I will post here first then I will post on AO3 for my birthday later, which is tomorrow but anyway, happy early birthday myself :D here's a gift for myself
Sometimes, the best way to tell people is to be blunt about it
When Bruce got back home with Tim by his side. Tim look more.....different to say at least. He wasn't the same from the quest.
The first thing they notice is that how much did Tim's appearance change, his hair have been longer, to the point he could pull his hair up for a ponytail. Next it's his ear, they have somehow more.....sharper to say at least, it make Tim look like an elf because Tim face look also beautiful, so beautiful like an elf. His pupil also a bit sharper, it was like a snake eyes. If they haven't run test on Tim, they might thought he was an imposter that takes Tim's place
The second thing they notice is that when he was still robin, he have hesitated at some of the attack and he didn't even realize that. It was almost a habit.
But now that he's back, he got more confident, more brutal than before. Not as the same as Jason or Bruce but his attack are more precise and more fierce. He also perfect at most weapons like sword (it wasn't a league move, it's more smooth than that and it wasn't specialized in killing. Where could he learn it), bow, spear, daggers.... most of it were weapon used in medieval area. But he can also use a gun precisely, like Jason but wasn't as skill as the other weapons. His style have definitely change
Tim has always been the best strategist of them all (minus Cass) when it come to battle against those stronger than him. His plan might seem crazy at the time but it has always working well. And after the dark time, his plan even more crazy and has always been him that take the most heaviest task making him always the injured one, and yet even if he's the one take the most damage, everyone that was under his command have never die, no one in his area have ever dies at all. It was almost as if things have always set to goes his way. When Tim making plans, his face got more serious, calculated and cold, not the same joyful little Robin anymore (this different make it the most hurtful truth for them, how much did Tim change from that is really....hurt)
His costume and codename have change, no longer a bird or a bat but even if he didn't relate to any bird or bat, he's still family in the end, like Jason. Tim have change his costume to black and blue, much to the like of Nightwing. He have also use a white mask, when Tim first got the white mask, he looks like....a manic to say at least, he say something like "Just like the old time" or "If Jason can use the old name of a shitty clown then I can use the appearance of a white radish" in which......it doesn't make sense to most of them, even Cass. Like who's this "white radish" and why does Tim have a distaste for that person like how Jason is with Joker? They didn't ask of course so it remains a mystery, for now. They might ask in the future. Tim have change his costume into something more loosely and not like a jumpsuit anymore. Tim have told them that he want it a bit comfortable so he could move more easily. He still kept the belt of course but his style have also change to a bit victorian mix with normal vigilantes. There's also a mystery bag inside the belt too and for some reason, they got everything that you could think of. Cass said it was a magic bag, so they all just.....not question it, when Tim feel if it is time then he would tell them himself.
He change from Robin to Red Robin (it said in the report that Red Robin is only temporary, it was only for the purpose of bringing Bruce home) and now to Irad (which they found out it was a Middle-Eastern origin for Dragon name. It mean 'an empire dragon with exceptional leadership qualities'. It...fit Tim well). Tim change from a bird to a dragon, just like how Tim's last name implies.
Tim have change so much and it was something they all have mixed feelings about it, some are regretted not there to witness it, some just think it is how it should be. It was like all of the progress of their relationship started from zero with Jason when he died, except this time it was them push Tim away in his darkest moments.
Tim didn't feel sad much with the way most of his family spend time together. He also spend most of his time with his other family. It wasn't that he doesn't love them, he do love them but he also want to catch up with his old family and most of his family also kinda busy so he didn't bother them much.
He feel a bit guilty alright (he kinda ignore his new family, he shouldn't have done that but.....he really mixed feeling with them. Damian hate him and he didn't think Damian would like to be in his presence so maybe not, Jason...well Jason is a bit close but he also didn't think Jason ever like him either even if Jason have stop calling him "pretender" long ago. Cass...Cass still good to talk to but she's busy and he won't try to disturbing her much, Dick...Dick kinda hard to bond after the dark time as he implied that Tim was crazy, it kinda broke his heart for him to choose Damian but it wasn't as painful as the death of his old family. But really,don't put him in the same category with Clopeh or White Star or Joker, or even Venion, he didn't want to be label crazy when there's someone crazier than him. Bruce, Bruce have always been fine, a coworker in the line of vigilante of Gotham, though he did look up to Bruce for a bit because he's a hit similar to his father, but nowadays he kinda see Bruce as his dad, he did noticed the love Bruce have for him like a family, he have seen those sign so much on his father so it was really easy to read Bruce. So yes, he care for Bruce like how he care for his father. Alfred......Alfred like his grandfather, he respect and really care for him but he fear the day Ron and Alfred team up with each other when they meet, they would be the most effective and also the scariest duo in the entire world.) so he will have to talk to his other family about meeting his new family. But his father kinda throw that out of the window by reaching him. His father as always, predictable yet also not. Not a surprise
"Which new you want first, Raon? I have two types of new that one might go for your liking while other is not. Which one do you want to hear first" his father still use his old name, it was because he ask him to do so as his father is the one give him the name, he is always welcome to use that name and only him
"Worst to best, you know it, father"
"Worst new is that Clopeh Sekka reincarnated as Ra's Al Ghul, your resident immortal." His father said in a tone that could describe as fear for him and wasn't that a surprise. A white snake, of course Ra's is that fanatic white snake. He should have known with the way Ra's obsessed with him after he blow up many of his base. Dammit, should have guess it, if he knows then he could have avoid him be best he can. Why is Clopeh nearly become white star anyway-
"The other new is depend on the situation, with how the God of Death involve in this, you're one of the Thames now" Rok Soo said "I know that you already know the secret of the household long before all of this, but I won't keep the research from our ancestors from you and you can keep it somewhere else. You could think of it as a pass on to the younger generation"
Now this is a surprise, he have always wonder if he actually got his grandmother's ancient power ever since that particular event. This just confirm his theory about it, he might have gotten it after all. This shouldn't have been a surprise since he also used to have an attribute that's related to time too, but it did surprise him anyway
He is.....related to his father's family, he's related to his father. His father trust him with the research of the family. His father trust him
Tim come forward to Rok Soo as he hug his father tightly, his father hugging him back and oh, he miss the feeling of hugging his dearest person in his entire life. His hug fill him with many feelings: warming, safe, love and much more positive feelings. It have always been nice when they hug each other like this.
Though Tim might not notice but Rok Soo have notice the other people in the room. Batman might not show it but he's hurt...a bit since Tim willing to call the stranger "father" with so much love, he show his affection so openly and wasn't that just sad? Tim have always been serious and have been so independent, he mostly focus on work that it hard to reach out so when Tim show affection to the stranger, it broke Bruce's heart just a little bit. Is it bad that he want to be in the stranger's place? But he knows that with how distant they are, it was hard to achieve that level of familiarity.
Cass comfort Bruce, she know it is hurt Bruce to see his adopted son willing to call the stranger man "father" with a tone that can described as loving. The way Tim willing to let his guard down and hug the scar man as he keep his smile, his bright smile when he talk to the stranger. Tim have never been this happy, didn't even let his guard down this much and just openly show his emotion except for a few occasions like when they didn't notice him having a small smile behind, loving behind those blue sky eyes. He might not admit it but he do care for Damian all the same too. Tim never show his loving side much and yet he already knew that she knows it as he didn't even bother to hide it in the plain sight. But it definitely still hurt to see Tim being so close to a stranger.
"Hm, Tim, don't you think you forget that there's your family here?" Tim snap out of his and father world to look at his other adopted family, now he feel awkward for showing this embarrassing side of him. He look more like a kid now, which made the two of them feel sad with how some of them were the one that made him hide this innocent side.
(They really shouldn't know about the time when he was still in Young Justice or the time he was still Raon Miru, so many explosion and they definitely can't know about how they actually destroy a whole island with a few bombs. They will never let it down with his new title as the most destructive robin, he might take Jason on that title for that actually-)
"Sorry, I know you guys have question but...maybe in the morning? Promise I will explain about all of.....this?" he awkwardly said, he still hug Rok Soo while the said man is patting Tim's head like how a father patting his little children's head. Rok Soo have that amused smile on his face.
"You could tell them all, I got permission already so you can go ahead and tell your family. It would be unfair if we kept them in the dark about all of this" Tim give Rok Soo a look of doubt, it wasn't that he doubt his father anything about telling people but more of a certain sentence that really struck him a moment of doubt. Since when have his father ever ask for permission anyway? He have never asked someone for permission or anything like that, he can asked for things nicely but that was only when he scammed some a hole
(His father never ever asked things nicely like a normal person, because if he do then that person might lost all of their fortune in a night.)
"Raon, put some faith in your father, I have ask Choi Han's permission. I can promise you on that"
Ah, Tim can see it now. He ask the one that down for him bad, no wonder.
"Uncle Choi Han huh.....well I can see why was there a permission"
He knows that everyone in their family down bad for his father, it was a trait they all pick up from nowhere. They might disagree with Rok Soo if it might affect his father's health but other than that, they just follow him with no question ask as he's forever the leader and they won't listen to anyone without a question like him. So yes, he will put this down, for now.
The only thing he needs is that he would beg his adopted father in this world do not fall in love with his father. This is the only thing he ask for when both his father would definitely meet up regularly. He have enough people have a crush on his obvious father and he didn't need another one.
"Please Bruce, I can explain everything when everyone is there in the morning. I can swear on my life with God of Death's oath-"
"Raon" Rok Soo now have a dark face as two vigilantes now both confused at his tone
"This is the most effective way to let them trust me and not some kind of mind-controlled or manipulation okay? It wasn't like they would kill me as I would be telling the truth all the time and explain in a more detailed way-" both Bruce and Cass getting concern with the way he words it, this is a dangerous thing isn't it?
"Raon Miru Henituse, I won't say this twice but do not try to use that oath ever again" Rok Soo seem so concerned about this oath, he look really annoyed when mention said oath
"But you use them too! Weren't you make that oath when you talk with Choi Han way back?" Oh god, how did Raon know about that time, Rok Soo didn't know if he should cry or laugh at this, this is karma wasn't it?
"Aigoooo, now this come bite me from behind. That was before everything that happens because of that oath and you know it Raon"
"I- fine, no death oath I guess" Tim huff as he know there's no use fighting someone that was even more stubborn than Bruce, even more stubborn than him when it comes to certain matters.
"What's this death oath?" Batman growls at them, yeah so Tim forget that Bruce hates been in the dark so yeah, might just tell him and explain tomorrow then.
"Well, Death oath is an oath that whoever made the oath would bounds to it like a contract, if you goes against the oath you made or ignored it and break it then you will get a curse that's you will die and reincarnate with your memories intact and then everyone that you love in your life would die either natural causes and mostly violent death and you reincarnate and you love someone and they die and you reincarnate again and love someone again and they die,....It would continue until the end of the time or that you wish to dissapear from your life forever" Tim explain it casually like it wasn't something that should be traumatic and should avoid at all cost.
Cass jump to Tim and warp her arms around Tim as she look at Tim disapprove with his choice now that both of them know the consequences of the action of the oath.
"Then don't make the oath. We will believe you. No need for oath" Cass say in a dark tone, she dare him to not listen to her as Tim hold his hand up in the air as a sign of defeated
"I won't- promise" there was one thing he always listen when it comes to this house is that no one goes against Cass words so he won't
Now the awkward silence just came back to them, and Tim have been the center of the conversation which now it make him more intense with the atmosphere. That was until Alfred cough to caught their attention as Rok Soo tenses at the sound like he have seen a ghost. They all give their attention to the butler that standing right at the stair right now
"If you gentlemen will, maybe we should get to rest for tomorrow as young master Tim state that we should discuss everything when everyone is there. Mister. Rok Soo, would you follow me for the guest room I have prepared for you at the moment right now" Alfred smile in a way that might say friendly but for Rok Soo, he might look like he have seen Ron number two. It didn't need to tell twice as Rok Soo nob before follow him. Maybe Alfred kinda spook him a bit even if he didn't even show it on his face, but he knows his father well that he know his father would do anything to keep Alfred and Ron meet each other for as long as he can for they could get along well or there will be a bloody battle waiting for it to happen anytime soon.
"So this is not my first life, not that I mean no one have their past life but more of I remember my past life" Tim just casually eating while his adopted family stay still in place, some drop their food and some with their mouth hanging right now. Even Damian look a bit surprise, not to mention Alfred too
Rok Soo? Oh he's still asleep alright, he's still asleep peacefully on his bed, might be because he's tired from traveling to this world. Traveling world in their experience is always tired
"Ra's is also reincarnated to this world from my world too, and he's obsessed with Rok Soo - who's my father in everything but blood- well actually I didn't ask him if he's one of the Thames this time but I willing to bet that he is, even if he weren't then still family either way" Tim struggle like it was just a normal everyday life - which might as well be with how his life be - and not just drop a bomb of information out of nowhere.
"....Timmy, Tim, baby bird, you did not just drop that kind of information like it wasn't a big deal in the table like this" Dick said, why is this his life again? It shouldn't have surprise him so much with how their life goes but it did anyway.
"Timber, what the f- heck? You remember your past life? No, we will go back to that information later- what do you mean that Ra's also reincarnated to this world like you?! What do mean that Ra's is obsessed with your father??" Jason point the fork at Tim, in the line of a vigilante life, life have always been a surprise and it shouldn't have been a mind blown like this shit. Tim has always been a surprise but this really take the cake.
"Oh you see, Ra's used to be our enemies so father undercover as a saint to gather information. When we capture Ra's, Ra's has been in a world of pain with Vicross and then when my father reveal that he's the saint that he trust, his world falls apart. And maybe from the fear that he has for father, he have obeyed every words and for whatever Mary - my sister in anything but blood - said something to him and now he have worship my father and he would do anything for father. Really, I should have known he has always been a snake in past or present life, I could have avoid him but noooo, I gotta be an idiot and get involved with him anyway. So there's that" Tim both explain while complain at the same time, not his fault that Clopeh suck as he even keep everything related to his father, now it might happen to him too and that he still think Ra's still keep his spleen.
"I can't believe this is my life" Jason groans loudly, that one maniac that their family wary of, the one piece of shit (no more than Joker but still piece of shit either way) is someone in other world?? And Tim know him that long???
"Alright, we will go back to the previous topic then, what do you mean you remember your first life?" Bruce didn't prepare enough coffee for this, he should have but he has underestimated the situation and this happened
"Isn't it obvious? It is what it mean, even though it definitely wasn't my first life, my first life was before my world regress back in time to my second life. I got 8 years worth of trauma when I combine both life as I got tortured since I was born." After that sentence comes out, now his family is tense in the worst way possible, really, it wasn't that bad anymore. He made peace with that time.
But his really have different reaction and it wasn't a good kind of reaction either. Traumatic, yes but it has been so long since then so why would they react like that?
Bruce look so heartbroken and really, that hurt him as much since he didn't want to see Bruce like that, it was like Jason all over again. Dick look like Scarecrow has hit him with fear toxin, and he looks practically want to kill too and wasn't that the scariest thing? He kill the Joker before after all. Jason? His eyes is glowing a bright green as he hold on to the fork that was ready to stab anyone at the moment right now. He's so angry, maybe it triggers the time he got tortured by Joker? Yeah, that seems possible.
Cass look so....pain, she look like she want to hug him and beat someone right now. So how does he know that? Spend many time with Cass and he have also seen that look in his older siblings (not the bats siblings, more of his first siblings). Duke didn't even look better as he was like he got hit by a truck. Barbara and Stephanie might not be here but he knows they're listening right now, he knows them like the back of his hand at this point but he might feel lucky because he didn't want to know what face are they making right now. He definitely don't want to know because woman are scary (not Mary, she's a saint to him. She's his precious mentality adopted sister). Damian looks.....well...he looks a bit hurt but maybe it was his imagination because there's no way Damian likes him.
"Tim...." Oh, Bruce voice look so hurt, like the Joker have hit Jason all over again. Okay he shouldn't joke about that but he looks like it though.
"It's okay though, it might hurt but it has been so long since then so I don't even practically mind about it anymore. Sometimes I get nightmares but that was it, it wasn't much" oh, they didn't even look better, maybe he should have word it more careful then, because they look even more hurt.
"Tim....who's the guy that torture you?"
Oh definitely an answer can be easily said, he thought it would be harder to be fair
"Venion, his name is Venion Stan, he did torture me but in the end he suffer in prison. Well at least before that we did torture him for 4 days as a payback for everything he did to me but I promise I didn't kill him. Dragon's honor" and wasn't that a satisfied answer, Jason nob in approval, Cass have a small smile of a sadistic maniac right now and he won't touch that ten pool, Dick was somewhat satisfied with it although there's something more behind it and he don't want to find out what it is, Duke look so nervous between the siblings and yet there's a dark satisfaction behind it and really, he's fit the members of the family already. Bruce, well he looks conflict for a bit but then set down on the 'If he didn't kill then there wasn't even any problem with it' look, nice to know he wasn't disappointed in him? Damian also nob his head in approve of the decision in which....yeah expect of that, he was raised by the league so he shouldn't be too surprised.
"I didn't expect that from you but you have all my support in doing so" Jason raise a thumb up at him and it was definitely restore his spirit a little, his spirit would have die young if one of them didn't approve of that
"I didn't torture him directly actually, it was our chef that torture him. He's a torturer expert ya know?" Now everyone is looking at him weirdly, wasn't this a normal thing though? Alfred can torture (Alfred could have in the past and he won't put that away), Jason can torture for information like how Vicross did, HE can also torture when it was needed so why would they look at him like that?
"Your....chef, is a torturer expert?" Bruce ask slowly having a headache, why is all of his kids weird?
"Yeah? Wasn't that a normal thing?"
"Timmy, Tim, little bird, it definitely wasn't normal, for normal people anyway"
"Well maybe, our chef Vicross is an assassin from a fallen household and he has served us in the past, still did when we have a meeting every week" ouch, and wasn't that hurt? Tim meeting his old family for a while now and they didn't notice much, they even have less of a full family bonding time as it was rare and Tim just regularly meeting them every weekend?
It was hurt to see one of the members of the family getting so distant, that and getting closer with someone else.
"You know, speaking of visiting the others, I was hoping if you guys would like to visit my family for the meeting. I was about to talk to them about it too and planning on surprise visit but since my father already here so I guess it wasn't necessary. I will just ask bluntly for this." Tim shrugged as he done eating his breakfast, he bring his plate to the kitchen as his family peak up at the mention of the visit. This could be a chance to getting along with the third robin, they all could bond together as they meet the people that have their family member's back.
They really should discuss what to do when the time come.
Though as they about to plan for the trip that Tim invite them to, Alfred comes back with a bunch of flowers, and three gifts in a fancy looking box, a fancy letter that look suspiciously like the one Ra's would give them that attach to the box itself. Well, if it was Ra's then it would be a surprise for the way he send like how normal people did.
"Hm?" Tim came back as he goes for the box that Alfred now putting in a counter right now "Young master Tim, I have see that you have someone send you this in front of the manor despite I wasn't aware that I open it for anyone. Would you happen to know this person or is it some admire you have?"
Huh, Tim look at the box as he see a familiar type of signature in the letter. He take the letter that attached to the box as he open it. He read it out loud
Or should I say, Raon Miru Henituse?
I know that you know me since I put my signature out for you to see so you won't confuse me with that maniac.
So the first thing is that I want to say is that I'm apologize for attack your family in the past, particularly Nightwing. I know that what ever I offer couldn't made up for my mistakes but I would still apologize nonetheless. All I could ask for is that please, please have mercy on me.
Second of all, if you decide to tell them then I do hope that goes well with you. How do I know this? I got some inside information so hope you don't mind about that.
Anyway, enjoy your gifts and see you soon this weekend.
Or you would know me as-" Tim didn't finish his last words as the other voice finish those last words
"Slade Wilson Aka Deathstroke, take him a while to discover your identity, my little dragon" Kim Rok Soo said as he step into the dinning room. It was at this moment, Dick jump up at the identity of the person that write those messages
