When patrolling together, Red Robin and Robin get cornered by the Joker.
They aren’t too worried at first considering he’s seemingly only got a dozen men and others are on patrol, but then they see what the men are holding.
Joker had made a new Joker venom and they are seemingly the test subjects.
Damian is instantly ready to fight, but Tim is running the odds through his mind and it’s not good. They have a good chance of getting out, they are trained after all, but not without one or both of them getting the venom and who knows how long it will take to make a cure of a new concoction.
Tim can’t let that happen.
Damian will not be added to the list of people of people tormented by this mad man.
With coms being out of reach as the two went into a private channel so they wouldn’t get in trouble for bickering, and their every move being watched, Tim had few choices.
Tim swallows and pushes Damian behind him, standing tall with his chin up even as his hands start to shake.
Damian starts to protest but Tim is speaking first, “Let him go and you can-… can have JJ back.”
The way Joker starts to grin even wider, slow and painful, is the most unnerving sight Tim has seen in a long time.
Joker laughs loud and starts clapping.
“Oh joy, oh joy! This is more fun than I thought! Always so good at surprises, JJ!”
His laughing doesn’t stop as Tim shakily turns to his little brother, who’s almost eighteen but still little even as he grows taller than him, and holds onto his shoulders.
“Robin, I need you to listen to me. You have to let me go with them or you’ll get hurt, okay? You have to promise me you won’t follow us because I can’t let you get hurt like me and-“
One of the goons takes the chance to knock Robin out and lets him slump into Tim’s arms.
Just as he begins to panic about them hurting Damian or bringing them with him, Joker comes up behind him and wraps an arm move his shoulders, “Don’t worry about him, JJ! Little Robin number… whatever, will be just fine! Batsy will find him and take him back to his nest, while we…” - Joker leans in so he can whisper in his ear - “have a little family catch up!”
Tim nods, not finding it in himself to smile or play along yet, but keeping up his end of his offer.
It takes one day of shocks after his forced make over for him to settle back into the role he learnt the first time. Last time it took two and half a weeks for him to give in and learn his part properly, and then a few more days before he was rescued, but this time it feels almost natural as he puts on a big grin and starts a familiar giggle.
He thinks of Damian, who may have been turned into Joker Junior Junior or some other absurd name, and tells himself it’s worth it to protect him from any more trauma.
Tim is kept for a month, playing house with a mad man who makes rants about JJ’s mother leaving him for a woman and being tortured every time he doesn’t laugh quick enough or seems just a little distant.
When he’s found he doesn’t realise. He’s just sitting there at a dinner table with straps on the chair keeping him down. He’s laughing loudly, knows if he stops he’ll be hit or shocked or forced to drink some kind of toxic chemical until he pukes up blood. He can’t stop, because Papa will be mad and he’s scary when he’s mad and mama isn’t there anymore.
When he process the change of scenery he finds himself in a hospital bed in the cave.
JJ and Tim are so blurred into the same person that when he sees Damian he has no idea who he is at first. He almost expects someone younger, the little boy who first showed up, because that’s the little boy he gave himself up for.
But when Damian stared back at him and starts to tear up Tim finds himself remembering who he wants to be.
He pulls his little brother into his arms, jostling Alfred the Cat, and sobs into his hairline while ignoring the green in his periphery and praying he doesn’t start to laugh.
He fails, but Damian doesn’t give up on him.
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