Tim is prowling the streets looking for crime- sure Batman said no to him becoming Robin but the streets are a mess! Batman needs Robin! Gotham needs Robin! And if no one else is gonna step up then he is! He doesn't have a suit or training so it... has not been going the best so far! But he's going to get better! What Batman gonna do? Tell him to stop? Already didn't work the first time! Besides he strategically picked Crime Alley because Batman avoids this place!
It's not like he can just bump into Robin in the streets anymore!
Sounds of fighting! Just the thing Tim was looking for! He has his handy dandy camera to make evidence of crimes!
Tim edged closer to the fighting from the shadows- some poor guys about to get mugged! Then a fist went flying. But it wasn't his...
It was one of those guys off to the side who clearly had some tragedy lead them here who stare far off into the distance and don't seem all there... Fighting the clearly mentally ill guy- wait that's every Gotham rogue and vigilante- but you know what he means!
Tim was about to move when the guy took down the muggers with trained ease. Robin trained ease. Robin trained ease. He could recognize that fighting style anywhere!
Tim, out of habit, took a picture.
Robin finished up and started walking away.
"H-hey wait!" Tim followed him
Why was he pretending to be dead!?
Robin's head didn't even move towards him when he yelled.
Robin stared at him blanky, not blinking, not responding.
"Wait are you okay?" Tim asked to no response.
Does Batman even know he's here?! He knows Batman doesn't know! Batman isn't anywhere near here!
Robin continued walking, almost walking into traffic. Tim shrieked and grabbed Robin's hand before he could walk off.
Oh my god!!! Is he a Zombie!?!? THERE'S A ZOMBIE ROBIN!!!!
They (Tim) waited for the road to be clear before walking.
Robin was going somewhere, what is he doing?
Robin went through the streets before going to what seemed like a condemned building.
Was this Robin activities?!
"For the last time get out of here you damn kids!"
It was not Robin activites
Tim wasn't but he nodded anyway, hoping to fish for information.
"Listen- I don't know or care what's wrong with that kid but keep him out of my house! I don't care if he used to live here."
Tim showed Robin his murder board photograph collection in an attempt to get any kind of reaction.
“They’re great photos right? You and Batman! Or Bruce I guess-“
Well. Robin did not like the photos it turns out! Because he froze for a second letting Tim yap before it processed and-
But it’s a win for Tim because he knows he’s right about Robin! Batman can just fix the rest and then he’ll be back to being Robin! Any reaction is better than the far off look right?
(Privately, Tim cried over his prized possessions)
(Jason felt something hearing that he can’t grasp enough thought to know what but his chest felt pain)
Honestly Robin being alive made Tim sigh in relief- he didn't want to take the burden of Robin but he couldn't see any other choice!
Now how to return to Batman...
If only there was a return to sender button
I know what you're thinking 'Tim you know Batman's identity! Just tell Bruce Wayne!' if only it was that easy... If only...
"Sorry Mr Wayne isn’t available for an appointment right now! He's currently-" off-world with the justice league "-In Paris!"
Tim sighed. Then double sighed when he saw Robin still sitting in the weirdest most uncomfortable looking position after 3 hours of calls.
"Why is it so hard to return you to Bruce!"
Tim casually leaned against the door to his room- why of all days was today cleaning day! He bartered off having a nanny when his photography (of Batman and Robin) took off but apparently he still ‘needed supervision to make sure he doesn’t kill himself’ from time to time! Disgusting…
His exnanny gave him a scathing look.
“Please I am only a teenage boy, I am just starting my teenagery as I am 13 I need my space you don’t want to go into my room right now!”
She sighed and Tim counted this as a win.
That’ll only work for one day though he’ll have to figure out something else tomorrow! Hopefully he won’t still be here by then so it’ll be moot point.
Thankfully Robin was malnourished and half dead so he wasn’t so big -hell he was just an inch and a half taller than Tim! though that makes sense since theyre only a year and half or two years apart! should he count the dead bit???- so he wasn’t hard to hide! The hard part was that he kept having panic attacks in small spaces… and then running off… and then Tim would have to find him again.
Tim wanted to go to bed. He wasn’t sure where to put Robin before that. He didn’t want him to be too far in case Robin runs off again! He can’t keep going back to Crime Alley! Or random park benches!
His bed is too small for the two of them though, as his parents were going to upgrade his bed to a teenager size one later this year…
“Hahhh, let’s just take my parents room it’s big enough.”
Wait oh god does Robin have enough mental capacity to change? Or take a bath?
Robin screamed and it jolted Tim out of his slumber.
“Bruce- Bruce-“ Robin was crying.
‘Nice to know he does remember’ a morbid part of Tim’s brain thought
“Hey- hey- it’s just a-“ this isn’t helping
“I’ll get you to Batman, okay? Soon- Just hang tight okay we’ll-“
Wait maybe that’s why he kept trying to escape at night! He’s following his old routine!
“Want to go find crime- Batman?”
Unfortunately Robin didn’t respond as he was still crying but Tim helped him up anyways.
Tim loves crime. Not doing crime- well doing a little crime- but mostly fixing it!
No luck finding Batman but Tim got to copy Robin’s moves live!
He also woke up as a undignified teddy bear the next morning which was not fun.
After the 15th call to Bruce Wayne’s personal number Tim was starting to get disappointed. Maybe a different route then…
Tim poked Robin's cheek repeatedly, in an annoying little brother fashion despite being an only child- spiritually he was an annoying younger sibling, "Hey do you know where Richard Grayson went underground to? Any place you two used to hang out?"
"Robin!!! I need that hand!!! How am I supposed to return you without it!!!"
Tim shrieked when Robin almost bit him
They were out and about in daylight this time so he couldn’t go calling Robin, Robin. Why on earth his brain defaulted to Brother instead of Jason is beyond him.
Probably that old lady on the bus who called him “such a sweet child for taking care of his brother.”
Thankfully (or not thankfully?) everyone would only stare for a minute before they saw Robin proper and realized and looked away. Which is probably how he wen’t unfound this entire time. No enemies but also still no allies…
Maybe he could try the police station! He’d try Batgirl but no one has seen anything of her in a long time… is she dead like Robin now?
Tim didnt realize his body clenched up at the thought until he felt Robin grip his hand back.
“Thanks Rob- brother of mine”
So they can’t just waltz in there and just ask to use the bat signal right? Besides the commissioner is there right now! If anyone were to catch him before Batman it’s that guy!
They did almost get caught by this red-haired wheelchaired civilian though- that was a close one! But thankfully they made it to the top…
Tim led Robin to the Bat signal, “Come on Robin! I have a great idea!”
“A rogue stole the bat signal?”
Gordon nodded, still feeling numb from the wrench to the back of his head…
Bruce felt a heavy wave of nostalgia and grief, “Jason used to steal from me and hit me with blunt metal objects…” Bruce sighed again. He misses his son. He wants Jason here. Jason would be laughing his ass off right now.
Gordon gave him a sad stare, “Hey if you need to take a step back I can handle this okay…”
Bruce can’t lose another son.
“WHY DID A POLICE SHOW UP INSTEAD OF BATMAN?!?”
Thankfully, he didn’t expect a child so Tim kicked him in the balls and ran.
“Okay so. It’s been a week. at this point I’m thinking we should break into Wayne Manor!”
Robin didn’t say anything but Tim felt Robin lean into him and that’s as good as he’s gonna get!
“If anyone has any objections to this raise your hand!”
Since Tim was presenting his solutions to his hoard of stuffed animals and a dead Robin no one raised their hand. Tim was satisfied with this!
They only got halfway through the plan when they hit a stall.
Who even needs to send assassins against a half dead guy! He’ll die on his own without help!
Robin took one of them down but-
Tim shrieked as some tall lady grabbed him by the back of his shirt.
Enemies found them first! Yayyy fun. Can you hear the sarcasm? because Tim is NOT HAVING FUN!!!
“My tails were following the little dead Robin when they found something of note,” she was looking down directly at him, “A child who out detectived the bat”
The other assassin successfully restrained Robin.
This would be a great time for Batman to appear out of thin air!
Unfortunately, Batman did have a track record for being too late to save his kids.
Tim tries memorizing every route they take at first, but as it becomes apparent he’s being taken outside of the country he isn’t sure what to do. Ro- Jason (Talia insisted) stopped being hostile as soon as the assassins stopped being hostile. Does he remember that they were hostile a few hours ago? Does he care?
Jason reached out and grabbed Tim’s hand like Tim did whenever they wen’t out in public, except there were no streets for him to walk into here.
Ra who did not want Tim at first but Talia persuaded
"Just the dead Robin would have been sufficient
"He will prove himself useful, father."
Ra Al Ghul stared down at Tim. For some reason, Tim's spleen hurt. He isn't sure why exactly his spleen, but it hurts.
Tim is trained by the LOA, but his main role is gathering intelligence, and other detective-like things. His smarts is the reason he got noticed after all! Talia has a weird (proud) glint in her eyes.
Jason has been training as a bodyguard… nanny.
Jason has no clue but it’s really clear to Tim from the way Jason has been taught to swaddle this water balloon and hold it without popping.
There’s one thing Tim has found about Talia and it’s that she would go to great lengths to keep her loved ones safe. Like a baby.
Jason must’ve felt the eyes because he just said “Ball”
Another change with his training- Talia has been having him go through physical and mental therapy. He can say words now! But he has to be retaught them.
So far he has, “Ball” “Mine” and “Milkshake”
Tim’s tried explaining that all foods aren’t called milkshake but that just makes Jason stubborner. Thankfully Tim is even stubborner. Both of them will die on their hills.
“For being so smart you haven’t commented on that,” Talia said with amusement.
“Momma didn’t raise no bitch” well Momma didn’t raise nobody Tim’s mom was absent but still! He’s not gonna say that
“Ah, so you have true smarts, unlike my beloved- who can be so adorably dumb when it comes to women.”
Bruce Wayne worlds no 1 fumbler
Tim was on his first mission when Damian was born.
“Did Lady Shiva say yes?”
Tim nodded, “She also said congratulations.”
“…you look really good for having just had a baby?”
Talia huffed, “good, I would be disappointed if you couldn’t even find something like that out.”
She had not informed Tim, naturally. But he’s just a sneaky little guy.
“Come now, let’s go see Damian.”
Damian was swaddled and being held tenderly by Jason, “Mine.”
“Family, Jason we’ve been over this, Family. Remember this word, fam-ily”
“He’s so tiny!” exclaimed Tim- he’d never actually seen a baby before. Only things like Richard Graysons baby photos!! This is so different from baby photos!
“Want to hold him?” Talia smiled at Tim
Talia bonked him on the head, “Share!”
Jason, having long been program to listen to Talia and her progeny did not smack back like he would with anyone else.
Tim felt so nervous holding Damian but Talia and Jason were there so it’d be fine… or he’d get double murdered.
“What of the classics have you read?”
Tim shrugged, he kinda just skips school…
“Jason Todd, allegedly, loved reading classical literature back in the day,” when in doubt, just drop a fact Tim shouldn’t be able to know.
Talia was too appeased to remember to force him to read any of them for a month.
Tim is starting to think Damian hates him.
He vomits on every one of his good shirts and he’s entirely certain it’s on purpose!
Jason doesn’t care about his poor shirts and keeps attending to Damian.
Tim continuously tries to teach Damian to throw up on Jason too to get back at him!
A shadow attacked Damian one night.
Jason tore the heart out of the shadow out, the movements were swift and graceful from training.
Tim didn't do anything, the shadows bore the signifiers of Talia's men after all.
Later he did raise an eyebrow when Talia asked them if they had a good sleep.
Seriously, she doesn't need to test them! Sometimes a guy wants a good sleep.
Talia's eyes held a hint of amusement at Tim's disgruntleness.
“Tim, if you see Jason letting Damian bite his fingers get Damian one of his teethers. I have no idea where Jason’s hands hand been.”
“Inside a guy’s chest as he ripped out his heart probably.”
“And where have those hearts been!”
“Come on Damian! It’ll be super funny! Mur-der”
Jason was sitting behind Damian, helping him sit up (even though Damian cat sit Jason is just a preprogrammed mother hen) while Tim desperately tried to steal first word from Damian before it could be “ball” or “mine” from mimicking Jason or “Mama” from Talia’s training. That’s why he needs this counter measure!
A bird chirped and Damian was instantly distracted, crawling towards it.
Tim turned to Jason, scandalized, “Why’d you let him crawl away!”
Instead of Damian’s first word being the focus Jason went off to catch the bird for Damian leaving Tim with the Baby!
In the end Damian’s first word was “Robin” and none of them taught him this he heard it in passing when he. was chasing the bird as apparently it was a Robin bird?!?. It was the league of assassins version of a babys first word being “fuck”
Tim and Talia are on a mission. Tim informs Talia that his sources say that Damian has taken his first steps (towards Jason)
Talia is suddenly in a better mood for the rest of the day and the rest of Tim’s squad are very happy and keep thanking Tim for saving them.
Tim is climbing up this ladder fast, even without being a heavy hitter (he can still fight ofc he loves his Saintie, great for parrying)
Damian, Jason and Tim never really got out of the habit of sharing a cot, as Jason and Tim would have to protect more often then not at night- what between Ra’s and Talia’s own men. Tim still doesn’t trust that guy to sleep on his own.
Naturally, Tim and Damian have both gotten used to falling asleep to humming classic Crime Alley tunes.
Not for the first time Tim wonders what kind of things are going on in that brain. If he knows what hes humming.
He’s been here a while, he’s seen the lazarus pits. He wonders what would happen if Jason went in one. Would he be healed?
Damian has never known anything different.
Tim, chatterbox, Drake realized pretty quickly that Damian loved hearing stories. It was also helpful to trying to restore Jason's mind to say stories about the past- but the biggest thing was just that Tim's a massive Batman and Robin fan. Being in the LOA has not stopped him.
It's not like Talia minds- she just sighs dreamily at specific points.
Which is how Tim finds himself in the weird position of being inbetween multiple Al Ghuls and a dead Robin telling his stalker stories pretty often.
Talia keeps lecturing him on his format- as it's not good enough for her! Classic lovers...
Damian has started training, it's kind of funny to watch someone with such small limbs try to move
Wait is this how Batman felt watching his poor attempt to vigilante!?
Discreetly, Tim pictures for future making fun of purposes when Damian is 20.
Tim adds this to his secret photos folder, still full of current Batman photos- oh and the new blonde Robin. He really want's to dig into it but Bruce didn't adopt this one.
Jason lost a lot of his ability to understand spoken word. But he can still understand emotions and body language. He's been thrown back to simpler mode of understanding, based mostly on instinct.
It's every human's first language before spoken language. Most forget but for some like David Cain's shadow, it is their first language.
They don't interact much but the few times they do is nice. Everyone else just sees two people sitting in silence and slowly leave.
Sadly, the shadow leaves soon. From the room and the league.
Tim really needs to do this.
He really needs do this work.
Why is Damian crying while he's trying to do work!?
Jason is holding him, which usually stops the crying.
Damian sniffled, "I am the grandson of the Demon I never have bad training sessions!"
Tim nodded, "mmm really?"
"Maybe, you wouldn't know!"
Tim just stared at Damian until he caved. Tim's Very Done Look tm has gotten better these past few years.
"I couldn't kill MR- Mr.fluffy"
"Well shit, I bet me and Jason couldn't do that either!"
Damian immediately scoffed "No need to coddle me Drake!"
Tim grabbed his hidden pile of photos and took out some Batman ones, "You know Batman thinks killing is shameful?"
Damian blinked, "Father?"
"Bruce," was Jason's helpful addon, which clearly means Tim's right.
"Yeah he has a no killing rule."
Damian didn't want to kill so he wouldn't.
No one else in the League of Assassins is okay with this but they don't matter. Besides, Talia and Jason would die before anything could harm Damian.
Tim's been on all kinds of international missions, so it's a bit of a surprise when Talia decides to switch it up a bit.
Jason's been sent to train internationally and Tim's stuck on babysitter duty for the foreseeable future.
Talia barely looked in his eyes. Something serious is going to happen and he's going to need to gather his forces. Thankfully, he's made many connections during his time here. Tim's just cool like that.
(League version of the Teen Titans consider guys guys-)
Damian’s aging in this is gonna be a little weird and I’m going to blame it on the lazarus water forcing him to physically grow quicker (because it speeds up healing and he's a kid, has the reverse affect on adults) while he’s being healed so my timeline makes sense. Oh maybe Jason too but he's only been like a few times so he just looks his chronological age. He’s just been in it oh so many times and its so sad and angsty and not all for the timeline! So it’s like 13-15-0 at the start and 16-18-6 physically for the sake of my sanity we dont need to think about things like “barely remembering anything after 15” or “being born 4 years ago” its not important
Jason wakes up in the lazarus pit very confused. He doesn't remember the last few years.
Tim and Damian try very hard to hide their dissapointment. They're very happy Jason is healthier-
"Do you really not remember?" the little kid stared up at Jason and Jason felt his heart pierce. Why does he feel so bad???
Why does he trust these people? It's hard to control his instincts with them- his instincts just turning into either putty.
A shadow comes near them and Jason instinctively growls and rips the shadow into pieces.
Okay so. His instincts is so different now?
"...are you okay?" Jason asked the two
Neither looked surprised or at all scared.
Something about his and Tim's height difference keeps making his thoughts fall into 'I remember when me and Tim were around the same height' before he goes 'WHAT???'
Damian walking and his stupid brain goes 'Damian's first steps'
What is this??? It's so weird!!
"So Jason clearly has some kind of memory of us it's just kinda buried," Tim informed Damian, thankfully they're two shadows Jason never notices.
Damian steals Tim's photo folder and shows Jason
It takes a while but Jason just gives up and accepts this is his life now
Jason stared at Talia with wide eyes, "Oh my god"
Jason gasped as clarity finally hit him, "You have an adoption problem like Bruce!"
"He's right though," agreed Tim, who was conscious through the entire process. He's never actually known Bruce but that matches with his data that he'd be like Talia. They had to have somethings in common to have dated!
Maybe they broke up because Talia didn't know she was an adoptmaniac like Bruce. Tim looked over and made eye contact with Damian and they shared a little nod in understanding.
They could totally get Talia back together with Bruce and then he could be step son! It's one spot removed from his old wattpad fanfics but it's close enough!
Though he really wishes people would stop leaving hate comments about Batman's secret identity being Wruce Bayne...
Tim was telling another story to pretending not to be starry-eyed Damian and pretending not to be listening Jason.
Jason kept giving him the funniest look when Tim detective Drake knew things he shouldn't. Tim would just smile and Jason would grumble under his breathe.
It's going great even with Jason being such a drama queen after being bathed in Lazarus water.
Tim opened his mouth to continue when Jason stomped over in dramatic outrage, "Your format sucks! Have you ever even analysed books???"
Tim decided to force the classic lovers to talk to eachother instead of bothering him! At least Damian doesn't interrupt him!
Things are going on in the background that neither Tim nor Talia appreciate.
Talia doesn't need to tell him, Tim starts finding discreet ways to change locations.
"Come on guys! We need to go!" said Tim as soon as Jason snuck back into their room after a mission
"Tim is right- it's no longer safe for you here," said Talia who was also here- shit it must be important then... Not just Tim being crazy...
Jason nodded and went to grab Damian when he noticed something off and paused, slowly turning back around, "Tim... where's your spleen?"
"...I have several follow up questions"
"No time- we need to hustle!"
And like that they're on the run from everyone, making their way to Gotham again. It's been years since Tim has been home.
"YOU TRIED TO BECOME ROBIN????" Jason turned to face the back of Tim's head, whisper yelling (he can't yell properly because Damian is asleep with them)
"You were dead!" Tim whisper-shouted in defence, "Batman needed a Robin! Everyone was too devastated after your death to Vigilante properly!"
"What do you even know about Robin?"
"You're a trust fund baby! You've never even slept on the streets!"
Tim turned to give Jason a scathing glare, "Were sleeping on the streets right now!"
Damian rolled over in his sleep and hit them both in the face.
“Robin me could beat Robin you up,” declared Jason, the next morning.
Tim gasped in offence, “Robin me would beat Robin you up!”
“With what? your face being so ugly I die instantly”
“…I was gonna say crowbar-“
“But I’m gonna go with doxxing”
“It’s been like 4 months for me!”
Damian, who was casually eating his breakfast, looked up at Tim, “Wouldn’t doing that make you a villain not a Robin?”
Jason grinned, all teeth, “He’s right! It’s Robin vs Villain Tim!”
“It’s not villainous-“ “Villain Drake would win” “what?” “what?”
Jason made a wounded noise.
They went back to eating their breakfast.
Jason suddenly stood up, “WE NEED TO MAKE VILLAIN COSTUMES!”
Tim stared up with judgemental eyes.
“For when we return to Gotham!”
“Why would we need Villain Costume’s-“
“I call the coolest costume!” Damian demanded immediately
Jason nodded placatingly, “We’re gonna be the coolest! I’m gonna call mine Red Hood!”
“Because your League outfit has a red hood?” asked Damian with innocence
“Wait why should we be villains?!”
Jason stared at Tim like he was dumb, “So we can make villain monologues- duh”
Staring at Gotham, as they got closer and closer. Tim wonders why he ever agreed to this.
This is the dumbest villain costume.
Why can’t they just be vigilantes!
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