Bruised

Tim Drake || 23 || Red Robin || Batman couldn't make it. Sunshine depresses him.

[filmouts]

DYLAN O’BRIEN © Aidan Cullen // Interview Magazine (July 19th, 2022)

[redrobinxdrake]

🌊🌊🌊

𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐀 𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐀 good glance around, where they were, observing the buildings, streets, and everything. ❛ The city seems pretty much intact from the fire. ❜ The princess took his words LITERALLY, not metaphorically, she still had difficulty adapting to ‘humans’. Humans’ beings don’t make any sense to her.

Tim’s brows furrowed at her response; the stark contrasting of her literal answer to his silly quip. “Which is surprising,” he offered with a cynical smirk. The bones of Central City were far stronger than Gotham. He shivered at the thought of the hallowed out spaces tangled in steel beams and frayed scraps of tin blocking out the sun. Shadows continues to shroud the people in the embittered sorrow of the fall out. Yet, here in Central City, there seemed to be made of stronger stuff; an eternal shine. 

“I assume you’re not from here.” 

[redrobinxdrake]

“Five more minutes,” he grumbled. Tim brushed the few blonde strands of hair that crossed into her angelic features. “I’ll get up and get dressed in five...or I won’t. You think that Bruce can protect me from skipping court?”

@ccfstephaniebrown​​

[specerhastings]

[redrobinxdrake]

“Me?” Tim turned away from the voice that bellowed out from the dark. His hands pushed farther into his pockets as he mustered every bit of positivity he could. “I don’t believe we’ve met before...urm my name is Dick” 

“Dick Grayson.” Real smooth, Tim, real smooth. 

@ccfstarter​

[atlantismera]

         ❛ If you look at the bright side you could… ❜ THINKING TWICE, the Atlantean… ❛ Ok, there is no bright side in it. ❜

[redrobinxdrake]

“Not at all,” he hummed. Tim watched the walls of screens that illuminated through the store front window. He didn’t want to think about the amount of laws he was breaking by being here but he needed fresh air and a new perspective. “Could be worse..the city could be burning again.” 

[usermischief]

[redrobinxdrake]

Stephanie would never leave him. He had to know that. She was a yo-yo and he held the string. No matter how far or hard she ran, she’d always come back to him. She knew it wasn’t healthy, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. “I’m sorry I stayed away for so long. It won’t happen again,” she could make that promise to him. She wouldn’t bother to wait to break him out of prison if he ever made it back. Damn Wayne Enterprises. Damn The Drake Foundation. She didn’t need the money or any of it as long as she had Tim and the family they created.

She held him tightly letting him cry out his fear and loneliness and sadness. She would be his shelter as he was so often hers. He protected her when she was at her weakest. When she was at her most reckless he made himself her rock to anchor to. She would do all those things for him. She would be those things for him. She didn’t make him false promises about how everything would be okay. She wasn’t that girl, but what she could do was promise him this, “You are not alone, Tim Drake. I will never be far from you. I will burn the Earth to make sure that you and I are always together.”

“You’re not going to do this alone, because I’m here. They know you were with me. We can’t hide that, but they don’t know everything. They don’t know what Talia did, but I’m going to find proof. I’m going to make this right. You will not spend a day in jail, I don’t care if I have to break you out. They will not take you from me. I won’t allow it. I will Fast and Furious that bus if I have to, cause we both know Jason can get me the car, Dick can get me the toys, and Barbara can get me the papers. We won’t be separated, Tim.”

“We protect each other. If it were me, if Talia had done to me what she did to you, what would do? What wouldn’t you do to protect me? Why do you think I would do anything but the same damn thing? You don’t protect me and Lux. We protect Lux, and we protect each other. That’s how this family works.

“I could run a million miles and Barbara and Jason would always find me. They’re like a bad cold. I kept waiting for Barbara to show up on my doorstep with take out and an ass-chewing.”

Stephanie frowned, she didn’t understand why Tim was asking this of her. “Tim, you need sleep. We’re not even married yet, and no one could handle my brand of crazy, so I think it’s safe to say I’ll never get remarried.”

His usual lithesome retort cooled on his stone tongue. Stephanie’s instinct to flee had been the appropriate response to his arrest. He wanted to shoo away her apology but he had been moved by the deep aching that tore at the fragile lining of his heart. Tim weeped into her strong that washed off her skin like a tidal wave.  His grip holding onto her with such force before falling away; the gluttony had passed with his realization that this wasn’t some fantasy dreamt up in his sleepless stupor. Stephanie returned to him in one piece with their beautiful daughter unharmed and happy. 

How can I be sad when everything I live for came back to me?

“It’s going to a be bad, Stephanie.” Tim’s voice cracked once the tears had dried along his cheeks. He hated himself for allowing such a confession to ebb off his lips in wake of such a visceral display of weakness. “The public can’t know the truth without implicating the family. I won’t endanger them to free myself. You and Bruce are both very creative with your approaches but I am guilty. I did everything that they believe I did..” he blew out a stiff breath. “I just want to make it right. No matter the means. I need to make it right.” 

Tim’s thumb passed along the shallow of her collar bone to attempt to sweep away the wetness that had stained her shirt. “Family protects family but sometimes that can ruin it. We’ve seen it happen in real time but I am not pushing anyone away..within reason. Jason has enough to deal with and his trigger finger is very itchy these days.” He sighed. 

“I don’t need sleep,” he said defiantly. “I need you to marry me so that we’re bound together for life. One of our friends has to be ordained,” Tim nudged her nose with his. “I wonder if the Mistress of Magic would dawn a white collar for the evening.” 

[redrobinxdrake]

K. K. ✉ Timmy Boy

Kate: You better be, I really don't want to bail you out of jail tonight

Kate: Make it two, I prefer to drink my coffee with someone who shares my appreciation.

Kate: And why do I need an excuse? I sent a gift.

Tim: As much as I'd love to see you drool over Detective Sawyer, I also do not want to get arrested this evening.

Tim: You got it. We can drown out the stupidity together.

Tim: I think they would have liked to see you here but a gift suffices.

[redrobinxdrake]

​

She had promised she would go home. Go back to Tim after visiting him, but Stephanie was a wild card. He had to know Steph and Lux were safe. That Tim had them back and would get better. He couldn’t lose anyone else. So he had come over to their place to check. But now he couldn’t bring himself to leave. The little family was curled up in bed, but were they safe? He did know. There was so much he didn’t know. 

Tim’s voice brought him out of his own head, “I needed to make sure she came back to you. I’m trying not to be angry with her, but she left you. You needed her and she left. I needed her and she left. And she took Lux,” Conner muttered.

The familiar sound of Conner’s solid gait soaked Tim’s bones with a much needed comfort; it embraced him like a blanket. His hand dropped out along the edge of the bed and motioned the super boy closer. He allowed his dangling leg to drop to cross over the other to provide him space on the bed. 

“She left because it was the best thing to do for Lux.” He countered softly. “Please don’t be angry at her. She did what I asked her to do and that’s to protect our daughter. Just like you promised her that you’d keep an eye on me. You’re not very light on those twinkle toes, Conner.” 

[redrobinxdrake]

“I’ll be damned,” he hissed with a feigned shock. “Dick Grayson in the flesh. I must be seeing things.”

@dickxgrayscn​

[redrobinxdrake]

K. K. ✉ Timmy Boy

Kate: Natasha misses her brother, she's been moping by the door all night

Kate: You owe me a coffee

Kate: The really expensive kind

Kate: With the imported coffee beans and the whipped foam

Tim: She won't be missing him for long. I will be out of here in the next fifteen minutes.

Tim: If all goes right, you'll have the most expensive truffle infused latte known to man.

Tim: What excuse am I giving them family for your absence?

Tim: You're on your period? Washing your hair? Have salacious relations with one of the sirens?

[redrobinxdrake]

“I promise I didn’t sass the operator nor did I try to skip town.” Tim muttered with weighted annoyance. “I wouldn’t bolt wear this,” he gestured to his crisp plaid pajama bottoms. “The monitor started to blink red momentarily like it does every couple of nights. I’m starting to think there’s some conspiracy going on and this city waiting for me to break the rules of my bail.” Tim lifted his hands higher. “I’ll let you frisk me if it’ll keep you from hauling me down town.” 

@detectivebadass​

[redrobinxdrake]

Ravager: Yes, we’re all still good. How’s our fearless leader? Ravager: You want us to work together again? And /not/ kill anyone, just to clarify. Ravager: I’ll work on that. Ravager: Can’t promise no questions. Why are you being so weird? What’s up?

Red Robin: Good. Stephanie is back and she’s great. She’s the real boss.  Red Robin: I want him to have sustained income and for you to have someone you trust having your back. I think you both have the restraint not to kill anyone.  Red Robin: I am the self deprecating one, it’s my thing. You gotta be better. Red Robin I would like a detail dispatched to watch over Stephanie and Lux at all times. One would say I’m being paranoid but I’d like to think it’s thorough. 

[redrobinxdrake]

“I have two questions,” he paused for a beat. “What are you in the mood for dinner and why does your girlfriend have my address.” 

@brucexthomasxwayne​

[redrobinxdrake]

“I’ve brought together the brightest technological minds in the family.” Tim pushed away from his make shift desk situated in the middle of his living room. “I think it’s time we go fully off the grid. I’ve had a lot of time to think about this and I’ve got a base code for a fully self sustaining network to ensure none of us, brainwashed or otherwise, can compromising moving forward. 

“Now, I need your brains to help me make it happen.” 

@lukexfox​ @ixamxbatgirl​

[outlawintheredhood]

Despite the fact their place was spotless - a combination of the fact it had yet to barely be lived in and his own rigorous once, twice and thrice, over before the party - Jason still swept his gaze around the room with a critical eye as he went to get the door. It may have just been an excuse to see people now that things were beginning to settle down, and he was sure most people were just there to take up some free booze, this was the first time Jason had properly hosted, well… anything. So sue him, he was a little nervous.

“Hey!” He greeted, entirely over-enthusiastic for anyone who knew his usual demeanour. “Welcome! And wipe your feet on the mat.” He tacked on, Alfie giving a soft ‘boof’ to back him up, having followed Jason to the door to sit expectantly in receipt of pats.

@ccfstarter​

[redrobinxdrake]

Tim loved to gamble his fate on wings of his own hubris. If I am as good as think I am, I won’t be arrested tonight. Kate’s wonderfully obedient hound sat in his townhouse with his ankle monitor preloaded with a self adjusting software to mirror his “normal” nightly activities  “Don’t look so surprised,” he said gently before stepping through the threshold. Tim wiped his feet on the mat, his gaze pointed towards the ceiling with a low click of his tongue.

"You need better security,”