when you felt him tighten his grip there. "Don't laugh, I've been wanting to do this for a while, doll." he murmured against your lips, taking a breath before kissing you again with the same intensity. "And the dress you're wearing doesn't help me in the slightest."
"It's not my fault, you chose it." One of your hands moved up a little more, trying to bring his face closer to yours to continue the kiss.
"I'm definitely going to pick out clothes for you more often." The hand that was on your hip found its way to the opening of your dress, going up your bare leg until he found the edge of your panties.
"Tim, we're in your mother's greenhouse," you whispered against his lips. You couldn't deny that you wanted him to take you right there, but you believed you should at least be a little respectful of your now mother-in-law's places.
He moaned against your lips, lowering his other hand to grasp your buttocks beneath your dress and lift you with ease. "What if I don't take it off? Just light touches," he murmured, slowly trailing kisses down your neck until your back pressed against one of the columns. "It'll be quick, then we can go home." When he pulled away a little, you could see his eyes; they shone with pure desire.
He pressed you closer to his body, finally able to feel how hard he was. If your cunt was already wet from seeing him in the suit and without the mask, now it was much wetter.
"Just touching, Tim. At home we can do whatever you want." you murmured, unable to hold back much longer. For several weeks the idea of being like this with him had been going around in your mind, you couldn't miss the opportunity.
Although, well, this most likely wouldn't be the last time.
A/N: Ok! This was tricky to fix on Tumblr, but here it is. It's the first time I've written such a long one-shot, and I really hope it turned out well. I put a lot of effort into it :( I wanted to do something nice for Tim.
This happens about 6-7 years after Happy Mother's Day! tee-hee
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